Making and Playing

One of our great family members bought this toy for Abby for Christmas and I put it up in the closet for a great rainy day activity. Recently, we had that rainy day and this was the perfect thing - a Build-A-Bear Make-And-Play Bear. It was a delightful project and Abby was just purely smitten with it. But, more than the bear, we enjoyed the time together - about 2 hours, just the two of us...Making and Playing.

As soon as I presented the idea to Abby and got the box down from the top shelf of the closet, she ran to the living room and dumped all the supplies out on the floor.
"Are we really going to sew that bear all by ourselves, mommy? That'll be great!"

She stayed with the activity entirely until it was completed...and sometimes, it became pretty tedious. She and I worked together very hard for about 2 hours, sewing, sewing and more sewing. We then had to stuff her, decorate her clothing with paint and iron-ons, and dress her. Whew...what a job!

We took our time so she could learn how to do it, and she really enjoyed the independence and the craftiness of it all.

The large plastic needle was just the right size for her tiny hands.

Abby was so ecstatically proud of our accomplishment!
What a great day with great memories with an amazing daughter!

Teddy turned out pretty cute too, huh?

THE DEEP END

Alot of the time, the Lord uses me to teach my children. Right now, He is using my children to teach me...to lead me.

After Isaac began gymnastics, Jonah said, "...but mom, what can I do?" So, the discussions began. It was dead of winter...but all he could think of was that he wanted to learn to swim better. We began working and working to find him some instruction and was so blessed to find someone at a local college campus who took a personal interest in him and decided to teach him one-on-one every week.

He has made tremendous progress and now is able to swim the full distance across the pool without stopping - breathing well, coming up for air...we're so proud!

Next, he had to tackle...THE DEEP END!

For two weeks in a row, we prayed, talked about it, encouraged him, cheered him on ... did everything we knew to do to help him overcome his fear - but he continued to have just a tremendous fear of swimming in the water that was over his head. He began thinking about the bottom - the area he couldn't see or touch - and would panic. Although the water or his skill level hadn't changed - his mind had!

BUT - this week - this week...things changed to the glory of God!

As soon as we arrived, Jonah went straight to the five foot waters (which is a foot above his head). He got in confidently and swam beautifully. Mike and I looked at each other and shrugged our shoulders. After a few minutes, I said, "Well, Jonah, where did that come from?"

Believe it or not, my 8 year old son looked me in the eyes and said,
"FEAR'S NOT GOING TO RULE MY LIFE!"

I said, "Huh?" And, he yelled it again,
"Mommy, FEAR'S NOT GOING TO RULE MY LIFE!"

Michael and I looked at one another in shock - did he really say that? Where did that come from? And I asked him..."Jonah, where did you hear that? Who told you that?" He just casually said,
"Nobody mom, God just put it in my heart."

After I regained my thoughts and processed what had just happened, I said, "Jonah, what happened to the Jonah that was here last week - the one that was afraid, cried and wouldn't let go of the wall?"

His reply: "He got swallowed by the whale, mom!"
hehehehehe...

Jonah loves to float in the water...

He swims whereever he wants now.

Practicing his breathing and kicking...he works so hard.

What a handsome doll baby!

Lord, teach me to have courage when I can't see or touch the bottom!

But It's My Dream.

"But, it's my dream, mom." Wow! I never expected to hear those words from an 8 year old boy. It was a week night and he asked me to sit on the couch. Usually, it is the reverse...I am asking one of MY children to it on the couch...so I can get their attention, help them focus on what I am about to tell them...so I can look them in the eye and have them hear something from my heart to theirs. But, that night...he needed mine.

You see, since the boys were small, we had allowed...even encouraged them...as they pursued athletic interests - they dabbled in a small, local basketball league for two seasons, they played Little League baseball last season (and did exceptionally well, I might add!) But, this year was going to be different, I could see. My children were developing their own thoughts and ideas...their own dreams.

Isaac asked me to sit ... to hear his request ... a request I had heard casually many times, but hadn't actually listened to or taken seriously for some reason. Did I think it was a whim, did he really know what he was asking to do, was it possible that I had a prejudice that I didn't want to deal with?

He said plainly, "Mom, I want to take gymanstics. It's my dream. Can I? I think I can do good."

Of course, I immediately said, "Let me talk to dad and we'll see what we can do." I did my research and within the week had him in the local Tumbling class. After the first class, the coach came to me and said, "...you were right, mom. He's got talent. I think he can be competitive in a year or less." Wow!

Now, after 3 months, two standing backhand springs independently, 10 backhand springs consecutively (being spotted of course), trampoline work and much, much more, he continues to work hard to see his dream become reality. He never walks anywhere now...he flips, flops and tumbles.

He enjoys it so much that his teachers have to remind him to quit smiling and "get focused"!
His natural agility is so fun to watch!
He's making great gains and we are so glad that we are following his dream.
Is there anything your children are telling you that you haven't heard lately?

Resurrection Sunday...just amazing.

I am so very sincerely thankful to be a child of the resurrected King! And, for some reason, this particular Resurrection Sunday morning, I was particularly excited...I felt a stirring in my spirit...His Spirit calling me to worship as never before. His power was on display as I hadn't experienced it in a long time...more than likely my issue...definitely not God's! It was a revival for my soul, an awakening of my mind, a drawing of my heart...a uniting of the body of Christ. And, I wouldn't have missed it for anything at all.

Following our church celebration, we continued the celebration with our families...and here are a few pictures to help us remember - it is good to remember.

It's not about us...its ALL about Jesus.

A Girl, A Dream...Come True!

...I dreamed of having an electronic reading device...advanced technology that only an AVID reader could fully appreciate. Technology that allow me to have a complete bookstore at my disposal 24 hours/day, 7 days a week. Technology that would allow me to read, be read to, would mark my pages automatically, store thousands of books, be lightweight and thin, and easier to read than any book I had previously held in my hands.

Then, just in time for my birthday, the UPS man showed up on my doorstep. (No wonder my husband wouldn't take us out for supper on Friday night...he knew something was up!) The Amazon box came right on time.
And...yes, I recognized the box I had seen on Amazon's website as I had looked and dreamed many times before...the "Once Upon A Time..." on the end had given it away! Was my dream about to come true? Was I really going to be able to carry my own personal library everywhere I went?
Whaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!
A KINDLE DX!!!!!!!!!
It was amazing to see and hold! I was so excited! Within minutes I was able to download 27 books to MY Kindle!
(Of course, I already had been perusing the Kindle Store and had signed up to receive Kindle updates to my Twitter account months before...so there wasn't much left to do but get busy!)
How do I thank my husband, Michael, enough for caring so much? He knew the dream! Hehehe...what fun! Now, all I want to do is read!

Like a Fish.

Since I got back from a recent work trip two weeks ago, I have felt like a fish out of water... flipping and flopping around, trying to survive...trying to plug into the lifesource...feeling like I was on the shore, close to the water, but just couldn't get in. I've been off-kilter! And, I am not really sure why. I have gone from a week of exhaustion to a week of sickness, two sick children, stress, fatigue, unusually difficult and unexpected circumstances as well as emotional and spiritual challenges that have shaken me to the core. Wow! Does it sound like I am being a drama princess here, or what? But, it's so true! I have had to make some tough decisions during this time and still be everything to everyone...a tough place to be. Rather than being able to give in to sickness and just get well, I have had to be on my toes, manage alot, keep others at their best, be on my game, and keep it together. Hard stuff.

Have I passed the test? Well, I give myself a big fat "F" for week 1;
but week 2, my grade's coming up!
I think I'm at least floatin' again...

HOWEVER!

Since I got back on Friday evening from Atlanta from a week-long business trip, I thought the best way to reflect how I have felt - or more accurately - the kind of weekend I have had, is with the above self-portrait. You see, I had a great learning experience there...but, boy...am I exhausted. I couldn't wait to get home, put on my comfy clothes and wind down! And, that's exactly what I have been doing. With the exception of attending a baby shower and church, my days have been filled with my hair being twisted up on my head, reading, relaxing, napping and playing with my children. And, there's just something about being out of your routine for a week that puts things WAY out-of-sync. I am wondering when my 'in-sync' will be back????

On the flip side, some things really came together for me this week. It is so great when you get that moment of "A-ha!" that you know is going to make a difference in how you do things. But, how do I sustain that? How do I keep that going? At work, at home, at church, and in my personal life?

I believe that I must continually be learning...seeking wisdom.
I know that I must be living my life with vision...knowing that things can be different.

I see that it is the little things that clearly make the big things count...integrity, caring, work ethic.

I confirm that I can't do it alone...through Christ who strengthen's me.

I admit...that sometimes I don't know which direction to turn...even when I seek His voice.

I don't doubt that I will make mistakes...lots of them...and its ok. I'm ok.

I dream...alot. I get scared...sometimes.

I get tired.
That bothers me.

HOWEVER!

(Don't you love that...)

However...I will!
I will do what God has called me to do. It is completely and utterly doable.
I will have to step out of my comfort zone to do it sometimes...but we will

get 'er done!