Moonwalker meets Legoman

Sometimes being a part of a family is hard. Our eight year old son received a 1758 piece Star Wars lego kit for Christmas that is designed for ages fourteen and up. Although we had some reservations that the kit would cause great frustration for him, we were pleasantly surprised when he sat for hours for two days working on the creation. Working on the creation on the floor, I should say. Big mistake.
On day two of the construction phase, a tiny dancer decided to stop twirling long enough to break into a backwards moving moonwalk. Upon meeting the Lego creation, she stepped not once, but twice upon it, then tumbled backwards and sat fully on it. The look of horror on my son's face was evident. Our daughter cried and apologized, and our son was able to mutter, "I forgive you." But when the shock wore off and the reality of the challenge of piecing it back together with no instruction manual set in, only tears could come. He went off to his room. When my husband suggested that he might need some Mama love, I tried to go up and talk with him. (What was he thinking? Boys are not interested in talking!) I gave him a hug and tried not to be offended when he asked if I would please leave. I prayed for God to console him since I could not, and he eventually came down and returned to the task of picking up the broken pieces.

Sometimes being in a family, living in such close proximity to other temperaments can be a challenge. I have been keeping a prayer log for each family member this year at the advice of a mentor mom at our church. She recommended recording the journey of family life through the lens of prayer. Then, at some appropriate time, say high school graduation, the child would have the gift of knowing how God had interacted in their lives the whole way through. I don't know if I will make it the whole way through, but yesterday's prayer for our family was taken from Colossians 3:15. Let the PEACE of Christ rule in you, and be thankful.

May we be thankful for one another, even when one of us moonwalks into our Legos.

Oh hush the noise, ye men of strife and hear the angels sing

Sometimes at Christmas, I love to read the words of carols, to help their meaning sink deep within my busy heart. Sometimes I'll be listening...in the car to the radio, on Pandora on the itouch, buying groceries, at the gym...and one line will stand out from all others.

This season it has been a call to be quiet, and hear the angels sing.

“It Came Upon the Midnight Clear”
By Edmund H. Sears, 1849

It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold;
“Peace on the earth, good will to men,
From Heaven’s all gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains,
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever over its Babel sounds
The blessèd angels sing.

Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;

O hush the noise, ye men of strife

And hear the angels sing.

And ye, beneath life’s crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing!

For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophet-bards foretold,
When with the ever circling years
Comes round the age of gold;
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendors fling,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.

Happy Birthday Jesus Rake Party

Some friends and I got together with our kids this year and had a Happy Birthday Jesus party with several service project ideas.


In the past we had made cookies and passed them out as we sang Christmas carols to neighbors. This year, we had the kids make Valentine's cards to thank people for serving in our military, then gathered our large company of children to rake leaves for a family who had lost their father this year.


I was very surprised at how this impacted my son. He had a great time in the flock of other kids. Helping some, playing some. I more expected the response of several of my other children who preferred taking pictures to actually getting their hands dirty and helping.


I pray that these small attempts at service will make an impression on their hearts. May they grow up to be servant leaders.

The Grace of God and Petit Fours

My neighbor sweetly sent over a box of Christmas-decorated petit-fours as a present to our children on a day when no one deserved any treats what-so-ever.


As I watched my children carry the box excitedly into the house, I listened as God formulated an impromptu devotional idea.


We put the box up high on the shelf while I gathered a dry-erase board and markers, a nativity set, plates, candle and lighter, both a Christmas and Easter story book, and a Christmas blanket. I spread the blanket and plates out around the Christmas tree and called everyone in.


I wrote each of our names on the board with a smiley face and explained how much God loved us as has great things planned for us. Then I showed everyone the box of petit- fours.


Then I explained that because we choose to sin we do not deserve any treats. We deserve discipline.
And as I erased each smiley face I listed all the behaviors we had seen that day: lying, hitting, hair-pulling, screaming, disrespectful attitude, loss of temper (mine) to name a few. I replaced each smiley face with a sad face and said how much God wants us to honor Him and do the right thing, and how it hurts Him when we treat each other poorly.


Then I took out the baby Jesus from the nativity set, placed it down from the sky into the manger and explained how God had made a way for us to be forgiven of our sins. I took out the Christmas and Easter story and thumbed through the pictures and gave an overview of the entire Christmas story...the one that includes why Jesus came to earth...to give us hope, to life a perfect life, and offer himself as a sacrifice for our sins, making a way for us to be made right with God forever. I erased the sad faces with a red Christmas dish-towel and redrew the smiles.


I then passed out the petit-fours with small birthday candles, lit them, and lead our family in a prayer asking forgiveness. The kids blew out the candles and ate happily in quiet reflection.


It was a holy moment...until about 5 minutes later when someone started fighting over who ate the last candy cane!


Jesus, thank you for coming to us at Christmas. How we need you Emmanuel. Without you, we are truly LOST.

F.O.M.O

F.O.M.O

Fear of Missing Out

I nearly laughed out loud as I ran across this Scripture from the Message today.

Don't be afraid of missing out.

You're my dearest friends!
The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.
Luke 12:32 MSG

Father,
Please be our pace-setter today.

I have lain face-down on the floor, nose in the carpet fibers, crawling towards your Presence for renewed strength, energy, and perspective...and it's only 8:54 am.

Help me to love you and other people well today, and serve with your strength.

Your girl,
Taryn

Together

A daily reminder, on our bedroom wall.


As we drove last night in the dark to the Charlotte airport, after peeling off ball-gown attire just minutes before, I asked the Lord for a word to define this next season of hosting Natalija and Vilnis. The word that came was "TOGETHER".


I am to pray for a spirit of unity. (Romans 15:5) Peace and unity within our home between all siblings, biological and hosted.


I am to rest in the knowledge that God is always with me, and with us, helping us to parent well.


And I am to give thanks for all those who are loving Natalija and Vilnis with me.


The Cabiness Family, who met us at the church between performances of the Singing Christmas Tree, to take Mary Jayne and Brennan on ahead of us, since we couldn't be on the stage waltzing and meeting the flight in Charlotte when it arrived.


The Moores, who took one of the Cabiness children home, so that he wouldn't have to make a late night trip on a school night.


The Yangs, who took another Cabiness child home who was also dancing in the performance with us.


The Howlands, who purchased holiday pajamas as a fun gesture of Christ's love and the Christmas season.


The Horns, who quietly left a box of cocoa and a beautifully wrapped cake on our front steps for us to enjoy on our pajama day.


The Hardys, who texted to say, don't cook dinner, we're bringing pizza by for the family.


My Mom, who took Laurel home when she finished dancing, so that she would be cared for while the rest of the family was in Charlotte.


And it's only the first full day.

Thank you, God, for my "village", who journeys in faith alongside me and shares in the spirit of giving and generosity this Christmas. You are providing for our every need, and I trust you completely to guide us.

a gift for Jesus

Each year we place a simple brown box tied with raffia in our manger scene as a reminder for us to give Jesus a gift that He would really like in honor of his birth.


This year, our gift is kindness to one another.


Our children greatly love and greatly fight one another.
They are so excited about having Natalija and Vilnis back in our home for Christmas.


Our prayer is that we will treat one another in ways that bring a smile to the heart of God.


Good deeds are occasionally celebrated with a piece of straw to create a soft (?) bed for the Christ child.


As the mound grows bigger during the Advent season, may our hearts for one another and for you, God, grow as well.

All things directed by Him

The Year of Seven Stockings

 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!

Who can understand his decisions or explain what he does?


"Who has known the mind of the Lord,
       or who has been able to give him advice?" 
       — (Isaiah 40:13)
 
"Has anyone ever given anything to God,
      so that God has to pay him back?" 
      —(Job 41:11) 

  All things come from him. 

   All things are directed by him.
   All things are for his good. 

 To him be glory forever. Amen.

Romans 11:33-36

One of my children recently asked me, "Why didn't anyone else select Natalija and Vilnis to host them for Christmas?" Although I cannot really know, I believe that God's hand "saved" them in the selection process so that we would be permitted to host them again. I cannot fully understand your ways, God, but I wait quietly in expectation to see you move in their lives, and on their behalf over this Christmas. Thank you for loving these children so much more than I ever could. My love is weak, but yours is strong.

May they be filled with wonder and awe at how much YOU love them.

Pause

My five year old melted into tears..."but you said we could!"


I glanced at the clock...twenty minutes until 8:00.


Quick calculations told me that we could not brush teeth, wash hair, moisturize, find clean jammies, read a story AND have a mother-daughter makeover before kindergarten bedtime.


The practical thing would have been to say no. It's a school night. You are terribly grumpy when you don't get enough rest.


The responsible thing would have been to postpone makeover fun for another day, with some parental nugget of wisdom about using our lifeskill of flexibility when time won't allow us to do all the things we wish we could do.


The selfish thing would be to hold to my guns, since I really didn't want to have to wash an enormous amount of make-up off my face in the first place.


Yet, incredibly, the wailing drew my compassion, and I sat in the floor compliantly while my five year old transformed me into Cinderella (with some really bright cheeks).


Father, help me not to always push through to what is responsible and scheduled. Help me to PAUSE and make moments that are significant to my daughter, even when I'm not in the mood to play.


Help me to PAUSE throughout the day and respond to you...even if your plan seems to be different from what I have in mind.


Help me to have more YES moments. Really, what harm was done?


I love you, and thank you for helping me on this parenting journey.


T