Sunday, September 28, 2008
"Swimming"
Thursday, September 25, 2008
too many pictures!
"I don't know why some people can't touch their toes- it's easy!" : )Relaxing out in the shade after a long day of work - is Annie giving Pappa all the answers for his crossword puzzle?
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Life these days.
Other than that, my mind has been on the problems in this country - the persecution of Christians and terrorist bombings, and the upcoming election in the US (actually i'm not thinking about it very much - i'm just glad to be far from TV and political bashes and I pray about what God has in store for our land). More pertinent to me are the 'news' items in my life- the accomplishment of putting up Annie gates in our house, organizing Annie clothes gone wild, bringing in the bukari (wood stove), cutting down candles to fit into my candle holders, fixing tea for my amazing and wonderful husband, FINALLY beginning to quilt Will's quilt, soaking an infection on my finger, sweeping up crumbs from under the table, and washing Will's sheets daily as he keeps wetting his bed due to seizures :( . yes, he has had more seizures. So we are planning a trip to Delhi in two weeks when we'll have more tests done and discuss medication options with the doctor. This is life right now. I'm also anxiously awaiting the arrival of several babies of friends and family - Just got word about Laura's new daughter! Next should be Mary, then Sarah, then Laura before the middle of October, then finally Sasha in a few months. How exciting! :)
So this is life right now. I've recently put up a Bible verse on our bathroom wall which has been a neat picture to me.
Isaiah 40:11 He [the Sovereign LORD] tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
These days feel like God is carrying us close to His heart and gently leading us. I pray that He'll remind you of these pictures too and of who He wants to be in your life these days.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
So thankful.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
happenings at our house.
But she's trouble - "Oh NO! You caught me racing to the toilet again! Maybe if I speed up I"ll get there before you catch me." I don't think she realizes that she's caught between us here.
"Hmmm this stuff is funny and doesn't feel very nice on my knees. I guess I'll have to crawl on my hands and feet."
(Check out the cool slippers.) "How come Will's picture is so much nicer than mine? How does he do that?!"
Show and tell. Evidently Annie doesn't have much to show or tell.
Annie concentrating on her big brother. "I can't wait until they give ME a pair of scissors!"
Annie's "mad bluebird" look. Some friends spent the afternoon admiring this goofy face Annie often puts on and likened it to an angry bluebird face. :)
"Yook! Yook-a-dis!" Will, the socks go on your feet, not your hands.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
on being "just a mom"
I, too, find myself to be, finally, just a mom. Maybe. It's just that in this setting, the past couple of years have made me realize that I thirst for other moms. I long for 'play dates' and to talk about kids. I long to fit into a group where there are others with similar joys and struggles off of whom I can bounce ideas, concerns, questions, throughts and dreams. Being 'just a mom' in my setting has been rough in some strange ways. I think that a lot of it is that it is coupled with feeling very young and inexperienced as well. I feel a bit insecure about having others watch Nate and me parent...-we don't know what we're doing! In this place, I am the only one in many crowds with a little rowdy kid who is 2 years old and acts like it. He doesn't obey or listen or sit quietly or answer politely or behave. He's just a little kid, but I sometimes dread social things because he's the only little kid. Besides that, I'm not very creative and I am finding that I hunger for ideas of what to do with my kids. How to play with them, how to teach them new things, how to pass the time in a fun way. I could learn a lot by watching and talking with other moms if there were some around.
Reading my cousin's thoughts, I'm remembering that I have now deliberately chosen to trade in my 'career' for being a 'stay-at-home-mom'. This reflects a huge change in my heart through the past 5 years. I used to find pride and joy in doing work that pleased people, meeting goals, and being 'someone'. But this has faded for me as I have been learning that God wants me to find my sole identity and purpose in Him, and that when I do that, He promises to fill me up. I find that deep inside God is asking me to love my children, to spend time with them and to raise them to love and know Him, and this year has been a welcome chance for me to do that. I have come to really love and enjoy being a mom - something I never thought I'd be or enjoy! The days can be lonely, however, and often I fail to be the loving, godly mom I want to be. This summer I found refreshment in meeting with other moms to talk about kids and being a mom. Probably my experience is a lot different than my cousin's who sounds like she feels a bit trapped by it all. I am still able to spend time with students, older couples, singles, young married couples - people of all different ages, cultures and religions. My life is rich, yet some days, I just long to hang out with a bunch of moms and discuss kids and motherhood - it might make me feel a little more normal. :)
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Signs and Promises
"The whole Christian life can be summarized in our two questions: Who is Jesus? and, What does He want of me? All of us would do well to dedicate our lives to answering these two questions." - Jim Petersen
This quote was a helpful reminder for me recently. I think sometimes it helps to step back from life and reconsider what it's really about. One of my great joys these days is the Tuesday morning Bible Study. We're looking at God's promises and it has been so refreshing and encouraging to meet together and dig into God's Word. I ran into a verse that seemed to clearly express God's whole purpose in giving promises:
2 Peter 1:3,4 "His divine power has given us EVERYTHING we need for LIFE and GODLINESS through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us his very great and precious promises so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."
So far we've looked at God's promises of peace and of strength (which are closely related). We read through the story of Gideon which is absolutely amazing- a story I haven't thought about in too long. But the question arose- does God still give signs to us when we ask Him for them like He gave to Gideon? I'll think on it and try to remember when I've seen this in my life. If you have seen God giving a sign, I'd love to hear about it as well. I love remembering God's promises and how He's followed through.
"Not one of all the Lord's good promises to the house of Israel failed. Every one was fulfilled." Joshua 21:45