In Like A Lamb

I must confess:  March is completely striking my fancy.  I've always known I have a thing for spring, but this year it's exceptionally so.  And if March weren't already awesome enough, we're squeezing Easter in here, too, folks!  Setting the bar awfully high, aren't we March?  We've been enjoying being outside...and I've been enjoying taking a million photos of us being outside.  Lee's all like, "do you have to take pictures of everything?"  And I'm all like, "I don't know, do you have to head out here at the golden hour of sunlight, doing such photographable things?"  I mean, seriously.  They're asking for it.  (And I'm not even a little bit sorry.)

They built stairs for the pool.  Talk about multi-talented.  They're keepers, all of them.  

This one?  She's as precious as can be.  She loves stealing my little pink bible and sneaking off to "read" it.  I asked her what it said as I snapped this photo.  She looked down and said, "it says, 'do not wrinkle the pages'".  

Do you know what else it says?

He came in like a lamb, out like a lion

His love for us is stronger than death.

-Kelanie Gloeckler

I love that song.  "3 days to beat the grave and win me back."  Slay me, Kelanie.  He did it.  THIS is the hap, happiest time of the year.  I'm forever grateful that He came; but this...  This resurrection.  This finished work.  

Christianity is not a series of self improvement and sin management programs, it is a new birth.

-Georgian Banov

My hope is built on nothing less.

  

I hope your March totally rocks.

Bravery (Or, A Hiking We Will Go)

I recently read this supercool post by Jen Hatmaker, on raising brave kids, and the message spoke loudly to me; probably because it is so the opposite of my instinctive mothering style.  Lee, as we all know, has got the bravery department so well covered that I've always taken it upon myself to be a "safe and sound" momma.  But at the end of her post, Jen (can I call her Jen?  Sister Jen?  Mrs. Hatmaker?  Anyhoo...)  quoted this story by Erwin McManus, and reading these two's thoughts changed my perspective in a quick second...

One summer Aaron went to a youth camp.  He was just a little guy, and I was kind of glad because it was a church camp.  I figured he wasn't going to hear all those ghost stories, because ghost stories can really cause a kid to have nightmares.  But unfortunately, since it was a Christian camp and they didn't tell ghost stories, because we don't believe in ghosts, they told demon and satan stories instead.  And so when Aaron got home, he was terrified. 

"Dad, don't turn off the light!" he said before going to bed.  "No, Daddy, could you stay here with me? Daddy, I'm afraid.  They told all these stories about demons." 

And I wanted to say, "They're not real." 

He goes, "Daddy, Daddy, would you pray for me that I would be safe?" 

I could feel it.  I could feel the warm-blanket Christianity beginning to wrap around him, a life of safety, safety, safety. 

I said, "Aaron, I will not pray for you to be safe.  I will pray that God will make you dangerous, so dangerous that demons will flee when you enter the room." 

And he goes, "All right.  But pray that I would be really, really dangerous, Daddy."

I love it.  I want my kids to be brave.  Wise, but brave.  Secure and confident.  Bold and unafraid.

We've been obsessed around here with our friend  Ramey Whalen's song Praises Rise*.  The boys won't let me shut the truck off until it completely finishes.  They headbang and pound their fists and yell the lyrics...

My voice is the sound of a thousand bells

Hear me nations, hear Israel

My song is the water of the purest well

Hear me Heaven, fear me hell

My dance carries thunder from the throne of Yah

Look at me and know He is GOD!

Jillian waves her arms around like an airplane and sings and sings.  I asked her if she likes dancing to that song and she just said, "it's on my hands, Mom, it's on my hands."

My hands hold the cure for every disease

They're covered in blood and oil and leaves

My laughter and tears create things unseen

Atmosphere changes, God released

My worship is armed with spirit and truth

Sacred, accepted, pleasing to You

Oh my.  So up my alley.  It's led us on an exploration of the story of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20.  I read it to them this morning and Donovan kept stopping me to repeat the names of the armies and the places mentioned in the story, absorbing every detail.  "Ambushes?!", they'd exclaim.  I felt bravery surging inside me as I told them the truth; that the battle isn't ours, but the Lord's.  That He goes before us when we praise the splendor of His holiness.  That He gives us rest on every side.  

Let our praises rise like a weapon in Your hand

I told them that they really can be safe and brave all at the same time.  Hidden in Christ; in the shadow of the Almighty.  That they are never alone and were created to be brave.  Dangerous, even.

I'm so grateful that these truths aren't just for them, but for me, too.

And you.

Isn't He splendid?

Just splendid.

Happy Wednesday.

*This link will take you to a video from The Call in Nashville, 07/07/07.  We had the privilege to be there in person and it was amazing.  And the guy in the black shirt playing the keyboard behind Ramey is my brother, Luke.  One of the bravest, for sure.

Things That Are Saving My Sanity Right Now

We survived Valentine's Day!  Enjoyed it, even.  I must confess that it has never been my favorite of holidays.  It feels a little...contrived?  Lee knows he's off the hook with this one because who's to say that he has to buy me roses on a random day in February in the first place?  (Although it certainly wouldn't hurt anything, for Heaven's sake.)  But we all know, when you have zero expectations for a day, it can end up pleasantly surprising you.  Well, except I did have a root canal.  That wasn't at all pleasant or a surprise.  But we had a steak dinner at home (I was careful to chew on the right side) and I worked on feeling the love of the holiday.  I'm still working on fulfilling the rest of my semi-promises, but the red velvet cupcakes were divine.  The rainbows and glitter are slowly returning...

And so, I'd like to share a few little sparkle-inducing things that are saving my sanity lately.  Bullet-style, of course, because it's my favorite.

• The Take 5:  As you know, we homeschool, and while I'd love to tell you that everyday is filled with magical wonderment, my boys are currently 6 & 8 and that is just not so.  So this year it came to me in a miraculous flash...the Take 5.  I told them that at any time of the school day, as long as I was not actually speaking to them, they could take 5 minutes and go anywhere in the house and do anything they wanted.  It can't be technology related and they have to do it alone, but whatever they want to do to decompress is fine and totally up to them.  They might read, play with legos, jump on the trampoline, or just lay there.  They get 2 per day and it has seriously changed our lives.  They love the control it gives them.  I love the calm it brings me.  I suppose it could be introduced into non-homeschooling situations as well.  And believe me when I say, no one has EVER argued if it ends up turning into a Take 15...

My darling Benny, please grow more slowly...you promised.

• The School Snack:  One other major problem we had with our day was someone shouting, "I'm starving!" just as we were getting into our school groove.  I decided to put a plate of non-messy snacks in front of them, along with their water bottles, and it has been a life-saver.  I'm amazed at what they will put in their mouths as long as it gives them a little break from their work.  This is the time to put weirdo fruits & veggies on a cute plate in front of your child and watch in amazement as they consume them.

This is actually a lunch plate, but I am also loving putting the ranch in a festive cupcake holder.  Easy clean-up alert! And they love when we have party food for lunch.  They get that from their Aunt Suzie.

• The Special Handsoap:  This was actually Lee's idea.  We had a problem with the boys pouring entire bottles of Dawn down the drain in order to wash their hands.  Lee suggested filling a mostly empty bottle up the rest of the way with water and letting them use that watery soap for all their needs.  And now I use it all the time.  It is perfect for washing out cups or other things that need a rinse, but that take forever to get all the soap off.  I think it's pretty genius.  He loves reminding me that it was his idea. 

I realize you probably do not need a visual on this one, but here you go.

• Baking soda and vinegar: in all its bubbling glory.  Here's Jillian squirting colored vinegar onto a baking soda covered cookie sheet.  (Thanks Pinterest!  You should really get your own bullet because I'm hopelessly devoted to you.  xoxo)  We even have a baking soda/vinegar rocket that the boys LOVE setting off.

Again I cannot say enough wonderful things about cupcake liners.  They're genius, I tell ya!

And here we have the Afternoon Delight in flight...maybe not as high as I was expecting, but still spectacular.  Ha!

• And finally, the trampoline, which is starting to show its age.  (It is not even a year old, I think?!)  I've even been letting the boys do their reading out there.  Love it!  They think I don't realize when they've long since finished their books, slipped them inside the sliding glass doors, and are jumping and flipping like maniacs for who-laid-the-rail.  They don't realize that I plan this activity as the last thing we'll do for the day.  Everyone's a winner at this game. 

And there you have it.  Some of the nonsense that goes on around here.  The other day, a teenage cashier told the boys that girls really like hairstyles like theirs.  Needless to say, they've both been asking for haircuts.   

 May your weekend be flowery, sunny, and bright...

Thanks Uncle Chris, for our Kinston Indians hats!

And may Jimmie Johnson win the Daytona 500.  

Amen?