It's Christmas Eve

Since I know that none of you want me to sing Christmas Carols for you, I figured I would let these guys do it.

Merry Christmas

January @ Journey

Journey will now be meeting in a new location! To say that we are super excited is an understatment. Starting January 6 Journey will starting meeting at Churchwell Elementary in north Lakeland. The school is located in a fast growing area in northwest Lakeland. We are really looking forward to serving the school and community. We have so many things that we would like to do, our future's so bright we gotta wear shades!

If you are a parent of a Churchwell Star or a teacher at Churchwell, let me know some of the things that you would like to see happen at Churchwell.

Working with Mrs. Fitsgerald (Churchwell's principal) has been a dream. If you would like to learn more about the decision that brought us to Churchwell, check out Adam Mayfield's blog. God is doing great things for us and with us. Come join us on Sunday, January 6 at 10:30 am for the next stop on our Journey!

Kids....

I've been working lately as a substitute teacher in several elementary schools around Lakeland. It's very concerning to me the anger of some of these very young children. They come to school in the morning angry, they cannot remain on task so they are reprimanded throughout the day, and leave angry in the afternoon. These 5-10 year old kids are being robbed of their childhood. It just doesn't seem like anyone is going out of their way to make these dears feel valued and loved. We are raising a generation of children with members that have no emotional connection to anything or anyone. It's no wonder that our prisons are full to overflowing.

We need to find some way to support these parents and encourage them to value these precious children that they have been entrusted with. We need fathers to step up and assume responsibility for their families. It's not an easy job, but one that comes with immense rewards when it's done with love. Jesus loved the little children. We should too.

Halloween protection

Monday afternoon my youngest daughter came home from school asking if we had any garlic to protect her from vampires. I told her that we had some garlic but that she didn't need it because she had Jesus to keep her safe. She instisted that she also needed the garlic, so I allowed her to put a head of garlic on her dresser. When she woke up this morning, she told me that she slept really good last night, because Jesus and the garlic kept her safe.

How often do we rely on things of this world, when all that we need is our Heavenly Father? My prayer this morning is a stronger desire for Christ and comfort when we need it.

Eve's Daughters

I just finished a great book by Lynn Austin called Eve's Daughters. Although it is a fictional story, it also asks the question 'Are you the wife that Christ called you to be?' We all observe the roles that our mothers played in the marriage between our parents and bring that influence into our own marriages. The story in Eve's Daughters dramatically shows how our mothers and grandparents mold us to become the wife we are today.

Lynn Austin is a Christy Award winning Christian author. This is the third book of hers that I have read. Candle in the Darkness and A Light to My Path where also good, but Eve's Daughters was the most powerful.

Speaking of good books, is there anyone out there that is interested in starting a book club? I enjoy reading great Christian fiction novels and would love to meet with others interested in reading and discussing great books.

What's your gift?

Last weekend I went through the Spiritual Gift class that Adam is conducting and I found it very enlightening. It highlighted some interesting aspects of my personality. I especially liked that the workbook asked us to become 'supernatural' instead of 'natural' and not 'normal' but spiritual.

How often are we afraid to show others our 'real' self for fear of rejection or disapproval? Once we have a better understanding of our own motiviations, it becomes easier to see what motivates others and understand where they are 'coming from'. With everyone striving to joyously serve God, without being wrapped up in who does what or who gets the credit for what job, we can become a better church, more in the image of Christ himself.

One of the over-arching premises of the personality study is there is no right or wrong behavior pattern. D, I, C, and S's are all loved and valued by our Father. Embrace who you are. God created you to be Uniquely You.

Kindness

Have you ever experienced an unexpected kindness? The other day after one of my children "borrowed" my personal CD player, the CD that was originally inside disappeared. In it's place was High scool musical 2. Hmmmm..... no child was admitting guilt! The lost CD was part of a set of hypnosis sessions and I really needed it to make the set work. I called the company hoping to buy a replacement and the man said, " Sure we can get you a replacement. Where would you like it sent?" "Wait! wait! how much will that be?" "Oh, we don't charge for replacement CD's." he said. They didn't even charge for shipping! Now how often does that happen today? It was so unexpected. I was thinking if we could each give someone a totally unexpected kindness what a difference that would make. I am challenging myself to find a need for kindness each week and try to meet it. How about you?

I'm mad...

Let's start by saying that I live in a nice, middle-class house in an established middle-class neighborhood. It's full of retirees walking 'the loop' and kids riding bikes. The homes are well taken care of and we have an active homeowners association. I felt safe at home.

Thursday afternoon the Polk County Sheriff's office busted a grow house three doors down from my home. Three doors. Two houses in between. Our addresses are eerily similar. That's WAY too close for comfort.

My children, and all their friends, ride their bikes in our neighborhood. They walk from one house to the other. We sit on the front porch. We wash cars in the front yard and park in the driveway.

I know my neighbors. At Christmas time we have a cookie exchange. We wave and say hello when we pass on the street. We trade car pool duty and borrow eggs from each other. We live the American dream. But I'm not unreasonable. I have an alarm on my car and I lock my doors at night.

How can it be that my neighbor's are drug dealers? How dare they shatter my illusion of safety by growing marijuana three doors down from my house? A few weeks ago, at 9 am on a Saturday morning, drug dealers started shooting at each other in a neighborhood not too far from here. Saturday morning isn't for drug wars. It's for sleeping late, watching cartoons and making pancakes.

Can my children still play safely outside? What changes do I need to make to protect them? They think they are safe. Until a few days ago, I thought that we had made choices that kept them safe. We live on a cul-de-sac with nice houses with large yards. How was I to know that the same things that attracted me to this neighborhood would also attract drug dealers?

Part of me is still in denial. Things like this happen in seedy neighborhoods with run down houses full of litter and junky cars. Neighborhoods where young men with lots of jewelry hang out on the street corner.

How badly could this situation have turned out? How can I trust the next people that move into the subdivision?

Have you talked to your neighbors? Do they seem like nice people? What do they grow in their garden? Do they garden indoors or outdoors? For me, this is too close for comfort. As much as I want to, I can't board up my widows and hide from the unpleasantness in this world. But I can pray hard. Pray for my family. Pray for the drug dealers. Pray for the addicts. Pray for the law enforcement officers that work hard to keep this from happening in other neighborhoods. The Bible tells us to be in this world but not of this world. This is part of the world that I definitely want no part of.

Desperate Housewife...

I have a confession to make. Please don't call me June Cleaver or Mrs. Cunningham when I tell you this. I still hang wash out on the line to dry. I inherited this gene from my mother who hangs everything outside. I have partically overcome my disability and only hang out heavy items like towels, jeans, blankets and sheets. I just can't get past the idea that the same clothes that can spend an hour in the dryer getting dry can spend that same hour outside and they come in warm, dry, and smelling so good. And, in case you're wondering, I don't wear pearls when I vacuum.

busy busy busy..

I'm in a hurry to get things done and i
Rush and Rush until lifes no fun
All I really got to do is live and die
But I'm in a hurry and don't know why...
(Roger Murrah-Randy VanWarmer)

Has this been life for you lately? Has the drive thru been your best friend? Is the house such a wreck that you could use a bulldozer to clean it? This has been my life lately. I need to slow down get back in balance.
Kira

Lovebugs!

UGH! The lovebugs are back! I can't stand driving down the street watching clouds of lovebugs smack the windsheild. But don't blame them on the University of Florida, Snopes says that they are naturally occuring.

Luckily the days of my children being terrified of the swarming beasts are over. Now they just try to pull them apart without killing them. Maybe running away in fear was a better option.

I do have one question though... How do motorcycle riders survive lovebug season?

Fun Car Game

Earlier this week, I was riding in the car with my kids and we started playsing a fun game that I thought I would share with everyone. We each tell the others that we love them more than... and then we insert something there is a lot of.

Here's a sampling of some of our favorites...
I love you more than the leaves on the trees.
I love you more than the sand on the beach.
I love you more than the grass in the yard.
I love you more than the birds in the sky.

You can continue on with more and more wacky examples. It's a great way to get kids to observe the world around them and share nice thoughts about each other.

September 11, 2001

Today is my cousin's birthday. He was born prematurely on September 11, 2001. His mom said that it was so hard when she was in labor, because everyone just wanted to watch TV. She was scared because she was in labor early but it was hard to focus on anything except the horiffic events unfolding on TV.

As I watch Jordan grow-up, I am reminded of an entire generation of post-9/11 children that don't remember life before airport security checks and the war in Iraq. Even my children, ages 8 and 11, can't fathom what this day means in American history.

My strongest memory of that day is the surreal feeling of listening to the radio in my office and being unable to wrap my mind around the shock of the events. Nothing like this had ever happened on American soil in my lifetime. Let's join together in prayer that nothing like this ever happens again.

9/11

I am remembering today the families, victims and service members affected by 9/11. I will never forget where I was when life changed for all Americans that day. As I drove down 98 and Lakeland Hills on my way back home from dropping the kids off for school I kept noticing that many flags flew at full staff. Hopefully this was due to the early hour I was on the road. We just can't forget this day. We can make something good out of this horrible event. Do a random act of kindness today in remembrance. Even a simple thing will contribute to making our world a nicer place for all of us. For all affected my thoughts and prayers are with you today!
Kira

Bloom Where You Are Planted

Several weeks ago we received the news that our daughter had been accepted into a school that we had been on the waiting list for 3 years. She was going to an excellent charter school already but they had no middle school or high school prospects associated with their elementary. We are zoned for some schools that are not the best. A decision had to made within 5 days to transfer. I agonized over this decision. She was so close to her friends at the other school and the year had already started. She was well liked by her teachers and she was learning many wonderful educational and social skills. It was a terrible predicament to move from what we knew and loved so well to another equally great choice but one that was new and different. Together our family decided that we would take the chance and make the move. The new school would offer her opportunities to grow in some areas that the other one hadn't . I cried and worried for the next week, wondering if I had done right by my daughter. One day I started crying in front in her (a big no no if you want your child to feel secure!) She put her hand on my arm and she said, "mom it's alright". I kept a sharp lookout for signs of stress in her. Was that tummy ache and stuffy nose a result of the move? No, she just had a little virus. It went away a few days later. At the end of that first week the one teacher had written me a short note on how well Abbie was doing in class. Then the second week at the new school she brought home a certificate saying she was "student of the week". When asked what she thinks of the new school she says," I really like it. I want to stay at the new school mom." She has already made three friends. We have had two of her friends from her old school spend the night. Slowly my panic and worry are subsiding. My daughter is blooming where she is planted. She amazes me with her ability to adapt to change and thrive in it. I hope I can be like that when change comes my way.

Yeah for weekends

Man! This has been a great, relaxing weekend. Now that school is back in session, it's great to have the weekend to just veg out and hang together as a family. No big plans, nothing exciting, just watching movies, surfing the net and arguing over the PlayStation 2. Not every weekend is like this, but it's great when they come along. The next few weekends are slap full of activities, so I appreciate this one while it's here. I love my couch!!

Welcome!

Welcome to a new blog, by mothers for mothers. All those contributing are at different points on the journey of raising kids, from an expectant mother to a grandmother. Our desire is to share our experiences with you and each other. We met at Journey Church in Lakeland, FL. We don't claim to have all the answers, just a willingness to share our lives with you.

http://www.startyourjourney.com