On your mark... get set... GO!

My kids do this thing that I just love.

We live just a few houses down from the in-laws. It's great. Often when we set out to visit or set out to come home, one or the other of the children decide to race one another. Now, one may be 5 feet - even 20 feet ahead of the other, but no matter. (S)he will say, "Stop! (and they both stop still) On your mark! Get set! Go!" And they both take off. From where they stopped. And they run for all they have in them. It doesn't matter that they started at different points. It doesn't matter that her legs are twice as long as his. It doesn't matter that she wins. every. single. time. They each run for all they have until they reach the door of the destination. Out of breath, they high five, exhilarated and full of the joy of the moment. Sometimes, we'll just be out walking for diversion and they will start and stop the race as they see fit along the way. And they'll do it all over again tomorrow.

The best part? The baby brother, between his first and second birthdays, whose not really speaking much, will shout, 'Go' with them and toddle along behind. He's eager to be a part of the race and he's only just begun.

What I really love about it is the freedom. They are not constrained to rules or fairness or whoever wins. They just love the thrill of the race. I want to run the race with as much freedom as they, not running to win, not worried about my bad start, just running to run. Isn't that the call?

Hebrews 12: 1-3

New Year Resolution

Galatians 5:22-23

This is my new year's resolution. to live my life by these words.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

family

We have several out of town family members coming to town, including six boys ranging in age from 4-22! wow. It's going to be fun. So, I won't be around here for the next few days :) Happy New Year everyone!

challenge

Over at YouVersion, they've put up 20 different Bible reading plans. From read the Bible in a year to read the Bible in 90 days to read the Psalms in 30 days or the gospels or... the list goes on... And the plans range for maturity, such as read the Old Testament in two years. You know that is some serious study! Or quicker, lighter reading for those just getting started.

Last year, I aimed to read the Bible in a year. I've never done that. And last year wasn't the year for it either. In fact, I don't think I made it to March. I was still reading not quite daily, but I didn't manage to read the entirety of the book.

Well, this new year, I've challenged myself. To read the Bible in 90 days! If I get behind this way, I'll still have 3/4 of the year to catch up! But, really I'm going to try to read it in 90 days. I totally think I can do this!

written blessings

About a year ago, we found our new church home. And I love it. I love the worship. It edifies. I love to serve. It edifies too, but differently. And I love the new relationships. I am a new person. Christ makes me new each day, each day that I submit my will to His spirit. Well, in these new relationships, I'm seen for who I am now, who Christ has continually transformed me to be. These new people don't see my baggage: my pain, my sin, my shame. They see who Christ has made me.

Here's how I know. The leader in the elementary room, where I serve, wrote me these words in a Christmas card. It blessed me so profoundly, I have to share.

I am so amazed as I sit back and watch your gifts unfold before my eyes! Thank you for allowing the Lord to use them for His kids. you are a very special woman and I consider it a true blessing to serve with you. You have a purity and tenderness that is so unique. I can't wait to see what God has in store for you next!

I think it is so profound, because there are bits in there that I don't fully believe about myself, yet Christ has made me: pure and tender. If she can see that and Christ, who has created that in me, can see that in me, then shouldn't I see that in myself?!

And, if I were to embrace this truth, what a profound impact it could have on my life!

Until now, my life verse has been from Romans. That God can take my life and the hurt and the shame in my life and he can use it for good, because I love God and He loves me.

As I say goodbye to this year, 2009, I embrace that verse and I believe it fully. I believe God has healed my brokenness and that He can work it all out for good. Now, I am going to start living it. I'm focusing less on the hurt and more on the promise.

My goal this new year is to live my life, submitted to the spirit, embracing all that He has in store for me!

Do pennies fit down the drain?

Over at our church, we are raising hope. The goal is to raise funds to purchase water systems in partnership with Water Missions International. A few weeks ago, we came home with some water bottles full of 'dirty water.' I talked to the children about people in far away places who gather dirty water to drink; even to clean. We agreed to take the water challenge. Although we rarely drink anything other than water, we've been committed to water these last few weeks. And we've been mindful to give thanks for its' being clean. We replaced that dirty water in the bottles (it was actually tea) with coins, saved from beverages not purchased. And at night we prayed for the children and their families who need clean water.

Today, I was distracted with the making of breakfast, only to turn around and see that my young son, in all his 2-ness (is that a word? I'm making it up, if it isn't. I shall use it more. I'm sure I have the stories for it!), had filled his bottle with water. All his coins were soaking in water. He made clean water dirty. Good thing there were no bills in there. Grrr... And proceeded to dump it down the sink drain. Thankfully, the coins did not escape the sink. And they are currently drying, to be bottled again and delivered at the Christmas eve celebration. If only the water crisis were this easy to fix...

CHRISTmas

The birth of Jesus is the reason we celebrate Christmas, so I really want to find ways to focus our celebration on Him; to create family traditions centered around this value. We do this in many of the ways other families with similar values do (birthday cake, using a child- friendly Nativity, etc.)

This year, I want to focus on giving. For the children's grandmothers, a special gift was made. At church, the children selected an angel from the giving tree and helped to select items for the child. We've been reading stories like the Charlie Brown Christmas story, and Winnie-the- Pooh's Christmas story.

We were reading this last story tonight, in which Pooh forgets to get gifts for his friends. After some help from Christopher Robin, he selects stockings for his friends. But, he is much to exhausted to put anything into these stockings. On Christmas morning, his friends are all delighted with their gifts, which they have repurposed from stockings to other useful things. The overall message is about giving and I just love that.

I love that my children can learn from their favorite literary characters that Christmas is about extending love; giving gifts. Oh sure, they are anxious to see what lies under the Christmas tree (or in our closet, as the case may be). They are eager to point to the things which they want too. Thankfully, we've only had them out in the madness a couple times!

And, I love when these ideas enter their pretend play, where they make the ideas real. When they go about their play, wrapping up toys or random items w/ tissue or a t-shirt or whatever is suitable for covering and present it to one another- or me. And to point out how good it feels to give- even if it is just in play. These are the things I treasure.