Sometimes something is right in front of you, but it is so bright you can't possibly see it yet. It isn't until later that you can see the true beauty that was right there waiting for you the whole time.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
the Holy Spirit, toe-tapper and whistler
So, if the Holy Spirit is constantly taking our prayers to God for us...
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. ~Romans 8:26-27
That must make Him one patient Holy Spirit, huh? I mean, think of all the times we are deep in prayer and all of a sudden our mind wanders off to what we plan to cook for dinner, or try to remember if we set our alarm clock, or do our children have matching socks for tomorrow morning. Can you just picture the Holy Spirit praying on our behalf and then all of a sudden, He has to tap his toes and whistle a tune, waiting until we come back to prayer?
It must also make Him one great interpreter, too! Think of all the run-on sentences we use and how many times we repeat the same sentence over and over again or use the wrong tense. Sometimes He must wonder if we are 35 or 7 years old. "Focus, Danielson!"
Of course it doesn't matter to Him. He cares that we draw near to Him and have an intimate relationship with Him. He cares that we pray incessantly and always look to the Lord. And to be honest, the times I feel closest to Him are the times that I cry out and not care about grammar. The times where I don't try and structure the entire prayer to sound right.
Have you caught yourself restructuring? Do you ever reword your request mid-sentence because it didn't sound right? I mean, this is God we're talking about! Not only did He know what we were going to say the first time (the time we thought it was incorrect), but He also knew we were going to change it, and He also knew the entire time what we were praying for, so it didn't matter that we changed it at all. And ultimately, He knew it was it our heart to begin with so really the prayer was not necessary to bring it to His attention, but He wants us to bring it to Him, like a child brings thoughts and requests to a father.
How special is that?
Here I am, trying to pray for what I think I should be praying for in a manner I think is appropriate, and the Holy Spirit kindly takes those requests and translates them to what God wants to hear from me so that He can respond to me. How special that makes me feel that the Holy Spirit bridges the gap between me and God until the day I can be with Him.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. ~Romans 8:26-27
That must make Him one patient Holy Spirit, huh? I mean, think of all the times we are deep in prayer and all of a sudden our mind wanders off to what we plan to cook for dinner, or try to remember if we set our alarm clock, or do our children have matching socks for tomorrow morning. Can you just picture the Holy Spirit praying on our behalf and then all of a sudden, He has to tap his toes and whistle a tune, waiting until we come back to prayer?
It must also make Him one great interpreter, too! Think of all the run-on sentences we use and how many times we repeat the same sentence over and over again or use the wrong tense. Sometimes He must wonder if we are 35 or 7 years old. "Focus, Danielson!"
Of course it doesn't matter to Him. He cares that we draw near to Him and have an intimate relationship with Him. He cares that we pray incessantly and always look to the Lord. And to be honest, the times I feel closest to Him are the times that I cry out and not care about grammar. The times where I don't try and structure the entire prayer to sound right.
Have you caught yourself restructuring? Do you ever reword your request mid-sentence because it didn't sound right? I mean, this is God we're talking about! Not only did He know what we were going to say the first time (the time we thought it was incorrect), but He also knew we were going to change it, and He also knew the entire time what we were praying for, so it didn't matter that we changed it at all. And ultimately, He knew it was it our heart to begin with so really the prayer was not necessary to bring it to His attention, but He wants us to bring it to Him, like a child brings thoughts and requests to a father.
How special is that?
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| photo courtesy of turnbacktoGod.com |
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Making a house into a home, part 2
Our house was built in 1964, so while there is a lot of charm we adore, there are also a lot of quirks! With a good sense of humor and a great home warranty plan, we seem to get along just fine with our peculiar house attributes.
A pipe under the kitchen sink busted a week after we moved in. Not a huge deal, except we are on a concrete slab, so they had to sledgehammer into our kitchen tile. Kinda freaky to 1 week old home owners. But we learned as we went and ate off of paper plates until everything was fixed.
Our heat has gone out on Thanksgiving Day both last year and this year, when we had out of town guests. Once again, thank you home warranty!
We have a gazillion electrical outlets everywhere, except the hallway. You know, the center of the house where it would be most convenient to plug in to vacuum? We literally have 6 outlets within 2 feet of the living room fireplace.
All three bedroom closet doors have been off their track since we moved in, and we have never fixed them. Can you say lazy?
The previous owner added on to our master bedroom but didn't have enough parquet flooring to cover it all. But nothing a huge area rug can't cover, you can't even tell.
We have three attic entries. Is that normal? Seems like a lot to me.
One of the front porch light switches is in Loudoun's bedroom, on the other end of the house.
The garbage disposal wiring is bizarre. I'm going to leave it at that, so that Rick doesn't divorce me, since he cannot figure out how to make it GFCI compatible. We currently use an extension cord from under the sink instead of flipping a switch. See? Not illegal right there. No non-GFCI switch flipping.
The kids' bathroom toilet makes this thumping sound, seconds after you flush. Like, you walk away and all of a sudden, it sounds like a rock was dropped in the bowl. And after you get over the scare you just had, it happens again. And a third time. Just as you've crawled back into bed and almost fallen back asleep, it happens a final time. I'd think it could be ghostly, except that would be one dedicated ghost to stick around and do that after every single flush.
Avalon's nook area has a removable floor board with a big hole under the house. Yeah, I'll be keeping an eye on that as she enters the teenage years.
The air conditioning heat exchanger was installed 2 inches from 2 walls on the corner of the house, where ivy was also planted to cover both of those walls. Wonderful for leaves and branches to fall into the top grate and grow in and around the blades.
Rick wants me to add: THE DOG.
I'm sure there are plenty more that I am not remembering at this moment, probably because I have gotten used to them. I feel so fortunate that none of these quirks outweigh the love we have for this humble abode. Do you have any quirky elements to the place you live in? I would love to hear all about them.
A pipe under the kitchen sink busted a week after we moved in. Not a huge deal, except we are on a concrete slab, so they had to sledgehammer into our kitchen tile. Kinda freaky to 1 week old home owners. But we learned as we went and ate off of paper plates until everything was fixed.
Our heat has gone out on Thanksgiving Day both last year and this year, when we had out of town guests. Once again, thank you home warranty!
We have a gazillion electrical outlets everywhere, except the hallway. You know, the center of the house where it would be most convenient to plug in to vacuum? We literally have 6 outlets within 2 feet of the living room fireplace.
All three bedroom closet doors have been off their track since we moved in, and we have never fixed them. Can you say lazy?
The previous owner added on to our master bedroom but didn't have enough parquet flooring to cover it all. But nothing a huge area rug can't cover, you can't even tell.
We have three attic entries. Is that normal? Seems like a lot to me.
One of the front porch light switches is in Loudoun's bedroom, on the other end of the house.
The garbage disposal wiring is bizarre. I'm going to leave it at that, so that Rick doesn't divorce me, since he cannot figure out how to make it GFCI compatible. We currently use an extension cord from under the sink instead of flipping a switch. See? Not illegal right there. No non-GFCI switch flipping.
The kids' bathroom toilet makes this thumping sound, seconds after you flush. Like, you walk away and all of a sudden, it sounds like a rock was dropped in the bowl. And after you get over the scare you just had, it happens again. And a third time. Just as you've crawled back into bed and almost fallen back asleep, it happens a final time. I'd think it could be ghostly, except that would be one dedicated ghost to stick around and do that after every single flush.
Avalon's nook area has a removable floor board with a big hole under the house. Yeah, I'll be keeping an eye on that as she enters the teenage years.
The air conditioning heat exchanger was installed 2 inches from 2 walls on the corner of the house, where ivy was also planted to cover both of those walls. Wonderful for leaves and branches to fall into the top grate and grow in and around the blades.
Rick wants me to add: THE DOG.
I'm sure there are plenty more that I am not remembering at this moment, probably because I have gotten used to them. I feel so fortunate that none of these quirks outweigh the love we have for this humble abode. Do you have any quirky elements to the place you live in? I would love to hear all about them.
Monday, February 21, 2011
making a house into a home, part 1
Things I love about our house home...
We have a wide open space between the living room and dining room that has hardwood floors and vaulted ceilings. Perfect for jump roping, rounds of twister, sprawling out on a sheet for painting, art projects, etc.
Just about every room has a window(s), but in our entire house, only 1 window faces the front of the house where people could see in, and that window is lead glass/diamond pattern.
On the same note, the entire perimeter of our backyard has hedges so tall nobody could look over them if they wanted to. Of course, this creates a constant need for yardwork to keep those hedges in control, but so worth it for the privacy we have.
Avalon's room has an adorable little nook off to the side, which is perfect for her dollhouse, little kitchen and beauty center.
Loudoun's room has a sunroom off of it, which is perfect for all of his toys and playing with friends.
Our kitchen bay window looks over our backyard where I can keep an eye on my kids.
We live on the corner, so kid bike riding is expanded in 2 directions.
Our hallway is long and the kids like to have sleepovers there. Right now the laptop is propped in between them and they are having movie night since tomorrow is a holiday.
Our bedroom has a skylight which lets in the most glorious rays of sunshine in the morning, but also gives me the best view of our nectarine tree anytime I want.
I asked Rick his favorite part of our house: "our bedroom, it's a getaway oasis." And I have to agree. It's comfortable, roomy, private, full of light, bed super wide for all 4 of us, and at the far end of the house. And we have real bedroom furniture!! We never had that in our apartment.
I asked the kids their favorite part: "the POOL!" Duh.
Our neighbors all look out for each other, bring baked goods to each other, and feed each others' kids dinner. They bring bikes back to your garage when youngsters leave them out over night, and they offer to walk your dog when you have the flu. They help you hang Christmas lights and offer tools to complete projects.
We feel so secure and protected here. We feel free to be ourselves in this home, and love each other with open arms but still give each other space. We feel blessed that God has given us the opportunity to enjoy this house. In July we will have lived in our first and only house for 2 years, and we still wake up every day amazed that we are here.
Home.
Our house was built in 1964, so while there is a lot of charm, there are also a lot of quirks! While composing this post I originally thought there would be a couple of quirks, but there ended up being a lot, so tomorrow's post will be all about the quirks.
We have a wide open space between the living room and dining room that has hardwood floors and vaulted ceilings. Perfect for jump roping, rounds of twister, sprawling out on a sheet for painting, art projects, etc.
Just about every room has a window(s), but in our entire house, only 1 window faces the front of the house where people could see in, and that window is lead glass/diamond pattern.
On the same note, the entire perimeter of our backyard has hedges so tall nobody could look over them if they wanted to. Of course, this creates a constant need for yardwork to keep those hedges in control, but so worth it for the privacy we have.
Avalon's room has an adorable little nook off to the side, which is perfect for her dollhouse, little kitchen and beauty center.
Loudoun's room has a sunroom off of it, which is perfect for all of his toys and playing with friends.
Our kitchen bay window looks over our backyard where I can keep an eye on my kids.
We live on the corner, so kid bike riding is expanded in 2 directions.
Our hallway is long and the kids like to have sleepovers there. Right now the laptop is propped in between them and they are having movie night since tomorrow is a holiday.
Our bedroom has a skylight which lets in the most glorious rays of sunshine in the morning, but also gives me the best view of our nectarine tree anytime I want.
I asked Rick his favorite part of our house: "our bedroom, it's a getaway oasis." And I have to agree. It's comfortable, roomy, private, full of light, bed super wide for all 4 of us, and at the far end of the house. And we have real bedroom furniture!! We never had that in our apartment.
I asked the kids their favorite part: "the POOL!" Duh.
Our neighbors all look out for each other, bring baked goods to each other, and feed each others' kids dinner. They bring bikes back to your garage when youngsters leave them out over night, and they offer to walk your dog when you have the flu. They help you hang Christmas lights and offer tools to complete projects.
We feel so secure and protected here. We feel free to be ourselves in this home, and love each other with open arms but still give each other space. We feel blessed that God has given us the opportunity to enjoy this house. In July we will have lived in our first and only house for 2 years, and we still wake up every day amazed that we are here.
Home.
Our house was built in 1964, so while there is a lot of charm, there are also a lot of quirks! While composing this post I originally thought there would be a couple of quirks, but there ended up being a lot, so tomorrow's post will be all about the quirks.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
farmer's market
There's nothing like fresh fruits and veggies, hand picked by little ones at the local farmer's market, to help get the entire family to eat healthy. Whatever works, right?
The lady pictured above stopped me as she passed by and said, "Don't you just love how kids can make a game out of anything?"
Yes, and I also just love that people say hi and chit-chat at farmer's markets. Something about closed-off streets, local vendors and recycled bags filled with farm grown treats that brings out the friendlies in everyone. I wish everyone operated that way, everywhere around town.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
flushed cheeks
I feel so blessed that these little beings were given to me to take care of. They have their testy moments, and the day-to-day has its ups and downs, but one of my favorite tasks of the job is snuggling with them until they feel better.
Brushing the stray hairs off their necks when they are too hot. Filling their juice cups for the 5th time in an hour to keep them hydrated. And sleeping right next to their warm bodies to make sure they are ok; I'm ready for anything they need.
I take in their little toes, their heaving chests, their crusty noses, their tangled hair and their flushed cheeks. And I enjoy every second of it, because they won't always need their Mama right by their side. Although if they did, I would be right there, every single time.
Brushing the stray hairs off their necks when they are too hot. Filling their juice cups for the 5th time in an hour to keep them hydrated. And sleeping right next to their warm bodies to make sure they are ok; I'm ready for anything they need.
I take in their little toes, their heaving chests, their crusty noses, their tangled hair and their flushed cheeks. And I enjoy every second of it, because they won't always need their Mama right by their side. Although if they did, I would be right there, every single time.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Spotting Rainbows
One trip to the pediatrician for a well visit for one kid, got us a cold and a flu for the other kid. Go figure, huh? I thought my kids were great petri dishes, but the doctor's office takes the cake. Anyway, while sitting home watching cartoons and eating toast, Avalon and I decided to spot rainbows with the camera. These were all her picks from around the house.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
You promised NO shots!
Today I left work early to pick Loudoun up from school for 2 appointments. A dental check-up that went smooth and boring and his 7 year well-visit. We were kept waiting in the lobby for a bit, so we kept ourselves busy with the circus mirror.
The stats show he weighs 56 pounds (up from 50 pounds last year) and 51-1/2 inches tall (up from 50 inches last January). I honestly thought, and so did his doctor, that he would've have grown more than that, but I guess he has grown so much and so fast since he was born, that it is probably time he slowed down a bit.
But just like his skinny minny little sister, the doctor asked that he eat MORE. I mean, really? More?? I'm not sure this is even possible. We already give him seconds and thirds at meals whenever he asks (and he does), and he always eats until he's full (unlike his sister who is happy with 2 bites of bread and hops down from the table).
I guess this is just my practice for feeding a teenage boy, which I have no experience at, growing up in a house with only a girl sibling. Bring it on...I'm up for a challenge! This challenge is fun. Can I live through him? All this eating he gets to do?
The surprise of the afternoon came when the doctor announced that he has only had one chicken pox vaccine and needs another one, and oh while we're at it, we might as well give him a flu shot for the remainder of the winter/spring season. What started out as an appointment that would include ZERO shots, quickly became "how dare you people! Do you think I could jump out of this 2 story building and escape?"
While we waited for the nurse to come back in to stab his poor little arm, through the tears streaming down his face, I started the first line of a poem...The bunny got up and crawled out of bed....and urged him to finish the second line. He jumped so high, he hit his head! This went back and forth and filled the waiting gap nicely.
The shots stung, but coldstone creamery was a perfect reward after we left. And I must say, I had a wonderful afternoon with my son. He is so much fun to hang out with, and he is growing up right before my eyes.
I bet he could have done without the needles though.
The stats show he weighs 56 pounds (up from 50 pounds last year) and 51-1/2 inches tall (up from 50 inches last January). I honestly thought, and so did his doctor, that he would've have grown more than that, but I guess he has grown so much and so fast since he was born, that it is probably time he slowed down a bit.
But just like his skinny minny little sister, the doctor asked that he eat MORE. I mean, really? More?? I'm not sure this is even possible. We already give him seconds and thirds at meals whenever he asks (and he does), and he always eats until he's full (unlike his sister who is happy with 2 bites of bread and hops down from the table).
I guess this is just my practice for feeding a teenage boy, which I have no experience at, growing up in a house with only a girl sibling. Bring it on...I'm up for a challenge! This challenge is fun. Can I live through him? All this eating he gets to do?
The surprise of the afternoon came when the doctor announced that he has only had one chicken pox vaccine and needs another one, and oh while we're at it, we might as well give him a flu shot for the remainder of the winter/spring season. What started out as an appointment that would include ZERO shots, quickly became "how dare you people! Do you think I could jump out of this 2 story building and escape?"
While we waited for the nurse to come back in to stab his poor little arm, through the tears streaming down his face, I started the first line of a poem...The bunny got up and crawled out of bed....and urged him to finish the second line. He jumped so high, he hit his head! This went back and forth and filled the waiting gap nicely.
The shots stung, but coldstone creamery was a perfect reward after we left. And I must say, I had a wonderful afternoon with my son. He is so much fun to hang out with, and he is growing up right before my eyes.
I bet he could have done without the needles though.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Love is...
Love is...waking up to a romantic card on your nightstand
Love is...getting an unplanned haircut from your daughter
when you thought she was only going to brush your hair.
Love is...your favorite outdoor creation showing its beauty in your backyard.
Love is...your son going shopping with Grandma to pick out the perfect
Valentine's Day present for you.
From Big Lots.
For $5. Those are real diamonds, yo!
Love is...your husband buying you a headlight for Valentine's Day
because he's worried about your safety.
Love is...making a dessert out of low calorie ingredients for your family
Love is...a homemade school art project made from creative, loving hands
Love is...your husband bringing home cupcakes as dessert #2 (full of extra calories)
Love is...making heart-shaped pizzas with your kids, spending dinner with your family around the kitchen table, playing hide and seek for the 87th time this week, snuggling in kids' bed with cartoons and talk of the day, and kicking your feet up with the love of your life to finish out the holiday.
I am blessed. I am in love.
With my husband. With my kids. With my life.
Friday, February 11, 2011
parental guidance
I'm reading Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves on the recommendation of several blogging friends and from seeing it go around several social media websites as a popular read. I have several parenting books on my nightstand, most of them addressing the "strong-willed child," but this is the first book that seems to focus just as much on the parent (if not more so) as the child. I am only on page 50 73, and I cannot put this this book down. It is tearing my heart open RAW. In a scary, that hurts, am I really that bad?, but oh so good for me, kind of way.
The first chapter uses many, many examples of conversations parents had with children and the author shows why the parents' choice of words wasn't exactly the best option. In fact, they actually could have had a negative result on the child, even though the parent thought they were being sensitive and helpful. What struck me is they were all examples I have done. Thinking I was helping the situation. And it turns out, maybe I wasn't.
My biggest regret as a parent so far has been snapping at my kids in the time of frustration, thus hurting their feelings. Immediately, as the lashing words come out of my mouth, I am so aware of how much I didn't want to say what I did. But it is too late. It's out there. And feelings have been hurt. Bad days, rushing to get everything done, tantrums, sibling rivalry, messy houses, etc. can all trigger this from any of us as parents of toddlers and youngsters, ya know? But it doesn't make it right. My biggest worries are: will my parenting be beneficial to them as adults? Will they grow up knowing I loved them and did everything I could to parent them well? Will they be sensitive, caring, confident and self-assured beings? Or will my frustrated reactions stick out in their memory and scar them for life?
This book starts off by explaining that we all have dialog that runs through our head in the moment of anger or frustration. It's "brain talk" that we can't control and it doesn't represent how we really feel and it doesn't represent who we truly are. The author suggests taking a minute to let the "dialogue" run its course inside your head, not letting any of it out to your kids to witness. Once the mind has been satisfied with getting it out, now you have the ability to respond to your child with love and compassion and deal with the situation at hand, without the angry chatter getting in the way.
I like that idea. It makes sense, since so often I act on that initial chatter. I hope the rest of the book has the tools that bring that concept to light. And I hope it answers some more questions I have.
I'm off to go read some more, but I'll close by mentioning sentences I highlighted. In no particular order:
The first chapter uses many, many examples of conversations parents had with children and the author shows why the parents' choice of words wasn't exactly the best option. In fact, they actually could have had a negative result on the child, even though the parent thought they were being sensitive and helpful. What struck me is they were all examples I have done. Thinking I was helping the situation. And it turns out, maybe I wasn't.
My biggest regret as a parent so far has been snapping at my kids in the time of frustration, thus hurting their feelings. Immediately, as the lashing words come out of my mouth, I am so aware of how much I didn't want to say what I did. But it is too late. It's out there. And feelings have been hurt. Bad days, rushing to get everything done, tantrums, sibling rivalry, messy houses, etc. can all trigger this from any of us as parents of toddlers and youngsters, ya know? But it doesn't make it right. My biggest worries are: will my parenting be beneficial to them as adults? Will they grow up knowing I loved them and did everything I could to parent them well? Will they be sensitive, caring, confident and self-assured beings? Or will my frustrated reactions stick out in their memory and scar them for life?
This book starts off by explaining that we all have dialog that runs through our head in the moment of anger or frustration. It's "brain talk" that we can't control and it doesn't represent how we really feel and it doesn't represent who we truly are. The author suggests taking a minute to let the "dialogue" run its course inside your head, not letting any of it out to your kids to witness. Once the mind has been satisfied with getting it out, now you have the ability to respond to your child with love and compassion and deal with the situation at hand, without the angry chatter getting in the way.
I like that idea. It makes sense, since so often I act on that initial chatter. I hope the rest of the book has the tools that bring that concept to light. And I hope it answers some more questions I have.
I'm off to go read some more, but I'll close by mentioning sentences I highlighted. In no particular order:
- The result of such validation is that the child feels safe to feel her feelings and to express herself fully.
- The child is the stimulus, not the cause of your anger; he is not responsible for your emotions.
- It takes just as long to clean up a child's mess when we're angry as it does when we are delighted with him.
- When a child's actions provoke your annoyance, anger or pain, you might be tempted to eliminate the behavior. Yet this does not work and even if the behavior is eliminated, another will show up in its place to represent the same unmet need.
- What gets in the way of loving and understanding the child's expressions is our mind's chatter about fear of losing control, of the child not developing well or of other mind created dramas and expectations.
- Yet, the child is best off taking your love for granted. And really, could that ever be a bad thing?
I'll write a follow up post when I have finished the book and have parenting perfected.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Things making me happy today...
Nectarine trees ready to blossom the most beautiful flowers. They only last about 3 weeks, and it's about to start any day now. Ahhhhh....
Kite flying on a windy day with the whole family.
happy kids.
Tire Swings. Although, watching my kids have fun on them, not spinning on them myself. Have you tried doing this as an adult? It's no longer easy to keep your lunch down.
Relaxing in the grass. With smiles. And nothing to rush off to.
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