Smoothies for lunch
were followed by
sunny day walk
Spring must be here
dandelion
has bloomed again
Monday, March 22, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
The wisdom of Christopher Robin
I can't believe I made it through childhood without reading the orginal Winnie the Pooh stories. I did have a wonderful childhood, though, full of stories and outdoors and make-believe. And while somewhat sadly finishing "The House at Pooh Corner" this morning with my children, I encountered this excerpt that describes the childhood I desire to give to my children: slow, simple, whole. Or as Christopher Robin says, "Nothing."
"I like that too," said Christopher Robin, "but what I like doing best is Nothing."
"How do you do Nothing?" asked Pooh, after he had wondered for a long time.
"Well, it's when people call out at you just as you're going off to do it, What are you going to do, Christopher Robin, and you say, Oh, nothing, and then you go and do it."
"Oh, I see," said Pooh.
"This is a nothing sort of thing that we're doing now."
"Oh, I see," said Pooh again.
"It means just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering."
"Oh!" said Pooh.
"I like that too," said Christopher Robin, "but what I like doing best is Nothing."
"How do you do Nothing?" asked Pooh, after he had wondered for a long time.
"Well, it's when people call out at you just as you're going off to do it, What are you going to do, Christopher Robin, and you say, Oh, nothing, and then you go and do it."
"Oh, I see," said Pooh.
"This is a nothing sort of thing that we're doing now."
"Oh, I see," said Pooh again.
"It means just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering."
"Oh!" said Pooh.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Simple, slow, whole
In this world of high-tech, fast paced, processed, I fight the battle to defend simple, slow, whole.
I say no to movies nearly every day. Today I'm rewarded as my son cheers at the sight of a newly-thrifted storybook.
I say no to go-go-going, even when the days seem long and sometimes dull. Today I'm rewarded by the pure bliss of smiles as I blow bubbles with my daughter.
I say no to desserts and candy and chips and kool-aid. Today I'm rewarded as my one-year old eats steamed broccoli, plain yogurt and whole-grain bread.
What battles do you deem worth the fight?
I say no to movies nearly every day. Today I'm rewarded as my son cheers at the sight of a newly-thrifted storybook.
I say no to go-go-going, even when the days seem long and sometimes dull. Today I'm rewarded by the pure bliss of smiles as I blow bubbles with my daughter.
I say no to desserts and candy and chips and kool-aid. Today I'm rewarded as my one-year old eats steamed broccoli, plain yogurt and whole-grain bread.
What battles do you deem worth the fight?
Monday, March 15, 2010
Why theology matters
Despite all that I've learned about parenting, I still fall for it every time:
Isaac is driving me crazy! Each day is worse than the last! He spits in my face when I ask him to do something. Every little thing is either a battle or a sobfest. I'm dying to send him to boarding school, I mean - PREschool.
Three months later . . .
Isaac has been SO much better. He's been cheerful and helpful and sweet.I think I'm finally doing something right! I'm SO glad I didn't send him to school - I'm loving this time with him.
One month later (eg RIGHT NOW)
Isaac is driving me crazy! What am I doing wrong?
I'm so grateful that I know that my son was hand-picked for me by God! That's an important truth to remember some days. It's also important for me to realize that God will work even melted-glitter-crayon-all-over-my-jeans-load for my good. Off to deal with reality in the light of blissful eternity.
Isaac is driving me crazy! Each day is worse than the last! He spits in my face when I ask him to do something. Every little thing is either a battle or a sobfest. I'm dying to send him to boarding school, I mean - PREschool.
Three months later . . .
Isaac has been SO much better. He's been cheerful and helpful and sweet.I think I'm finally doing something right! I'm SO glad I didn't send him to school - I'm loving this time with him.
One month later (eg RIGHT NOW)
Isaac is driving me crazy! What am I doing wrong?
I'm so grateful that I know that my son was hand-picked for me by God! That's an important truth to remember some days. It's also important for me to realize that God will work even melted-glitter-crayon-all-over-my-jeans-load for my good. Off to deal with reality in the light of blissful eternity.
Friday, March 12, 2010
The moments between
My house is a mess right now. Two nights of overnight guests = dishes and bedding strewn about. Babysitting extra kids two days in row = extra toys and dishes. Food thawing on the counter for supper tonight, men's breakfast at church tomorrow, birthday cake being made for Sunday.
Our life is full - so many people intersect our path. Some for just a few days - like our spring break trip houseguests. Some, like my dear nephews, come again and again. My home has become my little center for ministry - supper for friends one day, an offer to babysit the next, a meal prepared and delivered to the hurting, a phone call or email, a word to a neighbor over the fence, and the ever present ministry of child-rearing.
And moments like this one: the in-between of clean-up and preparation. Me in the quiet while children sleep, listening to a God's Word preached via podcast and relishing the work I've been given.
Our life is full - so many people intersect our path. Some for just a few days - like our spring break trip houseguests. Some, like my dear nephews, come again and again. My home has become my little center for ministry - supper for friends one day, an offer to babysit the next, a meal prepared and delivered to the hurting, a phone call or email, a word to a neighbor over the fence, and the ever present ministry of child-rearing.
And moments like this one: the in-between of clean-up and preparation. Me in the quiet while children sleep, listening to a God's Word preached via podcast and relishing the work I've been given.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Progress
I'm so glad that there are things in life where measurable progress can be made. So much of my day consists of picking up the same toys, washing the same dishes, laundering the same clothes. There is beauty to this rhythm, but today I am grateful for progress.
Nine months ago I decided I was tired of my bare cabinet-tops. I started collecting blue-and-white items (a dollar here and a dollar there secondhand) and now that space between cabinets and ceiling is full and attractive.
In September I started teaching my son to read words like "am" and "ax". Today he read five sentences (Chuck is fixing the shack) in four minutes.
Yesterday I had six months of photos and captions to add to four separate photo albums. Today I'm almost done.
Aren't you glad we're going somewhere? We're not running in circles, though it may seem like it at times. We have a goal, a destination, a glorious END which is really the beginning of all things real.
"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:12-14
Nine months ago I decided I was tired of my bare cabinet-tops. I started collecting blue-and-white items (a dollar here and a dollar there secondhand) and now that space between cabinets and ceiling is full and attractive.
In September I started teaching my son to read words like "am" and "ax". Today he read five sentences (Chuck is fixing the shack) in four minutes.
Yesterday I had six months of photos and captions to add to four separate photo albums. Today I'm almost done.
Aren't you glad we're going somewhere? We're not running in circles, though it may seem like it at times. We have a goal, a destination, a glorious END which is really the beginning of all things real.
"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:12-14
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