Am I really talking about politics??

Although I think politics is interesting, I don't usually write about it. I don't really want to debate with or offend people who don't agree with my view. It just creates strife. But, I can't resist making a couple statements about Barack Obama's acceptance speech last night. First of all, I'm not a huge fan of Obama. He seems too popular to be right to me. But, I have to say that most of what he said last night sounded pretty good to me. I mean, I'm just as sick as everyone else of the way "politics" goes in our country. I'm tired of continuous attacks and words with no substance behind them. I'm tired of people talking smoothly enough to be elected into office, only for their power-hungry egos to be corrupted by power. Obama did a good job of listing the problems in our society and stating that, with his leadership of course, the American spirit could solve the problems.
I was bothered by the way people reacted to his speech. I mean, I think most of the people in that stadium would've bowed down and kissed his feet. That fanatic loyalty evidenced by screaming, sobbing devotees seems to me like adoration that should only be lavished on God - not any man.
Also, I think Obama revealed his ignorance of God and His ways. The last line of his speech quoted the Bible saying, "in the words of scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess." I can't tell you off the top of my head where in the Bible that comes from (although if my dad reads this, I'm sure he'll tell me), but I am positive that the hope we confess is not hope in Barack Obama or the American spirit. It's hope in God alone and the salvation He offers through His Son, Jesus Christ. He's our only hope for peace or security. If Obama does not line up his life with Jesus Christ, ultimately everything he does will end up in failure - if not on earth than in eternity.
Behind the winning smile, the persuasive speaking, the grasp of what America could be with good leadership, Obama fails to honor God in his view of the world. He chooses phrases from the Bible to fit his purposes and ignores parts that are inconvenient to him. Perhaps all politicians do that - certainly most would if they thought it would help them get elected.
Bottom line is this. If I was going to vote for a man who I thought would cause our country to prosper economically and regain it's respected status in the world, I would at least consider voting for Barack Obama. But God cares about things like the lives of unborn babies and the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman. And because of that, I cannot vote for Barack Obama. I'm almost sad to not have a choice.

Funny pictures!

For all of you who aren't here to see my kids, I had to put some silly pictures up. First of all, I wish you could see Julia. She is such a crazy little thing. She's almost crawling! At six months old! She gets up on her hands and knees and wiggles back and forth. She lays on her back and arches it so that only her head and her toes are touching the floor. And she's just started laying on her tummy and pushing up onto her hands and her feet. I wish I had better pictures, but these will have to do. I tried for at least 15 minutes to get a decent picture.... =)



Ok, now Kylie is just plain goofy. She LOVES sunglasses!


And Ethan is such a BOY! He's always jumping, kicking, and running.



I feel so blessed to have these fun kids in my life. They definitely liven up things around here! I've always been a pretty quiet person who enjoys calm things, so crazy kids running around all the time is a stretch for me. But, I'm actually starting to enjoy it some of the time. Lots of laughing and silliness!

Unlikely Places

I've just started reading "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck. I've never read it before, but I've heard it listed as one of the great American novels, so I thought I should know what it's about at least. The people in this book swear constantly and talk about inappropriate things alot. But I can't deny Steinbeck's talent as an author. Anyway, all that to say I read a quote about the mother in this book that grabbed my attention.

She looked out into the sunshine. Her full face was not soft; it was controlled, kindly. Her hazel eyes seemed to have experienced all possible tragedy and to have mounted pain and suffering like steps into a high calm and a superhuman understanding. She seemed to know, to accept, to welcome her position, the citadel of the family, the strong place that could not be taken. And since old Tom and the children could not know hurt or fear unless she ackowledged hurt and fear, she had practiced denying them in herself. And since, when a joyful thing happened, they looked to see whether joy was on her, it was her habit to build up laughter out of inadequate materials. But better than joy was calm. Imperturbability could be depended upon. And from her great and humble position in the family she had taken dignity and a clean calm beauty. From her position as healer, her hands had grown sure and cool and quiet; from her position as arbiter she had become as remote and faultless in judgment as a goddess. She seemed to know that if she swayed the family shook, and if she ever really deeply wavered or despaired the family would fall, the family will to function would be gone.

I'm not sure that mothers in general are anywhere near that strong - I know that I'm not, although parts of it make me think my mom. It's a beautiful picture of a woman who has lost everything and has decided to keep moving anyway - for her family - and the "dignity and clean calm beauty" this brings a woman.

Supermom!

I get overwhelmed alot. You wouldn't be surprised by this if you lived in my house for a day. Isn't there a physics law that says everything is going from order to chaos? Well, my life is a perfect example. My kids are bent towards disobedience, I am constantly making dirty dishes, toys are always all over the floor, we are always out of something necessary, the clothes are always dirty. I tend to feel that I simply can't keep up with all that needs to be done. I'd have to have super powers. Then I listen to well-meaning self-help guides who tell me, "10 minutes a day to an organized home" or "How to raise obedient children" or "How to have a great marriage". I get discouraged because I frantically try just to stay on top of the necessary things - let alone have a perfectly organized home with perfectly behaved children with a perfect marriage.
I figure if I was Supermom, I could do it. I'd get up early in the morning (because supermoms need next to no sleep) and get all ready for the day. I could move food, dirty dishes, laundry, and toys with my eyes all at the same time - while doing a pilates workout in the living room. By the time Caleb woke up to go to school, the house would be spotless, I'd be showered with makeup on and hair done and have already excersized and read my Bible. Eggs, bacon, and toast would be waiting on the table with a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice. Once Caleb left I'd be free to play with the kids all day. We'd go on educational outings, bake cookies together, do plays, run through the sprinkler.
Just writing this makes me laugh! It's so unrealistic. But, here's what IS real.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places. (Eph. 1:18-20)

Did you catch that? I have the same power in me that raised Jesus from the dead and seated him next to God in heaven! Unlimited, supernatural power! That doesn't mean that I can move things with my eyes - or that I'm likely to greet Caleb with a clean house, makeup, and a hot breakfast on Monday morning. But it does mean that God has fully equipped me to do the work that He's given me to do - all with His power working through me.
I needed to hear that today.

Ethan

Yesterday was Ethan's fifth birthday! I can't believe I've been a mommy for five years. For some reason five sounds much older than four - maybe because age groups are sometimes categorized as 2-4 and 5-7, or maybe because a four-year-old is a preschooler whereas a five-year-old is a kindergartener.
We had a really fun day! We went to Pioneer's Park in the morning. After playing on the playground, we went to the nature center. Ethan got to pet a snake and watch a turtle crawl. They can move fast if they want to! When we got home, we had lunch, sang happy birthday, and opened presents. Then, after supper, we went mini-golfing (which Ethan loved, but Kylie is terrible at!).
This morning I heard this conversation at the breakfast table:
Kylie: "I'm cute"
Ethan: "You're cute, Kylie, but you're a sinner."
Kylie: "I'm not a sinner. I'm Kylie"
Ethan: "The Bible says everyone sins, Kylie. So, you're a sinner.
Kylie: "I'm not a sinner. I'm Kylie"
It went on like this for at least five minutes. I wondered, what kind of son am I raising? He just told me yesterday that he wants to be a pastor like grandpa some day so he can tell people about Jesus. Listening to this conversation, I pictured him standing behind a pulpit doing his best to convince people that they're headed to hell without saving faith in Jesus. Was it Jonathan Edwards that preached "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"? Ethan is following in his steps - with Kylie as his first attempted convert. I wonder what God has planned for my little boy....

Silence

For those of you who read yesterday's whining and wondered why I can't think up anything better to write about, let me tell you what happened today.
Thursday is Ethan's birthday, and to celebrate, Caleb's parents promised to take him to the train museum in Council Bluffs. So, today, Tam and Alan showed up and wanted to take Ethan AND Kylie on an adventure! As I write my house is SILENT. Julia went to sleep - finally! And I am attempting to catch up on my scrapbooking, which I haven't even looked at for the last 5 months.
So I am getting a much needed break. And I'm marveling over God's lovingkindness. He knew exactly what I needed and arranged circumstances so that I would be surprised by His gift to me. What an amazing God! Now if only I could learn to trust His kindness to me even when life is crazy - instead of complaining...
Back to scrapbooking!

Pink Eye Germs

Well, Caleb (who hardly ever reads this blog - that I know of anyway) told me that I should really blog more often. I added that to the fact that the picture of our family on the top is a year and a half old and the "about me" at the top doesn't even mention Julia, and I decided I've been seriously slacking. Not that I haven't been busy. Three kids tend to tug at me all the time. But, I don't hear anyone screaming, "mommy!" right now. =)
I've been stuck in my house with pink eye germs for what seems like forever. It really hasn't been that long. We went grocery shopping Friday before Kylie's eye turned all puffy and red. So I guess that's only technically 3 1/2 days. I think I just missed church yesterday. Caleb said I could go, and I was part way there with Ethan and Julia in tow, and then Caleb realized that he was on-call, and couldn't watch Kylie in case he had to go to work. So, back home we went. It was very disappointing. I don't realize how much I look forward to and need the encouragement from fellow believers worshipping and God speaking at church until I haven't been in a while. I've missed choir for the last two Wednesday nights (and will be missing it again this week I'm sure), and the week before this week, I was in Central City at my parent's church. Not that there's anything wrong with their church, but it just doesn't feel like home. So, I listened to Pastor Tom's sermon from last week online and called it good. I'd better start praying for no one else to get pink eye before Sunday next week - especially since I'm in nursery.
I've been thinking... I think I need to be more thankful for where I am instead of wishing I were in a different place. Let me explain. Alot of people I know are enjoying so many fun things. They're FREE to vacation in exotic locations, travel around the world, use their minds and abilities at work every day, go to a movie, enjoy a restaurant or a walk in the park, read a book, or even get all sweaty running four miles if they feel like it. Their lives are full of spontenaity, friends, relaxing, enjoying, fun, even mundane stuff like cleaning a house without interruptions, or going to sleep knowing you can sleep in in the morning. And I sit at home and take care of kids. Don't get me wrong. I love my kids and wouldn't trade them for anything. But, sometimes I have to admit, it would be really nice just to do something just because I wanted to and it sounded like fun. I feel like my time is not my own. I'm not able to just go and do anything without thinking about the needs of 3 or 4 other very needy people. I realize it's a stage of my life. Intellectually I know it won't last forever. And I know how precious these fleeting moments with my kids are. They bring such joy and happiness into my life. I need to be more thankful for who God has made me and where he has put me instead of moping over the overabundance of dirty diapers and whiny kids, screaming babies and pink eye germs.