Whose are you?

The season of sweaters, warm-snugly blankies, and sizzling fireplaces is upon us. We wake to crisp mornings and go to sleep with footies on. It is Autumn. (In German: Herbst) I love the German word for this.

October and November are my two favorite months. This is a time for family fun and remembrances.
As a single mom it isn't the easiest time. Halloween parties at schools, fall festivals, and even the thought of upcoming Thanksgiving make us apprehensive – will my kids have good memories of this year or crappy ones?  Can I move beyond our memories of the past years and actually make new ones? What happens when I can't put one foot in front of the other and everyone around me is enjoying the season?

If you did your assignment from last week you are thinking more and more of who you are. As you travel this new Halloween/Fall Fest season I challenge you to take your kids for a nighttime dessert run. That means getting them ready for bed, tucking them in, saying their prayers, and turning out the lights. Of course for teens just sending them to bed and giving them the normal time for their rituals to be over. Then open all doors, turn on all lights and order them with smiles and giggles to the car. Climb in and head them to their favorite dessert place. Pjs and all! Be sure and have yours on as well. Not fun unless mom too is in her robe and slippers. If you have teens and they would be mortified in public like that, go to a drive thru.

You are a child of the King. You are a princess! You were made for JOY. And your children will blossom in a moment by moment adventure of discovering ways to make happy memories.

Last week was a heavy and thoughtful week of journaling who you are.

This week your assignment deals more with Whose you are. This week do this by being present with your children. Remember you are a parent. Stop and enjoy it. God is our heavenly parent. He is enjoying you, even in the midst of the chaos.

Find the JOY in your children. Remember those shoes won't be under your feet in 15 years. Remember those toys and that homework scattered over every part of the floor will be a slight impression when you're 20 years down the road.

How did I learn this?

Many years ago when my now firefighter, chiropractor, and chaplain were 6,8, and 11, my university class began at 8:00 am. This meant I had to leave the house two days a week before my kids were off for school. I would leave the 11 year old in charge to get them where they needed to be. In those days there were no cell phones readily available so I often felt I was walking in the dark in my parenting supervision. But if I was going to get a job that would be for our future, we had to make many sacrifices.

One evening things were more than chaotic. It was this time of year. Autumn. My favorite season was being catapulted into disaster because of all the projects due. At night I fell asleep in a bed filled with books, poster boards, pens, papers. The house was beyond horrible. The kids were overwhelmed with their reports and even my youngest was aware of homework being THE priority. We had a delicious meal of Mac and cheese with some kielbasa sausage and I'd sent them to bed.

After getting them down I went into my own bedroom. Sitting down on the bed I slid my head down on my pillow only to find a note paper on it. I slid the paper over and laid down. Then I realized I didn't recognize the paper I had in my hand. Looking at the paper carefully I realized it was written on with a handwriting I wasn't familiar with. I sat up and begAn to read the note:

Dear ______,
This morning at 9:00 our patrol car found your home garage door and house entry door open. We entered carefully. We could not tell if your home had been ransacked. Please contact your police department of you are missing anything.

Signed,
Your local police.

You can imagine the horror! The humiliation! The pain!
I cried myself to sleep that night. The following morning when I scooted my kids out the door for their three block bicycle ride to school I made a decision.

My life is chaos. It will be chaos until I graduate and get some kind of job. So today, we will laugh at this crappy situation. The kitchen was healthy, the bathroom was healthy. Albeit, neither one was spotless. But, we were coping with the beginnings of divorce and this was where we were.

That night after kids got to bed I woke them up and we went for an ice cream run in our pjs.

It was a moment I still remember.

The house was still in chaos, the pain was still there, but that night I put it all away and laughed with my kids.

Your assignment this week.

Laugh with your kids.

RoRoEbenezer
And HoneyB i