Reflection of Me

Raising Godly children is a very difficult task. Every stage of motherhood has had it's own unique challenges and rewards even without adding in the additional challenge of raising them to fear and respect the Lord. I heard it said today that God gave us children not because we are amazing parents but so that our children can be a reflection of us so that through them we can better see who we really are before God. However, seeing them for who they really are is not an easy task. It's so easy to get caught up in the fact that we love them that we can often overlook their sins. Over the years and with the help of my husband, sisters in the church, family, and God's word I have been able to really "see" the character of my children. I must admit many times I am really happy with what I see. Those are the times when I see them considering others above themselves, when I see them loving one another, loving God, being respectful, serving others, and just doing their best. These are also the times when I get compliments from people on how wonderful my children are or when they receive an award or recognition that puts a smile on my face from ear to ear. But God expects me to also "see" the truth about their sin as well. Like acknowledging my daughter is being arrogant when she thinks she can go a day without reading her bible or praying. Or when I have to admit my daughter is manipulative when she pressures me to give into her request even after I have repeatedly said no. Or seeing that my daughter is disrespectful for talking back and rolling her eyes ever so slightly. I have to very diligent about seeing the truth in their hearts so that I may be able to train them in righteousness. This reminds me of the scripture:

1 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

It is my job as their mom to ensure my girls are thoroughly equipped for every good work. This is also God's way of ensuring I am thoroughly equipped as well. I can see my reflection in my girls in so many ways. Every time God allows me to see something new in their heart it forces me to evaluate that in my heart as well. I find encouragement in knowing that as time goes on my reflection gets better and better. Lord willing my daughters will impress the fear of the Lord on their children as well and with each generation raising Godly Children becomes not so difficult. I hope you lived Happily Ever After today! Goodnight Love Isca

CIRCUS LIFE

Sometimes life feels like a circus. In this three ring circus I often feel like I am the juggler. Each responsibility in my life represents a different ball. One for my husband, one for my kids, one for my home, work, finances, health, God, you get the idea. With so many balls in the air it is inevitable that some will fall to the ground and may be left there a while unattended. The balls will sit there until the juggler can finagle it up off the ground and back in the air again without dropping any other balls in the process. With my husbands surgery it felt as though every other ball was on the ground except for the one ball that represented my husband. I don't know why but, the one thing was all I was able to handle and I let everything else just fall to the ground. Thankfully none of the other things I usually keep up in the air are so far gone that I can't pick them up and get them moving again but it made me think about my priorities. In picking all my responsibilities back up and juggling them in the air again I'm reminded of the following scriptures

Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

and

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

The truth is that no matter how many things I am juggling in my life, God wants to be top priority. The amazing thing is that if I put Him first He will give me the ability to keep everything else up as well. With God as my top priority I am able to not only be an amazing juggler in this circus called life, but God allows me to be an exceptional juggler like the ones who juggle with one hand or can juggle the swords and fire without getting burned. If I choose to pick up the ball that represents my relationship with God first everyday God will make sure that all these things will be given to me as well and life won't feel like a circus anymore. I hope you Live Happily Ever After today! Love Isca

Oh Happy Day

Waiting is a terrible feeling. Especially when you are waiting to hear everything is ok. That's what I am feeling right now. Sitting hear in the lobby waiting to hear my husband is ok. It's now a little after ten AM and we arrived at five thirty AM. With each click if the hands of the clock the knot in my stomach moves higher and higher up my throat. In this moment I can begin to see that Waiting for the unknown is a way to build our faith since as we wait we are drawn towards hoping for the best. Before my husband went away to the operating room he read this to me...Psalm 56:3.

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

Good News Doctor just came out and said my husband is out of surgery!! Everything went well, my husbands cancer was beginning to infiltrate part of the muscles in his neck and they had to get cut out in addition to some lymph nodes and some of his neck. Doc said good thing we got it out right away... (sigh of relief) Thank you to everyone who prayed for my family. It is a very Happy Day. after all today is not only my daughters 18th birthday but it is the day my Husband begins healing. I pray you live Happily Ever After today. lots of love Isca

JUST KEEP SWIMMING...

Just keep swimming is the song that is playing over and over in my head. I can hear it in Dory's happy little voice "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming." This pretty much sums up the mode I am currently in. With my husbands surgery 1 day away and an endless task list of things to do it's the only way I have been able to manage. Somehow God has given me the motivation to just do so much stuff around the house. What's amazing is I'm doing more than I have ever done before and still have energy. Now you need to understand that I am in general pretty lazy. I come home from work exhausted and do nothing but cook dinner (most nights) and go to sleep. Cleaning is done by my teenagers and their standard of clean is pretty low. Hopefully, that gives you an idea of my starting point. Since my husband received the diagnosis of Thyroid Cancer, things have happened very quickly and we have barely had an opportunity to even fully grasp what is happening. Despite this, I knowing my husband very well, and I know his recovery would go so much better if the house were to a higher standard of clean then the everyday teenager standard. As you have read in my previous blogs I was able to get some help with the house from momma mia :) but maintaining it clean has been an equally difficult task. I am just grateful to have had the energy and the motivation to keep up with it all and then some. I have even been able to make some strides in the area of laundry and organization. Overall I can only give glory to God for giving me the strength I need, that I can not understand. With everything going on at work these past few days I should be dead when I get home. But instead I am full of energy and ready to serve my family like I have never done before. It makes me think of the scripture in Isaiah 40:31

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint

. I feel as though God has kissed me on the cheek by allowing me to not to just stop and sink to the bottom when things get rough but to have the energy and the motivation to just keep swimming having full confidence that by the grace of God we will make it through and be better for it in the end. I pray you lived happily ever after today. Goodnight, Love Isca

T.E.A.M Together Everyone Achieves More

You know that saying "you don't know what you got till it's gone." Well, I got a little taste of that when my husband was not able to go out with us today. Unfortunately, he had to stay home and prepare for a medical procedure tomorrow. Me and the girls went to church with out him and then to my sisters house to celebrate our oldest daughters up-coming 18th Birthday. She will turn 18 this week the same day as my husbands surgery so we decided to celebrate it today to ensure that she felt special. The girls and I had lot's of fun with my mom, sister, nieces, nephew, stepdad, and brother-in-law but I still missed my husband. For all you military wives who are routinely apart from their spouses I commend your strength and sacrifice. I was away from him for 1 day and as I sat there singing happy birthday to my girl turning 18 and as we prayed for God to bless her this year I really missed having him there with us. My family felt incomplete. I have been together with my husband since I was 15 years old. This year makes 21 years together and 13 years married. Over the years we have persevered over many ups and downs all the while growing more and more as one. However, I can appreciate these little moments that we are apart because it is moments like these that remind me how special our relationship is. It reminds me even after all these years, of the importance of investing in our marriage and in strengthen our relationship. I came home to my husband who was patiently waiting for us. We just talked a while. His procedure and up-coming surgery is heavy on my heart but I feel confident that together we can weather this storm and persevere because of our love for one another and our love for God. God, my husband, and I are a team. It is only through our relationship with God that our relationship with each other has been able to grow so strong. It reminds me of the scripture in 1 Peter 1:22

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart

The love God has shown us is an example of the love we show for one another. We are a T.E.A.M because Together Everyone Achieves More. I hope you lived happily ever after today. Goodnight, Lots-of-Love Isca

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME

In the movie the The Wizard of Oz Dorothy finds herself on a journey to find the Wizard who can help her get back home. At first she is confused about how to begin but finds enlightenment and direction from the happy little song sung by all the little people of munchkin land called "Follow the yellow brick road." She is soon on her way and eventually makes it back home because after all "there is no place like home." As for me, I can feel like Dorothy sometimes in her desperation to make it back home. Working a full time job has it's many rewards and I am grateful to be employed but I often times have a deep longing to be a full time homemaker. I was so grateful for today being Saturday where I was able to really invest some time in just being home with my family. Sleeping in with my husband this am with no alarm nagging us to get up, enjoying breakfast made by the kids, and cleaning my bedroom which desperately needed some TLC. Sitting here in my bed in my nice and clean bedroom just feels so relaxing despite the exhaustion I feel from cleaning it. I do enjoy my job and really enjoy helping my husband financially support our family, but if I had the opportunity to be home full time I would leap at the chance. I know staying home is easier said than done and to all you fulltime homemakers I don't envy your roll because it is easier, but rather because it is more rewarding than exhausting your energy for someone else rather than for my very own family. Either way, this always brings me back to that scripture in Philippians 4:12- 13 where Paul says:

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Although there is no place like home I can learn contentment no matter what my situation because of Christ who gives me strength. This helps me live happily ever after and I hope you live happily ever after too. Goodnight, Isca :)

MOMMA MIA

Thinking back on my teen years I can see clearly that I really was a terrible daughter. Now my mom was not perfect, but she didn't deserve to deal with a lot of talking back, attitude, disobedience, rebellion, pride, anger, cursing, temper, laziness, selfishness, unkindness, and just plain old me being rude. It's sad but I always thought it was my mom that wasn't loving me, when in reality and according to the word it was I that was not loving her. After all in 1 Corinthians 13:4 the "love" scripture starts off with Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs If that is what Love is... Then I was not loving. I'm glad to say I am doing better as my mother's daughter. But what's even more encouraging is that with all that I put her through she never stopped loving me. Now here I am much older with 3 daughters of my own and my Mom is still sacrificing for me and showing me her Love. With everything going on with hubby we have just been so extremely busy. And if we are not busy then we are just plain old tired. With hubby's family on the way to visit us to offer him moral support during the surgery this week I have the added strain of getting my home "company ready". Well my Momma came to the rescue. I give thanks to her and to God for getting my whole house "company ready". I thank God for my mom and just because in his divine wisdom he decided today should be a staff day for teachers so that kept all the kids home today to help clean. It was so amazing to come home to a spic and span clean house. And boy what a weight was lifted off my shoulders. It makes me all the more grateful for mom's especially since tonight I can sleep happily ever after thanks to my Momma Mia. Happily ever after to you tonight. Lots-of-Love, Isca