Whobody?

Jeff, looking into the toilet: "Whobody flushed?" (I guess that's as good a word as "somebody"?)

much, much soap

One day Jeff wanted me to refill the foamy soap dispenser in the bathroom. He said, "There's not much!" So I said, ok, you may find the soap in the cupboard. So he pulled out the refill bottle and said, "Here's much much soap!"

It's so easy to see only the weariness of motherhood (of little ones) -- the constant "Mommy!" calls... the listening to some litany of something that matters to some child, while at the same time trying to remember the other things your mind was juggling at the moment... all the physical needs of little ones that demand Mommy's doing them (dressing, bathing, getting food ready, bathroom needs, brushing teeth)... more arbitrating between two who fuss at each other, more reminders to love one another, more frustration at the sin so evident from sinful hearts... it can be hard to step back from all that in order to rejoice at the little things of childhood, so fleeting. The things that make older mothers say "enjoy this time!" because they miss those little things, and wish they had enjoyed them more (though they don't necessarily explain HOW to do that while dealing with all the little "trials" at the same time). The funny things kids say, the childish likes that will disappear soon, the trust in parents. It's easy to "not have time" to sit holding my child or reading to her. To make all the urgent things become more important than what I'll really wish I had done with my kids while they were little.

Sometimes it takes seeing what I don't have, to make me thankful for what I have. I don't (as far as I know!) have a child with a terminal or chronic illness. I don't have widowhood. I don't have barrenness or infertility. I don't have a husband who gambles away his paycheck or comes home in drunkenness or anger. My children are not AIDS orphans in Africa, with no hope and no help. I have the means to feed them (that's an understatement) and a place for them to sleep. And physical health to get up and care for them and (try to) manage our home, and homeschool. And most of all - I have Jesus! I have forgiveness through Him for all my sins! And therefore - even if I had all those things I don't wish for, it would be ok. Because I have Him.

Oh may I remember this. Day to day, moment by moment. I have Jesus! And what He has called me to do, is be here, now, to be a wife and a mother, to my family. To do it, for Him. If I remembered that more often -- looked up instead of down or around me -- then I would be so much more happy and content.

Yes, but...

No matter what our circumstances of life, we can always say, "Yes, but - all my sins are forgiven, by His blood!" and this ought to rule our minds, and to spur us on to live for Him, in whatever place He has put us right now.

( -- from Andy Dunkerton's sermon on 9/12/2010 PM - http://sermons.grbc.net will have it up soon).

News!

I suppose our news is public now: we're expecting #4, due in April, Lord willing! I'm thankful for God's help in dealing with more effects of pregnancy than I remember in the other ones, and glad to be feeling a little better more recently. God is good.

The kids are all growing...


Katherine is 6, and we're homeschooling, though since NC doesn't require kids to be in school till age 7, we have almost a year to figure it all out before it has to be official. She also gets to go to some "enrichment" classes one morning a week for some practice in language (recitation, book reading, etc.), music, and science review / experimentation. She looks forward to that.

Emily with birthday presents (she likes lions)

Her favorite presents (I think): 3 lions, and a booster car seat

Emily is 4, and doing much of the homeschooling along with Katherine. She still loves dolls and mothering things (or younger children). She and Katherine also got to start some piano lessons from a friend this year. Katherine really loves it, and Emily is getting into the swing of it as well.

Playing at The Magic House kids' museum in St. Louis

Jeff turned 2 in May, and is certainly a boy. Loves to throw things... loves his cars and balls - and still likes babies too. He recently learned how to get up and down the ladder to the top bunk of the bunkbed all by himself.

David is plugging away at his contract position at Cisco in Durham. It's probably not a position that gives very good long-term career prospects, but we're thankful for a job and income, since was without work for several months at the start of the year.

Lydia is trying to keep up with homeschooling and meals and laundry (and very thankful for all the dishes David does for her). The house will get clean someday... the kids are getting big enough to vacuum and such, so maybe she'll be able to teach them to take over more of that. They like earning money for collecting the trash or folding laundry, etc.

Lydia and the kids enjoyed (well, mostly) a very long trip to see all the relatives we could in 2 weeks, stopping first in Lookout Mtn to spend a few days and pick up Mom, then going with her to Iowa to see Esther and her family, and back through St. Louis... finally driving through Chattanooga on the way back to drop Mom off again, and going on to N. Augusta to see Matthew & his family before heading home. It was long, but it was good to see everyone again, even just for a few days.

gracious, merciful, bountiful!

I love the Lord, because he has heard
my voice and my pleas for mercy...

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
our God is merciful...

Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

(Ps.116:1,5.7)

the wisest?

It always amazes me to read about Solomon being the wisest person ever... yet he disobeyed (disregarded?) the 3 commands God gave explicitly to kings: don't go get horses from Egypt, don't get lots of wives (they'll turn your heart away), and don't amass lots of silver and gold.

You would think that a wise person would first of all pay attention to God's commands. I guess it must show that human wisdom is not the same as God's wisdom. That God's foolishness is wiser than men. And to warn us that no amount of human wisdom (in parenting or anything else) will offset our disregarding of the things God explicitly tells us to do (e.g. parents: don't provoke your children to wrath, but raise them in the fear and admonition of the Lord).

(Deut.17:16-17. 1Kings 10:21-11:8. 1Cor.1:25. Eph.6:4)

Jesus only!

Jesus really did do it all. "By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples." (Jn.15:8). Not, "by this my Father is glorified, that you keep lots of laws" - for Jesus is already our righteousness (1Cor.1:30). And when Jesus was asked, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” He answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” (Jn.6:28-29). Bearing fruit is a result (almost a side effect, not something you aim for) of abiding in Jesus - "Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." (Jn.15:5).

So focus on Jesus! Determine to know nothing and be identified by nothing except "Jesus Christ and him crucified." (1Cor.2:2). Do everything for Him - "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." (Col.3:23-24).