What's Your Gift?

GIFT- noun

1. something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance; present.

2. the act of giving.

3. something bestowed or acquired without any particular effort by the recipient or without its being earned: Those extra points he got in the game were a total gift.

4. a special ability or capacity; natural endowment; talent

That's the definition from http://dictionary.reference.com/ .. We all know what most of them mean, but let's discuss #4....an ability or capacity; natural endowment; talent

What's yours? All of you that read this are just normal everyday people that are just doing normal everyday things, get kids off to school, work, home, homework, dinner, showers, bed, repeat....... (sounds like the back of the shampoo bottle). Do we all have gifts, as described in definition #4? Why YES, YES WE DO! Do we know what they are all the time? No. Do we use them all the time? No.

I have several gifts. One of them is the gift of hospitality. I didn't even realize I had it until the pastor at our church was talking to me and he said, 'You know what? You have the gift of hospitality.' That was stemming from introducing myself to some new visitors that had come in with a child and them showing them where to go. I have to admit, that felt pretty good to finally realize it. Go Team Me!
Another one of my gifts is the gift of serving children. I work in children's church at Grace Point Community Church. I LOVE working with the children & I am good at it! I have such a wonderful time teaching them & talking with them. They are so honest about God. Yes, it's challenging sometimes, but it's so rewarding. They love the stories, games, videos that go with the stories. I have been asked on more than one occasion, 'How do you get them to just sit like that & not run around like wild animals?' Well, the answer is CANDY. Yes, it's bribery at it's finest, ladies & gentlemen, but I look at it like this.... If God uses Smarties or Tootsie Rolls to get his word across & plant a seed in a child's mind & heart, then who am I to question it. You wonder...so, God told you to use Smarties? No, not exactly, but he did give me the gift of teaching these children & the brainpower to figure out how to get them to listen to His word.
What are your gifts? Everyone's is different. I like to work with children at church, you may not. I don't like to work with teenagers, can't stand it, but others do love it. Some people have silent gifts, as I like to call them. They are the ones that clean up afterward, set up chairs or whatnot before an event, some are pray warriors (that's an important one), some are givers.
So, as you read this post, I challenge you. If you don't know what your gift is, figure it out. If you have it figured out, but don't use it, start using it! If you have figured it out, but are afraid to use it, step out and try it! You never know!

What's Your Bag?

I follow a very funny, uplifting, blogger named Missy over @It's Almost Naptime and she has challenged all her fellow mommies/bloggers to share our mom tips.

I have a few:

(1) Teenagers-- withhold food & you will be amazed at how great your house will look in a matter of minutes.
(2) Large family-- LARGE crockpot! LOVE MINE... in fact there's a huge chicken roasting in it right now. All I have to do later is make a couple of sides and WALAAA! - dinner in 20 min.
(3) Home haircuts... Three boys & a husband..I cut their hair with clippers, it saves $$$ big time! Wish the two girls would go for it.
(4) In the trunk... throw blanket, seat cushions, dry socks, pull over hoodie-- Lots of children, lots of sports. Sometimes I get stuck at the ballpark/stadium/gym for HOURS. I hate wet feet...it makes me cold.

It's not many tips, but it's a few I use.

2010

I wanted to do an end of the year blog before the end of the year, but between my whole household being sick & Christmas, it just didn't happen. 2010 went by QUICK!! It's hard to believe that we have stumbled upon a new year already. I think it was pretty uneventful, I believe.

The oldest child, J, is doing well. He is in Connecticut going to school and I believe he's doing okay. Seems to enjoy school. He's all grown up & stuff, so I don't get much info into his life, but when we do talk, he seems happy & to enjoy school. He wants to be a history teacher one day. It nice to hear a goal, finally. Before, he seemed to be just wondering in the wind, sometimes flying against it, instead of with it, but now he has a goal. My hope for him in the new year is to keep reaching!

Soon to be 17 year old daughter, H, intelligent, happy, eager to do her best, thinks I am crazy how I parent most days, looking at colleges, daughter. She's achieving things I wish I had in high school. She has the heart of a servant. God will use her for great things. What more could a mom ask for? (except for driving.. please dear child, learn to drive in 2011) Goal... driving, please.

Next, 16 year old son, started out rough, school wise, this year, but seems to have learned that if you want to go & do, you have to get your act together at school. Seems friends & socialization took the place of school work, but we are back on the right track & was exempt from exams, so we are moving forward. Hopefully, 2011 will bring even more good things for him and he continues to excel. He has military aspirations & will be 17 at the end of 2011, so I will be a military mother, again. Proud. Hope for 2011..to get some 'get up & go' & to take pride in what he does.

The 13 year old daughter, A, well, life is just so darn hard when you are thirteen. She has taken up softball, which for someone that didn't seem to have an athletic bone in her body, she's doing really great!!! I hope it continues. She has plans to play in the spring, so I am excited about that. She hates to do school work, but she is a wonderful writer and loves music and doodling. Goal for 2011, to have a little more self esteem & kindness.

Next is the 13 year old son, Z, so thinks God broke the mold when he made him. Loves his little brother like no tomorrow. I am hoping that will continue through life. Aspires to do his best in everything. Is really into sports. Loves them all. Has the wonderful quality to just let things roll off his back like water on a duck. That is one of his greatest attributes. Goal for 2011, to continue to be happy & take life with a grain of salt and to listen a little better.

Now that brings us to the soon to be 9 year old, K, he is one of a kind. He has the gift of humor and LOTS of it. He is the cutest 8 year old I know. He wants a dragon like the one on How to Train Your Dragon. (if you haven't seen it, rent it, it's great!) He hates Mondays and is extremely difficult to get to go back to school after the weekend or a long holiday. He the kind of person, that if you don't want the answer to the question, then don't ask him! Goal for him in 2011, to get up a little happier in the a.m. & to keep me laughing & giving me wonderful stories to tell!

Well, that's the review for 2010. I realized something the other day, two of them will be graduated & gone by May 2013. While I will be happy that the grocery bill will go down, the idea of me getting older is not good. So, here's to 2010, you are gone, but thank you for no major illnesses or accidents and to 2011, we ate black eyed peas & collard greens on your first day on the job, so bring on the good luck & money!