Living a Life of True Peace and Joy

[Note: This is a processing post, meaning I am taking time to process some things God has taught me over the past couple of days...please feel free to read, enjoy, be encouraged/challenged by, and if you do, I'd love for you to leave me a comment.  But this is your warning: Lengthy rambling may occur!  I won't be offended if no one has the time to read through my musings!]

I'm home from church this morning (by myself! Not with a sick kid!) nursing a cold, and while I feel yucky, I am thankful for some time that I can reflect on what I learned at the ladies' retreat at our church this weekend.  I didn't sign up until Monday, being unsure whether I really wanted to give up my only "free" weekend in November, but I felt that I really didn't have a good reason NOT to go--so I signed up.  Yes, I know, it was quite the spiritual decision, LOL. 

Seriously, though, I did pray that God would make me teachable, because honestly, I wasn't overly excited about listening to a psychologist speaker, even though her bio did make her sound like an interesting person.  Still, I felt the need to connect on a deeper level with some women from church as well as meet some I didn't know.  Stepping out of one's comfort zone is never easy, but I realized it was time for a little challenge.

Isn't it amazing how, even though we're [insert number here] years old, we still feel like insecure tweens in unfamiliar situations?!  Wondering if someone will come sit by us when we're in a room full of acquaintances rather than with a group of close friends...wondering what people think of what we say, how we dress, what we do, what we believe...never stopping for a moment to think that the person across the table from us is probably battling the exact same insecurities as we are.  I know a lot of people at church--at least, I recognize names and faces, since we spent 3 years here on a previous assignment.  And a lot of people know who I am from seeing me on stage playing piano or acting in Kids' Street Live, or reading my emails as Kitchen Kindness coordinator.  But I realized, as I was on the brink of a decision regarding whether or not to attend the retreat at all, that I haven't had the opportunity to sit down with too many women from church and share my heart or learn more about them.  I have a circle of mom friends from our family community (I got to sit with one of them during our sessions), but I didn't feel as if I really knew many of my sisters in Christ from Faircreek.  I began realizing that I'm closer to my Christian neighbors than to many of the people I pass by or sit near at church!

So, all that to say, I decided to go.  And I'm glad I did.  I met some new ladies and enjoyed conversations over several meals, and I enjoyed talking with people I know but haven't had the opportunity to visit without interruptions.  I have new recipes for African Peanut Butter Chicken soup and homemade granola, plus tips on making your own deodorant.  I learned the fastest way to get a hula hoop through a chain of five women holding hands, as well as how to cross a "river" on "stones" that will float away if not touched.  I learned a new stamping technique and won two prizes.

Most importantly, I have more women praying for my family as we face a huge unknown about our future.  I sat under godly, biblical teaching and learned how to identify lies from the enemy and combat them with truth.  I was guided to Bible verses--both familiar and not so familiar--that will encourage and strengthen me as I walk the road God has for me.  And I have some specific "tools" for living the life God wants His children to live--a life filled with true peace and joy.

So let's get down to some specifics.  Tammy, our speaker, gave us a thick purple handout with maybe a dozen sheets of paper, and I scribbled lots of notes down!  I won't reproduce the whole handout here, but I wanted to think through some of the things that stood out to me personally.  There was a lot of material here, and I know God used it to speak individually to each woman there.

The first big thing is really all about the basics, truths that I've known all my life.  But if I don't CONSTANTLY think about them, I am susceptible to Satan's lies.  Our knowledge of God is generally TOO SMALL!  We must believe God is who He says He is.  Four truths that we must keep before us daily:

1. God is unconditionally loving.
2. God is continually faithful.
3. God is full of grace and mercy.
4. God gives complete forgiveness.

My action step after attending this retreat:  Keep these 4 simple, basic, important truths before me so I read them every day and keep my mind awash in God's truths rather than Satan's lies.  God has given me everything I need for life and godliness!

**We cannot do life by our feelings!!!  (Can I get an "amen" from the sisters, LOL!)

I also liked the concept that God gives us DAILY bread, not TOMORROW bread!  He gives us just what we need for each day.  I especially needed this, because if I concentrate too much on the unknown future, I will work myself into a load of anxiety, fear, and frustration.  When tomorrow comes, I will have what I need for that day, because God is continually faithful, and He is my continual supply.

We typically think of "fruit" as being good; for example, the fruit of the Spirit or the fruit of righteousness.  But there is always some kind of fruit.  Fruits show our roots.  When we find our identity in Christ, we will enjoy the fruit of peace, joy, etc.  But if we are instead looking to other "gods," there will be fruits that result from this, such as:

• compulsive behaviors
• obsessive thoughts
• anxiety
• shame
• overeating
• substance abuse
• overspending
• depression
• guilt

Note that women are particularly susceptible to discontentment.  Augustine said, "Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee."  Oh, Lord, may it be true of my heart that I rest in Thee alone!

Next we turned our attention to understanding that we are at war, and it is a spiritual battle.  As we know from Ephesians 6, we are not struggling against flesh and blood (which includes ourselves!) but against evil powers.  Don't fight the wrong battle!!!

Evil HATES God's glory.  When you are giving God glory, evil will work hard to divide and conquer.  Struggles WILL come when we are tired, weak, and vulnerable.  The battleground is in our MINDS.  We are constantly being lied to about God, ourselves, and others.  Tammy included a huge list of common lies--I'll just list a few that might sound familiar to others including myself:

• I'm fat/unattractive/not smart.
• I'm not good enough.
• God can't use me.
• My efforts won't do any good.
• I'm a failure.
• There's no use trying.
• People can't be trusted.
• God is not fair.
• It's not worth it.
• It's too late.
• My life is not making a difference.
• God doesn't make sense.

And on and on and on.  But we have to remember that Satan is a DEFEATED foe!  To win the battles against him, we must first recognize the lies.  We have to realize we are having a TRUTH encounter, not a POWER encounter.  Tammy gave us the picture of dashboard lights that serve as warnings.  Feelings of hopelessness, powerlessness, insecurity, condemnation, fear, and confusion are warnings for us to let us know that we are being lied to.  The only power evil has over us is what we give to it by refusing to stand in the truth.

Once we recognize the lies, we must reject them and replace them with truth.  We must:

• Command our wills/souls to stay in the truth.
• Saturate our days in prayer.
• Steep ourselves in the Word--read daily, memorize, meditate, and do so purposefully.
• Cultivate a discipline of thankfulness instead of discontentment.  (Choose to focus on what IS, not what is NOT.)
• Be on a constant "God hunt," fixing our eyes on the eternal.

(There were other things on this list...but these stood out to me.)

I'm sure I'll be mulling some of these over for awhile.  Getting this typed out has definitely helped me remember specific things I believe God wants me to meditate on now and in the coming days.  If it has been a help and a blessing to you as well, then glory to God!

The Great Cheerio Debacle

Date:  November 2, 2010
Time:  8:33 a.m.
Place:  The Kitchen

Suspect(s):  Tobin (who left the Cheerio bag perched precariously on the counter without the clothespin pinching it shut); Charis (who accidentally bumped the bag on the way to her seat); Lucan (who finished dumping out the rest of the Cheerios and proceeded to wallow in them); Arden and Kenna (who promptly joined Lucan in the Cheerio dance o' joy).

Mom has been accused of aiding and abetting the suspects, standing aside and allowing the crunchy free-for-all to take place as she simply threw her hands up, laughed, and took pictures.

The older culprits were sentenced to perform community service (sweeping up the dusty remains of the cereal) and sent back to school.

Anatomy 101

So in science we've been reading about the animal kingdom.  A few days ago, after reading another characteristic about mammals--that they feed milk to their young--an interesting discussion ensued.  Arden was wondering aloud why boys have nipples when they don't nurse babies.  I thought that was an interesting question and wasn't sure how to answer, but I needn't have worried, because I soon realized there was a bit of consternation on Tobin's part when he realized we were talking about mothers having nipples. 

(I should note that during all this, Charis was sitting next to me, completely chagrined by this conversation.  I guess she's a bit sensitive after having "the talk!" You can just imagine her response when she heard what came next...)

"I thought only boys had nipples," Tobin said.  (I have NO idea where he got that idea!)  I explained that the nipples were how babies sucked the milk from their mothers. 

"I thought those were called boobs!"

[Insert muffled laughter here on my part and complete mortification on Charis's part.]

If you're familiar with our blog, you may remember Tobin's fascination with nursing after Kenna was born.  I would have thought that he would be more educated by now, LOL!

Kenna's Future

In recent weeks and even months, Kenna has announced she will do certain things when she's a mommy.  For example, "When I'm a mommy, I'll make pizza for my family." 

"When I'm a mommy, I'll wear that, too."  ("That," in one particular instance, was deodorant, LOL.)

"When I'm a mommy, I'll feed my baby."

And so on.  It usually has to do with whatever she is watching or helping me do.

So I guess we shouldn't have been too surprised when, this afternoon while she was watching Charis work on a little sewing project, Kenna said, "When I'm Charis, I'll make a doll!"

Creation Museum Visit and Birthday Celebration

I've read on friends' blogs about their visits to the Creation Museum, and I have been eager to go ever since we moved to Ohio.  When we heard my parents were coming out for a visit near Charis and Arden's birthday, we decided to make the trip this weekend.

What a blessing--our neighbors have guest passes that anyone can use at anytime!  With their 4 passes, plus the free admittance for active duty and police officers (for Ted and my dad), we only had to pay for one child's admission!  (Kenna and Lucan were free.)  We packed a picnic lunch and made the drive Friday morning.  I was SO glad Ted was able to take a day of leave, as the museum was crowded enough on a weekday--I can't imagine going on a Saturday!

What a neat place!  The museum itself is huge.  There was a lot to see, and I'm sure we grown-ups could have spent a lot more time reading all the informative signs if we were on our own.  But the kids did well and seemed to really enjoy everything.  We looked for fossils in one of the first rooms before beginning the "walk through the Bible" portion, which took us around and around from room to room, starting with a set-up of the Garden of Eden and going through the 7 C's:  Creation, Corruption, Catastrophe, Confusion, Christ, Cross, Consummation.  The kids learned about the 7 C's during their VBS week at church, so that was pretty cool.  (Charis is sitting beside me now, watching me type, and whispering, "Really fun!!"  I think she had a good time!)

I enjoyed the room with the construction of the ark--a full 1% of the volume of the actual ark, and it was HUGE!  I can only imagine how big the real thing was!  There were a number of models and explanations of how things may have worked, the practical details that the Bible doesn't record but had to be attended one way or another.

There was a video for the last 3 C's, but since there was a wait to get into the theater, and since we had some hungry (and rapidly getting cranky) children on our hands, we made our way outside and found some tables so we could enjoy our picnic lunch.  The kids fed bread crumbs to the fish in the pond, and then we walked along the garden paths and went into the petting zoo, where we saw alpacas, cows, a camel, zonkeys, sheep, goats, a wallaby, and a few other critters whose names I probably can't spell.

We went back inside to finish up by looking at the Dinosaur Den.  It was very nice to read information about these fascinating creatures from a biblical standpoint.  We watched a fun video about dragons--how legends likely sprang up from the actual creatures that existed way back in time.  Since dinosaurs and humans existed at the same time (despite what evolutionists try to say), it makes sense!  And many people don't know--though we did, having studied it in college and again last year with the kids' science curriculum--that the book of Job actually describes two different animals that were likely dinosaurs, the behemoth and the leviathan.  (And the leviathan clearly was a fire-breathing creature!)

The only thing that marred the day was that Charis got her finger caught in a bathroom door and experienced major pain.  We were able to get a cup of ice for her, but unfortunately, she had to endure a sad end to our fun day.  But getting to ride home with Grandma and Grandpa (with no other kids!) was a little treat.

We ordered pizza when we got home and FINALLY, REALLY celebrated Charis and Arden's birthdays!  We had made them wait to open presents until Grandma and Grandpa could be here, and Arden had been itching to tear open his gifts all week. :-)  We had carrot cake, their request, and then let them have at it, LOL.  I'll post some birthday pictures here, and if you want to see pictures of our Creation Museum visit, you can go here.

A "Corny" Birthday Outing

Charis and Arden celebrated their 10th and 7th birthdays on October 18, and we've had some fun family outings both the weekend before and after.  The Saturday before their actual birthday, we decided to have our own family celebration at Young's doing something we haven't tried before but the kids have been begging to do: go through the corn maze! 

The weather was beautiful.  And obviously we weren't the only ones with this idea--there were HORDES of people there!  But the wait for our turn on the wagon to get to the cornfield really didn't take long, and before long we were winding our way through the paths.  We were wishing we had brought the stroller along, as the paths were definitely wide enough and hard enough that it would have been fine to wheel Lucan or Kenna along.  As it was...either Ted or I carried Lucan most of the way.  The older kids argued over who was the "leader" and "took turns" deciding which path to choose.  It probably took us about 45 minutes to an hour, partly because we were trying to hit all 4 of the stations with questions to answer.

We decided to have an early dinner there and then, of course, ice cream!  It was so beautiful outside, and the kids enjoyed climbing the tractors and the big tires, watching the animals, and looking at all the pumpkins and gourds.  I don't think we ever get tired of going to Young's!  We will definitely miss being close to it when we move (who knows where) next summer!

To see all the pictures, you can go to our Facebook album.

Cincinnati Zoo

A few months ago Ted switched squadrons.  He's doing essentially the same job, just for a different group.  His old squadron gave him a going-away gift that was incredibly thoughtful--7 tickets to the Cincinnati Zoo, 7 wristbands for the rides, and a free parking pass!  A day at the zoo wouldn't have been very cheap for our family, and as we had never been to this zoo before, we were excited to go.  We decided Columbus Day would be the perfect opportunity--cooler weather, low crowds, and the bonus of actually coinciding with school topics, LOL.  (We've been studying the animal kingdom in science!)

All in all, it was a very good day.  We didn't take tons of pictures...I'll just post a couple of my favorites.  The zoo is a very nice one--you'd never know it's in the middle of the city!  The kids especially enjoyed the elephant show.  (I've never seen an elephant SKIP before!)  And the train ride and merry-go-round rides were a hit, of course.  The nocturnal creatures building was very fun; we got to see a barn owl, and since one of the main characters in the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series is that species, it was a big moment when the owl finally turned its head and we were able to see "Soren!"  The girls were especially taken with the baby chimps and bonobos hanging onto their moms.  (It reminded me of trying to cook dinner with Lucan hanging on to my legs, ha!)

Charis wrote a poem about our experiences.  (If you don't have access to her blog, let me know and I'll send you an invitation--her blog is private.)

Spotlight on...LUCAN

Today was Lucan's 18-month well-baby check-up.  (We're about a month late...)  Weighing in at 24 pounds, 4 ounces, he's in the 26th percentile for weight and 33rd percentile for height (31 3/4").  He is definitely not going to be the same build as Arden, LOL.  Overall, he's a pretty healthy little guy.  Since we had his check-up this morning, I thought I'd take time to jot down some notes about him at this stage in life.  All too quickly, I know, things will change!  So, here are some random things about our sweet little Lucan.

COMMUNICATION
Lucan definitely understands more than he can communicate.  He has a grand total of maybe 6-7 signs:

• More
• Please
• Eat
• Milk
• Shoes
• All done

His verbal skills aren't much more impressive.  I was hard pressed to list a half dozen words that he consistently uses.

• Eee (eat)
• Hi
• Nigh (night-night)
• Dare (there)
• Yay!  (Both arms must be raised above the head when saying this word.)

 Um, yeah.  Notice "Mama" and "Dada" are not even on the list!  Neither is "uh, oh," which was definitely one of Kenna's first words.  (Go figure.)  If it would count as a word, I'd list "uuh" or maybe "ooo."  He says that a lot.  While I'm not terribly concerned about the lack of verbiage from the baby of the family, his PCM (primary care manager) suggested having him evaluated to see if we can help him begin to speak more and whether speech therapy is needed at this point.  (Although, to be fair, she didn't seem overly concerned about it, either--just something that probably had to be said at this point.)  I think someone may be calling me to set up an in-home appointment to come and observe him in his natural environment...I wasn't really clear on whether this WOULD happen or COULD happen.  I guess I'll find out!  With 4 older sibs who know their baby brother REALLY well, there really isn't much need for Lucan to talk.  I've been trying to make him use more sign language before giving him what I can tell he wants, and we will try extra hard to have the kids really work with him to repeat words (which he does try to do on occasion).

But the kid understands quite well what's happening around him!  When I tell him it's time for a diaper change, he trots to our "spot" and assumes the position.  When he hears it's bath time, he trots into the bathroom and begins stripping down.  And oh, the boy knows when it's time to eat!  Guess we just need to prod him a little to make him work harder for what he wants.

PREFERENCES
Mommy, Mommy, and did I mention, Mommy?!  We are definitely in the clingy stage.  I remember going through this with the others around this same age.  It can be very aggravating when trying to make dinner--it's not easy toting around a large object on one's leg or working with a small person's head stuck between one's knees.  All I can say about this is, thank God for hips.  And nap time.  And when I read about the Proverbs 31 woman having arms that are strong for her tasks, I think..."She ain't got nothin' on my left bicep!  This baby-hauling mama HAS to have strong arms in order to survive!"  (I just sometimes wish there were more than two of 'em!)

Other favorites include:

• Listening to Daddy make raspberry noises.
• Light switches--turning them off and on.
• The phone.  (We never lose it anymore...he certainly knows how to page it...)
• The piano, especially when Charis is trying to practice.
• Having his shoes ON.  Even when wearing pajamas with feet.
• Big bouncy balls.
• Greeting Daddy when he comes home from work.
• Indiscriminate waving.  Alive or not, it doesn't matter--if he can see you/it, he will wave to you/it.
• Giving high fives.
• Riding piggy back on Charis or Tobin.

ACTIVITIES
Lucan is really getting into books these days, which is fun for all of us except Kenna, because it seems to be my reading time with her that he decides is the best time to horn his way onto my lap, grab the book we're looking at, push her aside (literally), and demand my full attention.  But other than the Mom-stealing part of reading time, it's fun to see him really start to be engaged with what's happening on the page, pointing and exclaiming in his own little babble language.

Puzzles are another budding interest.  We have quite a few of these to capture his fancy, from magnetic book puzzles to foam and wooden shapes.  He definitely knows where pieces are supposed to go, even if he isn't quite coordinated to get them all in the right way.

We still like to go for walks in the wagon, but the weather is turning colder, so we no longer do this before the big kids rise and shine.  So we don't go out as frequently, though I do try to send him to the back yard with an older sib to bounce on the trampoline or just putter around with a ball and some toys.  I do miss the little play gyms we've had in the past...

And, as you can see below, he loves being a little ham!  He always has an appreciative audience.  Lucan really does light up our life ("Lucan" = Irish, "light"), and we can't imagine our lives without him.  What a blessing and a treasure he is!

A Peek into Arden's Mind

Arden sat up front with me on the way home from base after Lucan's 18-month check-up.  He chatted quite a bit with me, and the random comments and questions were just too cute not to record for posterity!

"Mom, I really wish I could be called Daniel."

"That tree is naked!"

"Mom, in 5 more years I can play football.  I am 7, after all."  (This after turning 7 YESTERDAY!)

"Mom, do some pirates not wear shirts?"

[Then, apparently not satisfied with the answer I gave him...]

"Tobin, you know more about pirates.  Do some pirates not wear shirts?"

"Mom, true or false:  Dad is the fattest person in our family."

All these comments came--in the order I just typed them--in a span of about 5 minutes.  I love my creative boy!

Stinkerbell Strikes Again

It's been a few months since Kenna attacked her hair with the scissors, but don't think she's lost her "Kennis the Menace" nickname in the meantime!  Here are just a few of her recent feats we have "enjoyed" over the past week:

• Orange highlighter all over her body.  And I mean ALL. OVER.  Her toes looked like Cheetos!  The good news:  Highlighter is easily removed with baby wipes!
• Orange highlighter on a significant space of her bedroom wall.
• Glitter glue on an envelope and piece of card stock I left on my desk.  (She hid UNDER my desk when I realized something was not quite right...I hadn't left my office light on...)
• Arden's foam airplane cut into little, tiny pieces.
• Four large, jagged pieces of Cowboy Cake OUT of the cake pan and INTO her belly.  (Yes, she cut the pieces herself.  Guess who's not getting any ice cream when we're at Young's today?!)
• At least 20 blank name tags stolen out of my workshop basket, unpeeled and stuck to the dining room table. 

I call this, "Unplanned Adventures in Homeschooling," since most of these activities took place during our school day schedule!  Good opportunities to respond with the character and attitude of Christ, right?!