Splash the Puddles

I've been contemplating lately, what I really want for my children.  There are many things I want for them.  I want them to one day marry beautiful, godly women who adore them. I want them to do well in school and have a positive reputation.  I want them to be well recognized for good manners.  I want them to appreciate playing outside and using their imagination.  I want them to be kind and loving toward others.  I want them to be respectful to adults always.  I want them to appreciate the things they have and understand how blessed they are.  I want them to meet, early on, friends who will stand by their side through their lifetime.  There are many things I want for them. But one thing overshadows them all, and honestly I believe this one thing will dictate all the others in some form or fashion.  What do I want for my children?  I want them to understand early in life the love that God has for them. I want them to know that nothi...

Kindergarten. It hit me like a ton of bricks tonight. My baby, my precious firstborn, the little person who first made me a mommy, is going to kindergarten.  I'm trying to figure out how this happened. Weren't the nurses and midwife just screaming orders for an emergency c-section STAT and kicking all our friends and family out of our hospital room?  Wasn't it just moments ago, I was pleading with God, begging Him not to take my child when his heart rate wouldn't come up? Wasn't I just laying on that operating table, so out if it, I couldn't remember what we named him, gazing at his adorable face and trying to make sense of all that had just happened?  Weren't we just holding him a few days old in the wee hours of the night, as we stood in amazement that he was ours?  Didn't I just watch him roll over, crawl, and take his first steps? Didn't we just move him from his crib to a big boy bed? Didn't we just send him off to two year preschool?  And t...

I love when God continues to bring a portion of scripture to my attention frequently over a span of time. There are a few scriptures that He just keeps showing me through my time with Him in His Word, through conversations with friends and family, through prayer and at church lately. I've shared before, that I have a burden to help. I want to be a helpful person, and be remembered as someone who went above and beyond to step up to the call to serve. So many times, I feel I fail at that. The desire is there, but the ability to follow through isn't always. There are so many people in my life who help me so much on a daily basis. I want to be that person. I want to help. Instead I often find myself unable to help, unable to serve, because I am tied down to my two young children who very much need me for almost everything. A few days ago, I decided to meet a few people at my church and stuff baggies for a local race where some members of our church would be handing out snack...