He is pleased with me.

I don't really usually write "personal" stuff on the blog... like thoughts and prayers and stuff. I like to keep it to family updates and pictures. But something has kind of been on my heart lately, and I figured I should be able to share it, and maybe it will even encourage someone who feels the same way I do.

There is A LOT of information "out there" (namely, books and the internet) on how to raise your family well. How to be a good mom, what decisions are good decisions, etc.  A lot of it is very helpful and truthful and are good reminders, and I try to read whatever I can because I really do want to make good, informed decisions for my family.  But when I don't find myself lining up somehow with what I read, I find myself feeling defensive and/or inadequate.  Especially when things come across as THE right way to do things, and any other way is the wrong way.

Some things are not directly spoken to in the Bible.  It's those things that I feel most insecure about when I see and hear other people doing things differently.  Are people personally attacking me? No. Could I just avoid reading things all together? I suppose.  But like I said - Jason and I want to be informed and make good decisions.  Do I believe there are absolute truths?  Of course - truths laid out in the Bible are the absolute ones.  We make our decisions based on Scripture and how we feel the Holy Spirit is leading us.  Some of those things are clear (i.e. laid out in the Bible), and some are not as clear (i.e. lots of praying, listening, and discerning).

But by God's grace I have decided to be confident in the decisions that my husband and I make for our family.   As I have laid these burdens at the feet of the Lord, He has revealed something to me.  Something I knew all along, but CONSTANTLY need to be reminded of...

I eat AND feed my family gluten, dairy and soy... and my Heavenly Father is still pleased with me!


I had pitocin AND an epidural when I had my baby... and my Heavenly Father is still pleased with me!

I only breastfed til my baby was 6 months old... and my Heavenly Father is still pleased with me!

We did the "cry it out" method to train our baby to put herself to sleep... and my Heavenly Father is still pleased with me!

We plan to (though it's still a long way off) send our children to PUBLIC school... and my Heavenly Father is still pleased with me!

I am LUCKY enough to get to stay home with my kids now. But if at some point in the future my husband and I decided that I needed to get a job for any reason... my Heavenly Father would still be pleased with me!

This isn't directed at anyone in particular... they are just things that I am inundated with and are areas that I have felt inadequate, unsure, or defensive about because of other people's opinions and decisions.  It's also a reminder to myself that I am in no place to judge others for their decisions either. Their Heavenly Father is also pleased with them, just as He is with me.