Faithful Fridays: "Good Morning"

If the radio is on in the car, it is tuned to K-Love.  I have listened to K-Love for about five years now (maybe longer), and I love it.  One of my favorite songs right now is "Good Morning" by Mandisa. I cannot tell you how much I LOVE this song. When it comes on, I dance and dance and dance. In fact, you pull up beside my car when it is playing, you would be a little afraid that I was having a seizure.  I have to admit I do look a little ridiculous.

The other morning on the way to take Melody to school, she says, "I hope that 'Good Morning' doesn't come on."

"Aww, sweetie, why not?"

"I don't like it."

"What?!  Girl, you just don't know what it good."

Ironically, the next song really was Good Morning. I laughed; she groaned.  I turned up the music, told my kids to dance, and started grooving.  Tucker started swaying back and forth before I even said anything.  Judson reluctantly started dancing simple because he wanted to look as silly as I did.  Melody sat there, almost stone faced, looking like she wished she could disappear.  Then, it dawned on me- she didn't NOT like the song, she didn't like me dancing. I was embarrassing my daughter.

Lots of things started going through my brain:

• the mom in me- payback for all those top-of-the-lungs potty announcements
• the little girl in me- empathy for all those times my mom embarrassed me (sorry, Mom)
• the realist in me- she is going to be embarrassed by me- just a part of growing up
• the mean girl in me- good grief, she'll get over it.

One other thought came to my mind, as children we experience embarrassment of our mothers and fathers. However,  as adults, how many of us experience embarrassment of our Heavenly Father?  Are we afraid to telling others that we are believers? Christians? followers of God's Word? Are we more worried about what others think about us instead of what God thinks about us? My daughter loves me- that is not the question.  She is worried that someone will see her crazy momma dancing like a fool and place judgment upon her.

The thing is Melody will dance when we are at the house. No one can see her except her family. We often fall into a similar situation. In the safety of our home surrounded by family, we have no problems defending our beliefs and faith.  The true test is when we are surrounded by those who may not believe. We will often find ourselves in a situation where we have to choose: to "hide" for fear of ridicule or to "dance" along and embrace our God. "So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord." (2 Tim 1:8a) I think this fits this problem. We should not be embarrassed by our Heavenly Father. He loves us, died for our sins when He did not deserve it, and is alive today proving that He defeated death. That is a message that we cannot keep to ourselves. His Spirit lives in His believers, and by our actions we show His love and share His word. 

I will still continue to dance and sing when "Good Morning" comes on the radio, and for a while, Melody will still be embarrassed by my spastic dance moves.  However, hopefully, along the way, she will listen to the words of that song, and understand that I dance for the Lord, too. She will see that I am not embarrassed by my Creator. Then, maybe, she will start dancing, too.

Saturday Sum-Up

So, the first week of April has been a success.

While my sweet hubby had to return to work from his Spring Holidays, Mel and Jud started theirs.  Most days, who am I kidding, everyday we slept in late.  We just kinda planned as we went along.
Sunday:
Of course, Melody was still  home bound due to her surgery, so she and I played hooky from church.  She really wanted to go, because it was the church Egg Hunt.  We promised her a special one later in the week. I hated to miss it, because our interim preacher is really good.  I have been truly enjoying his Lenten series.

Monday:
The kids and I went to the bank- fun! Even though my children do know how to behave, sometimes their noise level is a direct inverse to the noise within a building.  Banks are very quiet. I was worried.  However, it is amazing to what a purple lollipop can accomplish. (Thanks Brook) After, we went to Kroger.  Normally, I go shopping only with Tucker. He can't talk yet, so there are no "I wants." Today, everyone got to go.  We had fun and came under budget. Go them! Go me! Go us!

Melody wanted to plan crafts throughout the week, so after taking Judson to gymnastics (yep, and Melody missed hers), we made a bunny picture. She planned it out and everything- it was cute.

Bonus of the day: Dan brought me a Frappachino. YUM!

Tuesday:
I had MOPS.  MOPS stands for Mothers Of Preschool Students. Moms get together, eat a homemade breakfast provided by the selected mothers of the month, and have actual grown-up talk. I love it.  I try not to miss it. But better yet, Tuesday was SPA DAY!!!  Local massage therapy students came in to give free back rubs. Cosmotologists gave free eyebrow waxing (THANK YOU!) and hairstyling, manicures.  Wonderful relaxing moments to pamper ourselves.  I don't know about you, but most of there things aren't making it into our monthly budget, so this was a God-send.  Did I mention the massages?  Ahhhh. (Shhh, I had three.) Of course, after MOPS, I returned to the everyday happenings.  I went to Aldi (LOVE IT) because I didn't get to it on Monday.

Wednesday:
The kids and I had another lazy day. We cleaned the house.  Super fun!  Melody had her piano lesson and we had another craft- we decorated a paper egg that Melody cut for us.  Dan even got the chance to decorate one.  For the life of we I can't remember if we did anything else.  One of those days.

Thursday:
We decided to go to the Museum of Arts and Sciences.  Melody got to go with Dan at the Daddy/Daught Dance, but it had been awhile since the boys got to go.  Afterward, we went to Mema's for a picnic.  Melody still can't get hot and sweaty, so we couldn't stay out long.

Friday:
Another lazy day.  We finished cleaning whatever was left over from Wednesday.  The Easter Bunny can't come to a dirty room.  Dan needed to work on his Yukon so we headed over to Mema's again to hang out so Dan and I could go run some errands.

So that brings us to Saturday.  Dan, his brother, and his father went to the car show in Perry.  All day event. The kids and I headed back over to Mema's again, so we could decorate the Easter Eggs.  Judson has a birthday party to attend, and we have Easter dinner to prepare. It has definitely been a productive week.

That is what is happening to us...

Things I Never Thought I Would Have to Say to My Children

As a mother of three, I have learned that there are some things that I just have to say- "Be nice to your sister" or "Don't forget to say thank you." However, there have been some things that I never thought I would have to say.  There are usually in situations surrounded in mischievousness. These are some of my favorites.

"Don't wipe boogers on my neck, please."  Thought my then three-year old daughter was giving me a neck rub.

"Don't lick your brother's feet." Older brother was trying to make younger brother laugh in car.

"Sweetie, ham does not belong in your belly-button." Youngest just discovered his navel. He checks to see if belly-button is there every day.

"Don"t color on the dog." Middle child was using a green marker to color the dog. Poor Max was terrified

"My shirt is not a napkin" This goes for all three.  They don't wipe on their own shirts, just mine.  I haven't made it through the day with a clean shirt in seven years. However, I say this so much, it has almost become a joke.



Feel free to add your own.