Birthday Time

The shopping experience in Pucallpa leaves much to be desired. When it comes to shopping for birthdays you find yourself scratching your head and wondering what in the world would they like from the Wikito. That would be the market that has every cheap gadget available. Cheap is key though. It might last the day in our house. We have been fortunate this year to have been able to shop online and have different people hand-carry gifts down for the kids. It takes planning but it's been fun. However, I didn't know I would be able to do that for each of them so I decided early on that I would do my best to make them each a fancy cake and stress the importance and fun that just spending the day with friends brings. Not that they didn't get any gifts from friends but this year I didn't want them to desire a "big party for all the gifts". We've had three parties now in the last three months and I'm glad they are over. It's a ton of work doing cakes. I wouldn't say I'm especially gifted but I tried and the outcome wasn't that bad. This last party though the cakes were literally melting away but once they were cut they got eaten pretty quick.

I'm glad for my 2010 plan for parties - I think they've sensed a certain freedom in not EXPECTING the gifts but being delighted with what they did get. And there was no lack for receiving for sure. One more party to go but I have until November to think up a good one. It just might take me that long. This mommy is partied out.

“I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty and joy to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble”. Helen Keller

Isn't that a great quote. My dear friend posted it on Facebook and I've had it on the brain since. My normal train of thought runs along these lines: "if only I could speak Spanish I could..." and there's a whole host of things I could do! "If only my kids went to school I could..." Again, a whole host of things could fill that time. But the "if onlys" and "what ifs" are not part of this life right now. I am called to do the humble tasks AS IF they were great and noble. And with joy. Now there's the clincher. I'm more of a melancholy personality. No excuse. With a daily dose of perspective and a moment to count all my many blessings then let the joy flow out of me. And what are my blessings?
I am a child of a King - the King of Kings.
I am forgiven.
I am loved.
I have the best family in the world - a husband who loves me and four awesome kids.
I have to privilege to teach my own kids and spend that precious time with them.

I am a busy mom of four but I long to live my life worshipping my Savior even when I'm taking care of dirty bottoms, chasing naughty dogs, teaching a new lesson or preparing a meal for a guest. "I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty and joy to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble." May this great quote be reflected in my life - to the glory of God.