Parent-Child Dedication

On Mother's Day, we had a parent-child dedication service at our church. We pledged to raise up Thomas in the way of the Christian Faith.

Fret Not...

"Fretting rises from our determination to have our own way. Our Lord
never worried and was never anxious, because His purpose was never to
accomplish His own plans but to fulfill God's plans."
http://utmost.org/one-of-god%e2%80%99s-great-don%e2%80%99ts/

Looking for Hymn Lyrics

I have a few favorite hymns. One is "I'm in a New World." Not many
people know it when I refer to the title. I first heard it at Cave
Creek Baptist Church when I was a child. They'd do requests and I'd
always want to request it. For some reason, it just entered my
thoughts and I sang the entire first verse and chorusI sang it a few
minutes ago, but then totally forgot the first verse when I tried to
recall it again to sing it for Jason! I can't forget the chorus,
though.
I was looking for lyrics online and found the book where the song is
published. It's on p. 94 Church Hymnal, Pathway Press, 1979.
"I'm in a new world, old things have passed away;
Behold all things are new, ever since that happy day.
He opened up my blinded eyes and then I had a great surprise;
I'm in a new world, since the Lord saved me."
Also, "Beulah Land" and "Walking in Sunlight" are next on the top of
my favorite hymns list.

God has a plan

Do you believe God has a plan for you? He tells you he does.
God's word: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)
Do you believe what God says?

Think about this: Not only does God have plans for you he has plans for the person beside you, too. Yes, the person sitting next to you. Did you think they were a part of God's plan for you, or God's plan for them?
God is wildly enthusiastic about each one of us and has a plan for every individual.
I'm so glad. I'm really glad we aren't going on my plan. I'd sure mess it up. But isn't that how I act sometimes--mad when I don't get my way? How about God's way?
 
I'm sure that verse is quoted a lot. It came to my mind when I had a fleeting thought about letting go of some bitterness. The person beside me is under God's control, not mine. I can't control their actions, so why should I be bitter that they didn't act as I wished they would? It's really hard to let go of bitterness even when you can't put your finger on all those crappy things over years and years. I'm glad I learned that bitterness steals peace. It makes me want to let it go. After all, I want that peace bad. It's worth getting, so it's worth letting go. Let it go and don't pick it back up!

Essie, my Biggie

I thought it would be nice to write some about my grandmother, Essie.
Last weekend, we went to visit my mom and Poppa came over as well.
He recounted several interesting things about his family history and
some things about the town and he also spoke about my grandmother's
last days.
At first I was surprised he was talking about it and then saddened,
but came away glad with refreshed memories of the happy times. I made
sure to mention a few of my memories with him as a "thank-you" for
what he had shared.
I remember Biggie was a great cook. I mean great. She cooked all the
traditional foods and lots of recipes from books. She even let me cook
things. She was so generous to me. She smelled good and gave great
hugs. She'd sing "I love you, a bushel and a peck and a hug around the
neck." I heard the song for real a short while back and I didn't
remember ever hearing it before, but I remember Biggie singing it to
me. She'd let me put on one of her nightgowns (to me they looked like
ballgowns) and I'd walk down the stairs with Biggie and Poppa would
sing "Here she comes, it's Miss America." I remember watching the
pageant with Biggie and Poppa. Poppa would make popcorn and put it in
a paper grocery bag with the top folded down like a cuff. He'd cook
bacon-wrapped filet minon and grill it on a tiny grill on the side
porch. Poppa would sometimes sit in the kitchen and read his paper and
listen to the scanner. He'd eat instant oatmeal for breakfast. I think
he would drink coffee. I am pretty sure Biggie drank coffee. I really
can't remember the coffee.
I do remember stuff sitting on the countertop. I remember
Sweet-and-Low sweetener and bifocal glasses. I remember downy fabric
softener and that pink blanket and the flowered blanket. They'd get
all staticy in the dark when you rubbed your feet around under the
cover.
Well, there are some random--really not at all organized--thoughts
about Biggie. I hope this is the first of many things I write about
her.
I know she had a big, full life, and my memories are limited to just
one part of her life and one facet of her character. This is my part
of the picture.

Our Garden

Jason and I started seeds in pete moss cups this year. Here's our garden growing!

An evening with the kids

Joanna thought it'd be cute to sit on him, I guess. While I don't want to condone the behavior, I could not resist snapping a picture.

And check out the cleaned couches and carpet in the photo, would you?

Jason steam cleaned our couches and carpets. He also steam cleaned a potential replacement couch, but we decided to keep our current couches in the end.

My hubby had to work late. It happens sometimes. I enjoyed a simple evening with the kids. Tomorrow will be busy enough. Dinner was simple, fish, peas and rice--leftovers happily eaten. Milk for some. Joanna had her late night snack of chicken nuggets. She asked for them like this: "Can I have some chicken nuggets, not cut up? But, like snakes?" I'll explain. Snakes meant long. She's referring to how we make play-dough snakes, I think. The chicken nuggets in question are actually "chicken strips" which are actually just elongated chicken nuggets. Marketing is confusing for toddlers. Chicken is chicken. Well, sometimes fish is chicken. Shoot, sometimes even shrimp is chicken. I think beef might have been dubbed chicken at some point. No wonder people think kids like only chicken. I think somewhere in the jumble of things they learn all meat is called chicken. I'll even tell her what she's eating. "Here's some fish." Two minutes later, she'll say, "That chicken is really yummy."

Thomas is really getting mobile. He's trying to jump around in the bath tub! He's grabbing the sides of the tub and trying to get up and sloshes back down. I'm worried this kid's going to take a spill. I guess they all do. I sat him down in the bathroom floor as I got Joanna ready to go in the bath and he busied himself with the cabinet doors and took off after the big door, too. I'm most certainly keeping my eyes peeled and on him. He is really a busy boy.