I'm not as smart as my kids...

Things have been hectic here at Bechtold Manor.  Zach has kicked off his busiest time of year and I'm having to get used to many nights of putting the kids to bed by myself.  I'm okay with it though, at least I know he will be here in the morning. :)

Baby Girl Bechtold is baking well, practicing her kicks and punches on my internal organs like a boss.  I have found that with baby number 3 I'm not as impatient as I was with the other two.  I need the next few months to prepare us all for her arrival.  As I was folding laundry yesterday I was hit with the realization that I will soon be doing laundry for five people.  Yikes!

We told Zoe that if she didn't mind switching bedrooms to the guest room that we would redecorate with paint, new furniture, and new bedding.  We started with the painting last week and she loves it.  We still have a long way to go but we are getting there little by little.

I cant get over how much my kids have grown this past month or so, both physically and mentally.  I like to think God is helping them to prepare for the little one to come, for both of them to be older siblings again.  They make me so proud.

For Christmas Zach and I gave Zoe a new "big girl" Bible.  We chose to get one that she could grow with so we opted not to go with a child's Bible.  The one she got is one I would give my youth students at church.  We knew that it would be a while before she would grow to appreciate the gift but we still wanted to get it for her.  The other night I went to tuck her in to bed and saw the Bible laying beside her.  I picked it up and noticed the ribbon marker had moved.  She said, "That's where I am in reading it."  Now, Zoe is five years old.  She is a pretty good little reader, but, let's be honest, she's not that fluent, especially when it come to reading Leviticus.  However, I love that she spends some time every evening "reading" her new Bible.  What a great habit to get into.

Once again I feel shamed by my children.  Here's my sweet girl, faced with so many new changes, who is going, on her own accord, into the Word.  I know she's not getting much as far as reading goes, but I also know God has His hand on her.  With all the busyness and chaos that has consumed our world lately, and will continue to for the weeks and months to come, I have forgotten at times to go to Him who can deliver peace, understanding, and wisdom.  I go to bed each night and, instead of grabbing my Bible, I reach for another book, the remote control, or the laptop.  I need to be more like my kids.

Here's another little reminder, that no matter how grown up we may feel we are, there is always something we can learn from those around us.

May you see those who can teach you, no matter their age...

My sweet girl.

2013! Holla!

I have spent the first of 2013 in bed, watching Big Bang Theory, drinking coffee, and all-in-all enjoying some quiet time.  Zach is playing x-box and the kids are playing nicely together in Zoe's room.  Soon, I will get up and fix lunch, black-eyed peas and ham!

I've been reflecting, not so much on the past year, but instead on what this new year will hold.  Lots of changes are coming up for this Bechtold family.  May will bring the addition to our little family as well as the beginning of Zach's back-to-school endeavor.  In the coming months we will also see what changes come with Zach's path to becoming a local pastor.  Things will never be the same as it is now.  I love that!

As our lives continue to grow and evolve I'm able to see the great promise that comes with change.  I feel confident in God's plan for our family and that brings me comfort.  Times may become difficult this year, but I know we will get through it.  This is our path!

I pray that each of you will also see God's promise in change, for in it, we all will truly grow...

Taking Back Christmas

Last year I wrote a blog about how difficult it can be to actually enjoy the Christmas season (take a gander here if you want).  Life was so busy and hectic with all the commitments we had made for ourselves that joy was hard to find.  This year I made a vow to myself that this family would simplify things and give ourselves the gift of time.  Time to relax and enjoy one another as a family and time to appreciate the holiday.

Things became a little derailed when I became sick for three weeks but I am on the mend now and back on track.  I'm thankful now more than ever that we opted out of some activities we would normally of done.  I have found that by choosing only the most important activities to be a part of or to host, that those things we are doing have more meaning.  I appreciate the holiday parties we have chosen to do more than last year because it's not "just another thing on the list." 

This year we have already watched several Christmas movies as a family.  We are able to do our advent calendar everyday.  We have days that are free coming up to make Christmas cookies and ornaments as a family.  Those school Christmas programs are actually anticipated because they are not conflicting with other activities.  We find that even with all the things we have planned to do, we still have time for Zach to go play golf or for me to enjoy some quiet time.  By simplifying our Christmas we have freed up funds to give to those in need.  Yes people, we have found a way to take back Christmas!

Things aren't perfect.  We will always have our obligations around this time and I know that I have been judged by some by opting our family out of some activities, but, in the end what really matters is that we have had the opportunity to enjoy what we have without longing for what we don't.

What are you doing to take back Christmas this year? 

From our family to yours, have yourself a very merry Christmas.

Thankfulness

I haven't been blogging much lately.  I have no real reason for this other than I've been so sick and exhausted that my mind has pretty much turned to mush.  Most of the time I don't feel I could even tell you the day, let alone communicate something worthwhile. 

Thankfully I am beginning to have more times during the day where I feel almost human so I am hopeful that we are on a uphill side of things.  I have been humbled recently with the amount of inquiries about my health that I have received these past few weeks.  Humbled and thankful for the prayers.

Earlier today I was on Facebook and was astounded by all the negative comments and just plain displays of grouchiness on display from some of my facebook contacts.  As usual, this got me thinking...

As I did last year, I am doing the 30 days of Thankfulness, thinking of at least one thing each day that I am thankful for.  Some people may think doing this is "lame" or whatnot, but honestly, sometimes we need to be reminded to think of something each day that we are thankful for.  Otherwise we can easily be wrapped up in our own pity party and forget how blessed we are.  I love writing these each day and I love reading what others find to be thankful.

Reflecting on this thought, it hit me: I am happy.  I have a wonderful and blessed life.  Yes, lately things have been hard on me and my family because of my physical limitations, but that hasn't changed anything.  I have a wonderful family, wonderful friends, a lovely home, and food on the table.  What more could I possible want? 

It's easy to let our day to day burdens drag us down.  But just think how much happier we would be if forced ourselves to be thankful for our blessings each and every day.  Let's band together, stop the negativity, and be a beacon of light and goodness for the world to see.

Matthew 5

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.

 

 

Why I hate Halloween.

I know.  It sounds horrible to say, but I really don't like Halloween.  Yes, I've been called a grouch and I'm sure other parents have rolled their eyes and spoken behind my back about my dislike for this day, but I'm okay with that.  I have my reasons.

Even as a child, Halloween for me wasn't the day all my classmates and friends talked excitedly about.  We didn't really go trick or treating.  My mom would load us up and we would go visit our relatives.  This is the only part of Halloween that I actually enjoyed.  When my great grandmother was still living we would go visit her.  She would make the best popcorn balls.  We would go visit my grandparents, my great aunts, and any other relative we could squeeze in before bedtime.  We didn't go to a lot of houses and didn't get a lot of candy, but we were okay with that.  My dad would eat it all after we went to bed anyway. :)

My sister and me in our "costumes."  I hated Halloween even then.

The part I hated was the costumes.  My mom couldn't sew and wouldn't spend a fortune on costumes so we always looked a little raggedy, and not in a good way.  When I was in elementary we always had a costume contest.  I was already crippled with shyness on a good day so the weeks leading up to Halloween I was miserable with anxiety.  I knew I wasn't going to win.  I never had a chance.  It was humiliating to stand up with the rest of the class, wrapped in a sheet, pretending to be Cleopatra, when the rest of my class was standing there decked out like stars.  I remember that embarrassment and wondered every year why I even tried.  Then, I would look out at the students in my class who weren't in costume.  They were too poor to even have a sheet to wrap around themselves.


I'm thankful Zoe's school doesn't allow costumes on Halloween.  I'm also thankful that so far I have been able to get away with both kids wearing hand-me-downs and being happy about it.  With two kids and one on the way on a minister's salary, we can't afford to buy brand new costumes every year.  We cant afford to provide sugary sweets to the neighborhood hooligans. 

Halloween, in my eyes, is nothing more than a huge money suck.  Everything about it requires you to shell out some dough.  It's difficult for my family, I can't imagine what families less fortunate that us feel on this day.

Changes...

I may be part of a minority who actually likes change.  I find it refreshing and needed more often than not.  It may be a little scary but, with my experiences, it can also bring so many blessings.

We are looking at changes here in our world.  Zach is looking at making some changes with his education that will take the next several years to complete.  Scary? Yes, but so worth it.

We also have another change happening come May...

Scary? Yes, but oh, what a blessing.  To quote my delighted daughter, "This is like, the most amazing thing evah!"

Prayers appreciated.

Trying to See...

This past weekend Zach and I were able to go to a Youth Leader Retreat put on by our conference.  We left Thursday and retreated until Saturday.  It was lovely.  Going to the mountains is always a treat for me, I love the cool air and we even got rain! Lots and lots of rain.

The conference was able to bring in a speaker to lead the retreat and so we got to spend the weekend with Mark Yaconelli.  If you are unfamiliar with him, go check out the link, especially if you work with youth in any capacity.  I really enjoyed the times we were able to sit and speak to him, to hear his philosophies on ministry and life.

The theme of this retreat was, more or less, about being able to take your Sabbath.  To find that place of peace and rest in the midst of our chaotic lives.  We also talked a lot about compassion, what that looks like, how to show it, and how to receive it. 

I don't know about anyone else but I struggle with showing compassion to others.  In my mind I'm secretly thinking, "Geez, you think you have it tough? There are people all over the world so worse off than you."  I know, it's horrible!  I find that I constantly have to remind myself that pain is pain, regardless of anything else. 

During one such session, when Mark was giving us a model of what compassion looks like and how to get there, I thought of my daughter.  I specific image came to my mind:  Noah, running around, falling and skinning his knee on the asphalt.  It immediately began to bleed and he just barely whimpered, struggling as I tried to clean the wound.  His loving sister came by and, upon seeing her brother's knee, had tears well up in her eyes.  She stood, transfixed by the sight of her brother's physical hurt.  Slightly shaking her head back and forth, she repeated, over and over, "Poor, poor bubba."

Once again I find myself wishing I were more like my children.   Compassion and empathy comes so natural to them.  At what point does that change?  At what point do we loose the ability to notice one's suffering and immediately feel compassion towards them?

Mark noted that the first step to showing compassion is seeing them as they really are.  Instead of seeing a kid as dirty or annoying or disruptive, we should see them as, well, just a kid.  A kid who may be hurting. 

My vision is often clouded with my own issues and prejudices. 

This weekend with other Youth workers in our area, most of whom I have never met, left me feeling humbled.  There is no other word to describe it.  However, I also feel that I left that mountain sanctuary with a few more tools in my arsenal.  I am so thankful.

May we all be able to truly see those around us.

Picture of Peace...