Snowflakes and Joy

Last night was rough at our house. The Snowflake girl did not want to behave and had to have consequences. Even at 6.5 years old she struggles to connect that consequences are for things she already did, not what she may or may not do in the future. I do my best to let the consequences match the behavior. So, she fell asleep mad at Mommy after crying herself to sleep because she was mad that after throwing things they had to go up on the closet shelf. There is a reason the Bible warns us to not let the sun go down on our anger. Snowflake is a prime example of why God through Paul warns us to fix things before we go to sleep. This morning was a continuation of last night. She didn't want to get up, she refused to eat breakfast, she refused to get dressed till 5 minutes before her school bell was going to ring. When I say refused, she didn't say "No Thank You". She had an all out tantrum. Hitting, kicking, it was not a pretty sight. She eventually got dressed and we...

This will not be a typical post.  It isn't about Snowflake. While this blog is mostly about my misadventures in single parenting,  it is also about my life. Sometimes that doesn't include parenting. So stick with me,  Snowflake posts will return.  I recently had a frank discussion with a trusted friend. She asked what I missed most about marriage.  She wanted me to describe three things.  1. Intimacy. Platonic intimacy. Feeling like I could be totally myself and was loved for it. 2. The friendship. Having the person I love the most, have fun with,  laugh with and can grow old with. Your spouse should be the person you enjoy spending the most time with.  3. The support. Be it financial, job related or child related. I miss having the support of my spouse. Often times I avoid talking about my ex because I am moving forward and focusing on today.  I am too busy to dwell.  I don't want to seem ungrateful for what is in my life....

Right now this is my life. My precious daughter is asleep beside me.  In the clothes she wore to school today because that's how we roll some days.  I have What's in the Bible with Buck Denver on,  because I am too tired and achy to get up and put in a non kid movie (I was going to say Adult film, but that didn't seem right as I'm not into XXX stuff). I treasure these moments,  listening to my daughter sleep.  Someday soon she will crave her privacy and start spreading her wings.  Till then I am taking all the cuddles I get.  Parenthood is a crazy dichotomy. I love watching her grow up acid seeing the kid she is and all she is doing,  all while I hate how quickly it is happening.  She has moved from little kid and is becoming a big kid. Then she will be a tween, teen and GULP a young adult! All in the blink of an eye. I plan to make the most of my moments,  to enjoy watching her be a kid and do kid things.  I will encourage ...

Someone had her game face on! What a nail biter last night's game was! A last second field goal by Crosby gave us (the Packers) the win! It was a fun, hard fought game. Good game by the 49er's back up QB. I could do a whole post about the Packers and my post game report  (oh look a pun), but that is not my intention.  As I sit here in the dark,  not wanting to admit I need to get up for the day and get going I have time to think.  Am I as excited to grow in godly wisdom and maturity as I am about silly things like sports and books? Am I teaching my daughter the right lessons,  lessons that will matter not just to help her navigate the adult world,  but for eternity? Our kids learn more by watching us than from what we say.  I do my Bible study devotions early in the morning while she is still asleep. We read a devotional and pray together,  should we be doing more? I think it is when we take the time to examine our parenting,  our per...

Well I slept a little bit after 430 this morning because I had a crazy dream.  I think what this dream taught me is maybe less CSI:Miami & NCIS on Hulu before falling asleep. Snowflake and I were home,  but in a different home.  A modular 650 square foot house.  It had a wrap around front porch with a porch swing. The house was a cozy log cabin. Out back (to the north) were the Big Horn Mountains and out front (south facing) was a view of the Atlantic Ocean (dream geography is fun). To our east about 1000 feet away was my best friend Crystal and her family.  They lived in a smaller scale Brady Bunch looking house painted to resemble a candy cane.  To my west my closest neighbor was half a mile away.  It  was Sam Hannah from NCIS:Los Angeles. Next to him were the Baxters from Last Man Standing.  Back to my house,  Snowflake and I are inside.  I'm doing homework for my last class of med school before I become a resident....

So many of us carry around a tanker full of guilt. We are loaded down with a weight that we are dragging. A weight that shouldn't be our burden.  Guilt can have its place. Guilt should lead us to repentance and seeking forgiveness. Then we need to let go of the guilt. If we are forgiven,  if we are living for Christ, if we striving to be men and women after God's own heart we don't need to be weighed down by guilt. So, if you are feeling guilty then search your heart, repent and let go. Soak up the light feeling of forgiveness and go serve Christ with new vigor!

As I look back on my posts I have not been posting twice a week like I should. I will endeavor to do better. I don't even have a good excuse. It is only October 2nd and already we have survived Strep Throat.  Nasty little bugger that strep. Cowboy Town has also been blessed with one day of a dusting of snow and I am already back to having to mow my lawn.  Nothing says Autumn in Wyoming like mowing a couple days after the snow blows through! Not too much is going down in our house.  Just work/school and evening activities.  I am enjoying this interlude of relative peace. If you are in a time of relative peace you should take advantage.  Rest up and gear up. The waters won't remain still forever. The more rest you get, the more time you spend with Christ the better prepared you will be for the storm when it comes to churn up your waters. I will leave you with a photo of Snowflake showing off her 3rd lost tooth.