Ethan's baptism

 Ethan got baptized on Sunday after church.  He's been nagging - read asking as nicely as any growing boy can manage - Caleb and I for a long time to let him.  And in our defense, we wanted to, but the last two opportunities were our 10th anniversary and my birthday, and we were out of town both times.
Huh.

Anyway, we learned something.
This kid is destined to be a preacher.  Give him a mic and an audience who has to sit still and listen to him, and he will TALK.
I don't know why I should be surprised by this.  He's been talking nonstop to me and Caleb and anyone else who is anywhere near him for the past nine years.
It's a gift (although some days it doesn't seem like it) that I pray God channels for His purposes.

All my kids are so incredibly blessed to have several generations of godly men (and women) in their lives.  And I am so thankful for His goodness.  Ethan doesn't have to look far to find great examples of godly men to follow.  So, for the baptism, my dad, Alan, and Caleb figured out a way to split two jobs between three people.  =)

I was thinking Sunday morning about all the people who should've been at this baptism.  Sunday School teachers and others from Faith who spoke Truth into Ethan's young mind faithfully for many of the years of his life.  
And my grandma and Caleb's grandpa who prayed faithfully for him every day from the day he was born until their deaths. 

I LOVE the verse written on the wall.
It's Psalm 1:2&3.  (The reason I know this is because I memorized Psalm 1 in Fourth grade at LCS, and I can still quote it to this day.  Which I take as a reminder that what my kids learn now might just stick with them for the rest of their lives...)

"His delight is in the law of the Lord
and on His law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,

which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither.

Whatever he does prospers" 

It seems like that's my job as a mom.  To plant my kids close to Jesus - the living water.   

And then to nurture their love for Him.  

Shelter them from strong winds and water them through droughts.  

Coax their roots to grow deep and aim for the Living Water.  

And pray that their delight is in God.  

That their lives are prosperous - not in the way the world defines prosperity - but prosperous in the kingdom of God.

And remember that trees yield fruit in season.  Maybe not today when they're still growing and immature, but someday.

Maybe I should stay away from the news from now on...

I have a few things to say about the news today.
Be excited.  =)

First:
Why should we read news articles and watch endless videos about the terrible destruction that might hit our east coast?  It seems the journalists and reporters want to scare us half to death calling it a "Frankenstorm" and comparing it to the movie, "The Perfect Storm."
Now I agree, it will be sad if millions of people's lives are interrupted and devastated by a giant storm. 
But we've totally missed the point that it already hit Haiti and Cuba - our needy neighbors. 
The lucky citizens of our East Coast have some combination of bank accounts, beach homes, vehicles to drive inland for the weekend (like a mini-vacation!), car insurance, home insurance, flood insurance, and (if all else fails) state and federal governments who will send rescue helicopters to fish them off their roofs.
The people of Haiti and Cuba have none of those options.  I think of the thousands of people living in tent cities in Haiti since the earthquake (how many years ago?) with little more than the clothes on their backs and the cardboard over their heads. 
Talk about devastation.

Second:
Along the same lines.
The news people seem to be bragging this morning that the presidential candidates have spend two BILLION dollars on this year's presidential race. 
Most of it focused on making the other guy look like an incompetent fool. 
Which has made most of us sick and tired of both of them.
Just one question.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY HUNGRY KIDS WE COULD FEED WITH TWO BILLION DOLLARS??

Feeling dry?

This has been an extremely dry summer here in Nebraska.  The fields are edged with dead corn - those plants too far away from the irrigation shriveled up and died long before it was time to turn brown for harvest.  The difference between plants that were given water and plants that received none is stark.
Even the leaves on the trees lining the roads turned brown and died long before they should have.  If you walk along under them, the leaves crunch, reminding you of fall.  But you know it's a sign of premature death.

It's not supposed to be this way.  It's supposed to rain.

I wonder if the weather can affect my soul.

Ever feel brittle?  Thirsty?  Forgotten?

Well.  Here's my cure for that today.

"Then Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself [determinedly, as his vital need] to seek the Lord."  2 Chronicles 20:3 (My grandma's Amplified Bible that I've been reading through)
Judah and Israel are split.  God's chosen people separated into two nations.  Israel is under the rule of a wicked man named Ahab.  Remember the stories of Elijah running from an evil king?  That's Ahab.  The mountain with the prophets of Baal and the fire falling from heaven?  Ahab.  Jezebel?  Ahab's wife.

But Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, has decided that he's going to be different.  He's going to seek God and worship Him alone.  And what does he get for his loyalty?  Attacked by the Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites (whoever they are) - a HUGE army.  

Jehoshaphat panics just for a second and then he decides to seek God, praying, "We have no might to stand against this great company that is coming against us.  We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You."  2 Chron. 20:12

 And then?

Jehoshaphat and all Israel with him, "stood before the Lord" (vs 13) and waited.  Who knows how long, but they stood there until God spoke.

This is the part where it's easy to feel brittle.  Easy to feel that if it doesn't rain soon you might just shrivel up and die under the pounding of the sun.  Easy to feel that while God has been pouring Himself out to show others His heart, He's forgotten you.

But God is faithful and always answers His people.

"You shall not need to fight in this battle; take your position, stand still, and see the deliverance of the Lord [Who is] with you, O Judah and Jerusalem.  Fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you." (vs 17)

So... (I LOVE THIS!) Jehoshaphat sends his army out the next morning led by a praise band singing, "Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and lovingkindness endure forever!" (vs. 21).
As a singer and not a warrior, it takes faith to walk in front of the fighting men to meet your enemies' advancing armies.  But when Judah arrived at the battlefield, they saw that God had been there before them and the armies were already dead.
All of them.
Suspecting betrayal among the armies, they had destroyed each other.

And God receives all the praise and glory for the victory.  Every nation surrounding Judah and God's people themselves know that the battle was won by God!

So, my takeaway from all this?  What's the cure for feeling forgotten?
1.)  Set yourself to seek God.  Fight distraction.
2.)  Stand in the presence of God and wait.
3.)  Remind yourself that God is always faithful!
4.)  Whatever He tells you to do - DO IT!
5.)  Praise God knowing that when He answers, all the glory will (deservedly) go to Him!

First day of school pics!

So, the kids are at NC this year.  Thanks for all your prayers for us.  We needed all of them!  =)  After debating pros and cons forever, we always went back to the fact that we both felt that NC was the best option for us this year.  So with faith in and thanks to a God who always provides from His limitless resources, we sent them off for their first day on Tuesday.  They were SUPER excited! 

Kylie, my first grader.  Wow!  How did that happen??

And Ethan, very excited to be moving up to third-grade this year. 

 I have a feeling these next few weeks will be a little rough for us.  We are all tired because none of us are back on a good - go to bed at a decent hour so we can get out the door on time in the morning - schedule.  And this year has quite a bit of added responsibility for Ethan and Kylie at school. Add that to old friends leaving and new friends coming and getting used to new teachers, and it could be interesting. 
I'm sure we'll figure it out sooner or later...  =)

Apparently I couldn't stay out of it...

I'm a little... ok, maybe a lot... confused.
I've been reading the news and various blogged opinions about the Chick-fil-A thing, and I wish someone would explain all the hoopla to me.

Just to clarify, I've never been to Chick-fil-A.  Apparently Nebraska has a reputation for "Beef, it's what's for dinner."
Or something.
I don't think I've ever even seen one.  I've heard good things, but that's the extent of my knowledge of them.

Anyway, I finally tracked down and read what Dan Cathy, the owner of Chick-fil-A actually said in his interview.  You should read it.   http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38271

Now I realize that I do not come from a neutral viewpoint on this.  Neither do you.  We have already formed opinions.

But I can't figure out for the life of me what the man said that was so terrible.  He never said the words "gay marriage."  Neither did the interviewer.  He simply said that as a family business, they support "the biblical definition of the family unit."  No hate speech there.

And yet Mr. Cathy has been ruthlessly vilified by practically everyone. 
And that is my issue.

He is an American citizen and has a right to voice his opinions.  He has a right to weave those opinions into the way he operates his business.  And he has the right to use the profits of that business to support causes that mesh with those opinions.

This freedom is envied by countless millions around the world who have been imprisoned, tortured, and denied access to basic human rights for being unpopular, the wrong race, politically incorrect, or speaking out for what they believe.  Be thankful you were born in the US, people!

Anyone who does not agree with Mr. Cathy's opinions is welcome to boycott his restaurant - even encourage others to do so.  As is anyone who does not like his food. 

Anyone who agrees with Mr. Cathy is welcome to eat there three meals a day forever - not that I would recommend this.  As many people who agree with Mr. Cathy philosophically have pointed out, Chick-fil-A is probably not the healthiest or cheapest way to buy food.  In theory, considerably fewer obese Americans and starving orphans would inhabit this world if fast food chains in general no longer existed - more accurately, if we weren't so obsessed with our own comfort and ease.  But this doesn't make Chick-fil-A any more evil than the makers of Oreos or designer shoes or the countless other luxuries with which we pamper ourselves.

Sorry...rabbit trail.  Moving on.

So, our government is not allowed to discriminate against a business because they dislike the values on which it is run - unless those values lead to illegal activity.
As citizens, we are allowed and even encouraged to discriminate between competing businesses based on a variety of issues - one of which could be their values.

Anybody else get the email recently asking them to boycott Sears, JC Pennys, and several other retailers for their support of anti-family policies?  I am perfectly within my rights as a citizen to avoid these retailers from now on.

On the flip side, people who disagree with my values (say those calling for a Chick-fil-A boycott) have every right to avoid Chick-fil-A or any other business they disagree with.  That's part of American freedom too.  We don't get to pick which ideology is "right" or "wrong" for everyone else.


Here's where my faith in Jesus gives me a different set of guidelines to follow.  I am perfectly free to avoid a situation where my money goes to support something that God's word clearly defines as sin.  Since greed, selfishness, and lack of compassion are all identified as sin, however, it might be difficult to avoid such opportunities.

What I am not free to do is be hateful towards those I disagree with.  I am commanded to love.  Unconditionally.  Without strings attached.  Turn the other cheek. 

Jesus purposely spent His life on earth with the "tax collectors and sinners" of His day.  The lowest of the low.  The ones everyone else hated and ignored.
And I recall no instance of Jesus ever standing up to defend His own rights.
Ever. 
He did stand up for truth, but never for His own personal benefit or gain.

So, what are we fighting for?
Why do we, as Christians, feel the need to stand up and fight for our rights?
How dare we join the hate slinging and fear inciting?
Why are we so quick to promote "us" vs "them" and feel so self-righteous at being on the right side?
We should look different. 

Dan Cathy sure does.

So where's the balance between defending my Constitutional rights as an American citizen to freedom of speech and religion and my responsibility as a Christ-follower to walk as He walked?  To love the unlovely and reach out to those who hate me?

I don't know.  That's what I wish someone would explain to me.

Summer fun!

Our girl party!  I know you can't really see, but we used my Grandma Johnson's china.  The girls were so excited! 

The Merchant cousins at the splash pad for Honey Rae's second birthday.  I love Hudson's smile!  =)

A birthday kiss.  How sweet is that?  Who knows what Kylie is doing...

Kylie lost her first tooth! 

Can you believe he's NINE???

Trying out the ripstick for the first time.  He's practically an expert now. 

The king of pancake makers.  =)

This pic cracks me up!  I think it's the combination of Truitt and Kylie's faces...  =)

A little excited...

A bow!

Who knew?

You know what I learned yesterday?
According to a Feb. 2008 government study, an average family of four spends between $570.20 and $1,113.80 on groceries.  Every month.
Don't believe me??
Look here. 
Adding in my two extra children means I should be spending from $185.60 to $347.90 more than that for a grand total of:

$755.80 to $1,461.70

On food!
And that was more than four years ago!
Does even the "thrifty plan" end of that range seem extravagant to anyone else???
I so do not spend that much money on groceries every month. 
If I budgeted that much, we would eat really well. 
And do nothing else. 
We wouldn't be able to afford to buy gas to drive to the grocery store to buy our steak and lobster.  (If we liked lobster...)
So much for googling what a normal grocery budget is for a family of six...