You are so faithful, Lord. I asked You to wake me this morning and You did! I almost went back to sleep (do You REALLY want me up NOW, Lord?!? lol). Ug. What a stubborn child I am!

"The children have all had their first birthday now, and so endeth the most eventful and beautiful year of our lives. What a privilege to be this close to these little living, growing persons! There is a constant sacrament of praise as I go through the repeated acts involved in caring for three active little boys. Evelyn Underhill's idea that every temporal act that fills the moments of our day are not just a 'sort' of sacrament but are in fact the real sacrament. And since so much of my day is spent in doing little repetitive activities that seem so mean and small, it is somehow cheering and reassuring to think of each of these (scraping messes off rugs, rerolling entire scrolls of toilet paper, changing diapers, washing clothes, making bread, scrubbing sticky floors, scouring high chairs, ad infinitum) as a sacrament of praise and of worth (incredible!) to the Master." Elisabeth Elliot

Oh Lord, I am so ungrateful! Last night, I felt my passion and deep love for my children anew, but day to day, I take them for granted and even grumble about the task of motherhood! It is always so nice to have fresh perspective. It's always so nice when someone else takes them for awhile, thoroughly enjoys them while we get out alone, and then upon our arrival, they are bragged on and sweet as cherubs wanting to go back home with us! Just looking at them in the car last night, all smiles, made my heart melt. You are so good to me, Lord! What blessings!

Lord, I am making a trip out to Mom and Dad's today and I just KNOW I'll be tempted to be self-centered and prideful. I don't know why anyone would want to know Christ looking at a vessel like me. But I want YOUR GLORY, LORD! I want whatever this day has in store to be about YOU GETTING SUPREME GLORY! I realize that may mean hard choices and tough stuff, but I'm willing to go through it if that's what You think is the best method for showing Yourself.

Lord, I pour myself out so that You can pour Yourself into me. I have so much crap in there that I don't know how You'd have much room. I don't even know what half of it even IS. But I pray that as the day goes by, I can keep giving it to You as You take up more of me. Ug. Yesterday, I went for most of the day without thinking about You, but even when I did, it was ABOUT You instead of praying TO You. How did I go a million steps back to where I was months and months ago?!? I HATE this flesh o mine!!! Scourge of the earth! I HATE it! I am so grateful for my body and mind, but I hate everything that has the pull of evil on it. I want to just throw it all away! But there is a sanctification that You want to do. You don't just create things for the fire to destroy - You create things for the fire to PURIFY. So purify me now, Lord. Take my heart and mind and wash them clean! Forgive me for all the stupid stuff I do each day.

Thank You for this new life inside. Watch over and protect us as we drive and live. Especially watch over my precious husband - my wonderful man. I don't think I'm yet to the point of making him and idol, but these past several months of our marriage have been blissful and thinking about going forward without him is grim. Thank You for the work You've done in us to allow that statement! I love You so much, Father.