Thu, Feb 3, 200511:23 AMAviana’s first tooth broke the surface today! It’s razor sharp and pearly white. It’s weird being a parent. I never thought I would get so excited by something so simple, but when I felt it, my heart welled up to my eyes and tears fell a little, just for the sake of a tooth.
Tue, Feb 15, 200511:10 AMGood afternoon! I just called my sister and when she answered the phone with “good afternoon”, my response was “oh no, is it really?” My morning has flown by. I have spent it nursing the baby, changing the baby, nursing the baby, writing a note to my brother and some friends, nursing the baby, putting up some new pics, nursing the baby, reading a bit, nursing the baby, taking her to make a tinkle, nursing the baby, laughing with her, nursing the baby and now I need to eat some lunch! She is fighting off some sort of runny nose issue and needs a lot of comforting right now. I am glad to do it, but sheesh! It does get to be a lot.
We are planning a trip to Cedar Rapids to see Cory this weekend. We are also going to a Reliv event which will be pretty exciting. We had a shower for Baby Shay this past weekend and according to everyone, a good time was had by all. We went to a fondue party for Valentines, which, ‘tho the baby was along, was a lot of fun. I was chatting until the last possible second. We went to Chicago last week to visit friends and go to a Reliv meeting, so we have had pretty busy time around here. On Saturday, I am having a Stampin’ Up! party, and am looking forward to that. Right now tho’ I am looking forward to a nap!
Thu, Feb 17, 20058:48 AMBecome as a Child by Mary DeMuth

In an unguarded moment, one of life’s pure relaxed snapshots, my son asked me, “Can God feel the wind?�?

I stopped when he said it—stopped everything I was doing. I realized afresh that parenting was not so much me imparting deep spiritual truth into the hearts of my children, but quite the opposite: My children are God’s way of growing me up, of teaching me more about Him.

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me�? (Matthew 18:3-5).

Could it be that God gives us children to lead us to him? Could it be that parenting is more learning than teaching? Could it be that what Jesus really wants from us is not capability, but humility enough to learn from the mouths of babes?

Today as you face the whirlwind of life, get on your knees—not necessarily to pray (we can pray when we drive the minivan to the store, for that matter), but to see what life looks like from our children’s perspective. With new eyes, wonder at the world God created. Look up. That’s the posture the Lord wants us to have. He wants to be the lifter of our heads. He longs for us to simply look up for His help.

Remember the movie Big where Tom Hank’s character is a child in an adult’s body? How did he interact with the world? Cynically? No, he had a wide-eyed jubilance about life—he played, he jumped on the bed, he smiled. Perhaps the Lord gives us children so we can remember what we once were—carefree and happy to be content with one day.

Dr. Dan Allender, who wrote the book How Children Raise Parents, asserts, “Thank God for your children because they are the ones who grow you up into spiritual maturity. Far more than being concerned about how to correct, or convert, or counsel your children, thank God for what your children are teaching you.�?

It’s a topsy-turvy notion that children lead us into maturity, but isn’t the kingdom of heaven like that? The poor own it. The humble understand it. The proud disdain it. The capable elude it.

I learn more about the gentleness of Jesus when I dare to apologize to my children. Escalated talk becomes kind embrace—and somehow in the midst of that, I experience the paradoxical kingdom.

I learn more about the wonder of Jesus when I watch the stars with Aidan.

I learn more about the vastness of Jesus when Sophie struggles to write a science paper about the creation of the moon.

I learn more about the kindness of Jesus when my children scour the neighborhood for a lost kitten.

I learn more about the gentleness of Jesus when Julia tenderly holds a roly-poly bug, naming it Alice and making her a nice bed of grass.

I learn more about the creator Jesus when I marvel at Aidan’s intricate drawing of a ship.

I learn more about the joy of Jesus when Julia sings “He has been salted. The King has been salted on high. I will re-praise Him.�? (No matter that her lyrics are different—she dances like David with all her might, with brown eyes turned heavenward.)

Can God feel the wind? I believe He does—through the cheeks of my son. And He is kind enough to let me come along for the ride.

Dear Jesus, I pray you will show me the importance of humbling myself like a little child. Instead of instructor today, help me put on the hat of “learner.�? Use my children, Lord, to teach me more about you. Use their words to point me to your Word. Use their freedom to infuse freedom into my heart.
Mon, Feb 21, 20058:20 AMHere it is Aviana’s seven month birthday & I am still not used to being a mom. I’m used to Aviana and we are bonded and everything, but I guess I thought that Moms had it all together & knew all the answers and what to do and how to do it and I haven’t had any epiphanies of that sort. I guess I thought I would change a whole lot or something, and I really don’t feel like I have. Today I was just thinking about play tryouts my junior year of high school and that seemed like the recent past instead of ancient history. I don’t feel like a mom- moms are old- moms aren’t “with it” and yet my mom is my best friend so where did that idea come from? I can see that I’m rambling and I still haven’t figured out what I even mean, so I guess I’ll just sign off. Maybe you will be more enlightened than I. Toodle-loo.