This is a guest post from one of my bloggy-turned-in-real-life friends, Rebecca from Moms Mustard Seeds. She has such an amazing God-story. You will love her!

A few days ago, I sat down with my daughter and enjoyed some tea while we looked through pictures I have yet to put in a photo album. That pile (the one waiting to be put in an album) is much smaller than the hundreds (ahem thousands) of pictures I have taken on our digial camera and yet to have printed.

While we were looking through the pictures and laughing, I came upon these pictures of us making cookies. Wow, the memories these pictures brought back. Memories I had forgotten and yet, had stored in the back of my mind, but had not thought about in forever.

I was so blessed in those moments to see us laughing, cooking, baking and enjoying one another.

It’s been a few years since I have really sat and looked at pictures as a Mom. These few years have been filled with long hours for my husband, teaching, planning, running, doing and running more.

I remember being a young Mom with littles running around. Those days seemed long and seemed to last forever as I wiped noses, changed diapers, held babies nursing and then moving on to bottles. The late nights, never ending days and sheer exhaustion almost made me wish the days away. But, I tried hard to cherish each moment.

Those days are gone. The days of little noses, little feet running around in footy pajamas.

BUT, these new days, these days of an almost little who looks up to his tween brother and sister are creating new memories in our home. I’m looking forward to this season of celebration this year. New cookies, pictures, moments and even the late nights.The late nights are different now. They aren’t filled with crying babies needing to be held, nursed, diaper changes or bottles.

Late nights are now filled with discussions that run deep in a Mamma’s heart.

They’re filled with what-if’s, plans, questions, heart issues and just good conversations that are hard to have with siblings around, Algebra assignments to be completed or trees that must be conquered by growing children who love the outdoors.

As I think back, I think about you – sweet Mom reading this right now. I think about my sweet friends like Amanda who are so much farther along in their walk with Christ, but with littles in their homes. Yes, I think about all Moms with littles who are in the midst of those little days filled with physical needs, but who are planting seeds to move mountains.

And I think about where I was then – and where I am now.

I also think that I wouldn’t change a single moment of this life God has given me but I would fill it with more of Him. So, today, I want to give you permission to find real joy. I want to free you from that laundry list of to do items you think will never get done (it will), that basket of laundry (you can fold it later), the dishes, the meals, etc and bake some cookies with your littles.

Those cookies don’t have to be fancy, just add a little frosting and some sprinkles.

Sprinkles bring real joy to the hearts of a child at Christmas. Let them sprinkle, shake, pour – just let them create. They won’t be creating cookies, they’ll be creating memories that you will pull out of a basket or look at in an album in a few years……over tea.

Before you go – I have created something special for Moms this year… It’s a little Prayer Journal for Finding Real Joy – from the true source. I pray it blesses you…

How are you finding real joy this Christmas season?

Rebecca is married to the man God created her for and is blessed with three children. She has a passion to share the grace of God and the love of Jesus with others, along with encouraging others to become disciples of their children (and the world), and to step out of guilt from a broken past and into the freedom of walking in the light. You can find Rebecca at Mom’s Mustard Seeds.

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