Monday, June 25, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
What's a girl to do?
Living in MN has its ups and downs but that is no more evident than in the air temperature variances.
It's true, we have a window A/C that we could be making (good?) use of. However considering that the darned thing doesn't work for peas, it would be a waste of precious $$$ to have it run all day long, whether on low or high power.
So, what does a mom do when she needs to be home all day with the kiddies in a warm apartment?
It's true, we have a window A/C that we could be making (good?) use of. However considering that the darned thing doesn't work for peas, it would be a waste of precious $$$ to have it run all day long, whether on low or high power.
So, what does a mom do when she needs to be home all day with the kiddies in a warm apartment?
Why, play dress up with the dog of course!
P.S. Josiah is showing signs of heat loopiness (yes, that's a technical term!). I think we're going to have to seek help from the YMCA's wonderful outdoor swimming pool.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
The circle of life...
This morning we received a greater lesson than listening to the song from the movie, "The Lion King" could ever teach. It came in a beautiful yet sad package. It provided much conversation surrounding the "fairness" of life and God's provision for us all...even the little sparrows. We found this baby bird on the sidewalk in front of our condo this morning. Yesterday we had found the egg shell, broken in two, in the same spot on the sidewalk. The weird thing was that the only little tree in the area had no sign of a bird's nest in it! Unfortunately, this baby didn't survive the fall but it was given a proper burial and sent off to be with Jesus in Heaven. *smiles*
Thank you Lord for allowing this moment to become one of teaching, drawing us closer to one another and, ultimately, You.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Life is NOT like a box of chocolates...
A few weeks ago, during one of the final weeks of a study our church did called "The Beautiful Mess", our small group leader poised this question:
At this point in your life, what type of fruit would you say best describes you?
Sounds awfully psychoanalytic, if you ask me. *smiles* And yet, as simple as it sounds, I had no idea how I was going to answer this question. As I listened to the answers of the other members of our small group, thankful that I was next to last, I prayed for a leading of the Holy Spirit. I didn't want to throw out this opportunity to be a little more transparent in this (fairly) new community of believers that Eric and I have been a part of for several months now.
An apple? Sweet varieties abound and yet the tart ones cannot be ignored. Seems indicative of the life of ups and downs that a Christian lives on this earth.
A pear? For surely my waist is no longer in existence as I struggle to exercise regularly and eat well.
An orange? Pretty to look at but only when you crack it open, do you know the truth of the taste inside. I can think of a few times that I've called attention to the beauty on the outside, only to be hiding something distasteful in my heart.
A watermelon? Even the "seedless" varieties have seeds of one sort or another. As I enjoy the sweetness of life, do I choose to swallow those nasty seeds, thus ignoring the problems in my life? Or do I fish them out of my mouth with each bite, giving careful attention to how I go about disposing of them?
How could I choose?
Then as I opened my mouth, the most amazing word sprang forth...Grapefruit.
YES, Grapefruit!! That's it!
I haven't seen, purchased, thought about, or tasted a grapefruit in ages...seriously, in years and years...and yet they were, at one time, my most favorite fruit on earth. It was my dad who turned me on to this deliciously sweet and yet temptingly sour fruit. He used to indulge in them often before his Crohn's disease flared up so horrifically. At times, his hankerings for this fruit would drive him to the grocery store for simply one grapefruit. No shopping list in hand nor impulse purchase to be made...simply one beautiful grapefruit.
So why a grapefruit you ask? It was only as I talked it out myself that I realized the significance of this comparison.
Grapefruits: sour; this is common knowledge. I have craved the sourness at times.
My life: can be sour and I have to remind myself to crave that sourness, too because it's in those times that I can truly taste the sweetness of the life God has given me. It's also because of those times that I can share of the lessons I've learned and help to bring health and healing to those around me. Or in other words, I can share my grapefruit. *smiles*
Grapefruits: must be eaten in a particular way, using a specially made and quite sharp-ended, "grapefruit spoon" and one section at a time. To not use a grapefruit spoon is clearly asking for a painful squirt in the eye.
My life: while one could argue that there are many paths in which to take, one thing is clear: there are no shortcuts. God has given me His Word, the Holy Spirit, my friends and familes, and the experiences I have here on earth to guide me in the life He has for me. To attempt to do things "my way" will surely demand a few nasty squirts in the eye.
I find myself full of desires to change lots of things in my life and a good deal of knowledge with which to start. However, for the last year or so, I've been choosing to take the very greedy and lazy path. I've been envisioning the grapefruit I so very much desire and diving right into it without the proper tools. I tell myself I want better for me and my loved ones, only to ignore what is often the hard work of change to keep digging away at my grapefruit with a soup spoon!! My eyes are red and swollen from the stinging liquid!!
Knowing is only half the battle. I need to know CHOOSE to put that knowledge to work for me. I need to choose the challenge that is change.
At this moment in time, life is *not* like a box of chocolates for me. In fact, said box is empty and I've most likely got chocolate dotted across my cheeks. *smiles*
No, for me, life is like a grapefruit. Lord, help me take up the tools you have given me to find my way to the fruit.
At this point in your life, what type of fruit would you say best describes you?
Sounds awfully psychoanalytic, if you ask me. *smiles* And yet, as simple as it sounds, I had no idea how I was going to answer this question. As I listened to the answers of the other members of our small group, thankful that I was next to last, I prayed for a leading of the Holy Spirit. I didn't want to throw out this opportunity to be a little more transparent in this (fairly) new community of believers that Eric and I have been a part of for several months now.
An apple? Sweet varieties abound and yet the tart ones cannot be ignored. Seems indicative of the life of ups and downs that a Christian lives on this earth.
A pear? For surely my waist is no longer in existence as I struggle to exercise regularly and eat well.
An orange? Pretty to look at but only when you crack it open, do you know the truth of the taste inside. I can think of a few times that I've called attention to the beauty on the outside, only to be hiding something distasteful in my heart.
A watermelon? Even the "seedless" varieties have seeds of one sort or another. As I enjoy the sweetness of life, do I choose to swallow those nasty seeds, thus ignoring the problems in my life? Or do I fish them out of my mouth with each bite, giving careful attention to how I go about disposing of them?
How could I choose?
Then as I opened my mouth, the most amazing word sprang forth...Grapefruit.
YES, Grapefruit!! That's it!
I haven't seen, purchased, thought about, or tasted a grapefruit in ages...seriously, in years and years...and yet they were, at one time, my most favorite fruit on earth. It was my dad who turned me on to this deliciously sweet and yet temptingly sour fruit. He used to indulge in them often before his Crohn's disease flared up so horrifically. At times, his hankerings for this fruit would drive him to the grocery store for simply one grapefruit. No shopping list in hand nor impulse purchase to be made...simply one beautiful grapefruit.
So why a grapefruit you ask? It was only as I talked it out myself that I realized the significance of this comparison.
Grapefruits: sour; this is common knowledge. I have craved the sourness at times.
My life: can be sour and I have to remind myself to crave that sourness, too because it's in those times that I can truly taste the sweetness of the life God has given me. It's also because of those times that I can share of the lessons I've learned and help to bring health and healing to those around me. Or in other words, I can share my grapefruit. *smiles*
Grapefruits: must be eaten in a particular way, using a specially made and quite sharp-ended, "grapefruit spoon" and one section at a time. To not use a grapefruit spoon is clearly asking for a painful squirt in the eye.
My life: while one could argue that there are many paths in which to take, one thing is clear: there are no shortcuts. God has given me His Word, the Holy Spirit, my friends and familes, and the experiences I have here on earth to guide me in the life He has for me. To attempt to do things "my way" will surely demand a few nasty squirts in the eye.
I find myself full of desires to change lots of things in my life and a good deal of knowledge with which to start. However, for the last year or so, I've been choosing to take the very greedy and lazy path. I've been envisioning the grapefruit I so very much desire and diving right into it without the proper tools. I tell myself I want better for me and my loved ones, only to ignore what is often the hard work of change to keep digging away at my grapefruit with a soup spoon!! My eyes are red and swollen from the stinging liquid!!
Knowing is only half the battle. I need to know CHOOSE to put that knowledge to work for me. I need to choose the challenge that is change.
At this moment in time, life is *not* like a box of chocolates for me. In fact, said box is empty and I've most likely got chocolate dotted across my cheeks. *smiles*
No, for me, life is like a grapefruit. Lord, help me take up the tools you have given me to find my way to the fruit.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Psalm 139
Read it and believe that your every breath, every thought, every step is seen and cared for by our Lord and Savior.
Then, just.....
Then, just.....
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