Out of my Box

Most of you know that I can be a fairly shy person around new people.  So, I find it humorous that God has been gently molding me over the past few years to be more bold with complete strangers.

Our church has a moms group that meets once a month.  Our goal is to encourage the moms, learn about God, and enjoy the fellowship of other ladies.  I look forward to it each month.

This past month I've invited three people to our moms group, and the odd thing is that these invitations came pretty much on the first conversation with them.  Through a series of events, I ended up getting some clothes from the wife of a fellow teacher conference goer.  I wrote a note explaining our moms group's purpose and when we meet.  I know that I really needed a support network when I became a mom, and so I find it easy to share about Moms Central because I don't want anyone to feel as lonely as I did that first year home.  The second gal is a neighbor, who I still don't know her name, but I did find out she is having twins soon.  I thought, gee, if I were having twins, I'd like to know some other moms who have kids.  So I wrote a similar note, had Kyle pray I'd have the courage to deliver it and know what to say, and then I gave it to her husband who answered the door.  I could tell he is excited to be a dad and was blessed that I'd think of his wife.  The third gal was the grocery clerk I met today after Moms Central.  She asked about my day and I said I'd been encouraged by this moms group I went to.  She seemed interested, so low and behold that card with church information and the gospel I'd kept in my purse for months turned out to be the perfect piece of paper to write down our next event's info on.

Am I a brave person?  If you really know me, you'd say no.  I am a cautious, follow the rules, and try not to make anyone feel uncomfortable type of person.  But, I've been studying Acts and Paul's boldness.  Paul loved Jesus so much, he couldn't help but share the truth about Him.  So, even though I didn't share the gospel with these three invitations to Moms Central, I do pray that these will be seeds planted for His kingdom.

Hat, Grocery Shopping, and Sauces

I know that is quite the random title, but Eliana is the one who ties those three things together.

When Eliana's GramE visited recently, she brought this hat that a friend had made.  I've been busy taking as many pictures of it as I can, because it soon will be too small.

Super cute!

One of the nice thing about knowing other stay at home moms is that we can make lunch play dates.  And, just in case some of you were wondering, yes Eliana's hair is really starting to grow.

Today we went grocery shopping, and Eliana did very well.  There was a season when I dreaded taking her to the store.  Today she enjoyed helping me hold the tags while I got food from the bulk section.  She understood that after the bag was full, I needed the tag back.  She was also hopeful that she'd get another tag. Since I recently discovered the joy of bulk shopping, she is able to hold many tags while I got several things including cinnamon, chow mien noodles, and oatmeal.  The bulk section cracks me up, because they are regularly getting new things.  Thus it is a treasure hunt to find what you are looking for.  Items are normally near where they were last time, but you have to look carefully.  I'm surprised at how many things you can get in the bulk section.

I think Eliana's favorite part of the grocery trip today was helping to load the groceries onto the conveyor belt.  She loves to help!  I was glad she was willing to help since just a few seconds before she was saying, "Walk! Walk!!!"  Walking when both daddy and mommy go grocery shopping is an option, but it's not very often when it is just me.  

Now to explain the sauces.  Today Eliana and I had hot dogs and apple slices for lunch.  I know, hot dogs aren't good for you, but this is the first time they've been on the grocery list since I started meal planning back in October.  Plus, don't those apple slices make up for it?!?!?  Eliana was fascinated with sauce options of ketchup, BBQ sauce, and mustard.  She initially would pick up a piece of hot dog, dip it in the sauce of her choice, lick off the sauce and repeat.  Ha!  She even thought her apples tasted good with sauce on them.  Yikes!

I am so grateful that Eliana is with us.  I'm amazed that she will be 20 months old later this month.  I love watching her explore new things like the pine needles in the picture above.  She has grown so much.  She is trying to say more and more words.  Or maybe I should say we are understanding more of her words.  She understands so many things even though she can say all of the words we can.  For example, while shopping today she held a grocery item, got board with it, and put it in the grocery cart.  She then started saying something, of which I had no idea what it was.  But I figured out she wanted the chow mien noodle bag since it was what she had before the last item.  Before I got the bag, I said, "Oh, you'd rather have the chow mien noodle bag?"

Her response, "Yes!" Now I'm for sure, but is seemed she understood the word rather and chow mien noodle bag.  I haven't taught her those words intentionally.  That means she either understood via context clues, or she's picked up those words on her own.  I'm impressed either way.

Kyle update:
Kyle finished week two of his seminary class.  He is VERY busy just about every night and most of the weekend getting his assignments done.  His first week he talked about needing to read a chapter from a theology book.  I didn't think much of the word chapter until he explained it was 85 pages long.  I miss him, but I am proud of him too.  He got 100% on his last quiz, praise the LORD!

Get Pumped

Do you ever hear a song and it just sets you off and gets you in the mood to get er dun? That feeling of being pumped is a great, energizing feeling. I get that feeling sometimes when I read theology and I just have to jump and move and bask in the wonderfulness of God.

For example, I am reading a chapter in Daniel L. Akin's book A Theology for the Church titled The Doctrines of Christ, in which he discusses The Person of Christ. He is breaking down a "Christology from Above" referencing John 1. Here is a poem that he shares with the reader.

Light looked down and beheld darkness,
thither will I go said Light.
Life looked down and beheld death,
thither will I go said Life.
Love looked down and beheld dispair,
thither will I go said Love.
So came Light and shone truth,
So came Life and conquered death,
So came Love and gave hope.
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us."
     - Author Unknown

Please go read it for yourself in John 1:1-18.

In the words of Pastor Larry Wood, "If that doesn't get your fire going, then your wood is wet!"