I’ve been blessed!!

Posted on by

Ok, so I am going to spill my guts here so get ready. Most of you all who know me will know that I don’t usually put on pretenses and that I pretty much wear my heart on my sleeve. This is a good thing and a bad thing-I just can’t keep my emotions pent up. Also, I want others to know that they aren’t alone if they are experiencing the same things!

Gut spill # 1:Being a mom is HARD-there, I said it. I was in such denial about this issue before the baby came but it has now hit me smack dab in the forehead. Please don’t get me wrong-I dearly love my Grayson, but this is really really hard!!

Gut spill #2: I am not usually a fearful person but I am so afraid these days that I won’t be able to handle the pressures of being a mommy. I feel like I am just inches away from losing it. But, when I am just on the brink of going bonkers, the Lord blesses me and reminds me of His almighty love and power.

Gut spill #3: This one is absolutely crazy and not true at all. But it goes to show how much Satan can lie to us and send us down the wrong road. On top of the fear listed above, I am so afraid of going at this mommy thing alone. Like I said-totally nuts. Why? Because, first of all, I have an amazing husband who loves and supports me and does diaper duty in the middle of the night!!

Today the Lord has shown me why all of this fear is deception from the enemy. I have been blessed in so many different ways today that I am renewed in my spirit and able to handle some major baby meltdowns and seriously dirty diapers!

The biggest blessing today was an email from my Mom. She wrote the most beautiful thoughts and I want to share them with you…

Before I was a Mom-ADAPTED BY IRIS FRANCIS

Before I was a Mom
I never worried about my plants being poisonous.
I never had been pooped on
Puked on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
Before I was a Mom
I had complete control of my mind and thoughts.
I slept all night.
I exercised whenever I wanted to.
I never thought of immunization shots.
Or the words to Lullabye songs.
Before I was a Mom
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never new the joy it would bring when my baby chooed his first sounds.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I could not stop him from crying.
I never knew holding a sleeping baby would feel so complete.
I never knew something that small could affect my life so much.
Before I was a Mom
I didn’t know how to shh shh a baby.
I didn’t know the feeling of a baby feeding on my breast.
I didn’t know something that small could make me feel so important.
I didn’t know the happiness of the sounds Da Da or MaMa.
Before I was a Mom
I didn’t know the bond of a mother and child, that would last forever.
I never knew I had so many friends to talk to when I needed advise.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love the heartache, or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I never knew how really wonderful my husband is until now.
Being a Mom is a most wonderful thing.
Time goes so fast.
Enjoy.
Love, Mom

This email reminded me that I am not alone and that I am loved dearly.

Another cool thing was that I have a great friend, Nita, who has just recently experienced all that I am going through. She is always calling to check up on me and see if I need anything from the grocery store. Today we went on a walk together and soaked up a beautiful day. This time with her helped me to cope with the major crying fit that happened the moment we hit the door at home-thank goodness we made it home!!! AMEN!!

One more awesome blessing today was that I was connected to an old friend from Texas via the blog world-what a coincidence. God is so cool. Check out Charla’s great blog- click here.

I am not alone! This is what the Lord has shown me today via my friends and family. Thank you Jesus!!

So, I want to end with a verse that the Lord gave me a couple of days ago and I think it speaks for itself:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

My challenge to you is to not shy away from boasting in your weakness. Spill your guts! But, make sure your spilling it all out to God first. He will take that weakness and replace it with His upmost power.

One more thing- you know I wouldn’t post anything these days with out a picture of my Little Bit!!

Quick Devotion- All Swaddled Up

Posted on by

The first week at home with Grayson was nice and quiet and pretty uneventful. Plenty of sleeping, eating and pooping! One thing that struck me, though, is how much this child loved to be swaddled. Experts say that babies like this because it makes them feel like they are snug as a bug like in the womb. Well, little Grayson has already taught his mommy something about Jesus! So, of course, I had to write a devotional about it.

Romans 13:14

Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature

Oh how I need to be constantly wrapped up with the Holy Spirit! One funny thing about this swaddle business is that Grayson is always trying to free his hands from the blanket. He is like a little Harry Houdini wiggling his way out to free his arms. But, usually when his arms are free, Grayson works himself up and starts crying.
Isn’t that just like us. We get wrapped up in the love of Jesus, filled with the fruit of the Holy Spirit. But, our fleshly, human nature gets in the way and we find ourselves wrestling our way out of the security blanket of Jesus. Then what happens-all kinds of things that don’t glorify God.

LIVE IT OUT application:

How do I go about being wrapped up, snug as a bug in Jesus? It starts with spending time in the Bible and in prayer daily. This means starting up constant communication with God as if He is always with us (Oh, He is always with us-we just don’t always acknowledge Him) Also, it takes admitting our weaknesses (when you know you can’t do something in your own strength) and taking this weakness before God to let Him work through you. Building a relationship with God takes effort on our part. Since He is always available to be our King of Kings and Almighty Hand that Saves, we just have to make the effort to come to our Father and be wrapped up in His love.

Father, I submit to your ultimate authority. I submit to the fact that I must be wrapped up in you at all times. Lord, when I do wiggle free, please patiently calm me down from my tantrum and swaddle me up again because I want to live in a manner that pleases you.

Amen

PS Here’s one more picture that I just had to post=too cute!