God WINS! : Being a MOM is NOT my greatest Joy --

Did I shock you with that title?

I wrote this blog back in May of 2012. As I read it today -- I wanted to re-post it and UPDATE it!

I would add -- that "MAYBE" being a MIMI is now-- my greatest joy -- ha ha ----Little Ava Lynne is certainly a precious little girl that brings me MUCH joy each time I get to hold her, dance with her, play with her, and read books with her!! She belongs to Jake and Taylor and again, she certainly brings joy -- but there is still something else that brings me JUST as much joy and in some cases -- MORE JOY. You must read on.

We are goofing with my glasses!

I pray this blog will bless you as a MOM as well because I pray you will understand it and be blessed with WHAT give me such joy!


It is Mother's Day weekend and I am so so so blessed. I remember reading Beth Moore's blog once and she stated that she needed a word that just meant awesome x 10 but that most of those words had been used and she wanted to create just a new word to describe how wonderful and awesome something was...but the words just failed her......I can relate.

As I would say that being a mom is awesome x 10...wonderful....but there is something that I have discovered that brings me even more joy......

Stay tuned......

I mean, I love my children. I do. I am so proud and to see them worship God, to sit next to them in church this past Sunday....when for so long that was NOT a sight....well, it just pleases me and blesses me so. When I stop to think, I just get a head full of humbleness and I declare praise to God.

Update: I don't get to sit next to my kids as often -- one is married now and is a small group life group leader and Sunday School Teacher with her man/husband and so when we can worship together we do... and our son is a graduate now who lives in Delray -- time flies!

Jerm. 29.11 says....I know the plans I have for you....declares the Lord..plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future....

My great joy in the future will be sitting in church and seeing a grandkid on a lap of my handsome man or watching my daughter read a story to her very own...or getting a call from my son about some needed prayer or funny that his child did....but THAT joy can be in the future......I can wait on that. Wait.....Lord, I want to wait on that....in YOUR time.

Update: What a blessing -- as MOST of this HAS come into fruition -- now a call from my son...? There is this little thing called MARRIAGE first!!! LOL.

My great joy as a kid.....just being right or doing what I was suppose to do, but the greatest times I remember as a kid was going for a long walk back into the woods or laying down in the hay field and then finding out that I was missed. Is that silly?

My greatest joy in highschool, the summer that Brendan trained me in tennis and I went from JV to Varsity and beat Katie Cane for the #1 seed. And then Kelly Bradow challenged me and I beat her too.

In college, great joy was balancing down at Kohl's within a dime.......or coming out with my drawer at zero....no extra funds...nothing short.

Opps, getting out of order......Graduating.....then getting a job....moving....and being paid a REAL wage......

Getting married and I remember planning to move into our first apartment, that brought me joy. Picking out the stencils for the walls, going to art fairs and antique places to get pieces, and then planning out summer trip home and all the visiting we did.

Then the kids come.....greatest joy was being able to sleep in on Thanksgiving morning and watch the parade and then cooking dinner in my home.

Update: THAT is still a great joy!! Now I have a house -- to be continued....

Building our home and then slowly decorating it and making memories there.

Taking the kids to Wisconsin to see fall leaves and watch my brother play on the Football team his Senior year.

The list could go on and on.....there are many joys that I have been blessed with. Many. Many. Many.

I read several posts for Mother's Day and devotionals yesterday as well. And each time, I kept thinking....being a mom is not my greatest joy.

Funny?

  Now, granted, I am 46...I have lived a bit, had my kids, passed the Motorcycle safety class, and pretty much did what I want to do when I wanted to it .....but that is not my greatest joy.

Update: I am 51!

What is.....

I know....

Update: THIS next part is STILL true!

Luke 12.34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

My greatest joy.....to know that I know....I am highly favored in HIS sight. To know that I am being obedient and have been...and therefore, what was sowed in tears....will reap in joy.... I sort of paraphrased that scripture.

My greatest joy, to pray for another and see the healing.

My greatest joy, to be asked to pray for another and believe and know the prayer will be answered.

My greatest joy, to know that I listened to God and HE esteems me for that.

My greatest joy, that acting in faith when you don't know what the outcome will be, can be the most HARD thing to do, but I CAN do hard......

My greatest joy, to hear my daughter tell me her dad prayed for her while I was in Chicago before she went and took her final exam.

Update: Now she calls her dad for prayer on job decisions and our son calls daily for advice, sharing the days events, and prayer requests!

My greatest joy, to hear of an answered prayer that I had been praying for ...for almost 18 months.

My greatest joy, to hold a baby or gaze on a photo of a child that was a miracle because of prayer.

My greatest joy, to hear my children pray.

My greatest joy, to hear my son say thank you for 'nothing', when I know in his heart what he means.

My greatest joy, to get lost in a worship song and see a vision that just warms my soul.

My greatest joy, to know that if I screw up ...and I do ...and I will again...I have been forgiven.

My greatest joy, to walk with Jesus, to rely on Him and to know that HE is

for me ....always.

My greatest joy, to understand the scripture of 1 Peter 4.8 that love covers a multitude of sins...

My greatest joy, that I can rely on the Lord, be strong, and confident in HIM and I can RELY on HIM!

My greatest joy, to live....today....and know the past is the past, and God has tomorrow, that I don't have to worry.

My greatest joy, to know that I really CAN forgive those who have hurt and tried to tear at me.

My greatest joy, to see a love restored.

My greatest joy, to know the difference between allowing GOD to be our everything and the other stuff is just wants.

My greatest joy, to look in the eyes of a person who is broken and have empathy and know, that God can heal that.

My greatest joy, to understand that God does allow brokenness....so that we can be molded and to see it happen is a miracle.

My greatest joy, to know...my treasure is in heaven....we are not home yet.

My greatest joy, to be hugged by my Lord - daily.

My list could still go on....however, I do admit I would add, my greatest joy....is being a mom too!

Amen.