"Boy, you've got YOUR hands full!"

It happened, you guys, it really happened! I was in the parking lot of our local grocery store. I had my baby in his carseat on one arm (oh, p.s. I had a baby), I had J standing every so obediently to my side, and I was grabbing my grocery bags from my trunk (oh, p.p.s. I live in Austin now--sort of hippie, don't forget your reusable shopping bags or you will regret it!). Anyways, I was standing there, with all of this going on around me, and an older man, maybe 75 years old, walked by and he said IT!!!!!

"Boy, you've got YOUR hands full!"

I couldn't believe it! I had always heard other moms talk about people making those comments and, of course, I believed them! BUT THEN, it happened to ME!

I was so proud of myself! Do you want to know why? I remembered! I remembered what I wanted to do when someone said that to me. I have this theory, if someone wants to make an awkward comment, you've got two choices--(1) smile, be polite, move on with life; or (2) make.them.feel.awkward.back! OF COURSE, I chose option 2! How could I not!?

My kids were being so good! J could have been yelling, tugging at my jeans, and running into the street--barely dodging a car coming straight for her (which DOES happen). Yet, she wasn't! She was standing there, just like I taught her--right next to my leg, very still, chatting about the mysteries of her three year old life.  And H, he's not even 9 months old yet. The possibilities of annoying things he could have been doing is remarkable! On that day though, he was strapped into his carseat (which to him is either the greatest or most awful contraption ever invented--luckily, that day it was the latter), he was watching me with the most serious and focused eyes, pondering the possibilities of which brightly colored shopping bag he could reach next and shove directly into his mouth, babbling his incoherent language that only I can understand.

So when that stranger said those words, that honestly, he meant ZERO harm in, I couldn't help it! I had to stand up for my kids. To be 100% real, I had to stand up for myself and my husband. It's not easy setting standards and remaining consistent with your kids, but we really really really try to raise well mannered kids who are pleasant to be around.

"Boy, you've got YOUR hands full!"

"No, actually, I don't! They're great kids!"

*continues figuring out which bag will serve as Mary Poppins bag reincarnated*

I promise I wasn't trying to make him feel bad about himself, like I said, I know he meant no harm in it. However, guess what I heard next? It wasn't from him, he was well on his way. No, it was from J!

"Why did that guy say that?"

I was so happy she asked! I ALWAYS am in a position where I can point out the mistakes she makes and how she can fix them. Now, this stranger had given me the chance to point out something good she had done in an unforced, authentic, and sincere way.

"Because he's used to kids that aren't making good choices, but not you! You were doing just what I asked you to do and being safe, standing right by me watching out for cars. I have great kids, you and H are awesome!"

So while it was totally harmless, but still kind of annoying, I ended up being happy that someone said IT to me! Sometimes those moments are just what I need to help me be the type of person I want to be. Plus, I felt like a legit mom--and now I'm too legit to quit (What! What!)

Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. 

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Words: Dallan Forgail (8th Century)

The Corners of My Heart

I promise, someday I'll get back to some of the other reasons I started this blog, but the Spiritual Health side of my life has just been in the forefront of my mind. It seems that's the way it is when we are going through big changes.

During the 7 Days of Easter, I went looking for this talk, but came across this one along the way. If you don't want to read or listen to it, he talks about how there is a lot of bad in the world, but we have the power to leave that bad behind (for the most part). The talk is entitled, "Place No More for the Enemy of My Soul." The title alone fills me with such power and strength.

One of the reasons I chose to teach in the Health Science field was because I wanted teenagers to understand that their quality of life came down to their choices. A lot of times in high school, I felt like some of my friends got drunk and performed other harmful behaviors was because they felt like that was what they were supposed to do--we were teenagers, that's what the world expected of us. Because I had been raised to not drink or sleep around, I realized I had a choice in the matter. I chose not to do those things.

The other day at church, this lady was teaching the Sunday School lesson and she talked about how she (and all of us) hold on to certain rebellions and tuck them away into the deep corners of our hearts. We're unwilling to sacrifice them, even though we know the happiness of righteousness will bring so much greater joy than any rebellious act could. Some people may scoff at the words 'rebellion' or 'sin', thinking that they don't correlate with happiness. However, in my life, I've always seen a direct correlation between the choices I made and my happiness. I've never had to deal with the misery that is associated with addictions or the heartache and stress that comes from deciding to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. I'm not saying anyone is a bad person because of these acts or that I'm a better person because I haven't dealt with them. I'm just saying that sometimes, as adults, we forget that the choices we make do have  an affect on our happiness.

The teacher's comment made me think about what I have tucked away in the corners of my heart. What am I unwilling to give up--despite the happiness that would come by doing so. Sometimes, we preach and preach about certain aspects of life, but we really need to take a deeper look at what's happening in our own. What's stopping us from achieving our maximum level of happiness?

I came across this graphic on Facebook today, and I loved it's simplicity. Happiness and positivity really can be quite simple to achieve, but what choices are we willing to make to achieve them?