Answered prayers

I just wanted to thank everyone who prayed for my little nephew over these past few weeks.  My sister called me today with a glowing report from his GI doctor.  Liam is truly a testimony to God's grace!  For those of you who don't know, he was hospitalized for several days with the rotavirus.  In a child this small, that can be deadly.  God has not only sustained Liam, but my sister as well.  It was a grueling process of poking and prodding as they tested him for all manner of illnesses before reaching a diagnosis.  Please continue to keep him in your prayers as he grows and develops.  He is such a blessing from the Lord and we are all so thankful for him!

Just because...

You can never have too many pictures of the cutest children that ever lived, can you?  I'm not biased or anything.

Chatternoogy

It's been a busy travel month for our family.  We went to see my sister and her family in Chattanooga twice during September.  We had a great time going to the aquarium, the fountains at Coolidge Park, and the river walk.  The most fun of all was just being together, which we don't get to do as often as we'd like.  The kids love their cousins!  These are a few of my favorite pictures for our trips.

Tumbling Boy!

Harry started his new tumbling class this week.  He was so cute.  Most of the kids were a little nervous to get on the trampoline, but not Harry!  He was fearless in all of the activities of the day (which made me extremely nervous!).  He jumped from the blocks, rolled down the incline, bounced on the trampoline, walked the balance beam (all by himself), and ran around in the parachute "tent".  It was a lot of fun--especially watching him grow and develop.  He really is getting big.  I can't believe that he will be 3 soon!  It was a little hard to get him to stand still long enough to get good pictures, but hopefully there will be better ones over the following weeks.  The last picture really gives you a sense of the intensity and focus with which he works on his gymnastic skills...

Hannah's first day!

Hannah had her first day of preschool yesterday, and I was surprised how smoothly it went.  She was very excited when she woke up.  We got dressed and took plenty of pictures (of course).  When we got to the school, she went right up to her room, found and flipped over her attendance card, and walked right in.  I had to grab her to get a kiss!  I was surprised at myself as well.  I only got teared up twice!  Seeing her so confident and excited was really a blessing to my heart.  Ken and I then took Harris out to breakfast--realizing that this was the first time we had ever both gone somewhere with just him.  It was really fun!  He was very excited to have both of our undivided attention.  When we picked Hannah up later, she was full of stories of books they read, children she played with, and fun things they did.  I think preschool might just work for us! :)  Thanks for your prayers!  We are looking forward to a fun-filled school year. 

Go Bucks!

When my dad came into town this past weekend for an OSU game, we all went with him to campus.  It was so fun to see him in his element--touring the campus he loves and telling us little stories here and there about the memories he made during his college years.  It's fun to find out what your parent's life was like before you existed--the experiences that helped to shape them into the person they have become.  I have always felt that my dad was born a "grown-up", and that he always knew what he was doing and where he was going.  He has always been mature and sober-minded in my eyes.  It was so interesting to hear about the turmoil of his college experience: he worked his way through school, keeping up good grades while all the time wondering if he would be shipped off to Vietnam.  He was never really certain what the future held for him.  I can't imagine the pressure that he felt, and I am very thankful that my college experience was quite different.  It makes me thankful for all of the men and women who have served and are serving our country to ensure that our young men and women can go to school and enjoy being young.  I'm thankful for the time I was able to spend with my dad this weekend.  I look forward to many more tours of his hometown!  

Hannah's Open House

Hannah had the chance to explore her new room and meet her teachers before classes start on Monday.  I was a little nervous that she would feel too shy to play with the others or interact with the teachers, but she did great!  I practically had to drag her out of there!  We were the last to leave.  She really enjoyed exploring the science center, dramatic play (fancy name for dress-up), and the art and writing centers.  She was so cute to watch.  I think she will really enjoy her new class.  Harris was going to go with us, but he decided to do a little "dramatic play" of his own right before we left.  He got ahold of my razor and "shaved" his chin.  He cut his lip and we couldn't get it to stop bleeding.  He had to stay home with Daddy.  That would have been a nice first impression, bringing a kid in a bloody shirt!  Ken got the bleeding to stop not long after we left, so all was well.  We are all looking forward to Hannah's first day of school!  

Confession of a Microwave Christian

While visiting my sister over Labor Day weekend, we attended church at New City Fellowship.  The worship was incredible--it lasted for over an hour and included songs in three different languages.  It was such a wonderful picture of what Heaven will be like, when people from every nation and every tongue will gather around the Lamb to sing His praises.  Then we heard a very convicting sermon from Pastor Imbumi who is visiting the U.S. from Nairobi, Kenya.  He has spent the last 10 years of his life ministering in the largest slum in Kenya, living and working in deplorable conditions of violence, crime, poverty and hate.  I sat there wondering how a person could give their life to such a place, one in which they labor and labor and see such little impact (relatively speaking).  How would you fight against discouragement and despair?  As He spoke of His love for Christ and His heart for his fellow Kenyans, I began to understand.  Pastor Imbumi reminded us that God is not in the business of "microwave Christianity".  As sinful human beings (especially Western-minded people), we want to see instant results to our work, prayers and investments (an entire meal ready in less than 5 mins.).  If God does not "answer" our prayers immediately, the fault is not with us, it is with Him.  If we labor and labor and see little to no results, we believe it is because God failed to act.  I can see this mindset in my own life.  I get frustrated if Harris isn't potty-trained in a week.  I grow aggravated with people who "can't seem to just get it together" after being given a few chances (everyone except me, that is).  I want to be 100% debt free with out having to sacrifice and change my spending habits.  I want to lose 10 lbs. and still eat cheesecake.  I want fast results, and if I don't get them I will blame somebody!  Pastor Imbumi has a peace in his soul and a patience in his manner that I would love to possess.  He realizes that he serves a big God, one who is able to work without our limitations of time and space.  I had a liberating "Aha!" moment (that and I had been in church for almost 2 hours, which is a record for me).  I may labor my whole life planting what someone else will harvest.  Should that discourage me?  No!  I am realizing that the joy is not only in the end result, but in the process as well.  By all of this waiting and seeming "failure", God is producing in me a patience and godliness that could not be obtained in any other way.  He has spent all of eternity planning His Kingdom and putting that plan into motion.  He uses all of our stories to weave together to make one great tapestry--one man's "failure" is another man's harvest.  I think that eventually we realize that there is no failure in the Father's plan.  His timing is not ours, and it is perfect.   I long to be a godly woman whose life makes an impact, which means I will have to struggle and work.  The great news is this:  I am simply following the One who made this path possible for me.  He will work in me and through me to accomplish His purposes for His Kingdom.  His blood has opened up the doorways and windows of Heaven to me, and if I listen long enough I can hear that the singing has already begun.  He has won the war against sin and death, and what I experience here is nothing compared to the glory that He has for me in Eternity.  To be in His presence will be more than enough.  Thank you, Pastor Imbumi, for the wonderful reminder that we are all working towards the same goal.  May God bless you with His Presence in your labors.