Thursday, March 29, 2012

stuff my kids said [3/29]


Playing outside:
I can do a hopsketch.
Birthdays:
My birthday is on 7.  (Oh that's cool - what month?) I don't know.  On my 7 birthday, I will be 4.
Coloring:
This is kind of pig color.
(One kid:) Oh, pretty!  How did you do that?  (Other kid:) Imaginations.  Just... imaginations.
Name-calling:
I call YOU an instrument!  So, I'll throw you in the instrument trash.
"Reading" a book:
Owls singed along with baby secrets... run says Bambi-lash... run, run!  A mouse!  Run for dearest minals!  NOW we're safe in the barn!
Original songs:
Three little bunnies swinging on a tree...
Concerning animals:
Do daddy dinosaurs have moustaches?
I'm going to be a dog when I grow up!  

Sunday, March 25, 2012

a tale of two hamlets

Forgive the corniness of the title.  It gave me great joy.

So, long story short: Petco killed our Hamlet.

Long story long:
We hadn't had him a week, most days he slept and shook, then, he was freaking out: 
flipping all over his cage and biting himself.
We realized he didn't have any fur left on his front legs, and his mouth wouldn't close.
He seriously looked possessed.
After trying to treat him ourselves with a homemade remedy for mites (it wasn't mites),
we took him back to Petco, where they bought him back and sent him to the vet.

...FOUR WEEKS LATER...

I get a phone call (yesterday) telling me he's finished his last round of meds and is ready to be picked up!
JOY OF JOYS!
Today, Kev and I drive down (~30 miles away) to pick up our Ham.

We enter the store.
We approach a salesperson.
We tell her we're here for our hamster.
She rolls her eyes, and begrudgingly speaks to us.
"Yeah, he didn't make it."
...
Wait - what?
Apparently he had died yesterday.  After the phone call was made.
We didn't get any sort of call telling us the poor little guy "didn't make it."
Now, I'm confused.  
When we had him admitted, the salesperson said it was because we purchased the wrong bedding and it was choking him; the salesperson was supposed to have told us which bedding to use.
...
I'm still really wanting a hamster, though, so we head home (quite upset), 
and stop at a PetSmart on the way.
Their selection of hamsters was pleasing, and we picked out a replacement Hamlet.
This one is active: running all around his cage and in his wheel and drinking water and doing the whole circulation again.
We ask the salesperson what type of bedding to use; he points it out to us; it's the same thing we used for Hamlet I, which supposedly had KILLED HIM.
As we go through the paperwork with the salesperson, 
he explains that all of their animals are "vet assured".
...
Conclusion: 
Petco sold us a defective, already sick hamster.
That, or he found out he would have to come home to us and decided to end it.

Rest in peace, Hamlet I.

All hail and long live Hamlet II!

stuff my kids said [3/23]

This edition is dedicated to one of my favorite five-year-olds.
Wednesday was his last day, and no one told me, so I didn't get to say goodbye!  :(

Anatomy:
Guess what I love to make you strong?  MUSCLES.  I love muscles.
Pronunciation:
My bike goes berry sast! ("Very fast!")
No I amn't!  (A contraction of "am not" -- I think she's onto something, personally.)
...Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, twenty... 3D! 
Coloring:
Holy cow you're good.   It takes practice, hon. Yeah, you start like a baby, just scribbling.  And then you get gooder and gooder and gooder and gooder and then you get good like Miss Anna!
My triangle looks like a little Santa hat. 
That yellow's a little dirty.  Well.  That's just the way God made it, I guess. 
Epiphanies:
Hey!  Excuse me!  I spelled my whole name!
You're not a teacher, you're a girl kid!
Definitions:
'Serious' means she doesn't really know me, or something.
Do you know what 'extinct' means?  It means all your skin rolls off and it's just bones.  You can't touch extinct animals - they're scratchy claws.
Reality:
Anyway, I like popcorn.  EVERYONE likes popcorn.  Besides, who doesn't like popcorn?
Who is it? A dad with really big nose hairs (said by another kid).  Is it my mom?
I have a bunch of rocks for my mom and they're shiny.   
I get tired of running and running and running... ME: You can sit down and rest for a bit!  Ok, thanks! 
I'll tell you how tall T-Rexes are with my hand.  THIS tall. 
I'm so hungry that I want to eat the trees. 
My birthday is far away, in California. 
That's smaller than a baby?  YUCK!  Babies are disgusting! 
Geography, a conversation:
I live in the mountains! I live in Africa!  Well... I mean, Greyfox Drive.  It means a grey fox.  They are so cute. 
 Putting shoes on the right feet:
If I was a big girl, and I had them on, I'd have them on wrong!
Compliments:
Are those your sunglasses, Miss Anna?  I like the design.  The frames look like they're from a volcano. 

Sunday, March 18, 2012

stuff my kids said [3/16]

Some of these are ones I just stumbled upon in my notebook (not a moleskine, for those who care) from December.  Still good.  These don't expire.  :)  But unfortunately, my memory for context does... so I am just going to list these ones.

We don't do these kinds of craps.
Tim Tebow is the awesome guy.  Also, I cheer for Tim Tebow... and play with him.
Two Tebow!  Tebowhead!
Miss Anna, you need lipstick on when you have chapstick.  You need lipstick.  You do, you do.
Do you know what girls call chapstick?  Lipstick.
I need to tell you something very important about it.  He lives on a cloud.
And if you don't have a teacher, you don't know what to do!  And don't know how to play with anybody!
One time, my gramma ate a whole bunny and she got sick.  A whole Easter bunny!  
Birds can be brown or purple.
Floose!  It means to blow.  Floose your hair... floose your nose!  
Do you want to hear a soft song?  ...The cat licks the girl... And there's an angel song. But you have to dance.
Guess what happened the first time I had a sandwich!
If you lick your face, it'll make your face even more red!  Maybe it's because your tongue is red.
My mommy and daddy are done growing, but now their brain is growing. 
Coloring:
It's a poodle fish.  Part French poodle, part fish!
This is a father face! (Complete with beard and no smile)
When...:
When the sun goes down!  But that means it's going to be dark!
When I go home, I'm going to go home... put my new jacket on!  I got a new jacket!  It's comfortable!  I won't see you in the fall.  Because I'll be six and we're not best friends.
My mom always makes ice cream cake when I'm asleep.
I-statements:
I do NOT like shoes from Target.  I will NOT get shoes from Target.
I have a Mama Mia movie at my house - it's not scary at all!
I have too much cups at my house!  (Too many?) Yea- NO.  Too MUCH.
I am... wet in the pants.
Every book I get from the library YOU are going to read.
I wanna show you running over my hand with the bike.  (He did, and he started crying.)
Miss Anna-statements:
Miss Anna, you're four.  Actually, I'm four.
Miss Anna, is that how a princess sings? (I was humming under my breath whilst coloring.  Apparently so!)
Miss Anna - you can come to my birthday; I live in Colorado!
Overheard conversations:
Do you have a brother? No, only a sister. Do you play tackle football downstairs? No, we don't even have a football.
How about we have the dinosaur party RIGHT HERE.  No, I want to go to the car show. 

Monday, March 12, 2012

to do: read Gen-Rev

Kevin and I have begun reading through the Bible again!  Instead of going book-by-book as per usual, we'll be going through it chronologically.  To see/steal/use/judge the plan we'll be following, click here!

Sunday, March 11, 2012

being light

At one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. 
Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in 
all that is good and right and true)
and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 
making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
Ephesians 5:8-10, 15-16

Remember this post? It is in the same spirit that I reflect on my attitudes and behavior now, just a few weeks later.  I think it's right and good to have checkpoints for yourself.  Otherwise, how can progress be made?

Just as I proactively guard what I expose myself to (whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, etc), and how that affects my thought-life, I've got to monitor what my outward actions - my "walk" - looks like.  How will anyone know that I am in the light if the only light that I let affect me is all in my head?  It's got to manifest itself outwardly!  Others should be able to see a difference!

And lately, I fear that has not been the case.

I fear that I love too much about my life to really let God be God. That (mis)placement messes everything up.  If I don't let God have His place of sovereignty - of authority - in my life, I put myself and my desires in His place.  Actions follow mindset.  I do not, therefore, obey God, but myself and what I want and think is best for my life (read: selfishness, sinfulness, pride).  And how can that but manifest itself in my behavior?  I do really well sometimes, in submitting to God's will, but lately I haven't been satisfied in that.  I want more.  It doesn't really matter more of what, exactly... but my state of discontentedness is not consistent with a lifestyle of light.  

One of my favorite psalms of David (one that I go back to time and time again for conviction, for comfort, for wisdom, and for encouragement) is Psalm 16.  Hear what he has to say about this.

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 
I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you."

The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:1-2, 5-6, 11

Do I believe that?

Do I truly believe that He is the only good I have?  Do I believe that He is enough?  That He is the way to peace and joy?  That pleasure, even, is found only in Him and the things that He gives?  That He has shown me the path that I must walk, and has made me capable of walking that way?  

Along with guarding myself from the worldview portrayed by the media, I have to choose to choose God above myself and what I naturally desire, what I think will bring me satisfaction and pleasure.  

I must "set the LORD always before me; 
[and] because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken!" 
Psalm 16:8

Then, and only then, can I live a life apart.  Only then can people see my life, my walk, my attitudes and behavior and say that I am and child of light.  I love the quote attributed to Ghandi: Be the change you wish to see in the world.  Only then, can I be that change.  Left to my own devices, I am nothing if not incapable.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

"But Your Name alone we bring to remembrance": Thoughts on Joseph Kony, Invisible Children, and YHVH

I was going to kind of keep my mouth shut about this one, in all honesty.  It's a hot topic, and an important one, and I thought I'd keep my thoughts to myself.  But this is too good, and too important, to pass up.  Hear this.

Background Pt. 1
After a rather rough couple of days, I feel spiritually low.  I realize it's because I haven't spent any time reading my Bible.  I have had closeness with God through prayer (for myself and others, which is great for relationship), but little truth has been poured into my life.  And I haven't sought it out.  I feel the absence, the discomfort, the... unbalancedness.  (That word, alone, perfectly describes what it is and how I feel.)
Background Pt. 2
Last night, I had an interesting talk with a friend about Kony 2012 and the Invisible Children initiative.  To be perfectly frank, I have mixed feelings about the entire discussion: Facebook exploding with statuses, the videos, the articles... it's big news.  Make Kony famous.
Background Pt. 3
I'm currently reading a delightful little linguistic tale Born to Kvetch about the Yiddish culture and language.  Fascinating and hilarious stuff, my friends.  (If you're interested, once I'm done, I'll post a review here, on my other blog!)  The chapter I'm in right now discusses the importance of the name of a thing.  "What's in a name?" asks Juliet... "Everything," responds the Hebraic-Yiddish culture.  Contained in an object's name is its very essence.  From a rose, to YHVH - the Name above all Names - if you change a name, you change the very thing.  Therefore because the Name is the very holiness of God, Jews do not speak it, but merely refer to it as the Name, or Adonai (the closest a word can get in majesty and splendor to the Name), and we English speakers, "LORD."
.......
As soon as I got home today from work, I opened the Word, and lo and behold: Isaiah 26 leapt off the page at me.  I encourage you to read it in its gorgeous entirety, but here are a few main points that I had previously underlined.

You keep him in perfect peace 
whose mind is stayed on you, 
because he trusts in you.

In the path of your judgments, 
O LORD, we wait for you;
Your Name and remembrance
are the desire of our soul.

For when your judgments are in the earth,
the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
If favor is shown to the wicked, 
he does not learn righteousness.
Let them see your zeal for your people,
and be ashamed.
Let the fire for your adversaries consume them.

O LORD our God,
other lords beside you have ruled over us,
but your Name alone we bring to remembrance.
...
Whether you think so or not, these passages speak directly into the issues I described above.  
Firstly, I am promised peace when I place my trust, my hope, my anxieties squarely on Him. Not just peace.  Perfect peace.  The peace that transcends understanding, as Paul says in my favorite passage from the epistle to the church at Philippi.  I need to A) read my Bible, and B) trust that it is true.
Secondly, it is the Lord's Name that we are to uphold, cherish, make famous.  We are to crave His fame, to spread His light to the far reaches of the world - heck, the galaxy... who knows? - and teach the world righteousness.
Thirdly, if that occurs, that His Name is our soul's desire, that His Name is the only word on our lips, that His fame exceed all others... He will teach the unrighteous justice.  He will teach them righteousness.  He will avenge the godly with the "fire for [His] adversaries"!  Trust!  

Now, I while I struggle with the tactics of Invisible Children, I believe the goal is just and the heart of it is in the right place.  I struggle, though.  Make Kony famous?  Call out for justice and righteousness and for those who have no voices of their own - YES!  God, yes!  But.  At what cost?  It is when the LORD's judgments are in the earth that the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.  It is only then that there will be peace, that there will be mercy, that there will be justice.  Truly.  

We must have balance.
We must have care.
We must have priorities appropriately placed.
We must be in the Word.
We must be filled with the Spirit.
We must be in touch with God, casting our cares upon Him, presenting our requests/anxieties/worries upon Him in prayer with thanksgiving.
We must call for justice.
We must trust that He will carry out His will.
We must make His Name great.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

stuff my kids said this week [3/3]

Dental hygiene:
If you don't brush your teeth, you have to get bracelets!
Science fiction:
I have super eyeballs and a robot smsh-smsh-brain!  You know what a robot is, right?
To protect and serve?:
The police monster doesn't wake up when it's nighttime.  Just daytime.
Concerning dentists:
When the dentist cut my mommy's tummy off, it didn't really hurt.
But this marker smells like dentist.