Life lately

3 Michigan State fans watchin' the game....

Our small group got together and spent time filling 20 shoesboxes for Operation Christmas Child.

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/Pack_A_Shoe_Box/

Our halloween-type get together with some spidery salad (they are fake just FYI), some goblin juice (aka sherbet and sprite), yummy "witches brew" (aka tortilla soup), an eyeball hunt and of course- just fun dressing up with friends.

I was going to label this post "our busy life" and then thought- everyone says that! It's true- our excuses for not doing something, not getting back to someone, not volunteering for something etc.. is "life is just so busy right now"- and it's true.
But do you ever wonder what it would be like to say ( and hear)
"I have all the time in the world for....(fill in the blank)"
or
"Our life is just so boring lately"

I'm challenged lately with the thought of how I steward my time. There are so many things screaming for our attention- personally- and as a family unit- and so many of them are GOOD things. But what if I'm so busy doing "good things" that I miss an opportunity to have a conversation with a neighbor?
What if I'm in such a hurry to get to my next "to do" that I forget to read THAT story to one of my kids?
Am I too busy to hear my kids laughing and join in?
Hmm.. deep thoughts for a Saturday afternoon.
So I think I'll sign off and go grab that book while it's still today.

Variations on a theme

I tried. Really I did!
I tried to think of something a bit more original than doing a thanksgiving tree again this year.
I thought of a turkey.
Nah.
I thought of a wreath.
Nah.
I even thought of choosing another Psalm for memory work other than Psalm 100 that we've been doing every November for I think 4 years now.

In the end- I decided some things are okay to keep the same.
So here is year 2 of our Thanksgiving Tree- a bit bare with leaves just yet but as we each add one after supper it's fun to watch the tree bloom-
and I think it'll be fun to see how much the kids will remember from doing the Psalm 100 again.
I guess the point isn't necessarily to do "something new" - but to do something.

The Owenator

Some recent shots of my littlest hotshot:

This is what I get for leaving my cleaning tote (and a 2 year old) unattended -
Not only did he empty my comet and spic and span- he thought spraying the Windex cleaner was grand fun. It was very hard to look sternly at him and tell him "no" when I was cracking up!
His newest favorite activity: puzzles. He will sit and do the same puzzle 5 times in a row (and ask for help for the same piece each time ;-)

Although he decided that 2 was an acceptable time to give up naps- (which his Mama does not agree with)- when he does decide to sleep- he's OUT!

So I rearranged my living room this morning for no other reason than I wanted this view from "my chair" -Not bad eh?

Isaiah

This year is a first for me. I am in Bible Study Fellowship for a first time. I've heard things about it from people over the years and decided to pursue it. I'm really impressed with how organized they are. The curriculum that they have for kids is so great- basically they teach what we are learning too. Which, considering we're studying Isaiah this year, is not exactly an easy task. It was too sweet to hear Owen sing "Owee, Owee, Owee" (Holy, Holy, Holy) yesterday while packed away during carpool.

I don't know about you but I've always put the "prophet" books on the "interesting and important but not necessarily applicable" category in my mind.
Oh how wrong I was!
Not only am I finding great nuggets of application I'm seeing a lot of parallel with the nation of Israel and our own.
In Isaiah chapter 5 he has a list of "woes" that he is telling the straying Israelites. God tells their nation to end their pursuit of materialism, alcoholism, pride, greed, injustice and ignoring God's laws. Hmm- sounds like another nation I'm familiar with.
Then in chapter 6 Isaiah "saw the Lord".
His response?
"Woe is ME."
He didn't point fingers at his culture, his country, his neighbors, his 'church', his family. He didn't have any other judgments to pass except that which he was most familiar with- his own sin.

So what is my response when I catch a glimpse of God?

Do I compare my sin with others?
For some reason we tend to think OUR sin is acceptable and THEIR sin is disgraceful. We shake our head when we hear about someone elses poor choices, someone elses straying family member, someone elses marriage problems, someone elses struggle with greed. Meanwhile our own choices, family, marriage and our own pursuit of anything other than God- goes unchecked in our lives and is deemed "not as bad as them" by us.
That's just the ugliness of plain ole pride!

So what then we we have a moment to glimpse his glory?
What happens when we "see the Lord".
Would I be one to acknowledge my own sin- to understand the depth and depravity of it each day-not as be oppressed by that knowledge but to be humbled by it?
Oh that I will be made completely aware of my own sin- and completely in awe of the cleansing that follows.

Fun on the Farm

Yesterday was my idea of a perfect day.

We were woken up to a tiny tot snuggling in our bed, joined shortly after by a not-so-tiny-tot-who-still-is-ok-with-being-snuggled-once-in-awhile.We mozied about with some coffee, some pancakes for breakfast and assorted chores mixed with playtime.We met up with some friends to go to a farm that hosts some fall-activity fun. They have animals to see and pet, a pumpkin "train", hay for play, corn maze, fresh donuts and cider and, of course, hayrides out to the pumpkin patch. Seriously- can you stuff any more fallishness into an day? My typically I-could-care-less-about-sports type husband reeeeally wanted to watch the MSU vs. UofM football game. So we did! We ordered pizza, watched TV (in the middle of the DAY! which is very unusual in our house). I felt completely irresponsible- and loved every moment. I went on a bike ride with just Jaedon and truly enjoyed his company.
The weather was gorgeous, the leaves were stunning.
Really- a perfect day.
It occurs to me that "perfect" days are really a matter of our perspective. Obviously, any days that involve dealing with other people are likely to be very not perfect- we are, after all, all imperfect people. I'm learning that it's not so much about how to have the perfect event, plan the perfect party, be the perfect mom but how I deal graciously with my imperfect life- starting with those I live with (very imperfectly) every day.

Deux

Not only have I just been amazed at the physical similarities between Jaedon and Owen since birth- but as Owen gets older it seems he favors his brother in the book-loving way as well. This ABC puzzle is a newly discovered favorite around our house.

Solo Saturday

Brad had a band competition on Saturday so we decided to go to Home Depot for a bit of fun. They have a building project the first Saturday each month- not my thing at all-but Brad has taken the boys on several occasions. We have gathered a lovely assortment of ...uh... very USEFUL wooden projects around the house. Birdhouses, rain gauge, firetruck, boats, Foosball table, matchbox car storage. They are quite creative and it was fun to see Jaedon doing his project mostly by himself.
They had face painting as well. Jaedon asked for "a grizzly bear with sharp teeth standing on his hind legs". Seth was a bit simpler: a snake with a tongue stickin' out". I was impressed with how they turned out.

Spiritual Birthday Party

Since Seth and his new bestest buddy Isaac both accepted Jesus into their hearts within a week of each other- we decided to have a "Spiritual Birthday" party. It was a bit confusing to Seth that he wouldn't be turning 5. ;)