All 10 Popes

 When my children are grown and my hands are wrinkled and smattered with sun patches, what will matter? What is it that I'm leaving behind? Right now, even now, I'm leaving a mark on this vapor of a life that has been given to me.  It is easy to feel like to make a difference, to really have any sort of a legacy that you must be doing something. I often ask myself, "What am I doing?"  Here's the answer for today, 26 Aug, 2011: wake after an ENTIRE nights sleep (the first Gideon's slept through..yaaahhhooooo), corral these 4, eat...something (pretty sure it was Nutella and toast), scurry out the door for an appointment at the housing office (jealous aren't you?), come home and try not to freak out because our preinspection is next Friday (ick!), clean...and clean some more (all those places you clean only once a season), clean up a mess on the carpet which involved a diaperless baby...oops, clean the baby in the tub and then the tub, morning...

To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. ~Psalm 30:12 241. challenging books 242. a little boy and his new boots 243. listening to Justin share the truth with little ears and hearts, not avoiding the depth; always ready to discuss the hard things 244. time with sweet friends 245. a gift: dishes washed...thanks Michelle 246. newly knitted snow hats; a labor of love 247. birthday cards with written with kind words 248. start of a new year of learning with our kids 249. seeing Jordynn's eyes light up when she put those lovely hats on her dolls 250. running errands with my love 251. Christ: sustainer 

"I don't WANT to be thankful!" This is my exact thought late this afternoon whilst scrubbing the dishes...so many dishes that they all won't be able to fit into the dishwasher. Overflowing the dishes are everywhere, from last night..perhaps even the night before? "Haven't I told them at least a hundred, no a thousand times to use the SAME cup?" There are at least ten cups on my counter, in my sink, every where around the house and I don't WANT to be thankful. I want to wallow in self pity. I want to feel sorry for myself, to think that I'll never get my act together, that this mess just will always be that: a mess! This is me. This is me throwing a tantrum. This is me throwing my first tantrum in year 29 of my life (it's only day 5 of this 29th year...it could be a long one). ;)  I cannot be discontent AND thankful at the very same time. I know this! Right then, I'm choosing discontent. Like a child I have dug my heels into the floor an...

In a world where African babies go hungry, leaders fail us, and everything else seems to be crumbling around us, is there even much to give thanks about? Sometimes it feels a bit trite, and even condescending to those who are in much harsher conditions, but perhaps giving thanks where we're at can give a glimpse of the fullness of God's blessing and remind us that there is MORE to be thankful for especially when life is hard because in the grand scheme of things what really is too hard for the Lord?! "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."  Psalm 107:1 193. children with full bellies 194.bowling with friends 195. walking with the kids 196. 3 days of supposed to be rain....then....little rain while camping; answered prayer 197. safe travels: to Garmisch 198. makeshift campfires 199. smores 200. hot tubs 201. dirty/stinky feet 202. marshmallow fights 203. loud laughter with friends 204. listening to oldies, bu...

At what point do we become people of fear? When do our shrieks of adventure turn to trepidatious caution? I've been mulling this over in my mind since our recent trip to Garmisch, Germany where we spent 3 nights camping with friends. When did I become so fearful? When does fear spill over into control and control over to discontent? Just as a disclaimer, I'm not speaking of "throwing caution to the wind" or not considering consequences of our choices. It's just that I look at my kids. I try to see things through their newer eyes; eyes that don't see through hurts, life scrapes and trials, only through what they know to be true. What is it that they know to be true that I tend to forget? I watch a girl run around in the dark woods with friends. No flashlight in hand, just a smile on her face and a giggle in her deep brown eyes. All I can think is, "Someone is going to get hurt, someone is going to trip over themselves and get REALLY hurt." No one ...