Land of the beautiful people..

~Last week I had an experience I havent probably had since maybe Junior High or High School. I had been out and about running errands and feeling pretty good about the day. While I had showered before I left and threw on some make-up, I was feeling a little lazy with my new growing hair so  I threw on a cute hat and a sundress and headed out the door. While I was out, one of my stops was meeting with a bunch of Women to discuss some ministry opportuities for the following year. When I walked in the door I immediately noticed two totally beautiful girls around my age, dressed to the nines no less with their perfectly manicured nails and perfect hair.....and for the first time in like forever I felt like a turtle that wanted to go back into her shell. Immediatley I though to myself."dangit, I should have done my hair today"! My countenance shrunk to about the size of a mouse. Holy smokes, I don't have any idea what came over me in that moment, but it was such a crappy feeeling and it was as if the devil was whispering to me "Jeanette, you are not pretty enough, you are not thin enough and you will never measure up to the calibur of those beauties you see over there". Well shoot, what am I..like 12? I felt guilty for even having an ounce of jealousy towards these gals, but it was like all of the sudden I was confronted with my own insecurities. Honestly though, until that moment I hadnt really realized I struggled with too many. Not that I am never insecure about myself, but its just not something that I really deal with on a regular basis. I am fortunate to be a rather confident and secure person and while there are things I would like to improve about myself, I just dont typically judge myself against other women..I really am OK with who I am and I think its becase I find my security in the Lord. Honestly, the brief interactionwith those gals truly did put sort of a damper on my day and I began to rip myself apart...totally lame. Its not like those girls could help being who they were ( and wonderful Christians nontheless) and having a beautiful outward appearance. I just needed to get a grip, which by the end of the day, I totally did and I got over it. I'm not even really sure why I chose to write about it, but I guess I wanted to remember it because Satan is a sneaky little fella, he gets in our heads and makes us feel "less than"when the Lord sees us as "Stinkin awesome"!! We are HIS creation, he made each one of us unique and special and exactly how he wanted us to be and quite honestly, that's something to get excited about!!


          ~" I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions, and to overcome all the power of the enemy!" Luke 10:19

Monkey see, monkey do!

So, recently the kids and I were having a dance off here at home, that's pretty normal around here. We love music and we can't seem to sit still when its on so we boogie! As I took a much needed break the kids were still in full swing while "Rolling in the deep" with our good friend Adele. I sat back and watched my little sweeties in all their glory and then I was starting to pick up on something. Logan would copy every move that Kiely made or he would try and repeat the words she was singing.  This went on and on and then over the next few days when they would be playing again I noticed him repeating her words or the things she would be doing. While all of this was pretty cute, I was not happy about the fact he would "copy" K.G. when she was being sassy....OH NO, UH UH...not in this house!! I had to sit Kiely down and remind her that her little brother was watching her every move and listening to every word she said and how she needed to be the best example she could be to him because she was the "Big Sister" and she was his role-model. As I was in full mommy mode telling Kiely how she should be acting, I was quickly reminded about my own shortcomings. How I am acting or re-acting in certain situations when they are present? Was I being a good role-model for my own kids? I'd sure like to think so, but I know that I fail at this sometimes( Unfortunately, I can be a sass myself). Quite honestly as I was thinking about this I began to get a little freaked out! In that moment I was reminded of the HUGE responsibility I have as their Momma. I am their #1 role model. I cant think about a bigger & greater job than that and at the same time its a bit scary. I was so grateful through watching the interaction of my kids how I need to "check myself before I wreck myself"...or my kids for that matter. I want them to see me as a loving wife, mother, family member, friend and so on. I think they are on the right path, They are surrounded by family & friends who love the Lord and want to instill good moral character into my sweeties. As I was thinking through this I was contemplating my relationship with God and how it could always use improvement. If I'm not putting him first as my "Ultimate Role Model" then I cant expect that my actions are always going to mirror the goodness of God. TOTAL REALITY CHECK. It made me want to get up close and personal with my God on an ever consistent basis. I need him. My kids need me to need him! Enough said. Monkey see, monkey do.
"May the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Oh Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer" Psalm 19:14

Perspective

~Yesterday I was reading a blog that had a link to Lysa TerKeurst's blog. She is a wonderful Christian author and Bible Study leader. She is also a Momma and her post yesterday put my thoughts on Motherhood into a better perspective. You see, I too have a very spirited child..her name is Kiely-Grace! Some days I feel as though I have no idea how to parent her, mostly due to the fact I think she may be smarter than me..Ha! She fills my heart with so much joy, I call her "My Life. She is spunky and social, and could have very lengthy conversations with just about anyone. She is compassionate and is very concerned about the welfare of others.  She is also very spiritual and loves the Lord, even at the ripe old age of 3.  K.G. is a natural leader and likes to do things in her own way. Some days she is hard to contain, not because she is a wild child (well not always), but because she is strong willed and persistent. I will admitt, some days I feel like a total failure of a mother. Not because I think I am a bad Mom, but mostly because sometimes I find it hard to know how to parent her and her personality. Its because we are the same person you see. God is funny! She is the kind of kid who constantly needs to engage, she always wants to learn, and she asks a million questions until she has the answer she needs. Some days I am simply worn out!  Trust me, I am beyond grateful she is how she is..I wouldnt change one thing about her...she rocks my world!  Its just that I am trying to find the balance in parenting my two different children and being effective in the process.  I am always so encouraged when I talk with other Moms and they are open about their parenting frustrations.  I think our frustrations are really due to our own insecurities, or maybe I am just speaking for myself . I think I have the tendency to be overly cautious about how my children are acting for worry that they may percieved as acting "naughty", when really they are just being kids. They are curious, they are learning, they are exploring..I need to get over it! My kids are rad, I am a good Mom and I am just doing my very best on this parenting journey.  I love this part in Lisa's post. She say's regarding her daughter Hope: "Maybe God's goal for me wasn't to raise a good rule following child. God's goal was for me to raise a God following adult. An adult just determined and insistent enough to fufill a purpose he had in mind all along".

~ Wow, totally needed to hear that! I don't need to raise "good rule following children". I need to raise "God following adults". When they are following God, everything else falls into place.....UMMMM DUH! Total perspective shift right? Yes, I think so. Love my kiddos and are so grateful for who they are and who they are going to become. Praying that the Lord will show me day by day how to love and direct them in the ways they need to be led!

**Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.**
~Proverbs 22:6

Blog Design by Kelly King

I am super excited to be working with Kelly King over at www.kellysavenuedesigns.com, she is working on a new design for my blog so I can have something cute and sassy for the Christmas Season...hopefully this will motivate me to transfer my journal entries onto my actual blog :-) For the week of Thanksgiving November 21st-Nove 27th she has a special on her "Elite" and "basic" blog designs. Please go on over to her website and check it out! I know I can't wait until mine is finished!!

30 days of Thankfulness: Day 2

Today I am thankful for the messes I clean up after my little sweeties. Not saying that I wholeheartedly love messiness, but I love "the signs of life" I find all over the place. From dropped cheerios on the floor to smeared lip gloss on the counter (from Kiely hijacking my Mary Kay goodies), I loved that our home is "lived in". Sometimes I find myself frustrated with cleaning the same things over and over, but more and more I find joy in it because I know "The days are long, but the years are short" and this season of life will pass before I know it! So today I choose joy in the mundane and know full well that doing these small tasks please the Lord immensely!

~"Do everything you do to the glory of the one who made you." 1 Corinthians 10:31

30 days of Thankfulness Day Day 1 ( a day late)

~I have seen on many blogs and on facebook the idea of going through 30 days of Thankfulness and since I have sooooo much to be thankful for, I thought I would jump on board. I have no specific order to what I am thankful for, but what I am feeling at that particular moment.. My friend Lotte put on her Facebook this morning how she is" thankful for music and the way it ministers to us in the best and worst of times". Wow, I couldn't have said it better myself! I love music and primarily listen to Christian music because that is what speaks to my heart and helps me through the ins and outs of my daily life. Last night I had the opportunity to relax and have a hot bath and just sit back and have some time to myself while Greg & Kiely spent time together downstairs. I found myself watching all of my favorite "Hillsong" music videos on "you toube" and just having flashbacks about how all those different songs have played a part in my Christian life..and my life in general. Some songs take me back to different missions trips I have been on and some remind me of our days ministering as Youth Leaders with the H.S. group back home at LGCC and so on. I am so thankful for Christian music and how its used to show us God in the moments we need him most!!

A bunch of Random Thoughts..

It is never a dull moment around here and we are busy little bees. Just wanted to jot down some things have been on my mind:

~Logan has been killing me with his cuteness lately, he is SO much fun!! Needless to say I am in love with my boy!!!

~One of my closest friends Laurie is getting married a week from tomorrow and I am so stinkin excited for my weekend away on a "Mommy trip" with my best girls!!

~ While I am away I get to hook up with our good friends the Joy & David Ashworth, they moved last summer and we miss them terribly, I get to spend a night with them. I have a feeling we are going to be up late drinking coffee- catching up and laughing!

~I am completely loving the song "Stronger" by Hillsong Live right now..I am addicted to this song, it is so powerful!

~I am grateful for my business with Mary Kay, it is the opportunity of a Lifetime, I am so excited to be building my team!!

~Kiely is spunkier than ever these days, she is beyond her years and she makes me laugh everyday. I am so grateful to have her as my daughter, I pray we will always be close!

~ Our Phoenix weather has been rocking my world..it is perfect right now, although I know the 112 temps are right around the corner!

~I am grateful for a husband who works hard to support our family and allows me to be an at home mommy!

~I WILL do the P.F. Changs 1/2 marathon in January (no suprise pregnancies I hope).

~ On that same note, I miss being pregnant, I feel really pretty while pregnant

and to be quite honest, I dig the attention!

~I am learning to put myself as a priority...that means even if I have to get up at 5am for my Turbo Fire work-out then that's what has to happn, I am worth it!

~I really need to work on my quiet time with God-it has been lacking and I am realizing the hard way that if I don't put him first..nothing will run smooth!

~I am re-reading the book "Shepherding a Child's heart"..it is an amazing book, I really want to parent "Biblically" and not out of my own emotion. I want Kiely and Logan to have Godly role-models in Greg and I. I really want to pass on a Godly legacy for my kids, I think its priceless!!

~I really would love to join the worship team at Church, I am nervous at the thought of it and not sure how I would fit in.

~ I am so grateful for healthy children, I know sometimes I take it for granted. I know so many people who have kids with serious health issues.

~ I am learning to have "An attitude of gratitude" in all circumstances.

Just some randomness from this crazy head of mine!