Vacationing!

Bottles: check!  Formula: check! Bibs:check! Diapers:check! Clothes:check! Favorite blanket and toy: check! The list goes on and on.  A lot of planning goes into traveling with a wee one.  It takes being organized and well prepared, but in the end it is worth it.

Right now miss Piglet and I are in the midst of a vacation visiting my family and friends in my hometown. All in all it has been a lot of fun so far. I have seen lots of friends and I am getting to catch up in person.  Facebook and blogs are great for staying in touch, but there is nothing quite like getting to see and hug good friends.

I love living where we do, and all the new friends that I have made, and I think it will be a great place for miss Piglet to grow up. I think she will have some wonderful friends and will know that she lives in a special part of the country. Yet, there is nothing like coming home and visiting my old stomping grounds, seeing people that I love, and the landscape that I miss.

Being here reminds me that God has a plan and that He puts people in our lives for different amounts of time. Some are only in our lives for a season, and some are in our lives for the duration and it doesn't matter how far apart we live, we can still be friends.

Vacationing is great, it is relaxing and a time to just get away, see new (or old) things and take some deep breaths.  So, for everyone preparing for Spring Break vacations I pray for safety, fun, and a lot of wonderful memories to cherish.

-JLP-

Spring Has [Officially] Sprung!

Hello sunny days, time to the clean the attic and playing outside!  Shovels, hoes and seeds are ready, for the wonderful season of Spring has arrived!  The trees are budding, and raindrops come with thunder and lightning, not to mention warmer weather and longer evenings! Best of all, Easter is just around the corner.  The time when we focus on Christ's redemptive work on the cross.  It is no coincidence that Easter falls during the season of rebirth and renewal.

For little Piglet it means that she will be going on more walks with mommy, and doing more outside as our family works in the garden. It also means lots of sunscreen and hats to protect her fair skin.  It is a time of growth and exploring for all of us.

Along with her growth means making some decisions.  Thinking of spring leads me to think of renewal and purity, purity leads me to think about movies and tv, and what will we let miss Piglet watch, and how will we teach her discernment regarding movies, tvs, books, etc. For now there are certain channels that are not watched, and for the most part she watches shows that I like and have previewed (cartoons I grew up on, and a few tv shows I like.  She loves Gibbs on NCIS).

More important than making a list of what she can and can't watch I think it is important to teach her to preview something (read about it) and decide if it is something that honors our Lord.

For now though it is up to us and in lieu of watching tv, with Spring here that means time away from the tube, exploring the new life around us.  Our country home is full of new life coming up and out! :-)

-JLP-

Praying that God blesses you this Spring with many beautiful sunrises and just as many sunsets, and in between that you learn to dance in the storms.

To My Daughter

E agerly we awaited our chance to hold you in our arms.
V oraciously you soak up all there is to learn in this world.
E asily our love for you turned our family of 2 into one of 3.
L ovely you are in appearance, grace, patience and heart. 
Y oung but ready to learn and to grow into a gorgeous woman.
N ever unloved you have always been our precious Snowflake!

Back and forth we gently rock. 
We have nowhere to go. 
Cuddling and singing,
Counting and giggling, 
Just the two of us.

Back and forth we pass the tea pot.
There is nowhere particular to be.
Dancing and skipping,
Adding and reading,
Just the two of us.

Back and forth we flip,
There are places to go, later.
Cartwheeling and jumping,
Multiplying and dividing,
Just the two of us.

Back and forth we drive,
There is always somewhere to be.
Discussing and remembering,
Shopping and packing,
It is rarely just the two of us.

Down the aisle you walk,
You are going somewhere special.
Radiant and ever lovely,
Smiling and making promises.
It is no longer the 2 us, it is
The two of you. 

Little Piglet, as I celebrate St. Pat's Day and my birthday I feel so privileged to be your mother and to be able to celebrate my special day with you and daddy.  Thank you for all the joy and love you fill our home with and for being here and being you on my special.  I love you very much!

-JLP-

Rocking My Baby

Cleaning And Scrubbing 
Can Wait 
Till Tomorrow...

For Babies Grow Up
We've Learned
To Our Sorrow...

So Quiet Down 
Cobwebs...
Dust Go To 
Sleep...

I'm Rocking 
My Baby,
And Babies 
Don't Keep.

My Cup Runneth Over

"Jehovah is my shepherd I shall not want... My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and lovingkindness shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of Jehovah forever." (Psalm 23 ASV)

Spring is here, I don't know how long she shall stay for this visit, but today she is here.  As I type this it is 78* and sunny.  I have windows open, short sleeves on and my daughter is in a cute dress.  I have a comfortable home, I get to stay here and raise our daughter, and I know Who to thank for this gorgeous day.  My cup really does run over.

I love Psalm 23. If people know nothing about the Bible, they will have heard this psalm.  I love it because in these few short verses David sums up life.  God is our provider.  If we trust Him we will not be in need.  He will take care of those needs.  God is also our protector.  He will not keep us from the valley, but He will get us through the valley, and awaiting us is some R&R (rest in a peaceful place and a harvest).  He does all this because of His mercy and love.  Not because of anything we have done, but all because that is who He is.

Today I am thankful for God, for His provision, His protection, His mercy, His love and for days like today that even though I am busy doing the work of a wife and mother, it is a restful day because God has given me a peaceful place to live and a gorgeous day.

-JLP-

St. Patrick's Breastplate Prayer

With my birthday/St. Pat's Day fast approaching I want to post the breastplate prayer that is craved on a memorial dedicated to the evangelist.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this day to me for ever.
By power of faith, Christ's incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan river;
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb;
His riding up the heavenly way;
His coming at the day of doom;*
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of the cherubim;
The sweet 'well done' in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors' faith, Apostles' word,
The Patriarchs' prayers, the Prophets' scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord,
And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the starlit heaven,
The glorious sun's life-giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea,
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan's spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart's idolatry,
Against the wizard's evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave and the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same.
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

A Mother's Hope

Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.  I quietly rocked miss Piglet in her dimly lit bedroom.  Quiet lullabies were playing on my Droid as we rocked and I prayed.  It is a scene that Piglet and I repeat every night, it is our going to sleep routine (works pretty well on Mommy!)

Quietly sucking on her binkie, wrapped up in her blankie miss Piglet began to nod off and drift away to dreamland.  Another day was finished and it was time to rest up for tomorrow.  I love our night time go to bed routine.  It is the quiet part of the day where it is just Mommy and Evie alone, cuddling and talking to Jesus together.  My heart is excited for the nights in the future when Piglet says her prayers at night.

That is my biggest prayer for my daughter.  When I am being honest, I don't really care if she likes the Packers, Redskins, or even the Cowboys, or if she decides she doesn't like football at all.  I will support her if she chooses something more feminine over sports.  If she is the valedictorian, or an average grade student, if she is a chef, dancer, accountant, teacher, doctor, or author, it will not matter.  The one thing that matters the most to me is that she will spend her life following God, that she will be a woman after His own heart.

I have a second prayer that is also important, and that is that God will protect her from the pain of rape.  Having been raped I know that it is survivable, that you can live joyfully after rape.  Rape is not the romanticized "fate worse than death", but it is something that I pray Piglet will never have to endure.  Even now, 10 years later I still deal with repercussions, and I don't want that for my beloved daughter.

For now I know that those worries are future things.  Right now it is time to enjoy having a cuddle bug, to soak up the smiles, the giggles and the arms outstretched waiting to be picked up and held.  All too soon she will be grown up.

-JLP-

Where is My Faith

There is nothing more wonderful than playing with a giggling, smiling, happy little baby.  This morning has been somewhat idyllic, though not very productive (in the house work arena).  Little miss Piglet has been more playful than ever and I've loved EVERY minute of it.  Yet, now as I have a few minutes to myself  I am reflecting on a few things.

One of the main things that is on my mind today is the idea of faith and where I put my faith.  I trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.  I know that I am a sinner that He came to earth, lived a perfect life, gave himself up to die, rose again and is now my only route to Heaven.  I know and I am so very thankful for His gift of salvation.    While I trust Him with my soul I sometimes have trouble trusting Him with my daily life.  Weird if you think about it.

When I was pregnant with miss Piglet (she earned that nickname by the way, and it is said all in love) I lived to feel her kick, move, hiccup and for the doctor appointments when we got to hear her little heart beating.  There is nothing more reassuring than hearing the heart beat and having the doctor tell you that everything looks good.  In all my worry to have a healthy baby I forgot to trust Christ.  My faith was in what I could see, hear and feel, not in the Creator.

So often I do that. I trust what I can see, I trust the tangible things of this world.  Things that so often fail me, when I should remember that since I've trusted Christ for my very salvation, I should trust Him for what amounts to be the little things.  Since God loves me enough to take care of my soul, why wouldn't He love me enough to take care of my daily needs? D and I do our best to take care of miss Piglet's needs, and God is the ultimate, perfect Father, so of course our Abba will care for us.

-JLP-

Praying that y'all remember to put your trust in the Lord and even when it seems hard, or when you don't have physical proof of something, that you will remember that God is here, God is good, and God loves us perfectly.

Proverbs 31: 10-31

It is my prayer that someday I'll be like this woman.  To be a modern day Proverbs 31 woman is my life goal.

                           


A good woman is hard to find, 
   and worth far more than diamonds.


Her husband trusts her without reserve, 
   and never has reason to regret it.


Never spiteful, she treats him generously 
   all her life long.


She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, 
   and enjoys knitting and sewing.


She's like a trading ship that sails to faraway places 
   and brings back exotic surprises.


She's up before dawn, preparing breakfast 
   for her family and organizing her day.


She looks over a field and buys it, 
   then, with money she's put aside, plants a garden.


First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, 
   rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.


She senses the worth of her work, 
   is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.


She's skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, 
   diligent in homemaking.


She's quick to assist anyone in need, 
   reaches out to help the poor.


She doesn't worry about her family when it snows; 
   their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.


She makes her own clothing, 
   and dresses in colorful linens and silks.


Her husband is greatly respected 
   when he deliberates with the city fathers.


She designs gowns and sells them, 
   brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.


Her clothes are well-made and elegant, 
   and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.


When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say, 
   and she always says it kindly.


She keeps an eye on everyone in her household, 
   and keeps them all busy and productive.


Her children respect and bless her; 
   her husband joins in with words of praise:
"Many women have done wonderful things, 
   but you've outclassed them all!"


Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades. 
   The woman to be admired and praised 
   is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.


Give her everything she deserves! 
   Festoon her life with praises!

The Important Things

Today it dawned on me that I haven't posted since the first of the month!  There goes my posting every M-F idea! Thinking about what I've been doing reminds me that it is important to make a list (I love lists) and to count my blessings to remember to do the important and not get caught up in the inconsequential things that can steal my time, because once a minute is gone it is irreplaceable.

So, just what are the important things in life?  For me, the important things in life are the things that come free- the smiles from my daughter, watching her try to roll over, kissing my husband, baking a cake with friends, talking on the phone with family (which is hard to admit since I'm not really a fan of talking on the phone).  It is also important to remember to forgive, to seek forgiveness, to be polite, kind, gracious, patient (another hard task), loving and to live joyfully.  The uttermost important thing in life is our walk with the Lord.  Are we part of His family, and are living like we should, to reflect Him in all we do (both in public and at home)?

With that said, I'm going to get back to doing what is important- taking care of my daughter and making sure the house looks nice when hubby gets home (one way I show him I love him, taking care of what is ours).

-JLP-

Makes Me Smile

Right now on Facebook there is a photo challenge for the month of March.  The challenge is take a photo (and post it) each day, and each day has a special theme (to be interpreted however you wish).  I love things like this, it allows me to be creative.  Today's challenge: Take a photo of something that makes you smile.

It should come as no shock that today's photo features my daughter.  Just thinking about her makes me smile. She really is a gift from God.  It is hard for me to believe that 8 weeks ago today we went to hospital for her birth.  She has turned our lives upside (in a good way) and she filled the home with so much more love.

Yes, there are times when she is fussy for no reason and I want to tear my hair out.  There are days when I'm dizzy with exhaustion, and there are moments when I want a 24 hour vacation.  When these times hit I look down in her face and I'm at peace and I smile.  Yes, being a mom is hard WORK, but it is the best job in the world.  She is so full of life and wonderment.  She reminds me why we are here.

We are here to bring glory and joy to God.  Just as E looks like her mom and dad, we all are created in the image of our Heavenly Father.  We are here because God loves us.  Hopefully we bring Him more glory than frustration, more honor than anger and more praise than all else.  Yet, no matter what He loves us.  I know that just as I am bursting with love for E, my Heavenly Father is bursting with love for me. That thought makes me smile.

-JLP-

Praying that y'all feel the love of the Father and that you find something today that makes you smile.