Found it! I found my blog! Without fail, whenever I decide I want to post again I spend nearly an hour searching for it. I usually always stumble upon my own xanga. Naturally, I get side-tracked. Well, tonight was no different. Here I am! I really should do something so posting doesn't have to be such a long drawn out process...I might do it more often. Maybe.
This morning I began serving in the 3-5yo at church. I had previously been helping in the nursery. I volunteered because I knew there was a greater need than the nursery but I wasn't sure about being with that age. The nursery is much more chill, very little talking, and I think it's good to give Evie a break from me. I enjoyed it and time flew by. The curriculum used is ok, but doesn't quite keep the attention of antsy little preschool kids. So I have tasked myself with finding about 20 Bible stories and corresponding crafts. Shouldn't be difficult, the Moody Bible series is great and I use it all the time for MOPS storytimes. The thought of doing this task is a little envigorating. It's kind of like lesson planning, right? So that got my thinking, why stop there? Why not carry this into my own home. But I know myself, I have to keep things simple. If they get elaborate on accident that's fine. But if I keep things simple I am more likely to have a bit of success and want to do it again. And that's the point, to want to do an activity over and over again, not run from it and never look back.
So, a weekly Bible verse was born. I can't even commit to a daily Bible verse for myself, there is no way I could do anything daily (at least not yet) with my girls. A weekly Bible verse gives me LOTS of time to forget, ha! But more importantly, it gives me more time to experience success with the task. I have found if I do anything on my own I am not always very successful. Accountability is great. Facebook can be a great accountability too, it's not only a time waster. I created a "Weekly Bible Verse" group on facebook and invited many of my seeking mom friends. The beauty of facebook is that I am able to invite friends in Canada, Korea, Ohio, and my Louisiana friends.
I really had to restrain myself with this new venture. If I set the bar high this week for myself then I may be discouraged next week if I can't attain the same level of motivation and creativity. It was important that I got a few things established: a source for the verses, a place to write and display the verse. Then I remembered that I pinned something on pinterest: 30 easy verses to memorize. PERFECT! http://ministry-to-children.com/30-easy-bible-verses/ And then I used another pinterest idea for the verse: picture frame with stationary paper as the background and a dry erase marker. Perfect! And I found wall space for the frame and any crafts or songs that may correspond. Yes!
The verse for this week is Acts 16:31 "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christy and you will be saved." A melody came to me and I put the verse to song. Part of the purpose of the facebook group is for all of us to share ways that we taught and reinforced the verses to our kids. So I recorded me singing it and posted it on youtube and was able to link it to the FB group. My first time with that, I felt quite tech-savvy! My singing won't win any kind of awards, but my girls are already singing along and trying the lame little motions I made up! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRc7E1lK-s0
Motherhood is challenging, mundane, taxing, exhausting, and thankless. But it is also enjoyable, uplifting, and a blessing. In my short 3 years as a mom I have learned it's ok to feel all those things about motherhood. It is also important to find other moms with whom we can be honest, laugh, cry, and also uplift us. In the last year or so I have been blessed with moms who also have a heart for God for themselves and their children. These kinds of friendships, even if it is mostly on facebook, is invaluable.
