FairyTale Mom.....

"'If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!'" We smile as we read the wall plaque in the novelty store. But our smile quickly turns to a frown if truly "Mama ain't happy." This is because the wife and mother in a family often "sets the tone" in the home. The "tone" God wants her to set is one of joy, optimism, and a delight in the Lord and in her family. If your family were called upon to describe you, what would they say?"
~Martha Peace, "The Excellent Wife"

Last night I went to my 7 yr. old daughter's first softball game of the season. Considering we are only a couple of days shy of May it would seem the appropriate time to begin this warm weather sport.

Yeah, right! The high here yesterday was in the low 50's but the wind chill made it feel much colder than that!

Fortunately I wore my heavy winter coat and gloves and as I snuggled under blankets with the other parents on the bleachers I had a revelation: "this is not at all what I pictured being a Mom would look like." So that got me to thinking about some of the other things that have "surprised" me about motherhood.......

My kids:
Don't listen when I say "no"!
They often whine and try to manipulate me.
They have been known to lie to me!
They leave the house in grungy clothes and wear mismatched socks!
They are not stellar students!
They fight with one another!
They have been known to utter bad words!
They are messy!
Some days they just have bad attitudes!
They are embarrassed for their mom to hug or kiss them in public!
Two of my girls have tatoos!
They have made some poor choices and been caught! (And I am sure they made many others where they haven't been caught).

I don't blame you if you are thinking my family is the definition of dysfunction. I know that is exactly what I would have thought, at least before I had kids. Now, I find myself constantly revising my ideas of what parenting looks like. As soon as I think I have it figured out, I am thrown a new bone to chew on....

The thing it comes down to though, is this......how am I going to manage myself? I cannot alter the behaviors of another person, including my own children. I can be a guide and an influence but I cannot be God. I cannot change who they are and who they are destined to be!

So what will my response to their undesirable behavior look like..Anger?Disapproval?Criticism?
And what kind of reaction might I expect from these responses... Fear? Rebellion? Self doubt?

What if, instead I choose to respond with love, grace and forgiveness?
It's likely I would see love, humility and repentance in return....
I might not see it now. I might never see it in my lifetime but by planting the seeds of unconditional love I am making it possible for God to water and grow them.

These are not natural reactions to many parenting situations in which I find myself. But I am not supposed to live in my natural flesh. Too many times, when I have responded harshly, it has created an atmosphere of negativity throughout the entire household. However through God's patience and love, and with the power of the Holy Spirit, I am seeing my role as a parent through new eyes.

Last night the eyes I was seeing through were hidden between earmuffs and a neck wrap.

When I pictured being a Mom I might have seen a fairytale but my hope is that my daughter (as well as all of my children) sees a "real Mom" who is always ready to smile and cheer for her, no matter what the "weather"!

For more on the importance of a mom's attitude please visit Christin here.

Suffering from Marthaplexy.........

Another weekend goes down in the history books. Is it just me or is time speeding up each year?

It's funny but if I had to guess what time of the year it is by my surroundings it would be very difficult. The weather has been unseasonably cold and the stores are all selling 4th of July stuff. Of course when it really is the 4th of July they will be selling Christmas trees and winter coats! I believe this is another way that the world makes it difficult for us to "live in the moment". If we are constantly looking so far ahead, how can we enjoy THIS day that the Lord has made?

Personally I like to live in the past, that is where the sales are! The after Christmas bargains were amazing! (LOL)

Seriously though, this weekend at church we learned there is actually a name for this condition (focusing so much on busyness, preparations and worrying about the unnecessary details of life that it spoils your here and now). It is called Marthaplexy! My husband is quite certain I suffer from this disease. No, I haven't begun decorating for the 4th of July yet but I have let myself get so caught up in daily anxiety that I have not taken the time to sit at the feet of Jesus and do the one thing that is required: spend time with Him.

So if you too are suffering from Marthaplexy, here is the prescription my Pastor offered.

1) Resign all undue responsibilities. -----This means I need to know what my responsibilities are and what are God's responsibilities. My family, house, car, bank account, body, children........they are all His anyway and I need to trust Him to handle them!

2) Relax and enjoy time with family and friends. ------Jesus modeled this behavior by having deep and meaningful relationships with others. He made time to eat with friends, fish with friends, pray with His Father.....He was not stressed out and distracted by the details of life! He knew it was in these relationships he would be refreshed.

3) Reflect on the Lord through meditation and prayer. ------As my schedule is changing I need to be really careful not to ignore daily quiet time. I am very guilty of putting it off and thinking, "first I need to do this" or "I will sit down after I finish that". However, it is in the time I spend at the feet of Jesus I will be empowered to do everything else!

OK so now I have put a name to the "condition" from which I suffer and I know how to treat it, but just like anything else I will only be cured if I follow the prescription. Not an easy thing to do in this fast-paced and driven world! If Satan can't keep us distracted, the news media can. However, I am not of this world and greater is He that is in me than he who is in the world!

Starting today I am going to make a list of all the things that I am worrying about that are not my responsibility (gas prices, the cost of living, the presidential race, the car I drive, other's opinions of me, the weather, my children's future, my past mistakes, decorating for future holidays (LOL).......and I am giving them back to God. All I am truly responsible for is my relationship with Him and if that is good, then everything else will fall right into place!

As for the second step in the prescription, God has provided me many opportunities to enjoy the company of family and friends over the next couple of months. Between luncheon invitations, sporting events, graduation parties, a certain She Speaks conference.......the calendar is ripe with activity!

And lastly, I am planning to be much more intentional about my "quiet time" with the Lord. For me this is the most difficult of the 3 steps and yet the most important. If I neglect this step everything else is done in vain. Only through daily quiet time will I be renewed and energized to carry on throughout my day.

I have no idea how many people suffer from Marthaplexy but my guess is there are lots of us. The good news is that with the right prescription we can go on to live joyful and fulfilled lives!!

TSMS~~How Can I Keep From Singing?

One thing I love about my children is that they all have abilities and talents that seem to have come out of nowhere! Yes they may look like my husband or I or have some common interests, but somewhere along the line God gave them special and unique gifts that do not appear to be "hand me downs".

One of those "out of the blue" gifts is my 17 year old son's singing voice. We first learned he could carry a tune when he was cast in his first grade musical. He sang the solo, "I'm Getting Married In The Morning" and if I could have chosen a moment to just go and be with the Lord that would have been it. It is one of the sweetest memories I have!!

Today he is going with a select group of kids from his high school choir to perform at the State Music Competition in Emporia, KS. He sang a solo for the "regional competition" but missed going on to State because he forgot a line in the song (OOOPS). For anyone who watches American Idol, it was exactly like what happened to Brooke last week.

(Update: he just called and said the boys group has received a "1" rating (the best possible! They are now preparing to sing as a group of both boys and girls....)

I think this talent embarrasses him and he won't even admit he likes to sing. He is much more passionate and outspoken about playing baseball.

The funny thing is, it is the singing that comes naturally and the baseball has been a HUGE battle. His choir teacher raves about his ability but his baseball coach has been very negative and critical. He has never had a private voice lesson yet we have spent thousands of dollars over the years on baseball.

I'm not sure where I am going with all of this except to say that I want to be in tune with the talents and abilities God has given me. The more I chase after something else the more I neglect who I was made to be. I'm not saying my son shouldn't play baseball (that would NOT go over) but I do encourage him to use the voice God has blessed him with.

He did stand up and sing in the Church choir on Easter and people were shocked!!

"Who would know that Jake could sing?" That voice certainly didn't come from his parents....

For more musical inspiration visit Amy over at Signs, Miracles and Wonders!!






PS> The "Chambers Group" of both boys and girls scored a 1 as well......

I'm Alive......

Oh where have I been all week?

I wish I could say I was on vacation in the tropics, or locked in a cabin writing a book, or even on spiritual retreat in a monastery somewhere. But unfortunately I have whittled away the past week getting very little accomplished and crying over just about everything. I don't know if it is PMS or peri-menopause but whatever the case, I am ready to get off of this emotional rollercoaster!

My CBS bible study had our last regular class meetings this week. I am always so sad when we break for the summer. The other ladies joke about having to escort me to my car on the last day because I refuse to leave on my own.

As our opening on Wednesday morning the children performed the songs and bible verses they had learned this year. There weren't many dry eyes in the place as all these precious people sang, "He wraps himself in light, and darkness tries to hide; it trembles at his voice.....How Great is Our God....." And after having had a rough start to the morning (he didn't like the shirt I picked out) Quin cooperated and sang beautifully!!!

What a difference a day makes!

You know there is a reason that mental hospitals encourage their patients to garden and do craft projects. It's called therapy. And after my cranky mood yesterday I decided I needed some therapy....

So today I went to my local Walmart store and invested in some very pretty plants and flowers. Then I spent the afternoon getting my hands dirty in my yard. I must say, adding greenery and color improved my mood a lot!

Then I did something I haven't done in ages......I baked a cake! Not a cake from a boxed mix but a real, honest-to-goodness, made from scratch chocolate cake complete with chocolate sour cream frosting. I found this recipe in the current issue of Midwest Living magazine and decided to give it a try.










Of course my family was suspicious right away......

"What is that smell?"
"Who's having a birthday?"
"Did someone die?"
"Have a baby?"

I guess I need to treat my family to a "just because" cake more often!

It was truly a beautiful evening: sitting on the deck, eating our cake and enjoying the new flowers. Like I said, "what a difference a day makes!"

Cranky!!

WARNING! This post may not be an Aroma of Joy!!

I have put off writing any kind of post today because I am feeling CRANKY!

It started this morning when my 15 year old daughter (who can't get anywhere on time) made us late for church AGAIN! It is so hard to walk in and worship like I would like to when I am jumping out of a moving car and running across the parking lot! OK so I waited for my husband to park the car, but you get the idea.

The sermon (the good Samaritan) was very good but you wouldn't have known it by my son (17) who slept through most of it!

After church the same 15 yr. old daughter had the nerve to ask for $$ in order to go out for Chinese food with her friends. My husband reminded her that we loaned her $$ yesterday to buy a ticket to a concert (hello? this is news to me) and that she still owed us some cleaning time from $$ we gave her last month. She takes the answer NO about as well as a toddler does. Needless to say the drive home from church was far from peaceful!

The next adventure we took was to 3 different shoe stores in search of soccer cleats and tennis shoes. How can the same shoe vary so much in price depending on where you shop? And of course I have to drive a car that requires the most expensive gasoline available!!

We hit the grocery store on the way home so Miss 15 yr. old would stop accusing us of running a concentration camp.......

I went to prepare the fresh vegetables and dip for our small group meeting this afternoon, only to discover that my husband had frozen the veggies. On top of that he had eaten the chicken (that was supposed to be our dinner tonight) for lunch last week.

The irony of all of this is that we were not even supposed to be home this weekend. We were packed and ready to leave for a soccer tournament in Des Moines on Friday afternoon. Just as we were about to hit the road we got a call that the tournament had been canceled due to rain. This was great news to me because I love nothing more than a weekend at home with nothing on the calendar......Oh be careful what you wish for!

Like I said, I am just plain cranky!

This has caused me to reflect.......I am so grateful that my Father God doesn't get cranky! When I make mistakes or behave like an ungrateful child He is loving, patient and full of grace. His mercies are new every morning and each new day holds the promise of His presence and His love should I choose to see it. Oh how I want to parent like that!

As I fall asleep tonight I will lay my burdens at the foot of the cross and pray that tomorrow I will do a better job of showing my family the love of Jesus! But first we have to pull a tooth, restring a softball glove, prepare school lunches, give Quin a bath.......

Thanks for allowing me to vent a little...

TSMS~~~Come To Jesus!

This week as I spoke with friends, encountered stress of my own and read through blog posts I thought how life can just be overwhelming at times.

At any given moment there are people suffering with illness, death, depression, anger, busyness, anxiety.......Even the good things in our lives can drain us at times.

Oh what a very personal God we serve. No matter where we are or what we are going through we have a personal invitation: Come To Jesus!

I love this song and the promise that it's in Him we live~~

For more musical inspiration on this Saturday check out Signs, Miracles and Wonders!

Favorite Foto Friday....Siblings

I love the theme for this weeks Favorite Foto Friday.....What better gift is there than a brand new sibling? Be sure to enjoy more Sibling pictures at Kiss the Frog For Me!

Let's Play a Game.....Tag, you're it!

I promise to write about the lecture and how it went yesterday but first I have some business to attend to regarding a tag I received this week:

I LOVE playing games! Board games, Bunco, Cards.....you name it, I LOVE it! So, when I got tagged by Jenelle at Life in the Woods I was very excited to play a game on my blog!

I am supposed to write 7 Random Facts about myself and then tag 7 more people at the end of my post. So here we go......

1) I have always known I wanted to be a mom. When I was a little girl I wanted 14 children and I can still recite all of their names to this day (although my children don't have any of those names). When I would play the game LIFE I would try to overfill my little car with "children pegs" (this goes to show~be careful what you wish for! HA!).

2) During the birth of my first baby my uterus inverted and came out. I lost so much blood that I nearly died and only because I was in a delivery room (as opposed to a birthing room) were they able to operate immediately. It not only saved my life, it enabled me to keep my uterus and have 6 more babies.

3) I was allowed to have an epidural before they induced the labor of my last 3 babies which meant I never felt pain and the babies came in 20 minutes!

4) During high school I worked as a telephone bill collector for a magazine publisher (don't hate me). So if you ever get called by a bill collector there is a good chance it is just some high school kid. LOL!

5) Speaking of high school, I ran cross country my sophmore year (even though I hated it) because my boyfriend did. Now, I actually enjoy running and have even participated in a couple of 5K runs.

6) When I was about 5 I was playing ball in the house, fell, hit my chin on something and bit right through my tongue (about 3/4 of the way across). It required several (painful) stitches to reattach it.

7) My family and I survive a hurricane together in Mexico. I wrote about that here.

So there you have it, seven things you may or may not have wanted to know about me! Now I have to "tag" seven of you. Don't feel obligated, Jenelle assures me there is no curse on you if you don't want to play. But, if you are up for the challenge, here are the seven bloggers I am tagging:

Joy @ Ponderings
Amy @ In My Life
Jenny @ Standing at the Water's Edge
Tonya @ Safe in His Arms
Jamie @ Purposeful Pursuit
Rhonda @ A Mother's Heart
Terri @ Facedown

And here are the rules if you decide to play along:

1) Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog
2) Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3) Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4) Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

The really great thing about this game is there are no losers! We all win by learning more about each other so don't be a spoil sport, jump in and PLAY!!!

Word Filled Wednesday......Lecture Day!

I chose a verse from Romans 15, as I am delivering my lecture on that chapter this morning.......

To Him be the glory......
Be sure to check out the other WFW posts here!

In Other Words Tuesday.....

"One of the most wonderful things about knowing God is that there's always so much more to know, so much more to discover. Just when we least expect it, He intrudes into our neat and tidy notions about who He is and how He works."

~ Joni Eareckson Tada

I get so nervous participating in this "meme". I feel so vulnerable!! Please know these are the words of an amateur just trying to challenge myself at something new.....

Oh the arrogance of man and his search for knowledge and truth....

What if in that search for God we were to actually discover who He is and how He works?

Would we really have answers?

Would we be satisfied?

Or would we have created the worst nightmare imaginable; living in a world where there truly is no God? Where pain, destruction and devastation are what awaits us...

We would be left without the knowledge that God is sovereign and on His throne. We would be left without hope.....

But our God will not ever be fully known or understood. His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.......Like the layers of an onion God shows us glimpses of who He is but to ever know and understand the fullness of Him would be beyond our human capacity for His glory is simply too great. Instead, He reveals His nature only as much as our nature will allow.

And even this being a personal experience as He cares for our needs individually. You may know Him as Jehova Jireh while your neighbor calls upon Jehova Rapha. I may need my God of Comfort while my sister is seeking the God of Peace.

His provision is all encompassing and He is truly our all in all.

We can receive undeserved grace and mercy at the foot of the cross and take up His yoke when we are weary.

We can find the strength to endure the difficulties of our lives.

We can know peace even in the midst of unthinkable circumstances.

We can because He is!

Lord, I thank you for the perfect ways that you show You are in control of your creation!

The Sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the moon and stars hang securely in the sky, the ocean never overtakes the earth completely. God these are your fingerprints on the world you created. And yet, we will see the occasional eclipse, the shooting star, the snowflakes in April and we will know that only the author Himself could rewrite the script.

Lord, I pray that my life would always be in the palm of Your hand and though I may not be able to know the hows and whys of it I would be able to see and trust in You and that is more than enough for me.

I am a Flip Flop!

You Are Flip Flops

You are laid back and very friendly. Cheery and sunny in disposition, you usually have something to smile about. Style is important to you, as long as you can stay casual. It takes a lot to get you to dress up! You are a loyal and true person, though you can be a bit of a flake. You tend to "play hooky" and blow off responsibilities a lot more than most people. You should live: By the beach You should work: At a casual up and coming company

What Kind of Shoe Are You?

I found this "shoe" personality test while enjoying a 2nd Cup with Linda. It is eerie how accurate it is......(cue twilight zone music). I can't wait to hear what you are!!!! Be sure to leave the answer in my comments.

Spring Reading Thing.....

I just discovered the Spring Reading Thing 2008! The idea is to list the books I am reading or planning to read this Spring. I LOVE to read and don't go anywhere without a book on me so this is right up my alley!

So without further adieu, here is my list of books to keep me busy this Spring:

What Happens When Women Say Yes to God ---- Lysa Terkeurst
What Happens When Women Walk in Faith ------ " "
It All Goes Back In The Box------John Ortberg
Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible --- Liz Curtis Higgs
To Live Is Christ----- Beth Moore
Sacred Parenting ---- Gary Thomas

I know I will throw in some mindless fiction as well but I don't have anything on my radar right now. Any recommendations???

Also, I have to say I LOVE the button above! It just screams Spring, especially since it is mid April and snowing outside!

So, what are you reading? If you want to participate in this Spring Reading Thing go here and sign up! Summer will be here before we know it!

Then Sings My Soul---Slow Fade!

I really hadn't planned to do the "Then Sings my Soul" meme today because nothing was coming to me. There are so many songs I like but none that jumped out at me this week.....

That is until just now. I was reading another blog post entitled "what has control of you?" It challenged me to ponder: what am I looking at & thinking about, where am I investing my time and energy? Like a river over the course of time these thoughts and actions carve out who I am and determine my character, as well as the fruit my life produces.

I like how this song implies that the sin habits and strongholds in our lives aren't always the result of one bad decision or action but often it is a slow fade from an action to a habit to a lifestyle.....

Anyway, I love the song and I wanted to share it today......be sure to check out other songs that sing to the soul at Signs, Miracles and Wonders!

My Son's a Rock Star and My Daughter's a Cheerleader!

I have some numbers going through my head today...

Listen to these fascinating stats of my life:

67+ months pregnant,

55+ months nursing
12+years in diapers

12+ years paying preschool tuition

And currently in the middle of:

25+ years raising teenagers

Don't ya wish you were me? Yeah, I'm kidding...lol

Actually it is quite a happy time for our family because we are about to make our very last preschool payment! Not too long ago we wondered if Quin would ever make it to kindergarten (read about that here) but those flash cards have paid off and I got a call last week from the preschool teacher, "Your son is a ROCK STAR! He knew all of the letters and didn't hesitate once!"

Now that is a call a mom likes to get!!

Last night was also the beginning of a new adventure for our family as I attended a cheerleading meeting for my 8 yr. old. Actually, this is like deja vu because we have already been down the cheerleading path with this sweetie:

But that was another lifetime, a time when I was one of the "young moms". The moms at the meeting last night all looked to be about 19. On top of that, the Cheer Coach is living in my dream home! Seriously, after writing before (here) on my inability to make decorating decisions, last night I made a decision: she has what I like! Kind of like Pottery Barn meets Country Living!

Then I had a thought. Maybe I could spend all that extra money I will be rolling in (since I'm not paying for preschool) on re-decorating my home! I could buy a..... "What? How much are cheerleading shoes? Mandatory jackets, practice uniforms, personalized bags.....?"

Well, there goes that idea. Today I am spending some time cleaning the home that God has blessed me with. I may not be able to have a perfect house but it is way more than I could have ever imagined! Besides, God is busy preparing the PERFECT place for me in His house. I wonder if it is a Pottery Barn meets Country Living kind of style......I hope so!

Thankful Thursday~Romans 15

Today is Thankful Thursday and after spending the last several days preparing the lecture I'm going to share at bible study next week I have found a LOT to be thankful for. Romans has been an incredible study this year but this week I was in chapter 15 so this list is taken directly from my time spent there........

Y I am thankful for the strengths (gifts, talents and abilities) that God has given to me!

Y I am thankful for the examples I can see in how Jesus, and nature itself, uses strengths for service not status and it is my heart's desire to use my strengths in the same way!

Y I am thankful for scripture, for what it teaches and the endurance and encouragement it gives through the examples of God's faithfulness, His promises and the lives of those who perservered through trials and opposition!

Y I am thankful for HOPE that I have been given through my relationship with Christ!

Y I am thankful for Christian unity and being able to worship and glorify God through harmony in my relationships!

Y I am thankful for the gift of prayer and the prayer warriors in my life. "even when we have nothing else to give, we can still bear our friends and loved ones in prayer to God." ~Barclay

Y I am thankful for the peace of God, which transcends all understanding and fills us with joy even in the most "unpeaceful" of circumstances.

Y I am thankful that I have almost finished writing this lecture!

This is such a great way to start the day and what a blessing to be able to share our gratitude with one another! For more on this Thankful Thursday go here. I can't wait to see what God has going in your lives today!

Getting a Grip!

Oh how did I ever get by without the prayers of prayer warriors like you all? Really, you guys are the very BEST and I do want to thank you for lifting me up in this way!

Do you ever feel like just burying your head in the sand? Like there is so much pressure inside of you that you just think you're gonna pop? On top of that the pressure from the outside is mounting higher and higher. NAH, I never feel that way either. LOL! Seriously, that is exactly how the past few days have felt.

I have this lecture deadline looming and time is ticking down. It also happens that my lecture is being given on our visitor's day so I really want it to be effective (plus my mom is coming as a visitor and who doesn't want to make their mom proud?).

I know I can't do this in my own strength but as I struggled to hear God I just kept thinking about the fact we have no food in the house, the laundry is piled up,the house is a disaster, I need to go to the gym, the kids have soccer practice,I need to write and plan for our leadership meeting, I need to go to the dentist, how will we pay for college, is WWIII coming, when will Jesus return?.........basically I have been completely distracted! All of this led to a disagreement over the phone with my husband about our different philosophies of time and money management and the icing on the cake was when the transmission in our Suburban went out!$

So you see everyone in my world is healthy (except maybe my mental health) and things will work out fine but Satan knows exactly which buttons to push to make me ineffective. I have heard the lie repeated over and over for the past couple of days, "you can't do this, you aren't good enough, you will fail, give up...."

Today at CBS leadership I was reminded of the weapon I possess to fight against these lies, the power and truth of God's word. So, I say to Satan,

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength" and I will choose "not to be anxious about anything but in everything, through prayer and petition, and with thanksgiving present my requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus."

Since hitting a low point yesterday I have written a few pages for the lecture and am feeling a lot more confident. My husband offered to hit the grocery store and now there is food in the house, my daughter has started the laundry for me and the car is in the shop. Things may not be perfect but they are looking much more manageable to me today.

It is funny though, as I look at the 4 lectures I have done this year, 3 of them have been written in the midst of difficulty and stress. I was sick and bedridden, my Dad was on life support in the hospital, and now this one. I can hardly wait to see what next year brings! LOL! To God be ALL the glory!

Can I ask a favor?....

Hi Friends,

I am scheduled to deliver my final lecture of the year at CBS bible study next week (April 16) and I am feeling a little under attack right now. Nothing huge, just a lot of distractions that keep me from being productive. I am lecturing over Romans 15 and at the end of that chapter Paul sought prayer from the Romans so I thought I would follow his example. If you have some time could you send up a few prayers for me.

----Specifically that I would be able to focus on writing, fully rely on God and not on my own strength and that I would be able to clearly relay the message God wants me to deliver.---

Thank you for being such an amazing group of prayer warriors! I don't know how much "computer time" I will get this week with this deadline hanging over me but hopefully it will come together quickly! At least I have my own computer back and am not having to "wait in line" anymore! LOL

I received the sweetest email this morning and I wanted to share it with you all. I think it is especially appropriate as my friend Lelia awaits the arrival of her new granddaughter. So this is for you Lelia, Alyssa and Amiyah!

A newborns conversation with God:

A baby asked God, 'They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?'

God said, 'Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you.'

The child further inquired, 'But tell me, here in heaven I don't have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy.'

God said, 'Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you. And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy.'

Again the child asked, 'And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language?'

God said, 'Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak.'

'And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?'

God said, 'Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray.'

'Who will protect me?'

God said, 'Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life.

''But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore.'

God said, 'Your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you.'

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, 'God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel's name.'

God said, 'You will simply call her, 'Mom.'