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Wednesday, January 28, 2009

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

God is so good.
God is so good.
God is so good.
He's so good to me!
This is the little child's song I was humming, NO, make that singing out loud(!) on my way to the commissary (grocery store for all of you non-military types) today. When ever I have a doubt that my God, "loves me with an everlasting love; and has drawn me with loving-kindness" (Jer 31:3), then all I have to do is remember today!

My car didn't start. It happened yesterday too, but we thought we got it fixed. This morning, all four children piled into the car to go to Bible Study, and....nothing. It was dead...again. Then God's love came pouring forth. Not only did a VERY KIND Mr. Cressman come to jump our car again, he followed me to the chapel, attempted to charge the battery while we were inside, failed, bought us a new battery, installed it, and parked our vehicle back exactly where it was in the parking lot when I left him to charge the battery. And, of course (!), he won't let me pay him a lick for it!

And that's not all!! Today's shower of blessings continue. Let me count the ways...
  • My good friend, Brooke was at my house to meet me and take care of my children while I ran (in my working car) to the commissary, sans children!
  • I met and hired a house cleaner today for $15/hour! Mui Bueno!
  • A contact at the Foundation for American Christian Education (the org. who supplies most of our homeschooling material) offered, today, to come out to Hawaii to run a personal training seminar!!
  • Did I mention my car was running?
God is so good.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Bath Time Fun!






I snapped these photos last night as the 'babies' were taking their bath. It was just too much fun to not post them here. I hope you enjoy them!!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Night Life

Tonight, the game of choice was, "Hide in the Toy Box and play Peek-a-Boo!" It was funny while it lasted, but by the time Mommy got the camera out, Jack was ready to run. I hope you enjoy the picture anyway!!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Hormones

Hormones. If I could rid myself of one thing in this world, it would not be my propensity to sin. It would be hormones! Yesterday, they were running rampant and I was struggling to see clearly through them. I literally called Sam over to correct him for some childish "boy" thing he was doing to his sisters, and by the time I got him in front of me to talk, the only thing that I could say was, "I have nothing reasonable or wise to say to you." And I just got up and left. Hormones.

So I sat down with my Moe's burrito that night and started writing all the things that I knew to be true, despite what the hormones were falsely leading me to believe. The thoughts went something like this:
  • The Truth will set me free. So what is Truth?
  • I have a God who loves me
  • He has a plan for my life. A plan to give me a hope (!) and future
  • He is with me - lo He will be with me 'till the end of days
  • He is holding onto me (not the other way around). Why don't I just rest, and stop trying to wiggle free?
Later that night, God put the exclamation mark on this conversation by having someone read 2 Cor 12:9-10 to me:
My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weakness...For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Rest in my weakness. Watch the Lord work out His strength. Oh Lord, help my unbelief.

p.s. Sarah wanted to show off her special hairdo...and Sam wanted to show off his special creation.


Monday, January 19, 2009

Week 2 - Converstaions with God

This week has been a very "real". Child #2 has cried out for much additional attention, and she cries for it very literally - whining....all the time...over nothing...except, of course, because she needs attention. Needless to say, I can get very impatient with this approach to wanting my attention, and thus the title for today's blog: Conversations with God.

After yet another episode of child #2 falling apart, I put her in time out and went to hide in the laundry room. There I prayed,
"Lord, pleeeeeeease help me deal with this child." His reply?

"Love her as I love you."

Me: "Really, Lord? Why are you telling me this?"

God: "Because you asked." and really, just the other day I prayed for wisdom on how to love child #2 with the Love of Christ.

Me: "But I can't. I am weak right now."

God: "In your weakness, I am strong."

Me: "I can't do it."

God: "You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength."
At this point, I thought, "Boy all these answers are coming fast." And God said, "You put her in time out. I only have 4 minutes to work with."

In my own little way, I finally understood what relying upon HIS strength really meant. I had nothing to give, and yet when that 4-minute timer went off, I found myself with a little 4-year-old girl in my lap getting the attention she needed with a heart ready to hear my instruction about "obeying even when it's hard." Funny, how we can preach to ourselves as we teach our children.

Enjoy the pics! They're just a snapshot of the life of our household over this last week.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Baseball Season Has Started

This last Saturday, Sam had his first baseball 'game.' I use the term 'game' loosely as each inning consists of every player on the team getting a chance to bat off of either the coach's pitch (3 tries) or the tee. Needless to say, a game of two innings takes an entire hour. An hour well spent, though, as I got to watch our Little Papi at bat against a mean Wildcats defense. You should have been there :)



Monday, January 12, 2009

Week 1 - Peace that Passes Understanding

We dropped Daddy off at the airport last Sunday for his training in New Jersey and a strange sense of peace and calm came over me. I usually get a little nervous about 'surviving' these separations but I almost immediately had a new perspective:
This was going be 'our family' for the next 8 months (outside of February when Daddy comes home for a few weeks). I can not just survive. I need to be living. "For I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly" says the Lord. Well then, bring on the abundant life!
And there came the peace. I actually took all four children directly to the commissary and didn't dread it. (And if you know me, you know I don't 'do' the commissary. Daddy does.) Four kids, a spaceship shopping cart, a list and a peaceful Mommy. God is good!

Other surprising examples of the goodness of the Lord this week:
  • An entire evening 'out' with my friends, to include a pedicure, dinner and shopping! AND plans to have a babysitter EVERY Wednesday night!
  • Several friends offering to help with the very things I specifically prayed to get help with (Baseball practice & Sat game-day coordination, Thank you Sarah & Natalie!, Transportation to AWANA - Thanks Rebekah! Time with adults friends and adult conversation - Thanks Mary!!)
  • Finally getting a clear(er) vision of how to approach next year's home school for Sam and Emilie
  • Getting to take three of out four little blessing to the bowling alley on Saturday afternoon. And even the desire and energy to DO it. (Emilie won, much to Sam's chagrin :)
  • Sleeping well ALL NIGHT LONG and not even wanting to put on too many night lights to ward off the boogy-man

The first full week had a few bumps where peaceful Mommy lost her peacefulness, but overall there has been a unexpected joy in our household. We still miss our Daddy, but we can have life abundantly wherever the Lord takes him.