Quote of the week

"I have a mustard seed, and I'm not afraid to use it."
Pope Benedict XVI

What is left.

There is a lovely lady at our church who has Alzheimer's. She has very little memory left, and frequently doesn't who where she is. She also can no longer remember who people are, including her family. Do you know the thing she can remember? That Jesus loves her. That God is good. That she will be going to heaven. And although she is sometimes confused she is also full of joys and smiles. And I am humbled and amazed by the grace of God. I know that this is not true of all people with Alzheimer's. Some people suffer a lot. But for this lady who has lost so much to this horrid disease the fact that God is good and loves her remains. And is shines out of her.

I have a totally unproved theory that in heaven God keeps our memories safe. All those things we forget. The way our children looked the first time we saw them, our own first glimpses of the world. They are all kept safe for us. And I look forward to seeing this lovely lady again. She will be with the Lord she loves so much, she will have the same joy and she will be restored.

Poorly

I have been ill. It was either a tummy bug or IBS that gets me sometimes. Either way I am well on the mend now. And I can only see it as a blessing (odd that). I really do believe that "all things work together for good". I have been so blessed with a fantastic husband who constantly puts us all before himself (and work). He stayed at home and looked after the girls so that I could rest and get better.
The other way it has been a blessing is that today, as I have no energy at all, I have put all those thing I "have" to do on hold. I have spent a really lovely morning with Tilly and Evelyn just playing on the floor and reading stories. It has been really lovely. And I think we have all benefited from some chill out time. My to-do-list has only 2 things on it today and one of them was writ ting this blog! The other was to change the CD's in the car, which I have also done. So all in all being ill was not nice at all (and I pray that my girls don't catch it). But the end result has been a blessing. I need to get down on the floor to play more often without illness dragging me there.

Modesty - a thought (and a bit of a rant)

Some people think I am a bit of a prude. Some people think I am odd and go over the top but I am a BIG fan of modesty. I am not talking about Laura Ashley dresses here, I am talking about being attractive, not attracting. (I stole that phrase from someone else!) I think we give men a really hard time. We all know that men are very visually focused and yet we continue to taunt them by wearing things that aren't ...er...helpful.

So you know what I am talking about when I say modesty here are the guide lines I have set myself and my girls. Skirts should be no shorter than knee length, trousers shouldn't hug bottoms too much , no bare midriffs, shoulders covered, no sexual/demeaning slogans. (I can't believe I have to say this about "children's" clothes.) The list could go on but you get the idea.

I think this has really begun to be an issue for me since I have had my 3 girls. I think that anything I expect them to do I should be doing already. I should be setting the example. I am also the one to teach them about modesty. I want them to start now so it isn't something that is suddenly imposed when they hit the pre-teen age. So I have started thinking a lot about what I wear and how covered I am. I have read LOADS of really encouraging things on line and it is good to know that there are others who share this view point. What worries me is how hard it is to find funky clothes that are modest (and not too expensive). I have taken to buying school skirts a couple of sizes to large for Martha just so they reach her knee. And it is getting harder and harder to buy clothes that cover my children. (I am very grateful for the recent rise in long skirts and tunic tops for me!)

I was shocked and horrified the other day when I saw a 4 year old girl wear a denim mini-skirt. It was barely long enough to cover her bottom. Yes, she was wearing thick tights but what sort of message are we sending out when we let our children dress like this. I think we are taking away their innocence. They should be given the chance to be children. They should not be dressed in scanty sexualising clothes. I want my girls to be known as people who love and care, who are helpful and considerate. I want people to see 'them', not what they look like. I want boys (in the very distant future) to notice their personalities before thinking them "fit". I also want them to not be stumbling point for men.

I am only at the beginning of this and am searching for the way forward. (I am thinking a lot about swimmies at the moment, and will let you know what I come up with.)I know that some people might think it I am silly and over-reacting. But I would prefer to land of the side of caution even if it seems over the top. I am trying to find a way of us dressing that reflects who we are. I don't mind being different. Jesus was different and he has called us to be the same. One of the way I am choosing to be different is in the way I dress myself and my children.

Any thoughts?

Honesty

The thing about blogging is that you share a part of you life. A part of yourself. I think that I, and others, share mainly the good or the funny bits. But life isn't like that. Life with 3 children under 5 is hard. I wouldn't change it. But it is hard. And I think that is one reason for my long blogging break. You don't want to come here and read things that are grumpy. But maybe you do.... maybe knowing I am not perfect will make you feel better about your own lack of perfection. So I have decided to blog regardless of my mood. Some days will be full of cheer and others full of woe. Like life really.

A name change

Today I want to change my name. Not the Amy bit... the "mummy" bit! Then I won't have to answer the 1000's of questions (most of which are repeats of previous questions) I won't have to cope with the whining, the demands. I won't have to break up the arguments. Today it would be nice if someone else was the mummy. They could hold the crying baby, who then continues to cry. They could cook meals that children won't eat. They can listen to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on repeat in the car.

But then they would be cuddled and kissed goodnight. They would get to kiss the ows better. It would be them who are begged to sit and watch TV, to play jigsaws, to read stories, to draw (very bad) pictures. They would be the ones to hear the "love you"s.

Maybe I will be the mummy after all.....

Me and my girls