Plan B

This truly lovely plan wasn't working for us.

So we went with Plan B.

That's what these early days of motherhood are for me. This constant shifting.

A freedom to fall into Plan B when Plan A simply is not working.

I want our home to be so much more than a place for our treasures to lay their heads down at night.

I long for it to be a place where failing is just as safe a succeeding.

I want this home to be overflowing with praise in the joy moments and grace in the stinging moments.

I want our home to be filled with purpose.

Every season of this life can fly by without even a second thought, OR, I can purpose to be intentional about my heart and theirs and we can spend our days walking straight into Him.

Easter is coming and I want to do something daily to draw us all into His Word, onto our knees, aware of our sin and our need for Him, while simultaneously being all wrapped up in His amazing mercy.

So on the floor in isle five at the Hobby Lobby, I was alone in a sea of Easter Hoopla when I got an idea.

I went home and typed up the forty passages of scripture that we are hoping to read together as we walk as a family towards Easter, and I cut them into strips so that I could fold them up and put them into a plastic egg.

 Each night, we put a scripture and one jelly bean for each member in the family (because His Word is SWEET) in a plastic egg. And either I or the Papa hide the egg after dinner while the kiddos are up stairs cleaning their rooms and getting their pajamas on.

Then every night becomes a hunt... a hilariously happy search for His Word. We all pile on the couch and the Cowboy reads the night's story. Sometimes we read it out of this AWESOME children's Bible. Other nights the Cowboy picks a version on his phone and reads aloud.

Then, to make our "Jesus Tree" special and specific to our family, I took pictures from our very own family photo alblum and made ornaments.

I didn't do pictures for every scripture.

My Hal, she's my little artist and she loves to take pictures. So for some of the scripture readings, my Hal and I went around our home and took pictures together...

For the story of Jacob's Ladder...

 To remember that glorious Sermon on The Mount, and the way that He calls us to be salt and light...

 While remembering that life altering day when sin so sadly came into the world...

 And while sitting in awe of Jesus' very first miracle at the wedding feast... 

And after we read each night we ask three simple questions...

1. What was your favorite part of the story?
2. How is this story connected to Jesus? (Old Testament stories) How does this story help us to better understand who Jesus is? (New Testament stories)
3.How can this story help us to be more like Jesus?

I love this walking through motherhood, this growing up in family, this journey of finding ways of falling further into Him, together, I really do find it all to be great privilege.

I'm thankful for the ideas HE gives.

But He's also diligent to remind my heart that when the kids are grown, it's not the tree with the eggs and the pictures that are gonna matter. What matters during these years is not what I do, as much as who I am.

These treasures of mine, they are always watching, they're always soaking up. In the end of our years together under this roof, the way I let my Jesus mold me in front of them is what their souls are gonna remember. These traditions and the little things we do to help draw us into Him, they're only the beginning.

What matters most is our willingness to walk WITH them, straight in Him. We may be the parents in this farmhouse, but we are still HIS kids, which means we too, have some growing up to do.

Last night I asked the treasures to do something three times (that was my first mistake! :) Then I raised my voice.

And as I tucked Siah into bed he told me, "Mom. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God... even you!"

Man, is He right!

This season of Lent has been glorious that way.

I think this season might be working out just the way it is supposed to...

I am definitely aware of my need for Him. And that awareness makes me that much more excited about that glorious Resurrection Sunday when He conquered the grave, and gave us a forever hope!