Where to go from here?

Where do we go from here?

I have no idea.

God gave us a step, to be done at First Baptist Church as their Youth Directors. After much thought, prayer, and fussing over it, we finally made that step of faith.

But what now?

Usually, it seems, you are done with one thing BECAUSE of something else. But not this time. We were asked to take this step, and wait.

So, now what? 

1. We could move; no idea where, but we could.
2. I have been thinking about taking a Spanish class; goodness I need to brush up on it.
3. We are thinking about signing Grace and Justice up for baby swimming lessons.
4. We could actually visit some people.
5. We could volunteer with things that I had to pass up before because of lack of time.
6. We could rest.

I am excited, but also bewildered. I feel like we are given a whole new system. Instead of: "Here are things I want you to accomplish." It is: "Well, Brian and Betsy... which direction would you like to go? No option is a bad option... I'm letting you take your pick."

I don't know what to do with so many choices!!!

But here are some goals I hope we accomplish:

Visit Gabriel

One thing I would like to do is visit my nephew Gabriel. He's so close, and we didn't have time to visit. Justice and Gabriel are so close in age and would love to play together. WHY NOT? And yet, I feel like I hardly see him.

Intellectual Conversation

Not that I didn't have this before...but I am really rooting for it now. Last night, we actually visited with Nick, Heather, and Gabriel. While our children played, we got into deep conversation about repentance. 

I need more of that. I need more conversation where people don't agree all the time. I LOVE mulling over subjects of importance and debating, bringing up new points of view... And realizing things are a lot more gray than black-and-white.

Volunteer

There are so many things out there to help with. So many causes to be a part of to help improve the world. Let's get at them!

Slow Down

Now, I do not mean playing Wii, watching movies, and just blowing time. But, I would like to not be working according to a New York minute, but more on the time-scale of an African hour. 

I would be SOOOO excited to actually have people NOT say on the phone, "You sound so tired." I would be soooo excited to not have my husband rushing from one thing to the next. I would be soooo excited to actually sleep instead of passing out from exhaustion at night.

Not like having 2 kids and another on the way to keep THAT from happening. But... it's a goal, none the less.

So, God.... What's Next?

I have no idea. But I am ready for the adventure.

______________________________________________

Justice looks at his reflection in the glass. 

I love this picture, and I don't want that curiosity and wonderment to fade. 

Instead, I want to capture it.

Justice was running around one night, doing laps, around the kitchen.

He ran with his arms extended behind him.

He laughed the entire time.

So did we.

Cousin Gabe

We are so excited to come and play with you more!

Again, the wonderment of a slide. 

Grace played on that slide for hours.

I See...Volunteerism

Recently, someone asked me, what Grace and Justice were going to be "into" when they grew older; like gymnastics or basketball or something.

And I got thinking.

I have no idea. At the same time, I have a very good idea. 

I would like them to practice Volunteerism.

In this self-centered and self-betterment society, I see a very early in-breeding of self-absorption. 

"I want my child to be the best at [fill in the blank]! So, we are doing [fill in the blank] for him!"

"She really likes gymnastics...so we spend the money for her to do this..."

"I think understanding different cultures is important... so I am sending my child to German-day camp."

Whatever.

While I think that children involvement in things are good. Involvement and practices that work on skills that improve who we are, are good for people of all ages!

But we get stuck in it. As if each one of us is the center of our own universe.

And we don't see that there are causes and people right in front of us that could use our help, our expertise, our talents, to improve the world!

Woah.... that was a big step. Improve the world?! What are you talking about?!

That's exactly what I am talking about. Living life as if it wasn't about about yourself. Living life in front of your children, your spouse, your neighbors, to be an example that life is SO MUCH MORE than the best I can do! Improve the world!

Let me explain: I want my children to grow up to have compassion. I could send them to church. I could tell them about compassion. I could hold them and love them and show them compassion. Those are all good things... But there is PLENTY of that going on and I think we need to take it one step further.

Go with them and DO COMPASSION TOGETHER. Go and volunteer with a feeding ministry. Volunteer at a mentoring program together. Make an art project and bring it someone in the hospital. DO COMPASSION TO TEACH COMPASSION.

What are we truly teaching and showing others? Are we all about ourselves?

A wise person told me when I was frustrated that I couldn't find enough volunteers..... "People are busy with what they want to be busy with..."

What do we truly find to be eternally significant? What are we busy with?

Are those the same things?

I want my children to grow in CHARACTER. How do I do that? Well, I could tell them about character. Show them books and movies about people with good character. And reward them when they show good character... But I can't stop there.

I must MODEL GOOD CHARACTER. Let's put our money where we think the world needs benefit. Let's put our time into things that aren't all about us.

Self-Centered Generation/Society. Are YOU happy? What will make you happy? Go and achieve it! 

Most of the time, we really have no idea what makes us happy. Most of the time, scrubbing the floor of a make-shift garage for a Vacation Bible School doesn't sound like something that would make me happy. But it's a small stone of work. When others add their small stones, and people know the eternally wonderful difference of Jesus Christ... Those stones MEANT SOMETHING.  

When my small stone of work, gets added to the rest, what a MOUNTAIN of a difference it makes.

Let's Model That.

Let's Improve the World.

Live Beyond Yourself.

Getting Down with Martha Stewart

Finally, some creative inspiration hit me. I haven't been able to get into my scrapbooking lately... I have no idea why. But then, I was motivated to do something fun and creative for Easter.

So where should I go but to MarthaStewart.com! 

I was originally on there looking for some alternative recipes from Weight Watchers. I found some good ones... but then I stumbled upon the arts and crafts.

She had sooo many creative ideas for decorating eggs outside the normal vinegar and food coloring. So, I decided to stretch my creative wings and try one, making beautiful eggs out of origami paper. 

It was messy, a little difficult for the perfectionist, and a challenge. PERFECT!

Grace and I also made the string egg that the origami eggs are laying in. She a didn't want to touch the wood glue and water, but she loved popping the balloon after the string had hardened! 

When it takes 30-45 minutes to create one egg, I had a lot of time to ponder WHY I was making a beautiful Easter Egg. It's bizarre, how we use non-religious symbols on the most wonderful day of the year, the day celebrating Christ conquering death by rising from the dead!

The Easter Egg is actually a pagan symbol. It was pre-Christian, in use in Spring celebrations by the Romans, Greeks, and Persians because it symbolized life. Christians then adopted it into their celebration of the Resurrection Sunday.  

I think it's a perfect symbol really. It's an egg, a beginning of New Life. But, it also came from Life. That Life came from Jesus Christ, who died, and rose again from the dead!  

Also, many eggs (as were mine) are blown eggs. The insides are removed to just have a hollow shell.  Again, a beautiful symbol of Jesus' empty tomb 2,000 years ago. That empty shell has such beautiful symbolism, that I thought it necessary to take the time and effort to make exemplary eggs to show my gratification for what He has done for me.

The Love of a Daughter

These are my favorite pictures. And I thought I would repost them after I had photoshopped them a bit.

A Typical Sunday Afternoon

I don't think our family really has a "typical" anything, especially time. Usually Sundays we're visiting Grandparents, or doing something, or doing chores....or.... Goodness, "typical" is a word that doesn't really relate to our family.

However, if we had a "typical" this is what I'd want it to look like.

Grace and Justice love to read their books. Justice spent at least 1/2 hour reading Where's Spot? while sitting on this little table and chairs. He played, looked at the pages, and even tried to "read" the book!

But if that wasn't enough, Justice and Grace, LOVE to be read to. They always seem to be coming towards me with a book. Justice might not sit through the whole thing, but he does enjoy them.

You'll notice he's wearing shoes in this picture. Grace put on her shoes, and Brian said Justice INSISTED that he wore some shoes too. He wasn't happy until Brian strapped them on his feet. 

It was a lazy afternoon. We all were able to take naps, eat BBQ Chicken and Black Bean pizza accompanied with Vanilla Milkshakes... We played and read. We finally got a digital converter box for our TV so that we can receive digital channels over the air... but from our 3 stations, we much preferred it to stay off.

It was a great afternoon, even if I was sick, Brian was dead tired, and the kids were crazy! But, it was family time. 

10 Weeks Today

Awesome: inspiring great admiration 

It is so exciting to be pregnant. 

Again.

2 weeks ago Brian and I went to the first doctor's appointment. We got to see our little one via ultrasound. The features are not defined... but it simply AMAZES me how beautiful an 8 week old baby is. 

At barely an inch, this baby has grown to have moving arm and leg buds. There was a very strong heart beat. And then we got good look at the baby's spinal cord.

Spinal Cord. It was phenomenal. It was a tiny curved white line on the screen, but it was beautiful and AWESOME.  How far our little one has come, by the first appointment! I am sure there are plenty of people reading this thinking, "okay, she's gone off the deep end..." or "um, I don't get it." But neither do I! The blessedness and amazing thing of seeing our child on a screen, seeing a creation in the making, knowing that my body is providing a safe environment while the Father knits him or her together through no effort of my own.......

It can be none other that mystifying... incomprehensible... 

Awesome.

Our doctor gave us a roll of pictures. And two special ones for Grace and Justice so that they would also have a picture of their sibling.

The Story of the Dinosaurs

I have told this story to numerous others. It's one of the joys of having children... to see how they play and grow, even apart from parental influence!

The Story of the Dinosaurs

according to Grace

We have a puzzle. A dinosaur puzzle.

 The pieces are each a different dinosaur, brightly colored, and I must say...VERY FUN. Not only can you play with the puzzle, the dinosaurs are REAL and stand and do whatever you want them to do.

Grace, being 2, is very imaginative. And lately, we just celebrated at least 4 birthdays. She's had her share of singing, presents, and cake for birthday's sake.

So, playing out real life, I caught her playing...Birthday!

She had her dinosaurs around a "table" with a Little People's apple coin in the center as a birthday cake.

"Momma, sing me!....Happy Birthday to you......" And I sang with her the "Happy Birthday" song. This picture is of her clapping after the song. It was adorable.

The Story of the Dinosaurs

according to Justice

Justice's imagination is blossoming, even for 1 year old. I think he tries to keep up with Grace and watches how she plays and imitates play imagination play (yeah, try to figure that sentence out).

He is mischievous. Not naughty. In fact, he listens quite well. He just likes to push his limits, and he loves to tease his sister. His lips curl up into a devilish smile as he sees her unprotected blanket. He will pounce and walk away... the whole time giggling and looking at her for a reaction.

Anyway, it is HIS dinosaur puzzle after all. So, once in a while, when he actually gets to play with the pieces, he has a lot of fun.

"Justice, what does a dinosaur say?"

"GGGGGRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrAAaar!"

Anyway, he grabs one of the dinosaurs... "Grraar!" The dinosaur is looking for something....

Justice picks up a zebra puzzle piece from another puzzle. The hungry dinosaur promptly "gggrrraar"s and devours the zebra! Then Justice throws the pieces across the room. And he smiles at me.

The End