Five Minute Friday: Path

It's time for Five Minute Friday. 

Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.  Today's topic is PATH.  So, here goes.....

Path....something to walk on, go down.  Everyone is on a path.  Whether you like it or not, you are going somewhere.  Everyday takes you to a place, meeting with people that maybe you see everyday, but you are in their path.  God has set us all on a path and he directs our steps.  We often can't see as far down the path as we would like, but we follow the path knowing that at some point, we will get to the end and all our travels will make sense.  I'm on a path as a wife, a mom, a daughter, and an individual.  I don't know what's going to happen next month.  I don't know what's going to happen next week.  I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow.  But I know who guides my steps on the path that he has set for me.  And I'll walk with him all the way. 

Life update

So, here is a little bit of what is going on in the Diehl family in the last week.  A bit of back story first.  Ben started working at our church in September on a part time basis.  He works in the worship arts department doing various things-setting things up, working during services to help people on and off the stage, etc.  He has really enjoyed working there and it has been a blessing to our family to have the opportunity to serve in this way.  Last week, I got some news that as of now, I do not have a spot teaching summer school.  While I was disappointed because we really could use the money, I had a sense of peace about the situation and told Ben that God had another plan for us.  Well, turns out, He did.  And boy is it a good one.  As of today, Ben is now a FULL-TIME employee at Bay Life Church!!  God is so good!  We are so excited that we have this opportunity for him to serve in a church, doing the ministry that we believe God has called him to do.  Thank you so much to all of you who have prayed for us while we have been waiting for Ben to find full time work. And thank you so much to our God who sees the big picture and always knows what's best for us!

Mommy Wars

Uhhhhh...the mommy wars.  For those of you who haven't heard of this, mommy wars are when one camp (attachment parenting, regular parenting, etc.) does something, says something, posts something that creates a firestorm and puts everyone in the opposite camp in a tizzy.  (Yes, I said tizzy).  You should breastfeed-formula is ok.  You should baby wear-baby wearing is weird.  You should co-sleep-co-sleeping is dangerous.  You should have a home birth-home births are dangerous and you are a bad parent for wanting one.  Whatever it is, someone is going to fight.  But, this article showed up in my Facebook feed today thanks to Lora Cox.  And the author, who I have never read before but instantly like, makes a great point.  Especially with Mother's Day coming this weekend,  it hits me particularly hard.  We here in America, particularly as a middle-class American myself, are so focused on being the perfect mom/parent, that we forget that there are hundreds of thousands of children around the world who don't have a parent who cares at all about them.  Period.  The author of this blog post I've linked to says that it is a travesty that we are fighting a mommy war about who is the best mom when millions of children would kill for a mom even for a day.  She says a lot of really good things and it has caused me to think about the way I parent my own child.  Do I want what is absolutely best for my child?  Yes, of course.  Every parent does.  Am I going to get into a war with you about what is best?  No.  You have to do what's best for your family.  Did we breastfeed?  Yes, we even did extended breastfeeding up until recently.  Do we extended rear face?  Yes, we feel this is the safest thing for her, especially due to the fact that she is very small. Do I do countless things for my child that you might not agree with?  YES!!  But, should we focus on the things someone does that you don't agree with, or should we focus on being good parents to our children and begin caring about other children who are parentless.....let's stop the mommy wars and focus on the casualities of another war. 

This hurts me more than it hurts you...

We had church tonight (big surprise here). It's our spring musical and there was a video about how God takes his chisel and molds and shapes each one of us to be more like him. The two men, one is God and the other is being chiseled, are talking about how much it will hurt. The man playing God says, "It hurts me more than it hurts you." As I listened, I thought about all the times I heard that phrase, both as a kid and now as an adult, and especially, now as a parent. But, this saying is so true. When I'm disciplining G, it does hurt me. The temporary pain she feels from a swat on the hand or leg is almost instantly over, but my mommy heart hurts. It hurts me that my child is, at this point mostly because of her age and inexperience, willfully disobeying me when I tell her for the tenth time not to stick her fingers in the dog dish or not to throw toys in the trash can (this has happened) or whatever the action is. But isn't this so true of my relationship with my heavenly father? Don't I continue to repeat the same, willfully disobedient actions as my child, even though I've been told no and warned? And yet, just like G, I'm surprised when I receive a "swat" or something to get my attention and then cry and pout because I got caught. Oh sin....so easily entangled in it are we. But then, after time to think and reflect, don't I (and God) take our beloved child in our arms and say to them, "I love you, no matter what." Even if you stick your hand in the dog bowl, or climb the stairs when no one is watching, or tell little lies to make others happy. Glad God is here to help me through the hurt and loves me enough to want me to be better. P.S. I know I missed five minute Friday. I'll try to do a six minute Sunday instead. Have to make it through this musical first. :)

How True....

Boy, did I need to hear this today.  In the midst of all three of us being sick off and on for the last two weeks, and now Mommy having another cold and Daddy's sinus infection still hanging out, it's been rough.  But I saw an email from The Gypsy Mama today on the growing pains of motherhood.  Even though I'm so tired and had to deal with 1,000 meltdowns in the three hours I actually saw my child, I'm doing a good job.  Every time I don't lose my patience, or I take time to kiss her, or rub her head, or give her a hug, I'm growing and learning and so is she.  She is learning that Mommy and Daddy mean business, but in a loving and caring way.  I know she is just testing her boundaries (like any kid), but boy, does it wear a girl out.  But, in spite of all that, our family is growing and learning together.  Learning to love, learning to be a family....

Five Minute Friday-Community

Ok, so I've started following this blog recently. She had a blog post for the moms of daughters, of which I am one now (which by the way, is still very strange to me, but anyway) about how there will always be mean girls, but talked about how to deal with them in a way that touched my heart and made me want to be that kind of mom. So, on her blog, she takes part in 5 Minute Friday, where you write for five minutes, with no editing, no rewriting, just free writing on the topic of the week. I hope I'm doing this right with the linking thing....if not, someone comment (nicely please), and let me know what to fix. This week's topic is Community. Here goes:

Community. Such a funny word. I'm a part of lots of communities-my work, my friends, my church, my family. Groups of people who may or may not overlap at some points throughout my life. But without it, what are we left with? If you are not in community with someone, what do you do with your life? I've been thinking about the community I have within my small group. This group of people are all in different phases in their lives. Some are empty nesters, some are parents with children in high school, some are unmarried, and then there is us-a young married couple with a toddler. Seemingly a haphazard group, but the best community I could be in at this point in my life. I know that this community is there to meet every need my family has. Just this week, we were checking in with each other about the needs we were all having-financial, spiritual, emotional-the whole gamut. THIS is community-when they put your needs above their own. "Can we do something? Watch Gracelynn for you, walk the dog, take you out to dinner, help you....whatever you need." This is true community. This is how God has called us to live-not the superficial, "Hey, how are you....good, ok me too", but the deep, messy," Help, we can't pay this bill this month, could you help us out", or "Help, my life is falling apart because of.....". That my friends, is community.

Ok, that wasn't so bad.

Ok, we are back

Oh my.  It's been a long time since my last post.  I have felt compelled to begin writing for several weeks now, and so, here we go.  I'm goin to try to keep up with it, but it might be that there is time between posts.  Lots of things have changed since our last post.  In case you didn't know, here is the run down.  Since our last post: 

• We have become parents to our sweet baby girl, Gracelynn. 
• I have continued working at school.
•  Ben has gotten a job doing insurance inspections and is now working at Bay Life Church in the worship arts department. 
• We have been through lots of ups and downs, but God has seen us through it all.  Our family is blessed beyond measure in so many ways. 

I feel that I need to begin writing again for several reasons.  One, I'm currently reading a book of someone's memoirs from WWII.  Now, I wasn't alive then, but I'm thinking about keeping a record of the things that happen to me, whether they are as profound as this lady's story, I feel that I need to write so that someday, I can look back and reflect on my life and share my story with my child.  Two, I need to write as a way to have something to call mine, if that makes any sense.  I enjoy reading blogs and think I would like to share with those of you who read this blog.  I'm not trying to get famous or anything, just want a place to share my thoughts.  Ok, that's enough for this post.  Have a great weekend!!