Motherhood

Hmmm…okay, so one of my goals for 2009 is to update this blog more! And…another one is to be a more patient, fun Mommy. (So you will be seeing more blogs on parenting, I am sure!) I have been convicted lately as we enter 2009 and I ponder motherhood of my impatience and need of control(specifically in parenthood). I really want my children to see Christ in me…to see my love for Him…to learn how to grow in their relationship with Him b/c they see me growing. I know that they also learn forgiveness and repentance, and that is what I feel like they have been getting more of these past few weeks with my “I am sorry, I was wrong…I shouldn’t have been impatient with you!” statements. As our amazing worship pastor pointed out this morning at church, “I really want to leave some things in 2008.” This being one of t hem!I truly truly want to parent out of the fruit of the Spirit…not out of the fruit of the flesh. I don’t want to reap little fruits of the flesh running around. In thinking about all of this, I remember what I read last week in “Jesus Calling” (an awesome devotional that I would highly recommend. It said, “My (Jesus’) abundance and your emptiness are a perfect match.” Such an elementary statement, but when you feel like you are empty (which I feel like right now with my lack of sleep and with the needs of three little ones four and under) this is SO VERY refreshing. Jesus has what I need in abundance…now to abide in Him!…

With that being said, I would love to blog some about my sweet, precious children. I’ll start tonight with my oldest, Austin. He’s 4 1/2 and very creative, fun, energetic, and encouraging. He is also sensitive to the Lord and others. I sat in Starbucks yesterday praying through parenting, and I will share a little prayer I had for him:

As I pray for Austin now, I am reminded of his precious, encouraging spirit. There is rarely a day that goes by that he doesn’t tell me he loves me and that I am the best mommy in the world…thank you for that, Lord! He has an all-boy energy level, loving to battle, fight, wrestle, play sports, and be wild. Oh, Lord, give me wisdom on this. I know that you created boys so differently than girls and as a woman, I do not understand all that he is. I do not want to squash what you are trying to do in his life. I want him to be strong and tough…yet respectful, so help me to create an environment to learn that. We named him Austin Dean Crenshaw partly because it means “magnificent leader.” I pray that he would be just that…for your glory. Give us wisdom to parent his sweet, tender heart. Thank you for the amazing father Brian is to him. What an amazing example of a godly man for him to follow. Thank you that he is Yours. He has a sweet heart for you. Help me to articulate the things of You in a way that he understands. I love you, Lord! Thank you for the gift of Austin! He brings such a joy to my life! Amen.

He really is such a joy…such a gift to me. I praise the Lord that He has allowed us this time with him…to get to know him and to parent him. Here is a picture of my sweet boy (thanks, Cayce!):

(Olivia and Eliana’s to come soon…)