Learning

MOM! JUST! PUT! CHOCOLATE! IN! MY! LAP! I knew she'd been holding out on me with this thing she calls "cook."

I love little kitty, her coat is so warm.

And if I don't hurt her, she'll do me no harm.

So I'll not pull her tail or drive her away,

But kitty and I very gently will play.

Grasping the Eternal

(From an afternoon last fall)

I sit down with the Lord this afternoon thanking Him for what He has enabled me to accomplish today. (After a pregnancy that had me so exhausted and sick I could not even get groceries or fix dinner, followed by months with an infant with reflux who needed comfort and much patience to even get a bottle down, this feeling of accomplishing something "visible" for my family is a special gift from God.) My kitchen floor is clean, groceries are in the cupboard, the kids have medicine to help with their latest bout of allergy and sinus-related illnesses. Then it hits me that everything I have done is only temporary...once again (too soon) the floor will be dirty, our groceries will be eaten, children will get sick. It seems as moms that we work hard all day only to get up and do it all again in the morning!! Yet God invites me daily to spend time with Him, the Eternal One. The kinds of things He is accomplishing today will last forever...the salvation of souls, the healing of hearts, the shaping of character, and they will take place here in my family and all across the world. As I spend time in His word and in prayer, He invites me to be a part of something that will last. I may then carry His purposes into the motivation of each action I take through the day. No matter how much I have to do or how much I may accomplish, the best time I spend each day is when I am bowed before the throne in my heart, taking part in God's eternal purposes.

My, how quickly they grow!

Micah: 3rd grade, avid reader, help Dad, lover of all things dragon or fox, vivid imagination, drawing, basketball, bike riding, animal lover, compassionate, great friend to others, ready to be put in charge, "Let's talk about my future."

Rachel: 1st grade, giggles, headbands, coloring, horses, diligent in completing homework, lover of all things dragon or fox because anything Micah does is so cool, black and red are favorite colors, loves shopping with Mom at The Children's Place, layering her shirts, karaoke, and High School Musical

Josiah: 17 months, bundle of energy, loves balls and trucks and his blankie, gentle with kitties (for a 17 month old!), calls himself 'siah or "Matthew" (his middle name), willing to eat anything once; climb, climb, climb, climb!!!, must be rescued from certain death every 3 seconds or so, knows no strangers

The Ears Have (Had) It

After 6 ear infections, 9-10 rounds of antibiotics, and lots of sleepless nights, Josiah is officially scheduled to have ear tubes inserted on May 1.

God's Crashen

We wet to the prark. I was gona slide done the slide. I looked up, so u buterfly up in the are.
but it was time to stid done the side. I looked ap in th are agen it was gone. is name was Sam.

by Rachel

Life's purpose

"Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
Mark 12:28b-31

As I studied these words in Matthew and Mark a couple of weeks ago, it occurred to me that if these are the most important commandments, perhaps I should prayerfully evaluate my life at the start of each morning with the following questions:

1. Lord, how do You want to direct my emotions and passions today?
2. Who would you have me be for You today? How could the things that will happen make me more like Christ?
3. What would You have me know or dwell on?
4. Is there anything You would have me do, and how can I do it with all my might?

They are also the right questions to ask as the day goes by and circumstances occur that may leave me giddy with joy or reeling with anxiety. I love how Jesus starts with getting our hearts right before He asks us to love God with our actions (strength)!

If I can get past those questions honestly, the next may be harder.

5. If my love for others is a litmus test of my love for God, how am I doing?

"More love to Thee, O Christ, More love to Thee!"

Assorted

Why we are sad to leave this neighborhood..

and would someone find this boy a pair of sunglasses that actually fit? (Not that he cares a bit!)

Delightful, but full of radon

Today we recieved the results for the radon tests for both our new home and the one we are selling. New home: .7 (very good!), Old home: 8. In radon numbers, 8 is not. good. at. all.

If you have a basement, it's worth it to test your home for radon! But please learn from our mistake and don't wait until you've lived there for 9 years. A public service announcement.

(Added later): Our realtor says houses in Canada are not required to mitigate unless the number is over 10. Apparently they have iron lungs up there!! :)

Can Someone Please Tell Me Where the Time Has Gone?