See what cool things I find when I catch up on blog reading...

I found this on a friend's blog (thanks, Radicchis!). Have you ever pondered what impact your Christmas could have? I have no idea who made it, but completely agree with every word and am thankful for the reminder. Amen and amen.

Getting Started Again...

Before I do get started, let me just say, yes, I know I haven't blogged in almost four weeks. I was most certainly reminded of this during Thanksgiving. And I also realize that most of you aren't even still reading because you have stopped checking in to see if there are any new posts up. (I know some of you are "followers" and can just check your "dashboard," but some of my former readers were friends and family who just drop by every now and then.) But I digress...

What was I saying? Oh yes. Getting started. I seem to have forgotten how to do that. How to think of an idea and then write about it. You see, the reason that I haven't been around is that I spent the last month doing proofs #6,7,8,9,10, &11 on the church history book. (OK, so I don't actually know how many times I proofed the daggone thing, but it feels like twice that many.) And by the time we sent it to the printer last week, I couldn't stand the sight of my laptop. I was interested in what was going on with all of my favorite blogs, but I couldn't bear to stare at the screen for One. More. Second! So I turned it off. Admittedly, I occasionally checked my email, but I didn't read a blog or write a word or even look at the pics of my kids that I was sent on a CD (sorry, TD).

I broke my computer fast on Sunday, deciding that I hated Wally World and malls and Black Friday worse than I hated my computer. So, with Cyber Monday approaching, I shopped my heart out. Within 24 hours I had most of the kids' presents, along with several parents and teachers crossed off the list. And I didn't have to leave my house or push a cart full of kids playing cheese touch through crowded stores, which was totally awesome.

And I decided if I could cyber-shop, I could read blogs. And then I decided that if I could read blogs, I could start writing again. If only I could come up with something to write about. Cause let me tell you, a month ago, I had about a half dozen things I wanted to write about, but I don't remember what they were. And when you don't do something very often, you forget how to do it. Or at least that is how it worked with me. And now the well is dried up. Yep. Dry.

Today I decided that if I didn't get started again, I would become one of those blogs that people stumble onto and the blogger hasn't posted since like, 2006 or something, and you roll your eyes and move on. Which disgusted me.

But the main motivation was that this is my one creative outlet. I may have started writing so that Jacob and Alison could see pictures of my kids and our trip to China, but now I write because I enjoy it.

So I am getting started again. I don't know what kind of stuff I will write about, but I am going to go back to my goal of posting at least once a week, preferably twice (you people who blog daily make me roll my eyes, too - but in jealousy, not disgust). We will see how that works out.

I know there isn't much substance to this post, but I gotta start somewhere.

Fall Soccer

I am still amazed at how much I enjoy watching the kids' soccer games. I know absolutely nothing about the game, but it is a game with very little down time, which is where other sports sometimes lose me. What can I say? I have an almost infinite attention span for books and many movies and tv shows, but in sports I get incredibly bored if there are only 14 minutes of action in a 3 hour game.

And I am waaaaay off topic.

Anyway, the kids had fun playing too. Will liked to play any position where he got to run. Even when he was on the sidelines, his full attention was on the game. Yet, when the season ended, he was very happy to put his cleats away for the winter. And so was his mama.

Ben missed several of his games, but still got to play quite a lot. The field at his age is much larger, and my camera is not that fast, nor does it get good close-ups, so I don't have any action shots to share. Ben prefers to play defense, where he can focus on keeping the ball out of the goal. He had a lot of great blocks this year, and his favorite game was the last one, when he got to play goalie for most of a quarter.

He is signed up to play again in the spring, but I think he will enjoy the break too.

That is the great thing about soccer. You have fun while it is going on, and then you are happy when it's over. Perfect.

Kate, of course, spent most of the season complaining that she wasn't allowed to play yet. Next spring, baby girl, I promise.

The Annual Halloween Post

The boys designed the pumpkins this year, while their daddy did the carving.

Ben's is Yoda (note the ears)...And Will's has crooked buckteeth. (I'm trying really hard not to make a snarky tooth comment here.)Kate was completely disinterested, but was happy to pose for a photo.

For Halloween, we had a knight, Captain Rex, and Darth Vader, all of whom have acted like the sugared-up heathens that they are for the past several days..
While we were out, we also saw Michael Phelps (who thankfully had his shirt on, this time), Ms. Pac-Man, and Pinky.

Good times.

And what am I supposed to do with that?

So I haven't been keeping up with my daily Bible reading lately.

And when I say lately, I mean for the last 5 years or so. Basically since Will started walking, I can't seem to find five minutes to myself. That's not to say I never read my Bible, but it would be untruthful to say that I do well in this area. Usually it is more of a check-that-off-my-list kind of activity that I perform sporadically.

(I know, not very spiritual, but I'm trying to be real here.)

S0 I was taken by surprise last week when I was reading in Luke, and the text pretty much jumped up, grabbed me by the collar, and said, "Pay attention!"

Luke 11:39-42 (Bold-type added by me for emphasis): "Then the Lord said to him, 'Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.
'Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.' "

Did you hear that? I mean, how many times have I said to myself - I already tithe and sponsor children (ok, one child) and stuff like that. How much more do I have to give?

I have probably read this chapter dozens of times in my life, but I never heard what Jesus was saying right here. He is telling the Pharisees that even though they tithe, they are still missing the point because they aren't generous to the poor and they neglect justice and the love of God.

I think part of the reason I haven't noticed this passage before is because I have always thought of myself as just. To me, justice has always meant fairness. I try to be fair to everyone. But last week it dawned on me that fairness isn't what he is talking about here, because he specifically refers to the poor.

As I have posted before, I believe strongly in taking care of the poor, if for no other reason than I don't want to see children abandoned simply because of poverty. (Yes, I hate abandonment in all cases, but I am specifically talking about poverty right now.) But lately I have also been learning about organizations like International Justice Mission, which works to free modern-day slaves.

I mean, did you even know that there were modern-day slaves?

And then a few days ago, I came across this blog post, which I am pretty sure you don't even want to know about. (You don't have to click on the post, but you will probably not really understand what I am saying if you don't.) In fact, I am positive that you don't want to know. Because I mean, what are we supposed to do with that information? The answer is right there on the blog, and it is hard.

If justice is more than tithing and giving other money and being fair to people, then am I living a just life? I have such a cushy American life it's ridiculous. Even as I clip coupons and complain about my healthy children whining, how can I not be aware that in another place, there is a mom who has no food to buy, and children who can't cry because the dysentery has sucked the life out of them, and young girls who have been trafficked for sex.

When we think of all of the problems of the world, it seems incredibly overwhelming. But I don't think that verse got my attention because God wanted me to get bogged down in guilt. He got my attention because he wants me to act on the things that I am capable of acting on. Even the things that are incredibly hard.

So what am I going to do? What changes will I make in my life? I honestly don't know. But I have always tried to be real here, so I am giving it my best. I have been writing this post for several days now, but I haven't been able to finish it. I wanted to tie it up with a nice pretty bow, but I don't have one. I am still a non-committal, selfish, tither who is fair to others and occasionally donates money to good causes. And what am I supposed to do with that? What does God want me to do with that?

Happy Birthday, Kate NaNa!

For a week and a half in October, we have what seems like a 10 day Kate-fest, because ten days after we met her, she turned 2.

Which also means that it has been 10 days since my last post. So much for keeping up with things here...

So, first, pictures from our NaNa day celebration, which we actually celebrated a day late.

We went out for Chinese food, and gave Kate her gift from China. This year it was a Chinese drum.

Doesn't that smile just steal your heart?

Moving right along...

Today the fam came over for the backyard birthday bash. Which was partially held inside because it was too windy for candles.Two of her cousins, Bri and Danielle, were able to come this year, which made it even better.

And then the grandparents took the kids to the pumpkin farm, and I got a moment to myself. How 'bout that?

I'm still a little giddy from the chocolate and quiet.

Happy Kate NaNa Day!

Today is the two year anniversary of the day I first met my daughter. She is now so completely a mama's girl, that it is hard to imagine that she ever pushed me away. But in those first few days, she was grieving hard, and when she cried for Mama, I was not the mama she wanted.

You can see Tim's post (with video of our first meeting and later bonding over chocolate) of that first day together here. And you can see my version of it all here. (If you want to read about the whole trip, you can pull up October 2008 from the archives on the sidebar.)

Kate NaNa, you are the most wonderful, resilient, amazing, strong, beautiful daughter in the world. I cannot imagine my life without you. I love you to the moon and back.