Thursday, August 16, 2012
William Floyd Gibbs, III
He who is able... is already there.
A sweet friend sent me a message this morning to tell me she is already praying for our L2 year. The wave tsunami is coming that is Daddy back to commuter/student, Mommy back to full-time work, kids to pre-school and baby to starting solid foods. It's all little changes, that amount to a very big amount of shifting weight around and accommodating little growing pains. My tendency is to 'take a deep breath' and start working as hard as possible at being wife/mother/employee/friend with such a fierce determination that I don't leave much room for grace to enter the picture.
It was a good reminder this morning, to have a friend remind me that we don't face these growing phases in a vacuum. And it made me stop and hear, in the stillness of a napping baby and the click of my work emails, and happily playing toddlers downstairs (for now)... He who is able is already there. He knows what September, October, November will look like. He has already sketched out the trials and triumphs. And wants for me to walk through them with Him.
It is easy in 'Merica to look at our own strengths. We have SO much, and a culture of hard work that makes it more challenging sometimes for me to see dependence on the Lord as a strength. But I know that His power is made perfect in my weakness. So I start this next semester, this next season, yes - with a deep breath. But I'm not holding my breath. I'm taking one step at a time, one day at a time, hoping I can know what choices to make to graciously shepherd our children, to support my husband as he studies and commutes, to work at my job to the best of my ability, and see the areas where His grace is being made perfect as just that: weakness there is not failure, it is an opportunity for better relationship, for more of Him and less of Me. Because He is able, and wants to surprise me, and is already there.
I have a feeling I'm going to need to read my own post at least once a week for the next four months ;)
Thursday, March 22, 2012
The Tale of the Missing 'Dah'
Once upon a time there was a four and a half year old boy who could not seem to part with his security blanket (named 'Dah' sometime back for no explainable reason). We've had a multitude of conversations lately about how big boys don't cart their Dah around, it's just not necessary to have Dah everywhere you go. Especially since Dahs are such sleepy things, and really need lots of rest, so they belong in the bed all day long. Nonetheless, this boy had justified that Dah should be loved everywhere, and at all waking hours, until he turns five.
Earlier today, and about fifteen times this week I've heard this phrase: "Mom, when I am five I will leave Dah in my bed."
You can imagine how much harder it was for me to make my case, when a well meaning store clerk this afternoon admired Dah, and told our sweet boy that she herself had one similar at home that she just loved and loved and couldn't part with... and thought it was grand that he was so obviously consumed by his own.
"You are really not helping my cause." I said with the laugh that all store clerks know means momma-knows-you-think-you-are-helping-but-you-are-not. She smiled back, with that relish-every-moment-it-goes-so-fast smile. We parted without altercation.
And so it goes that we breezed on to the playground, so that this pregnant momma could take a load off her feet whilst the boy and his Bugglish sister could play for a few minutes. I vividly remember them running on ahead of me, his fiercely colored hair gleaming while his Dah waved behind him like a cape.
Three hours later as we were readying for bed, I told him to grab his Dah so we could settle in with a book. "Where is it?" he asked. "I don't know honey, have a look around." It dawned that perhaps the Dah was never retrieved from the car or stroller after our outing. As I searched both, the dreaded fear was realized. In our haste to leave the playground for an imminent potty stop, I saw shoes retrieved, but no Dah. There was little doubt in my mind that the beloved rag of a security blanket had in fact been left behind.
It's one of those teachable moments, right? As a mom, you are torn between the desire to show grace by starting a frantic call-a-thon to find if someone in the vicinity can scour the play area, but also the need to convey the importance and responsibility of caring for one's things, or at least one's most valued possession. But before I uttered a word, and as he sobbed, "I'm sorry I forgot it, Mommy!" my instincts lept into high gear.
An Amber Alert was issued. He wanted me to call the police. And I sincerely thought about calling the police.
I texted friends, grandparents, the law-school-abiding-husband-100-miles-away, all to pray. Anyone who had a relationship with Dah would understand the gravity of our situation. And of course, being the knight-in-his-shining-library that he is, the husband who seemed out of reach for help sounded the alarm the loudest. He knows how much I hate to 'ask' and chose to make our neighborhood Search & Rescue squads know of our dire situation.
Enter Bond and Bond girl. Or at least in this story, they play the role of Bond and Bond girl, because he drove like Bond to the scene of the disaster, with his beautiful wife, at a moments notice.
They had a description of Dah. And while we waited, the boy worried. "Mom, what if other children try to take him?" I couldn't bear to tell him that I didn't think Dah looked the same to other children... So I just conveyed how Bond and Bond girl always come out victorious. Although my hopes sincerely were waning.
Bond girl called me breathless as she ran to search... I told her she might have to use force in the retrieval if necessary. After all, the boy thought Dah was attractive enough to steal. And as he fell asleep peacefully with his back being rubbed by momma, the most blissful picture came across my phone. That tattered and worn blanket with his name and birthdate embroidered popped up with a quip from Bond girl, "Look familiar?"
Never have I been so happy to see that silly piece of fabric. And after today's epic adventure, I honestly think a second date should be inscribed below the first... for Dah's first near-tragedy. And while it tumbles in the dryer awaiting the reunion with the boy (lets be honest, a good sani-cycle in the washer was desperately needed), I am reminded that some of the best things in life are the little things. And the little things can remind us of incredibly large blessings. So if it takes until he is five for him to be 'ready' to give Dah a rest, I can handle it.
It also reminds me that I have a Dah of my own that I carried on for a bit longer than four and a half years. It's in a box in our crawl space, and I've promised the boy on more than one occasion that I would share it with him so he could see the tattered remnants of my beloved security blanket. If you've never had such an attachment, then maybe this excerpt from the Velveteen Rabbit will explain a little of the childhood devotion to such an item:
Yes, even a Dah might be real.
PS - I highly recommend finding Bond and Bond girl in your respective neighborhoods. Ours are in the witness protection program. High stakes operations like this can't be meddled with - so don't try to get their names out of me.
Earlier today, and about fifteen times this week I've heard this phrase: "Mom, when I am five I will leave Dah in my bed."
You can imagine how much harder it was for me to make my case, when a well meaning store clerk this afternoon admired Dah, and told our sweet boy that she herself had one similar at home that she just loved and loved and couldn't part with... and thought it was grand that he was so obviously consumed by his own.
"You are really not helping my cause." I said with the laugh that all store clerks know means momma-knows-you-think-you-are-helping-but-you-are-not. She smiled back, with that relish-every-moment-it-goes-so-fast smile. We parted without altercation.
And so it goes that we breezed on to the playground, so that this pregnant momma could take a load off her feet whilst the boy and his Bugglish sister could play for a few minutes. I vividly remember them running on ahead of me, his fiercely colored hair gleaming while his Dah waved behind him like a cape.
Three hours later as we were readying for bed, I told him to grab his Dah so we could settle in with a book. "Where is it?" he asked. "I don't know honey, have a look around." It dawned that perhaps the Dah was never retrieved from the car or stroller after our outing. As I searched both, the dreaded fear was realized. In our haste to leave the playground for an imminent potty stop, I saw shoes retrieved, but no Dah. There was little doubt in my mind that the beloved rag of a security blanket had in fact been left behind.
It's one of those teachable moments, right? As a mom, you are torn between the desire to show grace by starting a frantic call-a-thon to find if someone in the vicinity can scour the play area, but also the need to convey the importance and responsibility of caring for one's things, or at least one's most valued possession. But before I uttered a word, and as he sobbed, "I'm sorry I forgot it, Mommy!" my instincts lept into high gear.
An Amber Alert was issued. He wanted me to call the police. And I sincerely thought about calling the police.
I texted friends, grandparents, the law-school-abiding-husband-100-miles-away, all to pray. Anyone who had a relationship with Dah would understand the gravity of our situation. And of course, being the knight-in-his-shining-library that he is, the husband who seemed out of reach for help sounded the alarm the loudest. He knows how much I hate to 'ask' and chose to make our neighborhood Search & Rescue squads know of our dire situation.
Enter Bond and Bond girl. Or at least in this story, they play the role of Bond and Bond girl, because he drove like Bond to the scene of the disaster, with his beautiful wife, at a moments notice.
They had a description of Dah. And while we waited, the boy worried. "Mom, what if other children try to take him?" I couldn't bear to tell him that I didn't think Dah looked the same to other children... So I just conveyed how Bond and Bond girl always come out victorious. Although my hopes sincerely were waning.
Bond girl called me breathless as she ran to search... I told her she might have to use force in the retrieval if necessary. After all, the boy thought Dah was attractive enough to steal. And as he fell asleep peacefully with his back being rubbed by momma, the most blissful picture came across my phone. That tattered and worn blanket with his name and birthdate embroidered popped up with a quip from Bond girl, "Look familiar?"
Never have I been so happy to see that silly piece of fabric. And after today's epic adventure, I honestly think a second date should be inscribed below the first... for Dah's first near-tragedy. And while it tumbles in the dryer awaiting the reunion with the boy (lets be honest, a good sani-cycle in the washer was desperately needed), I am reminded that some of the best things in life are the little things. And the little things can remind us of incredibly large blessings. So if it takes until he is five for him to be 'ready' to give Dah a rest, I can handle it.
It also reminds me that I have a Dah of my own that I carried on for a bit longer than four and a half years. It's in a box in our crawl space, and I've promised the boy on more than one occasion that I would share it with him so he could see the tattered remnants of my beloved security blanket. If you've never had such an attachment, then maybe this excerpt from the Velveteen Rabbit will explain a little of the childhood devotion to such an item:
The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces. He was wise, for he had seen a long succession of mechanical toys arrive to boast and swagger, and by-and-by break their mainsprings and pass away, and he knew that they were only toys, and would never turn into anything else. For nursery magic is very strange and wonderful, and only those playthings that are old and wise and experienced like the Skin Horse understand all about it.
"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"
"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."
"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.
"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."
"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"
"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."
Yes, even a Dah might be real.
PS - I highly recommend finding Bond and Bond girl in your respective neighborhoods. Ours are in the witness protection program. High stakes operations like this can't be meddled with - so don't try to get their names out of me.
Thursday, March 08, 2012
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Red was showing Floyd his pirate ship the other night...
Recently R built a pirate ship of LEGOS and was giving a tour of its features:
Red: “This is the plank, this is the sail, this is the cannon, this is the steering wheel, and these are flowers.”
Will: “Whoa. Wait, Flowers?
Red: “Yeah.”
Me: “You want flowers on your pirate ship?”
Red: “Yeah.”
Me: “What for?”
Red: “Girls like ‘em.”
Me: “You want girls on your pirate ship?”
Red: “Yeah.”
Me: “What for?”
Red: “ ‘Cause. Some of ‘em are pretty. And some of ‘em have curly hair.”
Smart man.
Red: “This is the plank, this is the sail, this is the cannon, this is the steering wheel, and these are flowers.”
Will: “Whoa. Wait, Flowers?
Red: “Yeah.”
Me: “You want flowers on your pirate ship?”
Red: “Yeah.”
Me: “What for?”
Red: “Girls like ‘em.”
Me: “You want girls on your pirate ship?”
Red: “Yeah.”
Me: “What for?”
Red: “ ‘Cause. Some of ‘em are pretty. And some of ‘em have curly hair.”
Smart man.
Thursday, October 06, 2011
Meee Moaneen, Mama. It's wake up time!
This is a phrase I am hoping to never forget. No matter the time of day, when I get June out of her pack'n'play (crib catastrophe, later post) she jubilantly exclaims, "Meee Moaneen, Mama! It's wake up time!" For whatever reason, the Junebug translation of Good Morning is Me Moan-een. It's one of the most beautiful sounds and always brings a smile, even when I really want her to know that it is almost 9 o'clock at night and no one is fooled by her scheming, it really is bedtime.
We sing several renditions of Jesus Loves Me, or the alphabet, Row your boat, Twinkle Little Star, or Frère Jacques in both French and English. She has quite the musical repertoire and also counts from 1 to 10. Somehow I can't remember when Red started doing all of this!!!
We sing several renditions of Jesus Loves Me, or the alphabet, Row your boat, Twinkle Little Star, or Frère Jacques in both French and English. She has quite the musical repertoire and also counts from 1 to 10. Somehow I can't remember when Red started doing all of this!!!
Friday, August 19, 2011
the June bug...
This is our Junebug. She's busy as ever, despite my lack of blog coverage of her two year old antics lately. Her favorite food is cereal. With Milk. In a Bowl. So much so that it's the first thing i hear about when she wakes up. "I need cereal. and milk. In a bowl." over and over. :)
She is also enjoying sitting on the potty, although successes in that endeavor are few and far between. I will have to buckle down with her eventually, but i don't see a 4-5 day window at home in the next weeks where we can really knock it out.
We're drinking out of straws and trying on Oma's hat, and basically doing everything big girl toddlers do. She loves shoes and purses and 'baubles' - necklaces. She wants to call everyone on my phone. To say the bug has enjoyed her independence and communication skills is a major understatement.
We just had the 'first haircut' this week and it's pretty darn grown up. She smiles widely and yells "CHEESE!" but also scowls intensely... I never know which will come out, a scowl and silence, or a wide grin and sentence introduction. But we love the variety and the surprises and our sweet girl who rocks babies and holds hands and reminds us to all sit down and eat at the same time and pause to pray. God's using her to sharpen me in ways that are more fun than her infancy molding, and we're trying to bottle the moments as best we know how. And enjoy age TWO!
She is also enjoying sitting on the potty, although successes in that endeavor are few and far between. I will have to buckle down with her eventually, but i don't see a 4-5 day window at home in the next weeks where we can really knock it out.
We're drinking out of straws and trying on Oma's hat, and basically doing everything big girl toddlers do. She loves shoes and purses and 'baubles' - necklaces. She wants to call everyone on my phone. To say the bug has enjoyed her independence and communication skills is a major understatement.
We just had the 'first haircut' this week and it's pretty darn grown up. She smiles widely and yells "CHEESE!" but also scowls intensely... I never know which will come out, a scowl and silence, or a wide grin and sentence introduction. But we love the variety and the surprises and our sweet girl who rocks babies and holds hands and reminds us to all sit down and eat at the same time and pause to pray. God's using her to sharpen me in ways that are more fun than her infancy molding, and we're trying to bottle the moments as best we know how. And enjoy age TWO!
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
dinnertime quotes
RM had a few gems during supper tonight that I don't want to forget:
1. 'Dad, if you eat your dinner, you can get some frozen peas!!!'
--Yes, yes, i do use them as a treat. straight out of the freezer bag. Mama's so tricky.
2. 'Mom, you just pray to Johnny Appleseed.'
--I don't know if who to take this up with... but Daddy must be one heck of a storyteller.
3. 'Well, I just want another brother.'
-- After being told that he should love his sister.
1. 'Dad, if you eat your dinner, you can get some frozen peas!!!'
--Yes, yes, i do use them as a treat. straight out of the freezer bag. Mama's so tricky.
2. 'Mom, you just pray to Johnny Appleseed.'
--I don't know if who to take this up with... but Daddy must be one heck of a storyteller.
3. 'Well, I just want another brother.'
-- After being told that he should love his sister.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Who doesn't love another CHUB contest!?!?
Some of you readers may have been around back in January 2008 for the first round of chub-a-love contest voting... Back when the 07 babes were really sporting their rolls, and we were debating whether or not the first Baker cousin (Garrison) had been outdone by the newbies. Well there is a new Sherriff in town, and his name is Leo. He's sweet #12 in the clan, and in less than 3.5 months, he has worked his way towards a heavy weight title all his own. We can't get enough of those rolls, although his momma is astounded every morning when she lifts him out of his bed at just how quickly he has packed on the pounds. The real question is: which of these wiggling jumping bathing babes took the longest to bathe between all of those rolls!?
So get to voting... you'll have to click the hyper-link for the January '08 voting to refresh your memory and tell us, has Leo outdone his older cousins?
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
day one of swim lessons - before and after
BEFORE: ready to take on the world. jump in? sure. dive for sticks? ok.
AFTER: underwater world conquered. on to more important business.
AFTER: underwater world conquered. on to more important business.
Thursday, July 07, 2011
On being almost FOUR...
i have no idea where Red is coming up with his material lately, but it's urgent that i record it and not forget it. With three months to go until his fourth birthday, here are some new phrases he is saying that are popping up out of the blue:
"Mom, when I go to school, I won't get upset and I won't let you down. Mom, you know that? I won't let you down."
When I found him drinking milk straight from the carton:
"I can just do this easily, mom. It doesn't even spill."
Trying to stir up conversation at dinner:
"Dad, Why did the chicken cross the road to get to the other side?"
On asked about what he did at school that day:
"We just learned about good behavior, and manners... and, just things like that."
On asked what we should make for breakfast:
"We can make a smoothie, mom. You need ingredients, and frozen fruit, and you just BLEND."
When told it wouldn't be long before the babysitter arrived.
"Will it just be five minutes mom? I know about five minutes."
"Mom, knock knock." "Who's there?" "Orange." "Orange Who?" "Orange you glad I didn't say tomato!"
**DISCLAIMER: I didn't teach him about making smoothies. Or how to tell time. It's crazy when your kid starts learning all kinds of things and you realize you had little to do with it. I think we did teach him the knock knocks. He practices them at the lunch table during school.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Sarasota in Summer
First, a huge congratulations to our friends Matt & Paige, whose wedding weekend was an excuse for a getaway to Florida. Evelyn & Floyd got on a plane and checked out of reality for four days! I had never visited...
This fabulous place is the rehersal dinner location. We dined. We laughed. We sat in a cabana by the infinity pool overlooking Sarasota Bay. We checked out the mazerati and ferrari in the garage. Aye, me. What a party!
The Crosley Powell Estate is a gorgeous choice for a wedding... we fanned ourselves while a radiant bride and handsome groom were joined in marriage, under the 96 degree sunshine. Finally the sunset gave way to a night filled with dancing, moustaches, time with old pals and making new friends.
Did I mention that M&P had chosen two of my favorite musicians to serenade us during the ceremony? These college roommates are award winning composers together, and I actually fell into one of the greatest naps I've enjoyed in recent years while listening to a practice session. Vinson & Floyd together again!
This fabulous place is the rehersal dinner location. We dined. We laughed. We sat in a cabana by the infinity pool overlooking Sarasota Bay. We checked out the mazerati and ferrari in the garage. Aye, me. What a party!
The Crosley Powell Estate is a gorgeous choice for a wedding... we fanned ourselves while a radiant bride and handsome groom were joined in marriage, under the 96 degree sunshine. Finally the sunset gave way to a night filled with dancing, moustaches, time with old pals and making new friends.
Did I mention that M&P had chosen two of my favorite musicians to serenade us during the ceremony? These college roommates are award winning composers together, and I actually fell into one of the greatest naps I've enjoyed in recent years while listening to a practice session. Vinson & Floyd together again!
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Valleys
They say you learn more in the valleys of life than the peaks. we've had a lot of valleys lately. Sometimes the peaks look really, really far away and unattainable from the deepest regions of those valleys... but i know they are up there. i keep resting on the hope that one step at a time we will gain ground.
April 6th we had a pipe burst in our basement. It entailed a homeowners insurance policy claim and a lot of frustration. we are grateful to have our house back, but every little drip and leak in this 60 year old home makes me cringe and keeps me tense about 'the next imminent fiasco' on the horizon.
Floyd's brakes on his truck gave out a few days later. They had rusted completely through and had to be replaced entirely. A few days later my car died, right before we were set to go out of town. And about ten minutes before I was scheduled to teach the three year old Sunday School lesson. Awesome.
We escaped the mayhem by retreating to the beach for several days with Will's parents. They relax for a few weeks in the Palm Coast of Florida each year, and are gracious to host us. It was great to get away, and coincided with Will's birthday. Having a few minutes of uninterrupted conversation was blissful.
Bookending our trip naturally was the loss of Floyd's cell phone. It disappeared into thin air, and three days later was found by a complete stranger in Florida. Not a big deal alone, but as part of our little pattern of bumps and bruises, quite consequential -- especially when considering the next hit.
The day after we arrived home from our trip, I had a nagging hunch that something was wrong... You see, Will and I had found out we were expecting a third baby in March... and were waiting until early May to go to the doctor. I called to bump up my appointment, and Will was at work (phoneless). As I sat in the ultrasound room, watching the screen and knowing what I saw was not healthy, a shadow of loneliness fell. Tears came streaming down my face as the technician explained that dates were not matching with a viable pregnancy and that most likely this baby stopped growing a couple of weeks before. I drove home in a blur and couldn't bring myself to move.
The doctor had given me choices as to our next steps, but all of them sounded equally horrible. I called a couple of friends who have been through a miscarriage, hoping for someone to tell me there was a better way out. The reality is no solution is good or easy, they are all equally devastating and yet completely unavoidable. A few days later Floyd played his first live show in 18 months. Strange as it may sound, that night was incredibly healing. Watching him do something he is so naturally good at, and seeing a room full of friends both new and old come to hear him play was a great reminder of God's faithfulness.
The next week the children both had the throw up bug, and when Floyd went out of town the following week, my body finally gave in and ceded defeat as well. Throwing up while your diaper-less 22 month old cries for breakfast is really humbling.
Why am I sharing all of this? I guess in hopes that it is over... that we are on our way up. But also to remind myself that while life is hard and full of tough decisions and brokenness, God is faithful. We have a roof over our head and food on our table. We found the means to keep our cars running and have good doctors to return our bodies to health. We have relationships with friends who reflect our Maker and encourage us to press on. God is good, and He does not change. Our circumstances are ever changing, but we serve One who created all and can use all for His glory, and our sanctification. And for that reason, I'm thankful for the valleys.
April 6th we had a pipe burst in our basement. It entailed a homeowners insurance policy claim and a lot of frustration. we are grateful to have our house back, but every little drip and leak in this 60 year old home makes me cringe and keeps me tense about 'the next imminent fiasco' on the horizon.
Floyd's brakes on his truck gave out a few days later. They had rusted completely through and had to be replaced entirely. A few days later my car died, right before we were set to go out of town. And about ten minutes before I was scheduled to teach the three year old Sunday School lesson. Awesome.
We escaped the mayhem by retreating to the beach for several days with Will's parents. They relax for a few weeks in the Palm Coast of Florida each year, and are gracious to host us. It was great to get away, and coincided with Will's birthday. Having a few minutes of uninterrupted conversation was blissful.
Bookending our trip naturally was the loss of Floyd's cell phone. It disappeared into thin air, and three days later was found by a complete stranger in Florida. Not a big deal alone, but as part of our little pattern of bumps and bruises, quite consequential -- especially when considering the next hit.
The day after we arrived home from our trip, I had a nagging hunch that something was wrong... You see, Will and I had found out we were expecting a third baby in March... and were waiting until early May to go to the doctor. I called to bump up my appointment, and Will was at work (phoneless). As I sat in the ultrasound room, watching the screen and knowing what I saw was not healthy, a shadow of loneliness fell. Tears came streaming down my face as the technician explained that dates were not matching with a viable pregnancy and that most likely this baby stopped growing a couple of weeks before. I drove home in a blur and couldn't bring myself to move.
The doctor had given me choices as to our next steps, but all of them sounded equally horrible. I called a couple of friends who have been through a miscarriage, hoping for someone to tell me there was a better way out. The reality is no solution is good or easy, they are all equally devastating and yet completely unavoidable. A few days later Floyd played his first live show in 18 months. Strange as it may sound, that night was incredibly healing. Watching him do something he is so naturally good at, and seeing a room full of friends both new and old come to hear him play was a great reminder of God's faithfulness.
The next week the children both had the throw up bug, and when Floyd went out of town the following week, my body finally gave in and ceded defeat as well. Throwing up while your diaper-less 22 month old cries for breakfast is really humbling.
Why am I sharing all of this? I guess in hopes that it is over... that we are on our way up. But also to remind myself that while life is hard and full of tough decisions and brokenness, God is faithful. We have a roof over our head and food on our table. We found the means to keep our cars running and have good doctors to return our bodies to health. We have relationships with friends who reflect our Maker and encourage us to press on. God is good, and He does not change. Our circumstances are ever changing, but we serve One who created all and can use all for His glory, and our sanctification. And for that reason, I'm thankful for the valleys.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Wednesday surprise ending.
I haven't thought of the lyrics to Rich Mullins' song 'Calling Out Your Name' in a while, but when i saw the sunset tonight, i was awe struck. Grateful that although we toil much in this world, it is filled with an indescribable beauty that stops our busy lives with wonder and amazement.
In the mundane moments of our work responsibilities and the more challenging moments with young children, I am thankful that God gives us beauty that is calling out His name even when we have no words. Here is a segment of the lyrics:
From the place where morning gathers
You can look sometimes forever ’til you see
What time may never know
What time may never know
How the Lord takes by its corners this old world
And shakes us forward and shakes us free
To run wild with the hope
To run wild with the hope
The hope that this thirst will not last long
That it will soon drown in the song
Not sung in vain
And I feel thunder in the sky
I see the sky about to rain
And I hear the prairies calling out Your name
long time, no blog.
things i should document soon:
1. trip to alabama
2. preview to school
3. music developments for WFG
4. nightmares and hilarious tales from RMG
5. baby dolls and conversations from JEG
6. pipe burst, water fiasco, home insurance claims
7. fence building progress in our yard
8. a new nephew
things i won't bore you with but that sucked time and energy out of the last month:
9. the government didn't shutdown
10. DBG moved offices and realized that is more consuming than moving houses
But for now, looking forward with eager anticipation to an upcoming beach trip. Hallelujah!
1. trip to alabama
2. preview to school
3. music developments for WFG
4. nightmares and hilarious tales from RMG
5. baby dolls and conversations from JEG
6. pipe burst, water fiasco, home insurance claims
7. fence building progress in our yard
8. a new nephew
things i won't bore you with but that sucked time and energy out of the last month:
9. the government didn't shutdown
10. DBG moved offices and realized that is more consuming than moving houses
But for now, looking forward with eager anticipation to an upcoming beach trip. Hallelujah!
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