Wednesday's Word....Paradise....

I complain a lot.

I am discontented.

I frequently get the “Can’t Help Its”. 

Things are never just so, there is always something out of place or that needs to be done.

So when the chorus of Phil Vassar’s Just Another Day in Paradise, entered my mind, I didn’t even make it to the verses before I started thinking I wish I felt that way. Paradise, yeah….someday.

And then I took the time to look it up :

The kids screaming, phone ringing
Dog barking at the mailman bringing
That stack of bills - overdue
Good morning baby, how are you?
Got a half hour, quick shower
Take a drink of milk but the milk's gone sour
My funny face makes you laugh
Twist the top on and I put it back
There goes the washing machine
Baby, don't kick it. 
I promise I'll fix it
Long about a million other things

Well, it's ok. It's so nice
It's just another day in paradise
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be
Well, it's two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the Lord every night
For just another day in paradise

Friday, you're late
Guess we'll never make our dinner date
At the restaurant you start to cry
Baby, we'll just improvise
Well, plan B looks like
Dominoes' pizza in the candle light
Then we'll tippy toe to our room
Make a little love that's overdue
But somebody had a bad dream
Mama and daddy
Can me and my teddy
Come in to sleep in between?

Yeah it's ok. It's so nice.
It's just another day in paradise.
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be
Well, it's two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the Lord every night
For just another day in paradise

Well, it's ok. It's so nice.
It's just another day in paradise.
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be
Two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the Lord every night
For just another day in paradise

For just another day in paradise
Well, it's the kids screaming. The phone ringing
Just another day
Well, it's Friday. You're late
Oh yeah, it's just another day in paradise

Do I ever thank God that is my life? Some days….but not often, and I certainly never ask for another day just like the one before.

We have our woes and we have our struggles, but we have two healthy kids and a bright future. We have a roof over our heads. We have food on the table and clothes on our backs. We have some nice things, too, and a car to drive. We can’t buy whatever we want, or go where ever we want. We have responsibilities and we have blessings. Just reading the words to this song today reminded me that I should be thankful for this because I wouldn’t trade it.

Sure it would be nice to not have to worry…but I don’t have to worry I choose to worry.

Sure it would be nice if things were easier…but honestly, I am often the one who makes it harder than it has to be.

I could trade it, but what would I get. And what would I lose…it is far too precious to me.

So this Wednesday, I ask God to create in me a grateful heart, a heart that sees the blessing in the mundane, a heart that rejoices in the call of motherhood, a heart that feels His presence in the everyday life of our family. 

Surprise Mid-day post...ETC

You probably don't know this about me, but I love ATC (artist trading cards)...It is a creativity and experimentation in a bite size that I can handle. Unfortunately, right now I am too far from the ATC swap I had become so fond of at Quilting Adventures in Richmond, VA.

But today in my slacking I found out about something call ETC - Embrace the Camera! I love it. Real snap shots of me and my family...today its the kids. ( By the way I found this a what looks to be an absolutely wonderful blog called The Anderson Crew! Check it out and all the other fun ETC's linked from there!)

I can tell you from my own personal experience that the only pictures of my mom from my childhood are when she thought she was thin...and let me just tell you that was not nearly as often as she was actually thin...and I don't care what size she is or thinks she is....I WANT HER IN MY PHOTOS! Photos with me, photos with my dad, with her sister, with her nieces and nephews...she exists and there should be pictures to prove it... and so I embark on ETC...so that my kids can't say the same about me.

I also don't think that life should be cataloged in the un-real moments or the specialist of occasions. I want to remember the nitty gritty...

So...TIAMO ETC week 1....The playground

There is a great giveaway going on over at Naptime Diaries that includes some goodies from the TIAMO shop. Including a hair tutu of choice from the list of Hair Tutus of the month, and a set of Glad Text cards similar to those found here. I hope you will go enter for a chance to win!

Thursday…Can you believe that it is Thursday already?

Our two week summer reprieve is quickly coming to an end. It really was more like a crazy blend of mad dash to get life back in order and a lazy laid back family decompress.  The kids have really blossomed under their daddy’s influence. 

But today is the end…We have Grace’s pre-school open house and just like that a switch is flipped and the semester begins. Back to School picnics, back to school events, prepping assignments and books, checking calendars, and this year the addition of Grace going to school and on-line classes for me, as well as the commitment to make TIAMO a go and my husband will be working part-time not at school.

As much as that sounds like a heavy sigh, bordering on a complaint…this year it feels like a challenge, a challenge I might be able to live up to.

Regardless it is full of blessings! Like fellowship that is treasured respite from the hustle and bustle. Like a home that is sacred space for our family.

The greatest blessing though is my husband (as much as we might drive each other crazy, as much as I know there is HUGE post-law school adjustment a head of us!).  As he starts his third and final year of law school there is so much happy, fulfilling future in front of him.

He has always been a hard worker, though he sometimes does his best not to look like it. He is thriving on the rigorous law school schedule.  If it is possible, He is more excited about the start of classes now than he was two years ago, and not just because it is the final first day. He loves law, he loves analyzing, he loves “putting bad guys in jail”, and he loves seeing God’s law in our law, and is going to love being a lawyer.

There isn't any greater blessing to a wife than a happy husband. The kids thrive off of that happiness. It makes home life agreeable.

Sometimes it is hard to compete with law school and all that comes with it, but I know he is happy and I know some day (very soon) he will be done and the pace and focus of our lives will change. I am trying not to wish it away, trying to let him have room to savor his successes and prepare for the next challenge (finding a big lawyer job to pay all these big law school bills!).

I couldn’t be prouder…So let the games begin!