Friday Frazzles

Welcome to ‘Friday Frazzles,’ a collection of tangentially related and fairly random thoughts unworthy of a solid blog post, but plopped out here to keep the blog limping along as they wander through my brain.

I think I have decided that I like the idea of coffee more than coffee itself. This observation has spawned a rather lengthy and light-hearted discussion over on my Facebook page, but I wasn’t really looking for advice on how to like coffee better, merely stating what is at the moment in my rather mundane little world. I think I’ve decided, and which deep down I’ve actually known all along, that I just like tea better. Loose tea is best, but I can’t always find it around here.

In related news, I think I may need to wean myself off of caffeine again, since I would like to limit my exposure to aspartame and Splenda as well as the fat and sugar in my particular habit of coffee-drinking. I heard that aspartame can contribute to depressive thoughts - don’t need anymore of those hanging around, thankyouverymuch - and I have strong suspicion and anecdotal evidence that Splenda makes my feet hurt. Weird, I know. I can tell you the story if you wish.

Speaking of depressive thoughts, I’ve been having a few recently. I am having a really hard time with ‘back to school’ this year. My baby starts kindergarten and it will be the first time in almost 13 years I won’t have a baby or preschooler at home all day. This makes me sad. It makes me come to grips with how relentless time is and how short a time I have before the empty nest thing is for real. It makes me examine and ponder anew, “Am I teaching them well and consistently? Am I discipling them well and consistently? Am I pointing them to Jesus well and consistently?” In this, as in so many ways, I see how very, very much a debtor to grace I am, how vital the gospel is to all areas of life and how constantly I need to be preaching it to myself and my children. I am trusting God to draw them to Himself, and praying for that with tears often, and grateful for the professions of faith two have already made and the evidences that they are growing in grace, and praying for the youngest to be drawn to her Savior as well. It also makes me sad for my parents that we live so far away and wish I were doing a better job at writing letters and calling home more often.

Related to that, I’m having trouble not listening to the lie of our culture that of course I’ll be going to work outside the home now that the baby is starting kindergarten. Yes, that’s already been said to me in a not unjudgmental sort of lecture recently. And when I mentioned that, no, I’m still a stay-at-home mom - they still need me here, thanks, that didn’t go over real well.

Related to that, sort of, I’ve mentioned before that I’m trying to get back to writing again. More of the depressive thought-patterns I’m fighting are that as long as I’m thinking about writing, I can keep the dream alive. What happens when I sit down and really get busy and I find I have nothing to say? Writing is a terrifying endeavor. Have I mentioned it?

If you can stand it, one more depressive thought....I've decided too much time on the internet can be depressing. It's not smart to look up a favorite actor/actress if you don't want to be really depressed by the confusion most people live under with their worldview. We really do live in an age when evil is called good and good is called evil. It's depressing. Even more depressing is when 'Christians' display horrid theology and lack of discernment. I read a comment on Facebook today about how of course dogs have souls and free will...said to comfort a friend who may be losing a beloved pet, but still. Sigh. I love my dog, y'all. He's as much a part of the family as a pet can be. But he doesn't have free will or a soul. He's a dog. Nothing wrong with grieving the loss of a beloved pet, it's not even necessarily wrong to pray about our pets when they suffer and we grieve, but let's not get our theology out of whack over it, yes? I really need to turn off my computer....

It’s not all depressive, though. You should see all the tomatoes on my tomato plants. Now I’m just waiting for them to ripen. When, exactly, should that be happening? Anyone a gardner out there? I’m not, but we started small with tomatoes this year. Some of them seem to have been hanging around for a while and really seem to enjoy their greenness....

......Patience is not often a strength in which I can boast, see tomato discussion above.

Not related at all, but also not among the depressive thoughts, I’m enjoying reading on my Nook. I think, as I’ve read elsewhere, it’s definitely best suited for lighter, fictional reading, but I like it.

Speaking of reading, I finished book 9 in the series I’m reading with my boys. Took a break to read the book I mentioned here, and am extremely thankful I was encouraged to read it. Anyway, now I have to wait for oldest son to finish reading book 10 so I can finish and finally learn the answer to the mysteries, which he keeps assuring me we find out in the first few chapters of book 10, though I repeatedly ask him not to reveal spoilers, any spoilers, nothing at all, please. I knew I should have read first. I really do enjoy our reading adventures together.

Another series we like together is Harry Potter. Though we’ve read the Harry Potter books individually, we’re now reading through them out loud together in the evenings. It’s slow going when busyness happens, but we have so much fun. My husband said he loves hearing them laugh with me when we’re reading together. I like that, too.

Speaking of HP, I liked the last movie. As I said somewhere else, if you give up expecting the movies to get the story right in all details and just go for the mood and feeling of the books, the music and costuming and great casting make for an enjoyable movie. Except for Dumbledore. They don’t get him right, IMO. Definitely want to have read the book first. You miss too much without it.

Trying to get a handle on the depressive thoughts and banish them, I spent some time this morning writing out a suggested schedule for myself for each day of the week. I actually scheduled in time for exercise and writing. Two goals are now scheduled in, which for a person who thrives on having a ‘To Do’ list to check off hopefully will make it harder for me to leave them off. I am really hoping to be disciplined enough with those two goals to be able to come back here at some future point and announce that I have finally shed the last of the weight I keep saying I want to take off and that I have made progress in the writing area. That’s just a little scary writing it out here. Just a tad.

Speaking of scary, well, this isn’t scary, but it’s something....I may have mentioned it before, but I can't remember now and it's my blog, so if it's boring that won't be anything new, but.....I noticed the other day while standing next to my oldest son during church that I felt very short. He is almost as tall as I am now. That is a strange feeling indeed. And it makes me cry again if I ponder it too much. He also has that creaky voice boys his age get and peach fuzz on his upper lip. Wasn’t he just the cute little toddler talking about ‘go-go cars’ and ‘crucks’ like yesterday? And then I realized his brother isn’t all that far behind. He and I had to go on a shoe-buying errand a few days ago and his feet are now officially bigger than mine. And they eat enough to make our grocery bills seem to be ever expanding, as well. :-)

And you know what? In all of it, I’m thankful.

And with that, I say, “Happy Friday!”

Book Recommendation

I just finished reading Holiness (Abridged) by J.C. Ryle. I am quite sure this is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time, and I know I’ll read it again. I found it very thought-provoking, very biblically based and sound, Christ-exalting, saturated with the gospel, and deeply encouraging. I don’t think I can recommend it highly enough. It is seldom that I find a book I can recommend without qualification or hesitation, but this is definitely one such book.

I started putting slips of paper to mark quotes I wanted to pull out and there were just so many. I also find it hard to pull out short quotes because you miss the context and full argument he’s making when I do, but I’ll give you a few that I found interesting, just to give you an idea why I like this book so much. The first quote really made me think, and he spends a lot of the book kind of developing the why of it. I especially loved the final chapter of the book, “Christ is All.” Like I said, I found it deeply encouraging, and thought I’d share a recommendation here.

“Most men hope to go to heaven when they die; but few, it may be feared, take the trouble to consider whether they would enjoy heaven if they got there.”

“May we never think that we can love Christ too well, live to Him too thoroughly, confess Him too boldly, lay ourselves out for Him too heartily! Of all the things that will surprise us in the resurrection morning, this, I believe, will surprise us most: that we did not love Christ more before we died.”

“Christ’s sacrifice and death for sinners, and Christ’s kingdom and future glory, are the light we must bring to bear on any book of Scripture we read. Christ’s cross and Christ’s crown are the clue we must hold fast if we would find our way through Scripture’s difficulties. Christ is the only key that will unlock many of the dark places of the Word. Some people complain that they do not understand the Bible. And the reason is very simple. They do not use the key. To them the Bible is like the hieroglyphics in Egypt. It is a mystery, just because they do not know and employ the key.”

Status Report - July 2011

Well, here we are nine days into July, maybe I’ll write a status report. The blog seems to be stalled, and I’m in something of a funk writing-wise. For one thing, I’ve been reading a lot, and for another, just not really able to sit and write in the summer this year for some reason. Anyway, thanks again to Lisa for her useful status report format:

Sitting.....where I’m always sitting when typing at the computer, in the kitchen.

Drinking....hot Constant Comment tea. One of my favorite things. Yes, even in summer, hot tea is a good thing.

Ate....French toast and bacon for breakfast today. I had started cooking the bacon, and husband came in and took over that chore, knowing how I do not like to cook bacon, and then he proceeded to cook the French toast I had prepared also. I have mentioned that I love him, right? Kids enjoyed their special breakfast today

Wondering....if I’ll ever take up regular, or even semi-regular, blogging again.

Sure....I shouldn’t make any pronouncements about blogging or not blogging, because I know from experience that it often comes in spurts for me.

Pondering....several topics that I’d like to flesh out into a blog post soon, among them the influence women can have over the people in their lives, more thoughts on silence related to my last post and the misuse and misunderstanding of a certain scripture passage on being still.

Still laughing....about overhearing my daughter yesterday while she was playing with a friend. She said, "I don't like peace and quiet. I like peace and loud." Friends, if you only knew....... :-)

Shocked....when I checked the school calendar and realized they go back on August 3. I was sure we had more time than that! Where has the summer gone?

Thinking....about the fact that you can lie without actually saying something that is not true by choosing carefully which facts you share and which you leave out and thereby allowing someone to draw a wrong conclusion, and if you choose not to correct that wrong conclusion, it could be argued that what you’ve done has the same effect as if you’d lied. Think about it. Yes, that’s another topic I’ve been pondering for a blog post.

Enjoying....reading with my boys. I’m really enjoying this strange series we’re reading together. Definitely have had some things to talk to them about, but overall it’s been interesting reading. My oldest boy is getting better about not spoiling the plot as he’s a couple of books ahead of me. Not perfect yet (grrr), but better than in the past.

Staying.....on top of things regarding reading with the boys, too. Had a bit of drama when I got a letter from one boy’s school about him being eligible for an accelerated English class this year complete with a book that is required for summer reading before school starts (Aug. 3, did I mention it? Ack! Not ready for school to start back!!). When I looked at some reviews of the book, I was concerned and sent an e-mail to the teacher asking for information. I then read the book before giving it to my boy. It turned out that I didn’t really feel as bad about the book once I’d read it as the review made me think it was, and after talking with my boy about what concerned me, I think it’s not as bad as I feared. Staying involved is key, though.

Reading....well, besides the stuff I’m reading with the boys, I’m also reading this: Counterfeit Gospels: Rediscovering the Good News in a World of False Hope by Trevin Wax. So far, I’m really appreciating this thoughtful book. In a day and age when we seem to be muddling the message of the gospel, and realizing I've had to firm up my own thinking and jettison wrong thinking along the way about the gospel, I think it is a very important, vitally important, topic. I stand on my soapbox again and say, read the Bible, know it, hide it in your heart and know God, and be discerning! Just because someone can spout a lot of Bible verses doesn’t always mean they are a good Bible teacher. Be like the Bereans and search the scriptures to see if what you are hearing is true.

Hearing... my boys squabbling at the moment. Again. Sigh. Need to discuss this Proverb with my children and drill it into them, again, today: “The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.” Proverbs 17:15.

Praying...for my church family.

Looking forward....to gathering together to worship our Lord again tomorrow. Have I mentioned how much I love Sundays? It is good to meet together and worship our Lord with fellow believers. Praying for a sweet time of fellowship and worship and learning from His word as we anticipate Sunday.

Needing...to get on with the day. But at least the blog lives another day in this goofy post.

Happy Saturday!

God is Not Silent

I’ve been pondering on something recently. I hear people talking about what to do when God is silent. The more I’ve thought on this, the more I am convinced that God is NOT silent. Hebrews 1:1 makes it clear that God has spoken: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” Notice, in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son. We, the redeemed of the Lord who are saved by the blood of Christ Jesus, are not left scrambling in the dark to hear our God. We have His word. There have been times in history when the common people did not have the word of God readily available, and probably would have been unable to read it if it were, and had to trust what the priests told them about it. We are not in that situation. We have God’s word and can read it and study it and hear from Him what His will is if we but have ears to hear, eyes to see, hearts to accept it.

I have heard people take the prophecy from Amos 8:11 which says, “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ declared the Lord GOD, when I will send a famine on the land - not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.” They take this passage and apply it to what they see happening in our churches today. They say we are in a famine of hearing the word of the Lord when they perceive things as going badly in the church. I am not sure this is a good understanding of this verse. This was fulfilled when the people of Israel were scattered - first by captivity by the Assyrians (the Northern Kingdom) and then by the Babylonians later (the Southern Kingdom). This was in judgment for their national sin of not worshiping God wholeheartedly and repeatedly bowing before the idolatry of the surrounding nations. Following the last of the prophets, God was silent for hundreds of years until He broke that silence when He Himself, Immanuel - God With Us, the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ came and made the final sacrifice that would redeem His people to Himself.

I believe a more appropriate reading of what we see in American Christianity is not a ‘silence’ from God, but more what Paul talks about in 2 Timothy 3:1-7: “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth” and 2 Timothy 4:3-4: “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” I believe the reason it seems so hard to find good, solid Bible teaching in so many of our ‘evangelical’ churches anymore isn’t because “God is silent,” but because so many of us do not want to hear what He says, so we refuse to listen. Blunt, but there you have it. Too many people in our churches today are willfully ignorant of God’s word, spending more energy reading what other writers/teachers/bloggers/speakers/etc. are saying about the Bible and too little energy being like the Bereans and doing the hard work of digging in and searching the scriptures to see if what their itching ears are hearing is true.

So, what does someone mean when they say that God is silent to them today? I think we err, and err gravely when we equate a dryness or a lack of feeling or hurt feelings that seem very justified or a sense that someone has wronged us and we don’t seem to see justice in that with a silence on God’s part. I think we all face those dry times or times when we just don’t understand things that happen in life. It is in those times we must allow the dryness to drive us to His word and hang on and persevere through until we can find His joy, trusting in His absolute sovereignty and promise that He is working all things for His glory and to conform us to the image of Christ. He is faithful! He will complete what He has begun in us. We are too prone to seek after an emotional experience to confirm that God is speaking to us. We are too prone to look inward and get too self-focused. Just because I feel dry does not mean God is not speaking. Look at Elijah (1 Kings 19). He was feeling dry, alone, mistreated.....and God let him know that he was mistaken. There were yet 7,000 in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal. Elijah was feeling dejected and depressed, but he was wrong in his estimation of the situation. We can struggle in just the same way. Feelings are real, but they are not always a true barometer of the big picture. We err when we think that God is silent because we do not ‘feel’ Him speaking to us. If you think about it, it is arrogant to think that we are owed some explanation for every perceived hurt or suffering we face.

So, no. God is not silent. When we are feeling hurt, or dry, or alone, or rejected, or depressed, or just distant....persevere! Get into the Word. Pray for wisdom to understand it. Keep on pressing on because Christ Jesus has made us His own! Pray for wisdom to reject lies and be girded and guided in the truth, and stand firm. Remember that we do not wrestle with flesh and blood. (Read and re-read Ephesians 6:10-18. Get that into your thinking daily.) God is faithful! Do NOT trust the feelings that lie and say He is silent. Do NOT focus on seeking after emotional confirmation always. God has spoken. Listen! Heed His word. The emotions may follow, but stand firm, beloved!

What's On Your Nightstand - June 2011

It's that time again. Though June has shaped up to be a light blogging month for various reasons, I have more books to list than I did in May, so to keep the blog alive for the summer, I’m joining in and posting a “What’s On Your Nightstand” post this month. Once again I found myself with too many books going at once and almost felt swamped under them but I finished one yesterday and one today, so I need to finish what I’m reading now and wait before starting another that I’m really wanting to start. Here’s what I’ve been reading this month and what I’m planning to carry over for next month:

Finished earlier in the month:

This Body of Death - Elizabeth George (F). I started this in May but didn’t finish, so I’m listing it here in June. May wasn’t as empty as it looks in my ‘Books I’m Reading’ page, but it was still a slow reading month for me. This book is the latest in Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley series, which is a favorite of mine. With No One as Witness in the series left me crying for days after I read it. Yes, I am weird. Rich characterization and intriguing stories mark these books, though, as crime/detective novels, Ms. George holds nothing back with regard to the language and subject matter her detectives deal with, so it may not be for everyone. Use your own judgment about what you like to read.

Finished more recently:

Christianity and Liberalism - J. Gresham Machen (NF). I started out reading along with Tim Challies’ reading the classics group, but found it so interesting I went ahead and finished it yesterday, several weeks early. Though written in the 1920’s, I found it eerily appropriate still today, even down to some conversations I’ve had/heard recently in my life. Highly recommend it.

Slave - John MacArthur (NF). Finished this about 30 minutes before writing this post today. Very good look at what it means to be a Christian - submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Much food for thought and practice, and I recommend this one as well.

Reading along with my sons:

My oldest son discovered the Pendragon series by D.J. MacHale and wanted to read them. I wasn’t too sure about them, but I said he could and I’ve been reading them, too, so I’d know what he’s reading. Turns out they are pretty interesting, which I am finding more and more now that the boys are both reading at a much higher level. I’m glad they tend to like books I find interesting, too. I do find it hard to find books for them that they will enjoy and I can be okay with them reading which aren’t too dark and disturbing. Slight aside: does it bother anyone else that the shelf of ‘young adult paranormal romances’ at the local book store is by far the largest shelf in the young adult/teen section???? It does me. Capitalizing on the Twilight phenomenon, I guess. I’m not a fan. Anywho.....though I have found some worldview kinds of things to discuss, and they are getting weirder as we go along, we’ve been enjoying the books and the discussion. It’s fun to share the reading experience with the boys, and I think it’s fun for them, too, to have me to bounce ideas about the stories with them. Here’s what I’ve read this month from the series:

Pendragon series, Book One: The Merchant of Death - D.J. MacHale (F).

Pendragon series, Book Two: The Lost City of Faar - D. J. MacHale (F).

Pendragon series, Book Three: The Never War - D. J. MacHale (F).

Pendragon series, Book Four: The Reality Bug - D. J. MacHale (F).

Pendragon series, Book Five: Black Water - D. J. MacHale (F). - Just started this one, so probably won’t finish it before the end of the month on Thursday, but then again, I might....

My oldest son is reading ahead and is already on Book 7. When he finished Book 4 he asked me to please hurry and finish it because he was dying to talk about it. He was great about not spoiling the plot, though he did let it slip that there was a twist ending. When I finished it, I realized why he was dying to talk about it. Did NOT see that ending coming. And I was very proud of him for not spoiling it for me, as he’s been known to do in the past.

Next up:

The rest of the Pendragon series through book 10, though our local Barnes & Noble didn’t have 9 when we bought the rest of the series, so I’m ordering 9 & 10 this week.

The King Raven Trilogy (includes Hood, Scarlet, and Tuck) - Stephen Lawhead (F).Been wanting to read these for a while. I read Hood a while back, but I could never get the others at our library. When my husband got me my Nook for my birthday, I bought this for a decent price and am excited to read it. Did I mention I got a Nook Color for my birthday??

The Princess Bride - William Goldman (F). Yes, I’ve read it before. I love it. Funny!!! And I got it on my Nook, also, because I want to read it out loud with the boys. We really enjoy our time doing that. Speaking of......

Reading Out Loud With the Boys:

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J. K. Rowling (F). We’ve each read the series, but it’s fun to read them again out loud together. As I said, we really enjoy that time together.

Whew. Pop on over to 5 Minutes for Books to see other reading lists for this month.

Summer Blogging

This summer, for various and sundry reasons, seems to have sapped my blogging ability. The blog is quiet, not because I have nothing I’m thinking about, but because I’ve been busy and distracted, finding that maybe I need to be little better about scheduling our time this summer, and though my mind and journal are full, I find that I cannot write about my thoughts out here. I have found that when I’m burdened about things in my real life that are not things I can blog about, that tends to force out the things I can blog about, if that makes sense. So, I’m checking in here at the Sweet Tea place to say that all is well with the family, but there is much busyness ensuing around here, and some things that are weighing on my heart but that I am praying and trusting God to work mightily in bringing understanding and wisdom and reconciliation for His glory as we seek to walk in a manner worthy of the gospel, by the power of the Holy Spirit, trusting in and submitting to the Lord Jesus who loves His church. I do have more substantial posts I’m mulling if I can ever get a moment when I’m not too mentally tired to work them out.

Until then, I’ll share a few random mundane things:

Waved good-bye to the church bus this afternoon as the boys left for kids’ camp. I miss them already, but I know they will have a great week. I have prayed for them, and continue to pray for them that they will not only have a lot of fun, but most importantly that they would be encouraged in their walk with Jesus and grow in love for Him.

Just realized that I am not a fan of the ice-cream truck that drives through our neighborhood. For one thing, the driver is smoking as she drives through the neighborhood, and that just is not appetizing when I think about buying ice cream from her while she smokes. It just grosses me out. Sorry, that’s where I am at the moment on that one. I dunno, maybe smoke that cigarette while out on the highway and stub it once she gets into the neighborhood where all the kids are? Soapbox over. Also, Rachel just yelled downstairs after looking out her window and seeing the ice-cream truck drive by quickly, “MOM! We missed the ice-cream truck AGAIN! How come we always miss it?” Two reasons, I seem to have entered a cash-free phase of life, meaning there is almost never a dollar or two lying around here on the afternoons when the ice-cream truck flies through here. Speaking of flying through, that’s the second reason. By the time I hear and see the truck, she’s off our street before I’ve had time to search high and low in the event I do scrounge up a dollar or two to buy a popsicle identical to the ones sitting in my freezer. That’s why Rachel can have one of those from the freezer and be happy, I say. Not to mention the irritating songs that play over and over and over and over as it files down our street. I’m an ice-cream truck scrooge, according to one very vocal 5-year-old. Bah popsicle.

My husband got my belated birthday present the other day: a Nook Color. I really like it. Now I’ve got to finish the library book I was already reading so I can read the Nook book I bought for my Nook. Of course the Nook purchase included the necessity of buying a wireless router so we can have WiFi in the house (secured of course) so I don't have to go to Panera whenever I want to connect the Nook to the internet. Not that frequent trips to Panera are a bad thing, but I digress. Drew said I’m like a kid in a candy store as I peruse the Nook books online. I can see I will have to put myself on a budget and strictly enforce it. So many books...... Bad thing is, I put some fun game apps on it, too, for the kids I said. However, they are addictive. Not sure how much reading is going to happen there after all. I told you I’ve been distracted. And I wonder where the brain power for blogging is seeping away.

Oh, and I find it really funny that, according to sitemeter, the top search phrase that lands people on my blog is "my dog is driving me crazy." Must be a lot of crazy dog-owners out there, judging by how often that lands someone here. Sorry I'm not more helpful on that topic. LOL

It’s hot here. I said I wouldn’t complain once it finally warmed up since winter seemed to drag on interminably long this year, so I’m not complaining. I’m just stating a fact. It’s hot, hot, hot. My thermometer is reading 121.6. I am making sure not to stand in whatever direct sunlight baking spot we have that thing placed. Weather channel says it's 89, feels like 93. Hot enough. We have been enjoying the pool membership.

And with that, I’ll sign off for now. Hopefully with a somewhat quieter house this week I’ll take the time to write out those blog posts I’m mulling. Hopefully.

Happy Monday!

Dog Days

There are ‘cat people’ and ‘dog people.’ We are definitely ‘dog people.’ I don’t hate cats, I like them okay, but as to pet preference, it’s definitely ‘dog.’ Ol’ Yeller and Because of Winn Dixie make me cry every time I watch them.

I did not have a dog or cat growing up. Since Drew and I have been married we’ve owned two dogs. Our first dog was a purebred Miniature Schnauzer we bought from a distant cousin of Drew’s. That dog’s name was Oliver. I loved that dog. I wrote about him here, here, here and here, and other places if you want to search 'dog' and see. I was heartbroken when we lost him, especially the way he was lost, and I felt silly about how sad I was for how long. But he was my dog. I’m a ‘dog person,’ like I said.

Anyway, the kids really wanted a new dog soon. I wasn’t ready and we were getting ready to move to St. Louis that wnter, so Drew and I told them to wait until the move and spring and then we’d think about getting another dog.

Enter Roscoe. We survived our first winter in St. Louis (COLD!) and in March of 2009 I started looking online for local pet-rescue shelters and looking at pictures of available dogs, because the kids were really begging, “Mom, Dad, you said in spring we could look for a new dog, it’s spring!!” Of all the pictures I looked over, I kept coming back to this cute little black and white dog on a no-kill shelter’s site. I told Drew, “This is the dog.” So we e-mailed them and began a long conversation. Turns out Roscoe had pneumonia and wasn’t yet well enough for them to bring him to an adoption event. We spent several weeks e-mailing back and forth, checking on his status, and finally went to an adoption event and filled out the paperwork that would allow us to take him home once we finally got to meet him. Finally we got word that he was recovering enough for them to bring him, and we went that Saturday to meet him. Of course we all fell in love with him. I was worried, though, because after the heartbreak of losing Oliver, I wasn’t sure I wanted to take in a dog that had health issues - didn’t want to risk losing him soon.

Roscoe ended up thriving once we got him home in late April. I think he just needed freedom and people to love on him. And he certainly has that with us.

Now that we’ve had Roscoe for two years, Drew and I have been making some observations about differences between purebred and rescued dogs. We have no idea what kind of dog Roscoe is....he’s just a cute little mutt.

Here are some observations:

Purebred, pampered from birth: If the door to the house was open, Oliver was out and exploring. He might wander home on his own when he good and felt like it, but he was a wanderer.

Rescued dog: If the door to the house is open, Roscoe will stay right there on the couch sleeping. If not, he’ll stand at the door looking at it like, “Why would I want to go out there? It’s nice and comfy in here where the people are.” If he does get out, he races around the yard and comes right back to the door. He is not about to risk getting lost. He’s been ‘out there’ and doesn’t think he needs to see any more of the world, thank you. We’ve nick-named him “Boomerang.”

Purebred: We never could teach Oliver to sit and wait for a treat no matter how hard we tried. He sort of acted like we owed him a bone just for being there.

Rescued dog: If I’m in the kitchen, Roscoe is there with his tail wagging, looking expectantly at the pantry door waiting for a bone. He’ll look at you earnestly and sit, tail still wagging, like he’s saying, “Please? A bone for me? I’m sitting.....”

Purebred: Oliver might come when you called him in from outside, if he was good and ready to come.

Rescued dog: If you call Roscoe, he’s scrambling to get there. He wants to be with his people, and isn’t about to risk being left outside.

Purebred: Oliver liked to snuggle, but it was usually on his terms. He liked to be where we were, but he liked his space, too.

Rescued dog: If I sit, Roscoe is right there, tail wagging, begging for a cuddle.

Purebred: Oliver would NOT go outside in the rain. No matter how long it had been raining or how much he must have to go potty.

Rescued dog: Roscoe doesn’t seem to mind the rain or even notice it.

Purebred: Oliver was TERRIFIED of fireworks and thunder.

Rescued dog: Roscoe sleeps through it all, and if he’s awake, he wags his tail happily and acts like nothing’s going on out of the ordinary.

But both dogs have been good little buddies. I’m thankful God gave us animals who can be little companions. I know it’s nothing like human friends and family, but I’m thankful for the little joys our dogs add to life. Roscoe’s happy, constantly wagging tail just makes me smile. There’s a sign at our vet’s office that says, “A dog smiles with his tail.” If so, then Roscoe is the smiliest dog I think I’ve ever known. Though Oliver was a really good dog and will always have a special place in my memory, I’m glad we found Roscoe when we went looking for a new dog that spring in 2009.

Funny......

......how when life gets busy, the blog gets quiet. My blog of late has not been a reflection of my life, that's for sure. The silence here has an inverse relationship with the noise elsewhere, but that's how it is. Probably will be continuing on the quiet side for the foreseeable future, but wanted to check in and let anyone who cares know that I'm still kicking over here in Sweet Tea land. I do have some posts percolating. Sometimes when my blog is quiet, my private journal is full, but that's just life, too. One thing I've learned over the four years I've been blogging is that it's better to hash out some things in the journal and not on the blog. But sometimes that means a quiet blog, too. Hoping to get back to the blog soon.

God has been merciful this week, and I'm thankful. I had a major bout of sinus troubles again, resulting in a very stuffy ear on Sunday morning, making singing in the choir Sunday morning.....interesting. It got worse. Monday morning I woke up so very dizzy I was feeling sick, meaning the congestion had moved from outer ear to inner ear and was doing a number on me. I took the sinus medicine I usually take when I have these troubles and it did nothing, so I called my husband and asked him to bring home some motion sickness pills so I could try and see if that would help. Did I mention that our VBS started up on Monday night? I was scheduled to work with the 4th graders, and as of early afternoon on Monday I was not at all sure how I was going to manage getting to the church, much less being a crew leader for a bunch of 4th graders. But, in His mercy, God allowed the motion sickness pills to settle my roiling equilibrium and by time to leave for VBS I was feeling stable and ready to go.

Doctor visit on Tuesday morning resulted in me feeling much, much better by Wednesday. Follow up visit next week and I'm going to be asking for a referral to an allergist. I think I'm allergic to Kentucky.

VBS was exciting, and I was happy to get to talk to one of my kids about some questions she was having. I'm praying for her that the gospel will truly take root in her heart.

My daughter told me last night that she wishes we could have VBS every night. Personally, I'm really glad we had it this week. Every night, however, no, I don't think so. I'm exhausted after one week.

Looking forward to going to dinner with some friends tonight. Babysitter coming over to our house is brave enough to watch our three and their four, and I've been cleaning floors and bathrooms like a crazy woman all day to prepare. House got a little behind what with me being dizzy for two days and VBS late nights and all. We're good now. Anyway, looking forward to adult conversation and fellowship and prayer together tonight. We share a burden with this family to pray for our church together. I love fellowshipping with friends who are also brothers and sisters in Christ and knowing we can gather together to pray and knowing the Lord hears us and guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus when we do.

Interesting week. In lots of ways. Those things were just the tip of the iceberg. There've been ups and downs and in-betweens all week. Just like always. And in the midst of it all, God is working all things for His glory, and I am trusting Him for this, and find great peace and joy in knowing it.

Status Report June 2011

With nods to Lisa, here’s my status report for June:

Sitting.....in the kitchen, enjoying the air conditioning.

Drinking....Tea, Earl Grey, hot. Mr. Data, warp speed, please. Couldn’t resist an obscure Star Trek reference. College roomies, remember Star Trek every afternoon? Like Captain Picard, I enjoy a nice, hot cup of Earl Grey.

Reading.....Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen and looking forward to reading the discussion over here. I’ve got a little catching up to do already, though. Also reading This Body of Death by Elizabeth George, the latest in the Thomas Lynley series. Also reading Slave by John MacArthur. Once again I’ve gotten myself in the position of having too many books going at once.

Enjoyed....watching my boy at his awards ceremony this morning. He got several awards for his progress in reading - he’s in fourth grade and reading at least at a 12th grade level with scores off the chart. This being the boy we weren’t sure was going to be much of a reader when he was younger. Once he decided he liked to read, he took off. Yes!! So much fun to share the joy of reading with my kids.

Also enjoyed....a little trip to Target where I treated my girl to a popcorn and a drink as a thank you treat for being so well-behaved at the boring-to-her ceremony.

Celebrating....that today is the last day of school! So looking forward to summer break. I paid our family pool membership fees today, and I’m planning to use that pool A LOT this summer with the kids. Summertime, summertime!!!

Pondering....getting a Kindle. I've been researching and asking opinions on this. The whole e-book thing is new to me, and a little overwhelming and confusing. I know that e-books won't replace real, paper books for me....I just love the feel and smell of books and I love seeing the progress as you flip through the pages. But, there are a lot of books I'd like to read but don't really need paper copies around, and the Kindle seems so portable it is interesting to me. Anyway, I thought briefly about the iPad, but decided I really don't need the temptation to be online any more than I already am, and that would be the only reason for going with it over strictly an e-book reader for me, I think. Now it's to decide between the Kindle and the Nook, but I'm leaning mostly toward the Kindle. I've already asked my Facebook friends, how about here? Any opinions or experience with e-readers? Any advice?

Thinking....about how I want to not only run well for a time, but to finish well. I was reading in 2 Chronicles about King Asa, and I got excited when I read 14:2, “And Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God.” It’s always a breath of fresh air when reading about the kings when one of them gets that commendation. However, near the end of his life, Asa did something foolish and rather than repenting when the prophet confronted him, as King David did years earlier, he got angry with the prophet and put him in prison. That, to me, is very sad. It got me to thinking about how my strength and ability to stand firm are rooted in Christ, not in my own fickle heart. It also got me to thinking, as we discussed in our devotional at choir practice last night, that I do not want to position myself in an attitude of pride before the Lord. I am so grateful for grace and for the fact that it is Jesus who is the anchor for my soul, and it is He who will complete the work He has begun in me and will bring me safely to the end, secure in Him. I want to live for Him, faithful to the end, because He has made me His own. And because He has made me His own, I trust that He will cause me to stand.

Thankful.....for so very many things. God’s mercies are abundant and more toward those who are His, and I am grateful.

Forty is Not a Bad Word

Psalm 139:1-6

1 O LORD, you have searched me and known me!

2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you discern my thoughts from afar.

3 You search out my path and my lying down

and are acquainted with all my ways.

4 Even before a word is on my tongue,

behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.

5 You hem me in, behind and before,

and lay your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

it is high; I cannot attain it.

Though "40" seems a surreal number to apply to myself, that day has come, and it is today. Some women get all morose about that number. I don't think I'm one of them. Today, I am thankful that it is the anniversary of the day the LORD chose to give me breath, as someone reminded me. I am so thankful for the 40 years He has given me, and even more thankful that in His amazing grace He has chosen to allow me to walk so many of them with Him, saved by His grace, forgiven because of His blood shed for me, growing in His grace, surrounded by His mercy, blessed to be hid in Christ, belonging to Him for His glory. With such high and wonderful thoughts, how could "40" be anything less than joyful today? Thank You, my Jesus, for another day, and another birthday, at that.

Camping!

We got to go camping over the weekend at a state park about an hour from home. It was a first ever for me, though Drew has taken the boys before and he used to go camping as a kid with his family. We went with two other families we are friends with from our church, and I'm so thankful our friends, J & D, invited us all along! All in all there were 17 of us on three campsites, counting adults and kids and we shared the evening cooking duties among us and just had a really good time together all weekend. The kids got along great, and I know they had a fun time. The only thing I don't like (besides the nasty showers, which were decent at the beginning of the weekend but pretty gross by the last day) was missing church on Sunday, but we had a really nice family worship time that morning, and really enjoyed the little Bible study we did with the kids. All in all, I really enjoyed our first family camping outing - having friends along made it perfect, too. I'm still not sure camping will be my vacation of choice, though. I could not WAIT to take a real shower in a clean bathroom and get the smoke smell off me once we got home. Lots of work before and after the relaxing, but it was definitely worth it.

Just like less is more in blogging, and I haven't gotten the hang of that, I'm sure less is more with picture sharing, too. However, I had a hard time narrowing it down, so even though there were LOTS more pictures I wanted to share, here are a few - still more than a decent sized blog post should allow, I'm sure. Enjoy or not.....

One of the cool things about Drew being active duty rather than just Reserves now and actually working on post and being stationed at a real base is that we get privileges on post. One privilege is that we were able to rent a cute little camper from Ft. Knox at a very reasonable price. And I do mean LITTLE. Imagine all 5 of us sleeping in there. But it had a microwave, so Joshua and I got to have tea, which was a good thing, let me tell you. And it made for some cozy family bonding time. I am extremely thankful for how well the kids behaved and got along for the most part this weekend. Made it a fun weekend.



Rachel was glad to have her best little friend along....sometimes a little too glad. She wanted to be wherever W. was no matter what. But he doesn't seem to mind.



Me trying to read my Bible before the day got going. Not sure why I was standing, but Drew thought it was interesting enough for a picture. Also the very last moment I needed a sweater. We had beautiful weather all weekend. After all the rain we've had recently, we really couldn't have asked for a nicer camping weekend, though the lake was closed to swimming due to flooding, and it did heat up A LOT Saturday afternoon and Sunday.



Our family went off for our own little nature walk on Saturday. I'm so thankful for the people in this picture!



Because the boys got to do some things she wasn't old enough to do, Drew took Rachel horseback riding. She wasn't too sure about it at first, but then she loved it. Drew said the boy helping her was really good with her - talked to her the whole time and she got more comfortable and really LOVED "Shorty" the horse. I'm glad she got some bonding time with her daddy, too.



Rachel with "Shorty."



I just love this picture! Rachel and Daddy.



Of course, we had to have bacon one morning - Michael's favorite thing.



The older kids got to do some archery one day. Being at a state park was cool because they had all kinds of neat, free things for the kids to take advantage of throughout the weekend. This is Joshua in the yellow shirt.


Michael in the middle.



S'mores on the last evening.





The kids really all had a great time playing together. Lots of fun!

Thankful Thursday and Thinking About Prayer

Hmm. I just realized as I went to post this that it's been a whole week since I last posted here. Time just flies. Blogging may continue on the lighter side this week as well.

This is, I think, the third post in which I’ve mentioned the ladies’ retreat we had a few weeks ago, but I have to say something about it again in this Thankful Thursday post. I have been concerned for a while now that I’m not very focused in my praying. One thing I’ve made it a habit to do is that when I say I’ll pray for someone I try to pray right then because I don’t want to forget. I tend to say little conversational kinds of prayers throughout the day, but, when I sit down to pray in a focused way, I tend to be a bit ADD in that I no sooner start to pray then I’m thinking about the 1 million chores I need to be doing or my mind is wandering all over the place.

One thing I’m thankful for is that on the ladies’ retreat, our speaker gave us a little outline that has worked for her in organizing her thoughts as she prays. Basically it begins with bowing to worship, taking cares to the Lord and laying them at His feet, confessing and asking Him to search your heart, praying through Eph. 6:10-18, thinking on an attribute of God from the Scripture and thanking Him, praying for others, reading the Bible and praying about how you need to respond to and obey His word that you’ve just read. Taking the basic format, I’ve been making myself a prayer notebook with an outline that works for me and helps me focus during my quiet time in the morning which I’ve typed up and put in page protectors in a little notebook, along with a list of people I pray for every day, and then I’ve broken up other prayer concerns and assigned them a day of the week when I will be praying over them - things like my family and church (those are on the every day list), my country and leaders, neighbors, friends, extended family, and some other things (certain days of the week). I’ve also started listing out scriptures as I’m reading the Bible that I find I can pray for people on my list.

One thing that I thought of today is to print out a list of my Facebook friends and blog friends for one of the weekdays. Each week I’ll take a few friends from those lists and pray specifically for them, and when I actually know of specific needs I’ll remember them, too. I got to thinking what a special way that could be to take a hobby and make something meaningful of it. As to the blog friends list, if you’ve interacted with me in a somewhat regular way, you are probably on that list. If you want to be on that list, please leave me a comment or send an e-mail and I’ll be happy to add you. I’ve also added to my list the bloggers I read regularly, whether I have actually interacted with them or not.

So, I’m thankful for the encouragement and practical organizational tips the speaker at our retreat gave me to help me to become more organized and diligent in praying. For all the talk about prayer these days that tries to make prayer out to be some contemplative, wispy, unmindful thing, I don’t want to be caught up in seeking after some elusive, hyper-romanticized experience. I want to pray and love God with my whole heart, soul, mind and strength. I want to be grounded in God’s word and fellowshipping with Him in a way that truly honors Him and is biblical and will teach me to grow in Christ as I submit to Him and love Him more and be living for His glory throughout the day.

Thankful Thursday

I’m thankful for the ladies’ retreat we had last weekend. I already wrote about it, but I received some very needed and practical encouragement about daily prayer that has stuck with me this week. I noticed something, too, and I must thank God and give Him glory and praise for the work He is doing in me. I have written before about how I struggle with my temper and impatience. I noticed this week after thinking and praying purposefully through Ephesians 6:10-18 each morning that though my circumstances haven’t changed at all, looking back over the past several days I’ve been much more even keel in how I responded to frustration this week. Friends, that is all God’s amazing grace, and to God be the glory, great things He is doing as He is working in me to conform me to His image. God is so very kind to us!

I’m thankful for a sweet time of prayer together with my fellow choir members last night. Rather than practice, we spent the entire rehearsal time praying for our church.

I’m thankful for a sunny afternoon walk with my daughter today, and I’m thankful that she is coming around about my hair. She still doesn’t like it, but she is dealing better with it today. I said on Facebook that you don’t take a walk with a 5-year-old if you’re looking for a heart-pumping workout. But if you want to look at weeds and see them to be beautiful yellow flowers and enjoy the magic of dandelions and remember that S-T-O-P spells stop at every single stop sign and enjoy amiable chatter, then a walk with a 5-year-old is just the thing for the first sunny afternoon in ages.

Did I mention sunny afternoon? Yes, I was thankful to see the sun again. It’s been a gray spring so far.

I’m thankful for my parents. They taught me, and continue to teach, much about loving Jesus and His word, and I am so grateful. I’m thankful I got to Skype my dad yesterday and tell him happy birthday.

I’m thankful for music. I ordered the soundtracks from Tangled and Enchanted because I just really like those movies and the music. Had a great time listening to them in the car with my oldest son and youngest daughter today as we drove to son’s trumpet lesson. Son tolerated it and read his book, daughter laughed out loud as song after song that she recognized from her favorite movies came on.

I’m thankful for my husband and his love for me. He says he likes the hair. I’m quite sure he doesn’t love it, but he does love me, and I love him, too.

My Daughter Hates My Hair

I got my hair cut today. I was thinking I needed a change, but I didn’t actually go in today meaning to make a radical one. However, the more I thought about it and talked to my hairdresser, the more we thought maybe it was time to try something different, something shorter. I have this really coarse, really thick, really difficult hair. So we’re thinking try it short.

Boy howdy.

It’s short.

I think I like it, but it will definitely take some getting used to. Ask my daughter.

I had to go straight from the hairdresser’s to Rachel’s preschool, so I didn’t get to go home and mess around with the hair and make it look less....severe. I usually like my styling better, you know. Anyway, she almost wouldn’t come home with me. Her teacher said, “Rachel, your mom’s here,” and Rachel looked at me, eyes immediately filled with tears, and said, “You cut your hair.” Teacher looked up and said, “Oh, wow! You did! It looks cute!” Rachel said, “I don’t like it.” And proceeded to cry. Loudly. All. The. Way. Home. In the car, into the house, “Please put it back, grow it back, Mommy.” She wouldn’t even look at me. This is the child who, when her then-favorite toy, Pink Bear, lost its nose wouldn’t look at it and covered it up in a blanket for MONTHS, even after I glued the nose back on and you couldn’t tell it had ever come off. We have issues.

So. My hair is short. I think I like it. I think I’ll get used to it. I think my daughter will too. She’ll have to. It grows fast, but not that fast. Good thing I don't get all my self-esteem from the 5-year-old's opinion.

I think I’ll e-mail my husband and suggest he look at my blog before he comes home and tell him if he loves me at all, to please lie if he hates the hair. I can handle the rejection from the 5-year-old...I think. Honey, just lie.

Rachel did come in here to find out what I was doing and wanted to take a picture with me...so there's hope, right?

Full to Overflowing

It's been a busy, but oh so good weekend.

Our church had a ladies' retreat this weekend, to which I almost did not go. A friend asked if I was going, and I waited until the very last minute to turn in my registration - and I only did that because my husband all but insisted that I go. He said I needed it and I am always glad when I go. He was right. Again. I told my friend on the way there that I was the least prepared - spiritually, emotionally, physically, and every way - than I'd ever been for any retreat I've ever attended. But....it was good....good for me. I needed the fellowship, and even more importantly, I needed the encouragement I received from the speaker and the encouragement she gave in reminding us to rest in our Savior, Jesus Christ, and to seek Him first with all our heart and then to serve out the overflow of His love as we spend time in prayer and feasting on His word daily.

Last night we had a Sunday School fellowship. Again, I almost didn't go because I had just gotten home from the retreat and thought I just wanted a night at home. But, again, husband all but insisted that we go. He was right. Again. Are you sensing a trend here? It was a relaxing evening of enjoying the company of friends we got to know a little better, and I have not laughed so hard or so long in a very long time.

What a blessing the reminder to rest in Jesus and savor His word and the joy of laughter has been. What a balm to a sinking heart that was struggling with the blues for quite a while now. I needed this weekend.

And top it all off with a lovely day with my church family today. I said on Facebook this afternoon that every Sunday I find that I want to say something about how full my heart is after meeting with my church family and how words are never enough to describe what I want to say. There is something very powerful about gathering together to worship the Lord corporately that words just really cannot express fully. And when you think about it, that is only a glimpse through a glass darkly of what heaven will be like when the Body of Christ made up of the saints from all the ages and all people groups worship Jesus and know Him fully and see Him face to face. What a glorious day that will be.

For now, I am grateful for the blessing of being part of the Body of Christ here. May I love Him more and more, and may I serve for the joy of knowing Him and the power of His resurrection and may I learn to serve from the overflow of His merciful, gracious love that has redeemed me to be part of His people. May I remember that God will use me here where He has planted me and it is good.

And I am grateful for my husband who lovingly encourages me to quit being a hermit and enjoy what he so wisely knows I need.

From My Recent Reading: A Quote From Octavius Winslow

I’ve been slowly reading my way through Soul Depths and Soul Heights by Octavius Winslow. The following quote from chapter 7, “Hoping in the Lord,” is one of the reasons I have really appreciated this book. It is not a quick read, but it is good and worth thinking through. In light of the fact that we need to be discerning as we read and listen to any writers or speakers but especially those who claim to be Christian, I so much appreciate Winslow’s exhortation to have the Word of God as our ground and proof for truth.

“A few practical deductions will close this chapter. It follows from the preceding exposition that it is of the utmost importance, of vital moment, that we make sure of the nature and foundation of our hope. There are false hopes of heaven, as there are false hopes of earth. It was a most holy prayer of the Psalmist, which every believer should, in a daily examination of his real state before God, breathe - ‘Let me not be ashamed of my hope’ (Psa. 119:116). Oh, what multitudes are cherishing a spurious hope of heaven! building their hope, not upon the Rock Christ Jesus, but upon the quicksand of their own righteousness! Look well, my reader, to the nature and foundation of your hope for the future! In settling the question of its reality, assume nothing as true which has not God’s Word for its ground and its proof.

It is written: ‘Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ It is written: ‘If any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creature.’ It is written: ‘Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.’ It is written: ‘He that believeth not shall be damned.’ Heaven and earth shall pass away, with all their greatness and grandeur, but God’s Word shall never pass away! Look well, then, to your hope after death. See that it is built upon Christ alone - a divine Redeemer, a personal Christ, a sin-atoning Saviour-Christ, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, yes, the all and in all of your hope of glory.”

Quote of the Day

My husband and 12-year-old son are preparing to build a swing set in the backyard. Son is looking at all the pieces of lumber and reading the very long set of instructions. He looked up and said, "This is a lot different from Legos."

I thought that was hilarious.

Math Makes Me Cry

My husband and I were talking today about how long it looks like we may get to stay here if the Army decides the way we think it will regarding his career path. Yeah, that sentence is clear as mud....I don’t know how else to express it.

Anywho...he was saying a certain time frame looked likely (no promises just thinking out loud, this is the Army you know), and I started doing the math on how old the kids will be, because that’s basically how I measure time these days. Then I choked up and started to cry while we were on the phone together, because it doesn’t really seem all that long, but when you start putting the kids’ faces on it, it makes you realize how fast time flies, and my little girl is turning 5 on Wednesday, and she’s the baby. That means the older ones are not babies, either. In fact, the oldest boy is almost as tall as me and entering that awkward stage boys do when their voices get all crackly and they still are kids but....not so much anymore. He really, really doesn’t want Mom to hug him anymore, and that makes me cry, too. He still likes Legos, though, and our read-aloud-together time in the evenings. The middle son still likes hugs, but don’t tell his friends, okay? I’m hugging our youngest girl every chance I get, because, well, did I mention she’s turning 5? It’s really been five years already?

I have much joy over the people they are growing to be, and I find that I enjoy them with every stage they grow through, and I find joy as I pray for them that the Lord will continue to draw them to Himself and teach them to have a heart for Him. I pray, too, that my husband and I are teaching them well and using the time we have well. I don’t want to waste the short time we have, but I also know that one thing I grieve deep down in my quiet heart is that too often in the busyness of the everyday we don’t always remember how short those everydays really are, and I know we've missed some things we should have been more on top of, and I know we've been impatient over things that really aren't all that important, and we've made mistakes along the way, and we've been, in short, sinners who have had to confess such to each other and to our children at times. In those moments, I pray for mercy and grace and wisdom, and I pray for the wisdom to use well the time we do have. And our God is so kind, so good, so very, very kind to us. And I am grateful.

So, math makes me cry. Anybody have a tissue?

Allergy Season

Working with a couple of sweet two-year-olds this morning while their mommas went to their MOPS meeting, when one of my little friends looked up from the paper he was coloring, grinned right into my face.....and sneezed. Not just a little sneeze, either. I do not think I’ve ever had so much sneeze sprayed all over my face and right into my eyes before. My inner germophobe began silently freaking out. I looked at my co-worker and said, “I’m sure it’s just allergies, right?” She smiled sickly and said, “Uh-huh.....” And then we looked at my little friend’s gunky nose, and my coworker and friend said, so reassuringly, “That doesn’t look like allergies to me.” And then we both laughed, because, what else are ya gonna do at that point?

We spent the rest of the morning assuring ourselves it’s just allergies. ‘Tis the season, after all. Meanwhile I contemplated whether dousing my face and eyes in Purell would blind me or not, and whether it might be worth it. Kidding. Sort of.

Yeah. Hand me a nice big bottle of vitamin C and the orange juice. I’ll be guzzling it straight from the jug....

Don’t you just love that sense of baited anticipation that follows such an event? Wonder what the incubation period is for this particular strain of Kentucky crud....