Two on Fiday

I remember when you were just a dream.
Then you were a promise.
I can't forget the day you became a promise fulfilled!

Today is your birthday, but I am convinced I received the gift.

Happy Birthday, my girl.

Abigail's Current Obsession

Chris walks in the house after work. Abigail runs over to him. Then she runs to the computer pointing and saying "dnkey." We know what she wants. Chris tries to distract her. She starts singing, "Dnkey widing, dnkey widing, dnkey widing." We can't resist the singing. This is what she gets.

Thrifty Thursday

No worries, there is no way I am disciplined enough to give thrifty tips every Thursday. And when I say not disciplined enough I mean in both spending Thursdays doing the same thing and in being thrifty. But I did think I will share a little something I have learned in this season of owning one house and renting another.

I. Hate. Coupons. I spend all this time Sunday or Monday, when I could be doing something I want to like drawing mutated cows and horses, cutting out coupons and looking at sales fliers. Then I try to make a menu based on that instead of on what we want to eat, and I might add what we usually have on hand, because we want to eat those things. And then I go to the grocery store, this time though I am smart enough to write down the adjusted prices so I can compare with what the cost would be at the store compared with Aldi. You know what I found. There was only ONE thing that was cheaper at the other store! All that time and I saved virtually nothing. But I did gain my Sunday afternoons back. Perhaps I have the better deal.

Let me repeat--I. Hate. Coupons.
And let me add--Live on Aldi!

MOPS

Tonight was the night.

My first night.

I am now a MOPS mom.

From 6-8 PM tonight, I sat with a group of women all in the same boat. They have children between the ages of zero and five. They have to worry about spit-up, high fevers, temper tantrums, food dried in places one never thought to look for food, separation anxiety. They get to watch personalities develop, brains grow, citizens being made. They are directly involved in building the future. They are like me!

Look at how He works. Neighbors bringing Abigail sticker books. Accidentally meeting family at an out-of-the-way restaurant. Going to parades and trying to keep from hibernating with another neighbor family. Being invited to MOPS. Going and having fun. Small snippets of His plan being revealed. Tiny promises of friendships that will go deep. How very exciting to be invited in this His adventure! How very glad I am that we accepted His invitation!

Veterans Day

I know I am late but I found myself with something to say as I was going over my day in the shower this evening.


Today, Abigail, a neighbor, and I went to the Veterans Day parade. It was a short parade both in length and in numbers of participants. It was a small crowd so everyone had a good view of those marching. The bands played patriotic songs and the members of area American Legions, and VFWs and other veteran organizations marched in the parade. They were greeted with applause as they went. As should be men and women who sacrifice for others.


As I watched these men, primarily, march passed us, I saw some who wore their uniforms with great pride walking tall and strong. I saw some who marched proudly but with physical difficulty whether from their military experiences or from age I cannot say. And I saw those marching who appeared to have donned a heavy burden this morning as they dressed for their part in the celebrations.


And I am left to wonder what goes through the mind and heart of these men and women when they put on the uniform, these who have seen great combat, vast violence. I wonder if while we are applauding them they are reliving the moments they spent in horror. I wonder if they are missing their fallen, or lost, commrades. I wonder if they are mourning the changes war wrought on their lives. I wonder if the uniforms they are marching in today are so much heavier for the memories than they were when first worn by young men.

It makes me think about the men and women in war today. Their lives altered in a way I can only wonder at. Their hopes and dreams forever changed in the wake of war. My impact on their lives can be little. But I can pray for their safety and their protection. I can pray for a touch from the Lord on their precious lives. I can ask that He heal the physical wounds of war and that He will bind up the brokenhearted and release the captives. I can pray He can make the uniforms light again in His great love and healing hands for these men and women who have sacrificed so much, both young and old.

Better

For a day inThy courts is better than a thousand outside.

I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God,

Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Psalm 84:10

Last night, I thought I would sneak in a Psalm before bed. Before you get all impressed, that was the entirity of my quiet time as it is most days Chris is home. And really it was a response to guilt as I thought about reading something else first. But I digress.

Last night, I thought I would sneak in a Psalm before bed. I flopped open the frayed Bible that lives in my headboard night nook wondering how many more flops the poor book had in it and found myself on the pages holding Psalm 82 about judgement on Isreal-reject before bed, Psalm 83 asking God to please kill my enemies-don't feel surrounded by enemies tonight, reject, and Psalm 84.

I picked Psalm 84 and as I was reading this song of praise, I hit upon that oft-quoted verse, Better a day in the house of the Lord than a thousand outside and I was tempted to read quickly over it. But the not so oft-quoted "B" part of the verse gave me pause. "I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God, than dwell in the tents of the wicked." What a picture of love and devotion to the Lord.

In the threshold of the house of God. Homeless, exposed to the weather, beating sun, biting cold, driving rain, hunger, thirst, alone but close to God. In the tents of the wicked. Warm, protected from the elements, well-fed, entertained, wealthy but far from Him. Oh how tempting it is at times to count the "blessings" of living outside His will instead of leaning on the enduring promises that are the threshold of His house. How tempting to enumerate the sufferings that accompany following His footsteps instead of rejoicing in His invitation to follow.

Lord God, today fill me with the joy of being in your courts. Let all I do today sing praise to you for you have drawn me to your house. Let me join the song "better is a day in your house than a thousand outside". Amen

Sticker Books

We've been here for just under two months. And I am lonely. No, I am not unhappy. Yes, I believe this is where we should be, and I am glad to be here. But I am lonely. I am not the best of friend-makers. I don't initiate well, and I am not a big call-er. So I am a little lonely.

Yesterday, I was praying about this. Being very specific, asking for just one good friend here in Pennsylvania, asking for the boldness and perseverance to do what was necessary for that one good friend, and the patience to wait for whoever God has.

Yesterday, after my prayer time, as Abigail and I were doing dishes, (OK, I was washing and rinsing and putting in the strainer, and Abigail was playing in the rinse water.) the doorbell rings, "Great," I think, "probably the Jehovah's Witnesses. I don't want to talk to anyone." So much for being open to answered prayers, hunh?

Drying my hands and hoping Abigail is following me, I walked to the door. My neighbor greeted me with a little sticker book for Abigail. She saw it at the store and thought of Abigail and she bought it for her. Making it even more special is the knowledge that my neighbor is well into retirement, living on a fixed income, and caring for her ailing husband. And she still thought of Abigail when she saw the sticker book.

My neighbor bought Abigail a sticker book. My God gave me a sticker book, the promise of His nearness, His love, and His provision.

Gassy Giggles

She has finally made the connection. She knows 'gas' and she knows 'stinky.' She finds gas extremely funny. So much so that once she realizes she has gas she tries to create as many expulsions as possible. Giggling all the while.

On Hibernation

Have you noticed how the end of day light savings time, Halloween, and fresh apples all occur at about the same time? I have. I have also noticed that I tend to eat like a bear preparing for hibernation when the time changes. It's dark, there's candy, our neighbor brings us salted carbohydrate goodies, and I made a pie last week.

Too bad I don't hibernate.

Never Thought

I'd say, "Please don't lick the floor."

A Full Dose

Abigail is sick. She has been sick since Friday. Today I took her to the pediatrician. A new pediatrician for a new town. She wasn't fooled and basically screamed during the entire time someone was measuring, examining, or testing her. She played when no one was around; I was disgusted.

She has a virus. We left the doctor's office with nothing except with the promise of a bill. I suspected there was nothing that could be done for her, but after three days with a fever in the triple digits averaging 102.5 while piling on the acetaminophen and ibuprofen I thought it was best to get her checked out. Only to be told that after holding her down while the nurse took a sample from the back of her throat she has a virus and to keep giving her fluids and fever reducers.

She has grown though. She weighs 22 and 3/4 pounds, which qualifies her for the higher doses of said fever reducers. So we gave her the bigger dose. And she is playing and eating pizza. And she doesn't feel miserable. And we don't feel miserable.

And this whole story makes me think about the ways I try to get by on a partial dose of prayer, or Bible study, or exercise, or conversation with my husband, or any number of things that make me a balanced individual capable of adventure and learning and picking the blocks off the floor for the thirteenth time today. It also makes me that much more thankful to God for the way He works through me on the days when a partial dose is all that I am getting of anything. Days like today when I am the platter for my "cooked goose" to sit on till she is back to her "silly goose" self.

I Want One

Not a high chair as such, but a dining chair with arms that sorta wrap around me while I eat.

(Also note the necklace contraband which bejeweled her neck while I wasn't looking.)

About Time

The time has come to do some clothes sorting. Abigail's clothes. I hate it! But the summer is over and the 18 month clothes are getting small. Especially the shirts now all belly-button bearing. As I put away all the cute little sun dresses and the shorts that were until September a little long, I couldn't help but feel a little sadness thinking that she will not wear these things again.

But I get out the tote of clothes, oh how I appreciate hand-me-downs, for this stage of growth. I look through all the new-to-us clothes and become excited at the prospects of the adventures to come, and the new favorites we will discover.