poem for a Sunday morning

Poor, Sleepy Eutychus

Poor, sleepy Eutychus,
A-sittin' without squirmin',
Perching on a window ledge
To hear an endless sermon.

Now his eyes are droopy,
Sittin' way up high;
Poor, sleepy Eutychus
Is just about to die.

Saint Paul keeps on a-preachin'
To our hero snoozin' hard;
Then Euty leans into the air
And crashes in the yard.

But Paul is an apostle,
Quite unlike other men;
Down he runs to Eutychus
And gives him life again.

So if you're gonna sleep in church,
Don't from a window fall;
The man up front a-preachin'
Is not Apostle Paul.

-John Knapp II, taken from My Book of Bible Rhymes

gymnastics!

At my 3-year-old's well check appointment, Josiah's pediatrician observed him spinning around and bouncing in his chair. "You may want to try enrolling him in gymnastics," was her advice to me as a winter outlet for some of his energy.

After a friend mentioned her granddaughter enjoyed this class, I did some research and then signed Josiah up. He LOVES it and spends all week counting down to gymnastics day. I love that I get to watch him spend 50 minutes following someone else's directions! But this class is so much more than gymnastics as they integrate preschool activities, and that makes it fun to watch, too. I can't wait to try some of their ideas at home with him!

This week's opening activity was a matching game. The kids picked up a magnetic letter, and then ran across the room to find a bucket with a letter that matched, and dropped it in.

The kids doing a crab walk. Josiah constantly looks to make sure I'm watching.

"Airplane arms" on the balance beam. Yesterday Josiah told me he wants to be an airplane when he grows up.

An elevated balance beam with a new twist: step over the ducks, which were little, medium, and big. Last week they used snakes until Josiah got scared. The snakes got put away.

Getting ready to do a front roll. "Arms up."

And roll!

Jumping on the trampoline is Josiah's favorite activity!

sugar and spice and a few things unexpected...

"It's a girl!" I remember the joy of hearing those words exactly nine years ago today. I had a precious 2-year-old son at home, so knew well some of the joys of having a little boy. I had hoped that one day I would also get to experience the world of little girls, and now I held one in my arms.

That first day of getting to know Rachel, I looked at her fuzzy brown hair and imagined the day it would hold pigtails and hair bows. Dresses of pink, ribbon, and lace danced across my imagination, and her closet soon filled with baby girl gifts: dainty outfits fit for a princess. Baby dolls and bottles waited on the shelves for her to play with. I couldn't wait to engage her in all things girl.

That little Rachel grew up, and fussed whenever I tried to do her hair. Pony tails hurt, ribbons were too cute for her liking. People complimented her when she wore a dress, which was too much for a child who disliked being the center of attention. Besides, her legs got cold, and dresses were just uncomfortable. Dolls were not interesting and the color pink too...um, pastel.

Wanting my daughter's heart more than her hair, I gave up trying to put it up except on special occasions. But she loves to wear it long, and it is beautiful tucked behind her ears. We found simple dresses combined with leggings were more to her liking, and she is learning how to say "thank you" with a smile when someone compliments her appearance. Gold and silver have emerged as her favorite colors. Baby dolls were out but Kit Kittredge became a good friend. Two girls moved in next door, and suddenly she began to see her more feminine interests were not weird, they just weren't shared by her brothers. After spending extended playtime with these girls (the youngest of whom is rarely caught in pants), she sometimes emerges from her room wearing (gulp!) a dress and plastic jewelry.

Rachel loves history, writing in her journal, and she studies hard. She's a dog-lover, wants to learn how to sew, play guitar, and wire electricity, and relishes time in the kitchen, cooking. She begged me for a year to get her ears pierced, and carries a purse to church stuffed with the latest and most beloved animal friend. Her sense of humor borders on the absolutely silly, her giggles are contagious, and her friendships plentiful but precariously strung on the thread of a sensitive heart. When we filled out a checklist to compare our mother/daughter interests, we were almost complete opposites. I love how this child continues to enlarge my understanding of what it means to be a girl.

Happy 9th birthday, Rachel! I'm so thankful to have you as my daughter!!! It is a joy to discover how has God wired you and see His life and plan unfolding in you.

Trust

When is the time to trust?
Is it when all is calm,
When waves the victor's palm,
And life is one glad psalm
Of joy and praise?
Nay! but the time to trust
Is when the waves beat high,
When storm clouds fill the sky,
And prayer is one long cry,
O help and save!

When is the time to trust?
Is it when friends are true?
Is it when comforts woo,
And in all we say and do
We meet but praise?
Nay! but the time to trust
Is when we stand alone,
And summer birds have flown,
And every prop is gone,
All else but God.

What is the time to trust?
Is it some future day,
When you have tried your way,
And learned to trust and pray
By bitter woe?
Nay! but the time to trust
Is in this moment's need,
Poor, broken, bruised reed!
Poor, troubled soul, make speed
To trust thy God.

What is the time to trust?
Is it when hopes beat high,
When sunshine gilds the sky,
And joy and ecstasy
Fill all the heart?
Nay! but the time to trust
Is when our joy is fled,
When sorrow bows the head,
And all is cold and dead,
All else but God.

-taken from Streams in the Desert

extravagant love

Mary had spent time with Jesus, sitting under His teaching and hanging upon his every word. Her heart had been almost broken under the pain of her brother's death, and in spite of herself, she had wondered, "Jesus, where are You?" Somehow she knew He could have spared their family this sorrow, could have prevented her brother's death. Four days later He came to them, and the glory He had revealed through Lazarus' resurrection was far beyond anything she had ever dreamed Jesus to be. Not only had He shared in her grief, which ministered deeply to her sensitive soul, He had brought her brother back from the dead! Surely this was the Messiah, for in Him was life.

Passover drew near. Mary considered her love for her Lord, and knew how she wanted to demonstrate this love to Him.

"Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus had lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume." John 12:1-3

As I've mulled over Mary's devotion to Jesus while studying John 12, the last sentence of verse three seemed to fly off the pages of my Bible. What is the measure of my devotion to Jesus? What fragrance fills my life? What sort of atmosphere permeates my home, my friendships, my relationships with family members, church members, or those I meet as I make my way around my community?

Is it one of indifference to the things of God?
Selfish ambitions that don't take time to seek out the cares and concerns of those I come in contact with?
Shallow conversations which reflect timidity, a lack of treasuring people, a selfish agenda, or unwillingness to venture into subjects which may be hard to talk about?

Or do those around me catch glimpses of:
A heart that treasures and meditates upon God's word, putting it into action?
A love for God that translates into a love for the people He has made, broken though they may be by this world?
A spirit that is unshaken by circumstances because she knows the God who is sovereign over them?
A willingness to pursue others' hearts without pushing my own agenda?

In the parallel passage in Mark, it says Mary broke her jar, pouring the perfume on Jesus' head. What am I withholding from Him, that stops the spread of the fragrance of sweet perfume?

Is it fear of being hurt?
Fear of looking silly?
Fear of things that might be hard?
Unwillingness to part with some idol, right now more beloved than Jesus Himself?

He held nothing back from me, not even His own life, comfort, or glory. Isn't He worth my best and most valuable gift? May He find my offering of love to be a pleasing aroma: a life fully poured out to Him, whatever the cost.

every day, A-Z

God's Word
A-admired it.
B-believed it.
C-carried it.
D-defended it.
E-enjoyed it.
F-feasted upon it.
G-gleaned it.
H-held it.
I-interpreted it.
J-judged it.
K-kept it.
L-loved it.
M-memorized it.
N-needed it.
O-opened it.
P-preached it.
Q-quoted it.
R-read it.
S-studied it.
T-taught it.
U-understood it.
V-valued it.
W-wondered about it.
X-examined it.
Y-yielded to it.
Z-zealously hid it in his heart.

-by John Knapp II, taken from My Book of Bible Rhymes

After being urged at least three times by three different sources to read through the entire Bible with our children before they leave home, our family is trying this plan, which will take us through most of it in one year: http://www.ewo.org/general/oneStep/reading_track_2010.pdf Check out the EWO website under "One Step Further" for other options listed as well.

It's only January, but we have high hopes! The kids are excited, and getting out of bed earlier each morning to read on their own, too. (Their idea...I'm constantly astounded by God's grace in our very imperfect parenting!)

help for Haiti

There are a lot of great organizations raising money for help in Haiti. Here's one of my favorites because of the way they combine relief work with sharing the gospel:
www.samaritanspurse.org.