love them well

A powerful reminder here.

 

 



A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - back to school shopping



sphere of influence

 

from Seven: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker, Chapter Four, Page 114

 

"Does the collective will and watch of like-minded people keep us from derailing sometimes?  Innumerable times I've grown weary, but the powerful backing of my faith community lit the extinguishing fire, and I carried on.

 

Maybe "letting down my fellow journeymen" isn't such a bad reason for pushing through either.  In my circle of Christ followers, we take turns being strong.  While one of us is down, the rest rally.  Later, we'll trade.  The equation always balances in the end.  Sometimes a second surge of effort affects another believer in profound ways.  I can't count how many times I've thought:

If she can do it, then I can too.

If he can hold steady, then I should try.

If God is keeping them afloat, then he'll do the same for me.

 

Our stories affect on another whether we know it or not.  Sometimes obedience isn't for us at all, but for another.  We don't know how God holds the kingdom in balance or why He moves a chess piece at a crucial time; we might never see the results of his sovereignty.  But we can trust Him when He says press on, cling to hope, stay the course.  He is always at work, even if the entire thread is hidden.  I might just be one shade of one color of one strand, but I'm a part of an elaborate tapestry that goes beyond my perception.

 

The power of the church has always been in its many, many parts.  In a culture of hero worship and conspicuous rainmakers, this concept struggles to emerge, but the story of God's people comprises a billion little moments when an average believer pressed on, carried through, stepped up.  In the quantity of ordinary obedience, the kingdom truly advances.

 

So that one area where you are fatigued and considering surrender, remember this:

 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
(Hebrews 12:1-3)

 

 

How grateful I am for those the Lord has graciously placed in my life as a source of continued encouragement, influence, inspiration, and support.  If only I had an image capturing each face that has touched my life in a meaningful way. 

Such beauty in the Body of Christ.

 



a prayer for a daughter

written by Ann Voskamp

 

 

Father who breathed into this daughter…

I pray for this girl being formed into eternity….

 

May the wind always be in her hair

May the sky always be wide with hope above her

And may all the hills be an exhilaration

the trials but a trail,

all the stones but stairs to God.

 

God, clothe this girl in a gown of grace
 Grace, the only dress that makes beautiful,
 the style of Your spirit.

 

Nourish her on the comfort food of the Word,
Word, that makes her crave more of Christ,
have hunger pangs for Him.

 

Enclose her in communion with You
You, Love who makes her love, who folds her heart into a roof
that absorbs storms for souls,
that makes her tongue speak only the words that make souls stronger.

 

May her vocation in this world simply be translation

Translating every enemy into esteemed guest
 Translating every countenance into the face of Christ
 Translating every burden into blessing

 

When it’s hard to be patient… make her willing to suffer
When it’s ridiculous to be thankful … make her see all is grace
 When it’s radical to forgive … make her live the foundation of our faith
And when it’s time to work… make her a holy wonder.

 

May she be bread and feed many with her life and her laughter
May she be thread and mend brokeness and knit hearts
May she be dead to all ladders & never go higher , only lower, to the lonely, the least & the longing
Her led of the Spirit to lead many to the Cross
that leads to the tomb wildly empty.

 

Oh, and raise me, Lord, from the deadness of my own sins to love this beautiful girl like You do…

 

In the name of Christ who rose

and appeared first

to one of His daughters…

 

Amen…

consumption

We are a household of enthusiastic eaters.  If a favorite meal is on the table, we do not simply eat it, we "CRUSH it."  Smitten Kitchen simple tomato sauce with angel hair and garlic bread...crushed.  Chicken pot pie...forget about it.  Crushed.  Subway.  Crushed.  And, don't even get me started on the prospects of consuming Taco Bell.  "I'm gonna CRUSH that crunchy and soft taco, Mama."

 

In an effort to encourage the little man's table manners, the little lady recently gave him a few tips on how to avoid the inevitable spillage that occurs as he attempts to "crush" his morning cereal. 

 

1. When it comes to scooping, less is more. 

2. Always bring your mouth to the bowl.

 

He was a quick learner.

 



back at it

 

5:17 am - saunter to the bathroom for my third bathroom trip of the "night." (If you're ever awake at 12:30 am, 3 am, or just after 5 in the morning, say a little prayer for me...and my bladder.)

 

5:18 am - saunter back to bed, plop into one of two "cozy" positions.

 

5:19 am - Jeff rolls over, settling into an even cozier sleeping position. (One that is no longer possible for me and my watermelon of a belly. I will not be envious; it would be shameful to have my first sinful thought before 6 am.)

 

5:20 am - iphone's alarm signals the start of our day.  Jeff responds quickly, silencing its unpleasant chirp.  From down the hall, the methodical sounds of the K-cup coffee maker being loaded can be heard. (I linger in bed, careful to flex my stiff legs in a way that will avoid the inevitable leg spasm that will occur in the event of  any sudden movement. Third trimester, how you taunt my aging body daily.)

 

5:25 am - I make my way to the kitchen to find my K-cup, coffee cup, and Slim-Fast Chocolate Peanut Carmel bar waiting for me. (The Slim-Fast bar having nothing to do with managing pregnancy weight, and everything to do with a continued morning craving and love affair.)

 

5:30 am - Commence quiet time.

 

 

Monday evening, between mouthfuls of Hodge's delicious food, Jeff and I enjoyed an hour or so of uninterrupted (with the exception of our delightful waiter's steady presentation of courses, which did not bother me in the least) conversation.  At one point in the conversation, Jeff suggested that he might resume waking with his alarm, which typically goes off 45 minutes prior to when he actually gets out of bed, to spend time alone in the Word.  I offered to join him, realizing that I, too, missed having that time of solitude and preparation before the start of my day.  We have been rising early ever since.

 

Three days in, I am thankful for the following:

 

- the peace that rising early brings to my heart, mind and soul as I reflect on Scripture, read, and pray

- the opportunity to quietly study beside my husband

- the positive effect waking early has on the remainder of my day

- the fact that my husband is funny even at 5:30 in the morning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



lake metroparks farmpark, kirtland, ohio

Mondays have become one of my new favorite days of the week.  That is, Mondays when Jeff has off, and we are granted a three-day weekend to enjoy as a family.  It is quite satisfying to arrive at a destination Monday morning knowing full well that if it were a Saturday, the parking lot would resemble a used minivan dealership, families in search of a little organized fun.  This week's family day o' fun included a trip to Lake Metroparks Farmpark, a beautifully landscaped park featuring farm animals and farm related activities.  We were blessed with mild temperatures (and temperaments), sun, and the presence of Daddy, who in general makes life more agreeable.

 

 

"It's a SHEEP!"

 

Observing the six-week old piglets, a favorite exhibit.

 

"They're just like our baby." (Yeah, kinda.)

 

The little man appreciates a good pony ride.

 

My favorite aspect of this picture is the little man's identical hand position and posture mimicking big sister's. I'm assuming Pablo girl is striking a similar pose in utero.