Growing Up.

There are so many wonderful things about being a mom. And then there are the moments that make you so extremely proud but stab your heart a little at the same time. Those times when your child accomplishes a milestone and you are so proud, but at the same time it shows you how much they are growing up. Their first time holding a bottle, their first steps, their first words... you know what I'm talking about.

I had one of those moments today.

Madi can officially dress herself completely. Not just shoes or shorts, but head to toe. I don't know if I have been holding her back by not letting her put her own shirt on, or if she just decided today was the day to do it, but that was the final step in her dressing herself.

I am so incredibly proud of her and love that she is growing up, but at the same time, those feelings are juxtaposed with a twinge of sadness that every day she needs me just a little bit less.

Now, this is not meant to be a melancholy post. It just came across my mind today that I (and my husband, of course) am teaching my daughter the life skills and lessons she needs to be a successful adult. Obviously getting dressed is highly important (and looking at some people, underrated) but so are the bigger things that we need to teach our children.

How to love God more than anything else. How to love others. How to serve. Give. Be confident, yet humble. Be fair. wise. hardworking. trustworthy. honest. helpful. kind. And many more things we wish for our children.

When I asked Madi how she learned to put her shirt on all by herself, she said, "You showed me, Mommy. You showed me and taught me how." Everything that we show them, by word or deed, is stored in their memory bank for later use. As parents, we have to make sure that we are teaching them the right things. That we are teaching them how to be like Jesus.

How do I respond when I am frustrated? Excited? Proud of myself? How do I handle daily tasks? Every response I give in every situation will be modeled by my daughter when she experiences something similar. (Trust me, she has modeled some things I wish she hadn't.) When she looks at me, does she see the things I mentioned above? Would she say her mommy is loving, kind, hardworking, and like Jesus? I have to guard myself and be aware of how I act so that every day, as Madi gets more and more independent, I can be confident that when I release her into the world she will not falter. She will be a strong, healthy, Jesus-like star, shining like a light in her generation.

Anyway, just some ramblings from a mom whose little girl can get dressed by herself. At least we have one vital skill down. :)

much love,

bc

Micah 6:8 What does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

PS - Sorry for all the rabbit trails. My mind works in strange ways sometimes. And no, husband, it's not just because I'm pregnant.

(in)spired deals review and giveaway!

There are a lot of things my house "says" to me when walk in the door. A lot of the things I really don't want to hear.
For instance:

"Hey, you didn't put up the laundry"
"Look, the sink is filled with dishes"
"Wow, Madi left her toys out again"

But that's ok. I have realized my house is never going to be perfectly spotless and there will always be laundry waiting for me. And I am ok with the toys everywhere because before I know it, my children will be too old for them.

So I choose to overlook the things my house says that I don't want to hear. Because when I walk into my home, I see love, fun, laughter, joy, and most of all, evidence that Jesus Christ is at the heart of our home. I love putting little touches of Jesus throughout each room, and when I saw this wall art on one of my favorite blogs a while ago, it went on my wish list immediately.

Look how beautiful this wall art from Urban Soul is -

*image courtesy of Dayspring

It looks black in the picture but when you look up close at the finish it has bronzy texture across it. The art can either stand alone or be hung on the wall. It's so awesome! I cannot wait to find the perfect place to put it and the perfect family picture to fill the frame. To see the rest of the Urban Soul collection go here. There are a few more that I want. (hint hint) :)


Because I love you and because Dayspring is awesome, they are offering you a giveaway! The winner will receive a $20 gift card code to go shopping at the Dayspring Online Store.

And even MORE! Everyone can use the code MAY20 at check out to receive 20% off your order during the month of May! :)


To enter is easy. You can do one or all of the following. Of course, the more ways you enter, the better your chance of winning!

1. Comment on this post and tell me what you would get from the Dayspring store if you were to win this giveaway.

2. Facebook about this giveaway and leave a comment letting me know you did it. Sample FB post, I entered to win a $20 giveaway from Dayspring and you should too! http://bit.ly/kkmQc6

3. Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment letting me know you did it. Please include @mybfjesus in your tweet. Sample: I entered to win a $20 giveaway from Dayspring and @mybfjesus. You should too! http://bit.ly/kkmQc6

4. Subscribe to my blog and then leave a post saying you did it! (or if you already do, tell me that too!)

Good Luck to you all! The giveaway ends Tuesday, May 24th at midnight, so enter quickly and tell your friends!

Much Love,
bc





PS- Shipping charges will still apply to your order. The code is one time use and will expire August 31, 2011.

PPS- The FTC wants me to tell you that Dayspring gave me this free item for me to review and also provided the giveaway for you lovely readers. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

Child-like Faith

I think one reason God gives the world children is because they teach us so much about being a Christ follower. Not a week goes by that Madi doesn't teach me something about loving my Savior. One thing that has been on my heart lately is trust.

Our family has been experiencing some times of financial difficulty lately (which I am sure a lot of you can relate to) and my faith is being put to the test. It is extremely hard for me to trust unwaveringly in God to provide. I feel like I have to do something to help Him along or just at least have some control over the situation. However, looking at the life of my precious little girl, I understand a little more about what God means when He talks about having child-like faith.

As parents we expect complete obedience from our children. Yes, they often mess up and it takes time for them to understand what that means, but we discipline and correct when necessary. We don't expect them to worry about food and clothing, they don't worry about where they will live, children never ask if they have enough money to pay for our bills, and so on. Just like our children, God promises to provide for our every need. He expects our complete dependance on Him. We aren't to worry about feeding our family, about paying our bills, about clothing, shelter, or even transportation. God promises that when we seek Him above all else, He will be faithful to provide for our needs.

This is so difficult for us! Well, at least for me. I often talk about how I wish I could go back to the days where my only worry was which toy I was going to play with or what outfit I would wear. And then I catch myself and realize, that is EXACTLY how I should be right now. I should not be worrying about ANYTHING. When I worry, I am saying to God that HE is not big enough to take care of my problems. How preposterous is that? The God of the Universe who created all things can't handle my burdens? Especially when they are so small compared to what other people in this world are facing.

As a mom, it drives me crazy when I have to tell Madi to obey over and over and over again. I want to tell her one time and then that be the end of it (such a nice dream isn't it?). Sometimes I wonder why God doesn't just "spank my butt" as Madi puts it. He tells me to trust Him over and over again, and I fight and struggle against Him trying to get my own way.

What I love about the Lord is that He cares so deeply for each one of us. There is no problem too small for Him to handle. And just because there are 7 billion people on the planet doesn't mean that He doesn't have time to take care of each and every one of us. And when I become discouraged and feel hopeless and uncertain, I look to my precious child. How carefree and happy she is. How completely and utterly trusting she is. How she doesn't worry about what's happening in the future but lives completely, knowing that everything in her world is just as it should be. Just like what God wants for us.

much love,
bc

I'm So Blessed

Today I have been thinking about how blessed I am. So many times I feel down and forget to be thankful, but today, I recognize how blessed I am and how awesome my life is.

My Blessings:

1) My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

2) My incredible husband. He works so hard to take care of our family. And when I am tired and overworked, he washes dishes, does laundry, and vacuums. Now THAT is my kind of man. :)

3) My beautiful daughter, Madi. She is the light of our lives and brings us joy every day. There is nothing better than an unprompted I love you.

4) My awesome family and my incredible friends. Life wouldn't be nearly as full and joyful without them.

5) A fantastic church home and church family. It is a beautiful thing to know that I can fellowship with other believers every week.

6) A wonderful home to call our own. With our life the past couple of years, this has become such as special thing. I won't take it for granted ever.


There are so many more things I could list, but these are definitely my tops. I just wanted to take a few minutes and share how awesome my life is. Regardless of how little money we might have, how busy life gets, or how my husband/child may drive me crazy (haha), my life is so full and God is so good.

I hope you can say the same!
Much love,
bc