30 Days of Thanks

It's not that I don't like Halloween, though it's not my favorite holiday.  But lately I've felt that the other fall holiday has been unceremoniously pushed aside.  Ornaments next to costumes.  Candy buckets on the same aisle as tree stands.  Thanksgiving has somehow been relegated to one day of gluttony and sports.

Last year, in an attempt to put more focus on thankfulness, the kids and I made a paper chain and leaf banner for the breakfast nook and tied the words of Psalm 100:4--"Give thanks to Him and praise His name"--to it with twine.  Very cute.  We did a tree craft with foamy leaves and card stock and wrote things we were thankful for on each of the leaves. I wanted the changing seasonal decor to be intentional.

 This year, after browsing through the PBKids catalog, I recreated their Tree of Thanks calendar (maybe not quite as fancy, but definitely cheaper--if I don't count man-hours).  And with help from my co-conspirator in all things kids & crafty, Kellye, we focused the activity on praising and thanking the One who gives all things.  Each day, the kids will pull a card from the pocket, read the Scripture or prompt, and respond by writing their answers on the cards. My hope is that we can begin a tradition and, more importantly, foster a mindset of thankfulness.  Even if you don't have a tree, maybe you can start a tradition of 30 days of thanks in your home.  Leave a comment and tell me about a Thanksgiving tradition you have found helpful!

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."

Here's what we'll be reflecting on:

THIRTY Days of THANKS: Thanksgiving 2010

1. 1 Chronicles 16:34, I’m thankful to God because…
2. Thank you God for my family because…
3. Thank you God for providing…
4. Thank you God for answering my prayer for…
5. 2 Corinthians 1:3, Thank you God for comforting me when…
6. Thank you God for my siblings because…
7. Thank you God for showing me kindness when…
8. Luke 1:68, Thank you God for…
9. 1 Corinthians 15:57, I praise you Lord for…
10. 2 Corinthians 9:15, I’m thankful for grace because…
11. Thank you Father for being our provider! I love our house because…
12. I praise you Lord for using me to show your love to…
13. My favorite toy is… Thank you for good gifts & fun things!
14. Thank you for painting our world with color! My favorite color is…
15. I love my friends! I praise you for…
16. Thank you for the gift of my mommy. I love her because…
17. Thank you for the gift of my father. I love him because…
18. I praise you for creating me and knowing all of me. My favorite thing about myself is…
19. Psalm 119:105, I praise you for the Bible because…
20. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Thank you for being with me when I feel…
21. 2 Thessalonians 3:16, Thank you for peace when…
22. Psalm 121, I praise you Lord for…
23. Thank you God for my church because…
24. Zephaniah 3:17, I praise you oh Lord my God for…
25. John 1:14, Thank you for Jesus because…
26. Psalm 105: 1-4, God, I’m thankful for your wonderful act of….
27. Thank you for the cross because…
28. John 1:16, Thank you for grace because…
29. Hebrews 12:28, I’m thankful for heaven because…
30. Psalm 100, Thank you Lord for…

School so far

We're just about at that point, six weeks in.  The point where "they" say things should be settling in, you should be figuring things out, things should be running smoother.

And, well, they are.  I'm happy to report that the kindergartner and the preschooler love school, we have routines, we have tricks that get us through the week, we've made adjustments, figured out what works and what doesn't.

Not that everything always runs smoothly as this morning's rush to the minivan, shoes in hand, proves. But we arrived, on time, calmed down by Indelible Grace music and a bit of prayer.

Things I like: a four-day school week, homework that is over by 10 AM so we can go to the children's museum, uniforms, doing science experiments in our kitchen, having mommy school with Ben (right now he's made rockets out of the pattern blocks we created), having one-to-one or one-to-two ratios, not having to create lesson plans, getting to expand on lessons and challenge R as needed, seeing Rebekah smile as she comes out to afternoon car line, hearing good reports from teachers (Rebekah is sweet and a good friend; Ben is smart and answers questions!), having great teachers that love my kids.

Things I don't like: William's lack of regular napping, being in the car a lot, keeping up with paperwork, cranky or overly silly homework times, early alarm clocks, neglecting William (poor third kid), not being all together all the time, finding time for everything.

All in all, I'm happy with this school model.  Sometimes I feel like she doesn't get to do as much fun stuff at school, but that also means I get to do the fun stuff with her. Which also means I need to create fun stuff for us to do and not get caught up in running errands or housecleaning, though at times this is important too.  (Finish math work and then dust!)  And we'll have a class play date this week--how great is that?

I'm trying to claim Fridays as family days, which is hard.  Stuff just gets in the way and I can get so lazy.  This Friday I hope to play at the park as the weather is just gorgeous and do an activity for our current fruit of the Spirit lesson--LOVE.

In pictures:



home school--clothing optional



Learning the color spectrum with Crews' Freight Train book

Ben's first day of preschool--still has black eye



At the Houston Aquarium for R's b-day with Nana and Granddad (this is the shark train)




The girl wanted lasagna and cookie cake for Birthday #6 (that's a homemade cookie cake by the way--yum, yum)



Working on our flat-kids for a Fruit of the Spirit lesson (see impressyourkids.org)

end of summer

Today, I made these:

And I got to use this (happy birthday to me),

which makes this much easier (as does my dough whisk--best kitchen tool ever!),

because Monday morning, we will be here:

Well, the girl's school looks nothing like that, but she will be at her first day of kindergarten at Legacy Preparatory Christian Academy.  LPCA is a university-model school. Students go to school two to three days a week for instruction and do the rest of their school work, review, practice, pre-reading, projects, at home.

Which means on Tuesday and Thursday we will be here:

Our school room is ready. Map, calendar, magnet board hung up. Supplies in the cute little caddy (I love Lakeshore!! I could get in lots of budget trouble there.) Rebekah's work for the week is clipped together (if you can see the purple glittery flower clip) and hung on the magnet board. The teacher posts the week's assignments on RenWeb for parents to download.  This week we have projects for writing the letter T and doing T sounds, a texture collage to make, some art and some math. Right now, sounds very do-able.  Ben is ready for more this year so I thought we would work on a few sight words at a time which I also have on the magnet board.  I know he and I have more than a few letters to review and do some fun stuff with. 

Plus, I have this:

What is this, you ask? An alphabet box.  Each drawer of this box (available at Lowe's) has tiny objects that begin with that letter.  Here's "T" (so far): treasure, television, table, tiger, ticket, and turtle.

I was pressured--;) just kidding!--into this project by the alpha-crazed Kellye--she of three boys and infinite energy (you can read their alphabet summer adventures, more about the alphabet box, and raising Christ-centered kids whose roots run deep here). There are several games to play like I Spy and Common Bond. I'm interested in building Ben's ear for phonics and these small manipulatives are great for his fine-motor skills, especially once I find the kind of tongs I'd like for him  to use in this and other activities.  I'm still searching for many objects for the less common letters.  Trips to Michaels and Hobby Lobby are like treasure hunts--stickers, buttons, erasers. And I've made some objects--a puffy paint web, an apron from fabric and ribbon scraps.  I'm ready to really get going on it and incorporating it into our mommy school.  I may need to have a Dead Poets moment for myself and rip out the remaining worksheets from Ben's workbook....nah! Bring on the seat work!!

art

wordy

hand-made

Ben's art in the gameroom

meaningful

counting stars

Warning: Do not attempt to listen to this CD when your significant other is out of town, you are bone-dead tired from a week of teaching VBS, and you are driving in the rain with three sweet and silent babes--you just may turn into a puddle of weepy mess (also not very good for driving in said rain.)

On a Thursday evening, I drove by our mailbox before attempting a bookstore and dinner date with my lovelies (at our favorite chicken establishment, of course).  D was out of town and we were approaching the end of a tiring but highly enjoyable week of VBS and the end of a tiring and emotionally draining month in general.  To my delight, a padded envelope bearing a Rabbit Room mailing label awaited us--the new release from Andrew Peterson, Counting Stars. I put the CD in, handed the liner notes to the girl (she is so my daughter!), and enjoyed words and music washing over our car as the rain fell softly and the children quieted down. 

This is maybe AP's most family-oriented album with songs for and about his wife, children, their home--The Warren, and his ancestors.  The album's title is an allusion to God asking Abraham if he can count the stars and the legacy one man can have.  "Dancing in the Minefields" was the first song that got me all mushy, especially as D and I approach our tenth anniversary.   We married young too (22 and 21) and have been sailing in the storms through it all: "And it was harder than we dreamed but I believe that's what the promise is for." You can also watch a music video here--see You Tube is good for something. 

And while several songs are about his own family, there are words to our extended family in Christ: to plant trees that will live on after we are gone, to remember we are priests and princes in the Kingdom of God, and to not let go because there is hope in the night.

This is a raw, honest, and mature album. Every song is true, poignant, and lovingly crafted.  I can't wait to see some of these songs performed at the Behold the Lamb of God concert this winter (December 17th for you Houstonians!). I will be bringing tissues for sure.

cure for the stressful day

When you have a potentially stressful day, the kind of day filled with every day stresses and craziness and chaos...and when you are channeling your inner Maggie Moore creating hippos and crocodiles coming to the watering hole and pillars and Sphinxes (okay, just one Sphinx, but a really big one), and your dinner turns into spaghetti sauce out of a jar and salad out of a bag,

it helps to have made baguettes in the morning (when you are up at 6 AM because you smell something really funky in the kitchen garbage and you can't sleep another minute). 

And to let a precocious one year-old play with anything that won't kill him.  That usually  means the plasticware cabinet...and apparently shoes.

And to make a chocolate cake that starts with a mix (to which you add sour cream, pudding, chocolate chips, and pecans among other things) and becomes a warm, gooey, moist yumminess which your precious daughter will pronounce the best cake she's ever eaten.

And you eat said cake dreaming of a machine that folds laundry while giving you a pedicure and rubbing your shoulders.

eating locally

Tomatoes: This is the first year I've actually gotten tomatoes from plants planted in my yard. (I have two Romas, one grape, one patio, and one beefsteak). There are few things more satisfying than picking a sun-warmed tomato from the backyard and eating it (drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with kosher salt, cracked pepper, and torn basil) within minutes. Ben has declared that he likes tomatoes from our garden. I just have to convince him that all tomatoes come from some garden, some where.

Blackberries: Truthfully, I didn't even like blackberries that much. Until. This year the kids and I picked blackberries from a "farm" a stone's throw from our neighborhood. Baked into a cobbler the next day and topped with Brenham's own Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla--I'm a believer. WOW!

Blueberries: The kids enthusiasm quickly wilted in the morning sun (it was only 80 at 9:00!); we managed to pick a paltry pound of blueberries before William's cries for a nap sent us home. They did perk up for blueberry pancakes for lunch!

Cookies: Okay, no local ingredients but aren't they adorable! I baked them for William's birthday this past weekend along with a Texas sheet cake for the adults.

Not-so-local: As I write this, I'm sucking the last dregs of my Cheerwine float, made with the last can of imported North Carolina soda. If I could just get that on home delivery and a Publix on the corner....

road trip

I'm sure just about everyone reading this knows the state flower of Texas is the bluebonnet. And that Lady Bird Johnson sowed the seeds of wildflowers throughout the state, along highways and byways, and everywhere in between. But until you see them in person, in solid blue patches that look like pools of water or covering a field for as far as you can see, you just have no idea how breathtakingly beautiful the bluebonnet is.

Our weekend road trip was supposed to take us ultimately to Kerrville, home of Great-Aunt Ruth. Kerrville is out in the Hill Country about an hour west of San Antonio and about 4 hours away from home. However, Aunt Ruth had a suspected case of shingles this week (yikes!) so we had to alter our plans.

First stop, Brenham. About an hour and a half away is the original home of Blue Bell Creameries which has been around since 1907. After passing the retirement home (we made a reservation for Papa), we took the tour of the creamery, watching the ice cream squirt into cartons and wind its way through the freezer and into packaging. It was just long enough for the kids at about 40 minutes and concludes with a scoop of ice cream of your choice. Dutch Chocolate for the girl and Daddy, Cookies n' Cream for the boy, and Blackberry Cobbler for me. I shared a few bites with William who was ecstatic. (Phones and cameras not allowed inside so no pictures!)

Then it was off to Austin through the off-and-on rain but it didn't damper my excitement over seeing the blue bonnets in person. Incredible. Rebekah wanted to walk through them for miles. Ben wanted to pick up rocks from the gravel drive. If I could only get my kids to all look at the camera at the same time we'd be in business! Still, our first annual bluebonnet picture wasn't completely awful and the view was amazing!

The weather prevented us from doing much in Austin but I did enjoy seeing another Texas city and one that is entirely different from Houston or San Antonio. It's very hilly, hippie, and eclectic. I can't wait to go back and explore the trails and the wildflower gardens, the shopping, and all the history and art museums. Our hotel was in the middle of a great shopping area and all I ended up doing was running into Old Navy for 20 minutes while D occupied the kiddos. Still--a dressing room by myself and leaving with a few new shirts and a pair of shorts (for my mom uniform), not too shabby. The kids enjoyed swimming in the indoor pool and seeing the swans and fish in the lobby and I enjoyed W's nap time by reading a great book and watching HGTV in silence!

We picked Austin for our weekend plans because we saw that Randall Goodgame, one half of Slugs, Bugs, and Lullabies, was going to be playing in town. It turned out that he was the entertainment for a church's spring festival which meant free inflatables to bounce on, free lunch, and free music. Granted, D and I sang along more than our kids who were either bored or star-struck. R refused to go up and meet Randall after the show (she said she would if it were Jill Phillips) but B got to say Hi to him outside the men's room and tell Randall that "Tractor, Tractor" was his favorite song.

A quiet ride home, sleeping in our own beds at night, and a lazy Sunday topped off by homemade chicken nuggets, cheddar-Parmesan macaroni and cheese, and chocolate dipped strawberries for dinner. Aaaah! What a weekend!

sowing

He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Psalm 1

It had been a particularly bad week. One of those where I was wondering if you could send kindergarteners to military school. Spring Break and a week of empty days loomed before me. I was not excited about spending a week with my children and I’m pretty sure--had they been asked--they would have said the same. The lack of fruit in anyone’s heart, including my own, discouraged me. Why weren’t my children better behaved? Why were words so harsh, tempers quick, and actions unkind? Why did selfishness and strife reign in our house instead of gratitude and peace?

But God (wonderful verses begin that way) intervened. Gorgeous, sunny weather. Refreshingly cool and breezy air. Everywhere we looked was green and new. Spring in Texas is beautiful and God’s work of regeneration and restoration was on display in His creation and also my heart. All things were indeed being made new.

We spent as much of our days out of doors with dirt, shovels, plants, and seeds. I attacked our weedy, overgrown garden with ferociousness, yanking at stubborn, ingrown plants that produced nothing and did not “add to the beauty,” to borrow a sentiment from Sara Groves. The kids and I ordered the chaos together, planning the patches of herbs and vegetables. We examined each type of seed and marveled at the possibility and potential existing within. What an act of faith to take that tiny seed, bury it, sprinkle some water and then—in expectation, in hope—wait. Wait for growth, for beauty, for fruit.

I carefully took out a few bean plant seeds that I had started with the kids in wet paper towels and plastic sandwich bags. A week ago, they were hard, brown-spotted kernels. Now, their fragile tendrils poked out of the shell. Rebekah and I placed them gingerly in the dirt, me reminding her that the roots grow down and the rest of the plant will start growing up. And it struck me: roots come first. Long before I see any evidence or activity above the surface, roots are reaching out for nourishment. Just because I cannot see anything does not mean the plant is dormant or the seeds are duds.

This journey of parenthood, and of my own walk of sanctification, is a walk of faith. I can be confident that “he who began a good work will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” I need to be rooted in my Savior who supplies all my needs. I need to weed out the bad, the unproductive, and the ugly from my life. My seedlings need to be rooted in the good soil of Scripture, doctrine, instruction and watered daily. And one day, by God’s good work, I will see a harvest of righteousness.

Easter Weekend

A lovely first Easter weekend in Texas. The weather was cooperative as the rain stayed away and the temperatures were bearable (a DJ on the radio today said tongue-in-cheek, "If you're new to Houston, it's like this all the time.") My parents were in town for the weekend and I managed to put my dad to work installing a beautiful--and non-leaky--kitchen faucet and sink. We took them to dinner at The Waterway (Goose's Acre for macaroni and cheese with scallions, bacon, and tomatoes--sooo good!) where we walked and ran and climbed on everything, fed the ducks, and stared at the bizarrely costumed teenagers wandering around. (We wanted to ask them what was going on but were slightly afraid as well). Isn't R getting so big kid lately? She likes to tell me she looks like a teenager, especially when she pulls her bangs to the side.

We visited our first Texas state park in Huntsville (home of Sam Houston and the four-story white statue of him as well as a huge state prison) on Saturday where cousins were camping, hiking a bit and getting the little dude's feet in the water. Spring in this part of Texas is beautiful: the trees are full, the roadsides blooming, and the bugs haven't appeared yet. Sunday was a little egg hunt at church, worship, and a yummy, yummy dinner in the pretty dining room with my good china, out of its packing pouches for the first time.

My pictures aren't so great as I think I had the flash turned off for some reason and didn't fix until too late. Oh well.

In two weeks we'll visit Aunt Ruth in Kerrville out in the hill country, passing through Brenham, home of Blue Bell ice cream on the way. Should be beautiful!

lovin'

--The boys' emerging linguistic skills


I could listen to Little Dude's babbling all day. And I'm so glad he's vocally leaps ahead of where his big brother was at this age. Makes me hopeful we won't have quite the delay and a bit tentative of what another talkative person in the house will bring. Right now I'll enjoy it thoroughly.


Big Brother's singing is hilarious. Mostly he just repeats a phrase over and over. "Jingle Bells" and "The First Noel" got on my nerves this holiday season as a result. I also laugh at how he head bangs so much as he's singing just about any song that he forgets to sing. When he sings the ABC's he skips four and five letters at a time.

B's other funny thing lately is his friend, "Brian." That's "Brian" with quotation marks because that's the name of his Winnie-the-Pooh (not, apparently, "Winnie" or "Pooh," which he adamantly told a lady at a hotel over Christmas vacation). "Brian" has a friend "BJ" who I think is our Kermit the Frog (which is almost as old as I am) and a sister named "Emily" (don't know who she is.) They have all sorts of adventures like going to California for work because they have two meetings. Lately, Brian and BJ have also become alter egos, a way for B to project what he wants to happen. This week Brian and BJ's mom was going to let them have M&M's. They also told their mom "no nap" today, Ben said. That did not happen in B's world.

--The Princess and Skippyjohn Jones

R singing the little songs from our newest literary acquisition--Skippyjohn Jones: Lost in Spice--cracks us up. The book came with the author reading the story as well (which we heard several times on the way home from Florida) and she imitates the voices exactly. I love those books.


--Bread


I'm lovin' experimenting with two new cookbooks including Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I've made three versions so far--herbed boule, a light wheat, and challah. The idea is that you mix up the dough (usually enough for three to four loaves at a time), let it rest on the counter for a few hours, and then put it in the fridge. You can then bake off a loaf or more at a time for about a week, never spending more than about 5 minutes doing something with it. Plus, there are so many things you can make with the basic doughs including cinnamon rolls with the challah dough which we will be doing this weekend. This isn't baby weight; it's bread weight.

more good words

when my world is shaking

heaven stands

when my heart is breaking

i never leave your hands

I had caught a beautiful little song on the radio a few days ago. The artist's name though eluded me; I recognized the voice but couldn't place it and the station never identified her. Finally, though, I caught the song and the name of the artist and realized I knew it because I had downloaded her album months ago! (I don't know what's crazier--I liked a song on Christian radio or that they played something good.)

Through a Rabbit Room promotion, I listened to JJ Heller's CD Painted Red. This was months ago and I played it on my computer while I wrote and worked. But I forgot about it! (I'm so not used to the digital age! If I was cooler and more adept, I would post the song as well as the lyrics.) Heller has a bit of Sandra McCracken quality to her voice and a simple, acoustic sound to the instrumentation. Nothing is overly produced. Her voice and lyrics come through clear and unfiltered.

i have unanswered prayers

i have trouble i wish wasn't there

i have asked a thousand ways

that you would take my pain away

you would take my pain away

i am trying to understand

how walk this weary land

make the straight the paths that crooked lie

oh lord, before these feet of mine

oh lord, before these feet of mine

when you walked upon the earth

you healed the broken, lost, and hurt

i know you hate to see me cry

one day you will set all things right

yeah, one day you will set all things right

Amazing grace and providence, that this week, when I needed this words, I heard them and was reminded yet again, that the hands that shaped the world hold me as well.

So here you go, dear readers: JJ Heller has both the AP & Co Rabbit Room thumbs up and the AmyFlem seal of approval. And I'm going to burn a CD right now so I have it in my minivan--where God speaks to me often in silence and in song.

Settling

Often when one moves, physically, like we have done, one hears the well-intentioned question, "Are you settled?" I usually answer in the positive considering I had boxes unpacked within a week or so, pictures on the walls within a month, and even new paint in some rooms before the summer was over. I can find my way to the grocery store, Target and Home Depot, I'm beginning to navigate the mall, and I have my favorite restaurants already. We have a school and a church and friends. By all accounts, we are settled.


But I sort of dislike that term--settled. For me, it conjures up images of sediments and silt sinking in a glass, falling to the bottom, lying where they land. That's passive and defeating.


I prefer the question I was asked a few weeks ago: "How is your family adjusting?"


James begins his practical epistle, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds" (1:2). According to my MacArthur Study Bible, the Greek for "trials" here means anything that interrupts your life. Like, say, a move halfway across the country?


Trials, various and diverse, interrupt our lives. They come without notice, they come when we don't want them, they just come. We are uncomfortable at the least. And, sometimes, the trial brings blinding, searing pain.

Adjust: from the Latin ad meaning "to" and juxtare meaning "close"--to put close to.

Adjust is a verb more active than simply settling. I am required to do something to "adjust." I will not be the same person once I have made adjustments. There is continuous tweaking, polishing, renovating of my heart. The trials I face illuminate the places in me that need the most change.

The result? Perseverance, a complete faith, maturity (James 1:3-4). My discomfort makes me dependent on Him. Adjustments put me closer to the One I look to. Adjustments in my posture, my position, my perspective shape me more and more like my Savior. In the potter's hand, the clay is molded and shaped into something both beautiful and useful. That can't be done without making more than a few adjustments.

One of the Good Things

Some time in these past few crazy months I had a birthday. It was sorta a biggie--the 3-0. We celebrated over a weekend with Texas Sheet Cake, a steak dinner prepared by my hubby, and a beautiful pearl necklace from Rita Creech's Galleria.

My other birthday present was Jill Phillip's latest CD, The Good Things. Jill is a perennial favorite in our house; at least one of her albums is in a CD player in the house or car at all times. I was first introduced to her music through Andrew Peterson's project Behold the Lamb of God on which she sings the hauntingly beautiful "Labor of Love" and then hearing her in concert where we heard some of her own music. I was hooked.

From last Christmas until our road trip to Texas in May, Kingdom Come, an album of hymns, played nonstop in the minivan. "Praise to the Lord the Almighty" became our "good morning" song as we drove to school. I practically wept out "Have Thine Own Way Lord" each time it played as I struggled with our impending move and drastic change in our life. Sang with joyful smiles "Hosanna" and "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" around Easter.

I switched out Kingdom Come for Nobody's Got It All Together on the drive out to Houston and needed to remind myself of that very fact as I faced my insecurities in a new place, new neighborhood, and new church. I listened to Writing on the Wall and affirmed that no matter what came my way "Still Is My Soul." There was a song, a phrase, a melody for all the events in my life and thoughts in my mind. Her songs ring of truth worked out by a wrestling heart, just like mine.

Which brings me to The Good Things. This album, more than her others, is deeply personal. The conversational songs are written out of life experiences in friendships, marriage, and parenting. And the sound is a bit of a departure from her other more folky albums. There is a tension musically in many of the song that reflects the both the messiness and reality of the lyrics. While still highly crafted, complex, and interesting, the songs aren't neat or simple. There's a bit of roughness to them.

"I can’t explain how weak my conviction is/How I can make up my mind but it won’t make a difference/It’s like I am allergic to solutions that would make any sense/Just a moth around a fire
But You’re reaching out your arms of forgiveness/Its your usual response I’m afraid/After all the things I’ve done you love me anyways

I heard Jill sing "All the Good Things" in person at last winter's BTLOG concert, sitting in a row with friends who were walking their own rough roads and knowing that these were good things in our lives because these days are ordained by a good God who does all things for our good and His glory. Again and again, I come back to "Forgive me for my shortsighted look at this world/Where you keep proving that you know what you’re doing" and "I wouldn't have it any other way" from a song about the ups and downs of marriage. One of my favorite aspects of Jill Phillip's music is that she writes songs from and about a woman journeying with God through life, marriage, kids, work. Because, as she closes out the album, "If you look real close you’ll find you’re a lot like me." And those are the kind of songs I need.

And if that sounds at all like you, you'll want to listen to her music too.

The big #5

Boy, do I feel old(er) lately. Thirty was a big one. Five is a big one. She's so grown up looking, losing most of her chubby cheeks and talking (more) like a teenager. She can sure try us most days, but I also love her growing spiritual awareness and maturity, how she loves her family (when she wants to) and her friends, and her unbelievable mind.

We had a great birthday weekend. On Saturday we took our friends' advice and tried out the Children's Museum of Houston. For a reasonable admission price of $7, we spent nearly four hours exploring, running, creating, playing, and pretending. Kidopolis, the kiddie-sized city with everything from a police car to ATM to voting booth to HEB (a grocery store) was a big hit, especially the HEB apron she is modeling there. And the other favorite--the Lego center in the invention room. The three *ahem* kids poured over the Legos creating cars that would survive the test track.

I love this picture of Ben. Uncle Dave, this is a boy after your own heart. Can I send him to you for a while?

On Monday, her official birthday, we had a few girls from church come over to play and have lunch. The costumes were out, there was jewelry making, and lots and lots of giggling.

Good five-year-old fun.

The most wonderful of fairy tales

For the past few years, The Jesus Storybook Bible has been figuratively on our shelf. I say figuratively because it rarely stays on the shelf. It is a frequent choice at bedtime, a rotating staple in our family's devotions, and, now that R can read, a favorite of hers during rest time.

Though I grew up in church, as did David, and knew countless Bible stories and characters, Sally Lloyd-Jones' book helps connect the dots as I read to my children. While I might struggle with all the explanation and finding the right wording, her retelling, along with the great illustrations by Jago, bring it all together.

Lloyd-Jones uses the context of our culture's renewed fascination with fairy tales and heroes in her introduction: "It's like an adventure story about a young Hero who came from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It's a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne, everything to rescue the one he loves. It's like the most wonderful of fairy tales that have come true in real life. You see, the best thing about this story is--it's true." With vivid word choice, Lloyd-Jones foreshadows or reflects upon or ties in the greater Shepherd, stronger Warrior, perfect Leader, and wonderful Rescuer. God's love is described as His "Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love," a phrase she repeats several times. These stories are meant to be read aloud, with passion and excitement. They captivate young ears. I get goose bumps each time I'm reminded of my Rescuer. I get caught up in the poetry and beauty of God's one story. This "children's" book stirs my heart each time I read it.

(I'm not the only parent or adult to get caught up in these stories. You can hear Sara Groves' son read from the story of Gabriel's visit to Mary on her Christmas CD. Jason Gray's newest CD is entitled Everything Sad is Coming Untrue--one of Lloyd-Jones' phrases. And Andrew Peterson opened his Behold the Lamb of God concert this year with a reading from the book.)

In October, a new edition of The Jesus Storybook Bible will be released. This deluxe edition features the narration on three CDs for children--and their parents--to listen to. You can check out the new website at http://www.jesusstorybookbible.com/ to hear an audio sample and see some of the illustrations. The Jesus Storybook Bible has been my favorite baby shower gift to give and I've encouraged parents and grandparents to give them to their children and grandchildren. And what a gift it is!

Feathering our nest

Slowly, little bits at a time, we're making the house reflect us. I have to live with lots of unchangeables right now, especially the mauve on the walls of the entire downstairs, upstairs hallway, and gameroom. Which is good for me.

My Mother's Day present from my mom. Can you guess why she picked the green duck for Ben? They are now in a line across the mantle along with a few new accessories. I'm looking for lighter and more colorful pieces for the new house.

Ben's room is no longer Raspberry Regalia thanks to Mom and Dad's multiple coats of paint. They also painted over the burnt pumpkin in the laundry room and replaced the light so I can actually see if my laundry is clean. Ben's holding the color book I made for him--months ago! finally got around to finishing it and giving it to him. It's full of pictures of all his favorite things by color. "I lub dis book."I worked on our office/classroom. Erased the lilac, pink, and yellow from the walls with "Parchment Paper." Letters from Rebekah's old room on a border of dark brown. Number line on the line right now for Ben. It's good for hanging up finger paintings and our memory verses.

This half of the room, up two steps, is all kids. The other part is my desk, cabinets, and bookcases. A work in progress.

And my latest work, the dining room. Once mauve like the rest of the downstairs, it's now Benjamin Moore's Cinder. Awesome color. Makes everything else in the room look better. Still have to paint the molding and find a color for the ceiling. And I have some ideas for wall decor.

It's coming along.