27-33/365...Happy Birthday, TBird!

We are entering into birthday season at our house.  The first to celebrate is our one and only Queen Monkey herself.  How could eight years pass so slowly and speed by in the blink of an eye?

This girl started it all for me.  There is no way in a thousand years I could have guessed that mothering would be the impetuous to my self-understanding.  But mothering you, my dear, has made me needy, dependent, strong, and brave!  

It is so fun to watch the creativity of this big idea girl blossom as she plans parties, science projects, and birthday gifts for friends. 

She was determined that her birthday party would be a scavenger hunt...but not just any scavenger hunt.  One with stuffed animals.  Because she loves stuffed animals.  Each friend had one hidden with clues to lead her to find it.  

She was also determined to have puppy cupcakes.  Because she loves puppies.  Thank you, google.

It is a beautiful, scary thing to watch the fruit of your young, inexperienced womb grow into a real live person...with dreams, and opinions, and preferences often different from your own.  With gifts and talents and personality...often different from your own.  What a gift it is to be your Mom, Queen Monkey!  It is all grace, my dear.  All grace.  

26/365...April Showers?

 

Could it be true that April snow showers bring May flowers?  

Bring on the flowers, May!  Bring it on!

25/365...Goggles

Somebody's getting ready for summer...and swimming pools...and goggles!

I'd be happy with 50 degrees!

24/365...Exodus

So much energy and thought goes into preparing our hearts, minds, and families for Easter.  Good energy.  But last night as I prepared myself for a week of meal plans, carpooling, dentist appointments and the like, I began asking myself...

"What now?"

What does it all mean?  For the next 364 days of the year, what is the celebration all about?  What literal intention is there for me at 6:45 am as I dress myself for another day?

I have been studying Exodus this semester.  Last week, on one of the monkeys' days off I had them storyboard with me the story of the Israelites cornered at the Red Sea, Pharoah and all his chariots in hot pursuit.  

 The Israelites naturally freaked.  Who wouldn't?  And then this beautiful verse, spoken by Moses...

"The Lord will fight for you, you have only to be silent."

While we were talking about the story, the male monkey drew a picture of Jesus in the boat with the disciples calming the storm.  ( I should add that the boat also had a plank...for walking, I suppose.)  On the back he wrote, "Thank you that you fight in my place."

Leave it to a 5 year old to connect the dots.  

There was a whole lot of fear going around after the death of the Christ.  And what were his first words to his friends when he first appeared to them after the resurrection?  "Peace be with you."  No more fear.  He's here.  Perfect love is here, and all fear is cast out!

So, what now?
Peace.  Cease striving.  Rest, daily, in the FINISHED work.
Awareness.  He is a covenant-keeping God who will never turn His face from me.  He will always be on my side.  Will always fight my battles.
Consistency.  Making faith a habit, a continual one.  I cannot fear AND believe.