Confessions of a Shoplifter

Oh Goodness, I really did it today. In my whole life I have never shoplifted.... today was a first.

OOPS!

So here's the story. My 3 yr old and I made a quick run to Wal-Mart to pick up some goods and hand soap. He was really into the hand soap smell so he was holding it while I went to the self-check out line. I got all done paying and bagging and was headed out the door.

I walked through the sliding doors and headed to the parking lot and looked down. There was the hand soap. Immediately I thought "aww man, I'm gonna have to turn around and wait in the mile long customer service line to pay for that"....then it went straight to "nah, it's only $1, Wal-Mart won't miss $1."

WHAT?! What in the world made that my first thought? So I continued on to the car. (with the thought floating in the back of my mind that there was a security guard headed behind me about to club me over the head because I just "casually shoplifted" $1 hand soap.)

I loaded the car up and buckled Aiden in and was backing out of my parking spot. No sooner did I start backing out that I started feeling what you call CONVICTION. My heart started beating so bad, a mental war started raging in my head. You can say it was your classic angel/devil on your shoulder thing.

I pulled down the aisle and I seriously felt like I could have a heart attack by the conviction of not turning around to pay for that. All the while I was reasoning in my head "it's only $1, not worth the 10 min. to go stand in line and pay". But then I clearly heard God say “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." Which is from Luke 16:10.

WOW! I immediately turned around.

It was funny when I walked back in, 2 Wal-Mart ladies were at the door to help people with returns get the little stickers, and they were like "excuse me mam, are you returning that?" I had to explain that we walked out with it in the cart and I forgot to pay for it.... needless to say they and my cashier all looked at me like I was crazy to not just walk away with.

It not only turned into a valuable lesson for Aiden, but for me most of all! What was going on in me to try to cut corners like that, laziness!? Wow, it humbled me. It brought to reality how easy it really is to cut corners and hide sin, and try to get away from it. I also realize if I give that a little foothold it will become a snowball effect and my heart would get hardened to the voice of God and conviction. Which, least to say, puts the fear of God in me!

Have you ever found yourself trying to cut corners?

"Haha, I Am Funny!"

Today was a very Bittersweet day for me.... Sweet in that it was the Awards day for the last day of school for Aiden at Mom's Morning Out at our church (it's a 2 day a week preschool). Bitter in the fact that it was the last day of school, this year... and for Aiden in MMO. boo!

So I am just so proud of my boy- he won the award "The Best Comedian". It just made my day! Sometimes you wonder, do other people see what I see in my kid... and I'm so thankful for the amazing teachers at that school, they do see his humor! :) He asked me what comedian meant and I told him it meant he was funny, and he said "Yeah, haha, I AM funny!".

Seriously, that school has blessed me beyond measure... it has been amazing watching Aiden learn, develop and grow there. I am so sad it's time for him to move on..... it makes me really look forward to the future and more school days.

Have you ever won any awards in school? The only one that comes to my memory was my senior year of high school I won one... it's shallow so I won't even mention it here. lol but I did get ONE! hahaha

Rebel

I feel like "I'm In Rebellion" lately! (note that is the title track on this CD). So we like to be culturally diverse in our family, especially when it comes to music. The hottest CD in our family right now (besides the new Israel CD!) is the latest LaCrae Rebel CD.

Here's the reason I'm rebelling. It all started one day a few weeks ago when the boys were both in bad moods. We were on our way to the park, and the weather was beautiful outside. I usually turn the music up when they start getting fussy to hopefully distract them enough and get them listening to music. Well, this CD happen to be in and so I cranked it up and the car was thumping....

All of a sudden I realized there was a big buzzing bug in the car so I rolled down the windows to get it to fly out, all the wind made the boys start laughing hysterically so I kept them down... therefore I had to turn the music up louder.

I wasn't even thinking of how this looked.... we pulled up to a stop light with THUMPING music and the windows down and 2 little white boys and 1 white mama in the car... looked over at the car next to me and saw a rather small car full of rather large brothas next to me- all I can say is they got quite a laugh from us. :) Eli was in the back waving his arms in the air and Aiden was trying to copy what he was hearing. (I must get this on video soon!) When LaCrae starts rapping really fast (on track #2) Aiden thinks it sounds like he's screaming and rubbing his arm across his mouth. And I was just entertaining it all.

... so it's become a tradition now with me and my 2 boys to blast this CD and drive around town with the windows down. This has now become one of the highlights of a car drive through Tally.... if you see us on the road, make sure you watch for a show!

So Simply

It amazes me how when reading our kids Bible with them every night, I end up getting revelation! We read a story every night in their kiddie Bible and pretty much every night I get something out of it. I have even found myself referring to it when I'm talking with people and in Discipleship moments! haha.

I love this version, it has great pictures to keep the kids interested and it makes the Word so simple that it allows for God to speak the deep truths. When the new year began we started reading the Bible from cover to cover, and it's also pretty amazing to me that we just happen to be on the stories that coordinate with THIS very weekend- Good Friday & Easter! We started when Aiden was about 18 months old, and I'm excited for both boys to get into the stories together. It's also been fun watching Ross get into the story telling part (acting it out and all!) Who said I was the dramatic one of the family?!

So, if you find it hard to read your own Bible (you know, the ones without pictures) maybe you should pick up a kids one! lol (note: I do read my own bible every day too, this isn't considered my quality time with Jesus alone, haha).

Pup Pup

This post is for all the dog lovers out there....

Our beloved Bichon Frise Porter (Porterhouse Tank Middleton) is turning 5* years old this April 28th and it boggles my mind that after 5 years of being groomed he has "issues" when he gets home. We have been to several different groomers and he has about the same reaction everytime.... but thankfully since we've been to our new Vet, South Monroe Animal Hospital, he has been WAY better.

His typical routine after a grooming/ vet visit is sleeping in his cage for about a week, no eating, hardly going outside to pee or anything, and when he does emerge from his cage (bed) he runs and sits immediately as if he has been violated. It's so sad to watch.... yet amusing at the same time (since it's consistent after every visit). I feel bad for him, but after 5 yrs I wonder, is this normal?

Fortunately since he's been to this new vet, it's only lasted about 2 days instead of 7. :) Does your dog act weird after a vet/grooming visit?

* Thanks to Kelly catching it, Porter is turning 5, not 4- oops! :)

Baby Boys

This blog entry is 2 fold....

1. My Baby Boy, Eli, Has OFFICIALLY started walking!!! It was friday night at 7:38pm and my mom and I were in the boy's bedroom reading to them. We weren't even paying attention and as we sat across the room, Eli crawled over to his crib and stood up. He pulled out his puppy stuffed animal and started saying "puppy! puppy!" and walked like 6 steps over to us holding his puppy. My mom and I were so focused on the book we only saw it out of the corner of our eye, but then I realized what was happening and I yelled "HE's WALKING!" and my mom says "OH MY GOSH! I thought I saw that, but it didn't click... " haha. He was so proud! He did it over and over again... and has now kept it up for days! YAY! Only took 16 months! lol

2. For all you wives out there: Ever notice how when your husband gets a cold, or sick in any way, they immediately revert to acting like they are 3 years old? It just amazes me. I know I have heard this same thing from many of my friends. It's so funny to me, and can tend to grate on my nerves, depending on the severity (or lack there of) the sickness. My hubby gets a cough and all of a sudden it's like Zoolander "{cough, cough} I've got the black lung..."

I love my hubby (baby boy #2 in this blog), in sickness and in health... note to self though, when I get sick, I will milk it for all it's worth now too. :)