Real Resolutions

This came to me earlier this month from an online devotion that I receive each week on motherhood. Although it's not my writing, it did, however, echo my thoughts and desires for the kind of mother I hope to be to my children; while quietly challenging me in some areas as well. God has been working away in me lately and through His power and the Holy Spirit, I am slowly creating new habits of gentle tenderness. Although our girls are approaching the proverbial terrible two's; it has been a sweet time of growth around here lately. What a blessing to be able to parent two lovely little souls.

Real Resolutions for Moms by Karen Ehman

I will put my Bible before the television, the radio, the telephone, and even before good Christian books, for my children will know my priorities by the way they see me spend my free time.

I will make my prayer requests known before God and my children, enlisting their help in the process and informing them of the outcome, for by letting them help when I petition our Lord will they learn of a living God who still answers prayer.

When times of crisis, conflict or confusion arise, I will hit my knees before I hit the phone knowing that by my example my children will discover that although friends are important, God alone is the one who holds the solution to life's every problem.

I will erase the words "luck" and "lucky" from my vocabulary and will instead by my speech point my children toward the One who orchestrates every detail of our lives and brings all good things to pass, for by this my children will learn of an omniscient God.

When bad things happen, I'll neither grumble nor complain, but will instead help my children see that in the scope of our lives even the bad times are allowed for a reason, for by this my children will learn quiet trust in their Maker.

When normal childhood mishaps occur, I will remember that although difficult, it is still easier to remove grape juice from off-white carpet than to erase harsh and unloving words hurled at a child whose chubby little fingers have failed her, for by this my children will see a God who understands when our best efforts fall short.

When my children have witnessed something ugly in me - unkind words, an angry temper, "harmless" gossip, biting sarcasm or even my infamous "mommy pout" when things don't go my way - I will confess it as sin before them seeking their forgiveness, for by this my children will develop the much needed habit of wiping their spiritual slate clean before God and man.

I will teach my children the importance of cleanliness and order while at the same time remain sensitive to the fact that a skinned knee or hurt feeling is more crucial than a spotless floor or uncluttered counter, for by this my children will learn to value people above things.

I will make time for the lonely, the sick, the elderly, the difficult to love, and will bring my children along, for with each afternoon visit, each ride to the doctor, each raked lawn or washed window they will have opportunity to serve Jesus by serving the "least of these."

I will make our home a haven of rest and retreat from the outside world and a welcomed place for my children's friends, for with each impromptu backyard soccer game, each video viewed on a rainy day, each cup of hot cocoa or chocolate chip cookie, my children will have opportunity to practice the art of Christian hospitality thereby learning to share all God has given them.

I will by my actions and my speech let my children see a mom love their dad, for by this will my children sense family stability at a time when marriages all around them are crumbling.

I will not require of my children obedience, honesty, patience or kindness without first being willing to submit to the same rules whether in speed limit, in miscounted change from the grocery store or when answering a toddler for the fourteenth time, for by this my children will see a mother who is also learning and not a perfect parent to whom they'll never measure up.

In all things I will remember that more is caught than is taught. There are little eyes upon you, mom. You are the first bible your children will ever read.

Girls Weekend

Playing catch.

They climb on the bench, say their prayers (holding hands),

then pretend to eat off their frisbees. Awww!

Emily join us for a playdate at the park.

The girls wave goodbye to Jack.

Faith thinks it's fun to tackle her sister.

Morgan has been away on a business trip for the last two days so it's been a fun girls weekend around here. We've been spending our time running errands, playing with dolls, reading books, singing songs, chasing each other around the house, and going to the park. We've talked with Morgan everyday on the phone and last night when he called, Grace answered the phone saying, "Hello?" He got a big kick out of that. We miss daddy and can't wait to see him later tonight!

Picnic in the park

Faith proudly puts on her own hat.

Picnic menu... pb&j with grapes, of course!

Grace enjoys her square.

Lunch time.

Double the fun!

Grace slows down for a picture.

Taking a juice break.

A beautiful back drop.

Grace loves to swing.

Daddy helps Faith on the big swings.

Since today was a holiday, we packed up our lunch and enjoyed an impromptu picnic in the park. It was a gorgeous day and we got in just enough play time before the wind started to kick up. We had tons of fun and so did the girls!

Wonderful weekends

Morgan, Catherine, Cathy, Jack, Emily and Robert.

Faith gets her haircut.

Grace enjoys a cookie while getting trimmed.

All done and cute as a button.

Grace likes her new haircut.

Faith flips over hers.

Saying grace before lunch.

Grace prays with her baby.

Faith gets up-close.

A fun week of golf.

Grace stops to check out the action.

Grace chases the moon.

Taking an evening stroll.

Grace stops to smell the flowers.

Faith waits for her sister to catch up.

Grace tries on mommy's shoe.

Then she wants her baby to try it on, too.

Faith gives her baby a ride in high heels.

"Hmm... I feel a little draft."

We really look forward to our weekends. It's a time when Morgan and I can both give our undivided attention to our girls and be together as a family. We were also able to go out on Friday night to celebrate a friend's birthday. The girls had fun with Grandma G and she even had enough energy to give them a bath before bedtime! Way to go Grandma!

Saturday morning, we made a visit to the beauty salon, where the girls got their first all-around haircut (not just their bangs). While the girls napped in the afternoon, Morgan went to the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. Since one of the tournament courses is just down the street from us, it was a great opportunity for him to go and check out the pros. He was able to follow Fred Couples around for about 9 holes and even came back saying that he'd like to play in the tournament one of these years! I guess there's a three year wait list. It took a tiny bit of coaxing for him to go but we were both glad that he did!

Lately, the girls are rarely seen without their babies. They feed them a bottle, sing to them, kiss them, help them walk, and take them on rides. They also know which baby is theirs and only like to play with that one!

Proverbs 31

Some months ago, Morgan was reading a book in the Every Man series and came across something that he wanted to share with me. He asked me to read this one morning and prefaced it by saying, "This is what I think of you." As you can imagine, I was ever-so-slightly hesitant. This was, after all, a Christian book on marriage. As I began to read, I vaguely recognized the bible passage but this time, I read it with fresh eyes.

A wife of noble character who can find?

She is worth far more than rubies.

Her husband has full confidence in her

and lacks nothing of value.

She brings him good, not harm,

all the days of her life.

She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.

She is like the merchant ships,

bringing her food from afar.

She gets up while it is still dark;

she provides food for her family

and portions for her servant girls.

She considers a field and buys it;

out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

She sets about her work vigorously;

her arms are strong for her tasks.

She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.

In her hand she holds the distaff

and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

She opens her arms to the poor

and extends her hands to the needy.

When it snows, she has no fear for her household;

for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

She makes coverings for her bed;

she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

Her husband is respected at the city gate,

where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

She makes linen garments and sells them,

and supplies the merchants with sashes.

She is clothed with strength and dignity;

she can laugh at the days to come.

She speaks with wisdom,

and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

She watches over the affairs of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children arise and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her.

Proverbs 31:10-28

As I read halfway down the passage, I could not help but get teary-eyed. Yes, the Proverbs 31 woman is a tough act to follow and although I know that I could never be all of these things, just knowing that my husband thought I was, blessed me in a way that I will never forget. I treasure that moment and on occasion, I read the passage again with gratitude, humility, and a genuine desire to strive to be that woman. Thank God for a new day and for the priceless gift of a loving and encouraging husband and father.

M2M

Well, we started Mom2Mom today and since I have some new responsibilities with my group, the girls and I have to be there from 8:30 to 11:00. Unfortunately, this means that I have to get them up an hour earlier than normal but no worries, they did great! I also get to wear this cute brown

t-shirt every week. The best part about this is...

I don't have to think about what I'm going to wear on Wednesdays! Ah, the little luxuries of an on-the-go mom!

Weekend at a glance

Faith wants to make sure that Grace didn't get something different.

A cute new pool float.

Morgan's isn't so happy about getting his picture taken.

Morgan gets his Korean lesson from mom.

Celebrating dad's birthday.

Some dancing before the night is through.

Hami teaches Korean school.

Hapi lets the girls go in the cold pool. Burrh!

My parents visited this weekend and we had fun going out to celebrate my Dad's 66th birthday. The girls also received gifts from Juliana, a family friend. They got Hello Kitty pool floaties that will be perfect to take on our vacation next month. What great gifts! Especially since the girls have outgrown their boat floats from last year.

Morgan had to get glasses this week so I took a picture of him because I thought he looked handsome. As you can tell by the picture, he wasn't too excited about having to wear glasses or the fact that I was taking his picture. Since one of Morgan's goals this year is to learn more Korean, my mom helped out by giving him a lesson while she was here. She also played school with the girls this morning. Happy Birthday, Hapi!

Translations:

Hal-mon-i = Grandmother... but the girls say "Hami" for short.

Ha-rlah-buh-jee = Grandfather... but the girls say "Hapi."

Reflection

I saw this on a friend's blog and thought it was worth taking the time to ponder for myself...

I Want... to raise my kids to love and trust in God.
I Wish... that I was more easy-going at times.
I Hate... that I tend to be a perfectionist.
I Am.... thankful for my loving husband.
I Miss... working at the golf course.
I Hear... the humming of the computer.
I Wonder... what our girls will want to do when they grow up.
I Can't Imagine... life without hope.
I Am Not... as spontaneous as I used to be.
I Sing... very badly but on a daily basis for my girls.
I Dance... around the house when I'm feeling silly.
I Cry... when I hear an emotional story about sacrifice and love.
I Am Not Always... as in control as it may seem.
I Do have... more blessings than I could ever count.
I Would... not be the woman I am today without Morgan.
I Write... to express myself and keep myself sane.
I Make... a mean guacamole.
I Confuse....my own will for God's sometimes.
I Know.... that the Lord loves me.
I Should... spend more time in His word.

Wild Wednesdays

Grace rides a motorcycle.

Faith climbs up the stairs (on the far left) and I think she's coming down the slide.

She walks past the little slide and comes down the BIG slide.

She makes the long walk around, climbs up the stairs and does this six more times!
Only now, she comes down, face first.

Grace likes to be chased by Vivien.

Faith stops to smile for the camera.

The girls meet new friends and love playing with them.

Faith actually managed to climb to the top step before slipping down.

Thankfully, she didn't get hurt.

Well, so much for slowing down in 2008...

We've hit the ground running this week. For the first few months of this year, Wednesdays will be a busy day for us. I have agreed to be a part of the Leadership Team for my mom's group, which begins again next week. I am privileged to be asked to join this amazing ministry at church and although it will require a little more of my time, I truly feel that this will be a wonderful thing. I am very conscience this year of saying no to things. Especially things that I may want to do, yet may cause stress or precious time away from my family. With that said, spiritual growth is NOT one of those things. Truth is, I feel that God is not only going to use me to help encourage other moms, He will also bless me for being faithful to His calling. I always desire to have a deeper relationship with the Lord so this will be the perfect opportunity for me to do just that. I have already met so many wonderful godly moms as a result of Mom2Mom. I figured that one day, I would be more involved with this ministry in some capacity; I just didn't know that it would be so soon. I terribly miss being a part of Oasis Women's Ministry as my old church so I am honored and excited to be serving the Lord in this way! On top of this, for the next six weeks, Morgan and I are hosting a couple's study in our home on Wednesday nights. We met for the first time tonight and it's going to be great!

This morning, we met some friends for a play date at the park. The girls are getting more and more adventurous. I was surprised at how well they climbed and wanted to go down the big slide. It reminded me that our children are only limited by the limits we place on them. Over-protection is not always possible when you only have two hands and two little girls decide to go in different directions! It was a great lesson for me and as usual, the twins had a blast!