Today, I’d like to unwrap hidden treasures.  Literally finding something to smile about in the midst of chaos.

The last couple of days have been … for lack of a better word … insane.  CJ’s traveling.  Honestly, it doesn’t really bother me too much and I usually deal with it fine {and please don’t search this blog for all the other times I’ve said those exact words!}.  :)

Problem is … I’m not feeling too hot.  I try to lay down, but that doesn’t help.  I try to rest, but it’s still with me.  And then of course, as I’m laying there not resting, I’m thinking about some of the things I could/should be doing and that gets my brain going even faster.

Anyway.

Taylor’s got something going on with her knee.  At cheerleading practice last week, she was dropped directly on her knees.  I went out of town the following day, so didn’t realize the extent of her pain or situation.  I took her to prompt care this weekend and they recommended an MRI.  We have an appointment with an orthopedic first, and then we’ll go from there.

Anyway.  I won’t bore you with all my day stresses … just seems there’s lots going on.

I’ve also been struggling with this internal dialogue.  Like I actually get pretty worked up thinking about:

1.  I should be doing more activities with the kids
2.  I should be cooking better
3.  I should be a better wife
4.  I should be a better daughter
5.  I should be better at growing my kids faith
6.  And the list goes on

Does anyone else do this to themselves?  I’m not sure why I’m torturing myself with these thoughts lately.  And I’m truly wondering … how in the world did I do it all while I was working full-time!?!

Anyway.  I’d like to talk a bit about #5 on my list.  I really, really, really want to do right by God and my children in the way I’m raising them up.  I know I need to be better about their devotion time.  Their prayer time.  Their scripture reading time.

Don’t get me wrong, we do these things.  But again, I’m just torturing myself in thinking I’m not doing enough.  And truly … I could be doing more, and I’m working to do more … but how the heck does the day end before my intentions do?

I wrote this post {on my old blog site} over a year ago.  Looking back, I can see how far we’ve come … and that makes me happy.  But yet this torturous internal dialogue.

Okay, so anyway … in the midst of said dialogue and crazy couple of days … we were driving home last night from a myriad of activities when the girls ask me to put on “their” music {I recently got them a Veggie Tales worship CD}. I must also disclose the fact that they were in the middle of one of their favorite TV shows.

So here’s my point … here’s my hidden treasure … we’re listening to these beautiful worship songs and I hear each one of the girls singing these songs.  First of all, how do they know these words?  Well sure, we sing them in church, and I play it at home, and we play it in the car … but do you have any idea how my heart just swelled listening to them sing these beautiful words?  Words that inspire me, encourage me, and give me strength on a regular basis?

I was literally smiling from ear-to-ear.  In fact, I’m smiling just remembering.  And if I felt that way … I can’t even imagine how sweet that sound must’ve been for our heavenly Father.

Alrighty … I’m wrapping it up here, I promise!  All that said … I remembered a few months back, a video I took of the girls.

We were working on a Christmas craft one afternoon, when out of the blue, Piper asked what salvation meant.  Talk about a learning moment!  Anyway.  Turns out she heard it in a song and was wondering.

So we talked.  And Taylor, who was sitting in the other room listening, had the song on her computer, so started it.  The girls ran over by her and started listening to the song.  They all sort of randomly sing here and there … but it was so precious to me that I wanted to share it with you.

The first 20 or so seconds aren’t too eventful, but it gets better around 0:35. ;)  If you’d like to hear the whole song, I found a cute illustrated version here.

I’m curious … any thoughts or ideas on what you do with your children to bring out those learning moments with them?  To instill a solid faith and foundation in them?

Uh-oh … I feel myself about to ramble a little more!  {I seriously can’t believe how long these posts get sometimes … I really don’t intend them to!}

What I want to say … I was brought up “in the church.”  Basically, for as long as I can remember, we went to church.  The same kind of church and belief system that I have now.  In fact, the church I attend now, I’ve been attending since I was 10 maybe?

I accepted Christ as my savior at a very young age.  I was baptized in water in my mid-teens?  {maybe I should’ve checked with mom before publishing this post!} I’ve read the entire bible.  I’ve prayed.  I’ve believed.

But when I was old enough to make my own choices … I walked away.

Let me be completely honest … sometimes it was just easier to not worry about what God thought of me.

Ohhhh … but He called me back.  He had plans for me.  Plans for my life.  Plans for my children.  And I know, great plans for my husband {BTW God, you can reveal those anytime now!} ;)

Here’s my point … I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am that I had a foundation of faith to fall back on.  How happy I am to have finally realized God does have a plan for me!  How thankful I am to my mom for staying strong in her faith, so we could see it and live it and one day fall back on it.

And I guess … in the grand scheme of things … that’s exactly what I’m trying to offer my children.