ABIDE. REMAIN. STAY.: EXPECTAINIONS

That's me getting our invatations to our church of my Wednesday
pin on the week board for cookies.

I ardently love to make things special and wonderful. So much so that I have to be careful with my expectations and my kid's. I got on a kick a few months ago with surprising my 3 with "something fun" a little to much. When my 4 year old says to me, "OK, what surprise is next," the moment you finish the last one, its time to take a break. I have to be careful with my heart as well. With our #2's Birthday this last week I some how got it in my thinking that I wanted the day to be amazing and there wasn't any room for my 3 to be the children that they are. I was so disappointed every time I had to break up a fight or deal with a bad attitude. Not because that is different than any other day with 3 little sinners under one roof but because I had decide the day SHOULD be perfect. As my 3 were their usual childish selves, I found myself increasingly more frustrated! By the time the actual party came around in the evening and the 3 families with kids let me know they couldn't come. My #2 was balling as was I. (Families if you are reading this, you know my heart and it is totally fine that you couldn't come!) When I'm crying with my 3 year old on his birthday there is a problem. So, I asked the Lord to show me the bottom line. I like asking that because I really don't want to waste time on my sin. I rather get to the heart of it, repent and move on. I then had a check in my heart about my EXPECTATIONS. If I set my hope on a perfect day I will aways be disappointed. If I approach special days in prayer asking God to make it wonderful and give me creative ideas and not set my hope on it going perfectly then I know it will be more enjoyable for everyone. Especially my Husband as he is super laid back. He loves that I can make the ordinary exciting but doesn't love the emotional fall out if things are perfect and I melt down over it. Rightfully so!

Our #2 was just fine once he got done crying and the party was wonderful. So laid back and just a blast celebrating his little life. We got him a used beat up scooter that he and paul are going to fix up together. Once he had his helmet and pads from Granny and Grand Dad on and was scooting around the house no one else existed!
God has gotten my attention about this issue of expectations in the past. I just keep messing up. To His glory less and less each special event. I was encouraged last night when I took our 3 out to give cookies to our neighbors. We had made sugar cookies for two days straight with the intent to give them to the neighbors with an invitation to our church for the month of December. We bundled up, stuck #3 in the stroller and were off! We had 5 plates of cookies and only one neighbor was home. I had visions of getting to share the love of Jesus and interact with my neighbors! The one neighbor that was home was a 9 year old little girl who hardly said, "thank you!" In the past I may have been super disappointed but I wasn't!!! Yay! I am growing! There is hope for me! The greatest part of it all was that I wasn't in and altered emotional state. So, when I said, "OK, guys that's it lest go home," and my oldest flipped out I was calm. Why did he flip out? Because he was disappointed that there was only one neighbor home and passing out cookies didn't go the way he thought it would!!! Blahhahaha! Either he learned that from me or we are very much alike. Either way if God can change me He can help me train my oldest in the area of expectations!