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Monday, October 26, 2009

Rain, Rain....

go away come again some other day! Well, it isn't exactly the rain I need to go away. I'll take some rain. But would the clouds please leave for at least 24 hours? I NEED SOME SUN!

I have never thought not seeing sunlight for days affected my mood. Was I ever wrong.

Having been born and raised in one of the sunniest states in the Union, Colorado, (Ok, so it wasn't a state when there was a Union. But that saying just flows so well, don't you think?) I hadn't come to appreciate how incredibly spoiled I was.

Until today.

Sweet mother of mystery was I ever being surly! I was snapping at every little thing and as I was sitting there doing my Bible study (Isn't that nice, doing my study and snapping like a turtle at my children?!!) when I had to ask myself, "What in the world is your problem, girl?!" You know how you just know you are being ornery and then it occurs to you to ask what might be the root of all the trouble. Yep, that is right where I found myself this very afternoon.

No sun. I have hardly seen any sun for a decent length of time in at least the past week, if not a little longer. It is grating on my very nerves…all this gloominess.

So if you would, Lord, see fit to move those clouds away, I would be ever so very grateful. (My children would too!)

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Such a sweetie

I’ll admit I do complain from time to time about the Biggest Man. I mean, the child does cry more than any 3 other children I know! It has become his automatic response. His manipulative tool. You ask him to help pick-up, he cries. You ask him to get his socks and shoes on, he cries. His coat on? Tears. You see where this is leading.




The point is that even though the incessant crying/whining really does grate on my nerves (and yes, I am trying to break him of the habit. Any tips? Helpful suggestions?) he is the sweetest little boy I know. He just seems to be a natural encourager or positive person. That seems like such a contradiction, I know.

When he isn’t crying/whining he can be seen galloping about. The child doesn’t walk he gallops. He has this little hop thing he does smiling as he goes. It is absolutely precious, I tell you.

And the comments that come out of his mouth. After Daddy prayed over dinner one evening he quickly said, “That was good prayin’, Dad.”

When he came down so early one morning I hadn’t finished working out (Not a constant thing…why I joined Jazzercise, but I am getting sidetracked) he watched me finish. I had about 10 minutes left on the tape. When I finished he said, “That was good exercising, Mom.”

He is just completely sweet like that.

And as for being gracious…well, aside from not being gracious with his Hotwheels or rather letting Katie even touch them, he has a forgiving spirit. He might still be whimpering from an offense a sibling has rendered (we’ll use no names so as to protect the innocent, or not so innocent as the case may be) and when apologized to he immediately responds, “That’s alright.” It is as good as done. He won’t be bringing things back up again.

He is just so precious in his little boy ways. He is so different from the girls, but in a refreshing boy kind of way. Know what I mean?

I think I am in love. Let me rephrase that, I know I am in love. I mean who can resist that sweet face with those long eyelashes?!


Sunday, October 11, 2009

Extravagant

I have to say extravagant isn't a word I often hear or see. Not many things have what it takes to be described as extravagant. I heard it used recently in a song (I'll share the song in just one minute) and I have to say I honestly don't think there was a more appropriate word to use.

What was it being used to describe? God's love for us.

Puts tears in my eyes and a smile on my face.

Let me share...Your Love is Extravagant by Casting Crowns

Your love is extravagant
Your friendship, it is intimate
I feel like moving to the rhythm of Your grace
Your fragrance is intoxicating in our secret place
Your love is extravagant

Chorus:
Spread wide in the arms of Christ is the love that covers sin
No greater love have I ever known You considered me a friend
Capture my heart again

Spread wide in the arms of Christ is the love that covers sin
No greater love have I ever known; You considered me a friend

Capture my heart again
Your love is extravagant

Your friendship, it is intimate

If you'd like to take a listen to it please go here. I highly recommend the sound with the words (What can I say, I am a bit partial to a the mandolin that plays in the background)...but the words in and of themselves speak right to my heart.

Sometimes I get bogged down by me and my stuff. I, for whatever crazy reason, forget that God is sooooo much bigger than me and all that comes with me. I also let lies come in and whisper to my heart that I am not all that lovable. And as true as that may be...it isn't about me, but rather it is about Him. See the truth is He loved me before time began and will until the end of time. Why? Because I am His. He created me in His image.

One of my favorite verses is Zephaniah 3:17.

The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing

Why would He, on even my ugliest day, take delight in me and rejoice over me with singing?

I'll tell you why, because His love is extravagant. :) That is some serious and most wonderful TRUTH.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Laughable

Sometimes I just crack myself up. And not always in a good way. Ever been there? (We won't discuss how many times this happens a day.)

So here is what has me baffled by myself at the moment.

We recently took a trip out to see my family. My mom is currently working for a contractor overseas in Iraq. So right away you are thinking IRAQ?! Right. Not a pretty place or a safe place to be just now whether you are in the military or not.

Do you know what has had me worried? Her travel home. Her commercial flights home to the states.

Is that not ridiculous? I just couldn't believe how silly and naive I had let myself become! All so I didn't really have to contemplate where she was and how much danger she could be in on a daily basis.

What has changed between then and now to make me see how silly my previous worries were?

The day before she was set to come home someone she worked with day in and day out was killed. It was tragic and unexpected. The whole incident has really touched a chord with me. You want to know what touched me even more? What my mom did in the aftermath. You want to know what kind of woman my mom is? Unbelievably strong in ways I cannot begin to comprehend.

See, this co-worker of hers also had family in the area working. As you can most certainly understand they wanted to travel home with, escort, their beloved family member back to the states. There are so many details between here and there that have to be taken care of in order to make such things possible. Who declined their flight home to stay and make sure each step of the way this family was taken care of? My mom. She followed their every move and was always one or more steps ahead of them making calls and arranging as many details as she could to see that the family stayed with the body the whole way home. It was only after she had taken them as far as was in her control that she then put herself back on the list so she could come home for a little R&R.

I love you, Mom. And I so appreciate your strength of character. I can only imagine how much what you did meant to the family. Maybe they don't even really know all you did. But I know and I don't think I'll soon forget. I imagine you won't either. Hope your time home was truly a respite from the day to day grind and that it was also full of rest! :)

I won't be taking your safety for granted anymore, that much is for certain and for sure. I won't worry myself sick either, but instead allow my knees to hit the carpet and my heart to give it over the One who has always had you in the palm of His hand.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

A Fun Game



I found this game at a wonderful educatoional shop. I went over somewhat desperate to find something that would be fun and math oriented. You see Kiersten is at the stage where she is doing flash cards and it is making her dislike math. The problem is the flash cards, or rather the memorization of simple math facts, are a must. There is no way around learning this - she simply has to.

And that is how Sleeping Queens came to be a family game at our house. Even Isaiah plays it, with a little assistance of course. Now, it is math oriented but it doesn't do me much good in the way of helping with the flash card situation. It just helps me make math itself look fun and like it is a good thing to know.

I will say I have seen some improvement in her times test…just knowing the answer instead of counting. That doesn’t mean the game has had anything to do with that. It is just fun to play.

She still dreads flash cards but hopefully she remembers math can be fun and knowing how to do it can help you win. Winning in her book is tops (she gets that competitive nature from her Dad, in case you were wondering.)  : )

If you have any helpful alternatives to flash cards or in addition to them, by all means share the wealth!