The Well Rounded Mama

We're Home

Well, we're home.  I wish I could say that we are all well, but in the love of irony, after trying VERY hard for three weeks to NOT get sick in India, our first day back in Indo three of us got very sick...from Pizza Hut! I wasn't feeling too well last night but I assumed it was just from being overly tired.  But then I got really sick...and then Katie came into our bed and puked all over it...and then as Jason was getting a new blanket from the girls' room he sees that Alaina, too, had been vomiting.  Lovely.  Anyway, hoping this is just the 24 hour type of sickness and after a good day of laying in bed watching videos and reading, we will be on the mend.

In any case...here are some more India photos.  Last week we took the kids into the local market.  It is really quite the experience!

The kids check out one of the meet aisles.

The boys check out the chickens (which they later chose to watch be killed!)

The butcher

This is one (of many!) vegetable stalls in the market.  The kids really wanted to know how the guy got in and out of his stall.

So he showed them his secret rope :)

And then, of course, the kids wanted to try

One of the flower stands

The guy tying the flowers.  And as usual, the little blond kids scored free stuff. 

Katie wasn't too sure what she thought of her flowers

But my little Indian Princess loved them

Next up was an aisle with tons of bamboo.  Caleb was especially excited to see a ladder "just like ours."  No surprisingly, the kids wanted to climb it.  Not surprisingly, dad said yes.

Caleb was having a hard time deciding between watching his siblings climb the bamboo ladder and watching the guy weave baskets.  He tried for a compromise.

Jason demonstrates how to work a rat trap

The home and garden section

...MORE TO COME (after we stop throwing up).

A Tree House Breakfast

It's a long weekend for us here (though I can promise you it isn't because it is Memorial Day in the States).  A long weekend means extra family time!  Friday morning, after talking with Grandma on the computer, we had a nice breakfast in the tree house. Simple pleasures.

A gorgeous morning at the house we love so much

Caleb wore his superhero cape

We ate Yummy Cinnamon Baked French Toast

Even scary crazy doll had to come in her {not so}high chair

And Levi brought his baby too, of course

Alaina wanted to make silly faces at the camera

Naturally Maggie wouldn't let herself be left out of the festivities

We chatted and ate and drank coffee

And Katie was puffing up her chest to say something

A wonderful breakfast with wonderful people.  Man, I love my life.

RADICAL

I listened to this series a month or two back. Jason is listening to it now. And we look forward to reading the book. It has played yet another part in sharpening a fuzzy vision in our hearts and minds. We refuse to waste our lives on things that will not last. We're just praying for vision, wisdom, and clarity to know how God does want us to spend our lives.

P.S.  Sorry the video embedding doesn't fit.  Click on the video to be taken to youtube

A Long Few Weeks

The past few weeks have been a little crazy, but I think the end is here.  I finished up my last big project today.  Note to self: don't let your computer crash...EVER.  And if you do, make sure you have EVERYTHING backed up.  Thankfully, in the end, not much was lost.  I had all my photos backed up (I am pretty good with those) but many of my files were not.  The Apple guys were able to restore most of it.  The only files that weren't recoverable were things that were actually lost before my computer crashed...not sure if that was due to some foreshadowing of a hard drive failure or if my two year old was playing in my office again. Anyhow, its all over now and I will be even better about backing up my files. Because that was NOT FUN.

Jason's work year is also winding down.  His last big event of the year was last Thursday (for which I made almost 300 cookies and packaged up 120 cute little cookie packs!)  Now that the craziness is over we can start thinking about SUMMER. Oh, blissful summer.  Three more weeks...I can't wait!  It will go fast though because there is a LOT to cram in the next few weeks.  Good stuff, though.  Good stuff.

This past weekend was great.  Jason took Friday off of work and so we enjoyed a three day weekend together.  It was great.  The kids have a new favorite activity: baseball.  Jason cut them a bamboo bat (how appropriate for Indonesia) and the kids have had a blast playing.  Maggie has also had a great time retrieving!

 

Have you ever seen such a cute self-dressed fielder??

 

 

And do you see little Levi making little catcher gestures??!?!
     

Today

FOR TODAY..

Outside my window...darkness   

I am thinking...how glad I am that my computer is finally back (even if I have tons of stuff to catch up on.

I am thankful for...a supportive and helpful hubby

From the learning rooms...kids are enjoying question and answer time at dinners.  Alaina is reading everywhere she goes.

From the kitchen...140 cookies made for the sports banquet...100 to go.

I am wearing...Comfy clothes.  What else?

I am creating...memories

I am going...to watch one Girlmore Girls and then bed...hopefully by 8:30!

I am reading...Too many things at once

I am hoping... to wake up with a better attitude than I go to bed with

I am hearing... nothing.  BLISS.

Around the house... Quiet, but lots of little reminders of the little people that share my house.

One of my favorite things...early bedtimes for the kids + time with the hubby at night

A few plans for the rest of the week: Dinner with staff tomorrow, sports banquet Thursday, Jason off on Friday! Catching up with work and graphic design projects in between.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

How about an oldie...since I don't have iphoto up and running yet. A year ago today.  Some things never change.

Today

Today I would really love to share photos from our weekend excursion to Malaysia, but my iMac is still in the shop and the color on my laptop (at least for Photoshop) is really messed up.  I learned very quickly last year that I can't edit on my laptop...so I will ever-so-patiently wait for my beloved iMac to return from the doctor and then I will share.  I will say, though, that we had a FABULOUS weekend.  I didn't even really want to go, but I am so glad I did.  Stepping away from every day life to spend concentrated time with the people you love is one of life's greatest pleasures.

So instead of a pretty picture recap, I'll just share this little list that I enjoy reading on other many other blogs. Taken from The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...Rain...I thought it had stopped.  But the rainy season has decided to stick around a bit longer and I wonder if life will ever be dry again.

I am thinking...that I am very excited for Jason to be home.  Two eleven hour days in a row makes me miss him so much.  Looking forward to a day off of work for him tomorrow.

I am thankful for... The opportunity to raise these four amazing kids.  Even when the days are long and hard, I am so very blessed.  I know not everyone has this opportunity and I will not wish it away.

From the learning rooms...quietness.  We have, for the most part, ended our school year.  We will start again in July. Reading and math books will continue to come out, though.  It's only been a week and I already miss it all.

From the kitchen...Indonesian chicken, rice, and kangkung.  Really looking forward to dinner.

I am wearing...My "comfy clothes."  Perfect for the cleaning and sorting that went on today.  One room down...a bunch more to go.

I am creating... Nothing.  With my computer gone, I feel like part of me is gone too. However, it has been good for me to see how much I depend on it and how much I get done in other areas of my life when I don't have it.  Sorry MacBook, I just don't love you the way I love your big sister.

I am going...to bed early tonight.  At least I hope so.

I am reading... Revolutionary Parenting by George Barna.  A truly amazing read. I read in three years ago and it did not have the same effect on me.  Back then I was in a very different parenting stage (mostly worried about feeding, sleeping, clothing, sheltering, and keeping little ones safe).  We are now into heart-shaping and God-pointing and this book is EXACTLY what I need right now. I love a book that really challenges me and makes me think and DO.

I am hoping...for some clarity in some big decisions we are trying to make. And peace in the times of waiting.

I am hearing... rain outside my window and "the littles" playing "mom and dad" with their babies in the stroller in the garage.

Around the house... A few boxes are starting to surface as we separate stuff to throw away, give away, and keep.

One of my favorite things... The cool breeze that blows when it is raining.

A few plans for the rest of the week: A family day tomorrow and then some much needed work Friday and Saturday.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...Caleb is very into setting up "surprises" for the other kids on Tuesdays (when they go into school for a class and he gets to stay home.  I thought it was sweet that yesterday he went and picked flowers for the girls' seats because, "girls like flowers." I LOVE LOVE LOVE seeing my kids caring for each other and thinking of ways to brighten another's day.   And I LOVE seeing how happy it makes them when they have done something special. It truly is more blessed to give than receive.

Mini Mid-Life Crisis

I broke down last week.  Not in tears and sobs, but more in a "what in the world am I doing in life?" sort of emotional stare.  So many questions and dreams and longings and leadings and proddings and musings over the last few months have resulted in a mind that won't quit going and a heart that keeps aching. Last week, it just all came together and I felt worn down and without a plan.  I know that the desires of my heart are just to obey, but sometimes I just stand there with a dumb look on my face asking what in the world I am supposed to be obeying.  I have felt like I am traveling without a map -- yet with such a burning passion to end up at the right place.  I have no interest in seeing what others do and measuring my progress against that standard.  I just want to do what I am supposed to be doing, where I am supposed to be doing it, and the methods I am supposed to be doing it with.  And if I am completely honest, I think my past rears its ugly head and I also just want my Daddy (big D) to be proud of me.  I never managed with that with my earthly daddy and so I know I am a little too preoccupied with "getting it right."

Thankfully, God in His wisdom let me get to this point and then gently laid His hand on my heart and calmed me down. Almost immediately I was able to go back to the things that I know are true and the ways that I know He has led me and found a renewed sense of peace and purpose.  I may not know what the days and years ahead will look like, but I was reminded of my place in those days and years and I am passionate to live up to my fullest potential. I have a LONG. WAY. TO. GO. but at least I feel like I am back on the path, being sure that while I can't see far up ahead, I can see what is right in front of me.  And so I will just take one step and wait for the light to go ahead.  

I think my mini-midlife crisis is now over. At least for this week.

It is Finished

It's 4:30 am on Good Friday. In a few hours I will head out with my family and friends for a trip to Malaysia. I don't really like the fact that Spring Break coincides with Easter.  I would rather let Easter be its own event, so that we could spend the time reflecting rather than traveling. Such is life.

I remember that as a kid, I had a love/hate relationship with Good Friday.  I hated it because it was a no T.V. day. We were not allowed to watch any television, as per my father's instructions.  I hated that.  I also hated the fact that after church on Friday evening, we weren't allowed to talk.  I remember eating dinner before church and then after church was a time for quiet reflection.  And no T.V.

The love part of it came from being in the Lutheran Church for a number of years where the Good Friday service was one of the most memorable events of the year.  I loved walking into a dark room at night, seeing the black cloth draped over the alter, and anticipating the almost-mystical service.  My favorite part was at the end of the service when the pastor, reading out of a huge Bible,  would say, "It is finished" (quoting Jesus' words) and then he would SLAM the book shut, creating an echoing sound throughout the hear-a-pin-drop silence of the sanctuary. It mesmerized me. As we drove home in silence and got ready for bed as quietly as possible, I could hear the sound of slamming Bible over and over again in my head.

As an adult I look back on those experiences and realize that they impacted me greatly.  I greatly respect my father for trying to show us the importance of Good Friday and insisting that we take one day to turn of the wretched time wasting machine and think about something other than ourselves.  I look back and realize that although I couldn't make sense of it all, I knew that something big and dark and amazing happened on Good Friday. And somehow it could be summarized with the words, "It is finished" and a large Bible being slammed shut.

And something big, dark, and amazing did happen on Good Friday.  On Good Friday, Jesus "humbled Himself and became obedient to death -- even death on a cross!"  Jesus, the one human to ever live who didn't have to be grieved by His own sin, voluntarily took all of our sin -- and all the shame that goes with it -- and endured torture so that in doing so the perfect sacrifice would be made once and for all.  And thankfully, it didn't stop there.

Three days later God raised Jesus from the dead to show -- once and for all -- that the world's most powerful force (death) was not beyond the scope of God's almighty power.  He owns the keys to death and Hades. Death could not conquer Jesus and death cannot conquer us. That is, if we believe with a genuine belief.

It's Good Friday.  And it is one of the few days that I really wish I were back in America. I wish that I could sneak into some Lutheran Church that I don't belong to and see the black fabric and the soft candles and wait expectantly for the pastor to read, "It is finished" as he slams the massive Bible shut.

__

P.S.  If you missed my summary of my reading through the Bible in 90 days, you can read it HERE.

The Bible in 90 Days

On March 31st, I finished my goal of reading through the Bible in 90 days.  It was a lot of time and effort, but it was oh-so-powerful.

Reading through scripture at this pace allows you to see the bigger picture and the recurring themes.  If you spread reading the Word out over a year (or years!), the effect of repeated commands, similar stories, and familiar warnings is lost.  You are not able to see all the connections and coherence that flow from a steady reading.  Obviously, you lack the depth of Scripture study when you read this fast, but the amazing summaries that flow from this pace are enlightening and absorbing.

My favorite part of this experience (other than my kids excitement over it) was seeing a few themes emerge and the overarching Word of the Lord cone to light.  If I had to summarize the entire Bible, I know now that Jesus had it right all along (as if it were ever in doubt).  Read this familiar passage from Matthew 22 (emphasis mine):

 ³⁴But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together.

 ³⁵One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him,

 ³⁶"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"

 ³⁷And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'

 ³⁸"This is the great and foremost commandment.

 ³⁹"The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'

 ⁴⁰"On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

The entire word of God can be summed up in those two commands.  Over and over again during my time in the Word, these two commands appeared.  He is what I read, fleshed out a little:

OLD TESTAMENT

The Old Testament is the story of the creation of Israel and God's leading them to understand that He alone is God and He alone is worthy of praise, honor, and adoration.

God continually calls His people to love and obey Him only.

Over an over again, the people ignore God's commands and warnings and forsake the blessings that would have followed.

God raises up all sorts of people to accomplish His will. He raises up the underdog and tramps down on the self-righteous.  

God often asks His people to do crazy things that neither they not their family or friends understand. The requirement is not to understand, but to obey and to trust the wisdom of God.  Think of the amazing things that would not have happened if people didn't obey (Noah's Ark, the battle of Jericho, Gideon's army...the list goes on.)  Just think what might have been if Adam and Eve had been wise enough to obey.

God allows wicked people to prosper at times so that His eternal will can be carried out.  Just because someone is being blessed with earthly good DOES NOT mean that they have God's favor (or that someone who is destitute is lacking God's favor). God raised up and "blessed" many, many wicked people to carry out his eternal purposes.  As the saying goes, "Earth is their heaven and eternity will be their hell."

God DEMANDS..expects, commands, exhorts, pleads, insists, requires...that we care for the the poor, the widows, and the orphans.  This is NOT optional.  Over and over and over again in the OT God commands that His people care for the poor and practice justice.  And over and over and over again God condemns and punishes people for not doing this.

God says that religion that is practiced out of obligation, habit, or cultural/familial expectation is abhorrent to Him. If these things do not flow out of a heart that truly loves Him and is committed to obedience (which includes caring for the poor!), it detests Him.  In Isaiah 1, for example, He says that He HATES the peoples' religious ceremonies and obligatory sacrifices. He says he will hide His face from them and close His ears to their prayers.  And then the only thing he advises them to do (inferring that this is the religion He finds beautiful) is this:

"Learn to do right!

Seek justice,

encourage the oppressed.

Defend the cause of the fatherless,

plead the case of the widow."

Isaiah 1: 17

Oh the implications for the modern day church!

THE NEW TESTAMENT

Jesus and apostles continue proclaiming God's command to care for the poor and needy and oppressed. The second greatest command is to "LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."  In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus answers the questions, "Who is my neighbor?"  It is not just the person next door or down the street. It is even the despised person from another culture. It is the person that you think someone else should help.  It is anyone other than yourself.

The NT talks a lot about believing in Jesus for salvation. And it also explains very clearly and emphatically that a genuine belief will manifest itself in good works.  And we're not just talking about going to church and avoiding bad language and reading Bible stories to our kids. Belief that leads to salvation is characterized by loving the Lord with all our hearts, minds, and souls (and therefore striving with everything in us to obey all of his commands) and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

We are NOT to store up treasures here on earth.  The earth is NOT our home and our time, energy, and resources are not to be spent on things that will not last.  Our selfish and materialistic lifestyles are not smiled upon by God.

A lifestyle of true discipleship will be characterized by struggles, persecutions, and pain.  This does not mean that we can never enjoy earthly blessings (after all, every good and perfect gift is from above), but it does mean that these are to be held onto very lightly and used for the purpose of loving and helping others. 

____

It was a powerful 90 days.  I can't wait to do it again.   And incidentally, the books that impacted me the most in this reading:

Deuteronomy, Proverbs, Isaiah, 2 Corinthians, Hebrews, James, and Revelation.

It's Not Too Much

Life in our house is busy.  It's full of life and laughter and laundry and dishes and messes and scraped knees, and school work, and cooking, and cleaning, and sword making, and reading, and sickness, and projects, and work, and broken dishes, and muddy paw prints, and lots of little people.  Oh, and lots and lots of coffee.  Probably too much coffee.

Yes, life is busy. And some days, it just seems too busy.  There are some days that seem that too many people need too many things.  I am just one person.  I have not grown octopus arms or eyes in the back of my head. I have not managed omnipresence or omniscience.  I am just human and I get tired, overwhelmed, and frustrated.  I get overlooked, go unnoticed, and often just feel invisible.  And there are those days -- like yesterday (after two straight days of Katelynn having a high fever and two straight days of Katelynn stuck to me like glue and another late day for Jason) that in desperation I just say,

"It is just TOO MUCH!"

Since I  was expecting God's loving arms to wrap around me and say "yes, dear, it is too much," imagine my surprise when God took a "I'm talking to Job type voice" and said,

"It is too much?  Who are you to decide what is too much?  Where did you agree to 'this much' and not anything more?  Where and when did you hear that this parenting thing has a time limit, a stress limit, or a 'little people crawling all over you limit?'  When did I say that your parenting job only applied when you had enough energy or nothing better to do?  Shall I set limits to the needs these precious little ones of Mine are allowed to have?  Should I never allow them to have questions, pain, or wants so that you can 'have a little down time?' Should I have you clock in and clock out to make sure that you don't have to work 'overtime'? How many hours and how much stress are you willing to overtake...because you know, I wouldn't want to overwork you."

Thankfully, I like sarcasm.  And I think God knows sarcasm speaks to me.  I could be the queen of sarcasm if...oh,  I digress.

It was not the answer to my whining that I expected.  But it was exactly what I needed.  You would think that after seven years of parenting and many, many days of being frustrated that so many parents only put in the bare minimum, that I would get this.  You would think that  I would fully understand and embrace that following God's will for my life and being obedient to Him -- which at this time in my life is putting the raising of my kids as one of my top priorities -- means completely dying to myself.  It means that these little people -- whom I have often called "my people group" -- are to be ministered to day and night with all the time, strength, and ability I can muster up.  It means giving all, even unto death (or lack of sleep, frustration, or dishpan hands.) You would think I would get it.  But apparently I'm not quite there yet.  Yesterday's whine fest (even if it was just to myself) was proof of that.

The apostles often ministered to their people groups to the point of death.  Shipwrecks, stoning, torture, persecution. They did it -- not because it was fun, or easy, or what they wanted to do --  but because they were being obedient to a Holy God in Whom they trusted completely.  They trusted that their work was not in vain and even if no one else noticed, even if no one else cared, even if no one else gave a flyin' flip what they did, they trusted that God saw and God understood, and that God would be honored. It was -- and is -- HIS glory at stake.  

I'm not dealing with being tortured or stoned or being left for poor and starving.  I'm just dealing with puppy-chewed toothbrushes, spilled milk, and a table that I could have sworn I asked to be set by someone other than me. However, I am trying to live a life in obedience to a Holy God who told me, in no uncertain terms, that it is not "too much."  There can not be too much compassion or too much wisdom or too much tenderness or too much kindness to offer these little ones.  And no matter what Caleb tells me, I can never say, "I love you" too much.

So today I embrace it...I embrace the high fevers and soiled pants and stained table and unending rain and unanswered questions and and the off-key singing and the dog that just ate all of the treat I just made and love all of those things as much as I love the extra snuggles, sweet kisses, kind words, and pretty pictures hanging on my fridge.

It is not too much.  Parenting doesn't have an end point, a limit, or a "you've done enough" quota.  It is a daily dying to self and a trust in a God Who sees what is done in secret, even unto the least of these.  No, it's not too much.  It is enough.  HE is enough.

_____

And just in case you think I don't know my Father is loving and totally wonderful, I will say this: He is. Since writing this post earlier in the day, He has blessed me with TWO different hour-long stretches of time alone. I got to have my Bible reading during one (which then allows me to use the time after the kids go to bed to be with the hubby) and then later I got to do dishes in total peace with my Hymns album blasting.  It may not seem like much...but getting to wash ALL the dishes without having to turn off the water or my music ONCE is a very, very rare occurrence.  And, strange as I am, I actually enjoy handwashing dishes.  Once I gave up my whining and complaining spirit I was blessed with small things that made a big difference.  He is so good to me.