the moment after the moment

Most people live for the big moments in their work or ministry.

A promotion.
Record attendance and growth.
The completion of a major initiative.

Those are great, but there’s a moment after the moment that’s even more important that you need to live for. It’s the real measuring bar of your success. And it will determine how much you’ll be able to enjoy these big moments when they come.

And that’s the moment you spend reflecting and rejoicing with the people closest to you after the big moments.

With your spouse after the promotion.
With your family and friends when the church is growing.
With your staff after the completion of the project.

If your relationships with them aren’t right, the moment doesn’t really matter.

What does it really matter if you finally get the promotion if you’ve sacrificed your marriage on the altar of achievement to get it?
What does it really matter if your church is bursting at the seams in attendance if you’ve become an absentee father to your children in the process?
What does it really matter if your team has pulled off a huge accomplishment if you hate each other because of the way you treated each other while getting it done?

You may have won, but you’ve lost what really matters. And your enjoyment of the moment will be minimized. Because you’ll be reflecting and rejoicing alone.

So don’t just live for the big moment. Live for the moment after the moment. Continue to cultivate the relationships that mean the most to you even while pursuing the goals God has given you.

It will make the big moment worth it when you get there.
-Steven Furtick

it's the little things

It's the little things... and THIS made my day that Logan had such a great, and happy day himself!

sweet child of mine...

you're growing so so fast.. and getting sweeter by the moment....
love you TONS,
"Mamma"

for the first time

Last night Logan said "I love you" for the first time ever.

Those were the sweetest little words I've ever heard, in my whole life. \


Logan,
As I always say, "Mommy loves you to the moon and back, and more than chocolate ice cream!" More than anything in my whole life.

Mamma

Steven Furtick says it so well

Grace is power.Power to save. Power to live right. Power to talk right. Power to walk right. Power to give. Power to forgive. Power to do anything God calls you to do in His name. Power to pray. Power to overcome.
Paul could have lived in perpetual guilt for what he had done. Or he could have taken advantage of what God had done for him. But he didn’t. And look at what he became.
You have the same options.
Embrace the power of God’s grace and imagine what you’ll become.

Thanks to the Ginsels for this one! The noisiest toy ever.

snow days

Bella and Logan, and the Wii. Logan has started early!


Peek a boo!

Logan is, my little Miracle

Miracle~ Such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God, a wonder or marvel.

Loganbear, you are THE most incredible son. I am so blessed to have you as my sweet boy. You have enriched my life, tons.

the grace factor

Logan will only be little this one time..and I have come to realize this "time" is far too short as he grows so fast. I believe wholeheartedly that the new level of patience and selflessness I have learned through mothering Logan has grown me into more of a woman that I'm designed to be. I just hope I don't lose sight of this amazing privelage that only I have been granted, to be Logans Mom.

I have had to remind myself of this more lately than ever before, as he has been off of his normal sleep schedule (waking me up at 3 am), eating the dogfood, and testing his boundaries at the blink of my eyes. I have to remind myself "He's only little this one time... he's only one year old this one year." As my dear friend says often, "This is a season." It's not permenant.(Thankfully!)

I believe that parenting GRACEFULLY is a choice we have to make, daily. It's something I have to constantly be reminded of, the grace factor. I will choose to love gracefully, because I love Logan more than I love myself. Because I want to give him the very best of me, and I want him to see those qualities in me, grace, compassion, mercy, tenderness.

Thankful for the little boy, that makes me constantly yearn to be a better woman... Logan Pierce.

"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new." - Rajneesh