Choose You this Day Whom You Will Serve

....But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15 The children learned that verse for Sabbath school this past week. I'm always amazed at how applicable their memory verses are for the experience we are living at the moment.

We enjoyed a lovely day hiking in the mountains with friends yesterday. The twins did exceptionally well.

Missy had chosen to be happy in the morning before getting out of bed, and she kept her word. I had to help her through a crisis over a car seat and her brother right after church, which I didn't really know was about, nor did I care to find out, I only knew she was about to forfeit the afternoon hike if she didn't CHOOSE to be happy instantly.

I held up two fingers and made the choice VERY clear.
She very nearly broke my "Choose to be happy finger" while making that choice
but I was FIRM, BLUNT, and no nonsense in my approach.
"CHOOSE to be Happy and go hiking with friends,
or CHOOSE to pout, whine or cry and you and I will go home - NO second chances, period!"

What a lovely hike! What a happy day. A LOT of prayer went into this day. I am grateful for the answered prayer.

So, today before letting them out of bed I made sure to remind both children of the birthday celebration invitation. I laid it out clearly that they have a choice. Whether or not they go is completely in their control. CHOOSE to be happy or CHOOSE to pout or whine or disobey. Missy may be on edge because of the later bedtime. I'm praying she can keep it together, because if she starts to lose it and I decide she's changed her mind about choosing good and say she's not going to the party she WILL lose it completely and then I'll need all your prayers!!!!

I bought some shea nut butter with lavender essential oil in it. I've been massaging the kids feet with it during light therapy and they LOVE it. If I decide not to massage for whatever reason, one or both of them will bring me the jar and ASK for it.  They enjoy the scent, and the massage, but I think they LOVE the physical touch most of all. She gets downright cuddly. Now the big girls are using it. They say it is helping to cure their stinky feet.

The Happy Girl is Visiting.... Hoping She'll stay

So Missy woke up on the right side of the bed this morning.... well, actually,  make that the right side of the floor. Daddy decided that the big, beautiful cast iron bed in Missy's room is only worthy of a true princess so he made her a comfortable little bed on the floor beside it. He pretty much let her know that when she decided to ACT like a princess and a happy girl she could again sleep in that pretty bed.

I spent a lot of time praying with her, holding her, singing to her, and massaging her feet this morning and talking to her that she had a choice to make this morning whether the day would be happy and fun, or whether it would turn out just like yesterday and the day before.

She chose to be happy.

She volunteer to pray for a happy heart all on her own.

She's exaggerating her "Yes, Mom" s and her smiley face.

I'll take it.

She really, really did not like that as soon as Dad came home from work I left to go hiking. She knew she had given me plenty of reason to need to get away.

The River was beautiful. The fall smell relaxing. I walked with Vanessa at Blackbird Island until dark.