Joy Dare
Monday, March 12
#207  a good music class and whatever seems to have connected for my son to really enjoy that
#208  a loving friend who loves on my kids and cares for them so well
#209  my baby's love of water/baths and his boldness to experience it fully
#210  my son's excitement about "bed reading" privileges
#211  grace for the times I fail at loving well

Tuesday, March 13
#212  God's power to set free from generational sin and unhealthy patterns
#213  my boys playing outside together--enjoying each other and simple rocks
#214  freedom from anxiety over lost sleep

Wednesday, March 14
#215  overlap in naptimes to just have quiet moments
#216  fellowship with my small group at Mothers' Prayer Group
#217  challenging study and meaningful discussion with our small group
#218  Isaiah's love of "bed reading" privileges

Thursday, March 15
#219  choosing a birthday gift for John with my son and his overwhelming excitement about the surprise he has prepared for Daddy; seeing a genuine thoughtfulness develop in him to consider what the other might like
#220  amazingly sweet communication from my son and great patience from him toward his baby brother
#221  my son attempting to make jokes and keep surprises a secret
#222  sharing my food with my kids; sometimes I wish for a plate all to myself, but I'm so thankful for boys who eat well!

Friday, March 16
#223  a loving and faithful husband and the chance to celebrate his life today on his birthday!
#224  sacrificial friends who give of themselves to bless me and my family so much!
#225  a major step in releasing control and trusting the Lord with my kids--overnight away!

Saturday, March 17
#226  a door covered in toddler art
#227  a full night of sleep last night! and nap today!
#228  an oven that usually works and options for food when it doesn't
#229  an evening to quietly poke around with a few things here at home

Sunday, March 18
#230  letting go of selfish desires and fears to embrace the privilege of caring for my kids with icky colds
#231  prayer time with a friend whose mom needs a miraculous healing from God
#232  first steps for my baby!  and the chance for my parents to witness it via skype!
#233  the passion and courage I can already see in my baby that challenges me and stretches me and grows me

Joy Dare
Monday, March  5
#179  a really fun time at music class with my son and his pleasantly surprising level of engaging the class
#180  my son's boldness to ask a girl from class to come over
#181  stretching times will lead to growth!

Tuesday, March 6
#182  strength for the day when sleep was so minimal last night
#183  an understanding friend to extend grace to opt out of our plans when I felt it would just be pressing me and the boys too much for the afternoon
#184  my son thinks cuddles are a wonderful treat!

Wednesday, March 7
#185  God providing solutions in the midst of a chaotic morning
#186  a really fun art project time with my son and watching him get so excited about creative ideas
#187  stepping back from my stress when a mess was made and watching my boys get giddy over a bag of feathers and learning to be ok with the mess
#188  sweet and smooth bedtime with both boys

Thursday, March 8
#189  enjoying a variety of music in the car lately
#190  my son's ceaseless questions--sometimes a challenge but so amazing
#191  the baby being thoroughly delighted and trying to dance in his high chair at breakfast while his brother danced around shaking a homemade shaker; a little much noise for so early but so thankful for letting it go and starting their days with such joy

Friday, March 9
#192  my son voluntarily (and gently) pulling his baby brother close to share his space in a wagon so another boy could ride
#193  my son asking is there was anything he could do to help when baby brother was crying
#194  enjoying juicy oranges straight from a friend's tree
#195  my husband's patience and gracious assistance in all things related to technology

Saturday, March 10
#196  the privilege of celebrating a new little life coming into this world soon!
#197  a sweet time of prayer with friends for a dear friend as she prepares for her 2nd son
#198  a "scavenger hunt" walk as a family
#199  a baby who enjoys food that we are eating for dinner

Sunday, March 11
#200  baby sleeping in a bit after a rough night and still being able to make it nearly on time to the worship service this morning
#201  a challenge in the message given this morning that drives me deeper right where God is working on me
#202  a nap
#203  a family trip to a park to enjoy some time outdoors
#204  God's protection for my boys when they take falls and have bumps and accidents
#205  my husband's calm when the boys have an injury or an illness
#206  my son's view of every stick and rock as the greatest treasures he has ever discovered
 

Oops! Had this all saved and forgot to post it on Sunday night.

Monday, February 27
What a day for the "Joy Dare" prompt to be "ugly-beautiful" things, as it felt like a really ugly day!  
#144  being entrusted with the task of shaping little lives and hearts
#145  feeling totally inadequate for such a task and learning to embrace grace and not rely on my own strength--major work in progress!
#146  quiet time in the evening to sit and pray and be reminded of the restfulness of such
#147  finding a project and the materials to make it for our upcoming Friday to learn about Nepal
#148  a heart-wrenching and sweet apology from the son who had defied me all day long; his tender heart
#149  Romans 8:28 God works all things for good (even the ones that aren't good themselves!) for those who love HIm
#150  beauty from ashes, mourning into dancing!  His promises are true!

Tuesday, February 28
#148  healthy checkup for the baby
#149  our pediatrician--what an amazing gift!  Just the access to quality care is a privilege, but he is such an amazing doctor and person who blesses our family!
#150  redeemed relationship and interaction with my son after a rough day yesterday
#151  successful early bedtimes for both boys!
#152  ending the day cuddled on the couch, singing to my son, grinning and delighted by my affection

Wednesday, February 29
#153  connecting with the few in our small little home group
#154  a good encouragement from the study when I had dreaded even having the group tonight out of weariness
#155  the privilege of helping to facilitate the mothers' prayer group
#156  God at work in hard stuff in lives of the women in the group

Thursday, March 1
#157  the interruption of worship rehearsal by my boys enthusiastically joining in the drumming and the baby joining in with "singing"
#158  provision to go to the grocery and buy anything we need and so many things we want
#159  a cooperative trip to the grocery store
#160  the fun my son had finding "King and Kong," the monkeys TJ's had hidden in the store
#161  saying yes to my son's request to park on the very top of the parking garage when it just seems silly to me, and then watching him get excited about such a special treat!

Friday, March 2
#162  my son telling me that he asked Jesus for help in the night, and Jesus helped him!  
#163  my son absorbing something that he eagerly reported to Daddy from our heart for the nations morning, in spite of the chaos that felt so disappointing
#164  sleep for my son to refresh him at the end of a week spent very tired
#165  my husband reaching out to draw me close as I struggle with a rough end to the day with the boys


Saturday, March 3
#166  my son telling me that he asked Jesus for help in the night again, and again, Jesus helped him, so he said, Thank you, Jesus!!!
#167  a beautiful, warm, sunny morning
#168  breakfast at the beach with my boys
#169  finding some wonderful shells, much to the delight of my son
#170  boys chasing seagulls and laughing
#171  one-on-one time with my baby
#172  quiet house for a stretch at midday
#173  my son's excitement about an outing with Daddy

Sunday, March 4
#174  already seeing my sons' strengths will sharpen each other
#175  warm weather to go swimming with the boys
hard to give thanks for--
#176  the fearlessness of my baby; it is terrifying at times, but it is amazing, and I trust God will use it for His kingdom
#177  the constant questioning of my son; in my weariness, I often forget to thank God for this one, but it is amazing and beautiful to hear his thoughts and wonderings and desires to understand and know this life and world around him
#178  my husband's adaptability; it stretches me a lot, but it is really good for our family that he is so adaptable

Joy Dare
Monday, February 20
#113  time to rest
#114  parents who value time with me and my family, no matter what we're doing
#115  raspberries and giggles from my baby
#116  my boys' excitement to explore
#117  a gift at breakfast--Mom & Dad coming for the day and my boys' lighting up
#118  a gift at lunch--Isaiah's excitement to have lunch at Grandma and Grandpa's hotel; I love that they are excited and feel like it's such a special treat to do what seem like simple things
#119  a gift at dinner--FREE babysitting by grandparents, so John and I could have a date night at a fun new restaurant :)

Tuesday, February 21
Gifts that are white...
#120  a white shirt covered in sauce means my baby has plenty to eat and enjoys his food
#121  towels to wrap my boys in after bathtime
#122  waterproof mattress covers for this stage of life :)

#123  safe, fun parks to take the boys to so they can play outside

Wednesday, February 22
#124  Vineyard Mothers' Prayer Group--community of amazing women that I get to share life with
#125  parents who my kids know and are known by
#126  phone getting shut off for awhile making me release control of situations

Thursday, February 23
#127  my son's affinity for collecting things from outside--he finds every stick a treasure; it stretches me to slow down and enjoy, but it is challenges me to appreciate these simple treasures as well
#128  my son learning some patience for his baby brother and seeing him extend some grace to him
#129  freedom from the panic I used to experience with sickness for one of my boys and experiencing that freedom fresh when the old tension tries to creep in

Friday, February 24
#130  MY BEAUTIFUL BABY!  He is one year old today!  He stretches me in a lot of ways that I need, and he is an amazing treasure and gift!
#131  being able to take the morning slowly with extra help around with the boys
#132  my son enjoying "projects" to make things or do creative things
#133  grace for my attempts to carefully reconstruct the day's plans to try to keep things calmer and protect the boys and having it sort of flop and be messy
#134  opportunities to release control and embrace the wonderful help of people who love me

Saturday, February 25
#135  being able to put together a fun party for my baby boy
#136  having my "best laid plans" fall apart with naptime, feeling stress build, and then feeling the release and being able to just enjoy the party and embrace whatever would come
#137  quick recovery/healing for my boys so that our whole family could celebrate together today and enjoy the party
#138  loving and supportive friends who come around not only me but also my kids

Sunday, February 26
#139  hard goodbyes reflect the treasured times spent together
#140  my son engaging freely and enthusiastically in children's worship time at the Vineyard
#141  delight on my baby's face when he sees me
#142  being able to celebrate a coming baby with a very dear friend
#143  a hug from my husband after a rough parenting stretch

Joy Dare

Monday, February 6
#79  music class with my son
#80  loads of smiles and giggles from my baby
#81  mother/son "date" to eat ice cream
#82  going to see a movie with John

Tuesday, February 7
gifts that are red
#83  red rain boots handed down through several families
#84  chili enjoyed by all for dinner
#85  red fleece pants keeping my little guy warm as he crawls all around the floor

#86  my son and I working together through trying to be flexible as park plans got shifted by rain
#87  2nd chances
#88  redeemed moments with my boys when I've blown it
#89  brothers giddy from bath splashing together
#90  my son's curiosity about how the world around him works

Wednesday, February 8
#91  my baby's face lighting up and exploding into giggles when he sees me!
#92  the broken lid on my crockpot--I love my crockpot and how it allows me to make dinner for my family while making timing flexible, and I'm so thankful the handle on my lid is hanging in there to make it last!
#93  my husband patiently fixes computer issues for me time after time after time...
#94  reading books to my son that my parents read to me when I was kid
#95  public library--enjoying the thrill of stacks of new books without needing to "own" them


Thursday, February 9
#96  both boys having a fun morning at the park
#97  my son rising to the "big boy" privilege of having a little reading time in bed
#98  my son's delight at the treat of walking to work with Daddy

Friday, February 10
#99  two days at parks this week, which my boys loved
#100  looking down to discover my baby climbing up block stairs at the park--my little adventurer!
#101  our new tradition of "Fort Fridays"
#102  discovering a book Ezekiel loves and made me read a dozen times and laughed every single time!

Saturday, February 11
#103  one on one time with each of my boys today
#104  night out with good food, lovely and quiet little restaurant, wonderful and trusted friends who can share the hard stuff of life, and ice cream!!!
#105  reconnecting with our former neighbor

Sunday, February 12
#106  a working fan
#107  encouragement and challenge from God's Word
#108  the heart, sensitivity, and gift of the worship leader
#109  the reminder of the most amazing gift of all in taking communion
#110  redemption; hard moments in parenting turning around
#111  my husband praying for us
#112  a few moments just to listen

Joy Dare
This week has been a challenge for me with this!  Several things felt like progress last week in having energy and being able to do a few projects I had been wanting to do and with sleep for our little guy.  Then sickness came at the end of the week, and the weekend hit with really disrupted sleep again, and it was a huge weight of discouragement for me!  I have struggled this week and have often been unable to shake a heaviness and a discouragement and just feeling completely exhausted again.
Today I read a post by a high school student from my Dad's hometown.  Her dad was the pastor of one of the churches there where some of my extended family attended.  Yesterday, she and her parents were in a car accident, and neither of her parents survived.  She also has 3 siblings, and they and the community have experienced such a huge loss in such a tragic event!  I read this post she had written, and while she was honest about the pain and the loss and certainly not glib or naive, I was so struck by her heart to thank God for the support she was receiving and for all her parents had given to her life and, mostly, for God Himself for holding her and carrying her through, as she recognized He was the only way she was making it through this experience.  What wisdom beyond her years!
The thing with this Joy Dare is that I started it, not to just feel warm and fuzzy about how blessed my life is but to really breed in my heart and reshape my habits of mind around gratitude and praise for the One who is worthy beyond all circumstance!  Praise is the thing that lifts my eyes from the hard stuff to the One who is actually able to handle the hard stuff!  How quickly I am drawn back into trying to press through it myself when what I really need is to acknowledge that this is beyond my strength but I am loved and known by the Creator of the universe whose strength is made perfect in my weakness.
So, as much as I really struggle to embrace it, today, I am grateful for weakness.  And I will continue to remind my soul to be thankful for weakness until it breathes freely in just enjoying the moments that are gifted to me, no matter how messy they are or how messy I am or feel!  Until I really embrace the reality that I am loved and valued when there is nothing I have done or accomplished that makes that make sense and stop squirming and striving to prove my worth in my "doing."  Until I live receiving and extending true grace.
So, in one sense I have "failed" at the Joy Dare this week, and it was truly feeling like a big fat failure to me.  Yet, in another, this is what the point of it is for me anyway--this transforming of my soul, this softening of my heart, this lifting of my soul to really see my beautiful Lord loving and working in me and the life and moments He has given me.

Given that,
#75  Weakness
#76  Grace
#77  The words of a teenager in the midst of her pain
#78  Being loved unconditionally and being valued simply for being the daughter of the God of all creation

 

Joy Dare
January 23
43.  Rain, washing clean the city air for a time, and the quiet and change of pace it brings for a day
44.  Holy Spirit whispers to be patient, to trust Him for these high energy days when my energy is very low
45.  Dessert out with my husband
46.  Boys laughing together

January 24
47.  Fun play time from the simplest of objects--My son and his buddy had a long and totally delighted play time with dried lentils we had gotten for an art project, throwing them up in the air, using them to "fight bugs," and scooting them all around.
48.  Taking the time to go back into the grocery store to look for a lost toy--I'm learning in very small steps to slow down and go with the moments, and it was a special memory of the adventure of searching for it.
49.  A random concoction put together working out well for dinner
50.  French toast cut in dinosaur shapes making my son's day
51.  Updating my little one's baby book
52.  The dollar bin basket that Isaiah uses to carry around his favorite toys lately

January  25
53.  Everything looks greener, fresher, lighter this morning
54.  Spontaneous dance party with the boys!
55.  Red rain boots of which Isaiah is apparently at least the 4th owner and the freedom to wear them on all the sunny California days just because he wants to

January 26
56.  Learning, little by little, to not always be in a hurry with my boys...just enjoying moments
57.  Sleeping until 6:45 and a glimmer of hope that we're turning a corner on sleep with the baby
58.  Uncontrollable giggles from my son in the back seat at the wind blowing his hair on the highway
59.  Naps
60.  Baby singing--Little Ezekiel has always been a singer, and it is the most wonderful sound!
61.  Isaiah's fascination right now with the story of Jesus' death and resurrection

January 27
62.  My son's little hand clasping mine for comfort as he rests to recover from his fever
63.  God revealing my insecurities of not being enough for my boys and His reassurance that HE is
64.  Winter Dream Tea Latte from a thoughtful friend

January 28
65.  Dinner out with girl friends
66.  Pinterest reminding me of amazing and dear friends who are far away but close to my heart
67.  Letting go for a short break
68.  Talking to my mama
69.  Healing for my son from the fever

January 29
70.  Playdough time
71.  My son pointing out the singing of the birds, which I wasn't even noticing
72.  My baby singing in the bath
73.  Photos and note from friends who live far away but visited this last fall
74.  The sweet little faces of my boys captured in those photos and cemented in my heart for all time!