2 Arms Are Enough

On days like today when I need a shower, I'm recovering from a nasty little virus, and I'm still in my pajamas at 11:00 am it just seems like two arms just aren't enough.

With a 2 year old dead weight on my shoulder who is too sick and too sad to be put down and a whimpering one year old toddling after us, it just seems like 2 arms aren't enough.

With everyone sick, and me trying to sanitize the "important" things and wash down everything that I'm able, it just seems like 2 arms aren't enough.

Breaking up squabbles, while trying to get everyone fed, praying to the Lord that they'll all keep down whatever I feed them, it just seems like 2 arms aren't enough.

If only I had one more hand to clean, to hold, or to help.  If only I was able to do a little more.  "Mommy needs both hands right now," has been a reoccurring phrase in our home this week and each time it's met with sobs from little hearts that just need comfort.

If I had an extra arm maybe I'd win the biological warfare that's being waged in our home, maybe I'd get the carpet vacuumed, maybe I'd get the furniture dusted.

But 2 arms are enough to hold and help the children who need me.  They're enough to take care of the little ones who just need a little comfort.

2 arms are enough, because I have a God who helps in my time of trouble.  I have a God who I can turn to when I need strength.

2 Arms are enough because  I have a God who I call Lord, who is more than enough.

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Singing to Baby Jesus

Have you ever thought about how amazing it must have been for Mary to actually hold the King of all Kings in her arms, and sing to Him?  What's even more amazing is that we get to share in the worship too, as we sing carols and remember the Holy child who was born so many years ago.

The following is a song I sang in church this past Sunday, I recorded it specifically for my grandparents, but I hope you'll be blessed by it as well.  (Subscribers click the link to see the video)

I encourage you to share this Christmas lullaby so others may be blessed as well.

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Worthwhile Christmas Traditions

Last year I wrote a post about what Christmas isn't about.  And despite the fact that every sitcom on television teaches the contrary, Christmas simply isn't about family.  It's nice to celebrate with family, it's nice to be with family, but Christmas isn't about family.

Don't get me wrong I love family Christmas traditions, but who do they point to?  Every night since Thanksgiving we've lit candles in our home and told our children about the true Christmas Story (you know the one with baby Jesus) and we sing a hymn with them in the evening.  The girls LOVE it.

I didn't start this tradition merely for a family memory though, I started it to etch the love of Jesus in their hearts.  We light candles and sing to celebrate the Savior, not to make the season more "magical."

I see elf on a shelf pictures on Facebook or Pintrest, and there is a part of me that thinks how fun that tradition would be.  But my husband and I just don't feel comfortable with the whole Santa Claus game.  And while I'm sure my kids would have fun with an elf on a shelf, it just doesn't direct them towards Jesus.

Christmas traditions that are worthwhile point to the amazing miracle, that God became man so that we may know Him and be forgiven.  Yes I know that my kids will get excited about presents, but they'll know that Jesus is real, and He really loves them.  They'll know that God sent Jesus to earth as a tiny baby so that they could be forgiven and serve Him.

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." 

John 1:14

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Christmas Won't Be Perfect

I should have a board on my Pintrest page called "Things I Would Do If I Was Super Mom."  Come to think of it next time I'm on my Pintrest page I think I'll probably make one.  Isn't it funny though the amount of guilt we women put on ourselves when we don't measure up to our Pintrest boards, or June Cleaver (who didn't have the best home-life in real life mind you.)

Christmas time is even worse for self-imposed guilt! We try to make the perfect meals, we try to make or buy the perfect gifts, we try to clean the house perfectly, and we try to select the perfect decorations.  We try to make everything perfect just so we can have that one perfect moment.

Oh that coveted perfected moment, when the kids are blissfully happy by the light of the tree and they somehow realize the true meaning of Christmas.  That perfect moment when relatives who spend the rest of the year bad mouthing each other will enjoy the perfect meal you've repaired.  That perfect moment where everyone feels like they've just been part of a television special.

I hate to break it to you, but Christmas Won't Be Perfect. There will be messes, there will be tantrums (from both children and adults), there will be meal fiascoes, and there will be disappointment.

Isn't wonderful to know though, that there is one perfect aspect of Christmas.  There was nothing more perfect or ever will be as perfect as that baby in a manger.  Any Christmas moment that shares the message of Jesus is special.  Take time this Christmas to point your family to the Perfect One at every opportunity you get.

When you point loved ones to Jesus your Christmas will be more perfect than any imagined (or pinned) fantasy Christmas ever could be.  Take many small moments between now and Christmas to meet Jesus, and those moments will be truly perfect.

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Family Devotions At Christmas

(Photo Source)

For the next few posts I'm going to be sharing some ways to share Christ with your family this Christmas. It contains tips on having special family devotional or reading time, and I'll be pulling some seasonal readings together as well.

There are few things that will bring a family together like prayer and devotion, if it’s not a habit in your home already the Christmas season is the perfect time to start. It is a wonderful way for everyone in the house, not just the kids, to focus on Jesus in an otherwise busy and overwhelming time of year.

The commercialization of Christmas makes it imperative that we direct our hearts to the Savior on a daily basis. But can I be honest with you for a moment? I love the commercialization of Christmas! I love the radio stations that just play Christmas tunes starting in November, I love the decorations in stores that go up before Thanksgiving, and I absolutely LOVE all the cartoon Christmas specials. I love spoiling my family with gifts I’ve been buying for them throughout the year, and I love seeing my kids get excited about their toys on Christmas morning.

 Yes I love the commercialization of Christmas, but there is another part of Christmas I love too. I love the Savior part of Christmas. I love singing carols in church, I love playing Christmas hymns for my family on our piano, I love the kids’ Christmas Pageant, and I love the quiet moments I am able to spend by the light of our tree simply thanking God for the amazing gift of His son in Flesh.

 The commercialization aspect of Christmas is fun, but the Savior part of Christmas is most precious to me, and sharing the Savior part of Christmas with my children most important.

Short of banning all gift giving and celebration in your home, chances are your children will be eager for the Christmas parties and the presents that they bring. Is it wrong for kids to get excited about presents? Of course not, and let’s be honest that’s why most children, and adults for that matter, look forward to December 25th.

 The commercialization of Christmas isn't going anywhere; it’s as much part of the season in this culture as the baby in the manger. The challenge for the Christian is getting our family’s to focus on the baby while there is so much other excitement going on.

 What grieves my heart isn’t the commercialization of Christmas, it’s the person who doesn't know the truth about Christmas. The joy of the Savior and the salvation he brings with Him will last year round, but the tinsel gets thrown away and the lights get taken down after December is over. Gifts will break, and family will return home. The commercialization of Christmas is fun, but it only leads to despair without the Savior that we celebrate.

We needn’t feel guilty about our children getting excited about presents, decorations, and parties, it’s going to happen! The joy of the Christmas season is the moments that allow you to share the truth of Jesus with your family in a way they’ll treasure for a lifetime.

So when Christmas morning comes around and your children are leaping out of bed at 5:30 a.m. to open their stockings, will you be content knowing you've spent the rest of December pointing your children to Christ?  Will your children and family have joy in their heart long after the tinsel is taken down?

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It Doesn't Matter If Your Kids Are Spoiled Part 1

I’ve been reading a lot of blog posts lately about spoiling your kids.  Some of which have been written by bloggers that I really enjoy.  All of the recent blog posts I’ve read on this subject bring up some very valid points about obedience, but here’s the thing for every mother out there who is actually spoiling her child there is another mother out there that worries needlessly she’s spoiling her child.  These posts have the potential to make some mothers feel guilty, when not spoiling our children isn’t even the ultimate goal of parenting

This is especially true in the Christian community.  We worry (even though we shouldn’t) that we will somehow not teach our children proper obedience, and then when they’re older they won’t obey God. We worry that if our children aren’t immediately obeying us by the time they are 4, 3, 2, or I read one blog post that says children should be immediately obeying by 18 months (!) that we’ve somehow grievously failed them and they will never accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

We worry that if our child has a behavior on the “your child might be spoiled if….” lists then our parenting is all for naught.  Let me encourage you for a moment to forget the lists, forget the blog posts, and consider what the Word of God has to say on child-rearing.

As far as blog posts and “your child might be spoiled if….” lists go, consider this: Every mother has different goals.  I have not taught my three year old how to buckle herself into her car-seat but according to one list if my three year old can’t buckle herself into a car-seat then she’s spoiled, when in reality I just don’t want her to pinch her fingers.  But to the mother who wrote the blog post this was an important thing to teach her three year olds and she expected them to do it.

Here’s the thing about all those lists, you could still have a child that demonstrates “spoiled” behavior even if you’re doing everything right as a parent.  God himself had the first 2 children (Adam and Eve) rebel against him and he was the only perfect parent in existence.  Our children have sin natures!  A rebellious child is not necessarily a reflection on parenting. 

Our children’s sin nature aside, it is possible to raise a child without regret or worry and tomorrow, we’ll talk about how.  I wanted to put all my thoughts into one post, but I wound up writing nearly 1000 words, a big blogger no-no : )  Today’s post isn’t complete without tomorrow’s so I invite you to subscribe so you don’t miss it.

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I almost missed it

I almost missed it.........

I was busy.

Busy working from home, trying to plant seeds that will eventually bring an income.

I was busy cleaning.

I was busy cooking.

I was just busy.

And then I look over at my sweet daughter, Felicity and realize, it was her last day as a One year old.

How could I forget?  How could I not treasure this special day?  My sweet little baby, now a little girl, full of excitement and opinions of her own.

I almost missed it, praise God I didn't.

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I'm Not a Perfect Mom

I had a moment this morning (more like a half hour) where I was vividly reminded that I'm not a perfect mom.

It's all a sham, I feel like I need to tell my husband to send back my mother's day presents he already gave me.  (2 very pretty flexi-clips by the way)

I'm not as patient as I should be, I'm not as slow to anger as I should be, and I certainly don't cherish those moments like I should.

But I can't expect that I will be perfect.  As much as I want to give my children perfection, as much as I wish they were always parented properly, I simply can't be that mother.

I have a choice, I can:

A) Drive myself crazy trying to be perfect and drown my sorrows in the potty training M&M's when I fail.
B) Hide on facebook while my children watch 10 hours of TV per day
or
C) Depend on the strength and wisdom of Christ.

Being a mother is hard.  Really hard.  I read an old yahoo news story yesterday about a mother who snapped and violently abused her baby, and I've known women in real life to be guilty of similar (and worse) crimes against their children.

A story like the one I read yesterday enrages me, but it also stirs up deep compassion within my heart.

I know the feeling of desperation, but I also know the author of ultimate hope.

I wish I could tell every mother in that moment of absolute desperation that they don't have to do it alone, that there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother, and that it's okay if they're not perfect because NO ONE is.

I wish sometimes there was someone there to remind me of the same thing.
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Mama Give Me Dolly!

Little kids say the cutest things don't they?  I especially love the age my Felicity is, 22 months.

I wrote a dictionary of sorts last year when my oldest was her age.  From the way toddlers this age pronounce things to the surprisingly grown-up sentences they will unexpectedly make, they just sound so adorable.

Felicity for example looked me square in the face today and said:

"Mama, give me Dolly!"

This was a pretty big sentence for her.  But unfortunately we've reached an impasse..............

We're getting there : )

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Picture: http://www.addletters.com/pictures/ransom-note-generator/2399171.htm

Praying for Potty Training

Okay, maybe it's just me, but I certainly don't feel funny praying about potty training.  In fact I think prayer is a very important element in potty training.

Potty training is hard, as a parent you are completely out of control.  You can't just make your child "go."

I need prayer, as a mother.  I need to keep my attitude in check and a permanent smile on my face no matter what happens to my new carpet.

My children need it.  Potty training is incredibly frustrating for our kids too!  Being made to sit down when you could be running around (outside) having fun.

Oh and wisdom.  Boy do I ever need wisdom.  Yesterday we had gone an entire day with only one success, and I kept praying for wisdom.  That night I went to the thrift store while my husband watched the kids.  I bought a GIANT stuffed bunny.  When I brought it home we had two "big" successes.  That was God's wisdom, not my own.  I probably would have kept trying the M&M's, but apparantly my daughter needed something huge and fluffy to motivate her.

And finally, I definitely pray that God will make the transition to big girl panties and smooth and as speedy as possible.

We're on day 3, and I'll take all the prayers you can send me.  Any tips?  If we're successful, I'll post exactly what I did in a few days.

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God is Real, and He Loves You

I hold my little one close as we come in from the car.

"Mama Moon! Mama Moon, up sooo high!"

"Yes Felicity, that is the moon.  Isn't it pretty?"

"Mama Moon! Mama Moon!"

"Oh Felicity, did you know God made that moon, and all the stars too?"

"God Moon!"

"And did you know Felicity, the same God who made that moon, loves you so much, and wants to be your friend?"

"Moon up high!"

"God made the moon and God loves you Felicity, He's real, and He really loves you."

Oh what a sacred duty we are entrusted with as mothers.

 ⁶And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

 ⁷And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 

Deuteronomy 6:6-7

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To Spank or Not to Spank?

Is spanking an acceptable form of discipline? Should I spank my children? Do time out's really work? What does spare the rod and spoil the child really mean?  I have wanted to address this issue for awhile, but I was never really sure how until yesterday.

If parenting wasn't already hard enough, now we have society teaching us things which are so often completely contrary to scripture.  Forgive me if I don't believe every scientific study out there when "science" get's so many things wrong. 

It was science at one point that said the world revolved around the sun and was flat.  It was also science in the 70's that said we were entering another ice age, now the earth is in danger of igniting in flame because it's so hot.  Science get's things wrong, the Word of God however never changes. But how does one apply scripture in this area?

50 years ago there was no question as to whether or not spanking was an acceptable form of punishment for children.  Now with "scientific" studies showing how truly "detrimental" spanking is parents are left in a quandary.

"Spanking worked for me as a child, why won't it work for my children?"

In my state spanking my child is technically legal, but society in general has a perceived "spanking ban."  For that reason I would say, avoid spanking your children in public at all costs.  Delaying discipline, though not as effective would be far better than ever risking your children being taken away. But should we really spank at all?

There are instances that force must be used with children.  Not brutal force by any means, but if a young child runs out into the street you simply aren't going to call their name and hope they return to you before they are hit by a car.  NO, you're going to run out after them and pick them up and remove them from danger, and then discipline.  But how to discipline effectively remains the question.

There is one camp that says, "spanking harms a child, don't spank ever!"  There is another camp that says, "the reason why kids today are so spoiled is parents don't spank."

I'm not going to give my opinion on whether or not to spank (yes I have one) because I wouldn't want my opinion to be used for justification of abuse or it to be used for justification of a non-spanking form of discipline if it's unscriptural.  My opinion is too fuzzy to share this publicly, but..........

Here are some things I am sure of when it comes to child discipline.

• Every single child on this planet has a sin nature, they will need discipline.
• Children will act like children, don't be surprised when they do.
• Discipline must be done in love.
• Discipline must be done without anger.
• Discipline without instruction, is fruitless.
• Discipline must be consistent.
• Discipline must point back to God.

I'm currently reviewing the Child Training Bible, and getting ready to post a giveaway.  As I'm highlighting scriptures in my Bible, I'm getting convicted that I haven't been using scripture as part of my discipline routine much.  Above anything else we can do for diciplining our children, our kids must learn that the Bible is the ultimate authority for behavior.

Any other definite discipline rules I forgot?

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Romance in a World With Children

My husband tried to steal a kiss from me all morning, but each time we had a moment alone together, my children sensed something and made their presence known, as only young children can.

So, what is a young married couple to do when it comes to romance?

Taken from dictionary.com:

ro·mance

¹    [n., adj. roh-mans, roh-mans; v.roh-mans]  Show IPA noun, verb, -manced, -manc·ing,adjective

noun

1.

a novel or other prose narrative depicting heroic ormarvelous deeds, pageantry, romantic  exploits, etc., usuallyin a historical or imaginary setting.

2.

the colorful world, life, or conditions depicted in such tales.

3.

a medieval narrative, originally one in verse and in someRomance dialect, treating of heroic, fantastic, orsupernatural events, often in the form of allegory.

4.

a baseless, made-up story, usually full of exaggeration orfanciful invention.

5.

a romantic  spirit, sentiment, emotion, or desire.

Isn't it funny that out of the 5 definitions for romance only one of them isn't fictional?  We can't expect the world's fictional depiction of romance to exist in our day to day lives.  Sure we might be able to have a truly "romantic" date here and there.  Like this one, *so jealous*.  But let's be for real, overnight getaways and drawn out excursions aren't practical for parents of young children.


That's Okay!!  The best piece of advice I can give to parents is simply adjust your expectations.


When the Bible talks about love it never mentions romantic excursions that allow a couple to escape from reality.  What it does speak to however, is how love is giving and generous.  It speaks of how true love, love that resembles the love of Christ, never fails.  


When I read about love in the Bible, I can't help but see how raising children is used to teach real love.  Children force us to see beyond ourselves and truly sacrifice.  The love that they develop in our hearts, and the fruit they develop in our lives is in my opinion better for a marriage than any date could ever be.  I know I love my husband better now, that I'm a mother because I have a better understanding of what love truly is.


There will be seasons in marriage where fictionalized romance just can't happen, but that doesn't mean the love between husband and wife needs to suffer.  Yes dates are important, but God will use whatever season you are in to build your marriage if you allow Him. 


Allow God to teach you what true love looks like, and let your children teach you how to sacrifice. 

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How to Pray for Your Children

I wrote a post yesterday, which was a prayer for bloggers.  Today I'd like to share how I pray for my children.  


Parenting is so daunting.  It's humbling to realize I will never be successful at it on my own.  My only hope of raising a family that will impact God's Kingdom is with diligent, earnest prayer.


There are so many things I pray for my children.  I pray they will be saved at the earliest possible age, I pray for their safety, I pray for their health.  I pray for their future spouses, and I pray for their future ministries.


It all comes down to this though:  I pray they will Love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, strength and might.  If they love the Lord passionately they will serve Him and follow His will.


There is a reason why Christ said loving the Lord is the greatest commandment.  If my children love the Lord with a burning zeal everything else in their lives will fall into place.  


This prayer goes beyond just asking that they accept Christ's grace and salvation one day.  If they develop a love for the Lord, they will be saved when they're old enough.  


I desire more than just saved children.  I want children who love the Lord so much they would be willing to do anything for Him.  God's will for their lives is so much better than mine.


I pray that my husband and I can raise them in such a way, that these things can be true in their lives.

If you would like to share in this prayer feel free to copy this picture or the html in your sidebar as a reminder.

<a href="http://www.lessonsfromivy.com/2012/02/how-to-pray-for-your-children.html"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi11RNxUuBE4TKD36r3gv2U0lBGtP8ny4tORiagdYiIvrezbyBP4GDQCqAS3VXyy3JFbOUWZofOzqvGn0igImupdpQ4B5twuWV80gFm805QsgQ3JyUmQVfR7Ib2tWPrRBT5zNhgHdnqz04/s1600/children+prayer.jpg" /></a></div>

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">

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Extending Mercy to our Children

I see the tantrum before it even starts, her bendy dolly won't sit on the wooden block the way she wants it to.

She's been without a nap, it's late in the afternoon, and she wants dinner.

The tears start to well in her eyes, and the frustration begins, good thing her sister is occupied elsewhere or her tantrum probably would spread to her.
So goes my life.  I'm not saying my day is filled with tantrum after tantrum, but with a 3 year old and an 18 month old this mother sure does deal with a lot of them at the moment.  One thing however I realized early on is that tantrums are normal.

Realizing however that a tantrum is a perfectly normal aspect of childhood development, and responding to it without anger or impatience are two entirely different things.

Our children have a sin nature.  If Paul, a "spiritual giant" writes in Romans about how he can't control his own sin nature, why in the world should we be shocked when our children display this very human characteristic?

The truth is we shouldn't be shocked when our children display sinful behavior.  We do have a choice however in how we respond.  Discipline is of course necessary, but so is mercy.

When my daughter started her tantrum about her dolly I could have given her a time out at that moment for an unacceptable attitude, but I didn't.  I scooped her up in my arms and we took a deep breath together before getting a snack.

There are times in my life when I am disciplined by God, but there are other times when I know that I should be, and yet He chooses to cover me with His mercy instead.

Extending Mercy to our children takes true discipline when our sin nature would much rather lash out and get frustrated, especially when it's the 5th tantrum that day. 

Our children so desperately need our mercy though, and it is through our mercy that they will eventually learn about the Lord's.

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. (Psalms 103:8-14 KJV)

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Capturing a Moment

There are times when I wish I had the ability to draw better, write better,or take a picture better in order  to capture a perfect moment.

Last night before her bedtime when our family got home from church Ivy immediately ran into our family room where all her toys that have been boxed up for the past few months now reside.  So recently re-united with all her lost friends she can hardly choose who she wants to play with when given an opportunity.  Last night she settled on a bouncing Tigger, a rabbit that plays the saxophone, classic Winnie the Pooh, and Buzz Lightyear.

Before starting her night time routine  I just had to take a moment and watch the world she was creating with her toys.  No worries, no fears, just a moment of joy and an intricatly created adventure from the imagination of an almost three year old.

Had I a camera in my hands, I might have been able to take a picture of what she was "doing" but not the love and innocence that flows from my sweet little girl.  Drawing the scence is simply out of the question because stick figures just don't capture real life.  Even now as I read what I've written, the beauty of the moment isn't captured in my words.

So I'll need to be content with capturing a picture in my heart and treasuring the memory for as long as long as it lasts, and praying for many more like it.

Blessings!

No More Mommy Guilt!

Motherhood is hard, exhausting, confusing and fraught with guilt.  It is also the most important thing we can do as women.  Motherhood has an eternal purpose, God has gifted us with precious souls.  Souls that we will have greater influence on than any other person on this planet.  They watch, they learn, and they come to understand God through our actions and words.

The weight of that responsibility is enough to make one's head spin!  Talk about heaping on the "mommy guilt."  Not only are we responsible for our children's spiritual well being but we're also responsible for their physical well being as well.  I read an article yesterday about the importance of taking prenatal vitamins, and well needless to say it didn't encourage me (considering the fact I hate mine!).

Our brains swim with questions and we feel as though everything we do is inadequate and we're never good enough for those precious little ones who deserve our best.  STOP EVERYTHING!  Stop before you go down the road of worry and guilt and think for a moment about this one fact:

God the creator and sustainer of the universe knew that motherhood would be like this and he promises to equip us with the knowledge and wisdom that we need. 
Our God PROMISES to give us the wisdom and knowledge we need, he knew this wouldn't be easy!
 If we are seeking God, if we are acknowledging him in everything we do, if we are asking him for wisdom and knowledge, it is HE the creator of the very ground we walk on who is directing our every step!

There is no room for mommy guilt or discouragement when we allow God to direct us, the fact of the matter is though our flesh so desperately desires to deny the workings of God in our life.  Not the mention the fact we also have an enemy who desperately wants us to forget God's promises and get caught up in the miry pits of sinful worry.

Take a moment today and everyday, breathe his promises, speak them.  Allow them to fill your heart with joy and hope.  Allow God's word's of encouragement to fill your life, leave no room for the discouragement of the flesh.

"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye."

Psalm 32:8

^"With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding." Job 12:13

^"The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple." Psalm 119:130

^"For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit." Ecclesiastes 2:26

^"And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them." Isaiah 42:16

Why Cleaning Is Really Important

Okay I have a confession to make, my daughter loves, I mean loves, to help me clean but.........most of the time I don't have the patience to let her help me.  She'll actually throw a tantrum when we're done with a task if she wasn't ready for it to be over.  It's fun to her, I guess I could learn a thing or too : )

This morning as she was eating breakfast, Ivy asked me if she could help with dishes.  What she really said was, "Dishes?" with a huge smile on her face as she finished her cereal.  Okay, couldn't say no, but I wasn't quite ready to finish up the breakfast dishes, so I let her get up and wipe her booster seat down, then we wiped the bottom portion of the high-chair, and of course she loved being my helper. 

We moved on to the sink and I only had two things to wash, I was bracing for the tantrum, but she happily moved on to wiping the counters for me.  As she was wiping the counters we were chatting and talking about how fun cleaning is. (I can imagine my mother laughing right now as she reads this, but for the record my bedroom is much cleaner now than it ever was at home)

Then I asked her, "Do you know what the best part about cleaning is?" 

Ivy got the biggest smile on her face as she said  "We clean for Daddy!"

I wasn't expecting her to get (essentially) the right answer.  But I realized in that moment that even though she likes playing in the dish water,  imitating mommy and playing with my water squirter, she actually gets it.  She get's it as much as a 2 year old can, she understands why it's important to put so much effort into keeping our home clean, to be a blessing to our family.

I also realized the way her face lights up when she get's to be "Mommy's helper" is also very much because she wants to do something special for her daddy.  She wants to show him love like Mommy does.

Lord, help us instill the importance of keeping a home in our children.  Let them see the value and joy in our housework so that one day they may be a blessing to their families.  Give us the patience needed to teach these important skills, and let us not forget the true reason we work in our homes, to bring honor and glory to You. Amen

Blessings!

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