A couple weeks ago I received a challenge to raise my child in godliness...from a most unexpected source.
Our microwave had been acting up, and I do mean in a most un-microwavy fashion. Arching and sparking are not what we know to be "normal" behaviors for such an appliance, so we put in a call to the warranty repair man. An appointment was made for a Wednesday, so I was ready when the doorbell rang.
An older red-headed gentleman was at my door and had come to diagnose our microwave's symptoms. He took one glance at the contraption and almost immediately knew what was wrong. As he began his repair work, he saw past me and waved a good morning to Olivia, eating her berries in the next room. Making small talk, he asked if we wanted more children. He then told me that just the day before he heard a statistic in a sermon stating that every second that passes, two people pass away. He stood up from his leaning into the microwave, paused dramatically, snapped his fingers and said "Two people...*snap*...two people...*snap*...". It was sobering.
He continued working on the microwave and said "With a statistic like that, we sure do need more babies coming into the world!" To that I added, "Yes, we sure do. We would like more, and are trying to raise this one in a godly way." Upon hearing these words, he again stood up from his work, but this time he looked at me with great seriousness. There was a strictness in the tone of his voice as he told me: "No. You don't try. You do. That's all there is to it."
A bit startled at his command, I thought about what he'd said and agreed that he was right. I realized that my use of the word "try" was wrong. We're not commanded to "try" to raise our children, but to "train". It's not something we simply aim toward and hope the arrow reaches the mark, but an action we live, day in and day out.
Proverbs refers to children as "olive shoots", and just like my trellising garden plants need to be consistently woven around something sturdy, so it is with my child. My own little Olive is in constant and dire need of being directed. She won't benefit from my guidance anymore than my peas will obey by only commanding them to vine around a post. She and my peas need hands-on guidance and tender training. None of this is accomplished by trying, but by doing. I can make efforts to accomplish something all day long, but nothing will get done unless I just do it. To borrow from Yoda, "Do. Or do not. There is no try."
Whether it's with my parenting, homemaking, or spiritual life as a believer, this principle of doing carries great weight. Meals will never get made unless I "do" and make them. Bad attitudes (be them my daughter's or my own!) won't improve unless they are addressed. My soul won't be nourished with nothing, so I must drink in the Word, and study the truths of scripture. As much as we live by faith, we live out the reality of it by "doing".
Now, to settle the burning question in all of your minds, yes, in the end, our microwave was fixed, but more importantly, so was my thinking. God is good in His own doing to correct His kids through various and sometimes mysterious means. It just so happened that on a windy Wednesday, His truths were delivered into my home by a red-headed microwave repairman.
November 29, 2012
November 21, 2012
He Heals the Brokenhearted
It's been a rough Fall for my family. Various trials and heartbreaking circumstances have been a near constant reminder to look to the Lord for comfort and to know that He is completely in control. To remember that He is good and has a purpose for everything. This morning, Psalm 147 has blessed me and I'd like to share it with you as well. This passage is taken from the ESV. That would be the "Especially 'Spired Version" for those in doubt. ;)
Psalm 147
He Heals the Brokenhearted
1 Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant,[a] and a song of praise is fitting.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.
6 The Lord lifts up the humble;[b]
he casts the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre!
8 He covers the heavens with clouds;
he prepares rain for the earth;
he makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He gives to the beasts their food,
and to the young ravens that cry.
10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.
12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
he blesses your children within you.
14 He makes peace in your borders;
he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
15 He sends out his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word, and melts them;
he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.
19 He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and rules[c] to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
they do not know his rules.[d]
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 147
He Heals the Brokenhearted
1 Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant,[a] and a song of praise is fitting.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.
6 The Lord lifts up the humble;[b]
he casts the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre!
8 He covers the heavens with clouds;
he prepares rain for the earth;
he makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He gives to the beasts their food,
and to the young ravens that cry.
10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.
12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
he blesses your children within you.
14 He makes peace in your borders;
he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
15 He sends out his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word, and melts them;
he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.
19 He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and rules[c] to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
they do not know his rules.[d]
Praise the Lord!
November 14, 2012
The Camping Trip
Andrew has told me for as long as I've known him that he loves to go camping. This passion wasn't fully revealed until last weekend when we were finally able to take our first family camping trip! Andrew has been able to camp a couple of times this fall, but up until last weekend, we girls have smiled and waved him a good time from the safety of the front door.
As the work-week came to a close, Andrew threw out the idea of going camping. I've been reassuring him for umm, well...over two years that we'll go, but things have come up that have prevented us from going. You know, things like untimely weather, moving a couple of times. Oh yes, and having a baby. You know, stuff like that.
With all legitimate excuses behind usme, on Saturday morning, we packed up the truck. I was excited. I had all kinds of great camping food prepared, the temperature was perfect for a little outdoor living, and we were finally getting away to go camping! It would be fun! Right?! YES! IT WOULD!
In my defense, it's been 4 years since I last went camping. I've forgotten a few things since then. And now there's a toddler to pack for. So, with this at the forefront of your mind, try not to judge me too harshly when I share this. That about 30 minutes down the road, still swelling with pride over a job-well-done with my preparations, I had a face-palm moment when I realized it might have been a good idea to bring the pack-n-play. Or the jogging stroller. Or some kind of child-carrying device. WHAT WAS I THINKING?!
Since we were so far down the road, we looked at each other, gave a nervous laugh and continued on. That moment should have been some kind of hint. Perhaps our first clue that we might be in for a special trip.
We arrived at our destination; a beautiful state park with a lake, hiking trails, canoeing, and mini-golf, in addition to the RV, teepees, and tent camping sites. We drove around to give each site a fair glance before deciding where we would stay. A lovely spot near the lake finally caught our eye, so we parked and began to unload the truck. Opening the truck door, I was struck in the face with a great gust of wind. I tied my hair back and continued to help Andrew get everything set up. Since Andrew was planning to sleep in his hammock, he pulled out a large 4-man tent for Olivia and me to sleep in. He wanted us to have plenty of room. So thoughtful. The only problem is that as we opened it up, the wind picked up, caught the tent and nearly sent us para-sailing into the lake! I had to brace myself, gripping as much of the tent as possible while he put the fiberglass poles together.
Once the poles gave the tent some structure, Andrew staked it down and Olivia and I began to build our nest inside. While unrolling our sleeping bags and blankets, another great surge of wind hit the tent, this time so hard that the top collapsed to the ground...with us still inside! Olivia started to scream and I dragged us out of the tent with Andrew looking on in dismay. We continued to struggle with the tent for a while but despite Andrew's best efforts, it kept buckling each time any bit of wind puffed past. Our nearest campsite neighbor kindly came over and offered for us to stake the tent in any windbreak her RV could offer...but it wasn't meant to be. Shortly after her kind offer, one of the fiberglass poles gave out in a great heave of wind and snapped. Great.
We gathered our things, reloaded the truck and decided to drive around the park once more. We got out at a few places to walk along some trails. The entire state park was once the home of a Native-American Chief and I could see why he's claimed that spot! There were several beautiful springs in the valley, with rolling hills, winding trails, and a few ancient looking stone buildings fashioned in the 1930's when the park opened. The highlight of our little walk was discovering a rushing waterfall!
Feeling a bit refreshed by the beautiful sights, I began to feel a little better about our "best laid plans". We walked around until Olivia began to fuss; her cheeks red and nose running from the abusive breeze. We settled ourselves back into the truck and my thoughts turned to what I would make for dinner when we returned home. That is until we made a certain turn off of a certain highway I was sure was leading us back home. Andrew had a peculiar twinkle in his eye and I began to pester him about our destination. Always one for surprises, he took us just off our original path to another beautiful state park! Who knew this country held so many gems of nature?!
This new park took us down into a canyon. There were immense red bluffs, a quaint little lake, all surrounded by gorgeous trees dressed in the colors of fall. As with the last park, we took a tour before choosing a site. We decided on a secluded spot just below the bluffs, which sheltered us from the gale-force winds of the last place. Andrew whipped out a smaller, but much more sturdy tent for us girls and as he set it up, I looked on with new appreciation at how it didn't give-way to any little puff of air. Perspective is everything, right?
With the tent secured and amply padded, Andrew set up his hammock in some nearby trees, and we just did the camp thing. Built a fire, kicked around some leaves, made a few trees our own...it was nice. I'll admit that as darkness covered the camp, I began to imagine all sorts of wild animals in the woods that would love to snack on a juicy toddler. And so, my Mommy-control-freak came out. If I wasn't holding Olivia on my lap, I certainly didn't let her get any farther and a couple of feet away from me. Fortunately for me, I have an observant husband who noted my psycho behavior and encouraged me to chill out. He was right. As usual. I calmed down and Olivia found a tiny piece of wood to pound on the picnic table. She did laps around the picnic table, threw leaves in the air, and had a grand old time. I felt like a dork. So glad Olivia has at least one reliable and non-spazzy parent.
After a lovely dinner prepared by my honey (saute' onions, green beans and fire-smoked sausage for ye curious), I got Olivia ready for bed. Once prayers were said and kisses were given, we let her settle into her nest of blankets and zipped her in. She did so well going to sleep, so Andrew and I had a little time to ourselves. WHAT?! Oh, it was wonderful. We cleaned up dinner, sat by the fire, and Andrew even made some incredible popcorn. It was seriously the best popcorn I've ever tasted. My man has skills deluxe!
Once the popcorn was consumed, we decided to turn in. It had been a long day and sleep sounded delightful. A flashlight guided me to the tent, and Andrew nestled into his hammock in the trees nearby.And we all slept the whole night through and woke up happy campers in the morning.
I had a hard time falling asleep and kept tossing around to find a comfortable spot. It didn't happen. So, around midnight I was laying there half awake when I began to hear the tiny pitter-patter of rain drops plopping on our tent. Oh dear. I unzipped the tent, grabbed the flashlight andin morse code gave a few flashes in Andrew's direction to see how he was doing. He poked his head from his sleeping bag and hammock and said he was alright. I crawled back in to try to sleep and snuggle with Olivia but still couldn't doze off. Around 2am I grew rather alarmed. That sparse pitter-patter had quickly turned into a downpour! I figured Andrew knew what he could handle so just waited. Not long after that, Andrew crawled into the tent, half drenched from the rain and pretty chilled. You see, the rain had come in with a cold front. Lovely.
The rest of the night is something I'd rather like to forget. I'll leave it to your imagination what it was like to try and sleep in a 2-man tent containing a rain-soaked Dad, a sleepless psycho-Mom, and a 1 1/2 year old who kept talking and randomly kicking her feet. Well, that is until we quarantined her to a corner of the tent. It was special.
Morning eventually came (praise God from whom all blessings flow) and when the rain stopped, Andrew built a fire. I was extremely thankful for this fact because it was cold out and we could barely feel our hands. Yes, my thoughtful husband came ready to deal with wet wood (because he's prepared like that), so soon had quite a blaze going to warm his tired family. Olivia was especially grumpy and preferred to cry until Andrew tucked her in his arms and made her eat a little breakfast. We stuck around until we'd warmed up, then had the joy of packing up all of our wet, damp, and smoky smelling belongings. Hot showers and warm beds were such a tonic when we got back that evening.
Despite all of the calamities our trip included, I'm thankful that we kept light-hearted and were able to laugh through the momentshours
when things didn't go as planned. I am all the more impressed with my wonderful husband and his preparedness, for Olivia being a trooper (mostly), and for a chance to get out in God's creation. And so concludes my account of our family's first camping trip. May it rest in peace, forever amen. May it also be remembered with fondness and perhaps a little laughter.
As the work-week came to a close, Andrew threw out the idea of going camping. I've been reassuring him for umm, well...over two years that we'll go, but things have come up that have prevented us from going. You know, things like untimely weather, moving a couple of times. Oh yes, and having a baby. You know, stuff like that.
With all legitimate excuses behind us
In my defense, it's been 4 years since I last went camping. I've forgotten a few things since then. And now there's a toddler to pack for. So, with this at the forefront of your mind, try not to judge me too harshly when I share this. That about 30 minutes down the road, still swelling with pride over a job-well-done with my preparations, I had a face-palm moment when I realized it might have been a good idea to bring the pack-n-play. Or the jogging stroller. Or some kind of child-carrying device. WHAT WAS I THINKING?!
Since we were so far down the road, we looked at each other, gave a nervous laugh and continued on. That moment should have been some kind of hint. Perhaps our first clue that we might be in for a special trip.
We arrived at our destination; a beautiful state park with a lake, hiking trails, canoeing, and mini-golf, in addition to the RV, teepees, and tent camping sites. We drove around to give each site a fair glance before deciding where we would stay. A lovely spot near the lake finally caught our eye, so we parked and began to unload the truck. Opening the truck door, I was struck in the face with a great gust of wind. I tied my hair back and continued to help Andrew get everything set up. Since Andrew was planning to sleep in his hammock, he pulled out a large 4-man tent for Olivia and me to sleep in. He wanted us to have plenty of room. So thoughtful. The only problem is that as we opened it up, the wind picked up, caught the tent and nearly sent us para-sailing into the lake! I had to brace myself, gripping as much of the tent as possible while he put the fiberglass poles together.
Once the poles gave the tent some structure, Andrew staked it down and Olivia and I began to build our nest inside. While unrolling our sleeping bags and blankets, another great surge of wind hit the tent, this time so hard that the top collapsed to the ground...with us still inside! Olivia started to scream and I dragged us out of the tent with Andrew looking on in dismay. We continued to struggle with the tent for a while but despite Andrew's best efforts, it kept buckling each time any bit of wind puffed past. Our nearest campsite neighbor kindly came over and offered for us to stake the tent in any windbreak her RV could offer...but it wasn't meant to be. Shortly after her kind offer, one of the fiberglass poles gave out in a great heave of wind and snapped. Great.
We gathered our things, reloaded the truck and decided to drive around the park once more. We got out at a few places to walk along some trails. The entire state park was once the home of a Native-American Chief and I could see why he's claimed that spot! There were several beautiful springs in the valley, with rolling hills, winding trails, and a few ancient looking stone buildings fashioned in the 1930's when the park opened. The highlight of our little walk was discovering a rushing waterfall!
Feeling a bit refreshed by the beautiful sights, I began to feel a little better about our "best laid plans". We walked around until Olivia began to fuss; her cheeks red and nose running from the abusive breeze. We settled ourselves back into the truck and my thoughts turned to what I would make for dinner when we returned home. That is until we made a certain turn off of a certain highway I was sure was leading us back home. Andrew had a peculiar twinkle in his eye and I began to pester him about our destination. Always one for surprises, he took us just off our original path to another beautiful state park! Who knew this country held so many gems of nature?!
This new park took us down into a canyon. There were immense red bluffs, a quaint little lake, all surrounded by gorgeous trees dressed in the colors of fall. As with the last park, we took a tour before choosing a site. We decided on a secluded spot just below the bluffs, which sheltered us from the gale-force winds of the last place. Andrew whipped out a smaller, but much more sturdy tent for us girls and as he set it up, I looked on with new appreciation at how it didn't give-way to any little puff of air. Perspective is everything, right?
With the tent secured and amply padded, Andrew set up his hammock in some nearby trees, and we just did the camp thing. Built a fire, kicked around some leaves, made a few trees our own...it was nice. I'll admit that as darkness covered the camp, I began to imagine all sorts of wild animals in the woods that would love to snack on a juicy toddler. And so, my Mommy-control-freak came out. If I wasn't holding Olivia on my lap, I certainly didn't let her get any farther and a couple of feet away from me. Fortunately for me, I have an observant husband who noted my psycho behavior and encouraged me to chill out. He was right. As usual. I calmed down and Olivia found a tiny piece of wood to pound on the picnic table. She did laps around the picnic table, threw leaves in the air, and had a grand old time. I felt like a dork. So glad Olivia has at least one reliable and non-spazzy parent.
After a lovely dinner prepared by my honey (saute' onions, green beans and fire-smoked sausage for ye curious), I got Olivia ready for bed. Once prayers were said and kisses were given, we let her settle into her nest of blankets and zipped her in. She did so well going to sleep, so Andrew and I had a little time to ourselves. WHAT?! Oh, it was wonderful. We cleaned up dinner, sat by the fire, and Andrew even made some incredible popcorn. It was seriously the best popcorn I've ever tasted. My man has skills deluxe!
Once the popcorn was consumed, we decided to turn in. It had been a long day and sleep sounded delightful. A flashlight guided me to the tent, and Andrew nestled into his hammock in the trees nearby.
I had a hard time falling asleep and kept tossing around to find a comfortable spot. It didn't happen. So, around midnight I was laying there half awake when I began to hear the tiny pitter-patter of rain drops plopping on our tent. Oh dear. I unzipped the tent, grabbed the flashlight and
The rest of the night is something I'd rather like to forget. I'll leave it to your imagination what it was like to try and sleep in a 2-man tent containing a rain-soaked Dad, a sleepless psycho-Mom, and a 1 1/2 year old who kept talking and randomly kicking her feet. Well, that is until we quarantined her to a corner of the tent. It was special.
Morning eventually came (praise God from whom all blessings flow) and when the rain stopped, Andrew built a fire. I was extremely thankful for this fact because it was cold out and we could barely feel our hands. Yes, my thoughtful husband came ready to deal with wet wood (because he's prepared like that), so soon had quite a blaze going to warm his tired family. Olivia was especially grumpy and preferred to cry until Andrew tucked her in his arms and made her eat a little breakfast. We stuck around until we'd warmed up, then had the joy of packing up all of our wet, damp, and smoky smelling belongings. Hot showers and warm beds were such a tonic when we got back that evening.
Despite all of the calamities our trip included, I'm thankful that we kept light-hearted and were able to laugh through the moments
November 4, 2012
Daylight Savings Blues
Daylight Savings Time has not been kind to us.
- We love being outside. With the time change, all of our outdoor activities were cut far too short. We shan't be the same until Spring!
- The child ate something that didn't agree with her and has had an upset tummy and several blow-out diapers. My poor baby. This, plus the time change, has had her in meltdown mode most of the day.
- We finished dinner! BEFORE 6:30pm!!! Miracles will never cease. It makes sense though...we ate early because we weren't able to play outside as long.
I can't decide whether or not it's time to capitalize on the rest of the evening by nestling down with a good book, or start drinking. Or maybe both? ;)
- We love being outside. With the time change, all of our outdoor activities were cut far too short. We shan't be the same until Spring!
- The child ate something that didn't agree with her and has had an upset tummy and several blow-out diapers. My poor baby. This, plus the time change, has had her in meltdown mode most of the day.
- We finished dinner! BEFORE 6:30pm!!! Miracles will never cease. It makes sense though...we ate early because we weren't able to play outside as long.
I can't decide whether or not it's time to capitalize on the rest of the evening by nestling down with a good book, or start drinking. Or maybe both? ;)
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