This is our family mantra.
Matthew 22:36-40 (NASB)
"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"
..."YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND."
"This is the greatest and foremost commandment.
The second is like it. 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'
On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the prophets."
It's all about love people. Love is the basis of well, everything....and it's what we're supposed to be known by.
John 13:35
"By this all men will know you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
Oh, and another thing. Real love has legs.
Proof of our love is keeping His commandments. (John 14 :15 and the six other times John repeated this.)
Sometimes I think the church has forgotten that our primary mandate other than loving God is to love and care for our fellow man. Yet my Sunday school class gives me hope that this isn't true.
*There's the guy who's late most mornings because he's giving a newly non-homeless person a ride to work.
*Our teacher, an artist, puts on shows to support "Laundry Love" another homeless ministry.
* A couple that's preparting to go to Jordan as missionaries is actively involved in the international student ministries at UMKC, helping provide household goods, local information, and just plain old fellowship to the international students.
*Almost every person involved in the class serves "somewhere" within our branch of the body.
Our class plea seems to be "Please let us be real servants, not just seat-warming Pharisees."
All I can say is AMEN.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
At 3am I will have an eight year old!
E2 has already had most of his "birthday." We bought him a new bike and a new football. He ditched practice Monday night to go to the school skating party. His grandparents came. Tomorrow we're just having his fave, spaghetti, for dinner and I'll bake a cake while he's at school. Maybe buy a book or trinket just so he feels like he has a "real" present. For some reason, to him, the early ones are great but aren't official.
This year E2 has started playing tackle football, and with the addition of helmet and pads, has started paying attention more. His part grizzly bear, part pit bull, part fatherly coach manages him well. He's officially an offensive guard on the line now. They figured out that he needs a definite focal point on the field. Eventually, I hope he'll grow into that in other areas.
Even though Si Guy is younger, E2 has always held the "baby boy" spot in my heart. Now he just shares it. E2 is my "huggy buggy," my "sunshine smiley boy", and my "Odie child." In other words he's affectionate, optimistic, and oblivious to the evil intentions of others around him. It makes him really easy to like.
He's not without flaws, because his head is rarely attatched to his shoulders, he's the child who most often does things "because." Some of those "becauses" have already been described in detail in earlier entries in this blog. His most recent should I laugh/cry/or scold moment was at Wendy's Sunday. After his game, he had to use the restroom. He came back to the table with his bright red athletic cup in hand. "What should I do with this mom?"
Ah, E2, E2. What should I DO with YOU? Just love you.
This year E2 has started playing tackle football, and with the addition of helmet and pads, has started paying attention more. His part grizzly bear, part pit bull, part fatherly coach manages him well. He's officially an offensive guard on the line now. They figured out that he needs a definite focal point on the field. Eventually, I hope he'll grow into that in other areas.
Even though Si Guy is younger, E2 has always held the "baby boy" spot in my heart. Now he just shares it. E2 is my "huggy buggy," my "sunshine smiley boy", and my "Odie child." In other words he's affectionate, optimistic, and oblivious to the evil intentions of others around him. It makes him really easy to like.
He's not without flaws, because his head is rarely attatched to his shoulders, he's the child who most often does things "because." Some of those "becauses" have already been described in detail in earlier entries in this blog. His most recent should I laugh/cry/or scold moment was at Wendy's Sunday. After his game, he had to use the restroom. He came back to the table with his bright red athletic cup in hand. "What should I do with this mom?"
Ah, E2, E2. What should I DO with YOU? Just love you.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Happy Birthday to me!
Rarely, very rarely is my life about me. Ideally it would never be. My focus would be God, family, friends, community. That said, I had a "permission slip" from my loving husband to be horribly selfish this weekend, so I was.
On Friday, I shopped for a washing machine to replace the one we have, because one of the computers in it was permanently disabled by our tile floor. After four hours of childless shopping, I found one that would work, that we could pay for. (Always a bonus for us.)
I called my mother-in-love to get her house number, and she informed me that they decided to give us one they had. So my first birthday present was being able to do laundry at home for free! After spending last Saturday night and $80 at a laundromat w/ my husband and six kids, that a was an appreciated gift indeed.
On Saturday, E2 played in the pre-season football tournament for SMN 2nd grade. He was focused for both games, teachable, and obedient to the coaches. 2 wins later we went home. A rare day alone with one of my kids was my second invaluable gift. Seeing my "danger baby" start to settle down and grow up a bit was my third.
Yesterday I was the comic host for Kidz World at church. I had a blast and the kids were laughing the whole time. Even my son who hates staying for service had a good time.
In the afternoon, our entire family went to the zoo. We managed to get through Africa, see the elephants & the new polar bear, ride the carousel, and see the snakes, so everyone got to do something they wanted. The kids were cooperative and we had an amazingly orderly outing. It was our first trip to the zoo without a stroller or wagon, and it was amazing how less cumbersome the trip was without all the extra "stuff." I'm so thankful for the family I have and the time spent with them.
The afternoon was followed by an evening with friends, fun, and laughter. I've known most of my pals I hung out with last night for 20 years+. It's nice to be so rich in relationships.
Today we're cleaning the house and having cake...but the best is yet to come.
Someday we'll all be done with birthdays, and every day will be a celebration of another day in heaven, another day in love. This weekend I got too see a dim reflection of what that might be. So Happy Birthday to ME!
On Friday, I shopped for a washing machine to replace the one we have, because one of the computers in it was permanently disabled by our tile floor. After four hours of childless shopping, I found one that would work, that we could pay for. (Always a bonus for us.)
I called my mother-in-love to get her house number, and she informed me that they decided to give us one they had. So my first birthday present was being able to do laundry at home for free! After spending last Saturday night and $80 at a laundromat w/ my husband and six kids, that a was an appreciated gift indeed.
On Saturday, E2 played in the pre-season football tournament for SMN 2nd grade. He was focused for both games, teachable, and obedient to the coaches. 2 wins later we went home. A rare day alone with one of my kids was my second invaluable gift. Seeing my "danger baby" start to settle down and grow up a bit was my third.
Yesterday I was the comic host for Kidz World at church. I had a blast and the kids were laughing the whole time. Even my son who hates staying for service had a good time.
In the afternoon, our entire family went to the zoo. We managed to get through Africa, see the elephants & the new polar bear, ride the carousel, and see the snakes, so everyone got to do something they wanted. The kids were cooperative and we had an amazingly orderly outing. It was our first trip to the zoo without a stroller or wagon, and it was amazing how less cumbersome the trip was without all the extra "stuff." I'm so thankful for the family I have and the time spent with them.
The afternoon was followed by an evening with friends, fun, and laughter. I've known most of my pals I hung out with last night for 20 years+. It's nice to be so rich in relationships.
Today we're cleaning the house and having cake...but the best is yet to come.
Someday we'll all be done with birthdays, and every day will be a celebration of another day in heaven, another day in love. This weekend I got too see a dim reflection of what that might be. So Happy Birthday to ME!
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