Letters & Laughter

The other day a picture fell off Joshua's bookshelf in his room. The photo was him when he was three months old (roughly). He said "Mommy, the picture of Caleb fell down!" Too funny...there was no convincing him that that picture was actually him!Yesterday he was reading his "Brown Bear" book to himself. Each page has a different color and animal and says "Brown bear [red bird, gold fish, green frog, yellow duck, etc], what do you see?] When he flipped backwards and got to the title page, I thought he'd be stuck. Instead, without hesitation, he said "Letters, letters, what do you see?" Haaaa!!! He's a sharp cookie!He's really starting to learn his letters, too. Daddy drew a "J" on our sidewalk in chalk and said "what letter is this?" and Joshua replied "J!" Our neighbor was impressed (as were we). He also pointed to my NIKE shirt the other day and said "I" and to my new balance sneakers and said "N." He doesn't know them all, but he's a little sponge these days.This weekend was a great weekend, in my humble opinion. Shawn worked on our house more and we were really productive. I also got to go out with Suzanne on Saturday, which was a fun treat! Shawn left after I got back to go hang out with his brother Brian, so it was a nice trade-off. Last week I got to go out with my MOPS girls, and it was SO much fun! This group of gals make me laugh, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to get to know other moms in this area.Caleb & Joshua both have colds again...please pray they feel better. We're planning on a playdate this Wednesday that I don't want to have to miss! Also keep my sister Jen in your prayers...she went to the ultrasound specialist that we always see (Dr. Bayliss) and he told her not only is she having a big baby, but her fluid levels are low so they will induce either tomorrow or Wednesday. She is 36 weeks, I think (maybe 35? I can't remember off-hand), so pray that the baby's lungs are developed enough and there are no complications. I'm looking forward to meeting my newest niece or nephew (secretly hoping for another boy for Caleb to play with...but we'll see!).

An Officer & a Celebrity

One of my good friends made the newspaper this morning! You can check out the article on Officer Anthony Weaver at: http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/235652 Enjoy!

No Smell of Smoke

I often post about what I'm studying in the Bible in addition to what's going on in our lives, and the following verse sums up why: Colossians 4:6 "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

This week I studied the third chapter of Daniel. I'll put some insights between the verses that I found interesting:

Daniel 3 The Image of Gold and the Fiery Furnace
1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.

If you look back at chapter 2, you'll see that the idea for an image of gold came from the dream Daniel interpreted for the king - he was the head of gold. In essence, he was building an image for himself. Then we talked about image building and how we often do this - every time we try to appear to be something we're not...every time we make others look worse or lower than ourselves...even beauty magazines and the media tell us the type of "image" we're to have.

2 He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.

According to Beth Moore, these people would have been the "it" people of the day - high officials in order of rank. How important do we feel if important people are rubbing elbows with us? Is this more image building? Would we dress nicer if we knew a celebrity would be among us than if we were going to a family event, etc?

4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."

I never thought of it before, but she also noted that the furnace wasn't far off. It wasn't like "in ten minutes we'll get some wood and build a fire," that furnace was right there and blazing hot to begin with. So, the torture of being on fire would have been in the forefront of their thoughts.

7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever! 10 You have issued a decree, O king, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up."

Notice that these men were denounced because of their religion right away. They weren't just any guys...they were jews (said twice). In addition, if you go back to verse one, they were on a plain. So, it would be obvious that everyone but three were down low. This brought up another point that I was most impressed with or most related to me this week. She asked the question, where was Daniel? From the first chapter, we learned that there were four among the men that chose not to defile themselves and became wise. Daniel appeared to be the leader - he's the one who had the courage to inquire the slayer about what was happening and ask the king for time, and he's the one who encouraged the others to pray and had the dream revealed to him. So, where was he? The answer is found at the end of the first chapter. He was put in charge of a different area and was at his post, where he was supposed to be. He was never asked to come and worship the idol. Which leads to one of the most relevant points for me: 'If someone you've relied on is conspicuously missing, it's time to step up!' These three became known in this story for standing their ground, even without their leader present. In my own life, I'm experiencing something similar, and it's as if God is saying "it's your time!" She said if you're always the follower and base your decisions on what someone else does, maybe it's time to take charge or be bolder to do what God's calling you to do. If you're always in charge, it's time to sit and allow others to show what they can do. If someone's missing, step up to the plate and take a swing!

13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?"
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.

Beth Moore noted their response here - look at what's missing from how they addressed the 'king.' They said "O Nebuchadnezzar" unlike the astrologers who said "O king." They also say they don't need to defend themselves in this matter. They were loyal, which we learned this week means what you would typically think "steadfast, loyal" but also "prepared, having made up their minds already"... They knew long before they faced the furnace that they would NEVER bow to any other gods. Have we made such a commitment to Christ?

17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

Verse 18 is the one that gives me goosebumps. "But even if he does not..." We spent quite a bit of time on different scenarios. Putting a "fiery trial" into a real life "test," Beth Moore said picture finding out that you have a large lump and the doctor thinks it looks like cancer. There are three things that could happen:

1. God could deliver you from the fire, and your faith would be built. [This would be where you would pray and then go back and they couldn't even find the lump or they would test it and it would be benign, and you would praise God and it would build your faith for a short time while you remembered His grace in saving you.]
2. God could deliver you through the fire, and your faith would be refined. [This sickness would not end in death but God would be glorified through it. (John 11:4) The cancer doesn't kill you, and your faith is refined as said in 1 Peter 1:6-7 "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."]
3. God could deliver you by the fire into His loving arms, and our faith would be perfected. [The cancer takes your life and you blink from this life and meet Jesus face to face.] James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." Hebrews 12:1-2"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

While we always pray for the first option, do we have the resolve to say "even if it's the third scenario"..."even if He doesn't" we will never bow? How many people when they aren't in scenario one renounce their faith or lose heart or lose their resolve?

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, O king."
25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."

The next point that gave me the chills is that their ropes alone were flammable. Fire only burns off the things that bind us. When God brings us through trials, we are set free from things that have held us in bondage for years! WOW!

This is the first Bible study I've taken where the fourth man in the fire is thought to be God himself. I always heard an angel, but we examined this point at length. The true translation says "the fourth loos like the son of diety" or the son of God. It was a visible manifestation of God himself. Since John 6:46 tells us that no one has seen the father, that means that this was Jesus, or the son of God. Isaiah 43:1-2 says "But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.'" Notice how it says "when" rather than "if." God promises that we will not be burned and the flames will not set us ablaze, but it also says He will be with us. When we are going through fiery trials, there will always be four - the holy trinity and us! This passage also says that God called them by name - and she said you can bet that he didn't call them Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, He called them by their real names: Hannaniah (God has been gracious), Mishael (Who is what God is?) and Azariah (God has helped).

26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

The next point that I was in awe over and had missed in other Bible studies was that "there was no smell of fire on them!" I've been in bars where the smoke nearby has been enough for me to want to wash my hair and change my clothes. Even when we go camping every year, the next day I can still smell the campfire from the night before on my skin, and I wasn't nearly as close as these three were! That brought up this point: we smell like smoke when we complain about the situation, when our hearts get hardened, when we become bitter... When we go through a trial of fire, and we come out angry that we had to go through it or voice our discomfort and bitterness, we reek of smoke. These three didn't even smell like the fire they were in!

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way."
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

This was the last mention of these three guys in the Bible - look how they left! The last mention of their names was in the context of God's fame! May that be true of me!

Happy Birthday, Suzanne!

I am so excited to see my friend Suz tomorrow! It's been too long! Today she turns 29 for the first time! I pray this is a special year for you, my dear friend!

Great Pictures

This morning I had an appointment at JCPenney's to get pictures taken of Joshua for his 2 1/2 year milestone. I woke up and wasn't sure I even wanted to go...last time we were there we had a horrendous experience. But, my 'smilesavers' card expires in April and I had a coupon for a free 8 x 10 plus either a $7.99 portrait package or $3.99 sheets and I took a survey to get $3 off my purchase price. I decided it was worth going and just told myself to expect the worst - that way I couldn't be disappointed.Actually, it was a fantastic experience! When I got there, the dimwit (or should I call her a window licker???) from last time started filling out my paperwork. But, two of my favorites (Audra and Stacy) were working, so I simply asked for one of them to take my photos. While this may have offended her, she said it was fine and Audra took me back. She did a GREAT job! Joshua just loved her and started smiling immediately. She put him in some great positions, and he beamed throughout the entire session. It was hard to choose which ones to get! And, while Caleb didn't smile and tried to crawl away, he wasn't terrified and we did get a couple cute ones of the two boys together.While last time I was there for hours (literally!), she told me that they got better at the digital camera experience and they no longer adjust pictures while you wait. Instead, they go through them with you and allow you to delete the ones that aren't good and enhance ones that you like, etc. I was in and out within a half an hour, which included ordering and paying. While I was browsing through the pictures, I was smart enough to take snacks for the boys. So they munched on Cheerios and gold fish and were quiet and happy the entire time. It was fantastic!Even though I got out so early, I called Shawn to see if he'd like to meet me for an early lunch to see the boys in their ties and vests. To my surprise, he said yes! He loved all the pictures, too, and told me I should have ordered more. I've been trying to save money wherever we can, so I kept my order to under $15 including tax, but that meant I didn't order half of the good ones I could have to share. They were soooo cute! I can't wait until I get the electronic copies in my inbox (which are too low resolution to print out, which I'm sure they do on purpose).Here's our rock-n-roll star! He LOVES these sunglasses from Grandma & Grandpa Ginder and wears them all the time! Caleb also likes them, and tries to get them as often as he possibly can reach them.
In the picture below, Joshua is trying to kiss Caleb. While it's blurry, I thought it was so sweet. There was a better professional picture of the Bean kissing his younger brother, but I didn't order it...too many other good ones!
I love my adorable boys! It's hard to get good pictures of them at home (mostly because they are on the move!) - especially when the background is the office/play room with all their toys. But I still enjoy taking them...Right now the three of us are playing and listening to music. I love to see my kiddos dance! I just downloaded "Live Free" by Lecrae from Amazon.com because I heard it last night on my way home from class, and it reminded me of Joshua so much, I laughed and laughed. When he gets excited and really has something to say he says "I-I-I [insert thought here]" and so does the song. If you have the opportunity to listen to it, I recommend it just so you hear the Bean in the chorus! Live free by His mercy & grace!A funny story to end the post with...well, at least funny to me & Joshua! As I was leaving the portrait studio today, it was cold. Really cold. Hold onto your coats and hats cold. So, I grabbed Caleb quickly and put him in the carseat and then got Joshua out of the stroller and went to put him in, but something didn't look right. Just then Joshua said "Caleb's in my seat!" It was true...they have the same car seat, but Caleb's is turned backwards (which is legally required until he turns a year old). In my rush to get out of the cold, I put Caleb in Joshua's carseat but Joshua's long legs wouldn't fit in Caleb's. We laughed at being silly as I switched the boys. Thankfully, Joshua can now climb into his seat himself and only needs a little bit of help with the buckle. He's such a big boy!Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Weekend, Where Did You Go?

This weekend was fast and slow... I couldn't wait for Sunday to come, and yet once it did, I missed the rest of the weekend. On Saturday, Shawn put up the trim in our powder room. When Caleb laid down for his morning nap, I was feeling frustrated (for reasons I'm going to leave off the blog for now) and where I normally would have eaten my sorrows away, it's not as enticing when you're on a mostly-veggies diet. So, I decided I would have to exercise (a much better option!). I put Joshua in the smaller stroller, and decided to see where a trail led near our house - as it turns out, the trail ends just about there, so I went the other way on it, taking a much longer jog than I had anticipated. I decided to do some interval training where I would sprint for a few minutes and walk for a few minutes. Joshua LOVED when I would run and when I stopped, he asked for more running. But, it was REALLY cold...he also asked for his hood to be put back up after he threw it off. When we got back into our development, he fell asleep, and I didn't want to wake him by running on the bumpy sidewalks so I walked that stretch, but it was nice to be outside. Soon spring will come, right?

Shawn worked and worked on Saturday, and I was so impressed! What a hottie! That night, he was exhausted and church was just the ticket to get us out of the house and have someone else take the kiddos for awhile. We also enjoyed the sermon on taking risk when God calls you to it.


Sunday I woke up at 4:30 am and couldn't get back to sleep, so I started doing my devotions and pretty soon the kids were up. We had a nice morning together as a family and then took an early nap together. That afternoon we went to the Dehart home for our small group "fireproofing" session. I'm so glad we joined a small group and are 'doing life together' with this set of friends in this season of life. We had a fun night out! When we came home, we cleaned up a little, did a little laundry and watched TV before putting the kids to bed. I am thankful to have my husband and children to spend my weekends with!

It's a Privelege, Really

Shawn & I have discovered a few new TV shows that we like (while stopping to watch some others). For the most part, I don't really like TV because I think it numbs your brain, wastes time and stops you from "living" reality yourself. On the other hand, I do realize that television can be used for education and also there are times when a little mindless relaxation is nice. So, the two shows that we like can fit into both those categories. The new series "Kings" on NBC is a modern-day version of the story of David...even to the point that he slayed a "Goliath" tank in the first episode. It's interesting to watch as he's interested in the king's daughter (which was Biblically his first wife), etc. If you've missed this show, the episodes are on NBC.com, and you've only missed two so far.

The other show that we started watching occasionally is Man vs. Wild. After a speaker talked about it at church, we looked it up and saw it had rave reviews, so we've watched a few. This is supposed to be educational, but for me, it's an escape from reality that makes me appreciate my circumstances all the more. This guy has had to drink his own urine to stay alive, fight through some of the coldest temperatures I've ever heard of, scare off bears and alligators, survive some of the hottest temperatures I've ever heard of, etc. to show survival skills and try to teach the public at large. In all the 'scary' situations, Shawn & I giggle almost every episode where all the sudden the beauty of God's creation strikes Bear Grylls (the star) and he says with a genuine sounding voice, "It's really a privelge to be here, and right now there's no where else I'd want to be." We shudder at the "privelege" of his situation, and yet I think about what a great attitude he has.

That made me think of all the times I take for granted my current circumstances. When I'm worrying endlessly about money or concerned with getting too little sleep or feeling bored or trapped in the house with no escape ... how often do I sound like a whiner with no reason when I have a beautiful home and an amazing husband and food to eat and the joy and love of God in my life? I thought about those sweet little faces that God has entrusted to me, and last night I thought...I am truly priveleged. There is NO WHERE else I'd rather be than raising these boys in this season of my life. Thank you, Jesus!

Daniel

My mom did the Beth Moore Bible study on the book of Daniel with Petra Christian Fellowship last year and thought it was so good that she bought the DVDs and a workbook for my sisters and me. Last week week was on the first chapter of Daniel, which I've put below in purple for you to read so you know what I'm talking about:

Daniel 1
Daniel's Training in Babylon

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia [a] and put in the treasure house of his god.

3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility- 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king's palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. [b] 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's service.

6 Among these were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your [c] food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you."

11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.

18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king's service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.

21 And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

The main verse that stuck out to me this week was verse four. We learned that we are in our own kind of Babylon - the things valued that day were youth, wealth, beauty (no physical defects & handsome) and intelligence. What are things that we value in our culture? Um... the same things, right? It was eye-opening for me as I've been praying for things related to these cultural values, especially right now for health and physical fitness. One of the verses we looked at this week also included 1 Timothy 4:8 "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." While it's not wrong to want some of these things, we have to look at our focus. Are we focused on dieting or are we focused on becoming more like Jesus in our walk with Him?

Beth Moore suggested we do a fast of no "choice meats" for the first six weeks of the Bible study to show our 'resolve' in not defiling ourselves with the things of this world. We seek to be culturally relevant (we're not going to look like the Amish and still be able to speak to this world!) without becoming Spiritually irrelevant. Now the reason Daniel gave up meats was because for him being Jewish they were unclean, and we're not bound by the old law but the new covenant. I didn't think I wanted to give up red meat for six weeks, but in re-reading the passage, I saw that Daniel asked to be tested for 10 days. So, I made a commitment to eat fruits & veggies (or that which is sown of a seed, as it literally translates from the Bible) and drink only water for ten days. I talked to Shawn about it afterward, and he told me that to help me, he would also abstain from things I couldn't have during evenings and on weekends so I wouldn't be tempted. [Is he an amazing husband or what?] It's one of the hardest things I've ever done, I think, and I realize how much emphasis I've placed on food in my life. (Think it sounds easy? Try it! Temptations abound!) But, I'm on day eight of ten, and I feel great. While I miss meats and sweets and various no-calorie drinks, my body feels really, really good for the most part. And I've enjoyed a variety of fruits & veggies that I may not have bought otherwise.

I also found it interesting that we know Daniel as Daniel, but when I learned of Daniel's three friends, I always knew them as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Why, I wonder? (This was not part of the Beth Moore study...just something I've thought about). These Babylonian names turned names that were linked to God in Hebrew into Aramaic names that were linked to false gods. So, how did Daniel keep his name in our minds and the others get shifted (Daniel 1:11)?

It was also intriguing for me to see how the passage of Isaiah 39 came to pass 100 years later... I won't put that all here, but the Lord prophesied through Isaiah that Judah (the bottom half of Israel at the time) would be taken captive due to Hezekiah's self-worship and the people's worship of idols. Sometimes God tells us to do something or not do something and there are consequences for our actions. While we think "He's a loving God" and "He'll forgive us," He's also faithful to His word and righteous/just when He speaks clearly...just as I must discipline my children if I love them, He knows what we need and keeps His word to us as well. Thankfully He has far greater love and mercy, which triumphs over justice. Still sometimes when we sin, the consequences of our sin still reach us. See that it says "The Lord delivered them into his hand..." God is still God in the midst of our circumstances!

The last verse was also interesting...Daniel never got to go home!

I'm currently on the second week of the study, and it's interesting about the four Gentile kingdoms that were to reign before God's kingdom was completely established on earth. Beth Moore showed how those four kingdoms have already come to pass, so we're just waiting for the ending...

So far Daniel has been a challenging study, but I love learning about God's word. May He grant us wisdom, knowledge and discernment (Daniel 2:21).

Hand in Hand

Caleb's new favorite activity is walking hand in hand with us. Joshua never valued having both arms stretched far in the air to walk around with us for long; however, Caleb could do it all day long if our backs could take the strain. He LOVES to motor on his feet! He's not a big fan of sitting still and looking through books like Joshua was, though. The other morning was the first time I was able to just sing and rock him to sleep for his nap. He's usually far too busy to want to be held and cuddled for long...how different both boys are and yet so special. I cherish each moment with both!

Joshua Turns the Big 3-0!

Yes, it's true! Joshua is 30 months old as of today...exactly two and a half years!This morning, Joshua said "Good morning, puzzle! I'm happy to see you, puzzle!" He just loves putting together these puzzles and can tell you where each piece belongs.This afternoon he ate a piece of cheese into the shape of an 'L' and proudly exclaimed "Look, momma, an L!" I was surprised that it was actually an L-shape. He is so sharp!We just completed a 30-month survey, and there were some things on it that we had to say "not yet" to, but that just gives us things to work on (like drawing a circle or describing a picture that he took the time to create, etc). My favorite thing that he does, though, is sings. (I wonder what God's favorite thing we do would be.) Joshua only cuddles now if he's really, really tired...I miss my snuggle bug, but I'm so thankful he's growing and learning and becoming a unique person of God. As we were driving to MOPS on Tuesday, he asked me where Jesus lives, and I told him that Jesus lives in our heart. He repeated after me to have Jesus in his heart. While I realize he will have to pray this when he fully understands the concept and makes the life choice to leave sin behind, I'm thankful he's interested in learning about our Lord.Happy birthday, my big boy Bean!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Here we are in our festive green attire, celebrating St. Patrick's Day '09!

My mom's maiden name is Moore, but when her ancestors came to America, they were O'More and put that "o" in the middle of the last name to blend better with the locals. As Shawn would attest, I'm quite Irish. Here's a picture of my mom & her sister Karen who was up to visit this past weekend.My very thoughtful husband brought home flowers to celebrate the special occasion - I always say there's a reason to celebrate each day! This is the day that the Lord has made - we will rejoice and be glad in it! (Psalm 118)
Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to MOPS and just take Joshua. Mom stayed with Caleb (who is still not feeling 100% better - please pray for him!), and I enjoyed my morning out. I just love all the gals in our group, and we had a wonderful time chatting and catching up. Yesterday instead of a special speaker or craft, it was a Q&A session where moms got to ask and answer one another's questions. My friends Margie & Melanie announced to the group that they were expecting; although I already knew both. :) :) :) Babies abound in this group!Then last night I went to a sneak preview of "Dream Dinners" that my friend Becca hosted. I picked up Margie who lives nearby and saw Melanie, Renee, Melissa, Becca and a few other folks there. We put together a meal that I'm anxious to try...early next week we will be in for a treat! It was a fun night out!

Kiss me, I'm Irish!

Hope you all enjoyed your St. Patrick's Day, too!

On the Mend

I think Caleb is starting to feel better. He still won't eat much and he's still got a runny nose and cough, but he's no longer vomitting, etc. and his fever is gone. His little face is so chapped, along with his nose from wiping it so much, but that too will heal in time.I think Caleb is starting to understand what we're saying somewhat. The other night I was rocking him in his room, and I said "night-night" before I even moved an inch to put him in his crib. He started to cry immediately. Daddy said he had a similar experience the night before. When I say "come," he often puts his arms up for me or starts to crawl toward me. I know he doesn't understand everything we're saying, but I'm seeing that he's getting more than I think we give him credit for.Shawn & I both agreed this weekend that Caleb is looking less like an infant and more like a baby. As he's standing up and participating more, this little guy is looking older each and every day.And while there's very few fits or outbursts from him, I think he's going to be more work in some ways than the Bean since he's quiet but curious. We took one toy away from him that he shouldn't have and then he crawled right over to the electric outlet that we had just uncovered to use. He's literally trying to explore and touch everything he can get his hands on!I love that my boys are different, though. Not only do they make life interesting, it shows me how we can be so different and how God still loves us equally. Shawn & I were doing our "fireproof" homework last night, and we were talking about God's love for each other. Then Shawn once again reminded me of God's sacrifice for us. We talked about how if we truly loved the other one like God loved us, would we be able to sacrifice one of our son's for the other person in a life-or-death situation? While we agreed that we would if we had to, we were both in tears and prayed that neither of our sons would experience harm in our lifetime. The conversation made us once again appreciate what Jesus did for us on the cross - may we never take it for granted!

Reflux Revisited

Joshua went to see Dr. Devenyi today for his six-month check-up. He now weighs 28.2 pounds...the most he's ever weighed so far (he was fully dressed, but I'll still take it!!!). He's going to stay on the Prevacid and have another six-month check-up in October, where Dr. Devenyi said he may take him off the medication and do another scope to examine his esophagus again. At that point, he would be three years old and a little better at communicating how he's feeling. I was glad we're sticking with the medication for now since he's growing and doing so well. Joshua was an angel at the doctor's office once again. He's growing so big and expressing himself so well... I feel like he's so much easier to handle these days. It's great!

One thing Joshua asks lately is "what doin'?" (something I often ask in the same way). He also asks where people are? He'll say "where's Daddy? Daddy's bye-byes at work! Where's Caleb Luke? Oh, hi, Caleb!!!" and he'll wave wildly. It's comical. Joshua is really great at solving puzzles, and he enjoys 'reading' books to himself and explains what's happening in the picture. He's a bundle of fun!

I have a question...

My favorite new expression that Joshua says often is, "I have a question!" Sometimes he actually does ask something, and sometimes he doesn't. But, he lets us know he has a question. It's cute. When Joshua was "talking" on his phone yesterday, he exclaimed "Oh my gosh!" which cracked Daddy up since he says that the Bean is the spitting image of his momma personality-wise.We got a lot accomplished this weekend. We hung different curtains in our officce, we took out our old entertainment center and re-organized the laundry room (or at least started to) and Shawn better hooked up our TV downstairs, etc. But, my favorite moment was last night when Daddy & the boys were being silly as I was on the phone with Grandpa Georgia discussing real estate in his area. Once we hung up, I got to join in the fun happening on the first floor - Caleb & Joshua were chasing each other around the circle. Bean loved crawling with his brother and often said "Caleb, come get me!" They were both all smiles and all giggles. Soon Daddy & I joined in the action. I love the picture below with the boys trying to kiss him.On a side note, Shawn ran into a friend from high school when we were at Costco that afternoon. Justin couldn't believe that Shawn no longer played sports every night and wasn't involved in a million activities like he was...but I'm so grateful he's not. While I want Shawn to enjoy any activity he'd like to do (whether it's sports or hanging out with family or friends), I'm so glad that he makes our children a priority in his life. He is so great at coming home from work and playing with them and spending quality time as a family that I feel truly blessed. I married an amazing man of God!
After our play time, we changed into jammies and headed to the family room to enjoy some relaxation and the premier of the show "Kings" on NBC. We highly enjoyed it - we watched a modern day version of David fighting Goliath and his rise to become king. Caleb fell asleep after nursing and I was able to just sit back with my feet propped up and cuddle with him under the Mildred blanket. Since he's not much of a snuggle bug, I enjoyed this time. Shawn had the opportunity to cuddle with Joshua who brought a puzzle to work on and joined Daddy on the couch. But, he didn't do too much with his beloved puzzle and instead just enjoyed sitting with Daddy and curling up. It was a nice end to a nice family weekend.

D is for Dadda!

The other day, Joshua picked the letter 'D' off our refridgerator door and said "D! D says dah!" I couldn't believe he actually had the letter 'D' and had picked it up out of the line up of the alphabet. I asked Daddy if he had worked with Joshua on this particular letter, and the answer was no. I asked Grandma, too, and she hadn't worked with Joshua on his letters either. So, it still baffles me as to how he's learning these random things. I think he soaks up more of what we say and what he sees than we realize! I was impressed!

Joshua also enjoys talking on his fake cell phone and often calls "Pa-paw" and says 'Hello!' talks briefly about his day and then says "Okay - 'bye!" However, if someone wants to talk to him on the real phone, he gets far too excited about what they are saying to have an actual conversation.

The Bean also cracked me up the other morning when Caleb accidentally crawled out of a larger pair of pants...he said "Oh no, Caleb! Your pants! Here you go [throwing his pants back on him] - you have to wear pants!" I laughed and laughed. Joshua is truly our helper. :)

Yesterday was a "No! MINE!" day for the Bean - UGH! My mom reminded me that if we wouldn't have had Caleb, Joshua would still seem pretty little to us. I think sometimes our expectations of him are a little too high...he is still a toddler after all! And a pretty amazing one at that!!!

Clap On, Clap Off, the Clapper!

Today - Thursday, March 12, 2009 - I noticed Caleb clapping along to songs for the first time. It's absolutely adorable! He only likes certain songs, but he's a regular ol' clapper.



Please pray that he starts feeling better. Yesterday I took him to the pediatrician. He weighs 19 and a half pounds, and he's got a horrendous cough, running nose, fever, vomitting, diarrhea, etc. But, his ears are fine and his lungs are clear and the doctor thinks this virus just needs to run its course.

All in a Footnote...

As I was reading my Bible the other morning, it was a footnote that jumped out at me. I'm sure I've read this passage over a dozen times, but this fact never jumped out at me:

Matthew 1:21 "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[c] because he will save his people from their sins."

*c - Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, which means the LORD saves.

How neat - Joshua was named after our Savior! And we didn't even realize they shared the same name. Shawn's mom always told him he had to live up to his name in being a "Good" boy, which we tell Joshua, too. But, now that takes on a whole new meaning!

Triangles, triangles everywhere!!!

Joshua's hair today was hysterical. I thought Joshua's hair was dry last night before he went to bed, but obviously it wasn't set because he woke up with it standing up everywhere. We laughed and laughed! One of my favorite things that Joshua does is mimmick the chant from Sesame Street "Triangles here...triangles there...triangles, triangles everywhere!" ...only he says "Triangles here...triangles HERE...triangles, triangles everywhere! Yeaaah, Joshua!" and claps wildly for himself. We giggle and giggle - there's no convincing him that the second phrase is "there." I have so many cute stories like that, but it's difficult to post about them when they happen and I often forget until they seem like 'old nature.' Then I think about them and realize that these are things we'll want to remember later when he's older. Shawn says he misses the cuddle time at night when Joshua would be sitting with Daddy, look up and say "night night, ok?" and that meant he was done for the day. Now we give him the two-minute warning and have a different established routine. Things may change, but we always have the precious memories! And we're always making new ones! We love our boys!

Caleb Turns Crazy 8!

Today I turned eight months old. Unfortunately, I also caught Joshua's cold. I've been coughing all day, and while it's miserable for me, mommy thinks my little cough is adorable.

I'm also working on my second top tooth, which will give me four teeth altogether. I'm now grinding my bottom teeth with my top ones, which isn't so adorable.

I'm better at picking up small objects and feeding myself, and my newest accomplishment is dancing. Whenever music comes on, I flap my arms to the beat, which impressed Grandma tonight (who watched me & Joshua while Mommy & Daddy went to small group).The above picture is mommy's favorite from this batch. She thinks I'm cute! What can I say? I love to play, to babble, to smile at Daddy, to explore how things work, and to crawl fast! I also love time outside, and I got to slide down the slide and swing in the baby swing for the first time yesterday while we were at Stoner Park. We also spent some time outside today since it was another beautiful day. This afternoon, Mommy rearranged my closet and stored all my 6-9 month clothing and put all the 12-month clothing into my dresser/armoire. She also put away baby burp clothes and dug out some shoes for that bin. It's hard to believe I'm growing up so fast, she says! The time changed has messed up my schedule a little bit today, but that's okay. It's worth another hour of daylight. I hope spring is here to stay! Happy 8-month birthday to me! Please pray I feel better tomorrow and get rid of this nasty cold and cough!

The Momma-Bean Bedtime Routine!

Every night that I tuck in Joshua, we read a book together in his big boy bed (he often picks one out, with favorites being "Kiss Goodnight" or "I'll Love You Forever" or "Sleepy Time Tales"). [We used to read it in the nursery on the rocking chair, then we moved to the rocker in the office, and now it's in his big boy bed!] Then, I turn off the light as he puts the book back in his drawer. He tells me to close the door as I tell him to lay down, and I tuck him in with his blankey and T-bear and he asks for more covers and tells me to "scoot scoot" as we get comfy laying next to each other in the dark. Then we say prayers, and he repeats after me "Dear God (dear God), THANK YOU (thank you) for today..." We ask for forgiveness, for help in being better (or obedient) the next day, and give thanks for our blessings including our various family members and friends, and we pray for health and financial well-being. Then, we both say "AMEN!" and begin to sing. Tonight he asked to start with Jesus loves me, and we always end with the "Joshua song" or "Momma song" which goes like this:

I'll Love You Forever
I'll Like You For Always
As Long As I'm Living,
My Baby You'll Be

I Love You,
Joshua, I Love You

There Is No Other
For I Love You Only
I'll Never Forsake You
Or Leave You Alone

I Love You,
Joshua, I Love You

And the Bean sings right along, in tune with me. He loves it, and so do I. I hope that he always knows how much he is loved! We snuggle for another minute while I give him the "two minute warning" that I'm going to leave. He often asks for water (which tonight, unfortunately, he spilled on his bed so we had to change his sheets), and then I tuck him in and give him kisses and tell him that I'll see him in the morning. Sometimes I tell him about our plans for the next day and then remind him he has to get a good night's rest. Finally, I tell him if he needs anything to yell for mommy and I'll come and help. He did that once this week when he was really coughing, and I did go over and lay down with him. Then we blow each other kisses as I close his door, leaving it cracked so I can peek in on him to listen to his breathing. And he usually sleeps all night long...

I'm Happy to See You!

On Friday morning, we had breakfast with my mom at Oregon Dairy Restaurant (which has scrumptious pancakes that Caleb helped me scarf down, while Joshua devoured lots of bacon). When we got there, Grandma said "Joshua, I'm happy to see you!" When Joshua saw Daddy after work that night, that was the first thing out of the Bean's mouth, which surprised Shawn. "I'm happy to see you, Daddy!" Shawn beamed. We had actually met at Grandma's house to pick up her area rug that she gave us since she's moving into Ken's house - which again, I won't put my comments about that on the blog. Thanks, Mom, for breakfast and for the new rug that looks beautiful in our living room! I enjoyed seeing you.

Today was absolutely gorgeous out. It felt like the nicest spring day, so we couldn't pass up the opportunity to go to the park. Joshua played and played on the equipment that used to terrify him. There was a gi-normous older kid there (who was probably a bit too big for the kiddy playground), but Joshua wasn't intimidated at all. He took his turn going down the slide and winding the crank, etc. He LOVED it! In fact, he was upset when we decided it was time to go. We took one loop around the park with Daddy holding the tearful Bean and me pushing Caleb in the stroller - and we were amused by all the people outside playing basketball & soccer, biking, jogging, walking their pets, playing and just enjoying the fresh air. It was heaven! We also bumped into one of Shawn's co-workers, who was out with his wife and grandkids. Next, we decided to go "adventuring" on a path that led from the park the whole way back up to our front door. It was a great walk! Both kids fell asleep with the light breeze, and Shawn & I soaked in the sunshine.We ran some other errands today, too, and I cleaned out our filthy coat closet and put away all mittens, hats, etc with high hopes of not needing them until next year; plus, we moved our other area rugs around. Then, we decided to get some takeout before bathing the kids and putting them to bed; after all, we lose an hour of sleep tonight but hopefully gain an hour of sunshine in the coming weeks, which will be key for our playtime!Caleb also took a pretty hard spill today, but he seems to be doing okay. He scared momma half to death! My youngest boy has also been gabbing away this afternoon, adding 'Dada' and 'no-no' to his vocabulary.We didn't go to church this evening because of Joshua's cold. He's on the mend, but I don't want him picking up something else (he has a knack for getting whatever is on it's way around), and I certainly don't want his germs spreading to any other healthy children. So, we'll try to listen to the sermon tomorrow morning. We ended off the day by letting both boys bathe in the same bathtub. After all, most parents who have kids the same gender give baths together, right? Well, our first attempt didn't go so hot. It started off fine until they wanted the same toys, and then when Joshua started to cry because I was washing his hair (which isn't really normal for him anymore, but he was also upset that he didn't have the full length of the tub to "swim" and splash in), it scared Caleb who also started to wail, which is the first time he's ever cried in the tub. So, I hurried and got Caleb out of the bath while Daddy let Joshua play a few more minutes until I was ready to put him in his jammies. We shall try again - I know someday they'll enjoy bathtime together; it's just getting used to the idea that will take a little time.Now both boys are in bed, and I'm going to go enjoy some Daddy time all to myself. Goodnight!