Back...

I'm alive.  The laptop is alive again too, after the death of it's hard drive.  Long boring story.

Lucy turned ONE yesterday.  And when I figure out how to get all my pictures back on here, I will show you all the pictures of her one-year-old-cuteness.

Until then....

There's lots of new things developing here at the parsonage.  I'm looking forward to filling you in...later.

I'm a procrastinator...

Right now though, I need to finish chugging my coffee down and get my sweaty running self into the shower in order to start my day.

Glad to be back bloggy friends!  Missed you!

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Out With the Old

I've composed approximately 250 posts (in my head) since my last post.  If only they typed themselves out...someday they will, those apple people come up with all sorts of great stuff. ;)

But until then, (by which I mean, until they steal my idea) let me summarize:

• The last post felt good.  Really good.  Writing without my filter, made me aware that somewhere along the way I had started over filtering without even realizing it.  Filters are not bad.  They're necessary.  But too much filtering takes out the good stuff too.
• Your comments made me smile.  And encouraged me.  You're all ridiculously wonderful. :)
• Ridiculous is the word I'm now overusing.  
• I'm getting a sewing machine and I'm going to start making cute stuff.  Why not?  Back several years ago, I started reading a friends blog and I thought to myself: Self, you could never do that. You need to be gifted in that area first. But then time went by and I read more blogs and thought: Eh, anybody can blog, just do it.  And, as it goes, it's turned out just fine.  Which, in essence is the same with sewing...or at least that's what I'm telling myself.  ;)  
• I do know how to use a sewing machine.  I think.  I'm sure it's like riding a bike. *cough*
• My first project if going to be a baby blanket, because my expert friends tell me this is a good place to start.  Don't worry, I'll take pictures...and we can all laugh together.
• Until then, I'm working on the aftermath of all of us switching bedrooms.  I thought about taking pictures, but that just seemed like one more thing to do and so I purposely skipped it.  Next time.  *cough*
• I also need to clear out my scrapbook stuff (my previous hobby that bit the dust a couple years ago) to make room for my new sewing hobby...because that's how I roll.

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Fun & Not Fun

In a Nutshell (since my last post)...

• I had a birthday.  33 feels just fine so far.
• Christmasses  (that's not a typo,)t's the new word for the never-ending celebrations of food and presents...what?  you haven't heard of it?  yeah, me either.
• We have entered the world of (red) Wii and Netflix.  Both are fairly amazing.  Oh, and Just Dance...which I remain undefeated in so far ;)
• Days before Christmas we found out that Noah's good buddy Tate's cancer has returned, and this time there is not much that can be done.  It's devastating, I don't know how else to say it.  Please pray for Tate, as he's in a lot of pain, and for his family...because how do you prepare to say goodbye to your child?  Devastating.
• 
  

Noah and Tate

• Thanks for your prayers bloggy friends.

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Old Lady

My five year old, Jake, is always listening.  He doesn't miss a thing.  And the memory this kid has is ri-dic-u-lous.   Let us all pray he grows up to use it for good and not evil.


The other night Ben and I were chatting in the kitchen.  Somehow we got onto the topic of a friend's age.  Ben informed me that the person was in fact younger than me, and I just couldn't believe it!  Certainly I was not their elder?!?  Really, I used those words.  


I was wrong.  I am their elder.  Barf.


I went on to explain to Ben how it's not that I feel like 32 (almost 33) is old, it's just that it seems like highschool was just yesterday!  There is some disconnect in my head.  Or I need there to be.  I need to feel the gap from 1996 until now.  But alas, I do not.  


Anyways, fast forward to this afternoon...I'm in the living room changing Lucy and hurrying Jake along to get to afternoon pre-k on time and I hear him yell from the mud room...


Hurry up old lady, you're gonna make me late!


"Did he just call me his old lady?"  I thought to myself.


I gave him the chance to re-phrase his question.  He declined.  He fed me back my own words from the conversation the other night...where I mentioned that I am in fact an old lady.


He kills me.  However, he will now refrain from using the term "old lady" when referring to me...or any other woman for that matter. ;)

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Behind the Pictures...

 We took a little day trip.  

Looks picture perfect, doesn't it?  I smiled as I uploaded these to facebook last night, and thought to myself, man I love pictures.  

They capture what I want them to capture.  The fun, the smiles, just the right lighting to flatter (because of course I deleted the others.)  What I'm left with is what I want to remember.  Because truthfully, there's parts I'd like to forget.  Like...

The huge ordeal it was just to get everyone going that morning.  The whining about where we were going, and what we were doing, and how long it would take to get there...and of course they're hungry, because they're always hungry.  The game, between brothers in the back seat of the van, called Don't Flinch.  It's all fun and games till one really doesn't flinch and technically wins, the lucky winner ends up with a fist in his eye because the other brother thought he'd flinch. Tears.  Spilled pop at the restaurant, crawling under the booth, numerous trips to the bathroom.  Oh yeah, I forgot batteries for the camera.  Big long *sighs* where Ben and I look at each other and smile (weakly) and try to encourage each other that yes, yes indeed this is family fun.  Because, really...at the time, there were lots of moments where it didn't feel like a whole lot of fun.

Did I mention how glad I am that pictures are silent?  Because I am.

And the time always comes, like last night...where I sit back, and look at the pictures and smile (an extra big smile when I get to delete the unflattering ones and pretend I never really look like that *cough*) Because all of the craziness really is part of the fun.  Not so much at the time, but later.  Looking back.  But in the moment, I forget that.  In the moment, I'm very annoyed that my kids can't get along, and need to be reminded 1,000 times to just STOP PESTERING EACH OTHER, and can't be more grateful for how wonderful their dad and I are for braving the outing in the first place.  Am I right?!?  Oh, I'm right alright.

Right and ridiculous.  

I'm not sure I'll ever get to the point where I enjoy the craziness in the moment.  Maybe I will.  But I know one thing, I always smile looking back on it.  

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Impeccable

Have I mentioned our impeccable table manners here in the parsonage family?

I give you reason #89 why you do not want to dine with us.  

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Not the Same

So...


This time last year I was either throwing up, or laying on the couch feeling like throwing up.  Little Lucy was the cause of those good times.  


And maybe you remember (because I beat it like a dead horse) that I had trained that summer to run a little half-marathon and then couldn't because the barfing made me dehydrated like 2 days before the race.  I was so bummed.


Funny how things change in a year.


This time last year she was a little person that consisted of a clump of cells, and now she is this:

This time last year I was ready to run a half-marathon.  This year, I ran that race...but in a relay.  My leg of it was a whole 3 miles.  It hurt.  I'm not a racer...I like to run at a leisurely pace. The desire to run further is gone.  The desire to run at all is dwindling.  I'm trying to make myself like it again, but it's just not happening.  Wishing my feelings would catch up to my actions.


So much changes in a year.  Some for the better.  Some not.  I find that I'm sort of trying to figure out where I fit and where stuff fits.  Prioritizing.  Trying to fit back into my "pre-baby-girl" life is just not working how I thought it would.  Kinda like my jeans.  They technically fit, but just don't feel quite the same.


I wouldn't change a thing.  Lucy has blessed our family beyond words.  It's like she's always been a part of us, or at least was always meant to be a part of us.  I look in the mirror and I see a different person than I saw a year ago. And I like her, but I'm also getting to know her to.  She's different.   

• I'm a mother of 4.  
• I'm no longer the mama of boys, but the mama of "the boys & Lucy"
• I've been the youngest in my group of friends in tiny town, but our kids were all similar ages...now I have a baby, and the dynamics change.
• Running has now become a group activity.  I used to like it and my friends didn't.  Now, they're all into it and I'm, well...not.
• I've even decided to grow my hair out for awhile.  I KNOW!  

It's interesting how changes in life, physical or emotional change who we are.  Part of me misses my old self.  And part of me is looking forward to getting to know the new one better.  Part of me just wants everything to return to the "normal" I knew, and part is looking forward to the possibilities ahead.  The one thing I can't escape...is that it means change.  I am not the Sarah I was a year ago.  Sure, a lot of me is, but a lot of me is not.  It means changes in my real life, and likely changes in blog life.  

I'm done trying to fit back in.  I'm ready for the new.  Ready to be open to the possibilities God has in store for me.  Bring it.  

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I've Conquered Math

Happy Birthday Ben!

Ben was preaching on Sunday, and I couldn't help but look at him and think to myself that I've loved that guy for so, so long.  


I noticed him, a few months before my 15th birthday.  I've shared the story somewhere before on this blog, and if I weren't so lazy I'd find it for you, but eh...I'm lazy.  


As he was preaching I was thinking back about time.  We dated five years before we got married.  That five years seemed like forever.  Now...five years flies by like crazy.  And then I had a revelation:  Teenage dating years are to be measured in dog years.  Ya know....x7.


Because if you're a teenager and your relationship can survive the angst and drama and immaturity, then 1 is = to 7.  For sure.  It's only logical.  I can't believe it took me that long to figure it out.  


I have no idea why I did so badly in math, because now it's just all clicking together for me!  Amazing, no?


So, technically, we dated 35 years before getting married.  And we've been married 12.  That's 47 years together so far.  Which is pretty amazing considering Ben just turned 35 today.


It's been a good 47 years.  Happy Birthday to the amazing guy I've loved longer than I've been alive...technically.

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Kind of a Boring Update...

I probably have 5 minutes before Little Miss Lucy decides her can-it-really-even-be-called-a-nap-because-it's-so-stinkin'-short "nap" is over.  Let's see how much I can cram in.

1. It's my mom's birthday today.  She's 51.  I only tell you this, because she loves to point out everyones ages...and she always makes me a year older than I really am.  (that sentence will make her smile:)  Happy Birthday Mom!!  Love you.
2. Boys are all back in school and enjoying it.  
3. Lucy turned 4 months.  She's 13 pounds.  Which makes her 2 pounds smaller than Eli and Jake were at this age, and 6 pounds smaller than Noah was.  Her and Jake both had their check-ups/shots yesterday.  They both did great.  Dairy Queen was involved as a bribe.
4. Her smile that will make you want to eat her up:

Of course blogger would choose to not rotate my picture today.

5.  Running (post pregnancy) was...lets say...miserable feeling for awhile.  I just didn't feel like doing it.  And although I've kept at it, much whining was involved.  But this week, I think I've turned a corner, both physically and mentally.  Pushing through the 4-mile wall of torture feels like a breakthrough.  After that wall, the rest of the run doesn't feel quite so bad.  For this week anyways. 

6. I have succumbed to drinking regular pop again.  I know, I know...I'm so weak.  Worse yet, I don't even care about its high fructose corn syrup.  I'll leave you with that super exciting piece of info...and speaking of pop, I could use one right about now...

I made it through 6 things and Lucy is still sleeping!  Wheee!

So, what's new with you?  Tell me what I've missed.

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2015

Last night, during midweek church, Noah doodled this picture.  


It's his interpretation of the first day of school...five years from now.


2015.

Oh kid.  He cracks me up.  He's a stickler for details.  


However, what's up with my hair-do in five years!?!


It's the first time he's drawn my profile with boobs.  *sniff*  He's growing up.  Don't tell him I told you. *smile*

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The View I Love the Most

The other night, probably close to 9:00, I stepped out our front door to let Gus out.  I happened to turn around and get a glimpse of my home from the outside, with the lights all on, curtains open.  And it made me smile.


For a moment, I got to look in on my life, and its a good view.


Sure, it involves some chaos and mayhem.  Smelliness.  Imperfections.   All of which make it pretty great.

And then it reminded me of a country song.  Because I can pretty much come up with a country song for every memory I have...they just work like that.





And like it says...I see what beautiful is about
                          when I'm looking in...not when I'm looking out.
I'll never beat the view, of my front porch looking in.

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Oh Yeah, I Have a Blog...

Good grief it's been awhile!  I ran into someone over the 4th, and they said, "I read your blog" and I thought to myself...oh that's right!  I have a blog!  I should write on it! :)


Summer is crazy fun and crazy fast.  I feel the clock ticking away already.  Apparently I can't have fun and write about it at the same time.  Too much work.


Instead, I sit here staring at the screen while drinking coffee and eating left-over graham crackers (from smores.)  Smores that we made in the microwave on the 4th because it was raining.  But really...they're better in the microwave anyways.  And interestingly enough, we always have left over graham crackers and never left over Hershey bars.

Lucy's first 4th of July

It wore her out.

Odie enjoying summer in his own special way.

And more of Lucy...because she can't run away from me yet. :)

Notice how Noah and Eli are missing from the pictures?  They've become increasingly annoyed with being in pictures.  And I have become increasingly annoyed with their annoyed expressions when I take the pictures.  It's time for an intervention.  

I'm off to take their pictures... *wink*

  

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Life Happens

Life...

• Lucy turned 2 months old yesterday.  Jake, my 5 year old, took this picture of us while we were in the nursery during church...while my husband was preaching.  I blame the baby for my goofing around in the nursery.  The photographer:  

• We had lots of fun on Fathers Day, partying it up with family.  I ate no less than six pieces of cake.  I wish I were exaggerating.  
• I stole this idea from my friend Wendi.  That's what I do.  Let you creative ones come up with the idea and then I steal it.  I'm like the generic store brand kind of product...it works for me, what can I say?!?

• Notice the strap going across Eli's chest.  It's my old camera case.  He's storing his game boy and misc. treasures in it.  He refers to it as his European Mens Handbag, which he no doubt picked up from some movie. 
•  Jake started running a fever yesterday.  This occurred after our goofing off in the nursery and during the Father's Day/May & June Birthday Bash.  He's ok as long as I keep him pumped full of Tylenol/Advil.
• Lucy gets shots tomorrow.  
• I've been running now for about 4 weeks.  S-l-o-w-l-y easing back into it.  Ran 4 on Saturday and it finally felt good.  Haven't lost a pound.  Friends keep telling me how great I look...because they are liars kind.  I know they're saying it to encourage me...yet part of me wants to blurt out the number that my scale gives me because they would gasp and be surprised, and it would prove me right that I have a LONG LONG LONG ways to go....but sometimes it's just better to be wrong, no?
• Lucy is sleeping through the night.  And taking a bottle on occasion when I need her to.  During the day, however, she sleeps lightly, and doesn't like to be put down...and she especially likes her mama, which is oh-so-sweet...except for when its not.  She redeems herself during the evening hours.
• It's been raining buckets here.  If it continues, tiny town is going to flood.   For real.  Please God let the rain stop.
• We're doing a parenting class at church on Wednesday nights.  It's by Chip Ingram, called Effective Parenting in a Defective World.  It's really good.  Punch-in-the-gut kind of good.  I'll share more on that another time.
• Gotta go, my baby is crying because I have disobeyed her rule by actually putting her in the bouncy seat.  Little stinker. :)  

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Blatantly Obvious

I'm feeling very contemplative lately.  Maybe it's the lack of sleep.  Maybe it's the isolation that mothering a newborn brings.  I've been sucked into my own little world of feeding, diapering, snuggling, feeding, feeding, feeding, well...you get the idea.  Or maybe it's God trying to show me something about myself that I really don't want to see.


I'm savoring every moment of this newborn-fog, because I know how soon it will be over.  Gone like a flash. And I know how much I'll miss it. Yet, it's hard to escape the sense of invisible I feel lately.  I don't mean "invisible" in a depressed sort of way.  I know my value.  I know my purpose.  I know the hope I have, because God is in those.  I mean "invisible" in a disconnected from other life activities sort-of-way.  It's made me realize that life goes on without me.  


Friends will find others who have time to lend advice or just a listening ear...
Ministry will continue and even flourish...without my constant attendance...
My boys will survive without their momma knowing every detail of their day...
Running partners will find new running partners...
Life continues on...it doesn't stop to wait.  It doesn't fall apart because I'm not there.


It's got me contemplating.  Why does that hurt my pride so much?  How can it make me feel both relieved and insecure at the same time?  Relived that I don't hold all things together.  (Big surprise, I know)  Relived that I can step aside and take a break.  And the ugly insecurity?  It's for the exact same reasons...weird.  


Pride (for me) always always always causes a host of problems.  It's always on-going.  Kinda like weeding flower beds.  One day you can spend countless hours pulling the nasty weeds, and you go to bed that night thinking man, my flower beds look perfect...go me!  Only to wake up the next morning to find dozens of weeds  have seemingly grown within hours.  And then, if you're me, you think  ahhh...why bother weeding at all?!?  Dumb things just keep growing no matter what.  So I give up for awhile...until one day I notice how terrible my yard looks!  They can only be ignored for so long.  Sooner or later they're blatantly obvious.  There's no ignoring them anymore.


That is pride for me today. Blatantly obvious.  Not very pretty to look in the mirror at.  Time to undo it.

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So Much Good Stuff...

Please note this is my third blog post this week.  *wink*


Last night our church held a baby shower for Lucy and I.  Lucy looked like this the whole time...

My friends from church did an amazing job hosting.  From the pink and orange decorations, to the yummy chicken salad croissants and cheesecake it really was perfection.  They even had everyone there address their own thank-you envelopes, and then sent me home with extra thank-you cards AND stamps.  Is that genius or what?!?  Being the terrible event hostess that I am,(seriously, I'm not joking...you don't want me to host anything for you...it will be oh-so-blah) I so so so appreciate those who are gifted at it.  THANK YOU MY FRIENDS!


My friend Jenni was a surprise guest and devotionalist (is that a word?  Doubtful, but I like it)  Anyways, when I saw her walk in I was confused.  I had thought I'd just given addresses for invitations to family and church people.  Jenni is technically neither.  Then I wondered if I had slipped her name in the invites without realizing it?  (my sleep deprivation on top of my already-bad-memory makes that entirely possible)  Turns out, it was just a lovely surprise for me!  She spoke on Hannah in the Bible, and reminded me of my own journey to Lucy.  Jenni and I have been friends for 6 or 7 years now...she listened to me (for quite some time) convince myself that three kids was more than enough for me.  She was also there a couple of years ago when God started whispering that maybe there was more to His plan...the letting go of the control was a journey.  It's funny how God can bring me through such a profound experience or lesson, and before long, I've already forgotten the journey ( I blogged about it here and here.)  Last night Jenni reminded me of that journey, and that Lucy was planned by God long before I had consented to handing over control.  What if I hadn't?  Makes me tear-up to think of the blessings I'd be missing...makes me examine my life right now...where am I not giving up control?  What am I missing out on because I think I know what's best?  Thank you Jenni...for being the friend that asks the hard questions, even when I don't want you to ;)  Love you.


Here's some pics...

This quilt was made by Betty from church.  Betty is a special lady to us, and this quilt is just amazing.  Did I mention she's in her mid-eighties!?!


My mother in law got Lucy her own little stroller.  I commented on how she definitely won't have her brothers wanting to share it...

I. Was. Wrong.

He also confiscated this box from her loot...

Check out all the stuff...

And the shoes!!!!

And the cutest diaper bag ever...

I'd been eyeing it since December.  But resisted.  *insert pat on back*  Thanks for not resisting, mom!! :)  

A friend gave me this...along with a Starbucks card.  Does she know me or what?!? Lucy slept through the night last night...11:30pm-6:00 am, yay!  Now, if she could keep doing that for the next week I might be able to catch up!  Until then...my kitchen looks like this:

Gonna get to it...eventually.  

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To My Long Lost Readers...

I haven't blogged since last Monday. Yikes. It was a busy week...throw in some sleep deprivation from a newborn and ya get no blogging.

And because no amount of coffee is going to lift that fog, I give you bullet points.

• Our internet went down yesterday. I spent quite a long time on the phone with our service provider in hopes that they could fix it. They couldn't. She told me to consult my computer professional. Which would be my brother Ryan. And THEN (after texting Ryan about my dire circumstance) I went over to see if the wireless router was plugged into the wall...and it WAS NOT! And then I fixed it. YAY me! Note to Qwest: the next time I call, you should in fact treat me like an idiot and ask if it is plugged into the wall. Problem solved.
• Little Lucy is a little bit naughty at night-time. Apparently the Moses Basket that she spends countless hours a day napping in, is not good enough at night time. She wants to snuggle in my arms. Which is precious. And annoying all at the same time. But man, is she cute.
• The adorable pictures at the top were taken by my friend Sarah. So the "Captured by Sarah" is not me. I wish it were...I also wish the PICTURES WERE BIGGER AND THAT BLOGGER WOULD JUST COOPERATE WITH ME! She took so many good ones, and I'll work on getting them posted soon, because you really will want to see them...in a size that you don't need a magnifying glass for. Blogger better get it's act together in the mean time...or else. ;)
• It's hair cut day today. I had debated letting it grow out a little more, because it's already several inches longer than it was (thanks to hormones and preggo vitamins.) And then I remembered that I really don't like my hair that long and so today, the inches are coming off. If only a haircut could also take away about 30 pregnancy pounds with it...
• I've had lots of emails asking how nursing is going...remember that post? I'm happy (and amazed) top report that it's going really well!! Lucy is a natural at it...and thanks to you and your comments (and my nurse-friend Stephanie) I'm much better prepared this time around. But...
• Lucy will be 3 weeks old tomorrow. I'm gonna wait another week and start mostly walking/jogging. I'm so anxious to get back to running, I miss it terribly. But, the thought of running with "these nursing machines" I currently have makes me cringe in pain a little. Any tips other than binding my sports bra even tighter with massive amounts of duct tape?!? Seriously. Help me.

Well, I think that's more than enough information to process for one day. :)

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Tangents

My real life is a lot like my blog. It goes in tangents. If you've read for very long, you've probably thought to yourself, "Dude, she beats a topic to death and then moves on to a new one...which she then proceeds to beat to death...and so on and so on..."

That old saying, Variety is the spice of life...may be true. I wouldn't know, I'm not good with variety. Or balance. I tend to focus on one thing at a time. Which is good for the one thing and not so good for everything else.

Lately, it's been pregnancy, baby Lucy, her three big brothers and the newness of being a family with four kiddos (which happens to feel pretty great:)

Ministry has taken a back burner for me. Which is ok and not ok at the same time. The ok part is the brief break I'm taking from my "official" ministry roles at church...other gifted individuals have stepped in and done wonderfully. But during Ben's sermon last night, he talked about our personal witness and ministry to those around us...the "unofficial" stuff...and I knew God was trying to get my attention.

The stuff like spending time in God's word and prayer...enough time to actually hear Him...not just opening it up and reading quickly here and there in order to make myself feel better that I actually opened it up *cough*

Being conscious again that my life, all of it, all the time is a witness to those around me. God has placed me right here. For a purpose. A purpose bigger than what I've boxed it into lately.

Of all the things in my life, the one that always always always needs to be my "tangent" is my relationship with Christ. Yet, sadly, it's often the first thing I push down the list. Every. Single. Time.

But amazingly, every single time...He quietly and gently calls me back. His love and patience with me astounds me. It really does. He doesn't need me. He is God, after all. But...He loves me enough to never let go. I don't know if I'll ever be able to wrap my head around that.

But I'm so thankful for it. And someday, I'd like to be that woman...that pastor's wife, the one who always keeps Christ first where He belongs...but until then, it's just me. Good thing He's not finished with me yet.

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I'm Trying...Sorta

Guess who's not all that fun to talk to these days?

Me.

Oh you heard me right. I'm trying my best to be pleasant...but the effort is strenuous.

Stren-u-ous. The smile in the picture above, for example. We took that at church on Easter Sunday. Easter is my favorite, without it my faith would be dead. It's also the one Sunday of the year that I make everyone dress up. The boys usually whine and complain, but this year...it was me whining and complaining about finding something to wear...and by that I mean something that fit.

When you tell a non-pregnant, rational person that baby is scheduled to arrive in 12 days, they naturally think, WOW! SO SOON!

When you tell me, I think...12 days feels like forever.

It's not rational. But it is what it is.

I'm quite certain that God knew the precise amount of time it would take to create and form a human life, while at the same time knowing the exact limits of the woman. 40 weeks, give or take a few. Just the right amount of time for the woman to reach her absolute limit. So anxious to meet that little baby, and so ready to feel human again, that she's willing to endure any amount of pain to reach that outcome.

I'm there. Except the pain part...I'd really like the epidural in first. But still...

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Lately...

Life in the parsonage...lately:

• Last Thursday night, Julie's friend Audhild flew in from Norway. She is here visiting for 2 weeks. The school here will only allow her to visit classes with Julie for one day, so she gets to hang out with me and the kiddos during the day. God bless her. She's quite nice to have around. The boys adore her (she'll draw a picture of anything they ask) and she's finishing up my knitting project for me. :) Oh, and she knitted the most adorable Norwegian sweater for the baby. I need to take a picture of it...I need to take a picture of anything...I've gotten lazy. But...
• I found out today at my Dr. appointment that they are going to induce me 4 weeks from TODAY! YAY! Call me crazy, but I'm all in favor of being induced. I've done it both ways...and induction works best for me. That being said, now watch I'll go into labor on my own...I tend to end up eating my words often.
• I think April is going to be a beautiful time of the year to have a baby. Something about Spring...
• We are starting a new ladies Bible study on the book of Ruth. I've loved the first week. I've also been using my hubby's commentaries to read up on the book of Ruth. This short little book of the Bible has piqued my interest. Ben printed off a sermon series that John Piper did on Ruth, and I loved what he said,

"One of the main messages of this little book is that God is at work in the worst of times. Even through the sins of His people He can lead and He does plot for their glory. It was true at the national level. And we will see that it is true at the personal, family level, too. God is at work in the worst of times. When you think He is farthest from you, or has even turned against you, the truth is that He is laying foundation stones of greater happiness in your life."

• Which was also a good reminder for me, and my politically conservative self, after hearing of the health care bill (that I loathe) passing. God is still at work. And He is far greater than big government...and socialism.
• A sweet little girl in Jake's preschool class looked at me today and innocently asked, "How'd your belly get so big?" I told her there was a baby in there. She looked skeptical.
• Ben and I are working our way through season 6 of 24. We're also watching the current season on TV. You should hear our conversations, trying to keep the seasons separated in our heads. Tricky stuff.
• You know what else is tricky? Two teenage girls, 3 boys, one husband, and a 9 month pregnant lady all in the the same house with only one bathroom.
• Well, I'm off to eat. Audhild is making Norwegian pancakes for lunch. I KNOW! I'll take pictures...I swear.

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In Need of Adjusting...

We're on spring break here...which pretty much means life as normal, except we get to stay up later and sleep in a bit later too.

Exciting stuff.

I've been battling my attitude lately, thus the absence of blog posts. Every time I sat down to do a post, it ended up being kinda crabby...and really, does the internet need more crabby? I think not.

Last night I woke up with a song in my head...the kind that just won't leave. It's a song we used to sing at the church where I first met Jesus in a real way. It's pretty much this Bible verse:

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

(Psalm 118:24)

I generally like to apply this verse to days that are grand. Days that involve things I like. People I like. Activities I like.

And the other days...eh, not so much. They're just days. Days I survive, but definitely don't rejoice in. This verse last night, reminded me that no matter what my day holds. No matter how boring the activity or annoying the people *smile* God has ordained that day for me. His plan is not for me to merely get through it, but to be glad in it. Whatever it holds, He has planned and prepared for me to encounter it.

If only my attitude would stay permanently adjusted...

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