10 Points of Joyful Parenting

In case you haven't been to any of Ann Voskamps blogs, I thought I'd encourage you to check them out! Whoa, huge encouragment. Thoughtful, incredibly well written, word saturated, realistic blogs.

Heres an excerpt from her book that was so helpful to me.

A parenting manifesto of Joy

1. Today, I will make our home a house of prayer. I will pray at set times. And I will invite our children to come move into an interior space that lives with God.

2. Today, I will transfigure all things into beauty, and I will refuse to see anything else.

3. Today, I will not have any emergencies. There are no emergencies! Only amateurs hurry.

4. Today, when stress mounts, I pray to dismount it with gratitude. My stress management plan will be intervention with verbal thanks. I can only feel one feeling at a time, and I choose to give thanks at all times. Fight feeling with feeling!

5. Today, I will pray to speak words that are only STRONG words, words that make these children feel strong. Grace words. Grace is the only non-toxic air. All other words I breathe are death words.

6. Today, I will pray to be consistently consistent. I will create safe rhythms that our children can find security in. I will create daily ceremonies because everyday we are CELEBRATING the gift of now!

7. Today, the moment when I am most repelled by a child's behavior, that is my sign to draw the very closest to that child.

8. Today, I will hug each of my children as many times as I serve them meals -- because children's hearts feed on touch. I'll look for as many opportunities to touch my children today as possible --- the taller they are, the more so.

9. Today, my priorities will be all Things Unseen.

10. Today, I will laugh! And I will let the little children laugh! I will create a culture of JOY!

Copyright 2010, Ann Voskamp @ www.aholyexperience.com

Gratitude and Joy

"I am more convinced than ever that even in the midst of the mundane, burdensome, and oftentimes frustrating tasks of life allotted to me as a mother, God wants me to find his joy. He wants every single day of my life to be a celebration of his blessings, whether large or small. He wants me to celebrate life ~ the life He has given me.”

~ Sally Clarkson, Seasons of a Mothers Heart

(Loved this quote seen here)

Super Mom vs. Abiding Mom

Last time

I changed our blog name. For the last time. Promise. First we were the Beyer family. Well, we still are the Beyer family, but really I was the only one writing and it wasn't perfect. Then I found a passion for teaching the kids and discovered some lovely blogs along the way. One described what we did every day as Tot school and I wanted to focus on the kids and our daily life. So "Me and My Tator Tots" is what we became.

It still wasn't right. I've pulled back a bit on the uploading of every.single.school picture we take. While I will still document projects, ideas, and fun we have, it wasn't my passion and my heart cry. It wasn't the root of what we do every single day.

I want to live life Praising God, glorifying Him daily, and giving thanks no matter what. In the midst of a foul diaper change. While finding crayons on the wall. When scrubbing behind a toilet that no one will ever notice got cleaned. When battling the laundry monster and never winning. While wiping a nose. As I notice dog urine on my freshly mopped floor. As I get down and look a defiant toddler in the face and run out of the right words. I want to glorify Him. I want me to shrink back and my kids to only see God. I want to point them to Him and only Him. I can't save them. I can only be an instrument in His symphony.

So, as I read my bible this afternoon it came to me. One of my favorite verses, John 3:30 "He must become greater; I must become less.”

Lord, if anyone were to ever take comfort or advice or encouragement in this journal, I pray that you would be that comforter, that you would be where people turn when looking for answers.Thank you for your grace. Help me to live a life that is more of you and less of me.

Going home with great anticipation

My Great Aunt passed away Saturday night. She had esophagus cancer and it was expected. Very sad for the family but oh marvelous for her to enter into eternity, pain free and whole again. To be with Jesus. I can't imagine.

When my Grandma went to see her a week or so before her passing they went to hug and Fran said to my Grandma "See you in Heaven" Grandma Shirley responded "Ill be right behind you!" The two of them smiled as those around them cried and they told them "This is a happy thing you guys!"

What a fabulous perspective. I'd love to say that I will respond that way when I am ready to enter into eternity. I do look forward to heaven, greatly. But, I feel like part of me will be sad to be leaving those around me. Maybe its my age, but I should be heavenly focused all the time.


If you think of it will you pray for the family with me? The wake is this Friday and funeral this Saturday.

I am so thankful for Fran, my Grandma, Kevin's Grandma and others we have witnessed anticipating heaven joyfully.

"What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”[b]—
the things God has prepared for those who love him"
1 Corinthians 2:9

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable; It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that, the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.

I declare to you brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with the immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."

"Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?"

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:42-57

Verse Review Video

We have had three weeks of verses so I decided to do a review so she doesn't forget past weeks. Here she is saying her hidden verses up until now.

Sophia RRSP

We went looking for the Susan Hunt My ABC Verses last week (we being my Mom, thanks Mom!:-)) and had to order it online. Free shipping equals pushing the official date of starting (with the letter L) to next week! I already had printed out the A unit and then found out the verse matched our verse of the week at church! So I decided to go ahead and do this unit casually and then will do the big full start next week.

Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer turns away wrath

We talked a lot about our words of the week and what kind of words Jesus would use or be pleased with us using. Then we cut and paste them together on this work sheet. We did some role playing and I was happy that Sophia seemed to get it!

Advent/ Devotionals

How does your family do devotions together? We wondered for a long time what family devotions looked like. How do you start? What do you do with little ones? How do we best teach our kids the word alongside us and keep their attention....I had picked up the book Word Filled Familes while visiting some friends in California and visiting the awesome church and library at Grace Community Church this fall. It gave Kevin and I good starting place for the two of us and we also started the devotional "Tying the Knot Tighter" together as well.


In mid November we finally just went for it with the kids! :-) We bring the kids little chairs and have them sit with their guitars and bibles. From mid November until Thanksgiving we read Psalms 23 and then did some worship songs with Kev leading on guitar. Then starting after Thanksgiving we bought a Nativity set (the Fischer price one has been on sale for $13.99 @ Target) and started reading the Christmas story out of Luke before worship. We sing away in a Manager, one hymn, and then whatever other Christmas or worship songs the kids are asking for.

I know that kids are sponges but it still shocks me how much of the Luke passage Sophia already has memorized. She asks immediately after dinner now for the bible and singing which is really nice. Liam will stay in the chair for half of the time on a good night. I try to keep him on my lap if he will let me, but sometimes we just let him wander in their room while we do this.

I thought about printing out something for Advent, I know there was a free Jessee tree advent reading people were talking about, I looked at it, and thought it didn't meet our families needs this year so we are sticking with our schedule. After Christmas I am going to be on the lookout for a discounted Advent calendar.

I have no idea what passage we will move to after Christmas....

So, what does your family do? We'd love to hear your ideas?

Marking a year

I was asked this morning if yesterday was a hard day for me. It took me a while before I realized why I should have been sad yesterday. The memories then came rushing back.

One year ago yesterday (black Friday) I snuck out to get donuts for Kevin. What I didn't tell him was that I was also going to be picking up a pregnancy test. I got back and set the donuts on the counter and was able to take the test while he was still showering. I surprised Kevin with the news that we were again blessed with a child! Number two was on its way. While not planned, we were overjoyed.

We blissfully celebrated the next few weeks before I started bleeding a week and a half before Christmas. It led us to the ER where my Mom and I stayed for a few hours waiting for news. We saw a precious heartbeat and were reassured that while there was a small tear in the uterine wall- things would likely be okay. The doctor reaffirmed that the baby would be just fine a few days after our ER trip. We praised God and the bleeding had mostly stopped.

Then came a call that they wanted to set up a follow up ultrasound on Christmas Eve and so we did. I remember telling Kevin that he wouldn't believe how little this baby was- we hadn't gotten to see Sophie until much later in our pregnancy. Most of you know how this story ends, as the u/s tech furrowed her brow and stayed silent- I had already seen the baby's body- broken in two and the heartbeat extinguished.

It was a hard holiday for us.

Until it was brought up this morning however, I hadn't thought about it at all. I truly think Christmas Eve will be much harder for us this year. But, if our precious one wasn't taken to be with God- we wouldn't have our Liam. Born October 13th, weighing in at 9 lbs 9oz.

When busy with our two blessings yesterday, how could I be down? There is a song that really hits home for me. It explains how we can be healed from the pain of losing a child. It reminds me who my healer really is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvIEJ_PmqJ8

"Healer" Kari Jobe

You hold my very moment
You calm my raging seas
You walk with me through fire
and heal all my disease
I trust in you, I trust in you

I believe You're healer
I believe You are all I need

And I believe your my portion
I believe You're more than enough for me
Jesus You're all I need

You hold my very moment
You calm my raging seas
You walk with me though fire
And heal all my disease
I trust in You, Lord I trust in You

I believe You're my healer
I believe You are all I need
Oh, I believe

Nothing is impossible for you
Nothing is impossible
Nothing is impossible
You hold my world in Your hands

Beautiful powerful truth, Barabbas Gospel video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toEdT0VEHKI&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fhome.php%3Fref%3Dhome&feature=player_embedded

In the Valley

When You lead me to the valley of vision
I can see You in the heights
And though my humbling wouldn’t be my decision
It’s here Your glory shines so bright
So let me learn that the cross precedes the crown
To be low is to be high
That the valley’s where You make me more like Christ

Let me find Your grace in the valley
Let me find Your life in my death
Let me find Your joy in my sorrow
Your wealth in my need
That You’re near with every breath
In the valley

In the daytime there are stars in the heavens
But they only shine at night
And the deeper that I go into darkness
The more I see their radiant light
So let me learn that my losses are my gain
To be broken is to heal
That the valley’s where Your power is revealed

© 2006 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).

Death is not dying, a faith that saves

Over the course of the last few weeks I have been receiving emails, reading blogs, and hearing people rave about a video that has recently come out. Its about 55 minutes long, so I haven't found the time to sit and listen. Until right now. With tears streaming down my face, I would like to encourage you to carve an hour out of your day to listen to Rachel, a woman who is dying from breast cancer speak about death. Her message is so powerful and hit home. It is gospel saturated.

Check it out.

Another challenge and lesson learned

On Thursday I was headed to work in our trusty Tracker (the one and only car to our name now) when I heard a LOUD squealing noise. I quickly pulled off the exit when smoke came pouring out of the entire car. All these lights went off and it was nearly impossible to turn into the nearest parking lot. Thankfully I did make it in the lot before she died.

It was the breaking point for me. I have held it together pretty well for all of the challenges presented to us this month but this was the straw that broke the camels back. Well, emotionally anyways. While I waited in the chilly doorway I mentally began to make a list of things that have gone wrong lately. It got fairly long and the complaints wore on in my head. By the time my poor Mom got there I was sobbing. At work it continued, every time someone new walked in an asked how I was I lost it again.

I kept telling myself to pull it together woman! What kind of witness to God was it when I was a puddle. I should instead paste a grin on my face and say, "Well...its ok!" as I have been for the last month and a half. As the day went on and I was able to go home and reflect on the day with Kevin and have a nice quiet time I realized that I don't have to paste that smile and attitude on to be a good witness. The truth is, his strength can only be shown in our weaknesses. His perfection in our sin. This verse popped out to me:
2 Corinthians 12: 9-10
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Wow. The lessons that we have learned this month have been irreplaceable. The scripture memorized, worth it.

At the end of the day Kevin received a phone call letting him know that he has full time hours at DG, his part time job for the month of February! Not only that, but he will have a laptop to do his work from home, enabling him to continue staying home with Sophie on the days that I work. What a blessing. We know that our earthly needs will be met this month. Thats all we can take it is day by day. Also, he had an interview with Allina on Wednesday and by next Wednesday should know what the verdict is there.

It has been so interesting how our needs have been met this past month. Where the encouragement has come from has astounded me. I have received encouragement cards in the mail this month from people I would have NEVER expected. I thank God for each and every one of those people who have had kind words and prayers to brighten our days. Also, on a monetary level we were so blessed when a complete stranger (well "real life" stranger, but internet friend) felt God calling them to send us a check. It was incredibly humbling to us to accept money from someone we had never met before but as it was the exact amount needed for my car payment that day and we were just wondering how to pay it this month we knew God had answered that prayer. What a lesson. It surely has taught us to let go of our worry and more importantly our ties to anything we own. It is not our, nor has it ever been.

Our pastor about the Economic downturn

As most of you know Kevin was laid off from his job a week ago Wednesday. Are we wondering about how the ends will meet? Of course. But we have been clinging to Matthew chapter 6 since we found out. We are reminded that there has NEVER been a time when we have not been provided for. Ever. Wow. Our pastor recently posted this video on his blog and it spoke to our hearts. I know lots of people out there are experiencing a job loss or pay downgrade etc, so be encouraged!

The Lord gives and he takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.

As I sit and reflect on our past two days of Christmas celebrations I want to take a minute to really remember and take note of the gift of a baby. God sent his only son to become a man. I think of that night, of the joy brought to the world in this tiny package. This baby who was, and is our salvation. What joy that night held for Mary, Joesph, the Shepard, Kings and stars!

Luke 2:10

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

As many of you know we are blessed with a beautiful healthy 16 month old daughter, Ana Sophia. She is so precious to us- what a joyful Christmas we all had together. We praise God for her birth and for the gift of entrusting this child into our hands to raise her to be a Godly woman, who glorifies him. As many of you also know, on Black Friday we learned that we were again blessed with a child. While we were surprised we found so much joy and excitement in this as well. Last Wednesday some complications arose but we were able to see the first pictures of this beautiful little one and the tiny precious heart that fluttered at 144 beats per minute. Our doctor, whom we saw on Friday was optimistic that we would continue on to have a successful pregnancy and delivery. He simply wanted us to have a follow up ultrasound done this week. The clinic called us on Monday and asked if we could come in early Christmas Eve morning. I thought this would work out nicely as both Kevin and I were off of work, as was my Mom to watch Sophia. There was a tiny part of me that thought this could not be such a joyful Christmas if the news was bad. But our doctor had been SO optimistic! So, I agreed and the appointment was all set up for 8:30 Wednesday morning. Kevin had not been with me on Wednesday to see the first ultrasound so he was very excited to see that little heart beating still to reassure him the way I had been reassured just one week prior. We had the pictures hanging on our fridge and had been praying daily for this little bean but nothing beats seeing it for yourself. As the ultrasound started I had an uneasy feeling. It all looked different than the week before. Our technician was so very quiet. Her brows were furrowed as she asked me to move this way and that, lift my hips up here and there. The tears began to roll down my face. I realized that beautiful heartbeat of 144 was extinguished. The precious body, once whole, was now in two separate pieces and the tear that they had seen so tiny was taking up a large part of the photo. Our baby, gone. God is sovereign, God is good. These are things we continued to say as we waited in the "holding cell"...I mean, "Hold and call waiting room" for our doctor to reach us. Finally they did. Numbly we left the hospital- opting not to have the D &C surgery and not to take the pills that flush the baby out. We opted to do this naturally. How could we tell our family members, all who were so excited for the addition to the family, worst of all on this joyous celebration of Christs birth?! We headed back to my parents house where we quickly nodded that it was not good news. Phone calls where made, whispers heard in the house to not bring it up. We continued on with the celebrations, laughing, eating, singing, celebrating another baby gifted to us. The gifts under the tree for the new baby or for the "Beyer babies" were swept away as though they never existed in the first place. But I knew, I saw the gaps under the tree- so similar to the new gaps in our hearts now. It isn't until right now as our daughter is down from her sugar high and sleeping peacefully in bed that I really get to sit and reflect upon it all. Its all about the gift of a baby. Gods son, Christ, the gift we don't deserve. How precious is he. We deserve nothing, yet are SO BLESSED. He gives and he takes away- BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD!

Praying you are able to truly celebrate what Christmas is all about. I know that for us, it came in an unexpected way- but celebrating the gift of a baby was so different and dear to us this year.