Family Vacation

This picture is from the archives of the Dahir family. I wish I could say that woman in the pic is my mom, but she is a friend of the family. Notice all the memories: knee high socks all around, the awesomeness that is wearing the shirt over the shoulders. One might argue why wear one at all if it isn't going to cover the important parts. I love the touristy look, the scenery, the family happiness exuding from our faces, the hats. Seriously, what's going on with the hats? Is it a statement? To me, they say "I am hoping to recreate the effects of a lunar eclipse everywhere this hike will take me." I can't help myself, but I am jealous of those hats. Not their ability to shade a half mile radius; I am jealous because wearing them means the family is on vacation. I yearn for a family vacation with my own little tykes. I am really to the point that I don't care wear we go. I just want to go. And, no offense, I don't want anyone else to go. Just me, The Man, and those little crazies I have birthed over the past 11 years.

Joseph of Arimethea

There are certain characters in the bible that strike me. Joseph of Arimethea is one of those. I was listening to a book on tape the other day (a fiction novel called The Centurion's Wife), and the character of Joseph of Arimethea got choked up over his remembering his experience of bringing Jesus' body to his tomb. I read a little more about it, and there really isn't much that I would count as biblically accurate. So much of it is holy grail business and Catholic information. I am sure some of it was written with great motive, but I am not Catholic, so I can't quite get into it.
Anyway, I got choked up myself when I started picturing the process of Joseph claiming Jesus' body, the process of him preparing the body, and his motives behind it all.
I can't seem to grasp what it would have been like to carry the body of Christ after what he just went through and knowing it was all for me. It must have been cold. Did Joseph go alone? Did he have help? Was he a rich overseer through the whole process? Or, was it his hands that did all those things?
Suddenly confessing that he was a Christ follower after years of silence must have been a heavy burden to unload. This guy was not some poor guy from out of nowhere. He had a reputation, and a long career ahead of him. What was he thinking when he went to Pilate? Was he even worried about it anymore? I mean, he obviously cared about it yesterday. But now that his Lord was murdered, maybe he did it all to make up for his silence. Maybe he wasn't silent out of fear or small faith. Maybe there was more going on. No one really knows.
Then I think, did he do everything to make up for what he viewed as disloyal service to Christ? Give up his own tomb, request to bury Christ himself, reveal himself as a Christ follower?
I relate so well because of my motives. Sometimes I have to check my motives 50 times before I approach someone or make a decision. I usually call on those who know me best, because my concern is really a fancy word for judgement. Not always, but often enough to be revealed when I read a story about a guy named Joseph.

Be Mine Valentine

Dinner by mom, prepared with love,
Candle Light
Heart shaped confetti
Lots of kisses
Air hockey playoffs
Batman pinball games
Smart Cycle
snuggling in front of our wedding video. Valentine's might be my new favorite.












SMOOCH

My Affection for Trees and Most Things Living

I say MOST because birds bother me, some dogs drive my allergies over the edge making them highly disliked even at a distance, and things that slither or crawl (not including babies) tend to make me slither or crawl. Shudder.
TREES on the other hand, make me so very happy. It started with a verse.

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.~Psalm 1:3

Then I found another.

"For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.~ Jeremiah 17:8

Then I began unintentionally finding real trees that made me smile when I drove by them. I could take you to them all if you were here. They are, for some reason, cemented in my spirit. I can't explain any of it. I just know it is a desire from God simply as a part of who I am and how I appreciate the work of God's hands. Last week, my super great friends visited. One massaged the stress away with her oh-so-magic-hands and the other left this on my living room wall:











Thanks friends.

I Dare You

GEORGE DARE

Okay, I don't mean this kind of Dare, I mean THIS kind of dare!

This week I was perusing the Christian bookstore and I came across this book.
I am officially daring you, and anyone you think would like to be a part of this, to love your husband. You need the book, but everything else comes from you.

I DARE YOU TO LOVE YOUR HUSBAND! Try it and see how God will reward your efforts. It's 40 days of preferring your spouse.

You boys can get in on this as well. Just do it. I will try to post some of the hi-lights. We are going to begin on Monday. So far, there are three of us. I would love to have you all join me.

Why Grown Ups Should Still Have Slumber Parties

You get to try out new haird-dos.

Eli D.

This kid couldn't be more of a crack up. The other day he was singing an incredibly annoying song to encourage Isabelle to finish her homework so we could get to our family reading before bed. Picture him, hanging up-side-down over the edge of the couch, singing a song that went something like this:

oh, Izzy, please fiiiiinish your HOMEWORK. GO FASTER soooo we caaaaan reeeeead. OH Izzy, please hurry up on your hoooomework. I am soooo boooooorred.

To which she replied, "ELI! Be quiet. That doesn't help me get finished faster.Stop singing that annoying song!"
To which he said, "What? It's not my fault you don't like the classics."
To which my reaction was to laugh until I peed a little.

Sigh, he is going to be 8 in a couple weeks.

why I like Mike #20

Times like these, he surprises me by drawing close rather than letting his stress fester and grumping at the world. Last night, while we waited to hear the outcome of the next meeting regarding job stuff, we snuggled on the couch, watched our shows, and he fed me cookies. He is a giver really. At least of his cookies. (That was not intended to be a euphemism, but now that I read it, it works.) Then he said what every girl wants to hear. We were watching a beach scene on LOST where a storm was brewing, the thunder was fierce, and the lightning was beautiful. He said, "I want to sit on a beach with you and watch the storm." Happy Sigh. He likes me; he really likes me.

On the job front: We are still unsure of what is happening. We DID find out he is not of the 12 that will be laid off, but that doesn't mean he won't be affected by the lay offs. The higher ups are being political and shady. I don't know why I am amazed when adults tell out right lies, but I am. I feel like lying should be a phase that hits you in middle school, but fizzles out when you get to high school because you realize you don't have to lie to be cool.
So, for now, we wait. Which is what God reminded me of in my bible reading this week.

Exodus 14:14-16 (New International Version)
14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

15 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.

I picture God saying this with a confused, furrowed brow. He may have even mumbled the word "idiots" beneath his breath as Moses turned to leave. So, I am going to try not to be God's "idiot" of the day. I am going to be low drama and return my husband's affections. :) Not a bad responsibility if you ask me.

Prayers Please

*

















My husband, the fire fighter, is at the mercy of some upcoming decisions from the city council and other "they"s we hear about all the time. We really have no say in what happens. We get to wait and hear with everyone else whether he gets to keep his job or not. I have faith that God has not brought us all the way over the mountains we had to climb to get to this point just to take it all away, and I also know that He loves us. I am trying to be accepting of whatever comes my way. That doesn't mean I don't want the prayers. Please pray:

for the decision makers to remember there are families heavily affected by the choices they make.

That they will be dealing with accurate facts rather than the nonsense they have been using up to this point.

that God will provide clarity to all involved.

and that we will not waiver in our faith while we ride out the storm.

* Please disregard the comma in the picture. I had nothing to do with it.

Holy Cow Pies Batman

This morning on my way home from dropping off the short people at school, I got a call to please come fill in for our high school Spanish teacher. ?QUE? No comprendo. Okay, so I DO comprendo. Dang it. I was scared of high schoolers. Today I get to spend two periods with them and three periods with middle schoolers. It went remarkably better than I thought it would. And I made a little dough and learned quite a lot about Quinceaneras. I am a little bummed I didn't have one.