The Countdown and the Fruit

Well, what would you do the day before your due date?? I enjoyed a 6 mile bike ride on my beach cruiser and went to get a mani/pedi to celebrate the LONG 40 WEEKS!! :) It's almost time to see my little girls face and I CAN'T WAIT!!!! I have been thinking a lot lately about personalities and the quirky little things we are each born with. My boys truly could not be more opposite of each other and really they are a complete mix of me, Chris, and our extended family. Learning to relate to each other in family doesn't just come naturally, at least not for me. It is something that must be treated almost like a garden in a way. You have to weed it, water it, invest time and energy in order to reap any of the harvest. Our Christian walk is very much the same way. If we just pray a few times through the day, mention God in passing to friends and maybe even strangers, but don't really spend time in a relationship with him and learning His Word, the harvest won't be very plentiful. Some days I wonder how well I pass this little bit of knowledge along to my kids. I can get so frustrated over the littlest things and so aggravated by their God-given "quirks" that I begin to respond to them in a way that is for lack of a better word just hideous. I was reading a blog the other day and found her words completely worth sharing.
By Rhen at Yes, They Are All Mine
"Have you heard the expression, “it’s not just what you say, but how you say it”?

Several years ago, God brought that very thought into my heart.

Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue…  Proverbs 18:21

We moms can find ourselves overwhelmed, over-worked, over-tired, and sorely lacking in patience when we need it most. We must intentionally make a choice to respond with a voice that is far softer and gentler than the emotions we are holding back.  We must fight for every word that comes out of our mouths.

God has led me to “filter” every word through the fruit of the Spirit.  When I can feel the aggravation building up, when I start getting overwhelmed, I close my eyes, take a breath, and remember just how often God has dealt with me in love and patience when I know full well I deserved a good smack from Him.  Imagine how we could guide with our words, heal with our words, calm with our words, and encourage if we make them line up with the fruit of the Spirit.

But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23

No matter how much time and effort we put into teaching our children the proper ways of responding and reacting to what is going on around us, their greatest and best-learned lessons will be from watching what we do.  Isn’t that a sobering thought?"

This was just the reminder I needed that day and every single day! I know my patience will be worn thin in the coming weeks with little sleep and lots of change, but I am hoping I can remember the Fruit of the Spirit BEFORE I respond to my precious little men. Thought I would share my favorite pics of them from their birthdays!

Grady 5 days old!!

Davis meeting his big brother

Davis on his birthday!