What you don’t see…

In the blog world–the person behind the computer can share only what they want you to see;). For example…check out this picture—(AKA: I’m such a good mom!)

My sweet boy.

Drinking his calcium enriched juice.

Because what our children eat–is so very important.

BUT…what you didn’t get to see—was what was the rest of the picture:)

AND–would you like to KNOW why the boy is having a doughnut…NOT for breakfast BUT FOR LUNCH mind you?! Because. It was a bribe. A bribe to his older sister and brother…who last week went without breakfast one morning because their mommy was so scatter brained. I left my purse at home as I was running late for the ONLY day they go to school…the ONE day my home-school bunch has some where to be. We were out of breakfast food–I told them I’d get them something on the way…only to realize I left my purse at home–and breakfast came that morning from EXXON gas station…with the $1.82 cents I was able to scrape out of the floor of my mini-van. So they had to all split a 6-pack of powdered doughnuts and share a $0.89 bottled water. And if they didn’t complain about being hungry–then they’d get REAL doughnuts for lunch. AREN’T YOU IMPRESSED?!

Thought you would be;) NOW…that craziness is thankfully NOT the norm…but things like this DO happen–and you don’t get to see them…because I can pick and choose what I share. So…you might be tempted to think you are the ONLY one who messes up, has really hard days or doesn’t have it together–but I’m here to remind that you ARE NOT alone–and you are probably doing an even more beautiful job than me:)

Frankie baby though–he kinda likes it when mom messes up…

Too often, I think we can sit back and either feel badly about what we are NOT doing–OR EVEN WORSE be critical of what others ARE doing…take things apart…complain about what we don’t like…instead of thinking about what we might be able to do to make it better–OR looking for the silver lining and what the Lord might want to teach us through things that aren’t exactly how *we* think they should be.

The times in my life where I GROW the MOST are times that I am not taking people or things apart but rather asking the Lord: What do you want to teach ME in this??? How can I shine your glory in the middle of this???

There are so many other things that you don’t see…like today–when I was so tired and not feeling well…that I panicked. I called and made a new doctor’s appointment at a new doctor because for a moment–I got scared–that this Lyme’s disease stuff might not end okay. I made the appointment for more blood work. I’m still going to go. And by the end of the day–I have let that fear go and I’m trusting the Lord to ultimately heal me–and through it I’m going to ask What do you want to teach ME in this??? How can I shine your glory in the middle of this??? I want to learn to be STILL. To trust Jesus through this. To have faith that He will heal. That I will feel healthy and normal again. I want to shine Jesus through and through…and that if it doesn’t go like I plan for it too–that my faith will remain strong. STILL–I want to cling to HOPE and trust in His healing. Hopeful this new doctor might have more answers or a plan that might be better for me…so this momma has more strength.

This is the real stuff–that so often those of us that share so much on our blogs…some times don’t share. BUT these are the things that I also believe the Lord will use most to shape us–and some times they just feel like too much to share. But I think I’m sort of getting over my filter:). Hope you love me anyway;)

There you have it…my doughnuts and all. So last week when I was passing out the doughnuts instead of turkey sandwiches on wheat–I got out my camera and took pictures. Because really…it wasn’t that big of a deal. And those doughnuts–they made everyone happy on what was a pretty hard day. Sure other moms might look at me and shake their heads (if you are doing that–we probably aren’t destined to be VBFFs…and that’s okay:). Because those doughnuts…they got us through–and I know in years to come we’ll still be laughing at the morning I forgot my purse and told my kids they’d get REAL doughnuts later if they could make it through the morning on our van change cash stash without telling their teachers they were starving. I’m such a good mom like that…but my kids and my best friends love me anyway. And so does the One who carries me through my doughnut days!

May He fill you with strength and joy and even creativity for your doughnut days ahead…and may He bring you lots of friends that will laugh with you through them too! And for the record–our favorite doughnuts are Krispy Creme’s creme filled with chocolate on top. I even cheated last week from gluten-free and ate one too. (Yeah…yeah…I know it can take 2 weeks to get it out of your system…but it was really just one of those days–and I’d eat it all over again!)

Blessings!!!

Andrea