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Wednesday, September 26, 2012

TIME TO REVOLT THE WORLD !!! R U w/ ME

OK, I am doing much of this already, but it just has to be said ... It is time to revolt the world and its standards of EVERYDAY life ... The things I am about to say don't make you less of a Christian, less of a woman, less of a mother if you do them !!!  The pressure to conform and fit into the circle peg when God wants us moldable is just PLAIN WRONG .. some days he needs us to be a circle and others a square or a triangle ... there are days when we need to be all 3 IN ONE DAY ... Are you that flexible ??? Do you want to be molded and used or do you want to stay the same CIRCLE the rest of your life and still dream you could be more like the other CIRCLES (aaaaarrrrggghhhhhhhh - draining) !!!

OK, I am about to make a list and I want you to hear me clearly that there is nothing wrong or special about this list (if you do these things or don't and you like them then go for it - NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE LORD though - now that is a NON-NEGOTIABLE)


1) Let your kids dress themselves  - they don't have to be perfectly dressed for the RUNWAY every time they walk out of the house. BIG BOWS, matching outfits, and all the latest fashion items !!! Remember PUNKY BREWSTER - that is my mantra for my kids !!!

2) lunches and snacks can be just that - whatever happened to PB/JELLY ...  what are they going to have to look forward to if we treat them to FANCY SMANCY food 24/7 !!!  Travel to a 3rd world country and you will fall in love w/ RICE / BEANS !!! I am not a short order cook - we eat what I fix!

3) Playing outside is an activity ... and FREE ... all these new trampoline places, jump zones, etc are EXPENSIVE and hard on a big family ... why can't we just hang in the backyard and let the kids play while we talk

4) SHOWERS everyday are over rated - just saying that most of our brothers and sisters in Christ barely having drinking water, so if my kids don't bath EVERY SINGLE day it doesn't mean I don't love them, but that they just don't stink enough for BATH ... a little grit is good for the soul (hee hee)

5.) It is ok if your child reads to a sibling and not to your EVERY SINGLE NIGHT ... MOMs DON'T have to hear every story every night of every book ... bonding your children together for the future is just as important as them bonding to you ... I want my kids to be friends and want to be in each other lives when they are older, so that means we do LIFE TOGETHER - ball games together, reading time shared w/ each other, chores together, share rooms (heaven forbid each child NOT have their very own room - give me a break), and when it is one child's birthday then all the others don't get presents (seriously) ... WE are a family and life is not fair and yet we will live it together and LAUGH A LOT !!!

6) Quiet children are just better behaved than LOUD children - NOT NOT NOT NOT  ... look all children were created differently and should therefore be loved for who they are ... We try to peg kids character by their behavior in PUBLIC PLACES, CHURCH, AT BALL GAMES etc ... and that is just not right ... There are so many amazing RAINBOW personalities that GOD created, so stop measuring them all by the SAME STICK !!!

7) CLEAN HOUSES mean good moms, good wife, good domestic diva - ANOTHER LIE from the pits !!! If you wanna come to my house and it be clean then you need to give me a weeks notice, OTHERWISE you are free to drop by any day ... I don't put house cleaning over my husband, my kids, or our lives ... We are also working on clean eating here for our health, so the more time I spend in the kitchen then the less time there is to pick up the house ... life w/ 8 people in one space is just messy, but that doesn't mean I don't care or should feel bad when it can't get ALL DONE IN ONE DAY ... Because sitting on the couch w/ Jeremiah at night after the lils are in bed is way more important than picking up toys, or a few stollen kisses w/ my honey trumps dirty dishes in the sink or cuddle time w/ my lils in bed is way more fun than vacuuming and listening to Elijah's 100th question of the day totally gets my attention over the laundry !!!

FAMILY AND FRIENDS !!!!  RELATIONSHIPS and investing your time in GOD is far superior than the outward appearance of our lives for others !!!  FREE UP (quote by Suz) and REVOLT AGAINST THE WORLD !!!

8 ADDING THIS ONE FROM A SWEET MAMA ...LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! Right there with you on this. Can I add one or two? 1. When did it become mandatory for children's birthday parties to cost hundreds of dollars?!?!?! Renting facilities for a 5 year old's party, when the family has a nice house they could invite people to? What happened to inviting a few friends over for birthday cake and a game or two? 2. And . . . while a spotless house or perfect meals does not mean you are a successful wife/mother . . . teach your KIDS to cook and clean. Don't pamper them. Don't wait on them hand and foot. No! Children NEED to learn to work . . . they WANT to be a part of a family TEAM. My Young Adult children have THANKED us for teaching them to work. Just 1 more . . . 3. When did parents decide that their children need to be involved in classes and private lessons every.single.day after school. Let them PLAY, people!!!  AMEN AMEN !!!  

love you all !!!


this is real life 
this is real life 


this was made for a picture !!!  






21 kind words.:

Leggio said...

Gwen.............thank you for being so honest. Christian women put such works based things that we are to be on ourelves which just causes stress and an unhappy home. I am learning slowly to not sweat the small stuff, especially after bringing home our daughter and that bringing us to a family of 6. :) would love to add to the craziness of this house again someday. Thank you also for putting that not all kids are quiet because we homeschool and there is so much pressure to have perfect, quiet kids, and mine just are not that...........they are loud and playful. We just don't fit the mold. :) but we fit what god has for our family. Thanks again. Beautiful Family. Love from Texas

Christy. said...

AMEN sister!!!! Last night while my house sat in shambles I snuggled with one of my kiddos who needed me last night! People come before stuff... ALWAYS!!!

Stutzman's Eight By Grace said...

LOVE LOVE it!! Totally real! amen!

Jason and Kelley said...

Good, good words. Thank you for sharing and living an example for others to learn from!

Karen Phillips said...

good stuff, gwen!! i wholeheartedly agree, and this is why i love ya so!!! suz is right...FREE UP! my new mantra:) wouldn't we all be so much happier and comfortable around each other if we could truly free up and live "real"!?!

Laurel said...

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!

Right there with you on this.

Can I add one or two?

1. When did it become mandatory for children's birthday parties to cost hundreds of dollars?!?!?! Renting facilities for a 5 year old's party, when the family has a nice house they could invite people to? What happened to inviting a few friends over for birthday cake and a game or two?

2. And . . . while a spotless house or perfect meals does not mean you are a successful wife/mother . . . teach your KIDS to cook and clean. Don't pamper them. Don't wait on them hand and foot. No! Children NEED to learn to work . . . they WANT to be a part of a family TEAM. My Young Adult children have THANKED us for teaching them to work.

Just 1 more . . .

3. When did parents decide that their children need to be involved in classes and private lessons every.single.day after school. Let them PLAY, people!!!

Thanks for the rant!

Hugs to a wonderful Mama, even if your house isn't spotless and you don't listen to every single book that is read. :) I would love to drop by your not-so-spotless house for a chat, any day.

Laurel :)
mama of 12

Julie said...

Hi Gwen - I am a momma of 6 -almost 7 - and I am SOOOO happy to read your post. Thanks for writing it - it is exhausting to try to meet all the "suppose -to's " that we impose on ourselves as moms rather than just living life and enjoying our families. Love your blog - have followed for years. God bless!

Unknown said...

thank you so much for saying what needs to be said. we are FREE in Christ, no longer bound by rules and laws and why would we want to go back to that anyway...

God spoke this to my heart recently in response to the embarrasment and guilt i felt over our small, undecorated and often messy home (we've been busy with ministry/ adoptions)- "who are you trying to present as perfect here, haley. you or me? because it cannot be both."

then i read this quote and loved it-
"an immaculate home is a sign of a misspent life."

i long for all my sisters in Christ (and myself) to rise up and say that we are going to be free to stop apologizing when our homes are messy or when we are late b/c a kid needed us or when our child misbehaves, etc...

thanks!
haley in florida

The Moody's said...

Can I say thank you!!! This is so freeing to hear. I loved hearing you and Suzanne's story this past weekend at Dotmom. Thank you for saying yes to God! Even though saying yes is messy sometimes.... it sure is worth it!!

The Moody's said...

Thank you so much for freeing my mind!!! I loved hearing you and Suzanne's story this weekend at Dotmom...I could listen 1,000 times over. Thanks for saying yes to God! Even though it's messy sometimes....the yes is always worth it!!

Julie said...

Great post Gwen!

We Are Family said...

A GREAT BIG OLE' AMEN!!!!!!!!

Katie rayn said...

Right there with you on all accounts! Thanks for putting this in writing! I get so annoyed when friends complain of being tired and having soooo much to do, like ironing their 3 year olds t shirts and shorts. Seriously?

Jill and Cliff said...

Amen to this post. This post has allowed the guilt of not having time to do everything and not having the spotless house fall away. Thank you so much for speaking the truth here!

We have 8 kids four out of the house and God said he was not done with us and now we have four that are four and under. We do what we can and forget the rest.

"Are These Kids All Yours?" said...

YES!!!!!!!!!

I am sooo IN!!!!!!!!!
My children and hubby are first- they help do chores every day! We sit around the table! We don't own lots of new fancy gadgets, but we have board games, crafts, loads of books, and lots of fun!

I love that our children are each others best friends!!!!! Our family LOVES to spend time together!

LOVE THIS POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I believe with all my heart that if people really believed in this list- not perfectly, but seriously took a look- they would feel a lot more capable of having more children! It is our perfection of our lives that overtakes us and puts us in chains. Our society thinks we "have to do this or that".

BREAK THE CHAINS PEOPLE!!! PLEASE!!! For your sanity sake! :) For your family's sake :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Gwen- I am a mom to 4 boys - getting ready to be 5 boys soon. Thank you- Thank you for writing this refreshing post!!!!! I agree with every single point you made! I share the same revolt as you!!! Too much pressure on mommas these days to have it all together --from having the perfect "southern living" house, having perfect,clean kids-- down to having the right dog! Again , thank you for sharing great wisdom!!!

Mark white said...

I've got a better one, but I know it's gonna step on a lot of toes. You don't need to be at the ball park every night. Heck, your kids don't have to play organized sports at all. Yeah , you heard me. Your kids are not pro athletes, and 90% of them are not becoming better people by virtue of being on a sports team. Most of them would benefit more from having more family time and some down time. I am a dad of 6 and was a two sport guy in high school, and I just don't see the benefit. If your child is truly passionate about something, then let them do it, but sport for the sake of sport is truly overrated.

Anonymous said...

"This was made for a picture.... *this* is real life"

AMEN!

You're doing a great job. I have to agree with your points and have been saying many of them for years!

Tisra

1001tears said...

Oh my! I love this!!!!

I am so glad I found your blog! I have an ongoing adoption blog hop going on at my blog. I know others would love to be inspired by you, too. I would love it if you stopped by and added your link.

Amy
www.1001tears.blogspot.com

Keisha said...

Could NOT have said it any better! lol! Great post!

Leslie said...

Where is the like button?!!!

LOVE this!!!

As a fellow Momma of 6 children and 1 amazing husband, I can so relate.

We have a big backyard and we're not too far from y'all, so you are welcome here too.

I read your blog and think I wish we could get together LOL! (but maybe her house is clean and she actually has flowers in the flowerbed!).

I am guessing landscaping (I don't mean keeping the grass cut) is not high on your priority list either. Who has time or money to update the flowerbeds every 3 months!

I totally agree with the add-ons from the other Mom too.

Would you share more about the clean eating? I'd love to hear how you're doing that on a budget and with 6 children and 1 husband to feed not to mention yourself.

Thanks for always keeping it real!
Leslie

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