Month: June 2016

  • New Mercies Monday: Laughter

    New Mercies Monday: Laughter

    “Our God does not intend His people to be shipwrecked. However, we would be shipwrecked and lost if we could not be held fast in the hour of temptation…He bought you at too great a price and values you too much to see you broken to pieces on the rocks. Therefore, He has provided a glorious safeguard for you so that when…the trials of the world attack you, hope may be the anchor of your soul, both sure and steadfast. How much we need this anchor!…If you have been sailing on the great waters of life for any length of time, you must be well aware that if it were not for everlasting truths, which continue to hold you securely, your spirit would quickly have been thrown into everlasting darkness long ago, and the proud waters would have gone over your soul long before this. When the mighty waves rose, it must have seemed to you as if your poor boat had gone down to the bottom of the sea, and if it had not been for the unchanging love and immovable faithfulness of God, your heart would have utterly failed. Nevertheless, here you are today, convoyed by grace, provisioned by mercy, steered by heavenly wisdom, and propelled by the spirit’s power. Thanks to the anchor, or rather to the God who gave it to you, no storm has overwhelmed you. Your ship is under way for the port of glory.” ~Finding Peace in Life’s Storms by Charles Spurgeon

    A timely belated birthday present from Erika! (artwork by Brianna)

    He is good, isn’t He?

    Where would I be without this hope, without this anchor for my soul? I would–most certainly–be drowned at the bottom of the sea…my heart would have utterly failed.

    It is incredible to sit down (when I can!) on these Mondays and just stop to look back and remember. Wow. I just sorted through pictures from the last couple of weeks and in the midst of that little project, the Lord has shown me so much that I don’t think I would have seen had I skipped sitting quietly to blog today.

    In the last two weeks, I have felt a seedling sprout in my heart. In faith, I have been confident that the Lord has been tending to a good work in me over the months and years. The digging and tilling and planting has been happening out of sight to the world and even to me…though I could feel it, I couldn’t understand it or see any visible fruit. But this week a sprout was visible–even to me. He is restoring laughter to my spirit and joy to my soul.

    Last week, thanks to the prompting and encouragement from my Step instructor, I sat down to read Habakkuk, a book I haven’t read in too long. She had been encouraging me the night before, quoting verses from Habakkuk and as she was speaking I was finishing the book in my head: “Though there is no fruit on the fig tree and no cattle in the stalls…YET I will rejoice in the Lord…” So I sat down the next day to read through all of it and was so deeply encouraged by Habakkuk’s wrestles…isn’t it amazing when you encounter the very things you have said to God in the book that He wrote for us?? I am not alone.

    Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls– Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. (Hab 3:17-19)

    Then earlier this week, I got this text message from my dear, sweet friend Shaunna. She wrote, “When I pray for you, I always pray that God would fill you with joy, peace, and comfort. But today I also pray that you will enjoy a deep belly laugh and smile from ear to ear…”

    I smiled, and immediately realized that she had put to words exactly what I could feel God doing in me…restoring joy and laughter. And there was my friend, hand-in-hand with our mighty God, praying it into existence. Who is blessed with friends like this who walk with you in grief while believing God to meet you with joy?? Thank you, Lord…

    Two days later, Elliott had just stepped out into the backyard to play when he came bounding back inside squealing and screeching and shouting, “MOM!!! MOMMM!!!!! MOMMMMMM!!!! COME LOOK!!! OUR FLOWERS ARE SPROUTING!!!!”

    To be honest, I didn’t believe him. We had JUST looked in our flower boxes the day before, and I had JUST explained to our friends who were over that day that I have a black thumb and although I tried SO HARD to grow these perennials for Elliott so they would attract butterflies for him, that I had utterly failed. But I ran outside with him to look and, sure enough…we had four little sprouts!!

    Here’s one!!

    Look at how the Lord weaves every detail of our lives into profound lessons for us. A sprout.

    And a sprout of laughter.

    It can be difficult to accurately portray reality: I never want to embellish or dramatize what’s happening in my heart and our home, and I also want to keep each blog post a blog post, and not a novel (I know, too late!). So I don’t mean to portray that there has been NO joy or laughter in our home, because that’s not true…there has been. Every day we laugh together as a family and my kids laugh together ALL THE TIME, but it has been hard for me to push aside my grief and just let the laughter roll out of my belly like I know it can. It’s been really hard, especially in the day-to-day mundane tasks. If I can distract myself enough to forget, I can find joy and laugh easily. But to find joy when I remember the grief and the loss and the pain? That’s much more difficult. But, it’s sprouting. I am seeing myself laugh WITH the kids all day long instead of just watching them laugh and trying to remember what it feels like to be that carefree. I am finding true joy in the Lord, in the anchor of my soul, in the midst of the grief and the trials and the dreams that feel crushed. And little by little, it’s rolling out of my belly and up through my mouth like a thunderous ball of laughter.

    “…and she laughs at the time to come…” (Prov 31:25)

    Lord, let it be. Grow your joy in my heart and in our home.

    Here are some glimpses of the laughter sprouting in our home in the last couple of weeks…

    New friends, all trying to pile into the clown car together!
    Trader Joe’s. Need I say more? These kids LOVE having their own mini carts. If it looks like they’re racing, it’s because they are ;).
    Peanut Butter nose. This girl can’t eat without getting food all over her face, and it always gives every one of us a little chuckle. I’ve never seen a more adorable freckled peanut butter nose!!
    She also can’t eat without somehow turning her food into a joke, a letter of the alphabet, a vehicle, and animal, or a body part. This might drive another mom crazy, but it makes me laugh every time!! She’s always forcing me to STOP and really take joy in life. Here, her cucumbers were, of course…eyebrows. 🙂
    We introduced Elliott to our new pet, the Penny Horse!!!

    My mighty girl, who never ceases to amaze me with her bravery. Look at how chill she looks up there!! Just sittin’ on top of the playground like it ain’t no thang!!! Ha!!

    Speaking of bravery…my kids did not get the “animal bravery” gene. We have tried to work so hard with them…thankfully, the McCabes have cats and so the kids get to practice being strong and courageous against these fierce incredibly sweet and cuddly felines every time we go over there. However, all progress may have been lost in that arena when Selah was bit by someone else’s cat a couple months ago. Sigh.

    So then, my dear friend Julie was in town!!! Her parents live in Guam about an hour and a half away, so I invited her to spend the night over here. She accepted and asked if she could bring her dog. Yes! It was the perfect way to expose our kids to animals, as Lincoln is a super sweet and well-behaved dog. Julie taught them how to play “hide-and-seek” with her, and they just giggled uncontrollably throughout the entire game. They each hid two treats for Lincoln around our living room and then Lincoln had to find them. The kids thought it was hilarious. Julie also very patiently taught them about Lincoln and let them pet her while in Julie’s arms. AND…they each wanted to take a turn walking her! Now THAT’S progress!!

    Look at those brave kids and that adorable dog!!

    And, I got to spend time with my sweet friend!

    We asked Brian to take a picture of us, and this is what we got at first 🙂

     

    This big man took the longest bike ride he has yet with his daddy to a surprise location: Culver’s! For some yummy custard!
    The kids and I baked this (INCREDIBLE) banana bread last week. I have yet to be successful in teaching the kids to crack eggs without getting them EV.ER.Y.WHERE, but they still beg me to let them crack them. So I consented that day, and Elliott’s egg literally ended up ALL OVER HIM. We all laughed so hard…even Elliott, which is a big deal for my normally hates-to-be-dirty-and-wet son 🙂
    Will selfies with the kids EVER get old???!!! I don’t think it’s possible!!
    This one sure thinks it’s funny!!!!

     

    Thank you, Lord, for another week, for sprouts of joy, and for your new mercies. 

  • Elliott’s Last Day of Pre-K!

    Elliott’s Last Day of Pre-K!

    Well, due to no fault of the sweet little preschool Elliott’s been attending, we had a bit of a dramatic ending to the school year. Two weeks before the graduation, the director and teachers were forced out of the building. It was sad and hard for everyone, but thankfully we all trusted the Lord to provide…and He did! And at least it wasn’t snowing like it was last year on his last day of preschool!!

    So their graduation was held in a roller skating rink (of all places!) and let’s just say that Elliott sometimes has a hard time in new environments…and well, was a bit nervous. (Understatement of the year.) I won’t bother telling the story but will instead post adorable pictures (taken pre- and post-nervous breakdown) so that when we look back in 20 years maybe we will only remember the second half of his graduation which as a lot more fun for him. (SMILE)

    But first, some stats! See how he’s changed since the First Day of Pre-k!

    Last Day Stats:

    Age: 5 years, 2 months

    Height: 46 inches

    Shoe size: 13

    Clothing size: 6/7

    Loves: “Crafting, Legos, and snuggling with Daddy.”

    What he wants to be when he grows up: “I have a couple stuff, but not a spaceman anymore!* I would like to be a firefighter, a policeman, an ambulance guy and a worker guy, too.”

    (*I asked him what changed his mind about the spaceman and he answered, “If there was a fire or someone robbing a house down here and I was in space, I would have to fly back down and I don’t fly that quick!” That’s our super logical son for you!! Ha!!)

    Favorite part of Pre-K: “That they had crafting toys and that we did crafts!”

    And now onto the graduation!

    All the kids put on their graduation robes and marched out to the center of the arena! Can you find Elliott? Here’s a hint: he’s the only one in his class NOT wearing his cap… (He didn’t want to mess up his super cool gelled hairstyle!)

    This is the preschool and the pre-k classes altogether.

    They sang a few songs (cue Elliott’s meltdown) and then handed out graduation certificates! This was TOTALLY one of those days when I am SO GLAD that MY mommy was there for me!! Whew. The poor child was just frozen up in front, totally incapable of singing. I kept trying to help him but to no avail. Afterwards, my mom reminded me of the time that I did a duet clarinet ensemble with my dear friend Jill and I turned so white that she thought I was going to pass out. I guess Elliott takes after my (in)ability to perform on stage!! (Sorry, buddy…we’ll work on that!)

    After my mom and I each took a picture with the kids, they each NEEDED to take a picture of us…so there you have it :).
    This series cracks me up!! Look at my expressive, doting little girl and my “I’m-so-glad-that-performance-is-over” boy!! Haha!!!
    Officially graduated from Pre-K!!

    There were all sorts of fun activities for the kiddos to do afterwards!

    A snow cone truck was parked outside (first snow cones ever!) and there was even face painting! Elliott passed on the painting and Selah decided on an elephant for her hand.
    But their FAVORITE part was the balloon man who happened to be PHENOMENAL. Selah chose a sword and holster (of course!) and Elliott wanted a blue lion. He then requested a “5” (“Like I’m five!!”) and so Selah requested a “3”. They both got to carry a bundle of orange and yellow balloons from the balloon arc home.
    Elliott’s sweet teachers!

    And my favorite…a little compare and contrast!

    These two!!!!!!
    Our big boy, all grown up!!!