More kid pics!

A little soul food

Only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes. -Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Who's your mommy?

In typical Southern fashion, we have been learning about "Yes, Sir" and "Yes, Ma'am." My daughter, at breakfast: “Mommy, is Daddy da ‘sir’, and you da man?”

Heaven is like...

My little girl spent the night at Grandma's this week, which very well may be her favorite place in the entire world. She ate waffles for breakfast and got to watch Clifford and Curious George. Tonight, she asked, "Mom, can I wake up at Grandma's?"

A couple of friends of mine are struggling in battles with cancer. Heaven provides me such hope as my heart twists for their anguish and pain. I think about Heaven a lot anyway, and tonight I found myself comforted: Heaven has got to be a little like waking up in your favorite place in the whole world--with someone you love waiting to hug you, and your favorite breakfast sitting at your place at the table.

Better late than never: A unique Lenten fast

A couple of people have recently reminded me that fasting for Lent isn't just about what you're giving up--it's fasting toward something; and in the broadest sense, it's fasting toward God. I've been intrigued by the concept of fasting lately--how it trims the fat from our souls, makes us hunger for God.

As a side note, someone else remarked that when we're struggling with specific sins, as we seek to move toward God in prayer and other disciplines--aside from just focusing on that sin--we experience more victory as we simply commune with Him. Great thought. It's got to be a little like the woman who touched Jesus' garment, or those who laid in Peter's shadow: Just being near God changes us.

All this to say, my sister sent me this link from the UK, and I found it to be a unique spin on a Lenten fast: restraining carbon emissions (scroll down for a Word or PDF document detailing each day's fast for the 40-day period). The Anglican bishop from this church remarks,

All of us need to think more deeply about the energy we use and the effects on other people. I commend the Diocese of Sheffield's Carbon Fast for Lent 2010 as a really helpful and imaginative way to focus on the effects of climate change on the world's poorest people.

In short, they're fasting toward awareness of our own actions on the poor--toward compassion, in my understanding. Seemed an interesting insight to God's heart, who links fasting to compassion and justice in Isaiah 58.

A spiritual mismatch in marriage

I was amazed by what God taught me in a conversation with a friend. If you'd like, check out this article: A Spiritual Mismatch--and the God Who Sees.

Parenting and anger

Anger is an issue I struggle with significantly as a mom. I read this quote on www.desiringgod.org, and I'm directing this one toward myself as a mother.

"...you overcome your own anger and replace it with tenderhearted joy. Joy that spills over onto your children. When the mouth of dad [or mom!] is angry, the tender emotions of a child are consumed."

The author cited Ephesians 4:31-5:2, and basically explained in this article that God went to great lengths and self-sacrifice to lay down His own anger--by sending Jesus. So I, too, should imitate God this way.

A great reminder to me...I'd appreciate your prayers in this!