Outsourced

Birthday cake making ranks right there with changing poopy diapers for me...unfortunately I can rarely outsource the poop, but the cake...that can be delegated to Oma (aka Grandma) who actually enjoys the process of making an elaborate creation that is destined for destruction. But don't worry, Oma, this is the place that I can immortalize the amazing Dora cake...





Happy 3rd Birthday, Sweet Aliana!

Hmmm...

So, I'm thinking about doing this experiment, maybe officially, maybe on my own, but definitely would like to try...six items or less for a month...

Considering the fact I'm not much of a fashionista (that's an understatement; I mean, I wear the same flip-flops all summer, and only have 2 pairs of "winter" shoes. But I do love jeans. And t-shirts.), I figure it'd kinda be cheating for me to do it, but still, it's interesting. I'm guessing I wouldn't find it much different than what I already do. I must admit I often find myself only reaching for the same items of clothing anyway.

A much more radical experiment here: The Great American Apparel Diet. I tried this (I mean, not this specific experiment, but just my own "New Year's Resolution" to not buy clothes for a year) a few years back...I made it about 8 months and then broke down and bought some clothing article. Can't even remember what it was...

I find these experiments interesting for a number of reasons...lately I've been feeling like my house is vomiting STUFF and I'm so tired of it. But then I still want to buy stuff. What is that? I feel that God's reminder that He is all we need and the mandate to use our money for kingdom purposes is often drowned out by the materialism pushed on us by society.

I also find it really annoying that I had to push a toddler screaming through Target...for what, you ask? She wanted a piggy bank and by the time I bought trash bags and toilet paper (the whole purpose of the trip), the whole store knew what Ali wanted. A piggy bank. Didn't even know she knew what one was. So, the knowledge my daughter is also being programmed to want more frightens me. Because I have the same urge. And it's really strong when it comes to my kids. I love buying them stuff. And then I hate that my house is cluttered with that same stuff. An interesting conundrum.

Then Pete and I watch this on PBS last night: Beyond Babyland. Mega-convicting and a good reminder that there is a huge gap in our own country. I mean seriously, I have WAY.MORE than I could ever need while people are living in poverty right around the corner from me. And then I read this on the blog on earth as it is in heaven The disparity is huge. And I have to figure out a way to live with it. My way is to live with less. And I need huge reminders of that many, many times. I let greediness creep back into my life and forget the blessed and eternal ways to spend money.

And then there's this: Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money (or the stuff money can buy).

Confessions

I am sometimes self-conscious about the way I look. There, I said it. But I think most girls probably are, right? And having just had a baby, my self-consciousness is at an abnormal high. And being in a bathing suit that didn't exactly fit all week on vacation didn't help. And the fact that only a very few clothes of mine fit doesn't help either. Thankfully my love affair with jeans for my entire life has guaranteed me some faithful standby pairs due to owning way too many jeans in a variety of sizes.

I was thinking this week, though, that I want to be careful about how I think about myself b/c I am a model to my girls. And whether or not I feel good about my weight or what I currently look like affects my girls! My identity rests in Jesus Christ, not in what I weigh, what size I wear, my hairstyle, my clothes, my face, etc...passing on the peace and self-confidence that can only come from a solid understanding of who I am as a daughter of God is so very important to me...and how can I teach that to my girls without deeply and truly believing it myself? So...I will NOT listen to the lies that tell me I have to be skinnier, own more stylish clothes, have perfect skin, etc. Even right now, when I'm obsessing (yes, it's true) about losing baby weight. Stop obsessing, Emily, stop! (That's a little self-talk for you...haha!)

And, after all...even if I don't lose all the baby weight...just look at them. Aren't they worth it? I am beyond blessed and so grateful for my 3 beautiful daughters!!!!