On Becoming a Titus Woman

Hubby and boys are at church tonight for the first of the Lay Renewal Weekend meetings that we're having this weekend. Baby and I are home, because she needed to be in bed on time - she's not the best little napper in the world, so she's pretty insistent on being in her own bed pretty early in the evening. Now that we've had 3 good nights in a row, this is actually a good thing, though, at this stage of my life I'm missing a lot of evening activities. But I'm wanting so much to cherish her babyhood in a way I don't think I did enough of with the boys. After 3 miscarriages, I'm so grateful that God allowed us to have this little girl. Something I really struggle with in the day to day of life is remembering while I'm in the moment that these children are blessings and to slow down and just enjoy them. I guess it's a symptom of our fallen nature that it's so easy to get caught up in the frustrations of motherhood and not to look past them often enough to the joys.

One thing I'm hoping from this journaling experiment is to learn to cherish the "every dayness" of things, to not get so frustrated over things that don't really matter, and to learn to be the kind of woman that is described in Titus - who loves her husband and children, is busy at home, and who will invest in growing into the kind of older woman who will teach these things to the younger women the Lord places in my path. Right now, in this season of life, I'm so thankful for the opportunity to teach my little ones, and to teach other little ones at church, too. May I be faithful! And may I learn to take myself less seriously and laugh often and loudly.

In that light, let me list some things I am thankful for in each of them:
Hubby:
1. He loves Jesus and it's so obvious he's growing in his walk with Him.
2. He's my very best friend and I can tell him anything.
3. He loves me even when I'm at my worst.
4. He provides for his family and supports and loves that I stay home with our kids.
5. He loves his children.

Oldest son:
1. His smile that can brighten the room, and his laugh of pure joy.
2. That his interest in spiritual things is developing and growing.
3. His ravenous love of learning.
4. He loves his brother and sister.
5. The chance to see him grow and mature.

Youngest son:
1. His wacky sense of humor.
2. His sensitivity to others.
3. His love of dressing up in costumes - we never know who he'll be next.
4. He loves his brother and sister, and he loves being in the middle.
5. The chance to see him grow and mature.

Daughter:
1. That God gave us one more child.
2. Her smile.
3. She's a girl!
4. Finally sleeping through the night!
5. The chance to watch her grow and mature.

Lord, teach me to be the kind of woman You would have me be. You are worthy of praise and honor, so let my attitudes and actions display that each day. Let me be faithful to love my family - these precious gifts from You. At this season of my life, teach me to trust You to speak to my children's hearts. Put a hedge around their hearts and minds and help my husband and me to train these children up in the way they should go, and to teach them Your ways and Your Gospel at every opportunity so that when You call, they will recognize Your voice and respond to You in faith.