I Learned Some Things Today

I learned some things today.

1. I learned how much my husband loves me once again. Happy 9th Anniversary, honey bunch!

2. I learned how bored my toddler is. Well, I think a better word is creative. She crawled around on the floor barking like a dog. Every time we would call, "Sarah!", she would say, "I'm not Sarah, I'm a dog." She played the part well by literally licking my foot.

3. I learned how much I really don't know about life. I don't know if this happens to everyone, but I feel like I have just started (at the ripe old age of 31) learning about really matters and what doesn't.

4. I learned that my dogmatic ideals about life will start to burn on the pyre of self-righteounes and pride if I strike the match and throw it in. The "match" being the grace of God.

5. I learned again today how God is so patient and tender in the leading of His children. I digress in my walk with Him but He prods me gently back into the way I should go. Hey, and sometimes He gives me a whack in the head and it's always much needed and stems from his infinite love for me, His child.

6. I learned I have an atypical husband and an atypical happy beginning to what could have been a typical terrible ending. We talk endlessly about our dreams, our love for the Lord, our thankfulness, and what we want to do to fix up the house. We covet each other's company. We look at our children and think, how could you bless us so much? What seemed to be "love" in the beginning of our marriage just paved the way for the worst trials we have seen in our life. Those heart-wrenching, divorce-level, sin-inflicted, flesh-following trials led us here:

*the closest friendship that any two people can find here on earth*

To take what we had going and turn it into the above is just God. All God. I can sit and talk all day about what has happened in our marriage and how we have changed, and what God did to break us and reshape us. Maybe in another post. All I can say is, nothing is impossible with God!

7. I learned that each day is an opportunity to grow, even if it's just a millionth of an inch, there's progress.

8. I learned that God doesn't need my help to do what He's always done.

9. I learned that I can make a sentimental gift with just materials I already have in my house.

10. I learned that a pot of chili goes a long way, amen to that. Hey, even the dog gets his share.

11. I learned that I can have an impact on this world just by taking all my kids to Cracker Barrell to have lunch. It's mind-boggling for people to see mother and father happily(truth be told, there is much reluctance as well on our part) bringing their children out to eat. All of the children coloring quietly (thank you Lord for getting them to do that!) while baby coo's happily in her seat, mom and dad order for the family. We sit, leisurely enjoying our meal, as the kids remain relatively quiet. People are amazed and astonished. "It's so refreshing to see your family!" to "Wow, you are a brave woman!" to the blank stares you get from younger people(twenty somethings) that get a table right next to us. I hope whatever the case they saw God somewhere in all of that.

12. I learned that having a tupperware party hosted in my home is a lot more work than I thought it would be.

13. I learned that the effort it will take to host a tupperware party in my home will be well worth it to help out a fellow homeschooling mama to 7 children and wife to a retired military serviceman. Kudos to both recipients of my effort! :)

14. I am now learning that this post is getting too long and I have kids hanging from the ceiling.