The Good Samaritan

Today I was privileged to be in the right place at the right time. For starters I get depressed Thursday evenings knowing I have to get up the next morning, make my menu/grocery list and go grocery shopping with my 4 year old (not too bad) and my almost 2 year old son (not always the most pleasant). But as I made my list this morning I was happy to realize that I could buy everything I needed at Aldi and thus would have time and energy to also finally go to the post office to buy stamps. I HATE running out of stamps and finding the time to go to the post office! So I went to a post office we recently discovered in a office building where we’d gone to get fingerprinted. On our way out we offered to help a man jump-start his car. Which didn’t work so we also offered to give him a ride home. (Just so you know, I only offered because there was also a woman with him. As much as I would love to offer every one I see a ride I know to be careful.) Turns out they lived a block away from several of our friends close to our church offices. I’m wishing I had invitations to our Black History Celebration to give to him. Would it be inappropriate to go back over to their house to give them one? I felt so fulfilled and joyful for the opportunity to serve. Even though it was cold and it took up time and effort, God really does give a fresh and energizing kind of joy when we serve others.

Biological Clock

Yes, my “biological clock” has been ticking away. I have to resist the urges to steal my friends’ babies. Kirk got me a couple of cats to snuggle and cuddle but somehow, as wonderful as they are, aren’t enough. Kirk and I have decided to adopt. We’re going through the state of Missouri which means we won’t have to pay the adoption fees (a huge sigh). Right now we’re going through the STARS foster classes, every Tuesday for 3 hours for 9 weeks. After that we’ll take 12 more hours of adoption classes. Then we just sit and wait to see who God brings into our family. We’re open to kids between the ages of 0 and 5 and hopefully even a sibling group of maybe 2. We’ve wanted to have four kids so why not provide a home where some siblings can stay together.

I’ve found that I’ve gone through many emotions similar to those I went through in having our biological kids. We decided several months ago to adopt but had to wait for the classes to start. It felt like we’d decided to get pregant but wanted to wait a little longer for the sake of timing. Now we’ve started classes and I find myself fearful that there won’t be kids out there that fit our desires (which we feel are from God). It’s like feeling fearful that I won’t be able to get pregnant. But it all leads me to pray and learn to trust in the Lord’s timing and wisdom in how and were He leads us. I can’t wait to know my next kids and start figuring out what life is going to look like. Kirk wants a baby. Joanna wants a twin sister. Sam is oblivious. I’m not really sure what I want, like a true middle child I just want everyone to get along.

Pray with us!!! We realize more and more how much prayer we need.

Newly Inspired

We had a beautiful day at the Wintermarket.  A little chilly at times but when the sun was shiny it was warm enough to even take off my coat.  It was a wonderful environment to sell our stuff.  Rachel had a TON more for sale than I did.  I admit that I’d gone through a period of time that I felt like there was no point to making onsies/hats anymore.  But I’ve had a lot of orders lately and after doing Wintermarket I feel re-inspired.  I had received an order a month ago for a little girl whose mother was a ballerina.  This was a very fun project for me.  I got to combine three of my “old” skills with something new.  The hat and ball are crocheted.  The little girl is painted on with acrylic paint.  The leotard ? is appliqued on and then I sewed on a little tutu.  So cute and so fun (I hope it holds up in the wash).

Wintermarket

Rachel Patrick and I will be sharing a table at the Skinker-DeBaliviere Wintermarket on Saturday December 5th…that’s THIS Saturday.  Come on out and support us and other local artists.  The market is open from 11:00 to 4:00.  We did it two years ago and had a wonderful time and are looking forward to participating again.

Sick Sam

Whenever one of the kids gets sick Kirk gets stressed out and sympathetic and sad for them.  Not me!  Not that I like to see them sick but there are some wonderful benefits.

1. Snuggling: Neither of my kids have been that much of snugglers.  But when they are sick they like to sit on my lap and lean against me and get hugs.

2. Sleeping: I selfishly miss those days of two two-plus hour naps.  I had time to exercise, do my devotions, do work, bum around on the computer, etc.  Not now.  I get one free hour a day.  That’s enough time to maybe do one of the above things.

So, sorry Sam that you’re sick.  But thanks for snuggling with me, falling asleep in my arms, and letting me get so much done as you sleep your cold away.  And thank you Joanna for also falling asleep and giving me over an hour of a completely silent house.  Ahhh, thank you God for hearing in my complaining heart the need for this day of quiet at home.OK, so it’s not a picture of either of the kids sleeping but isn’t he handsome anyway?

The City to Come

My women’s Bible study at church has been doing a study by John Piper called “The Blazing Center: The Soul-Satisfying Supremacy of God in All Things.”  His main theme is that “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.”  This week he added onto that “…especially when we maintain joy in him in suffering.”  He brought up four chapters in Hebrews that support this.

Hebrews 10:32-34 talks about Christians who were willing to go to prison and suffer for the sake of knowing Christ.  And also Christians who were willing to be connected with those suffering and “joyfully accepted the plundering if their property” for it.  Why? Because they knew they had a better possession in knowing Christ.

Hebrews 11:24-26 talks about how Moses refused to be called the son of Pharoah’s daughter when he grew up.  He chose to be mistreated with the people of God rather than enjoy the “fleeting pleasures of sin.”  Why? “He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.”

The ultimate example of joy in suffering is of course Christ.  The author of Hebrews (12:1-2) tells us to look to Christ as our example.  Christ endured the cross…”for the joy set before him.”

Lastly, Hebrews 13:12-14 calls us to be willing to bear the reproach (disgrace, shame – I had to look it up in the dictionary) that Christ endured “for here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.”

“Through Christ then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”       (Heb. 13:15-16)  Piper refers to all these believers as “strange people” doing strange things but that we should daily be praying that God would make us into strange people too.  What strange things are you doing for the kingdom of God?

“Money off the Ground”

We decided to start giving Joanna (age 3 1/2) an allowance. She’ll get $1 every week. However, she also has to do a few age-appropriate chores in order to get her money. Kirk and I, being structured organizers, made up a system and a chart. The chart contains columns for each day of the week (except Sunday) and rows for each of her chores: making her bed, cleaning up her room, and clearing her dirty dishes off the table. Stickers go in the boxes of chores completed. Today it all fell apart. I was struggling to get her to do a small part of picking up her toys. I was getting angry, she was feeling overwhelmed. I reminded her that if she didn’t clean up she wouldn’t get part of her allowance for that job. She said, “I’d rather just get money off the ground,” referring to when we find change on the ground.

Wow, pretty insightful for a little kid. Wouldn’t we all rather just pick up money from the ground instead of having to work for it? And yet, there is value and honor and a sense of self-worth that we get from working.

You’ll be happy to know that we have taken a more “grace-filled” approach to the allowance, focusing more on her heart attitude toward helping out around the house now that she is a big girl.

A Dirty “Manger”

Today I read Proverbs 14:4:
Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.

I have translated it into my own version:                                                                “Where there are no fresh baked goods, the kitchen is clean. But abundant yumminess comes by the strength of the cook.”

Today I didn’t have to leave the house at all.  YAY!  The kids and I made Grapenut Muffins.

1. Pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 cup grapenuts. Mix well, cool, stir 1 cup oil in well in grapenuts.

2. Mix 1 1/4 white flour, 1 1/4 wheat flour, 2 1/2 t. baking soda, and    1 t. salt.

3. Beat 2 eggs and 1 cup sugar.  Add dry ingredients.  Stir in 2 cups buttermilk and add 2 cups dry grapenuts (not the ones from step 1).  Mix well.

4. Add grapenut mixture from step 1.

5. Bake 15-20 minutes at 350 in greased muffin pans.

*Batter may be refrigerated for several weeks.

Rainy Shopping Day

Today is Thursday, traditionally my “grocery shopping day.”  Last night I made up my menu for the week and this morning I made up my shopping list.  I typically go to three places to buy my groceries (not including what I get at Sam’s Club or the coffee I get Kirk at World Market).  Today dawned as a wet and dreary day.  We’re trying to be really good about staying within our budget lately so I had $50 to spend today.  I figure I can spend $30 on regular stuff and $20 on produce.  First we hit Aldi with is basically caticorner to our house.  I came out of Aldi spending $16 which included two splurge items (yogurt and string cheese).  Next we went to Schnucks where I get my WIC items ($8 worth of milk, eggs, juice, and peanut butter).  I also spent $15 on other items for meals this week but also buying popcorn (on their 10/$10 sale-I got three), wheat germ for granola, and buttermilk for muffins.  I used the rest of my money to buy ICE CREAM!!!  Breyers was having a buy one get one free deal.  Woohoo!  With $20 left and the rain picking up we decided to go ahead to the semi-outdoor Loop Market to get our produce.  I LOVE this market and the people who work there.  They remember me each week, when I hadn’t come for over a year they still remembered me, and one time when I realized I didn’t have any checks with me they let me pay for my produce the following week.  I LOVE THE LOOP MARKET!  We had enough money to buy the necessities and even grapes and a pumpkin to carve next weekend with Aunti Anna.  The kids love going to the market because they get to help pick out produce and even get some for free sometimes.  They get to run around and play.  Today was a blast because they got to play in the pumpkins, the puddles, and the water streaming off the roof.  They came home soaked and super happy.

I was a little nervous about finding new places to shop when we moved to our new house.  I used to do all of my shopping at Shop-N-Save but now it’s not worth the drive.  But I’ve come to really like my Aldi.  I felt a bit intimidated usually being the only white person there but when you go to the same place every week you start to recognize people.  I shopped last week by myself and my cashier asked me where my babies were.  I’ve also really like the Schnucks I go to (on Union), recognizing people who work there.  And everyone seems so friendly.  So as much as I don’t like menu planning or grocery shopping, it’s become a pleasant experience.

Crochet Skirt

Joanna will only wear skirts...

As some of you may know…I crochet. Some of you may not know that I sell my stuff. Check out my website…LittleKnots.com. I made Joanna this skirt last year and she wears it all the time. I can’t believe how many complements we get when we’re out. So I thought I ought to make some more and see if I could sell them. They’re going for $30 each, you can even pick your own colors. I’ve got one finished and another one on the way.