Wednesday, January 5, 2011
"It really is, isn't it Mommy?"
You know the song... "It's the most wonderful time of the year...with the kids jingle-belling and everyone telling you be of good cheer..." yeah, that one.
Well, Bria in the sweetest little voice, with her beautiful little smile, after starting to sing a long with that song in the car, turns to me and says, "it really is, isn't it Mommy?"
Me, who kinda wanted skip the entire holiday season all together, had to agree. She loves the lights, the smells and all the Christmas songs. She loves to buy gifts for family and friends and loves to give. She helped mommy.
We will be moving from our neighborhood soon. I took a picture of our favorite lights. Our neighbor does this every year. We always wish we could see this on the garage all year long.
Bria putting on her Christmas earrings the day of her school Christmas party. So girlie. Such a gift.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Roosevelt, Dragons and Grit
Sermon last Sunday by Ron Walters of Salem Broadcasting and former pastor, was insightful. So creative and a little quirky, which I love. Especially when you add the gospel truth and Numbers 13.
So he started out with a Teddy Roosevelt story, which is like a "you had me at hello" moment in my little world. It was the story of when Roosevelt was shot and continued with his scheduled speech - with bullet in his body.
This is the story...October 14, 1912
Before a campaign speech in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Theodore Roosevelt, the presidential candidate for the Progressive Party, is shot at close range by saloonkeeper John Schrank while greeting the public in front of the Gilpatrick Hotel. Schrank's .32-caliber bullet, aimed directly at Roosevelt's heart, failed to mortally wound the former president because its force was slowed by a glasses case and a bundle of manuscript in the breast pocket of Roosevelt's heavy coat--a manuscript containing Roosevelt's evening speech. Schrank was immediately detained and reportedly offered as his motive that "any man looking for a third term ought to be shot."
Roosevelt, who suffered only a flesh wound from the attack, went on to deliver his scheduled speech with the bullet still in his body. After a few words, the former "Rough Rider" pulled the torn and bloodstained manuscript from his breast pocket and declared, "You see, it takes more than one bullet to kill a Bull Moose." He spoke for nearly an hour and then was rushed to the hospital.
That is a strong man. I need to look up the contents of that speech, because like Mr. Walters said today, it must have been his least politically correct, I may die tomorrow element to it, which is very cool.
Notes from sermon:
Job 5:7 says, "Man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward." Job had a bio filled of trouble, dragons really. Two things got Job through his valley of dragons: his faith in a faithful God and his grit.
We all have our dragons-- unannounced, uninvited, and unwanted dragons who daily intimidate our faith with their fire-breathing roar and menacing looks. They delight in creating hardships,hoping we'll forget all about God's goodness and protection.
More times than not, these dragons are only imagined, a figment of our doubts.
The GRIT comes in the keeping our eyes off the exaggerated lies and deception of the dragon. Don't let the dragons get bigger and bigger. Make the choice to GET GRIT. Like Roosevelt, like Moses in Numbers 13.
Not exceptionally thought provoking. But I am constantly telling my boys "do hard things" ...or "man up"....now I am adding "get grit". It really does take that. Keeping eyes on God, not letting the dragons take our lives.
Get Grit.
Monday, January 3, 2011
edie
I have never met her in real life.
She is a rock star so I don't really ever plan to.
We first "met" over coffee and both liking the song "kite" by U2.
Her quirky, real, lutheran, reformed, classical self attracted me immediately.
How more than sad I was to hear of her family tragedy. Read about it here.
How amazed I am that she shows off theology and the BEST words even in the midst of it.
Edie you have blessed me many ,many times over. Sharing your home, your life, your faith, your cooking, your traditions, your books.
happy birthday my sweet friend.
learning how to die
my favorite song of 2010.....and by my favorite artist
"I'm gonna miss you
I'm gonna miss you when you're gone."
She said, "I love you,
I'm gonna miss hearing your songs."
And I said, "Please,"
Don't talk about the end
Don't talk about how every living thing
Goes away."
She said "Friend,"
all along -
thought I was learning how to take
how to bend not how to break
how to live not how to cry
but really
I've been learning how to die
I've been learning how to die."
jon foreman
and....in his own handwriting
just 'cause it's cool
Saturday, January 1, 2011
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