What I learn from Santa today...

Today we went shopping at one of our local super stores. They had a very fake Santa (I think he must have been 20) for your child to meet and get a free 5x7 pic of. I am cheap and free is always better than well waiting in line for the real guy. So we meet him, get her picture taken and tell "Santa" what she wants for Christmas. We go on with our shopping and over 1 hour later I went to get our picture. "Oh, did you mean you wanted the picture today?" said the snippy customer service "expert". You can come back tomorrow to get it.

Now, I do not know about you, I never just go into a store. I told him this was really great marketing on behave of the store but very poor customer service.

This got me thinking how often how often is customer service over looked because it is no longer expected? Marketing brings us in the store, yet so often I over look the rudeness that makes then richer. They do not need to insist on quality service or quality products only a good price and convenience.

In my life I want people to see quality and be attracted to my friendship....can Marketing and customer service go hand in hand?

Choice Your Friends Wisely

Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. -Proverbs 13:20

Our 6 yr old is now making her own friends.  She sees girls who are big into drama, others who make fun of or leave girls out, and some who just watch it all (I believe she is the later). So she asked me about my friends and why they are my friends. Tough question, I do not have a ton of friends. Yet the ones I have I deeply treasure. 

Here is what I know:

1. I look for people I want to be like. They all have things that challenge me to be better. Some are super sweet, others honest and even awesome moms. 

2. Friends are things we choice, you do not need to be around someone mean. Life is short choose your friends well.

3.You must be kind and include everyone but you do not need to let everyone in your heart! It took me years to get to this and I know I am not perfect hopefully I can pass on my wisdom so she can learn faster than her mom.

4. My friends do not need to be perfect in fact I love them more when they are not! I love going to a friend's messing house, it makes me see them as the really live I know we are close when that happens (even more when they can come to my house with out notice)

5. Girlfriends are a must for my life. They can challenge you or uplift you. They understand things only girls get.

6. A good friend becomes a great friend over time. I want people to love me and be my bff right away.  It takes time and lots of vulnerability. 

7. Some friends you can see once a year and pick up where you left of. You have invested enough time and trust to know you can be yourself no matter how much time that has past. 

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38

This verse has been running through my head for weeks. It is a great principle. I believe that it can be a life changing challenge. 

This is the season we all start thinking about others who are less fortunate. Yet this verse goes beyond seasonal gift giving and charity work. It is a lifestyle. 

I am thinking about this as a mom. How do you teach this principle to you kiddos? Yes, by example is the first thing I think of. Then I think about my childhood. My parents were generous people, yet I did not learn this principle by watching them. I have learned this by taking steps of faith myself. I then know the measure I have used (no one can measure what a quarter means to you when things are tight) you leaving a quarter in the cart at Aldi's carts when it is your last one and you just spent your last dollar for the month on eggs and bread. God sees that measurement. I have learned that when you give to be given to your motive is part of the measurement.  

I want to teach my daughter this life changing verse and help her in a safe environment that God's measurements are always bigger than we deserve. 

I need to go beyond teaching and step up my game as well. Is it time to get out my bigger measuring cup. 

Lord, lead my gifts and sacrifices :)

stalled = frustration?

You know when sometimes you hit a wall or hit a plateau. That has been my feeling in my areas of my life. I have been on a lifestyle change or diet for 18 months, and I have hit a plateau. My level of frustration has hit an all time high. I still have 20 lbs to go to my next goal and no matter what I do I seem to stay within 5 lbs up and down.

Now if weight was the only placed I felt like I am not making progress, I could make some changes in that area. I have felt like life is full of things I am stalled in. I would list them but you are not hear to read all my failures.

This Sunday I was driving to church, running late and thinking I it is time to give up on being healthy, yes I have meet most of my goals but I am stalled in weight which has caused so much frustration.  My frustration had reached an all time high so after church I was going home to eat something out of a box with a side of a pan of brownies. Now as you can guess I am in service daydreaming of all the ways I can break my "diet", when the pastor says something that stops me in my tracks.... If you are stalled at something and are frustrated that shows you care and will overcome whatever you are stalled in (yes that is my paraphrase his was more elegant and with scripture).

I realized that my frustration is a sign of how much I care about my health. I really do want to be a person of health and balance. I can not give into the numbers on the scale, it is a day by day (for me minute by minute) choice. I can do all things through Him who gives me strength...I believe that can be physical, emotional, and spiritual strength!

Baby Steps

When our daughter was 3 we took our only daughter to her 3 yr check up. The Dr. was concerned about her speech development. I remember being so upset and angry. This was my baby and she was perfect, no one could tell me different. It was a tough time, we went and had her evaluated by the school district. She started speech preschool a week later with a speech IEP.

I am not going to sugar coat it, lots of tears! I look back know and she only had maybe 2 words other people could have understood. My thought was okay we will work hard with her and soon she will be at the same level as the other 3 year olds. After many conferences, most which I was in tears for. We started private speech therapy so she would be caught up by kindergarten. Lots of private tears and road blocks.

I saw her struggle in so many ways because of her speech. She struggled making friends, speaking to any adult, she struggled showing her intelligence and so much more. It is so funny the things that stick with you, I remember when she was almost 5 she got a book with a dog that barked when you said the right words in the book. She tried so hard to get the dog to bark and my heart broke every time it did not work. She go so frustrated when it barked every time when I said the right words, I was thrilled when the batteries died.

The road has been long and full of tears. Days of frustration and fights because we did not understand  each other (imagine a 3 yr old who can not communicate - boy I hope to never relive that time)

She still has a little way to go. The other day her little dog went to the Dr (her mom) and got "fixed", and tonight in the car I was the one in tears because she said "Jingle, you are a good boy" and the dog barked. My was so happy! It has been hard work for her and I am so proud. She has never given up, she is so smart and thriving.

So glad is God is charge. My timing would have been weeks, His has been years. She needed to go through this to be the one of sweetest, most compassionate, giving little girl I have every meet.

We Make Pretty Babies

I am aware of the taboos of having an only child. Many people do not understand and are very rude about a small family. Many people do not see the struggles of a mom with an only child.

 God has chosen to give us one child and we are blessed to have her. It is hard to feel inferior to all women with more than one child. I work very hard at being a good mom but you never measure up to a woman who could carry babies better than you.

Being a mom of an only you deal with stereo typing (spoiled only child), a lonely child, questioning why God decided you should only have one, the same 24 hours to be super mom, and much more no one ever sees.

I believe that yes it must be very difficult to have lots of kids, yet I know that it is hard to look into your daughter's watery eyes and tell her you know a sister sounds good, but for now we are trusting in God. Being a mom of an only I am still a mom who struggles with different problems than most.

Next time you talk to a mom with one child be kind, you do not know her story. Having more children does not make you more of a mom, we all struggle with lack of time and insecurities. Remember no one see your tears and you do not see theirs!

Mixed Message

I am a huge fan of Christmas. I love celebrating everything it means to me, Jesus' birth, family, traditions and so much more. This year I am so excited I wanted to put up our decorations early. I went to my 6 yr old for support to get the decorations up early, knowing she loves it more than I do. Her response surprised me she said "no thank you mom. I want to enjoy our thanksgiving tree."

Then today we were out shopping (not a surprise I start Christmas shopping in August, saves me a ton of money when you can look for deals) and we were at a store with all Christmas and no Thanksgiving or fall decor. She turned to me and said what happened to Thanksgiving mom do people not believe in it?

Wow, I was speechless and convicted. This year I was trying to rush passed being grateful and go start to the season that tends to be about being greedy. I am not going to only proclaim on Facebook how thankful I am, I need to be an example to the little one who is watching me in everything I do. Thankfulness is an important part of life and I do not need a holiday to remind me of it. I did need a little girl to remind me that a holiday should not be skipped over because it is a everyday part of our life. Maybe it should be celebrated more because of it.

* a disclaimer I am still jealous of all who can enjoy the Christmas decor longer, all of the people I know who do that are very good at celebrating both holidays. This is just for my family this year!

Thankful Tree

Every year I try to focus on thankfulness. Through out the year, at every dinner we go around and share 2 things we are thankful for that day. Some days we are rejoicing in big events and others just thankful to be home! Being thankful makes us look outside of our situation and see the big picture.

This year for one of my thoughts was to do a thankful tree. I got a simple stick and put it in a vase. Then I came up with a list of categories we would find things to be thankful in. I did this for a couple reasons. First, I wanted our little girl to see that there was more to be thankful for than her current interests. And second, I thought it might be fun to see what everyone valued. It is fun for me to get to know my family in simple things.

Here is the list I made up:

1. Thankful for a specific friend
2. Thankful for an event or gift you have been given
3. Thankful for a toy or something in nature
4. Thankful for something God has done for you
5. Thankful for something at school or work
6. Thankful for something that has happened this last year
7. Thankful for a change in your life
8. Thankful for something you have that most of the world does not
9. Thankful for something you have accomplished
10. Thankful for what makes our family special
11. Bonus (anything you want)
12. Bonus (anything you want)

It was so fun to hear and see all we have to be thankful for. We are truly blessed!