Reuniting with college ministry friends and reflecting on God's work in my life

Elliot, a friend from my college days whom I haven't seen in almost 20 years, traveled with his family from Austin, TX to our area this past week.  He actually went to Cornell University but spent a lot of time in our college ministry during co-op rotations.  Raised in Jordan as the son of missionaries, he offered a unique perspective on life which I appreciated (Gift #518), and I enjoyed the authentic Middle Eastern meals he liked to cook for my friends and me during our college days (Gift #519).  I'm not sure how we stayed in touch all these years, especially considering he was only in the area during his co-op rotations so I did not know him very well, but he has always made the effort to stay connected, even sending ministry resources to our family at times.

His college roommate lives in a neighboring city, so he was primarily coming here to surprise that friend for his birthday, but sickness struck his former roommate's family, so he and his family ended up spending much of their 6-day trip with us.  His visit taught me how much I have to learn about being flexible (Gift #520) because I had only cleared Saturday on my calendar since he had initially only asked me to host a little dinner party for his family and any friends he knew from those college days who were still in the area.  I realized how little margin we have in our family calendar (not good!), but we did the best we could to carve out quality time with his family.

One of my other friends from college, who I co-led Bibles studies with during our dorm years, accepted my invitation to the dinner party for Elliot and brought his wife and two children, who are both close in ages to our children.  They spent the night here with us on Friday night and left late on Saturday after the dinner party.  So, we got in lots of extra time to catch up with them as well (Gift #521). They are very laid back which makes them easy to host and were quite helpful. Their kids were also easy going, and our kids enjoyed their company. My husband cooked them a full spread for breakfast, and they helped me throw together a quick lunch while I was busy making preparations for the evening meal.

All the kids seemed to enjoy each other except when my kids'  Lego creations and marble runs, which they had spent hours assembling, were quickly dismantled by excited younger guests.  We all grew in our understanding of hospitality and in our willingness to put others first (Gift #522).  They played lots of checkers with a hand carved set my husband's cousin gave us as a wedding present.  This talented cousin engraved images of their grandfather's sculptures into the pieces with a cowboys vs. Indians motif, which is perfect for our "blended" family. (My husband has some Cherokee roots, and Mom is a direct descendant of Wild Bill Cody.) I always love to see the kids enjoying that set.  They also played some serious chess with my husband's Army/Navy chess set.  Go Navy; beat Army! 

The kids had Nerf wars, played laser tag, and played just about every board game we have while others built marble runs, snap circuits, or Lego creations.  And our weekend guests brought the movie, Frozen, so the kids FINALLY got to see the movie being referenced all over social media.

The kids also played outside on bikes and scooters, but that resulted in another dent in my car and lots of scrapes for the 4-year-old.   Always wear a helmet on our steeply sloped streets.  ALWAYS!  This little guy wanted to ride the scooter like the big kids.  My daughter says she told him not to, but be scooted down our hill and busted his face.  When I heard him screaming, I ran outside to see a tiny body with a head completely covered in blood and tears.  I nearly had a heart attack, but thankfully, none of the scrapes went deep or needed stitches.  He had a least a dozen scrapes on his face, hands and legs.  I still joke about the wonderful Southern hospitality I offered, but with so many kids at our home at once and most of my attention on engaging our adult guests, I could not have prevented the accident, or so they tried to tell me.  I did not even know the kids had pulled out the scooters, but never again will they be allowed to do that and certainly not without more adult supervision and helmets on EVERYONE.

Elliot's wife sells essential oils so she brought her kit with her and immediately went to work on his boo-boos to prevent scarring and speed healing.  She sent me these pics to show his progress after applying diluted lavender and frankincense daily.

Day 1:  5 hours after the accident

Day 2:  At the beach

Day 5:  Back home

The kids jammed with their assortment of instruments while our weekend guest played worship songs on his guitar as he did so faithfully in college. He is the one who took me to a music store in college to help me buy my first guitar for the purpose of strumming chords for praise and worship time in our small group Bible studies.

The weather was perfect on Friday and Saturday, a very rare gift (Gift #523) during this bleak and exceedingly miserable winter which has continued into what should be spring according to the calendar, so I was delighted when our guests agreed to join me for a hike along the greenway.  The kids complained about the hiking but were so glad they came with us when we let them build their immune systems in the creek that runs beside the greenway and probably carries more germs than I want to consider.  They had a blast in the creek and thanked me for taking them on the hike they had initially resisted (Gift #524).   I had hoped the hike would give my husband some much needed quiet downtime at the house, but my daughter stumped her toe as she is prone to do, so we had to call him to come rescue her, and of course, all the other kids wanted to ride back with him in his fancy car.

Elliot's family has a host of food allergies and sensitivities, with none of them able to eat gluten, so I got to learn how to prepare healthy quinoa salads, gluten free marinades, and gluten free desserts.  I'm hoping that weekend of cooking healthfully gave me the motivation I need to return to more healthful food preparations for our family (Gift #525) after nutrition got sidelined a bit during the hectic pace of building the house and multiple moves.  I also discovered that I must have suffered some brain damage from too many sleepless nights, because I can no longer multitask effectively.  Whenever I tried to prepare meals while engaged in meaningful conversation, I made a detrimental mistake...like forgetting to spray the wax paper with olive oil and ruining an entire bath of gluten-free cookies, unless you like waxy cookies (the kids were happy to peel off the paper from the back to salvage the tasty treats).   People are more important than food, so at least I had my priorities in order (Gift #526) which has not always been the case for this task oriented woman.

Since Elliot celebrated a birthday last week, I turned the gluten-free chocolate torte into a birthday cake for him.  While we sang, "Happy Birthday" he switched the candles to make him "24" instead of "42", and he blew out the candles by clapping his hands instead of blowing air across the cake.  Thank you, Elliot, for teaching me a more sanitary way to blow out birthday candles and for keeping your germs to yourself. :-)

Gluten-free chocolate torte cake for Elliot's birthday

I was thrilled when our college ministry teachers accepted my invitation (Gift #527) to our little dinner.  She has been battling Parkinson's Disease for a decade now, and it has taken a toll, so it required tremendous effort for her to get here, and she did have to leave early when the disease affected her legs too much.  She suffers a lot but never complains.  Her husband now teaches a retirement aged class, and her only complaint is that the time of taking prayer requests sounds more like an "organ recital" (pray for this organ that doesn't work or that organ that hurts) than a prayer for the nations or for more opportunities to share Christ with the loss.  Instead of sorrowing over her losses and increasing struggles, she is focused on making the best use of her time here to win more people for Jesus and to strengthen the body of believers (Gift #528).  What a blessing she has been in my life as she still shares her heart, home, and books with me to help me mature in my faith 20 years later (Gift #529).  Thousands of students have been forever changed by their loving kindness, but each of us feel like their only child when we are together (Gift #530).  And that fact helps me begin to understand how God can make me feel like His only beloved child as he tends to each of my petty needs while also sustaining the universe and caring so intimately for billions of others all at the same time (Gift #531).

These amazing servants of God poured out their lives and wallets into teaching, discipling, feeding, serving, and even housing (some of  the students) us in college for over 15 years.  Hundreds of hungry students came to their home every Friday night in the summers and on many Sundays at lunch during the school year to feed on the rich meals they served (our mouths still water at the thought of Sam's homemade bread) and on the word of God which they taught faithfully after investing many hours of study time into every single lesson.  Saturday morning discipleship meetings with Nell and a few other college gals (she called us WOGs = Women of God), college ministry beach retreats, and weekly Bible study and fellowship at their home or in the bar at church (Our church bought an old hotel to serve as their church facility, and our class met in the hotel bar/lounge..complete with strobe lights and dance floor - so funny - which has now been converted into an indoor basketball court.) are my favorite college memories (Gift #532).

I accepted Christ at a young age.  I studied my Bible, prayed, and sat under phenomenal Biblical teaching every week at church.  But I think my faith was more works based instead of being centered on the gospel of grace that truly saves.  I never really rebelled in the prodigal son sense of the word, but I did not understand the fullness of His grace to the extent (we can never fully comprehend it this side of heaven, but my understanding certainly grew by leaps and bounds during that time) that I did during those college years.  God transformed me during that time from a prideful girl who was relentlessly striving to succeed in this world to a broken child of God whose passion became striving to take up His cross and live for Him, investing in eternity instead of in the things of this world.  I have often been unfaithful in putting the kingdom before myself or before my wants for my family, but He is always faithful.  He never leaves us or forsakes us (Gift #533) even we fail Him.  Looking back to His work in my life during that time is a memorial stone for me which renews my focus and reorders my priorities back into proper place (Gift #534).

I feel strongly that college-age ministry is one of the most vital as students leave the faith support system under their parents to decide for themselves what they really believe for themselves.  Our parents' faith cannot save us.  We must know why we believe what we believe and own it, live it, defend it, and proclaim it!  Sam called it the "sophomore year" when each student would finally decide who he would serve (Joshua 24:15) and which path he would take, the narrow road that leads to life or the wide road that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).  One of my passions right now is to equip the next generation with evidences for the faith so they will not be fooled by the deceivers (often college professors and administrators during that season in life) who bully, pressure, and issue threats to confuse believers into abandoning their faith.  I want to invest in students so they will grow deeper in the faith and be able to defend it.

These two college ministry leaders are loved more deeply by more people than most anyone I know because they loved first, sacrificially and wholeheartedly, not for their glory, but only unto the Lord.

1 John 4:19
"We love because he first loved us." 

They do not want to be honored by us, for they would never accept any praise for themselves because they know that every good and perfect gift and every effort that resulted in eternal fruit for the Kingdom came from God and that all praise & glory belongs to Christ alone.

I have been so richly blessed by faithful servants of Christ, and I know to whom much is given, much is required.  Help me to be poured out for you, Lord!

Upward Basketball 2014

New town, new league, new team, new friends....

 

Celebrating last game at Dairy Queen

1000 Gifts: Epic update on family, faith, and friendship

It has been awhile since I dedicated a post to recounting God's gifts, but He never tarries in showing Himself faithful, powerful, loving, gracious, and good.  So as I update the blog on random family happenings and situations, my hope is that it will all point to Almighty God and give Him glory for His marvelous gifts.

Sickness
Even illness is a gift because sickness necessitates slowing down (Gift #487).  Our crazy, hectic pace of life since the whole moving saga began has kept me from getting adequate rest and has had me shoving my healthful eating goals aside to focus on what seemed to be more urgent.  When we neglect the body, it will get sick, especially during one of the most severe winters, interspersed with a few 70 degree days here and there, so my hectic lifestyle came to a rapid halt over the past few weeks as laryngitis, flu-like viruses, tendonitis, and ear infections have assaulted me. Thankfully, the worst of it came during spring break when I could sleep in (Gift #488), and that rest time has done wonders not only for my body, but for my mind and soul.

Strep throat, tendonitis,
Then came laryngitis.
And now it seems I have the flu.

Humbled now, I confess
That I may need more rest
Even I can get run down too.

Kids
Now that the kids are getting older, their quotes are not as cute as they were before when the humor arose out of their childishness.   Now the things they say make them sound a little too wise in their own eyes for the own good.

When negotiating for a new Lego organizer caddy, our son offered to pay half. Then when he handed me the cash, he also handed me a tooth the tooth fairy (who has felt deathly ill lately) failed to come get the night before in exchange for cash. Since he was "entitled" to tooth fairy money, he assumed he could pay me $5 less.  I think he's on to me, no?  At least he's learning to negotiate.  (Gift #489)

The kids are reaching that age where they think they know everything about everything.  Our 9-year-old, who has never been car shopping or even priced cars on-line, said to me while I drove past a neighbor's house, "He has a very expensive car."

So I asked, "Why do you think his car is so expensive?"

She answered, "Because it only has one door on each side."

Then we passed a very old Volkswagon Beetle.

So I said, "That VW bug must be very expensive according to your logic."

She refuted,  "Oh no! It's not expensive because it is so small. To be expensive, it has to have one door on each side and be really long, yet only fit two people inside, and if those two people have to lay on their backs to fit inside (like my classmate's dad's Lamborghini), then it is REALLY expensive."

Some days the kids ask really deep, thought provoking spiritual questions. Then on other days like last Sunday, the 7-year-old merely wanted to know, "Will there be newspaper carriers who deliver the comics every Sunday morning during the Millennial Reign?"  At least he is looking toward that glorious appearing and assured of his salvation! (Gift #490)

It is always a gift when the kids' comments lead to profound spiritual discussions.  (Gift #491) While listening to the song, "Keep Making Me" by Sidewalk Prophets, my daughter listened to the first line, "Make me broken, so I can be healed" and said, "But I don't want to be broken; I just want to be healed."

And I explained how that is the great paradox of Christianity. Human nature wants to do good works to glorify self instead of God. We want the blessings without the brokenness. We want heaven without a Savior. We want to be clean without acknowledging that our dirty hands nailed Jesus on the cross or that our filthy lips spat on his face. We want a mirage of freedom with our selfish will in control when true freedom is yielding all control to the risen Lord who is good and righteous and possessor of all. We want prosperity without the gospel which is why Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer are growing filthy rich while their followers are left spiritually empty. When we want anything else except more of Jesus, I told her, we will never be filled.
I'm always concerned when the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child gains momentum in America or when Planned Parenthood International issues another piece of propaganda which elevates the authority of the children over that of their parents in matters both at home and in government.  These upside down arguments seek to cripple parents from teaching their children the way that is good and right and from training their children to become responsible, effective stewards of limited resources and faithful contributors to society. 

^{18 "}Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ¹⁹ Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ²⁰ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." (Deuteronomy 11: 18-20)  

My concerns were amusingly justified (although much graver, dangerous examples from around the world could be used as justification) this past week when the kids decided to take over the legislation and enforcement within our family.  My husband was been arrested by the ACF (Adults & Children Fighting/Federation) for requiring our son to do his chores before playtime could commence, and the enforcement officer (our daughter) forged my signature as a witness on his arrest warrant. Effective parenting becomes a crime, and forgery becomes legal when kids make the rules. Supporters of the UNCRC take note!

I can't complain too much about my daughter, however, because she recently noticed that my laptop was on fire and alerted my husband and me before our new house burned down. (Gift #492)

The rag that started the fire

Parenting
Trying to parent two kids who are polar opposites reminds of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Each  parent's natural parenting style does not fit that child, so when he or she finally figures out what motivates and works for child 1, child 2 comes along and finds those parenting techniques too extreme in the opposite direction from that child's natural bent. By the time the parent figurse out what works for child 2, child 1 has entered a new stage making the old techniques too [whatever adjective applies here], and so the yo-yo continues. To those who have a 3rd child, does the 3rd child finally fit your parenting style "just right" or do you simply stop trying at that point?  While I fail to ever get it right, I am at least thankful for the way these parenting challenges stretch and refine us for the purpose of making us more like Jesus who always got it right but endured more suffering than anyone can possibly fathom in the process.  (Gift #493)

Trying to parent effectively when laryngitis and achilles tendonitis rendered me unable to walk or talk had me empathizing with the dark knight in that horrible and crude Monty Python film guys like to reference. As he remained determined to do his duty even when his limbs were severed, so I had too learned to persevere and find other ways to communicate.  At least I did not yell at the kids that week (Gift #494) while broadening my communication skills (Gift #495).

In addition to not eating or sleeping as well as I should during the chaotic period since the move, I have also struggled to find time to lift weights as I had done regularly for years. While my husband was out of town on business leaving all the "tucking in" responsibilities to me, I received the motivation I needed to make strength training a higher priority. (Gift #496)  Physical touch is my growing 7-year-old's #1 love language, so I carried him in my arms up the stairs and to his bed to be tucked into bed. His contented grins from ear to ear and his sweet questioning, "Am I too heavy yet?" as I carried him melted my heart in such a way that I am now determined to stay strong enough to carry that boy up those stairs until he is bigger than I am.


I was flattered recently when a neighborhood kid defined my role as a mother.

An 8-year-old boy asked me, "What do you like to do during your free time?"

I responded, "What free time? I don't have any, but if I did, I would enjoy..."

Then the boy's brother interrupted me saying, "I know what your hobbies are. Your hobbies are cooking and cleaning and taking care of kids."



Apparently our family chores mandate is not overly common, as I recently overheard the following conversation between my kids and those same two boys:

My kids to friend: We can't come out and play until we're done with our chores.

8-year-old boy:     I don't have any chores. I'm totally free. This is America, land of the free.

My 9-year-old:    Yes, but the economics book Mom made me read says there is no such thing as a free lunch. 

Thank you, Lord, for helping my kids at least understand that chores have a purpose (Gift #497).  Please help them to some day appreciate our efforts to teach them through chores. 

I have been praying specifically for my relationship with my kids and for ways to stop the cycle of disrespect.  Then God answered that prayer exactly with an "A-ha" moment through the Love and Respect in the Family ministry.  (Gift #498)  You know all those love and respect sermons we have heard that provide the foundation for a healthy marriage (Ephesians 5:24-26). Well, the Bible applies the same principle to parenting. Parents must show love to their children (not the agape love all parents feel, but expressing love in ways children can feel), while children are to honor/respect their parents. When children don't FEEL loved (despite all the ways parents may attempt to show love), they will not obey or respect their parents which makes parents respond in ways that seem unloving to their children and so the cycle continues...just as it does in marriages when husbands fail to love their wives or when wives disrespect their husbands. Applying love and respect principles can revolutionize the family, so I'm posting this link as a reminder to proactively show love to my kids in tangible ways even when I feel so disrespected I want to run far, far away.


Weather Woes

I'm not sure where the gift is in all the winter weather we have had this year.  Even the kids are tired of school closings.  My hometown got hammered by ice storms with some residents out of power for over a week.  It was brutal.  The weather certainly reminded us that we don't know what the next day will bring and must trust in the Lord moment by moment, day by day.  Selfishly, I am thankful that we did not get that degree of ice, for every new tree planted in our new lot would likely be dead by now.   Still my heart goes out to our family members who lost power and beautiful trees and will be waiting for weeks for tree service and for all the school kids who will making up school days instead of enjoying a spring break.

I have loved the few days of spring weather we did get to experience in between massive winter storms. Of course, with all the snow and ice, the greenway was flooded in multiple areas when residents tried to get out on the trail and enjoy the sunshine.

Coming across this flooded section in the Greenway today and debating whether or not to try to cross to the other side reminded me of a wise old mentor, Father Henry. 

When I studied at Oxford University one summer, I lodged at St. Benet's Hall where a small-framed, quiet, composed monk named Father Henry served as headmaster. Two other students and I got to know a totally different side of Father Henry when he offered to go running with us every weekday morning at 5am. Underneath the dark brown cloak and elder visage was a chiseled athlete who craved adventure. He asked if we wanted to take the scenic route around Oxford while he shared enlightening historical information and amusing stories about the area. The scenic route usually involved jumping fences, dodging cattle, sheep, or the occasional peacock, swimming across the Thames, and running across very rough terrain over a distance of never less than six miles. Father Henry would be very disappointed in me if I let this tiny obstacle stand in my way.  I'm just so thankful for the lessons he taught me. (Gift #499)

Despite the flooding, the lake was still lovely to gaze upon while biking the greenway around it.

While the topsy-turvy weather patterns do not help me combat pervasive viruses, I was just so thankful for the reminder that spring is coming.  I experience God best out in nature, so I am always grateful for any day pleasant enough to venture outside.  (Gift #500)

House
Progress has slowed on our home improvement projects as we are losing steam.  Thankfully, my mom and aunt are still energized about helping us decorate and have made multiple trips to help us hang pictures and curtains and add accent pieces. I'm so thankful for their support (Gift #501) and for the simple way in which they love spending time together.  It does my heart good to hear them giggling like silly school girls when they work together. (Gift #502 )

I've been trying to sell furniture from our old house since late December 2013.  Those ads got me lots of interested emails, but no one actually came to look at the furniture.  Then this past Thursday, I updated my previous listing for dining room furniture and added listings for 3 chairs, an ottoman and a sofa table.  All these items old this past weekend to very kind people who I know will take great care of the furniture.  (Gift #503)  Many of the pieces belonged to my late grandparents who went to great expense to select only the highest quality pieces and then took extremely great care of the furniture.  Every piece was in better condition (even the pieces that were 64 years old) than solid furniture I bought when we moved in which already have chips and nicks and scratches.  The three chairs and ottoman are now being used in a church prayer room, so it is especially gratifying to know the furniture is serving the cause of Christ. (Gift #504)  Even after donating some of the furniture to the church, we now have enough cash to offset the new fainting sofa we needed for our master bedroom and the ottoman that matches the leather sectional we just purchased.  (Gift #505) We must be patient, however, because this furniture was special ordered and may take 3-4 weeks to finally arrive.

Here are some photos of projects reflecting the efforts of my mom and aunt:

We're hoping to add one of my MIL's bird themed paintings over the toilet to complete this room.

Mom helped me find a sconce and bench to complete that wall.

Mom set up the table and server decor.

Not having any of our seating furniture in the media/play room was awkward for viewing the ACC tournament this weekend. I suggested that we bring up the upholstered chair and ottoman from our bedroom, but my husband thought our daughter's turquoise lounger is more his style.   I love how easy-going this man can be.  (Gift #506)

School
The discipline policies at our kids' school somehow enable even the most hyper child to sit quietly in each of the 4 specific positions at the right times, show utmost respect for everyone, and consistently use refined manners that seem to have become extinct everywhere else.  (Gift #507) So, when the students in my daughter's class brought in swords and rifles for Civil War enactments, nothing went amiss. I just received word that every student in my son's class must bring in a hammer tomorrow for Colonial Day. 21 hammers in the hands of 21 first graders..and I'm the only one running worst case scenarios in my mind. Clearly, we are still newbies at the school.   The hammers were used to punch nails into tin for colonial style tin art.  The kids also made butter, children's games, chalk boards, and misc. other colonial period items.  Colonial Day was a huge success, but I did not get to go, so I can't share photos.  The parents did a fabulous job with every booth.  (Gift #508)
  
More dedicated parents also pulled off a phenomenal Energy Day for our daughter's grade, (Gift #509) and I was so pleased to see my daughter having fun at the school she once loathed and bonding with so many wonderful new friends (Gift #510).

Throwback Thursdays
Just for fun, I thought I would share a few photos here that I shared on Facebook for Throwback Thursdays.

Cross Country 1990

Circa 1979

Dad's very short lived moustache

Bunny
Our rascally rabbit continues to get into heaps of trouble making me furious one moment, and then he has me laughing or at least smiling the next.  His utter selfishness is a daily reminder that only humans were made in God's image to serve and not be served.  (#511)  Still, I am more than ready for spring to arrive so he can permanently move outside into his hutch.  

The kids had fun dressing him up in sunglasses on one rare sunny day, and I could not help but think of Corey Hart's lisp as he sang, "I wear my sunglasses at night".

It's much too sunny
For our spoiled bunny.
The sun is so bright
He's got to wear shades!

Spiritual 
I'm so thankful for all the many spiritual encouragements I have received lately (Gift #512) and even more so for the opportunity to help lead a friend I have not seen since high school in his journey toward coming to Christ. (Gift #513)  I am so thankful that he contacted me out of the blue with his questions, and I pray God will give me the wisdom to answer His questions in a way that keeps leading him to Christ.  The way our Lord pursues each of us is so beautiful. (Gift #514)

Max Lucado expounding on the woman at the well (John 4: 19-20):
"'Let me tell you where I really hurt', she is saying. 'Let me tell you what keeps me awake at night. Not the rejection. I'm used to being lonely. I can stand having no husband. What I cannot stand is not knowing where God is. Can you tell me?'...A hungry heart finding the Father's feast. A searching soul finding the Father's face. A wandering pilgrim spotting the Father's house. Finding God. Finding God seeking us. This is worship. This is a worshiper."

When I had strep, I had to miss church while in quarantine, so I streamed a sermon on-line.  That was possibly the best sermon with the most life changing applications that I have ever heard providing yet another gift through sickness.  (Gift #515)  One quote from that sermon that I still remember word for word is:

"Our pain amplifies our testimony more than our blessings......the degree to which we understand Jesus' love and victory is the degree to which we can endure suffering." - J.D. Greear speaking on Acts 6 

Friendship
It was such a gift to get to host a college friend for an early breakfast before her business meetings began this past weekend.  (Gift #516)   She and I were in Bible studies together since our freshman year and were very involved in college ministries on campus and at church together while also both actively serving in the scholar's program at our university.  She is one of the few people who knew about my feelings for the guy who would eventually become my husband when he and I first met 22 years ago.  The following photo was taken before she arrived as we were preparing breakfast.  She lit up this place with her vibrant smile and unquenchable passion for Jesus. (Gift #517)

 

One of the biggest takeaways from our conversation concerned how lonely we as women tend to feel after getting married and having children.  Yes, being newly married and becoming a new mom are seasons for focusing on your husband and your children and most importantly for learning to rely on Jesus to fill your emotional needs, seeking Him first instead of calling your BFFs.

Yet, Christian women still need each other to encourage and sharpen each other, as iron sharpens iron.  Sadly, our loneliness is often the result of our own unwillingness to reach out because we have been wounded (often by slander) at some point, even within the church body, and assume no one would ever want to spend time with us.  I said to this dear sister in Christ, "It was probably my own lack of effort to reach out, but isn't is sad how our preconceived ideas or notions (often out of our own insecurities) can keep us from spending time with those we love."  We made a commitment to be the ones to risk rejection to put ourselves out there for the sake of loving others and to build each other up when the enemy attacks.  Godly friendships are too sacred and too vital for both spiritual growth and emotional stability to let foolish mind games and petty fears keep us from meeting together.

²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10: 24-25)

 

Gymnastics Meet #3

Our daughter's 3rd AAU gymnastics meet was held yesterday evening.  She decided to simplify her floor and beam routines to build confidence at this meet after being overwhelmed at the last meet when they first moved her up to Silver Category, Advanced level from the Silver Novice where she should be with this being only her 2nd year of gymnastics (last year she was in a beginner's class) whereas her competition at that level has had years of competition experience in addition to years of lessons before that.   Most girls start at Bronze - Novice.

She has struggled all year with a fear of the beam which resulted in severe falls during her last two meets with one fall during her dismount at the last meet having us jumping out of our seats and running in concern that she could be seriously injured.  Unlike at the other meets, beam was her first event yesterday.  So that first event would establish her confidence level for the rest of the meet.  She completed her routine slowly and carefully with a few wobbles but no falls and with great form on every element.  Her dismount was flawless this time.

I tried to take a picture of her score from the opposite side of the gym where we were seated.  I did not realize when I took the picture that my daughter was in the frame as I was focused on the scoreboard.  Even better, the photos captured her expression as she saw the score and immediately afterwards.  Due to the falls, her scores have always been in the 7's, so she was elated to score 8.95 and to take home a 3rd place medal in the beam!  I am so proud of her for facing her fear with courage and faith. Appropriately, her team's motto this year is "Faith, not Fear", and their team T-shirts highlight that motto.  Way to face your fears, little one!  He who is within you is greater than anything in this world!

She did not score as well as she had in the past on vault and bars, but we're still celebrating beam.  Her floor routine was one of her best ones yet, and I love to watch her fly clear across the mat during her tumbling runs.  She took home 2nd place in vault, 3rd place in beam, 4th place in floor, and 4th overall.  Considering how much tougher her competition is at the Advanced level, she should be very pleased with her progress.

3rd place beam

2nd place vault

4th place floor

4th place overall

Her team came in 3rd.

And then she was 10

So how could this sweet little baby possibly be 10 years old already?

Just after the delivery that nearly took her life

Tummy time at Nana & Pops' house

Bald babe walking

Loves to laugh

The day she married her daddy

 

Her baptism

1st Y-Princess Meeting

10 years old

10th Birthday!

Since her big birthday wish this year was to take a friend to Great Wolf Lodge ($$$), we did not host a big themed party this year as we have every year for the past nine birthdays.  We did invite a few friends over for a simple slumber party, and I'm convinced she had as much fun with that easy venue as with any of the more elaborate parties preceding it.

I tried to tell guests not to bring gifts since this was not really a birthday party, but some did anyway.  She was thrilled.

Just Dance 4 was one of her favorite birthday gifts, and the girls had a blast dancing to the two songs I knew had clean lyrics and dance moves over and over again.  I need to preview the other songs to find more options for them.  Our son hid in the shadows dancing away with finesse and assuming no one could see him.  He's going to make his future bride proud during their wedding reception some day.