Monday, March 21, 2011

Trust

 5Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
 6For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
 7Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
 8For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. 

Jeremiah 17: 5-8

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Of Pi(e)s and Parks

On March 14th we celebrated Pi Day.  Originally I was going to make a lemon meringue pie.  However, I had doubled a batch of peanut butter sandwich cookies for Tommy's first day of school (I'm so proud of him!) and it was a recipe that so didn't need to be doubled.  So.  With lots of extra peanut buttery goodness floating around my kitchen, I added some chocolate, and fresh whipped cream and  concocted a pie worthy of Pi Day.

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(Do you see that adorable little finger I caught snitching a lick?  Those little fingers belong to Miss Katherine.)

Abigail said it was the best pie she had ever tasted. Well, thank you my girl! It was pretty tasty ... though, I think I'll stick with lemon meringue next time.

After indulging in that rich pi(e), the children were pretty content to just lie around waiting for devotions and bed time.

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Well, until the little man decided that he wanted to play a little rough ... he didn't have pi(e), after all.

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We also spent a beautiful day at the park and took over 200 pictures.  Yes, I know, that is a little over board.  I promise I won't post all of then, however I do want to share a few.

Like this one of me and my little man on the swing.  He is just so ticklish it is hard to resist sometimes.


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I came across a picture frame that is very "boylie" (the term my children created to counter "girlie") with the beautiful word "Brothers" written across the bottom. I just had to choose just the right picture to put in it.

Now, Mr Ian just loves holding his baby brother. However, we were at the park. There were slides to tumble down, swings to hop over, and stairs to leap up.

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I did manage to snap a couple of the boys.

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I love how he kept his hands out to make sure Jonathan didn't topple over as he ran back to run, jump, and play.


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Topple over, he did. Miss Katherine was quick to run to his assistance.


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Or, at least try ... for a moment.

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After plenty of playing, she may not have been ready to go ...



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but he sure was!

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Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Urgency of the Heart

Have you ever experienced an urgency that comes on like waves of labor?  It may turn out to be prodromal or even false labor; however it feels mighty acute and active.  Breath taking, heart racing, painfully acute until it feels like your heart is just going to burst?

The labor isn't to birth a baby, rather to see a child to salvation.  The child is sleeping and you pray that *tomorrow* you will do all you can to show them the way- but the heart that is squeezing inside screams, what if *tomorrow* isn't offered? 

What do you do?  I just went up and prayed with Ian while he dreamed.  The urgency coming from the center of my being prompted me to try to wake him up.  He rolled.  I moved.  I pleaded with him to wake up and talk to Mommy.  His eyes fluttered open only to shut again.  I prayed some more.  Then, I held the hands of the rest of the children and prayed for them, while they dreamed too.  The same urgency wasn't there.  Abigail proclaimed salvation as her own years ago, however deep in the back of my head I think, "What if she didn't really understand?  She was so young."  Emily, too.  "What if she just repeated the words that she heard?"

Prayers pleaded, hands held, sleepy pink cheeks kissed; I took a shower.  My heart was still racing.  I still felt the urgency to do ... to demand they seek salvation.  I know that won't work.  It just isn't the way.  While I was in my shower, I wondered if I should have prodded Ian even more to wake up.   I mean, if the house was on fire I surely could get him awake.

There are these people declaring that Jesus is coming back in May.  Don't they know they aren't promised another two breaths, let alone another two months? 

What about my Mommy?  My grandmother, my brother and sister in law?  None of us deserve to go to Heaven- to live with my sweet Jesus- certainly most of all not me.  He is indeed coming back, and there indeed will be judgment.  The urgency pounding in my chest kept telling me that it was that time.  Unlike labor pains that bring forth a baby, I can't just call and tell them, "It is time!"  because when it is indeed *time* they will be out of *time*. 

What do you do?  How do you keep the fear, the urgent prodding, and desperation at bay? 

Maybe it was just a panic attack and not a urging from the Holy Spirit?  Maybe it was an urging from the Holy Spirit and I didn't do enough?  What do you do?