Keep a-Goin'

Wanted to share this poem- I have appreciated hearing it through many different stages in my life when I needed a little "practical" encouragement :)

Keep a-Goin’
Frank L. Stanton

If you strike a thorn or rose,
Keep a-goin’!
If it hails or if it snows,
Keep a -goin’!
‘Taint no use to sit an’ whine
When the fish ain’t on your line;
Bait your hook an’ keep a-tryin’—
Keep a-goin’!

When the weather kills your crop,
Keep a-goin’!
Though ‘tis work to reach the top,
Keep a-goin’!
S’pose you’re our o’ ev’ry dime,
Gittin’ broke ain’t any crime;
Tell the world you’re feelin’ prime—
Keep a-goin’!

When it looks like all is up,
Keep a-goin’!
Drain the sweetness from the cup,
Keep a-goin’!
See the wild birds on the wing,
Hear the bells that sweetly ring,
When you feel like surgin’, sing—
Keep a-goin’!

God's Blessings

Working full time as a home based rep for an insurance company, mothering and being the wife of a youth pastor keeps me on my toes all the time. Sometimes, there are days when Justin and I see each other only to say good night. Admittedly, there are times when I want to throw in the towel and give up- maybe find a deserted island somewhere to “veg” for a while. It seems like it is always those times when God brings a particular special blessing my way. I am not talking specifically about a monetary blessing (although sometimes it may come in that form) but a blessing that reminds me why I agreed take on all these responsibilities. Sometimes the blessing comes in the form one of the twins saying mama lolu and wrapping their chubby little arms around my neck sometimes it is a note from a friend saying they are praying for me. Still other times it is one of the teens getting saved or giving their life to God. Sometimes it is God providing for a need or even a want in some unexpected way where you know He was the only one who could work it out. I have grown to love each and every one of these moments. In Luke 2:19 it says “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” I often feel like this when one of those moments comes along. I try to write them down in my journal so when difficult days come I can still “count my blessings and name them one by one.” God is so good to remind us of His loving care. He alone makes it all worthwhile! Just thought I would share my heart and how God has encouraged me. What has God used to encourage you?

Refelction on being a mother

Being a mommy is the best job in the world. Yes, we have our moments of frustration, exhaustion, worry, anxiety and oh so much more, but then that little child comes up and hugs us or gives us those little baby butterfly kisses or just wants to hold mommy and "talk" to her for a little while. Sometimes it is just watching that little child's peaceful sleep. It's those precious little moments that remind us why we love being "mommy". It's a perfectly indescribable feeling of overwhelming joy and love. It's those moments that allow us to keep going, to keep staying up night after night, to keep doing laundry and washing dishes and preparing food and all the other 95 thousand things we do during the day for our family.
What a wonderful pleasure as well to know that God love us ( and them) even more than we love them? So often we neglect our "moment" with Him- the one that keeps us going. How much more pleasant our day would be if we let Him "hold us" for a little while just so we could talk to Him. What a perfectly indescribable feeling of overwhelming joy and love it should bring us. It is these moments that keep going in our christian life that help us do what we do- out of love for the One who has already given us so much and yet continues to do it day after day.
Thank you Lord, for saving my soul. Thank you Lord, for making me whole. Thank you, Lord for giving to me, Thy great salvation so rich and free!

Night Time Reading

After dinner is time for relaxing before bed time-time for winding down and getting ready for sleep. We try to do things in the evening that will wind down not up so that we have a happy bedtime. This is what evenings often look like...

Baby is strapped into her swing. Each baby has a binki and a book. ( and usually a blankie)

And they read.... usually I do not read to them.
They look at the pictures and talk
out loud about them.
Sometimes they fall asleep... :)

Christmas Pictures

Today, we took pictures in front of the Christmas Tree.
Taking pictures of (almost) one year old's is not easy. :)


And we got distracted...
But in the end we did get a couple good pictures

Friday

I love Friday afternoon's!

Friday is the preamble to Saturday which means:

Sleeping in ( till at least 7).
Spending the day with my family.
Being lazy if I want to- or getting lots done.

Yep, Friday afternoons are great!

A Good Night

Tonight, was a sick night in the Payton household.
So we sat down, all four of us, on the couch and watched the Grinch.
Not the new one, but the old 1960's version Justin and I watched as kids.
And we all snuggled. Babies are great for snuggling.
It was a good night.