Uh... we had gift cards. And, we still have gift cards, even though we caused the place to run out of chocolate ice cream!
L.
Happiest Place on Earth
Saturday, April 26, 2014
What Kind of People...
... take their kids to Cold Stone Creamery and say, "Get whatever you want"!
Uh... we had gift cards. And, we still have gift cards, even though we caused the place to run out of chocolate ice cream!
Yum...
L.
Uh... we had gift cards. And, we still have gift cards, even though we caused the place to run out of chocolate ice cream!
L.
Friday, April 25, 2014
We Are Amazingly Blessed...
... to have a group of people who really care about children's ministry and plan fun events!
You don't stop to think about this, too much, until you have found yourself in situation after situation where you are the one in charge without enough help, resources, etc. But these people are awesome! A huge shout out to Amy, Deb, Rachel, Dana, all the parents and teens who helped to pull off this camp-in... the list goes on and on. And all I had to do was drive and snap a few pics!
Caleb, Ian, and I left around 1:30am, because S & G have quiz practice in the morning, but it sure was a whole lot of fun!
L.
You don't stop to think about this, too much, until you have found yourself in situation after situation where you are the one in charge without enough help, resources, etc. But these people are awesome! A huge shout out to Amy, Deb, Rachel, Dana, all the parents and teens who helped to pull off this camp-in... the list goes on and on. And all I had to do was drive and snap a few pics!
Caleb, Ian, and I left around 1:30am, because S & G have quiz practice in the morning, but it sure was a whole lot of fun!
Can you imagine how long it took to blow up these balloons!
The Kid and Teen Crew:
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Sometimes, You Just Need a Break...
... I think this is the first time ever that I wished that Pastors and Spouses Retreat would last one more day!
And it didn't have all that much to do with the way we were tricked into climbing a huge sand dune:
And it didn't have all that much to do with the way we were tricked into climbing a huge sand dune:
Or even the whirlpool bath and complimentary Lavender Mint shampoo (although those were nice!)
Mostly, it's just that I love this guy... and I cherish the times we have alone, together:
L.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Look Who Loves...
... to help with the laundry!
I am so impressed with this girl! She is an excellent little helper!
L.
I am so impressed with this girl! She is an excellent little helper!
L.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
And Now We Celebrate...
... Easter!
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Everything hangs on this. May we be more like Jesus everyday.
L.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Everything hangs on this. May we be more like Jesus everyday.
L.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
There's Just Something About...
... that first Spring day at the park.
Can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be...
L.
Can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be...
Friday, April 18, 2014
Do We Skip Ahead, Too Quickly...
... to Easter?
We call it "Good Friday", but I don't think very many of us feel "good" about it.
Matthew 26:29 has been on my mind, "Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will'" (NIV).
None of us wants to suffer or die. Even Jesus, himself, asks God to take the cup from him, if it is possible. But, of course, it is not... not if we really want redemption for a fallen world. And that, after all, is why Jesus came.
Still, there is anguish in this. Jesus falls to his face on the ground! We can easily forget that Jesus is as completely human as he is completely divine. I think that, maybe, we see this most clearly in the Passion. Jesus is hurting. And somehow, even though he knows the resurrection to be true, he is not thinking about it when he hangs, dying, on the cross.
In fact, as Jesus takes his final breath, he is seemingly doubting the plan: "From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)... And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit" (Matthew 27: 45, 46, 50, NIV). And that's it. It is finished. Done. Over.
As Christians, I think we skim over this part of the story. We question the sincerity of people who have doubts, of people who wonder where God is when they're suffering, of people who question why they have been forsaken or why life (and death) are so hard. And when we do this, I think we miss the point.
God doesn't call us to live behind a facade, pretending that everything is OK, because we have faith. Faith is something more than that. Faith is pressing ahead and accepting God's will, God's plan, even when it doesn't make sense and even when it hurts. I don't think that most of us have a clue what Jesus means when he says, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24, NIV).
I think sometimes... sometimes... we take up a cross, but it is rarely in connection with self-denial. In fact, it is often the exact opposite. Our "crosses" are usually all the trivial things that are happening in our lives that just aren't fair. We complain... and argue... and pout. I can't find the self-denial in that.
But really, the cross is death. I recognize that this isn't nearly as attractive as the resurrection, but it must precede it. And, for the most part, we aren't called to a physical death but to death to ourselves... our desires... our dreams... our plans. And most of us don't want to let go of those. We just don't. But the hope in this is that when we examine the Passion, we find that Jesus doesn't really want to let go of those either. He begs the Father to change the plan. He pleads for His life. He wonders why God has left him to die.
But this is the key. Even though it might not be what Jesus wants, he trusts His Father enough to do it anyway. And... you know... the Father does come through. But let's not get ahead of the story this time around. Let's take today... and tomorrow... to consider the time that Jesus' body lay in the tomb, dead. Let's consider how we might die to ourselves, because we can't have resurrection without death.
L.
PS I often find music to be helpful in my spiritual formation. The following songs might be useful as you meditate on what it means to accept God's will, to take up your cross, even when we don't quite understand it:
Sidewalk Prophets - Help Me Find It
Rend Collective Experiment - Broken Bread
We call it "Good Friday", but I don't think very many of us feel "good" about it.
Matthew 26:29 has been on my mind, "Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will'" (NIV).
None of us wants to suffer or die. Even Jesus, himself, asks God to take the cup from him, if it is possible. But, of course, it is not... not if we really want redemption for a fallen world. And that, after all, is why Jesus came.
Still, there is anguish in this. Jesus falls to his face on the ground! We can easily forget that Jesus is as completely human as he is completely divine. I think that, maybe, we see this most clearly in the Passion. Jesus is hurting. And somehow, even though he knows the resurrection to be true, he is not thinking about it when he hangs, dying, on the cross.
In fact, as Jesus takes his final breath, he is seemingly doubting the plan: "From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)... And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit" (Matthew 27: 45, 46, 50, NIV). And that's it. It is finished. Done. Over.
As Christians, I think we skim over this part of the story. We question the sincerity of people who have doubts, of people who wonder where God is when they're suffering, of people who question why they have been forsaken or why life (and death) are so hard. And when we do this, I think we miss the point.
God doesn't call us to live behind a facade, pretending that everything is OK, because we have faith. Faith is something more than that. Faith is pressing ahead and accepting God's will, God's plan, even when it doesn't make sense and even when it hurts. I don't think that most of us have a clue what Jesus means when he says, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24, NIV).
I think sometimes... sometimes... we take up a cross, but it is rarely in connection with self-denial. In fact, it is often the exact opposite. Our "crosses" are usually all the trivial things that are happening in our lives that just aren't fair. We complain... and argue... and pout. I can't find the self-denial in that.
But really, the cross is death. I recognize that this isn't nearly as attractive as the resurrection, but it must precede it. And, for the most part, we aren't called to a physical death but to death to ourselves... our desires... our dreams... our plans. And most of us don't want to let go of those. We just don't. But the hope in this is that when we examine the Passion, we find that Jesus doesn't really want to let go of those either. He begs the Father to change the plan. He pleads for His life. He wonders why God has left him to die.
But this is the key. Even though it might not be what Jesus wants, he trusts His Father enough to do it anyway. And... you know... the Father does come through. But let's not get ahead of the story this time around. Let's take today... and tomorrow... to consider the time that Jesus' body lay in the tomb, dead. Let's consider how we might die to ourselves, because we can't have resurrection without death.
L.
PS I often find music to be helpful in my spiritual formation. The following songs might be useful as you meditate on what it means to accept God's will, to take up your cross, even when we don't quite understand it:
Sidewalk Prophets - Help Me Find It
Rend Collective Experiment - Broken Bread
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
End of an Era...
We spent a lot of hours at this music studio. This year, we "commuted" once a month to keep some consistency for our kids during this transition in our lives. This allowed Caleb to finish the keyboard class with his friends that he has been with since he started preschool music at age 4. It also allowed Ian to finish the early childhood Musikgarten program. And Miah got one more year in with her friends, as well. This has been the hardest part of our life to let go. But if there's one thing I've learned, it's that sometimes you just don't have to. There is no rule that you have to make a clean break. I fully believe that God allows our paths to cross with people and places, and sometimes those people and places become a part of us that lasts. I love that.
Miah's Last Preschool Music Class:
Dancing with Mrs. Spahr:
Mrs. Spahr, Miah, Owen, Rocket, and Felicity:
I have no idea why Miah felt the need
to hold Owen back by the neck!
Ian Waiting for His Last Class:
Mr. Banjo...
My Kids Have a Love-Hate Relationship with this Song:
We sure do love these people! I'm feeling thankful that we live in the digital age and can keep in touch regularly!
L.
Friday, April 4, 2014
Car Wash...
So, I'm just going to put it out there. My kids had never been to an automatic car wash. Now, the truth is, we experienced about the most pathetic automatic car wash ever, today, but Grace's reaction was priceless, anyway...
Phil and I might have sung the car wash song while this was going on. Admittedly, I now feel the need to take her to a good car wash...
L.
PS I loved going to the car wash when I was a kid... I know... I know... easily amused...
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