Christmas Blessings

Well, there are far too many blessings to mention in just one post, and I do hope to be blogging about more of them in detail in the future. But, there are 2 blessings I wanted to mention today. They are:

"The Faithful Parent: A Biblical Guide to Raising a Family" by Martha Peace & Stuart Scott
"Don't Make Me Count to Three! A Mom's Look at Heart-Oriented Discipline" by Ginger Plowman

Many thanks to my parents and my sister-in-law, Jessi, who got me these books. I've already started reading them. If there's one thing that God has used my children to teach me, it's humility. Realizing I have no idea what I'm doing and that I desperately need His help is a daily occurrence. I'm so grateful for other godly believers that have studied Scripture and have written books on how to apply Biblical truths to parenting. I'll keep you posted on the truths God teaches me as I read these books.

Here are a couple of "blurbs" from each of the books:

"Parents and children need help from the One who is perfect, who understands our need, and who can really help us - God Himself. Because of that, the most important relationship in your family is your relationship with Him. That's the relationship The Faithful Parent emphasizes."

On Don't Make Me Count to Three! - "Through personal experience and practical application of Scripture, Ginger Plowman encourages and equips moms to reach past the outward behavior of their children and dive deeply into the issues of the heart."

I'm so excited to continue reading both of these!

Mormons and a Sibling Date

The boys wore me down yesterday. You know it's one of those days when you don't get to shower until 4:45 p.m. And I really wanted to shower because we were planning to go out with all of my siblings last night. So, I was praising the Lord that I was able to take a quick one. Anyways, while I was finishing up blow drying my hair and getting ready I had Kendrick watching Thomas the Train and Camden was in the bathroom with me in his bouncy seat. Kendrick came running to the bathroom saying, "Someone's here, someone's here."

I rushed to the door to look out the peephole and discovered there were 2 Mormon missionaries standing outside our door. I rushed back to the bedroom to put the rest of my clothes on and then opened the door. As soon as I did the oven timer went off - indicating that our dinner was ready. After I took that out of the oven I was able to talk with the missionaries for a couple of minutes.

Later, after Kyle got home, we set up a date with them next week. They're going to come back so we can talk some more. I'm so excited. You never know when God is going to drop a witnessing opportunity into your lap. I certainly wouldn't have guessed it would be yesterday evening when everything was crazy around here. Some would say it's crazy to try to "argue" or discuss Biblical truth with the Mormon missionaries that come to your door. But I'm excited about it. Who knows what God could choose to do. This morning I was reading in Revelation 7:10 - "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" I'm so grateful and humbled that God used the Holy Spirit to draw me to Himself and that I do have true salvation. I know the true God, the One who sits on the throne. He's my Father, and His Son has redeemed me with His own blood. How can I not want to share that with those coming to my door to discuss that very topic?

After the missionaries left we ate dinner and headed over to Mom & Dad's in Indianola. Chad, Erica, Isaac and Aubrie are back from Colorado for the week - yay!! We were able to talk the grandparents into watching all 4 of our kids while all of the siblings went out for coffee. I seriously cannot remember the last time we did this, and it was such a blessing! Thank you, Dad & Mom! Carrie introduced us to Smokey Row, a coffee shop in Des Moines, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

I love my family. Each time I get to spend time with all of them it makes me miss them more. God is so good to give them to me. It definitely made me homesick for heaven. I couldn't help but think of that this morning as I was reading Revelation. It will be a wonderful day when we won't have to say goodbye to loved ones, when we'll be reunited with loved ones that are already there, and with believers from all the ages. And the most exciting things - no more daily sin struggles and getting to meet Jesus - I can't even begin to imagine how amazing those will be.

Revelation 7:17
"for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Maybe today?!

Christmas Happenings

It has been crazy busy around our house this past week. Monday morning when we got up I let out a huge sigh of relief . . . all of our extra activities were DONE, and we only have family events left. Yay! As much as I LOVE all of the extra activities, they are a lot of work, and it is good to have them done and to get ready for some much needed family time.

Since I don't have a lot of time to blog right now, I thought I would just post a few pictures of our extra activities and blog about them later. :)

Here are the youth group boys and Kyle at our house for the Christmas party.

And the lovely ladies.

Kendrick napping - he was worn out - love how he is sleeping in his Christmas sweater with Buzz and his blankie.

Camden's Christmas photo shoot while Kendrick was napping. My little baby is getting so big!

A Picnic

We've been stuck inside a lot lately due to the cold weather, so we had a picnic the other day in our awesome tent that Grammy Noll made for us. Here are a few pictures of the boys enjoying themselves . . .

Caleb enjoying his milk

Kendrick hamming it up

Both boys in the tent - what fun!

More from Isaiah

This morning has been quite eventful . . .

Caleb found my exercise ball and had the plug pulled out and water everywhere before I could stop him.

While Caleb was napping Kendrick was "helping" me make sugar cookies and we ended up with flour all over each other and Camden. (Camden looked like an old man with gray hair) This resulted in Camden getting a bath, which actually went quite well because I did not get peed or pooped on. :)

Kendrick decided to "color" on the oven with his snot, and while I was cleaning it up he tried to lick it. I am certain he learned this from his father, not me. Or, maybe it was one of his uncles?

I truly love the variety these boys bring to my day. They make me laugh with their antics, and I praise God for them.

On a more serious note - tantrums and disobedience have been abounding here in our home. I felt like God did (though on a lesser level I am certain) in Isaiah 65:2-3 -

"I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, according to their own thoughts. A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face."

On Sunday morning I was discussing tantrums with a friend in the nursery, and she shared some godly wisdom with me. She shared with me the importance of true forgiveness. For example, after I've administered discipline, and if my children are repentant, the issue is done. I need to be God-like in my response to their repentance - Psalm 103:11-12 - "For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."

So often I sin in response to continued disobedience because even though we've been resolving issues all day, I hold an account in my heart. I keep a tally - I've already spanked you X amount of times today, you should be obeying by now. If I am truly living in the Spirit and attempting to imitate Christ in this, I will not keep account after I've already forgiven my son.

The other aspect of this is to remember that my children will never come close to sinning against me as much as I have sinned against God. I don't want to be like the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18 who didn't have compassion on his fellow servant. "Each of you, from your heart, forgive your brother his trespasses." May God enable me to forgive my children from my heart on a daily basis.

Croup at the Noll House

It's currently 8:25 a.m.
Camden is fed and is now napping.
I have exercised and read my Bible.
Kyle got breakfast, his lunch and left for work.
Caleb & Kendrick have clean diapers and have eaten breakfast.
I just finished my breakfast.
Kendrick & Caleb are playing happily.

Therefore . . . I get to blog :)

We've had an interesting week here at the Noll house. God decided to allow us to get sick, and I had no idea how crazy that would be with an additional child. Never really thought about it before, but now I know. It started last Friday and we are still recovering. Kendrick had croup, and Camden had an upper respiratory infection. I've had a cold, and since I'm nursing, no drugs for me. What a week . . . snotty noses, coughing fits, diarrhea, getting puked on more than I can count, green poo, irregular eating habits, no sleep . . . sigh . . . this has caused me to be much more grateful that my children are usually healthy. Praise God for that!

Early Sunday morning I was attempting to nurse Camden - praying he would keep some of the milk down so he wouldn't get dehydrated. I hadn't slept much and was weary, and I was trying to figure out how Kyle & I could fulfill our responsibilities at church that morning with our 2 boys being sick. As I was sitting there reading my Bible, this is what I read:

"Have you not know?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the LORD,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint."

Wow. How awesome. I was so overwhelmed with emotion, tiredness and gratefulness to God for these truths that I just cried. How good God was to allow me to read this passage in Isaiah. These truths are what has gotten me through the past week. God is good. He is the everlasting Creator. He has designed my circumstances for my good and His glory. Of course I will grow weary and faint, but He will not. That is the whole point. I need Him. I am nothing on my own. I can only find strength in Him. Any strength that I have is because of Him. I am so grateful He allowed us to be sick this last week. I needed to be reminded of these truths. Those who wait on the LORD will renew their strength. Thank You, Lord, for teaching me again to wait on You.

Called to Be A Blessing

1 Peter 3:8-9
"Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing."

I was reading this on Friday and thought it was cool how Peter words this. As believers, we are called to be a blessing to others. Whether they are doing us good or evil, our response is to be the same. It's our job, one of the reasons God has left us here on this earth. It was awesome too, how as my day went on, God allowed opportunities across my path for me to endeavor to live out these verses. It also made me more grateful for those He allowed to bless me that day. Whom have you endeavored to be a blessing to today?

Christmas is Coming

Kyle helped me put the tree up last weekend, and so far it has survived the 3 boys. I didn't do a tree last year because Kendrick was into EVERYTHING and I didn't want to fight him on a tree. This year I decided to brave it, and Kendrick & Caleb have been doing great. Praise the Lord!


Here are all 3 boys together.

My two - Kendrick and Camden

Camden - smiling away

Kendrick - all too willing to pose for the camera.

Yesterday I listened to a sermon by Jerry Bridges on "Trusting God." It was very good. Here's a quote that encouraged me - "The promises of God are as real as the circumstances you are in." I'm praising God for this today.

Hebrews 13:5
"I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Kendrick-isms (funny things Kendrick does)

This morning I overheard Kendrick in the bathroom, playing with his trains on the toilet. He had his Percy and James trains sitting on the toilet lid.

"Percy, have a yucky? James is tooting. I'll help you."

A few seconds later, "Percy, all done? Done with your yucky? James, all done tooting?"

It was all I could do to not burst into laughter. I love this boy. I think he's ready to be potty trained. Lord willing we will begin that endeavor after Christmas.

Later today I found Kendrick staring up at the Christmas tree. I said, "Are you looking at the tree?"

"Oh yes. Looking up in the tree." Then he lifted up his finger and pointed at the tree. "Zaccheus, you come down! Going to your house today."

Did I mention that I love this boy?

Camden is doing well - growing like crazy. He had his 2 month check up today. He weighed in at 14 pounds, 11 ounces and is in the 99th percentile. My mom said he's taking after his Uncle Chad. Camden also got his first shots today, poor boy. Kendrick wanted to hold his hand while the nurses were giving him the shots. I let him sit up next to Camden - it was so sweet, how protective Kendrick was of his brother. We're having fun here in our little apartment. I'm praising God for these wonderful boys He has given me.