Sorting My Thoughts...

See number 8 about this picture!


I have a pile....okay, several, well, many piles of stuff that I create to "go through when I have time." Then, when one of the piles is ready to avalanche across the living room/kitchen/bedroom/desk, I heave a huge sigh, call for a dumpster from the local trash collection agency and spend the next dreary day sorting through the mess. It always feels good to get it done and the 0.68% that was really worth saving filed away but it weighs heavily on me in the meantime. It consumes more mental energy than I like to admit.

ANYWAY...if you're still reading, bless you! Beware, I am about to "go through a few random thoughts that have been peck, peck, pecking at the window of my brain. Bob is playing games with the guys, the little ones are asleep and Elise is yakking with yet another friend on her cell phone! I finally have a little ME time. YAAAAAAAAY!!!



1. I have enjoyed the review of Lee Strobel's key points from "Inside the Mind of Unchurched Harry and Mary" by Blogospherian Paul at http://www.paulpetersonlive.com/ . This book was required reading in my college apologetics class--I have read it and recommended it several times since then. Full of good insights.

2. Starting in December, our Sunday School class is going to start a series on Apologetics using Dr Mark Bird's curriculum. I learned so much in his class at UBC way back when! It will be interesting to review and learn more.

3. My dear hubby purchased an addition for our aquarium...but I think you'll have to wait to find out what it is...anyone want to guess???

4. Why is it that even though I only have to work one out of 8 weekends, my weekend to work falls right in the middle of my desired Christmas vacation?? Policy is that we have to find our own replacements it that happens. (Sarcastic yaaaay...)

5. Several things keep going through my mind about the kids...

~~how much little things mean to them--I went to Boy B's party at preschool and you would have thought he had been given a million dollars. He treated me like royalty and was so proud!

~~how fast they are learning the important stuff. We read our Jesus Book (Kid's Bible) every night. This routine is pretty special. They are starting to understand that the things we talk about at home correlate with what they learn at church in Kids' Club and Sunday School.

~~they didn't sing at all when we first got them and now they sing ALL the time. They are little sponges soaking up every little song we sing. Lord, help me to use that wisely! In a little over a month, they have gone from one song (Itsy, Bitsy Spider) to 10 or more songs--mostly "Jesus songs."

~~how much they love for us adults to be silly with them. They love to act goofy and it's double funny if they can get Mr Bob or Ms Shar to act goofy too! This seems to ease tension and build the kids' respect for us.

~~yeah, I get tired and "crabby" (as Girl B says) and wish I could sleep just a few minutes past 5:30 amwithout little tap, tap, taps on the door...but this is an awesome life.

~~yes, I know we won't have the kids forever. yes, I am attached. Yes, I will cry when they go--I'm not made of stone. But this is where God has called us to at this moment. My parents have been such awesome examples of loving and giving when it hurt and when you knew the risk of getting hurt was near 100%. God didn't call us to only love the lovely or our friends or the ones who were always easy to love or when we knew we wouldn't hurt. He called us to love.

~~Furthermore, He said that if we do it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me. I don't mean to sound sanctimonious or super-spiritual. Believe me, I live by grace just like the rest of you. In ourselves, we are totally inadequate for the assignment. Just let me say, I couldn't feel more honored and humbled if I were to be called to care for Jesus Himself.

6. I am dismayed at the lack of respect for marriage in youth/kids. I'm realizing that many unchurched kids don't even really comprehend wedding/marriage. Many of them are in co-habiting homes. The little ones have been intrigued by our wedding pictures--Girl B commented about how happy we looked. Boy B says that it's the day "we picked up Mary." (I told him "we got married.") It was all a new concept to them apparently.

7. Well, I had better get to bed. I have quite a bit of work piling up for tomorrow. I"m sure I'll wish I had gone to bed sooner.

8. Last, but far from least, a big huge congratulations to Keith and Crystal on the arrival of Megan Joy! I can't wait to meet her!! Love ya'll!! You can see more pictures on Misty's blog--click on Misty's name in the right-hand column.

9. Nevermind, I won't apologize for this rambling post. It's my blog and this is how my brain is working...or not working...tonight! Sleep tight!