Song for Sunday: Kingdom Coming

Wow! Today at our church, 74 children were sponsored through Compassion International! I am absolutely thrilled at the response from my church family. Shaun Groves led worship and shared about the ministry of Compassion, and he sang this song. I hope the lyrics are right, I googled them.

Kingdom Coming
by Shaun Groves

Oh, God what do we see and hear
Your kingdom coming
Oh, God why do we bleed and fear
Your kingdom coming

Let it come in us
Let it come through us-

‘Til the sword is spared
And the bread is shared
‘Til the dying’s done
Let your kingdom come
‘Til the rich ones give
And the poor ones live
‘Til the weak are strong
Let your kingdom come

Oh, God what do we pray down here
Your kingdom coming
Oh, God why do we slave through tears
Your kingdom coming

Let it come in us
Let it come through us-

Oh, God what do we pray down here
Your kingdom coming

Your mercy come
Your justice come
Your will be done through us on earth
Your healing come
Your peace will come
Your will be done through us on earth

This song is available to download for free by clicking on the widget below, or by going to this site. Be sure to check out the video of Shaun sharing a little more about what it means to be a part of the kingdom of God.

John and I were fortunate to have lunch with Shaun and his manager, Ben (who was a blast from my past from college days when I worked at Camp Cedarmore) and our music minister's family. He has a great blog (or Shlog) on his website as well. Check out this post from a while back about Kingdom Coming and see the first draft. And, as always, if you want to sponsor a child through Compassion, check out the widget to the right or just click here.

Happy Birthday, Little Sister!

I know in the last post I said I'd be writing next time about expectations, frustration, gratitude and such. I'm not. Well, I suppose I am a little bit, because you expected that post but now you'll just have to deal with the frustration and be grateful that I am posting at all. Seriously, though, I do have a long, thoughtful post bouncing around in my brain, but not much of it has made it anywhere else yet. Things have been a bit hectic- not only have I started back to work this week (part-time) but I've also been gearing up for Little Sister's birthday. My little baby is one! Can you believe it?! I figured since she won't stop growing up so fast, I'd just embrace it and treat her like a big kid- starting with breakfast:

By the way, I thought this would be a good indicator as to how she would do with her birthday cake. I seriously underestimated her. Hang on, those pictures are coming.

First, we decided to celebrate by having a fun day out as a family, starting out with a visit to the zoo. Big Sister still had never been to the zoo, and since Daddy was off work it was the perfect time to go. We had a wonderful time. After we saw all of the animals, the girls rode on the carousel. Big Sister rode all by herself on a tiger that moved up & down- she was quite proud of herself. Little Sister sat in this little Panda seat on the floor. I sat right next to her because I was worried she'd try to crawl out, but she sat so still, just holding on to its leg. At one point she just looked at me and grinned, and I could tell she thought she was BIG STUFF.

After the zoo, we had lunch downtown and walked around in a few shops. I wanted to get Little Sister a towel like Big Sister has- a big thirsty hooded towel that she could use for several years. Big Sister's came from YikesTwins as a baby gift from my great aunt Teddy. I had heard that one of the shops near the river carried these towels, and I wanted to let Little Sis choose one. They are pretty expensive, but Big Sister's is so thick and thirsty and snuggly, and it has held up really well. As it turned out, we didn't find exactly what we were looking for, but we ended up in a cute boutique where they had a funky butterfly towel. At first I wasn't convinced, but when Little Sister giggled upon first sight of it, I warmed up pretty quickly. The best part? It was on sale! We snatched it up, along with a new Folkmanis butterfly finger puppet for Hannah (if you don't know why I'm mentioning that, check out the previous post. How weird that it was on display right next to the register in a store we just happened into today?) and then we headed home. Both girls were asleep before we merged onto the highway!

After naptime and some final preparations, we had our own little family birthday party, complete with Little Sister's birthday cake experience:

Is that not the best? Definitely my favorite moment of the evening! But she wasn't finished yet...

She made a MESS! After her tummy was full and the cake-squeezing glee had died down, she actually started to fuss because she didn't like being covered in cream cheese frosting and sitting in cake crumbs. Daddy carted her upstairs to the bathtub while I enlisted some help with the cleanup:

Yes, I really did let the dogs lick the high chair tray. But don't worry, I scrubbed it afterward.

Now that the mess is all cleaned up, the girls are in bed, and the cake pictures are edited and posted, I'm going to go through a few other photos. I'm going to take a few minutes to try and figure out what happened to the last year. It seems like just yesterday I was doing handstands in the YMCA pool, wearing my tent-like maternity bathing suit, trying to get that little stinker to flip. Surely it was not a year ago that Little Sister (who never did flip and came into the world breech, via c-section) made her grand entrance into our lives. I can still see her tiny, perfect face peeking out of that perfectly wrapped baby-cocoon as she laid in the incubator next to my bed. A little later, maybe tomorrow, I'll post my birthday letter for her. This year has been a whirlwind, and I want to be sure to savor the sweetness of it all- even more than my Little Sister and that cake!

Oh yeah, one more thing. I just wanted to say that if I don't get my birthday reflections posted soon, if it takes me three or four more days to get to that previously mentioned post about frustration (which, to give you a teaser, will include my thoughts on a very popular reality show premier I saw recently) please forgive me. With trying to catch up on housework after being out of town, birthday preparations, adjusting to work/camp schedules, etc. I'm worn out and may need a few days to just hang out. Kind of like this guy we saw at the zoo!

No, this was not mid-flip or anything. This guy, whom I was later told is named Bandit, pretty much laid like this, soaking up the sun, for the entire time we walked through his and neighboring exhibits. He was so still, in fact, that I asked someone if he was ok. They assured me that he was, that it was actually a good thing because he is getting older and having a hard time and isn't often found enjoying the sunshine, and I sensed in their voice the same sort of envy I was beginning to feel... Move over, Bandit!

"That won't fix the problem!"

Just a little while ago, while I was uploading the pictures for the last post, Sophie decided to have a snack. Unfortunately, she decided (once again) to munch on one of Big Sister's toys. You would think at this point there wouldn't be toys within reach of the dog, either because 1) we would all have learned our lesson and kept things off of the floor or 2) there would be no toys left after Sophie finally had her fill. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. Most days the dog is content to play with her toys, but every once in a while she feels a little cooped up, or tired, or bored, or just ornery (is that really how you spell that?!) and another toy bites the dust. Today it was a cute little butterfly finger puppet Big Sister got in a kids meal a long time ago. The worst part is that Sophie was happily munching away on the monarch right behind me and I was clueless. It was Big Sister who discovered what was going on. She said, "ew, Sophie's eatting--" and then her tone changed as she realized what it was "--MY BUTTERFLY! OOOOH SOPHIE!!!" And she burst into tears.

I felt helpless to fix the situation; there was really nothing left of the butterfly to salvage, and punishing Sophie wouldn't help (and didn't seem fair since we keep leaving these temptations out for her, anyway) so I didn't know what to do. I at least wanted to help Big Sister deal with it, so I scooped her up, held her & apologized, and then I tried to offer her a (silly) solution. "I'm frustrated too," I said. "Do you want to go into the other room and punch a couch pillow? Go grab one while I pick up the pieces." I sent her into the living room while I picked up handfuls of wings & stuffing and headed for the trash can. On my way, I could hear Big Sis crying, saying something to me that I just couldn't quite make out. As I got into the living room, I finally heard what she was saying. She stood there, holding one of my throw pillows (which, on an interesting sidenote, has also been recently chewed up by the dog) and said, "but that won't fix the problem!"

She was right. And so wise. I sat down with her on the couch and held her while she cried. I told her something she was already starting to realize- that some things can't be fixed, not even by creative mommies or strong daddies. Some things can't be replaced, even with the modern day marvel of ebay. Sometimes you just have to pause for an appropriate amount of grieving time (for a stuffed butterfly it should be relatively short) and then try to move on.

As a mom, I spend a lot of my time trying to find healthy ways to deal with or channel my frustration. But I was reminded today that being frustrated won't solve anything. Even venting frustration won't solve anything- not really. I realized that sometimes I can become so frustrated about a problem that the frustration itself becomes the problem; if I can't fix it, I at least need to find a way to deal with it. But maybe that is just an attempt at fooling myself into thinking I've fixed things. Maybe I'm just in denial about how much of life is really beyond my ability to fix. Out of my hands. Above my pay grade (as a hero of mine said not long ago). Maybe if I weren't so attached to my own expectations and abilities, not to mention my stuff, there would be less frustration in the first place. (I'll be writing more about this tomorrow, so stay tuned...)

As I held Big Sister, she asked if we could cuddle together and watch a video. When I asked if that would help her feel better, she replied, "We'll see." I like that. She wasn't expecting a miracle from our movie, but she held a hope that maybe it would cheer her up. I don't know about her, but it worked wonders for me. I think I could use a lot more almost-four-year-old wisdom.




By the way, I am still debating whether to replace the butterfly. A part of me feels that might take away from the life-lesson we learned today. But if I do replace it, or if anyone in my family is wondering what to get Big Sister for her birthday, I'm thinking about an upgrade. Isn't it cute?

Weekend in Cincy

Last weekend, the girls and I traveled up to Cincinnati to see my family. It was the first time I have ever traveled with the girls by myself, and I am actually very proud of myself! Somehow we managed to make it in fairly good time without forgetting anything major or losing our minds. Big Sister was a great helper. The only real problem we encountered was a lot of rain on the way back down, but with lots of prayers and the calm of my Chris Rice cd, we made it safely back home.

It was a wonderful visit; not only did we get to spend time with Nana & Papa, but we also visited with lots of family at a cookout on Saturday. It was an "unofficial" birthday party for Little Sister- meaning I couldn't really call it a birthday party because DaddyClay wasn't with us and couldn't stand the thought of missing it. We missed him, but there were 40 people to help fill the void. So, for my husband who missed it, and anyone else who might like to experience it, here are some pictures from our weekend.

Remembering & Honoring

After that last post, you might think I'm anti-Memorial Day. You would be wrong. I am very thankful for the men and women who have spent time in service to our country- especially those friends and relatives of ours. Because of their bravery and honor, I can tuck my children into their beds safely tonight. Many of them gave up being able to do that- and lots of other special things moms & dads do- to travel far away from their families. It is amazing to me how much military families sacrifice; I can't imagine trying to raise my girls by myself while worrying about my husband fighting halfway across the world. Or even harder to imagine: being halfway across the world while my family worried about me and my kids grew up without me. And of course, there are those who make the ultimate sacrifice and give their lives, leaving their families with cause for both pain and pride. Today my prayers are for all of these families.

Song for Sunday - My Allegiance

I might get in trouble for this one, but I didn't write it. After all, "I am just a mockingbird. I've got no new songs to sing*." I am guessing that several of us attended worship services today that focused a lot (of not all) of the service on Memorial Day. I've got mixed feelings about that. I fully believe that as believers, we invite God into every aspect of our lives. I believe God answers prayers and that He invites us to cast our cares upon Him, including prayers for loved ones serving our country. However, I am not a fan of worship services that focus more on country than on Christ. I love this country, and I love patriotic celebrations. Just not when I'm supposed to be in a worship gathering.

A King and A Kingdom by Derek Webb

Who's your brother, who's your sister
You just walked passed him
I think you missed her
As we're all migrating to the place where our father lives
'Cause we married in to a family of immigrants

My first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man
My first allegiance is not to democracy or blood
It's to a king & a kingdom

There are two great lies that I've heard:
"the day you eat of the fruit of that tree, you will not surely die"
And that Jesus Christ was a white, middle-class republican
And if you wanna be saved you have to learn to be like Him

But nothing unifies like a common enemy
And we've got one, sure as hell
But he may be living in your house
He may be raising up your kids
He may be sleeping with your wife
Oh no, he may not look like you think

My first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man
My first allegiance is not to democracy or blood
It's to a king & a kingdom

*This is a line from the title track off of the same Derek Webb album. It's an amazing album- a little different from his Caedmon's Call days, but just as challenging.

It feels like spring!

Outside tonight was a perfect evening with gorgeous spring weather (as opposed to oppressive summer temps we've been having here already.) Our original agenda was to spend it at the ball fields watching Daddy's team play, but our recent transportation woes called for a change in plans. So after dinner, I made sure the girls had socks & sleeves (I'm pretty sure we hadn't had to worry about that in the evening since February!) and we headed to the backyard. John just hung some new swings- a baby swing for Little Sis and a cozier seat for Big Sister because she has literally slid right off of the hard seated swings that came with the set. I also shared with Big Sister her first taste of honeysuckle nectar- and thought back to days playing outside in the overgrown yard next to my cousins' house, where we would pick honeysuckle flowers and excitedly pull them apart to find a tiny drop of sweetness. We were addicts, and I think Big Sister has the gene! Here are some pictures I took while we were out there. I didn't want to forget this crisp, magical spring night.

Song for Sunday- for life, love and loss

One of the youth at church sang this song last night. It struck a chord with me because it seems like a lot of people around me are dealing with hardships, grief and loss. You really need to hear it to get the full effect, so check out the video below.

Chris Rice - Untitled Hymn (Come To Jesus) Lyrics

Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!

Now your burden's lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!

And like a newborn baby
Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall...so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!

Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!

O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside, then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!

And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!

Yard Sale

Today we had our second yard sale. We tried last week but had to stop at about 11 because it started to rain. Last time, the whole family spent the night at Chad & Hope's house, and Hope & I stayed up late pricing & setting up. Then we got up early to start- our first shoppers came before 7 AM! Needless to say, I was pretty tired. The girls didn't sleep so well either. At about midnight, Big Sister was laying on the couch watching Noggin. She just couldn't settle in to sleep- I don't know if she was afraid or just energized by the new sleep surroundings. Little Sister slept okay at first, but then she woke up as we were all going to bed (around 3) and had to sleep in the bed with me. That meant that when I woke up at 5:30, so did she. I've had a couple of crabby kids at my house, trying to recover from the yard sale. But that day was worth it- we sold our old guest room furniture and lots of other stuff. The total for the half-day was around $275. Not too shabby.

This time, we didn't stay up all night. Everything was still set up, so I just headed over early to help Hope pull the tables out and get started. Daddy stayed home to let the girls wake up on their own schedule. It was a lot easier without the munchkins to entertain. The rain held off, but I think the threat of bad weather kept some shoppers away. We sold some more stuff, but after a longer day, we only made about $150. Poor Hope had even less success. I still think it was worth it, at least for us. It was a lot of hard work though, and I don't think I want to do it again anytime soon!

Our next big job will be converting the guest room into a playroom/den. We've got a futon to put in there so guests will still have a comfy place to sleep, but I am hoping this will keep toys from overflowing in my living room and give Little Sister a safer place to roam. Plus, we will (hopefully) have a place to keep art supplies and my sewing machine. I went to bed bath & beyond right after the yard sale and picked out a new futon cover, a throw pillow, some prints, and some storage containers. A lot of it was on sale & I was able to use two coupons, so I felt pretty good about my purchases. They don't look like they match in this picture, but when you actually see them, they go together pretty well.

Now, I just have to clean out the room, pick out a paint color, and get cracking!

This is what you get when your kid starts crawling...

... not that I'm complaining! I'm thrilled that Little Sister is finally mobile.


The dogs, not so much.