What Ever Shall I Do

It's a glorious day outside. I slept in until 8:00am, which is about two extra hours. Music now fills my home as Elliot has returned from school. He snatched Emerson from my arms the early am and from there I heard nothing as I slept. Around 8:00am Elliot woke me up wanting to know when Ethan goes to school.

What ever shall I do. As of right now he is jamming with Eric and Emerson. I hear a nice steady beat with pots and pans which I am certain is Emerson and well all this to say that Elliot is home for the next four months. He is an AMAZING big brother. He is playing his guitar, singing and carrying the boys along.

It's a different visit with Elliot this time. For the past three years Elliot has been a visitor. Only home once or twice a year for a week or two and then gone. So during those short visits we have an action packed time, and he is treated like a short term guest. Now he is home to live. Move in, unpack, set up camp. For four months. I am more relaxed, less stress over many planned events in a short time.

Elliot is focusing on setting up speaking opportunities all around Portland. His desire (since he was two years old) has been to share Jesus. So he is making calls, appointments and going to minister at apartment complexes, and smaller churches. He's mindful that larger church's have ministry leaders, and are "programed" out, often bringing in well know dynamic speakers. So instead of beating the door to get his foot in the door, he's going to smaller churches who would welcome a break from a night of worhsip or welcome a guest speaker for their smaller congregation. It's pretty cool. He has an opportunity at a smaller church of about 90 people. It's a new little church and when I called asking to get information, pastor's name, who to contact blah blah blah, the man of the phone was the pastor and wears all the hats and is interested in meeting Elliot. How cool is that. Please pray for this ministry this spring and summer as this is what God has placed on Elliot 's heart. This morning he said "you know mom, if you show up you may be the only person in the audience and I am totally down with that".

Our family dynamic changes with just a slight change of another body in our home. We are blessed and pray God's blessings on Elliot and his passions. As for me, again I say what ever shall I do. He has consumed his brothers and my morning which is typically filled with activity is quiet, up in my office with a wonderful cup of coffee that I could start and finish before it went cold. I like to step out of the way, and allow Elliot to reconnect with his little brothers. The mother hen mama in me wants to go and be a part of it, but I know that this is his time and really the little boys just want to eat up Elliot.

I know that Elliot has committed his first few days home to hang with his brothers and as his life gets busy this will become less, but for today I can just enjoy this wonderful break from the every day routines.

In my last post/blog I said that mothering can often be a thankless job. It's a lot of work growing up children. It's a huge commitment and definitely a laying down of ones self. The thanks comes every single day when I see my older two children walking with Jesus with passion. No thanks to me, but to a God who smiles on a mother who is doing her best. I may not get thanks for the peanut butter sandwich, but it's an unspoken thanks as I watch my kids making good decisions in their lives and learning from the harder decisions.

So, my coffee cup now empty, I am going to sneak downstairs back into the kitchen. Our house has two entrances into the kitchen, so it's easy to get pass everyone unnoticed. In my stealth like way I will be back at my desk in no time with another cup of perfectly brewed coffee with milk. Opening my Bible up to 1Peter1 which is what I have been reading as of late as well as my Proverbs for the day. I think it's the 22ND day of the month thus Proverbs 22 here I come. Be blessed today.