What a week!

All I can say about this week is that I must be doing something right because Satan is picking on me! I can't seem to catch my breathe, let alone find peace. My Bible has stayed opened on the kitchen table all week until Joshua helped me clean up the kitchen last night. Needless to say, TGIF!!!

My kid's have been pushing and testing the limits and seeing what I am going to do about it. I have been shocked by some of the behavior they have exhibited, thus making me question my ability as a parent to stay calm AND consistent and yet do a good job. One kid has all the "but's", "how comes", and "why's," while the another one is screaming on the potty things like, "Mommy, you stink! You REALLY, REALLY stink! I don't like you," just because I made them go potty before bed.

Or they yell at me in the car after I pick them up from school and tell them they can't go visit their favorite cousins because they just threw up on another kid at school. All the while the other one is hiding somewhere trying to poop in their diaper without me knowing about it. Shocking! Absolutely shocking.

I am not sure who was more shocked though. Me, because this is all new and soon-to-be-very-OLD news, or my children who think that it is my job to be their friend and make them like me.

I will admit I let my fears of the a future relationship in jeopardy cloud my judgement momentarily, but I try remain firm. I have prayed more, read more in my Bible, and sought after wisdom from family and friends this week than I like to pridefully admit. I have shed lots of tears. Tears of fear. Tears of sadness. Tears of discouragement. Tears of failure in the moment to be successful. Tears of defeat. Tears of giving it all to God, because I want to be pleasing in God's eyes and I want my kid's to grow up to want that too.

Satan wants us to give in and listen to those fears, worries, and hurtful words. Satan loves to use our our behavior or our children's behavior to drag us down and dampen our spirit. Satan wants us to doubt our abilities that God gave us to succeed. But, Satan will NOT win.

God gave us tools to equip us for these battles. God gave us his word to lift us up, to build others up, and to share with our children.

God gave us his Son so that in moments of weakness and failure we can go to him and ask forgiveness daily. His mercies cover us and show us that we are not defined in our moments of weakness. But, HE is glorified when we make choices to follow HIS will and actions and not our selfish desires or reactions.

God gave us his Spirit so that we will always know that we are loved and not alone.

God gave us our Christian brothers and sisters for us to lean on when times are hard and we can't even get through the rest of the day.

God puts people in our lives at the perfect time. HE gives a way to stand up under the weight of what is weighing on our hearts.

God gave us our talents to be a blessing to others with. He gave us EVERYTHING we have and will ever have. What a mighty God we serve!!!