It’s still a party if I’m late, right?

Let’s see, the party started on the 9th, and it’s the 15th, but I can still join, can’t I?

Welcome to my blog! (And hello again, faithful readers!)

I’m Anna:

Yes, I realize a picture where I am wearing sunglasses probably isn’t the best way to introduce myself. But it’s my most recent one… except for one other one…

There, is that better? Now you can see that I wear my seatbelt like the responsible citizen I am.

Here is a smattering of facts about me:

• I am an obsessive list-maker. My husband is used to it now.
• My absolute least favorite chore is cleaning the shower. But it looks so nice when it’s done!
• I met my husband through my blog.

• I have an adorable two-month-old son named Christian.

• I’ve been blogging for almost 3 years, not counting my Xanga-ing days before that. I just can’t seem to stop!
• In the past 5 years, I have lived in Ohio (where I was born), Illinois (freshman year of college), Michigan (sophomore through senior years), and Florida (to get married).
• God has saved me through the shed blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, and I am forever grateful!

For a slightly more organized introduction, check out my About page. You’re also very welcome to subscribe and follow me on Twitter. Thanks for stopping by – be sure to introduce yourself!

Viewing motherhood as a joy, not a burden

Today’s guest post is by Sheri at Purely His. She is the wife of Tony and the mother of Savannah, Alisa, and Levi (pictured with her). Her blog has been such an encouragement to me; be sure to check it out. (Also, take a look at Amy’s guest post from Monday if you haven’t already.) Thanks to Amy and Sheri for graciously sharing on motherhood.

I love to watch my daughters play house with their baby dolls. They so lovingly change their little outfits; wrapping them carefully in soft blankets and singing softly as they lay their baby in its wooden cradle. They love to set them in tiny strollers and zoom all over the house. They pretend to nurse their bundles of joy and then feed them gooey pretend baby food with a plastic spoon. Motherhood looks so peaceful and beautiful to a young girl.

Real babies are hardly ever quiet though. Real babies have immediate needs, desires, wills. Real babies and children can and often are, looked at as burdens, instead of as joy. That’s probably why so often we hear mothers complaining about their lack of sleep, their terrible-2’s toddler, their lack of time for themselves, their body that has changed because of motherhood, their need to at least go to the bathroom by themselves, and the list goes on.

I’m thankful for a mother who set an excellent example for me of finding true joy in motherhood. I always felt celebrated, never like a burden. She poured herself out for my brother and me, but I didn’t understand her sacrifice until I become a mother myself. Now I realize how rare a truly joyful mother is. But it isn’t rare when we take our eyes off what the world says motherhood is (posh dressed newborns, a gazillion play-dates, the perfect stylish stroller, the kids involved in every activity and sport under the sun, etc.)and onto what God’s Word says.

He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD. ~ Psalm 113:8&9

Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. ~ Psalm 127:3

Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ~ Proverbs 31:28

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. Titus 2:3-5

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ~ Matthew 19:14

It’s clear in scripture that children are a blessing from the Lord; not a burden. My dear sisters I challenge you (and me) to stop reading worldly “parenting magazines,” to turn off the TV & computer, to get motherly advice from godly mentors we respect as mothers, and to choose friends who consider being a mother an honor, a calling, a passion. Guard your heart and your mind from negative influences who would seek to steal this precious time from you.

So, wake up tomorrow and talk to your Heavenly Father about your day. After all, He’s the best parent! Tell him your fears, your insecurities, and cast your cares (your burdens) on him. Put a great big smile on your face when you tenderly lift your baby out of his crib, smother your toddler with good-morning kisses, and greet your children with a sunny smile, lots of bear hugs, and a heart full of joy that comes from above!

Sure, there will be hard days and harder days, but focus on the simple, good things. Watch for them. My grandma always said she never let the glass get ½ empty. Get rid of “self” and start looking at changing diapers, sippy cup spills, potty training, teaching to obey-right-way, and learning to clean the toothpaste from their own bathroom sink, as things of eternal value. Your children will thank you for it someday! I know because I’ve thanked my mom…  Pretend that you are that little girl, full of expectation and dreams of motherhood. Float with your babes around the room and zoom around the neighborhood with your real stroller. May we start to look at motherhood through the innocent, fresh eyes of a young girl playing house. Because to them, motherhood is a joy. And, I think that’s just what our Heavenly Father wants motherhood to be.

Motherhood: A Fight to See

Today’s post is by Amy at Lavender *Sparkles*. She is the wife of Steve and the mother of two-year-old Elijah. I’ve been reading and enjoying her blog for a long time; you should too! Come back Wednesday for another guest post on motherhood.

It was fitting, perhaps, that I was on a walk with my toddler earlier this week when I was gently reminded of how to faithfully walk out the calling of motherhood. I was listening to a podcast (completely unrelated to parenting) in which the speaker noted that faith is the opposite of three things: sight, fear, and doubt. Of course, this isn’t earth-shattering; I know the familiar verse, “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7)–but I was struck by his first point, the direct way he phrased the definition: “Faith is the opposite of sight.”

The more I grow as a mother, the more convinced I am that motherhood is a fight to see: a fight to close my physical eyes and and view my life and my son with eyes of faith. Faith means trusting not what I see in front of me, and not what my emotions loudly proclaim, but what God says is true about Himself, about me, and about my circumstances.

For every moment that I marvel at the ridiculous kissability of my two-year-old’s round cheeks and sweet little lips, there are plenty more moments that my comfort-and-ease-worshipping heart seethes over the inconvenience of what I have been called to do. And it’s at these times when I have to fight to walk by faith, not sight. The only way I can fulfill this calling of motherhood is to trust God’s declaration that my son is a blessing, rather than my heart’s complaint that he is a burden.

The mushy feelings are nice – sometimes just looking at my little boy, I ache over how precious he is – but they aren’t enough to sustain my joy or fuel the endless work. Loving Elijah is a choice: a choice to close my eyes and see, a choice to turn off the inner monologue of complaint and run to my Father with pleas for help and whispers of thanks.

And it’s a choice to trust His promises: that however inadequate I feel, however often I screw up, He will always welcome my desperate begging for help, and He will always provide the grace I need to  walk by faith, not by sight.

My life as a stay-at-home mom often doesn’t look very beautiful at first glance. Diapers certainly aren’t pleasant, and meal planning isn’t exactly glamorous. But faith-eyes tell me that these are good works God prepared in advance for me to do today, simple tasks in which I can humbly honor Him.

When I stop critically evaluating my portion and examining everyone else’s greener grass, when I choose to believe what God says about these boundary lines He has laid out for my life (Psalm 16), I can call my inheritance beautiful.

So today, I will fight to see with eyes of faith.

Photo credit

Be Present as a Mother

I love this convicting quote from Joy at The Stay-at-Home Missionary:

“And, with being home, make sure that you aren’t absent while still ‘being’ there. Things like TV and computer can take you away from your high calling just as much as going somewhere in the car. 1 Timothy 5:13 talks about women going from house to house being idle busybodies. Well, I think that going from blog to blog” [my addition: or Facebook profile to Facebook profile] “could be the same thing. I’m not saying never visit blogs, just really do try to keep it in check.

So, if Facebook, Twitter, blogging, or e-mail is your thing….set a timer, and when it goes off, walk away! Spend time with your kids face to face, not just in the same room.”

Redesign and Refocus

Lately I’ve been feeling as though my blog is a little “me-centered.” I want it to be more of a ministry than it is. Don’t get me wrong; I like personal blogging and making friends thereby. And I think that especially as women, we really connect to a blog with a face and a personality.

But I still need to be a little more intentional and purposeful, although I’ve done better with my goal of writing more often. So along with a little layout update, I’ve rewritten my About page and will be continuing to work on being more thoughtful about what I write.

Photo credit

Recipe: red pepper tortellini bake

Photo and slightly-modified recipe from Finding Joy in My Kitchen

My criteria for recipes at this point in my life? Simple, easy to make, relatively healthy, and inexpensive. I like trying new things if they don’t require a lot of strange ingredients (too much money) or hours of labor (I have a 7-week-old) or techniques I’m unfamiliar with (too risky).

I was getting tired of my usual meals though, so I browsed around and found some new recipes this week. This was one of my favorites. My husband would have liked it better with alfredo sauce, but alfredo sauce made me sick once while I was pregnant, and ever since it’s made me gag (TMI, I know). Still, you could substitute alfredo sauce if you so pleased. You could also season to taste, use homemade sauce, etc. This is the super-simple version.

6 medium bell peppers (I used red, yellow, and orange)
2 medium or 1 large package of tortellini
1 t. salt
1 jar pasta sauce
2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded

Dice peppers and saute with olive oil until crisp-tender. Cook tortellini according to package directions. Pour half the jar of pasta sauce into 9×13-in. casserole dish. Add tortellini, peppers, and cheese. Add remaining pasta sauce. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 15 minutes; uncover and bake 15-20 more minutes. Voila!