11.30.2007

PRICELESS


This is an e-mail I got today and it just warmed my heart and well made me laugh so hard I peed my pants...I have had three children!

My husband and I had been happily (most of the time) married for five years but hadn't been blessed with a baby. I decided to do some serious praying and promised God that if he would give us a child, I would be a perfect mother, love it with all my heart and raise it with his word as my guide.

God answered my prayers and blessed us with a son. The next year God blessed us with another son. The following year, he blessed us with yet another son. The year after that we were blessed with a daughter.

My husband thought we'd been blessed right into poverty. We now had the four children, and the oldest was only four years old. I learned never to ask God for anything unless I meant it. As a minister once told me, 'If you pray for rain, make sure you carry an umbrella.'

I began reading a few verses of the Bible to the children each day as they lay in their cribs. I was off to a good start. God had entrusted me with four children and I didn't want to disappoint him. I tried to be patient the day the children smashed two dozen eggs on the ki tchen floor searching for baby chicks. I tried to be understanding when they started a hotel for homeless frogs in the spare bedroom, although it took me nearly two hours to catch all twenty-three frogs.

When my daughter poured ketchup all over herself and rolled up in a blanket to see how it felt to be a hot dog, I tried to see the humor rather than the mess. In spite of changing over twenty-five thousand diapers, never eating a hot meal and never sleeping for more than thirty minutes at a time, I still thank God daily for my children.

While I couldn't keep my promise to be a perfect mother - I didn't even come close - I did keep my promise to raise them in the Word of God. I knew I was missing the mark just a little when I told my daughter we were going to church to worship God, and she wanted to bring a bar of soap along to 'wash up' Jesus, too.

Something was lost in the translation when I explained that God gave us everlasting life, and my son thought it was generous of God to give us his 'last wife.' My proudest moment came during the children's Christmas pageant. My daughter was playing Mary, two of my sons were shepherds and my youngest son was a wise man. This was their moment to shine. My five-year-old shepherd had practiced his line, 'We found the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes.' But, he was nervous and said, 'The baby was wrapped in wrinkled clothes.' My four-year-old 'Mary' said, 'That's not 'wrinkled clothes,' silly. That's dirty, rotten clothes'.

A wrestling match broke out between Mary and the shepherd and was stopped by an angel, who bent her halo and lost her left wing. I slouched a little lower in my seat when Mary dropped the doll representing Baby Jesus, and it bounced down the aisle crying, 'Mama-mama'. Mary grabbed the doll, wrapped it back up and held it tightly as the wise men arrived.

My other son stepped forward wearing a bathrobe and a paper crown, knelt at the manger and announced, 'We are the three wise men, and we are bringing gifts of gold, common sense and fur.' The congregation dissolved into laughter, and the pageant got a standing ovation. 'I've never enjoyed a Christmas program as much as this one,' laughed the pastor, wiping tears from his eyes. 'For the rest of my life, I'll never hear the Christmas story without thinking of gold, common sense and fur.'

My children are my pride and my joy and my greatest blessing,' I said as I dug through my purse for an aspirin.

Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master. Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher. Had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer. Had no army, yet kings feared Him. He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world. He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him. He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today. Feel honored to serve such a Leader who loves us.

I can not help but relate with this woman. If only I could have written this e-mail. I just laughed so hard and was reminded of all these same moments and the ones to come with our kids.

God Bless You All!

11.29.2007

Whose in the Cookie Jar?




Little Miss Natalie that is Who!

Natalie loves the snowman cookie jar - I think she was a little bummed there was nothing inside. She loved taking his head off and then looking inside. I think I have her trained as when I pull out the camera she says "cheeeeeeessssseeee".

I can hardly believe she is 19 months old now and asserting her independence. PLEASE God let her get it out when she is young. She is feisty and can throw a good tantrum when she does not get her way.

Her favorite words are "Tank too", "MOOre", "I see you", "Dare you are", "Grrrr", "I wuv woo", "one, two, tree". I love to watch her. She also loves to tattle tale on her brothers. She will come marching in to where I am at and say something I can not understand and point at her brothers. It is pretty funny!

She makes me laugh A LOT.

11.26.2007

Happy Birthday to Me




Yes that is right...I turned 34! Yikes...seriously I used to think 34 was OLD. Now I am just 6 years away from being 40. WOW!

I spent the weekend of my birthday in Beaverton, OR with my 97 yr old great grandmother. My mom and I took a trip down to visit her and help pack up her apartment. She fell a few weeks ago and broke her hip and we found out she has severe dementia. It was all very sad, but getting to see the smile on her face when she saw us was priceless.

She is such a sweet person with a big heart!

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