Snowy Saturday

Today is Saturday. It is snowing. Large flakes flowing from the sky in a seeming river of white. They again cover everything. Coating the world in a blanket of whiteness. Looking out my window the world seems quiet and serene.

Inside, the Admiral is scrapping down a popcorn ceiling. The girls are playing clubs. One club in the mid living room and one in their bedroom. It has been discovered that fitted sheets make excellent tents.   I have written birthday greetings to my great aunt and puttered around with stuff.

I sit and watch the snow fall I find contentment.  So much of life is striving for the next goal, the next thing. This week, God through nature, slowed us down. Two snow days, two school delays, radical changes of my plans.








We had a blessed time together, my girls and I, on those two snow days. Legos, piano, friends, books, princesses, & barbies. On top of all that I got stuff done. I will talk about that more in tomorrow's post.

Friends, slow down. There is sooo much "urgent" in our lives. Slow down and play with the Legos. Choose to be content. The urgent will be there tomorrow.

Thank You Father for the slow down.

" You are the leaf Daddy!"

I have the privilege to sing with the worship team at our church. I sing two weeks and am off two weeks. The Sundays on which I sing I leave the house an hour earlier than the rest of my family. It becomes a fun surprise to see my girls after Sunday school. They always surprise me in their clothing choices. Sunday when they ran to greet me I noticed they were both wearing deep purple dresses. I was also wearing a strong purple sweater. I said, "Wow! We look like a bunch of grapes. Daddy didn't get the memo." The Admiral being attired in my favorite hunter green sweater. To which my wonderful oldest replied "You are the leaf, Daddy!" I laughed out loud... My delight in her creativity spilling out. They headed for the cookies and I went in the other direction. Soon I had a few moments alone and my thoughts overtook me. The leaves are on the vine shading and protecting the grapes. The leaves draw in the nourishment from the sun and rain, growing the grapes fuller, plumper, juicier.

I must derail a moment and share a struggle I have. I struggle to give the Admiral headship of our home. Now I know this is muddy water in the feminist world we live in. However it is scriptural. Ladies we are called very clearly to submit to our husbands. Ephesians 5 verse 21 makes no bones about this.

 ²¹ Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Submit. The word has a negative connotation. A feeling of giving up control or governance of self. Yet when I read the verse " ... out of reverence for Christ". I don't see a giving up. I see an honoring of my savior. The next verse reads:

 ²² Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

According to this verse, we, as women, are to give 'governance' or authority to our spouses.  This doesn't mean giving up my voice. This doesn't mean forfeiting who I am to my husbands whim. If you read on the  verse says "Husbands are the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church". Verse 25 and following:

 ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶ her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. ²⁸ In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰ for we are members of his body. ³¹ “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” ³² This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³ However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Photo courtesy freefoto.com

 See the directives to the husbands? It doesn't say 'rule with an iron fist'. It doesn't say 'take and order her around for your comfort'. It says "love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her..." They are to care for and shelter us. The husbands are to give themselves up for their wives. So it becomes a mutual giving of authority. God designed men to lead their households. Created men to follow His example as the head of the family. Willing even to lay down his life for his family. To deny him headship is to deny his God given role in the family. Be careful here, headship is not equal to power. Headship is leading, caring, cherishing, guiding, giving, providing. The guys have huge job. 

This is a struggle for me as an independent 21st century woman. I want to be in charge. I want to call the shots. I don't want to be seen as weak. The idea of submitting to another person has been ingrained into me as bad. So I am working hard to give my husband headship of our family. I want to work with him as a team to raise our precious ones. When big girl said "You are the Leaf Daddy!" The picture in my mind blew open. I saw the Admiral as more. I saw him as our provider, cherisher, leader, lover and guide. Like the leaf that covers and protects the growing grapes, sometimes at great cost to self, I see my husband as the head of our family. I will support him in the role God has given him.

Abba, help me to affirm my husband and be an example to my girls.

On the Journey...

Today we celebrate Thanksgiving. Our annual celebration of our blessings. I am rejoicing to be with my parents, aunt, uncle & grandmother. We do not often get the chance to all be together. I am so Thankful that my girls have the opportunity to know my grandmother. Great - grandmother is 94 and growing shorter with each passing month. She enjoys watching the girls play and hearing about our lives. Bright One did a short vocal concert for everyone after lunch. It was a blessing.

One of the things I am most thankful for is my daughters. They amaze me. The things they learn and connect are sometimes unexpected. They argue and bicker which makes me crazy. Then occassionally they surprise me with wonderful caring for each other. On the journey to my folks we had a wonderful moment that showed me just what big girls they are becoming. We were approximately halfway into our journey when we stopped for dinner at an O'Charley's restaurant. Dinner was very yummy. We had just finished our meal when Bright One decided that she should try the restroom before resuming our journey. Love Bug said "I'll take her!"  So off they went to use the restroom. The Admiral and I finished up our meals and paid the bill. When a small amount of time passed, I realized I should probably go and assist Bright One with reaching the rather high counter to wash her hands. Upon entering the rest room the sight that met my eyes left me speechless with delight. First I heard them singing rousingly "5 little Monkeys, Jumping on the bed!" Then I saw them. Bright One precariously balanced on her elbows washing her hands. Her feet tucked under her sister's arms and straight out behind her. Love Bug held Bright One's feet up wheelbarrow race style. They had solved the problem and were enthusiastically singing with all the joy that goes with a trip to grandma's and dinner out. I quickly left, laughing outright once I was out of range.

I was so delighted with their ingenuity and joy. I am thankful for these precious girls.


Lord God give me your eyes to see my daughters as you see them. Give me wisdom as I work with their father to raise them to know and trust you. Remind me often of their wonderful uniqueness!

Being Silly

    Today has been a very laid back and quiet day. There wasn't school in honor of Veterans Day. The girls and I have been bums, watched too much tv, ate horribly, colored pictures, read books, cut paper into a million smithereens, and generally vegged out all day. About an hour ago I realized they needed to eat something more before we went to choir practices this evening. They asked me for "squiggly noodles". This is what we call ramen noodles.  I know they are not healthy at all but we also had fresh apple slices. While they were eating I was away from the table when they started giggling and entertaining each other laughing uproariously. I listened from my desk. I do not know what was so funny.  I was mildly irritated they weren't eating quickly. However I was struck by how precious that silliness is. That laughter together as sisters. It was truly wonderful. We can be so strict about proper table manners and raising our children to be polite. But how wonderful was it for me to listen to this uninhibited laughter. The knowledge that my children do take joy in each other. How often do I give into the stricture of society to behave when I really want to delve into the silliness? Silliness is not for everyday, but now and then there is great joy and wonder in giving oneself to unrestricted goofiness.


Lord help me to not be so full of propriety I forget to have fun.

Miracles Anyone?

As you may have guessed from the first post, my father had a major heart attack Friday night. He is doing very well thanks to some amazing miracles. He was in a public place. There was an EMT & an RN in said public place. The ambulance arrived in 2 minutes from the call. Doctors have told us that if he had not been given care so quickly this could have been fatal. What a miracle.. he could have been driving .. in fact he had planned to but didn't have the strength to close the car door. There are so many things for which to be thankful.

God is challenging me... Why do I wait for a crisis to look for a miracle? As I prayed through the night waiting for the outcome God was there holding me, reminding me of His bigness. In the light of day Saturday I began thinking of the miracles that had saved my daddy's life and how there are miracles each and every day. But I must choose to acknowledge them. Do you look for the miracles in each day. I don't mean to be vapid or simple. But do you look? I haven't been. But what joy when I do. How cared for I am! What treasure I must be that God would orchestrate so many little miracles...

Father God, Open my eyes. Lead me to look. Nudge me to be aware of your hand in my life... daily... hourly, moment to moment.