On Sunday we went to a Liberian church. There is one moment from the day that was so precious but first I will tell you a little bit about the whole experience. We were there because Don is currently in a Cultural and Ministry class. For an assignment he needed to attend a multicultural church. So this is where we found ourselves Sunday morning.
This church was one of two of the most welcoming churches I have been to. I will not lie. It was a little awkward. We were clearly a minority and new to the service so everyone looked at us. :) Once church got going it was just fun. It was very simple. They just radiated Christ. There was a hunger for the Word. There was a definate love for one another and any one new. It was a really cool experience. I hope this isn't offensive to anyone but I am going on to explain a little more detail of their worship time. The Lord rejoices in our worship, in our praise to him. It doesn't matter if we are good singers, that isn't the point. Their worship time wounded some what chaotic, if I was to be honest, at times it sounded like screaming. The funny thing is that regardless I understood why, regardless of how it sounds to human ears, the Lord views it as beautiful. I could see the beauty of it and even hear it because of how genuine they were expressing their love for God.
So for one of my favorite moments of the day. The kids were amazing. They were just really cool kids. One little girl, 3 years old, came right up to Brody and I. We were sitting on the floor and she seemed as though she wanted to hold him. She came and squatted right down in front of me and just looked at Brody. Then she moved closer, almost nose to nose, put her hands up on his face and just looked at him. She did this more then once. She just had this adoration in her eyes, you could tell she liked him and it was one of the sweetest moments I have ever seen. So precious.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Perspective
Well I have been sharing some of the things that God is teaching me recently. Most importantly it all comes down to renewing my mind. The book I am reading talks about how as Christians we are born again, however, our minds are not. Our minds must be renewed.
Brody woke up this morning probably around 5:30 or so. I heard Don up with him and got up to help. I offered to take over since he needed to get up to go to work today. Typically I would give him a bottle & he would go back to sleep. Well not today. I am pretty sure he is teething. His nose is running. He is drooling like crazy and he is one crabby little guy. So here we are at 9am and he has had a bottle, eaten breakfast, pooped & still doesn't seem to be tired. At least his mood has improved since this morning and so has mine.
My point in all this is that I was so crabby this morning. Brody cried for about an hour & 1/2. I felt so frustrated. I am not very rational when I am tired. I was reading my devotion when I felt the Lord reminding me that I need to renew my mind. Basically this morning I needed to change my perspective. First off stop thinking about how tired I am and start thinking about what I can do for Brody. Secondly, being tired isn't the end of the world. I have so much to be thankful for today and this is what I have decided to think about and focus on. So I am going to share with you all what I am thankful for today.
First and most importantly I am thankful for a God who loves me with out conditions. Not only loves me but doesn't give up on me.
Secondly my husband. Who is patient, loving, and committed to Brody and I. I was pretty emotional this morning and he was so calm and collective. I hope that I can become more like that. Also I am so thankful for how hard he works & yet he still gets up and helps out with Brody. I am sure that he must be pretty tired today as well.
So on with my list. Today is beautiful. The sun is shining and I think it's supposed to be in the forty's... wahooo! So we may just bundle up today and go for a walk. I think it would be good to get some fresh air. Even if we don't go for a walk today, I am so thankful for some sunshine and warmer temperatures. It gives hope that spring is just around the corner.
Brody played on the floor this morning and I laid on the couch & read a book. Mmmmm... for that I am very thankful.
It really is amazing when you stop & put things into perspective. In my head it felt like the worst morning in the world because I was tired and the baby woke up early. Isn't it crazy the places our minds can go, but when we stop & put things into perspective; well it's never really as bad as it seems.
Brody woke up this morning probably around 5:30 or so. I heard Don up with him and got up to help. I offered to take over since he needed to get up to go to work today. Typically I would give him a bottle & he would go back to sleep. Well not today. I am pretty sure he is teething. His nose is running. He is drooling like crazy and he is one crabby little guy. So here we are at 9am and he has had a bottle, eaten breakfast, pooped & still doesn't seem to be tired. At least his mood has improved since this morning and so has mine.
My point in all this is that I was so crabby this morning. Brody cried for about an hour & 1/2. I felt so frustrated. I am not very rational when I am tired. I was reading my devotion when I felt the Lord reminding me that I need to renew my mind. Basically this morning I needed to change my perspective. First off stop thinking about how tired I am and start thinking about what I can do for Brody. Secondly, being tired isn't the end of the world. I have so much to be thankful for today and this is what I have decided to think about and focus on. So I am going to share with you all what I am thankful for today.
First and most importantly I am thankful for a God who loves me with out conditions. Not only loves me but doesn't give up on me.
Secondly my husband. Who is patient, loving, and committed to Brody and I. I was pretty emotional this morning and he was so calm and collective. I hope that I can become more like that. Also I am so thankful for how hard he works & yet he still gets up and helps out with Brody. I am sure that he must be pretty tired today as well.
So on with my list. Today is beautiful. The sun is shining and I think it's supposed to be in the forty's... wahooo! So we may just bundle up today and go for a walk. I think it would be good to get some fresh air. Even if we don't go for a walk today, I am so thankful for some sunshine and warmer temperatures. It gives hope that spring is just around the corner.
Brody played on the floor this morning and I laid on the couch & read a book. Mmmmm... for that I am very thankful.
It really is amazing when you stop & put things into perspective. In my head it felt like the worst morning in the world because I was tired and the baby woke up early. Isn't it crazy the places our minds can go, but when we stop & put things into perspective; well it's never really as bad as it seems.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Bumps & Bruises
Recently I have been around a few newer babies. Newborns are so sweet. I know that it's not everyone's favorite stage but there is something very precious about it. I love their wrinkly skin. I love the way their scrunched up. I love how small they are. I love the way they sleep on you.
I really have enjoyed every stage so far. As the babies grow there is just more to love. The way they grow into their wrinkly skin. The way that they start to become more alert and observe the world around them. Brody since he was a newborn loved to listen to people talk to him. Now he does quite a bit of the talking himself and that is wonderful too.
After they become more observant with their world they start to interact with it. They start to smile. Maybe laugh. It's been amazing for me as I have watched Brody grow. Seeing him develop motor skills. Watching them get big and strong as they learn to roll over, crawl, sit up, stand. You also start to see their personalities. Which of course is wonderful.
I think of these new babies I have held it has just been a reminder of how small Brody once was. He is only getting bigger. He is in the stage now where he falls all the time. He is pulling himself up on anything and everything. Walking along furniture. He always seems to have a bruise on his head. He bumps his head constantly. He actually has an uncanny ability to get a bump in the same place, right at the top of his head in the middle of his forehead. He has a little bruise there right now. :) As soon as I think it is starting to go away he gets another. Today as I was changing his diaper I found more bumps and bruises on his leg. These bumps and bruises really remind me that he is growing up. He is becoming more independent. He wants to try and do more things on his own. Before I know it he will be a year old. I can't believe that a year has snuck up on me so fast. Not only do these bumps and bruises remind me that he is growing up but more then that before I know it my baby won't be a baby anymore, he will be a little boy. :)
I really have enjoyed every stage so far. As the babies grow there is just more to love. The way they grow into their wrinkly skin. The way that they start to become more alert and observe the world around them. Brody since he was a newborn loved to listen to people talk to him. Now he does quite a bit of the talking himself and that is wonderful too.
After they become more observant with their world they start to interact with it. They start to smile. Maybe laugh. It's been amazing for me as I have watched Brody grow. Seeing him develop motor skills. Watching them get big and strong as they learn to roll over, crawl, sit up, stand. You also start to see their personalities. Which of course is wonderful.
I think of these new babies I have held it has just been a reminder of how small Brody once was. He is only getting bigger. He is in the stage now where he falls all the time. He is pulling himself up on anything and everything. Walking along furniture. He always seems to have a bruise on his head. He bumps his head constantly. He actually has an uncanny ability to get a bump in the same place, right at the top of his head in the middle of his forehead. He has a little bruise there right now. :) As soon as I think it is starting to go away he gets another. Today as I was changing his diaper I found more bumps and bruises on his leg. These bumps and bruises really remind me that he is growing up. He is becoming more independent. He wants to try and do more things on his own. Before I know it he will be a year old. I can't believe that a year has snuck up on me so fast. Not only do these bumps and bruises remind me that he is growing up but more then that before I know it my baby won't be a baby anymore, he will be a little boy. :)
Back to the house.
So apparently house analogies is how God is choosing to speak to me recently. So I have another one for you. :) I receive a devotional, "Encouragement for Today". God has used this in SOOO many ways to speak to me. Last week I had 2 days where I was so crabby. Everyone gets crabby once in a while. I had never been crabby quite like this where I was just emotional, sad, and angry for two days. Not quite sure why. So anyway, one day I got my devotion, through email, from Encouragement for Today. Here was the story.
One day a man and a woman come home to find a notice on their door from the housing committee in their neighborhood. The notice stated that the outside of the house was in poor shape and needed to be repainted within thirty days or they would be fined. The woman was furious. They have been renovating the inside, working on the kitchen and the living room. Why couldn't they have looked through the window sills that they were complaining about to see all the work that they have done inside the house. She decided to go out to the street to look at the house. From the street the house looked fine. She became that much more angry, they must have had to walk onto the property and look closer to see the outside of the house. Humiliation set in as she imagined her neighbors sitting around discussing the condition of their home.
When it came time to start painting she herself had to take a closer look at the outside of the home. She focused so much on renovating the inside that she hadn't taken notice that due to cold and wind that indeed the paint had thinned. The outside of the home was worn and needed a fresh coat of paint. She became grateful that someone had taken the time to look up close and personal. The outside of the home could have become more damaged and this brought it to their attention so that they could fix it.
Ok so that was the story. Now I think that there are a couple of ways that this can be taken but this is how it spoke to me. During my crabbiness I was informed that I was not viewed as a generally happy person. This made me so sad. I had just recently told a friend that I am the happiest I remember being in a long time, maybe even ever. How could I feel so happy and yet some how portray that I am not a happy person. I am the kind of person who vocalizes my struggles. I think out loud. I started to wonder why it was that I appear so unhappy when I feel so happy. Not only am I vocal but I am very emotional and passionate. The things that are going on in my life that are good I don't think I vocalize as much as I vocalize the struggles. The struggles I am wrestling with, I am trying to analyze and figure out. However, why do I do this? This goes back a little bit to cleaning out the deep corners of our souls, our "houses". I feel like I have been focusing on cleaning out the inside of my house. Renovating it, as they said. I think to some extent we are supposed to be aware of the inside of our homes but maybe what we are supposed to do is relinquish that to God.. Matthew 6 tells us not to worry. Not only that we are not supposed to worry but that it will not add a single day to our lives. It doesn't do us any good. I claim to believe in a God that is bigger then me, knows me better then I know myself, loves me and wants what's best for me. Why would I worry if I am putting my life in his hands, am I really trusting him? So the point is I can't just focus on the inside of my house but I also have to be concious of what I am reflecting on the outside. I am choosing to let God take over the inside and focus on reflecting the things that bring me joy in my life.
Yesterday Don and I went to a Liberian church. This was for his schooling. We ended up being early and catching the end of their Sunday School time. They ended it with " If you're Happy and you know it?" How fitting right? It's amazing that a simple children's song can have such an impact. They sing it like this... " If you're Happy and you know then your LIFE will surely show it, if you're Happy and you know it shout AMEN." So off I go today focusing on the joy that God has given me in my life and I think Brody & I are going to sing that song today. I totally recommend it, because you can't sing it without smiling!! :)
One day a man and a woman come home to find a notice on their door from the housing committee in their neighborhood. The notice stated that the outside of the house was in poor shape and needed to be repainted within thirty days or they would be fined. The woman was furious. They have been renovating the inside, working on the kitchen and the living room. Why couldn't they have looked through the window sills that they were complaining about to see all the work that they have done inside the house. She decided to go out to the street to look at the house. From the street the house looked fine. She became that much more angry, they must have had to walk onto the property and look closer to see the outside of the house. Humiliation set in as she imagined her neighbors sitting around discussing the condition of their home.
When it came time to start painting she herself had to take a closer look at the outside of the home. She focused so much on renovating the inside that she hadn't taken notice that due to cold and wind that indeed the paint had thinned. The outside of the home was worn and needed a fresh coat of paint. She became grateful that someone had taken the time to look up close and personal. The outside of the home could have become more damaged and this brought it to their attention so that they could fix it.
Ok so that was the story. Now I think that there are a couple of ways that this can be taken but this is how it spoke to me. During my crabbiness I was informed that I was not viewed as a generally happy person. This made me so sad. I had just recently told a friend that I am the happiest I remember being in a long time, maybe even ever. How could I feel so happy and yet some how portray that I am not a happy person. I am the kind of person who vocalizes my struggles. I think out loud. I started to wonder why it was that I appear so unhappy when I feel so happy. Not only am I vocal but I am very emotional and passionate. The things that are going on in my life that are good I don't think I vocalize as much as I vocalize the struggles. The struggles I am wrestling with, I am trying to analyze and figure out. However, why do I do this? This goes back a little bit to cleaning out the deep corners of our souls, our "houses". I feel like I have been focusing on cleaning out the inside of my house. Renovating it, as they said. I think to some extent we are supposed to be aware of the inside of our homes but maybe what we are supposed to do is relinquish that to God.. Matthew 6 tells us not to worry. Not only that we are not supposed to worry but that it will not add a single day to our lives. It doesn't do us any good. I claim to believe in a God that is bigger then me, knows me better then I know myself, loves me and wants what's best for me. Why would I worry if I am putting my life in his hands, am I really trusting him? So the point is I can't just focus on the inside of my house but I also have to be concious of what I am reflecting on the outside. I am choosing to let God take over the inside and focus on reflecting the things that bring me joy in my life.
Yesterday Don and I went to a Liberian church. This was for his schooling. We ended up being early and catching the end of their Sunday School time. They ended it with " If you're Happy and you know it?" How fitting right? It's amazing that a simple children's song can have such an impact. They sing it like this... " If you're Happy and you know then your LIFE will surely show it, if you're Happy and you know it shout AMEN." So off I go today focusing on the joy that God has given me in my life and I think Brody & I are going to sing that song today. I totally recommend it, because you can't sing it without smiling!! :)
Friday, March 7, 2008
Our trip to Kenyon
Here are some fun pics of our trip to Kenyon and my darling nieces. I think Brody would keep Kendra if my sister would let us. :)
Thursday, March 6, 2008
I thought long and hard!
Hahaha... I have been thinking forever about what I could do for a poll. Seriously it took a little too much effort. :) So I will give you all a little background. Brody is 9 1/2 months and he is just walking around the furniture. SO there ya go. It will be fun to see what you all vote. :)
Sunday, March 2, 2008
A++
That would be grade I would give my weekend. Don and I played video games Friday night!! hehehe... Saturday I got to see my new beautiful neice! Oh she is just gorgeous! It was a fun day. I got to see both beautiful girls. The oldest seems to adore her sister. I got to take pictures. :) So of course I had fun. Brody seemed to have a ball at auntie's house! Seriously he adored his little cousin, she had him laughing so hard. It was hilarious. Saturday night was a low key night. Basically we just hung out and visited. My nieces visit was wonderful but today was pretty comparable. Diane and I got to see Roxy seen at church in the choir. That was fun. We all visited together this afternoon and then I had my finale. Don and I had a babysitter!! THANK YOU DIANE!! THANK YOU THANK YOU! I needed a date with my husbad. So we had gotten free tickets to the T-Wolves and decided to go out to dinner before the game. I had my husband for 5 straight hours tonight. We went out to dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe and then went to the game. The Wolves lost but it was still a fun game. It went into over-time. It's too bad they couldn't have pulled off the win. Oh, well... Don and I got to talk, flirt, and connect with each other so I guess you could say WE WON!! :)
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