SMEAC

While I was in Omaha at a Pastor and Leadership Conference I was asking the Lord how He wanted me to approach this school year. We have 12 people living in our home. 6 of them are little kids. Things are never quiet, never calm, never really organized, and it seems pretty hard to spend some quiet time with my children so I can focus on them. Here are some things the Lord showed me:

(1) Upon Waking In My Word: He showed me that in the morning, I am to wake up early, do a few chores, then be in my room reading out loud His Word. It doesn't matter if anyone's awake yet. I am to read out loud and as the sleep-eyed stragglers climb into bed with me, I am to continue to wash them with the water of the Word.

(2) Keep the Upstairs Clean and Separated: My husband and I, our four kids, and two others share the top floor for sleeping. However, during the day, it's mostly me and my kids who are home among the upstairs dwellers. The Lord showed me to have the upstairs always clean and a space where we can get away and be uninterrupted. My parents (who sleep downstairs) respect this and it blesses me a whole lot! We can bring our homeschool up into my bedroom. We can have our devotions, family prayer time, and alone talks upstairs. The kids can have their quiet time without being woken up. When the kids are overwhelmed, they'll often go upstairs and pull out a toy and sit alone and play.

(3) Plan Private Time: My husband and I sit with our kids every night and we do devotions and pray together. Just us 6. We also have a planned Family Night with the whole house on Friday Night. We have a date night planned Saturday Night. We then have a secluded family time with just us 6 on Sunday after church. We will go to the Farmer's Market, and then our to eat, or to a park, or for a walk. This gives the kids time and reassurance that we are their immediate family and we come first, and they come first to us. 

They need that one-on-one unrestricted time with their dad and I. 
We need that night when we as a household come together and pray and talk. 
Alex and I need that time to reunite as a single-minded strong force that holds this home before the Lord.

(4) Pray: Above all else, I have been praying so much more. I pray over every person in this house that the Lord will work in our hearts. That we can live in unity like in the book of Acts. That we would all lay down our lives for one another. That my children would grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ and see how much He loves them and how much family loves each other. I pray that I walk in the Spirit and NOT in the Flesh. I pray that the enemy doesn't divide us, but that we remain as a unit.

I have to say, comunnally living has it's blessings and it's ... well... rough patches. Not everyone agrees all the time. Not every one handles situations that same. But there is something so sweet about it. Something I think we miss out on in this country a lot. It can't quite put it in words, but I really like it. Alex and I have known this is how the Lord's called us to live since before we got married. I wish I could put into words what I'm trying to express here... I pray the Lord speaks to your heart about whatever it is He's trying to get across.

Don't give up Christian! 
When things get rough fall back on what God's told you!

It sometimes makes no sense from our standpoint, but you need to trust that God knows what He's talking about!

You know, my kids had a rough last month with all the changes and events going on. I asked the Lord what was going on and He showed me it was the chaos of things. I asked Him, "So do I stop the things goings on? Do we kick everyone out of our home and focus on the kids?!" He gently reminded me, "It's not the chaos that needs to change. It's their stable foundation that they need to be reminded of. Life is full of chaos. They're lives will always have change and hardships. They need to know in the midst of that chaos, they have your husband and you as their stability, their constant. They have me as their stability and their constant." He then proceeded to tell me the things above that I listed as our SMEAC (military term). 


Don't give up Christian! 
When things get rough fall back on what God's told you!

It sometimes makes no sense from our standpoint, but you need to trust that God knows what He's talking about!

So as I was beginning to explain in my previous post, I am so in love with being a parent!! One that gets to stay at home with my babies and teach them. I get to pour knowledge, wisdom, understanding into their little hearts and minds. I get to see those lightbulb moments when they understand something I've been showing them for so long. I get to share with them that I get frustrated, and I need to go into my room, close the door and pray, then I need to choose the joy of the Lord and walk through my frustrations. YOU CRY MAMA?!? Yes! But, I've been working on walking in the Spirit a LOT longer then you so I don't cry as much anymore. I trust that God's in control and I trust Him. I'm not as frustrated when I do that. 

I hope you're perspective on your children is still one that looks into their eyes with sheer joy and love. I pray you're filled with excitement on guiding these little one's through the beginning of their lives and then shooting them out into the world to make a difference, to live for Jesus! I pray that you're interceding and allowing Jesus to speak to their hearts and to do His work through you into them. 

Don't give up Christian! 
When things get rough fall back on what God's told you!

It sometimes makes no sense from our standpoint, but you need to trust that God knows what He's talking about!