Family Musings

Pictures of Mary Sleeping

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 03:34:00 +0000

Apparently, I have a thing for taking pictures of Mary sleeping! These are all from just this year!

Why we honor the name of Hudson Taylor

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 00:34:00 +0000

In 1832, James and Amelia Taylor prayed, “Dear God, if you should give us a son, grant that he may work for you in China.” With that simple prayer, the story of Hudson Taylor began. And although his parents did not tell Hudson about that prayer until decades later, God put China into Hudson’s heart and gave Hudson the faith to believe that God answers prayer.

Hudson Taylor was raised in a Christian home, but faith was a struggle for many years. Hudson wanted to be a Christian; he tried to be a Christian. Time and again, however, he felt he failed in Christianity. He failed so much he eventually gave up, believing he was simply incapable of faith. Then, one day, Hudson found himself so bored he decided to read a gospel tract he found lying around. He knew it would contain a short story, which would help him pass the time, and he planned to ignore the spiritual aspects. But, when he read Jesus’ words, “It is finished,” said on the cross, Hudson paused and pondered. He later wrote, “Then came the thought, ‘If the whole work was finished and the whole debt paid, what is there left for me to do?’ And with this dawned the joyful conviction, as light was flashed into my soul by the Holy Spirit, that there was nothing in the world to be done but to fall down on one’s knees, and accepting this Saviour and His salvation, to praise Him forevermore.” That day, Hudson Taylor discovered the reason he had failed so many times was because he was trying by his own effort. Hudson realized the gospel of Jesus is based on faith in Jesus’ finished work, and that realization became the foundation of Hudson’s life and ministry.

It was not long before Hudson felt God calling him to China. Knowing the difficulties he would face in missions, he determined to build his faith in God, for he knew God would be his only assurance. So, as a young medical student, he determined to live as modestly as possible and to depend on God for his daily needs. He gave away almost all his possessions, ate a diet of mostly oatmeal and rice, and rented an inexpensive room in a poor part of London. He soon found, “The less I spent on myself and the more I gave away, the fuller of happiness and blessing did my soul become.” And during this time, he determined to never ask anyone for payment or financial help, not even his own employer. Many times he found himself without money or food, often after giving away his last temporal resources. He depended on God, and in all his years, God never let him down. Hudson prayed, and it was never long before Hudson had whatever he needed.

In 1853, Hudson left England to serve with the Chinese Evangelization Society. Within months of arriving in China, Hudson broke with missionary custom by wearing Chinese clothing. He sought to identify with the Chinese, build relationships with them, and distinguish the Christian faith from the British culture. He further divided with his fellow missionaries by his desire to go beyond the five large Treaty Ports—cities where British missionaries were legally welcome. Hudson wanted to see missionaries bring the gospel to every part of China.

Hudson’s tumultuous relationship with the Chinese Evangelization Society ended in 1857 when he discovered they were borrowing money to pay their missionaries. Hudson resigned, and although he had no source of income, he believed God would provide for him. Continuing the manner he began in England, he committed to never ask anyone for money and never give any indication of his financial need; instead, he would speak to God alone for all his needs.

Hudson Taylor served until 1861 when he became very ill and needed to return to England. He used his convalescence in England to continue a project of translating the New Testament into Chinese, and he travelled and spoke to encourage British Christians to sacrifice for the evangelization of China. He challenged British believers to consider their spiritual wealth and security in light of the hundreds of millions of Chinese people who never heard the name of Jesus. Continuing his dependence of God, he refused to allow any church he visited to collect money for his ministry. Instead, he wanted people to leave church having given nothing to missions, for if they had thrown some change into a collection plate, their consciences might be absolved from any further thoughts about China. Hudson wanted Christians to leave church having given nothing so that God could work in their hearts to do whatever he would have them do.

The time in England, pleading the case of China’s multitudes, led to the next major work in Hudson’s life. He concluded that a new missionary agency was needed for the specific purpose of bringing the gospel into the unreached parts of China. On June 25, 1865, Hudson Taylor prayed that God would send him 24 missionaries—two for each unreached Chinese province and two for Mongolia. The prayer was audacious. It would increase the total number of missionaries in China by 25 percent. But, as always, God provided, and the China Inland Mission (CIM) was born. Hudson returned to China in 1866 with the first group of CIM missionaries.

Never content, Hudson continued asking God for missionaries. In 1881, Hudson prayed for 70 more, and he received 76. In 1886, he asked God for another 100. Within a year, he had added 102. When Hudson died in 1905, CIM counted 825 foreign missionaries, plus hundreds of native Chinese ministers, none of whom ever asked anyone for financial support. Missionaries brought their needs to God and trusted God to provide.

Despite the success of CIM, Hudson Taylor was not always popular. Unlike other agencies, CIM allowed unmarried women to serve as missionaries, and women were sent to all parts of China. Further, contrary to Europe’s theological ethnocentrism, Hudson prayed for the day when China’s church would be led by Chinese believers. Hudson Taylor declared the native Chinese ministers to be CIM’s “most important department.” He continued, “They are becoming more efficient as well as more numerous, and the hope for China lies doubtless in them. I look on foreign missionaries as the scaffolding round a rising building; the sooner it can be dispensed with the better.”

Many in England also criticized Hudson Taylor as insensitive to the political and commercial interests of the British. After CIM missionaries, including Hudson, were attacked during the Yangzhou riot of 1868, the British Parliament debated whether missionary activities in China’s interior were in England’s best interest. Hudson, of course, was most concerned about the eternal interests of the Chinese. So, he and CIM continued, despite the dangers.

Taylor once wrote, “China is not to be won for Christ by quiet, ease-loving men and women.... The stamp of men and women we need is such as will put Jesus, China, souls, first and foremost in everything and at every time—even life itself must be secondary.” And this was not hyperbole; during the Boxer Rebellion, CIM lost more missionaries than any other agency. Dozens of CIM missionaries, even their children, and many native believers, were tortured to death and their bodies mutilated. One CIM missionary wrote, “Alas, only a very few of my beloved fellow missionaries in the province of Shanxi escaped the blood-stained hands of the Boxers.” But, Hudson and CIM continued to serve and to show the love of Christ. When the British military defeated the Rebellion, the Chinese were forced to pay compensation to any British who suffered loss. But, Taylor and CIM refused compensation, choosing instead to demonstrate the “meekness and gentleness of Christ.” During his lifetime, he suffered diseases, beatings, arrests, the burning of his house, seizing of his property, and the deaths of family members. He was willing to suffer, even to the point of death, because to him, even the worst death was nothing to fear. He wrote, “To be absent from the body! To be present with the Lord! To be free from sin! And this is the end of the worst that man’s malice can ever bring upon us!”

More than fifteen decades after Hudson Taylor first entered China, CIM still operates in East Asia and has pioneered many missions strategies that are now commonplace throughout the world. But, Hudson Taylor’s greatest legacy is his testimony to God’s sovereignty over all things and to God’s personal attention to the needs of his people. Hudson Taylor lived by faith and relied on God’s provision.

While we are not specifically praying that our Hudson will serve Christ in China, we are praying he will have the faith to follow Christ anywhere and to trust God in every circumstance. We pray that his name will become a legacy reminding us and him that God is our provider and sustainer, and that because Christ’s work is finished, there is nothing in the world to be done but to fall down on one’s knees, and accepting this Savior and His salvation, to praise Him forevermore.

Bruce & Jennifer

---------

You might also be interested in:

"Why we honor the name of Charlotte Moon"

"Why we honor the name of Mary Mitchell"

Adoptions & Airplanes: A Different Kind of Baby Shower

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 02:25:00 +0000

Banner courtesy of Dearie Designs

I'm not much of a party person. I'm awful at planning menus and creating awesome decorations. Just ask the last friend who was on the receiving end of my baby shower planning. She was a good sport about it, but really, she deserved better. Now, I have a chance to redeem myself. But without the need for cute Pinterest inspired decorations and gourmet food. Which is totally my style!

Photo Courtesy of Emily Rose Portraits

My friends, Craig and Karissa, are in the process of adding two children to their family through adoption. In fact, they just found out today that they finally have a date to go and pick up the two little boys who have been in their hearts for nearly a year. You can catch up with their adoption journey at this link from Karissa's blog, The Acting Mom.

Photo Courtesy of Emily Rose Portraits

Since it is an international adoption of two boys who are not newborns, the traditional baby shower is not really an option. So, Karissa agreed to let me try something different. You may now consider this blog post your official invitation to "Adoptions & Airplanes," an online baby shower to raise money for the plane tickets this growing family will need to buy to bring their two heart-grown Ugandan boys home.

Craig and Karissa will be leaving in about 14 days to fly half-way around the world and meet "Big" and "Little," as their two sons are affectionately known. The cost for both of them to travel by plane is about $4,000. While this is not the largest portion of their expenses, it is a need that must be met quickly so they can travel to Uganda and then home again with their sons.

I hope you will drop by this unique Adoptions & Airplanes baby shower. Make an official RSVP for the party and invite others to participate via this Facebook event - Adoptions & Airplanes.

To participate in the baby shower, use the Paypal button below and be sure to put "Adoptions & Airplanes" in the notes section.

Please Hold Me Accountable

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 12:31:00 +0000

I'm afraid that, if I don't tell someone what my plan is for today that it might not happen. So, random Family Musings readers, here's my list of 6 things I need to accomplish today:

~~1) Clean out refrigerator/freezer~~
~~2) Re-organize pantry~~
3) Create menu plan/grocery list for the week
4) Update coupon filing system
~~5) Find a local, reliable pest control company~~
6) Go grocery shopping

This is not an unreasonable to do list at all, but I've got a cold and am experiencing third trimester exhaustion. No amount of sleep seems to be enough these days.

A Visit to the Park

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 12:15:00 +0000

I've been trying to motivate myself to do more fun things specifically for Mary each day after we drop Charlotte off at school. So today, we went to the park at 7:40 AM. I wasn't even sure it would be open that early, but thankfully it was!

Despite the sand pit being closed, Mary still had a good time. I tried to discourage her from taking the sand toys out of the bag, but she insisted and said, "dat's otay. me can petend!" This is her using her sand toys to make us some breakfast. In this case, it might have turned out better that the sand pit was closed.

Later she called out to me, "de eggs are almo done honey!" For some reason she calls me her honey, which I don't mind at all. I have all sorts of nick names for her too. My favorite though is May-May, which comes from how she normally says her own name. Recently though, she's been trying to say it more like Mare-a, which sounds much more like her actual name.

Because the ground was wet, Mary got a little creative and made what she called a "foot parade." It was so exciting to me to see how excited she got each time she made a new set of footprints. I wish I had thought to get a close up of some of the foot prints... her toes are still so little and they made the cutest dots above the rest of her foot.

She also consented to some video footage... though it took a little more convincing. These are mostly here for the enjoyment of my family, but hey, the rest of you can feel free to watch too.

Is God Really Sovereign?

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 12:30:00 +0000

I am so glad that, as a follower of Christ, I am called to think differently. Were it not for Christlike thinking, I'd find myself stuck in sorrow, fear, and dread far more often. I am human of course and do deal with these issues, but faith in Christ gives me a place to go with my fear and my dread and my sorrow.

In my life, this hasn't just been a theoretical idea either. Recently, two situations in my life tested how much I really believed what I wrote about thinking differently. To understand where I am coming from, you may recall a post I wrote last Spring called "Motherhood and God's Sovereignty."

About 2 weeks after I wrote that post, I had my 20-week ultrasound. In it, the ultrasound tech thought she noticed a club foot. Her findings were inconclusive, so we eventually had another ultrasound. As it turns out, our son does have a right club foot.

At the time of my post on God's sovereignty I wondered if my thoughts were the natural progression on my faith journey or if God had revealed that knowledge to me at that time for a specific reason. As it turns out, He was being intentional in my thought process about His sovereignty. Pretty cool if you ask me.

I do not fear dealing with a club foot. My research over the last couple of months tells me it will not be easy, particularly when we get into the bracing phase, but a club foot can be addressed.

The other situation that tested my belief in God's control was harder to deal with. It came on more suddenly and was more severe. Fortunately, I had a couple of people I could go to in that short time who pointed me back to the truths of scripture and reminded me that, for a Christian, there is no bad news from the doctor.

In late July we found a lump in Charlotte's groin. She has slipped in the pool earlier in the day so my first thought was that she had a hernia. A doctor's appointment led to an ultrasound which showed no hernia and suggested she had an enlarged lymph node. We were told that, if the lymph node didn't return to normal in a few weeks, she'd refer us for a biopsy. This also led to blood work which showed she was anemic.

Let me pause here to tell you that Dr. Google is not a mother's best friend! You'd think I would have learned that lesson when Mary was born, but I'm stubborn!

The results from her blood work came about 4:15 on a Friday afternoon. Great timing. Knowing we had a surgical consult just a few days later provided some relief, but let me tell you... I spent quite a bit of the weekend laying on Charlotte's bed praying for her, hoping that we would not be walking the path of a child with cancer (Google's logical conclusion of a swollen lymph node, anemia, and the absence of an infection). A friend who was aware of the situation emailed me to make sure I stopped Googling everything. Of course Bruce and I prayed together and read scripture together to be encouraged that God is in control of even our smallest details.

As it turns out, the surgeon thinks the initial ultrasound was wrong and that Charlotte really does have a hernia. It's not causing her any pain or discomfort, so we are just keeping an eye on it. And giving her a multivitamin with 100% of her RDA of iron for the anemia, which will be rechecked in a couple of months.

In the end... these circumstances are but a small test of my faith. I am no more at risk of losing a family member than I was before I knew about the medical issues we could be facing as a family. I am grateful that God spared me from watching Charlotte fight cancer, but I like to think that, had we been called to walk that road... I would have remained grateful to God for the opportunity to praise Him in that storm as well.

"Do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything, through praise and thanksgiving,

present your requests to God. And the peace of God,

which transcends all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Phillippians 4:6-7

Being a SAHM to One

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 16:05:00 +0000

The adjustment to taking a child to school every day has gone fairly well. We've developed a few morning and evening routines that certainly make getting out the door much easier. I've tested them by waking up late or neglecting the routines in the evening... without them, things start to unravel quickly. And rushing to get out the door is no fun for any of us!

One thing that I thought about this morning, and surprised myself with, is that I'm kind of back to being lonely as a SAHM. Sure, I may have complained about Charlotte's constant chatter, but now that she had gotten old enough to have actual conversations, I did enjoy her company more.

Mary plays wonderfully by herself. Which is great in so many ways. I can be more productive if I choose to be since she can occupy herself making up great stories with her Littlest Pet Shops or coloring several pages. In fact, I think she prefers playing alone to playing with me.

I looked back over my schedule for the last month and see that I was avoiding that loneliness by keeping Mary and I super busy. Some of the busy-ness was a great fill for my loneliness - it involved spending long mornings with friends or going to MOPS. But the rest of it... Facebook and Pinterest and whatever else caught my fancy online... not so much.

As always, the solution to this issue is to learn contentment with where I am. And to stop wasting gas money driving around town filling my day with errands!

How do you deal with loneliness? What do you use to fill the void left by major changes in your daily schedule?

(Image source: The Purse-onality Challenge - 31 Bible Verses to Print)

First Day of Kindergarten - Charlotte

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 13:39:00 +0000

Dear Charlotte,

Just a little over an hour ago, I waved good bye as you blew me one last kiss on your way to Ms. Rhoade's kindergarten class. It wasn't easy, but I tried to give you the biggest smile I could. I really want to write something super elegant that bring a small tear to your eye when you read it many years from now. Instead, every time I start to wax poetic, I get all teary-eyed. And, as you know by now, I'm not one of those "pretty criers" like you see in movies. It's a good thing that just Mary is home right now.

This morning, you showed so much enthusiasm for learning and experiencing new things. You even told me how you were going to greet your teacher, "Good morning Ms. Rhoades! I'm excited to learn something new today!" I hope you maintain your love of knowledge for the rest of your life. It will serve you well as you grow in both mind and spirit.

When I helped you put your uniform on this morning, I was really taken back by how grown-up you are looking these days. Maybe it's the fresh hair cut or the peter pan collar. Or maybe, it's your confidence that you can do anything if you try hard enough.

I sure do miss you, but know that this is part of growing up. You are only "mine" for a little while and that's okay. I can already see how God is molding you to be an amazing warrior princess for Him and that is enough for me.

Love,
Mom (since Momma is "baby-ish" according to you)

Linking up with Miss Elaine-ous Life.

It's okay to not know...

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 00:06:00 +0000

As I watch my children grow up, I want them to learn to love. I don't want to squash their questioning and wondering about the world around them. Admittedly, after the 4,537,136th question of the day, I wish Charlotte would give it a rest, but I am still glad that she continues to ask questions.

Sometimes though, when it comes to trying to do new things, like learn sight words or some other new skill, she seems to get frustrated easily. I try to encourage her to try, even though it might be hard. this works in varying degrees depending on the circumstances.

Related to this, I saw a great pin today and wanted to print it as a reminder in our home. But, unfortunately, the link trail didn't lead me to one that was printable, so, I made my own. And since I know lots of home schooling moms and teachers, I thought you might want to print this for class rooms, either at home or at school.

You can click on the image to download a 8.5x11 PDF version from Google Docs.

Leave a comment if you found this useful. I'd love to hear stories of how you encourage your own children to try something new.

My New Project - A Dresser for the Dining Room

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:32:00 +0000

My husband just brought home my newest project! I had only seen a fuzzy cell phone picture of it so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but it was free for the taking and I had just enough info to know it would fit my space in size, if not color.

We are in the process of trying to make our dining room a functional space for both homeschooling and dining and the Ikea dressers we had been using for storage the last four years are falling apart from continued use. This redo has to be done on a frugal budget, so I really couldn't see myself passing up a free dresser! It easily offers enough storage to replace the two plain white, Ikea dressers that are going to either be repurposed, donated, or tossed.

Now, we have to figure out what to do with this piece to make it my own. It really is gorgeous and I am thrilled that it has "feet." The rest of our furniture (mostly also from Ikea) all sits flush to the ground, so I am really counting on this piece to break things up for us.

I've pretty much already decided that I am not keeping all of the drawers and am currently leaning towards only keeping the bottom two (the long yellow ones below). My Pinterest has been busy tonight looking for some inspiration pieces both in color and design. Since this dresser will go in my dining room, I don't want it to look like a dresser.

Then, of course, is the color decision. After going back and forth and back and forth while I waited for it to arrive, I'm thinking about painting it a neutral on the outside (or keeping the current yellow), and then using a bright pop of teal and/or red on the inside (like this dresser redo).

But the issue of what neutral color to choose is hard for me. I don't want a neutral shade of brown... but I also don't want a darker neutral like navy or black. A neutral yellow really does appeal to me, which is why I might not do too much to the outside of this piece.

I really love the curves in this piece... such a nice change from all of the lines and angles in the rest of our furniture!

What do you think? What changes would you make to this dresser to make it more fun and modern? Any suggestions for drawer pulls or baskets?

Charlotte's Nagarote Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 14:15:00 +0000

My best plans to teach Charlotte about taking pictures never really happened. But she does know how to turn the camera on, zoom in, and take a picture... here are some of her better ones.

The first sunrise Charlotte has ever seen. This was taken from the bus on our way to Miami.

Hanging out on the front porch of our hotel.

I guess when you are short you are more likely to cut people's heads off in photos. There were several like this.

This is Mary Ruth, a very good sport for letting Charlotte take so many pictures of her.

Our trip leaders, Steve & Angela. This is the couple who bought the farm.

This is Carlos. He is the main, native interpreter for our trip. Today, he is interpreting for Bruce's seminarios with the local pastor's alliance.

Mission Nagarote: Monday Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 04:23:00 +0000

Monday included two visits to a local school called Dream of Louisa. While public education is free in Nicaragua, uniforms, books, and supplies are not, so many children are shut out from educational opportunities. This school exists to fill that gap.

For some reason, my photos from our morning visit uploaded in a random order... This first one is Mary modeling for the camera in the older student's classroom.

Charlotte finally had a chance to ride in the back of a truck. And to take a picture of mommy taking a picture of her. :)

Our family is grateful for Stepanie and the other teenage girls on our team. They are willing to help out and keep the girls occupied when we need a rest or have something else to do.

Here, Charlotte is encouraging the students to dance during the Chicken Dance song.

And here she is working on the fishing game. During the morning session she quickly bored of her job, but towards the end of the afternoon session, she was practically running the whole thing herself.

Mary has been typically shy this week, taking a while to warm up to each new situation. Here, she was meeting a family that lives next to the school.

Do you have any questions about Nicaragua? Our trip? Our team? If so, leave them in a comment and we'll try to answer them soon.

Noah's Ark Background

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 14:23:00 +0000

Before we left for our trip, my friend Bethany brought her artistic skills to my house and painted a Noah's Ark background that we are using as a fishing game.

Like A Weed

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 03:55:00 +0000

They say mission trips can change lives. Apparently, that is true even if you are 4 years old! We've seen Charlotte take risks she never would have taken in the states. Some of it is just fun to watch and are things we already knew she could do, but other things are really surprising to us.

She freely walked all over a farm we visited today. Even going so far as to venture off the beaten path to find her "walking stick." There was a big hill to tackle and she did it cheerfully too.

While she normally freaks out at the sight of most unleashed dogs, it didn't take long for her to get up close to this one.

Her love of the bixi ride has far outweighed any fear of strangers she might have had. Fortunately, this is one of our trusted drivers and Bruce was following close behind while she and Antonio (about 3 years old) rode on his daddy's bixi.

Maybe it's just me... but I had to include this picture because she looks so darn grown up in it!

If you have ever visited a play ground with us and seen Charlotte attempt the monkey bars, you'll understand what a big deal this is. The bars were about 2 feet away from the wall and she was just freely jumping to them and swinging! This is something we knew she could do, but she never felt brave enough to try.

Other things that have surprised us include her response to seemingly random adults picking her up or stroking her hair. I was a little concerned about how she would handle this part of our trip, but it hasn't seemed to phase her at all.

Finally, tonight at Alfa y Omega Church, she made fast friends with several of the little girls. Next thing we know, Charlotte is climbing trees in the dark, climbing on logs, and leading them in all manner of "spy games." I'm not sure how it happens, but she always manages to get the older girls to do exactly what she wants them too!

It sure is fun watching her grow... I love each stage of life with her more than the last! Can't imagine how much I'll love her by the time she is in college!

Reality Check

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 02:23:00 +0000

It didn't take long...

My feelings of pride that I am doing the right things finally caught up with me. I was starting to pat myself on the back for feeding strangers and teaching my girls about the importance of God's command to "go ye therefore."

Then, within two hours of doing one of my most (seemingly) radical "go ye's," I got a reality check. It turns out, that, as much as I know and love God, I'm not quite ready to be Jesus to the "least of these."

As we arrived at the home for the mentally challenged, I knew it would be a difficult experience. Not only was there the cultural barrier to overcome, but now, I was going to be interacting with people who were not fully aware of how the rest of us define personal space.

Sure enough, it took no more than 10 minutes for me to physically back away from an out stretched arm of one of the residents. When he saw me back off, he became aware enough to go and wash his hands, thinking this was the cause of my hesitation. But it wasn't. And we both felt bad. He, because I had rejected his outstretched arm. I, because I know that Jesus would have taken that outstretched arm and turned it into a full embrace.

I felt such disappointment in myself. It seems this was a gut check I needed. An opportunity for me to view myself as I truly am - still human with a long way to go until I can really claim that I love others as Jesus loves them.

We all need these every once in a while...

Working for the Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 03:31:00 +0000

It's been a busy week in our house and the pace won't be slowing down for at least a couple more weeks. But, looking over our schedule, I wouldn't change anything. Everything coming up is good stuff.

The first big thing is my Christmas present from last year. Bruce is sending me to The Gospel Coalition 2012 Women's conference in Orlando. I'll admit to getting pretty emotional when I opened the envelope and Bruce filmed it. It's not particularly flattering, but it reminds me how sweet my husband really is.

Can I tell you that I am really looking forward to going? Because I am. Bruce has been lovingly teased me this past week because I've kept the conference schedule open and look at it several times a day. But every time I look at it, I'm reminded by what a blessing it is to go and hear so many gifted and blessed speakers share from their heart.

The theme is "God's Revelation of Himself in Scripture." And the list of speakers is a who's who of modern theologians. There is not a single pre-conference, plenary, focus gathering, or workshop that I am not thrilled to be attending. From looking at my registration, I must really be looking forward to learning from Paige Benton-Brown, who I will hear speak three separate times.

For those of you who are interested in what I'll be hearing, the conference will be live-streamed this weekend if any of you have a chance to get online. Here is the link with more information on the schedule and how to access it - http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/06/19/watch-tgcw12-live-from-orlando/.

I'm sure I'll have plenty to say about everything I hear. There's a good chance that some of that will end up here on the blog. Because, as I saw someone write on Twitter, "This is not a conference about women. It's a conference for women about God and his gospel." And what's more important than that?

Bruce will be taking care things at home and I'm sure he'll do a great job. I left him with a fun new toy (DIY tutorial coming soon) and a box of Nerds to fuel the crazy!

What are you doing this weekend???

Baby 3.0 Gender Reveal Video

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:35:00 +0000

Our girls were the first to find out whether Baby 3.0 is a boy or a girl.

Father's Day Interview with Charlotte & Mary

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 11:33:00 +0000

The righteous who walks in his integrity—

blessed are his children after him! Proverbs 20:7

In honor of this special day for Dad's every where, I repeated my Father's Day Interview with Charlotte & Mary.

What is something Daddy always says to you? - "I love you."
What makes Daddy happy? - "Seeing me and Mary"
What makes Daddy sad? - "When he misses us. That makes me sad too"
How does Daddy make you laugh? - "By tickling me. I'm ticklish."
What was Daddy like as a child? - "I don't know because I wasn't there when he was a child."
How old is Daddy? - "I don't know, 25?"
How tall is Daddy? - "Tall enough that he can get the beans down."
What is Daddy's favorite thing to do? - "Watch us dance and play together."
What does Daddy do when you're not around? - "He just, you know, like, he likes to sit around."
What is Daddy really good at? - "Hopping like a kangaroo."
What is Daddy not very good at? - "Running."
What does Daddy do for his job? - "He teaches a class in a school. Science."
What is Daddy's favorite food? - "The food I don't like - bacon."
What makes you proud of Daddy? - "When he got crowned because he's the best daddy."
If Daddy were a cartoon character, who would he be? - "He would be Doc McStuffins because they both help people."
What do you and Daddy do together? - "Play games."
How are you and Daddy the same? - "We both like each other."
How are you and Daddy different? - "Daddy can't run as fast as me."
How do you know Daddy loves you? - "Because he always gives me hugs and kisses at bedtime."
Where is Daddy's favorite place to go? - "Church."

Bruce and the girls just after Mary's first hair cut, February 2012.

Here are Mary's answers to the same questions...

What is something Daddy always says to you? - "Eat."
What makes Daddy happy? - "To eat.
What makes Daddy sad? - "Not to eat."
How does Daddy make you laugh? - "By making funny noises."
What was Daddy like as a child? - "He ate a lot and got spankings."
How old is Daddy? - "2."
How tall is Daddy? - "That big, up high."
What is Daddy's favorite thing to do? - "Go outside."
What does Daddy do when you're not around? - "Gives no spankings.
What is Daddy really good at? - "Um, playing with me."
What is Daddy not very good at? - "Eating cookies and chocolate milk."
What does Daddy do for his job? - "Go to school."
What is Daddy's favorite food? - "Cookie."
What makes you proud of Daddy? - "Eats."
If Daddy were a cartoon character, who would he be? - "Pirate and say 'rrrrrr'."
What do you and Daddy do together? - "Go on bike rides."
How are you and Daddy the same? - "Um, go to bed."
How are you and Daddy different? - "Me small. He's tall."
How do you know Daddy loves you? - "My bankie" (he puts it on her)
Where is Daddy's favorite place to go? - "Church."

Happy Father's Day to our favorite dad!

When Enough is Enough

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 02:22:00 +0000

Being a parent comes with a lot of challenges... from labor to potty training to the first and last days of school.

And some where in between, we are expected to teach our children about how, well, children are made. I know a lot of parents stress over having "the talk." It seems like a daunting task to teach them about the birds and the bees.

I don't really dread discussing it though. Maybe it's because I want to be the one to do it, instead of leaving it to school nurses or peer groups. I want to make sure I'm tuned into my children enough to sense and answer these questions to their satisfaction before they go looking elsewhere for their answers. Plus, I never want to give her more information than she is actually looking for.

Being pregnant, my oldest daughter, Charlotte, has started asking some of these birds and bees questions. The first one was how are babies born. That was an easy one for me to answer, and I even found an animated version of birth to show her the mechanics. She liked that and has asked to watch it several times.

Then today, while we were driving through town, she finally asked one of the next logical questions - how does God make babies?

Despite my eagerness to answer these questions, I still had a moment of wondering what the heck I was going to say. So, in an attempt to not give her more information than she was looking for, I asked, "what do you think?"

After considering it for just a moment, she replied, "Hmmm... I think He puts a chemical in the mommy's tummy to make the baby."

Relieved, I grinned and said, "Yeah, it's something like that." And then I waited to hear her next question...

"Mommy, how do those shoes get up on the wires?"

Yep, my response was just enough for this quirky almost 5 year old!

God's Mysterious Ways

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 19:17:00 +0000

Ten days ago I thought I was stepping out on a limb when I shared my thoughts about mothering and God's sovereignty. After some Christians gave me odd looks when I explained it to them, I really posted it not knowing if I was right. I mean, I thought I was right, but when someone I respected was among the head tilters, I did have my doubts.

Shortly after writing and posting my thoughts, my doubts were quickly assuaged by your comments, both here, on Facebook, and in private communication. I truly have some of the most encouraging friends a woman could ask for.

Then today, upon waking from a lovely, summer nap, my friend Angela asked if I had seen the most recent Desiring God blog post. I hadn't so I clicked right over...

And wouldn't you know it? John Knight had written about the very same topic, affirming what I had written less than 2 weeks ago. Sure, he did it better, but it was so incredibly affirming to read the words of such a great Christian leader echoing my own thoughts as this pregnancy progresses.

"And it should fuel our hope that when God creates a child who will live, and maybe die because of his disabilities, God will help us love that child and welcome that child and let that child express his gifts, for God’s glory and for our good."

Now, I can only hope and pray that, if I'm called to parent a child with illness or disabilities, or walk with a friend who is, that I can have a complete hope in God to be there in the midst of it, that the world may see it is God, not health, that I treasure most.

Motherhood and God's Sovereignty

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 18:40:00 +0000

Sometimes, I don't realize how odd I am until I share the inner workings of my brain with other people. They kind of cock their head to the side and look at me, confused or bewildered at what I've just said. Or maybe they are trying to think of a polite way to point out that I am crazy.

As this pregnancy has progressed (I'm now almost 18 weeks along), I've left a few people with tilted heads as I explain my thoughts about motherhood and God's sovereignty. You see, for lots of reasons, I've thought a lot about how I would react if something went wrong. And while I can't be sure until I am in that situation, I know that God is sovereign.

Here is how that is playing out in my mind during my third pregnancy (and where the tilted head might come in)...

Because our family already has 2 daughters, many people have assumed that we are hoping for a boy. This question is mildly irritating when I think about what it implies about Mary (not having been a boy, she isn't good enough, so we are trying again to get that boy that eluded us during the last pregnancy), but I generally overlook it and let the inquisitor know that we truly don't have a preference, that God will give us a son or a daughter as He sees fit.

And until recently, I would have added, "I'll be happy so long as the baby is healthy."

Then, one day early in this pregnancy, as I started to say this out loud, I was stopped in my tracks. All of a sudden, I didn't feel right declaring that I'd "be happy so long as the baby is healthy."

What was I really saying about my God when I declared the gender didn't make a difference in my satisfaction with God, but that the baby's health did?

Go ahead. Tilt your heads. Most people do that at this point in the story. The first time I asked myself this question, I tilted my head too.

If I believe that God is sovereign over the gender of my child, how can I also not believe that He is sovereign over the health of my child? If he is sovereign over one thing, then He is sovereign over all things. I can't pick and choose what I will accept from God. He's an all or nothing kind of God.

Does this mean that I am hoping for a child who has disabilities or health problems? Heck no. Too many times, I have seen friends walk the halls of hospitals, cry over medication choices that aren't working, and give up any leisure time so they can care for their ill child. I'm far too selfish and lazy to make a choice to give myself over to that life on purpose. (As an aside, I do know some families that are specifically called to invite "special needs" children into their family, and they obey because God has given them a special measure of grace and patience for these children and their doctors. Yes, I'm talking about you Dorothy.)

Generally speaking, have you ever heard of the mother of a child with any type of disability who wishes their child hadn't been born at all? Yes, their road is hard, but every one I've ever met will declare, that, through the doctor's appointments, therapies, and surgeries, their child is still a blessing to them, that their child is worthy of all the love and affection a parent would lavish on any healthy child.

To their credit, I have some very good friends who "got it" as soon as I explained where I was coming from. And then, I felt as if I was on the right track when I met the mother of a baby who doesn't have tomorrow promised to him (none of us really do, but his medical condition makes it more obvious to his family). I hesitated to share my thoughts with her because I was afraid of diminishing the pain that she has experienced as she walked through this valley.

But, after I was done explaining the above, she affirmed that not only did she think I was right, but that people didn't realize it was painful to her to hear them say, "so long as the baby is healthy." In her eyes, it diminishes the value of her son to the world.

Ultimately, I want to be content in all circumstances and I want my words to accurately reflect what I believe about God's sovereignty and His role in my happiness.

For that reason, I declare that God is sovereign over both

the gender and the health of my children.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this matter. Even if you disagree with me or think my logic is flawed. But especially if you have walked the path of an unhealthy child.

PS - My declaration about God's sovereignty doesn't make it true, it is simply a declaration of truth.

Am I Raising a Proverbs 31 Woman?

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 23:09:00 +0000

I have no idea what I am going to do with my 4 year old. I really think that she might be smarter than me. And more compassionate too. Tonight she totally brought me to tears with this conversation that my husband shared on his Facebook page.

Charlotte was bothering Jennifer, asking for so many things so quickly. So, Jennifer said, "Just a minute Charlotte. I'm not Superwoman." Charlotte responded, "Yes you are, Mommy. You extend your hand to the poor." Charlotte actually quoted Proverbs 31 about her mother. We have such an awesome daughter.
"She extends her hand to the poor,

And she stretches out her hands to the needy." (Pro 31:20, NASB)

Lord have mercy on me... I hope I can always live up to her image of me. And that, when I inevitably fail, she extends her compassion towards me. All I meant was that I couldn't do 5 different things at once, which is clearly how I would define a Superwoman. But that didn't matter to her. She defines Superwoman in her own awesome, 4 year old way - biblically. Talk about being schooled!

As her mother I obviously try to instill my values in her, that she might grow up to love Jesus with all of her life. But until tonight, it never really occurred to me raise her according to the description found in Proverbs 31. Reflecting upon my mothering, other than teaching her Bible stories and memorizing scripture with her, I don't think I have intentionally set out to instill these principles in the hearts of my daughters.

Now I feel motivated to work through Proverbs 31 to pull out the main attributes of this "wife of noble character" so I can become more intentional in the training of my children.

If you happen to know of any resources that already do this, feel free to pass them along. Otherwise, I know what I'll be working on this summer.

Happy Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sun, 13 May 2012 19:40:00 +0000

Bruce here, hijacking Jennifer's blog again. Today is Mother's Day. And I thought I share a little bit about my appreciation for Jennifer.

Jennifer and I met in 10th grade history class. And, within one week of meeting Jennifer, I told her that we were going to get married, one day. This is an undisputed fact. But, Jennifer still has trouble believing I really meant it. Of course, she also shook her head "no" when I asked her to marry me 5 years later; she couldn't believe I was serious that time, either. But, I was.

So, why would a 15-year old punk be picking out his future wife? It sure does sound pretty absurd. But, even back then, I knew what kind of woman I wanted to be the wife and mother of my future family. Yes, I was a strange kid.

Years later, when I actually asked her to marry me, I had already planned out our financial future so that I knew we'd be able to make it. I was only 19, at that time, but I knew people, including Jennifer, would wonder about the logic of two college students getting married. So, whenever someone tried to say we wouldn't have any money to pay the bills, I could just reference my long term budget.

I've always thought years ahead.

I knew what I wanted.

I had goals.

And that nice girl in my history class was just what I was looking for.

So, here I am, 19 years after first meeting Jennifer, and I know I made a good choice. See, Jennifer is a great mother. Anyone who knows Charlotte Moon and Mary Mitchell knows what awesome kids they are. (Yes, I'm bragging, but it's true.) And, while I can take partial credit for some of their awesomeness, I have to be honest and admit that most of it comes from Jennifer. She really loves them and teaches them.

From the beginning of each daughter's life, Jennifer has worked to help them understand the world. And, she has helped each girl be a positive influence in the world. And Jennifer has even become a Titus 2 woman, as she ministers to, and advocates for, other moms.

I could go on and on...but suffice it to say that I made a good choice all those years ago. I did some dumb things as a kid, but choosing that sweet girl in history class was one the best decisions I'll ever make.

Happy Mother's Day, Mrs. Jennifer Sabin.

WFMW: Helping a Toddler Use Stickers

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:10:00 +0000

Sometimes I impress myself with my brilliance. I have no idea if other moms have discovered this trick to help toddlers use stickers, but I made it up one day out of frustration with helping Mary, 2 1/2 years old, get new stickers to put on her paper. Maybe you've known about this for years, in which case I say to you, why didn't you tell me?!

In order to make sure none of my friends can say I didn't share this amazing trick, here it is:

Pull the non-sticker sticky paper off the page before you let your toddler work with the stickers. It means all they have to figure out is how to get the sticker off, without messing around with the background of the stickers. This is really great for developing fine motor skills too.

And yes, those are princess stickers. Don't judge me. They were on clearance and at the rate Mary uses stickers (a little over 100 on the day I took this picture!) I'm not too picky. They have bug and airplane and dinosaur stickers too though.

Linked up at Works for Me Wednesday hosted by We Are THAT Family.

I eat like a homeless person, and I love it.

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:50:00 +0000

Bruce here. I've hacked into Jennifer's blog to post something. I want to share one of the ways Jennifer makes me proud.

Jennifer's friends might know that our church started a homeless ministry about a year ago. But, what few people know, is that shortly after the ministry started, Jennifer got the idea that one day a week she would cook dinners for the nine homeless people being served by the ministry. And she's continued that for about a year.

Every Tuesday, she cooks a big dinner. Most of it goes to the homeless people. She even packs the food up and drives it the mission. And some of it stays with us and becomes our dinner.

Moreover, she makes really good food for this ministry. In fact, the food is so good that I often joke with her that one of the things I appreciate about her ministry is that it means at least one day each week, I get to eat well.

It's sort of a joke because she does try to cook well for me other times. For example, a few months ago she decided to make Friday nights "guy food" nights. That's when I get some red meat, BBQ, or other guy food.

But, it's not completely a joke. It's true that I look forward to Tuesday night dinners. See, the Sabin family lives on a tight budget. We have vegetarian night, for example, not because we're trying to be healthy, but because meat is an expensive part of dinner. So, I look forward to Tuesdays because Jennifer makes sure the food she makes for the homeless is on the upper end of what she would ever make for our family.

And that's why I've hacked into her blog. I want to publicly praise Jennifer's Christlike attitude in this.

[Jesus] said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
Luke 14:12-14 (ESV)

When it comes to charity, most people, if they give at all, give from their excess. We donate the older clothes that we don't want anymore, or that we outgrew. We have some money taken out of our paychecks because, we're assured, we'll never even notice it's gone. While all such donations can still help people, they don't represent our savior, "who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Php 2:6-8).

Jennifer is giving of herself, taking extra time to cook for 13 people (the 9 homeless and our family of 4), and then she delivers that food, every week. And, in that, she cooks some of the best food we'll eat all week. She doesn't combine vegetarian night with homeless ministry night. She truly gives her best to those who cannot repay her. And she has done this, week after week, since last Fall.

Few people know about this because she doesn't do any of this for her own glory; she does it out of her love for God. And that's why I am proud of her and have been blessed by her.

And while she wouldn't want the glory for this, I feel fine praising her in public. And while Jennifer might be embarrassed by this blog post, I'll gladly accept a little appropriate glory. After all, Solomon once advised young men to look for the woman who's character would bring him glory. The whole "Proverbs 31 Woman" passage hinges on its central thesis:

Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
Pro 31:23 (ESV)

Tonight's mouth-watering baked chicken, seasoned beautifully,
served with twice-baked potato. Scrumptious.