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Category: Michelle Lee Harley Colson
Lasting Memories!
When you have a small child or children, things can get hectic and chaotic to say the least! Hearing someone say “Enjoy this time because they don’t stay small long” or “They grow so fast” can cause you to shake your head in disbelief or say out loud, Yeah Right. You might be thinking those hectic and chaotic times will last forever but trust me it will pass quickly. This is coming from a mother who has a 23 year old daughter and 21 year old son! My babies are adults now and no longer live at home. It really does seem like I blinked and they are grown. I was blessed to get to stay home with my kids until they both went to school so I know how overwhelming it can be. Being a mom is so much more than a full time job but such a rewarding one!!
I honestly miss the days when I could hold them in my arms, read them a bedtime story, wanting to sleep in the bed with us, hearing mom for the hundredth time, watching their favorite cartoon over and over, watching them sleep, taking/picking them up from school, going to the park, running sounds throughout the house, hearing mom come play with me, getting the floor wet at bath time, or hearing their voices/faces change throughout the years. No I am not crazy, just a mom that is a empty nester that misses these days!
My advice to anyone with small children now or in the future is take lots of pictures/videos not just on birthdays, or holidays. Have a camera/phone available when a moment presents itself like: their funny faces when they eat something they don’t like, being sweet for no reason, holding their bottle for the first time, rolling over, sitting up, their first tooth, first haircut, using the potty all by themselves, saying something they learned, putting on their shoes or so many other moments you will be glad you captured as they get older.
Another thing to do is write down these things if you don’t have a camera or phone at the time because you won’t remember everything! My son was always making jokes or being funny when he was younger so I wish I would have wrote down those jokes/moments so I can look back at them. My daughter decided for some reason when she was 2 years old at 3 am to stand on the toilet in the dark and cover herself in shaving cream. My husband and I heard something so we went into the bathroom and saw her, of course we laughed so hard at her. I wish I had wrote down her facial expression or took a picture so we could remember and continue to laugh at that moment.
I am that mom who took a lot of pictures and videos but I didn’t write down certain moments that happened so fast! I am thankful for what I do have because they can have those memories long after I am gone. I would say to do this with not only your children but with family/friends because we won’t always have them. My dad passed away when my kids were 5 and 7 so they don’t remember a whole lot of stuff but I have a lot of pictures and videos that I show them so they will remember who he is! I want to remember for myself also. Lets go ahead and invest into those memories that will bring us joy generations to come!
One of the biggest impact on my faith!
The 2 people that has had the biggest impact on my faith is my father-in-law and mother-in-law….They are not perfect but they live out a real relationship with Jesus everyday! I have been in the family for 26 years now and not once have they allowed people, heartaches, or disappointments hinder their faith.They are known by a lot of people and I have never heard anyone say any negative thing about them.
When I first started dating my husband, I saw true love. I wasn’t raised in church and I didn’t know what real love looked like. From the moment they met me, they showed love and treated me with kindness. They are the reason why I wanted a relationship with Jesus. I wanted the joy, love, peace, and hope that they had and still have.
They let me know with love what was and wasn’t allowed in their home. I had no problem respecting them because they never made me feel bad or treated me differently. My husband was raised in church and he went to church if he wasn’t working because that was important in his house. He gave his heart to the lord! Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
As born again believers, the world is supposed to see us act and talk differently if we profess to have a relationship with Jesus. Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. They should want the joy, peace, love, and hope that we have. We aren’t perfect but we are supposed to be like Jesus! 1 John 2:6 Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
I have a lot of respect for my in-laws and I am thankful the Lord put them in my life. We have had disagreements but they have always showed the love of Jesus. I truly believe God put me in this family because he knew I would not only hear the gospel but see it lived out! That’s my prayer is to live out the gospel so someone will come to know Jesus!
Taming Your Tongue
Psalms 141:3 Set a watch, O lord before my mouth: Keep the door of my lips. Father, set a watch over my mouth.
Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 34:13 Keep (my) tongue from evil and (my) lips from speaking deceit. Lord, I can’t do this with your help and constant guidance.
Proverbs 31:26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.. Lord, may I speak out of a heart of wisdom. Show me how to share your truth with kindness.
Proverbs 16:24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body… Heavenly Father, may I share gracious words that sweeten my husband, children, coworkers, and friends day by day.
Proverbs 10:11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covers the mouth of the wicked….God grow me in righteousness, that I may become more like Christ and give words of encouragement and hope.
Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger….Lord, nurture self control in my heart so that I may respond with patience and grace in arguments or tough conversations.
Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone….Lord help me to be mindful of the words I speak and let them be full of grace.
Controlled by Grief
Today (January 9, 2004) has been 16 years since my daddy passed away. That day was a day I began to let grief control my life instead of allowing the Lord to heal my heart. 2 Corinthians 7:10 For Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. My heart was broken when my mom called me early that morning telling me that my daddy died in his sleep earlier that morning. I remember on the way to their house I prayed and begged God to please let my daddy wake up. Lord I will do whatever you want me to do, please bring him back. I allowed that one event to change my life and view of God. I turned my back on God because I felt like it wasn’t fair and of all the people in the world, why him? I will always be daddy’s girl! We were so close and my kids ( 7 & 5 at the time) loved and adored him. I turned from church and anything that had to do with the Lord. I began to smoke weed everyday, and party every weekend trying so hard to numb the pain. I didn’t want to deal with the hurt and pain not realizing I was causing more hurt and pain to follow! This went on for about 4 years. That saying “Sin will take you farther than you want to go and keep you longer than you want to stay” was playing out. Psalm 31:10 For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with signing; my strength falls because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.
Grief and anger consumed me! In all of this was 2 little kids that I selflessly didn’t think about and they didn’t deserve any of it. I was always their mom but bitterness, anger, and grief turned me into a woman that no longer was the same person prior to his passing. I don’t remember those four years concerning my kids! That is a hard thing to say but thats where I was. I hit rock bottom sitting in my living room alone folding clothes. I considered taking my own life but instead of doing that I cried out to the Lord. I cried to him saying “Lord I know you are real and I know you love me but I have made a mess of things . I need you take all this anger, bitterness, and brokenness because I am tired of this life I created! In that moment of brokenness, He took all the anger, bitterness, and heartache away. I felt nothing but peace! Psalm 34:18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. I will share what he did in me after that day another time but allowing grief to control my life took me down a long dark road. Uncontrolled grief didn’t just affect me but everyone in my life! Looking back I know I could have lost everything but I am so thankful I got a second chance! Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Nothing is wrong with grieving but don’t allow it to consume your life! Ecclesiastes 3:4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance Instead allow the Lord to give you comfort and peace that he can only give!
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.
New Year 2020
Happy New Year! I am so thankful I am here another year to spend with family, and friends. I know you feel the same way! At the start of each new year, I always reflect on the year before. I look back to see what I need to improve, what can I change for the better, things I don’t want to do in the new year. We ( including me) can all get caught up in the business of life but we should never make that an excuse for not doing better. I can get caught up in the saying “I don’t have time” but the truth is we do have time we just need to learn how to manage our time better!
How many of us make new year resolutions then one month in we have already blown it? I have so many times! The reason why is because we tend to make resolutions that are hard to keep, not realistic, or not reachable! I don’t make resolutions instead I make the most of each day. Everyday is gift so we need to be present and thankful for each day. There are days I do blow it but I know I can make it right at any moment…Instead of getting discouraged we can do it right with each new day! When we do make resolutions we tend to leave God out. Instead of praying and asking the Lord what should we do for the upcoming year, we try to do things in our own strength or willpower. This shouldn’t represent born again believers (Christians). Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. We should always include the Lord in everything we do! 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
In 2020 let God be at the center of everything we want to do because he knows what is best for our lives. He sees the beginning from the end so he already knows what we can’t see. There are several things I want to do more of for the upcoming year. I am hoping you will join me:
1. Before we start each day, spend five minutes praising the Lord then asking him to guide us throughout the day. How many times do we jump out of bed not spending time with the one who allows us to wake up each day? He longs to spend time with you and me. Doing this throughout the day not because we have to but because we want to draw closer to the Lord. In order to spend time with HIM, we may need to go to bed a few minutes early. It will be worth it trust me! 1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually. Increase every week, every other week, or every month.
2. Start with spending five minutes in the bible. Ask the Lord to show us what he wants us to read and ask him to open our hearts to understand what he is saying. Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Increase every week, every other week, or every month.
3. Being mindful throughout the day for the Lords presence and his voice. We need to listen out for what he wants us to do throughout the day. Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In your Presence is fullness of joy; At your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
If we want 2020 to be the best year yet, we need to put God first and allow HIM to transform our hearts and our lives! Spending time with HIM is the only way that will happen. Life won’t be perfect or trouble free but we will have the peace, joy, and strength that only comes from drawing closer to HIM!
