Wow the last time I wrote was in April. I just can't seem to keep up with this.
Anyway, it is now the beginning of August and dd has finally potty trained. Yes! I was beginning to think she was going to get married wearing a diaper. She is doing really well and now doesn't mind sitting on the big potty without being held up. In a way dd not being in diapers is bitter sweet. On one hand I am glad I don't have to change diapers anymore, especially messy ones. This also adds to the amount of money we have for other things. But on the other hand I know dd isn't a baby anymore. How I have enjoyed being a mother even to the point of enjoying changing diapers.
And now dd has become quite the talker. She is still a quiet child but can really talk now. I realized the other day while we were out that the fun begins with not knowing what is going to come out of her mouth. We were sitting outside at a bookstore waiting on daddy to look at something. There was a field across the street from the shopping center with cows grazing. Dd proclaimed, and quite loudly I may add, "the cows are going to be stinky". Oh how I am going to enjoy this season of wanting to crawl underneath a rock after dd rolls out with this stuff.
Now on to a major struggle I am currently going through. Growing up I can remember being told by parents, teachers, etc. to be an individual. Don't let others influence what you do or what you think. Be yourself. So many people and groups whether it be homosexuals, people of different faiths or cultures are wanting tolerance for who they are and what they believe. Then why does it seem to me that as Christians when we are trying to live our lives different from the rest of the world whether it be through modest dressing, headcovering, homeschooling, conservative beliefs, etc. that we get grief for not conforming with society? Isn't this a contradiction? As Christians we are told we are "in the world but not of the world". We are not to conform to this world. Then why is it when we do our best to live that way we are not being tolerated? It is as if we can only live our convictions in our own home but when we are out in "the real world" we are suppose to act like the real world. The answer of course is Satan. He doesn't want us to live our lives according to the way we are convicted by God. It is amazing how Satan can get us to second guess our convictions and make us feel as if we are not doing things "right".
Another thing that is hard to deal with is a dh who has back slid. This makes it even harder to live with convictions because not only do you feel like you can only live your convictions in your own home but you also have to keep them to yourself and live them in silence. What is the answer to all of this? Jesus of course. Jesus said if we want to follow him then we must pick up our cross and carry it. This isn't easy because of all the well-intentioned people who don't like the way we do things and must comment. Jesus said for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. If we call out to Jesus and tell him our struggles he will help us carry the load we have on our shoulders.
And now dd has become quite the talker. She is still a quiet child but can really talk now. I realized the other day while we were out that the fun begins with not knowing what is going to come out of her mouth. We were sitting outside at a bookstore waiting on daddy to look at something. There was a field across the street from the shopping center with cows grazing. Dd proclaimed, and quite loudly I may add, "the cows are going to be stinky". Oh how I am going to enjoy this season of wanting to crawl underneath a rock after dd rolls out with this stuff.
Now on to a major struggle I am currently going through. Growing up I can remember being told by parents, teachers, etc. to be an individual. Don't let others influence what you do or what you think. Be yourself. So many people and groups whether it be homosexuals, people of different faiths or cultures are wanting tolerance for who they are and what they believe. Then why does it seem to me that as Christians when we are trying to live our lives different from the rest of the world whether it be through modest dressing, headcovering, homeschooling, conservative beliefs, etc. that we get grief for not conforming with society? Isn't this a contradiction? As Christians we are told we are "in the world but not of the world". We are not to conform to this world. Then why is it when we do our best to live that way we are not being tolerated? It is as if we can only live our convictions in our own home but when we are out in "the real world" we are suppose to act like the real world. The answer of course is Satan. He doesn't want us to live our lives according to the way we are convicted by God. It is amazing how Satan can get us to second guess our convictions and make us feel as if we are not doing things "right".
Another thing that is hard to deal with is a dh who has back slid. This makes it even harder to live with convictions because not only do you feel like you can only live your convictions in your own home but you also have to keep them to yourself and live them in silence. What is the answer to all of this? Jesus of course. Jesus said if we want to follow him then we must pick up our cross and carry it. This isn't easy because of all the well-intentioned people who don't like the way we do things and must comment. Jesus said for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. If we call out to Jesus and tell him our struggles he will help us carry the load we have on our shoulders.
