The Stone Family Blog

Dear Jesus. Please let me write this blog post without either child waking up. Also I would love to take a nap after this! Love ya, Elizabeth

Okay.. so I have sat down so many times to blog and it just has not been happening. We had a wonderful trip to Oregon. I don't like posting on here or Facebook when I take trips bc I don't want someone to break into my house while I am away. I have heard of that happening lately. We got to visit with Jordan's family a ton, visit with old friends, go to the beach and lake (it was mid fifties and sunny almost all week). and best of all we got to hang out and relax.

I have been experiencing the Lord in some new and (not so exciting) ways lately. I always wanted this space to be a place I can share what I am learning but sometimes that just does not seem to happen as much as I would like. ex: having a newborn and a two year old.

I took a class about Healing and Deliverance at a nearby church last summer. One of the strongholds we learned about was the spirit of unloving. They talked about one of the ways to experience God's love is to let him discipline you.... just how a parent disciplines their children. This really struck me because I don't really feel like I let God discipline me at all. And even if I have felt "disciplined" usually feelings of shame or disappointment in myself were also involved. God is the perfect "parent." The way He disciplines his children is in the most loving and tender ways. Since the beginning of the year I have been praying on a regular basis that the Lord would discipline me so I can experience more of his love.

I am hesitant in writing about this on here because being disciplined in regards to my relationship with the Lord can so easily be turned into legalism. I am talking more about being ready and willing to go into a place of repentance even when I don't feel like it. Most of the time I will forgive myself or someone else when my emotions feel like it. Instead, I have been dealing with my inner junk even when my emotions do not line up.

I think there is something amazing about giving things over to the Lord and choosing to not only forgive someone else but BLESS them. And let me tell you guys... I don't have people doing conscious terrible things to me every day. Most of the times I need to forgive the person who cut me off on the highway, or Henry for telling me no for the hundredth time in an hour, or myself for being impatient or careless.

I also feel like God is calling me into this season because... well HELLO... I have a two year old and anyone who has a two year old is in a season of discipline. Today I seriously think I have said "Stop whining" over fifty times. I am not even kidding. But I have to tell myself every day that by disciplining Henry I am actually loving him.

I realize this post might not make sense. But I am not going to go back through and reread what I wrote because I am too tired and am going to take a nap! :)