Bubbles, Balls, and Brooms

The other big entertainment items for this morning were bubbles and balls...always, balls in this household...soccer balls, basketballs, footballs, tennis balls, etc. Josiah also really got the hang of blowing bubbles. It was interesting to remember how last summer it was hard for him to do it by himself--he often blew too hard or didn't aim his air at the right place--but today he was blowing bubbles like a pro. I tried to get some good pictures of this, but I discovered it's hard to capture the right moment after the bubbles are blown but before they blow away or pop!

While this was going on, I was busy moving boxes, sorting through things, moving shelves, and sweeping. Whew, what a dirty garage floor we had! I swept and swept and swept. It's such an interesting process to try to tackle a project while the boys are awake and around. I would work a little, then have to take a break to watch Josiah throw a football in a new way, then work a little more, then peek around the corner of the house to see David going up and down our front steps, then work a little more, then pay attention to Josiah as he blew bubbles and wanted me to see them, then work a little more, then make sure David hadn't wandered too far down the driveway in pursuit of a runaway ball, then work a little more, then answer Josiah's question about why it's not a good idea to throw a football at the minivan. :) Sometimes in situations like this, I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels; but at the end of the day, I am able to look back and see that I actually have accomplished something...and that's a good feeling.

Fun with Sidewalk Chalk

The weather was once again gloriously warm this morning (though it is cool and raining now), and I took full advantage of it by cleaning out one side of the garage while the boys played nearby. I don't think I've ever been so grateful for sidewalk chalk as I was this morning. It's such simple, wholesome fun--and the boys had a blast with it! Josiah wrote a lot of words, and David made a lot of scribbles. And now the rain is washing it all away, so the next time we play outside on the driveway, the boys will have a blank slate to write on again!

Plan B

Today's morning agenda was a busy one: go to the post office to mail some packages of things we sold on eBay, drop off recycling at the recycling place, go to the library, go to the hospital to visit two friends who are sick, and go to the mall to look for something (and, of course, eat an Auntie Anne's pretzel while there!). But all of that came crashing to a halt after I got everything loaded into the minivan and the boys buckled into their car seats, then...the minivan wouldn't start. This happened last week, too; but that time, my mother was home and we could simply transfer to her car and continue on our merry way. Today, however, she had taken our Old Order Mennonite neighbor to the store for some medicine, so I had no transportation option. Time for Plan B...

By nature, I don't do well with quick transitions. I like to have a plan and follow it! Early in our marriage, if we were going out to eat, Jeff used to drive me a little bit crazy by picking a place to eat, then on the way to that restaurant saying, "Oh, maybe we should eat at Jalisco's," or "I've always wanted to try this Chinese place; maybe we should go there," or "Here's our favorite pizza place; let's go there!" He would do that the whole way to our restaurant--literally, pointing out all the other restaurants that we could go to. These days, we still do that to each other for fun...but it wasn't fun as a newlywed. When I had my mind set on Italian food, I didn't appreciate him trying to offer Chinese or Mexican or anything else!

So this morning, I was a bit frustrated by the change of plans--and the lack of control I was feeling as I saw my whole schedule go down the drain. As I write this, it seems so silly to admit I was feeling that way; it shouldn't have been a big deal at all. But it was. So I kept my mouth shut and didn't say very much as I unbuckled the boys from their car seats and we traipsed back into the house; I didn't want to say something I would regret later! It didn't take too long to realize that while we already had our jackets and shoes on, it would be a great time to go outside and carry in wood! (We have a lot of wood in a wonderful woodshed on our property, and we carry it onto a glassed-in porch on the side of our house. Even though the weather has been much warmer and we haven't been burning as much wood, we still need a fire about once a day to take the chill off. And the pile of wood on the porch was very low.) So outside we went!

And what a wonderful time we had!

It was warm...mostly sunny...so spring-like...full of such promise of warmer days and new growth. I got my exercise by carrying in wood, and the boys improvised and found ways to entertain themselves--running around, playing with sticks (and later picking them up and putting them in a bucket to be brought into the house to use as kindling for our fires), pumping water from our cistern, swinging, pushing a play lawnmower around, etc. It turned out to be a truly wonderful morning, and I almost spoiled it by having a sour attitude about my changed plans. Let this be a lesson to me!!!

First Crocus

One of the welcome signs of spring is the first crocus, and that appeared in our yard today and was warmly greeted by us! Now we just need to see some daffodils blooming, and we'll really be convinced that spring is right around the corner...

Compassion

One thought that stood out to me yesterday was how much compassion Jesus had for the people who surrounded him. A quick search of Bible Gateway shows several places in the Bible where that is mentioned...for example, Mark 6:34, "When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things."

The pertinent question clearly is how can I show compassion for those around me? And I quickly thought of two answers to that. One situation involved making some food and taking it over to a neighbor family that has been sick. The other involved calling another neighbor, a woman whom I met last fall at our neighborhood potluck, and inviting her and her children to come over some time to play and talk.

It was fun this morning to talk with Josiah about what I had learned yesterday and how I was trying to apply it to my life. I know that it's so important for him to see faith lived out in my life and Jeff's...and for us to take the time to talk with him about what we're learning and how we're trying to change to become more like Jesus. Too many times, we look "perfect" to him--imagine that! It's hard to believe when my own imperfections overwhelm me so many times! But it's important for him to see us falling down and getting back up...and through it all, relying on God's mercy and forgiveness to sustain us.

Our Fish

"I'm the flashy one."
"I'm the big bully."
"I'm the baby, and I'm hanging out in my favorite hiding place in the coral."

The Wedding Preacher

Jeff had the honor today of performing a wedding for Mark and Jen, a couple that we learned to know after Jeff became Mark's regular barber. Jen is a communications professor at a local college, and Mark is studying graphic design now. They're a great couple and complement each other very well! The wedding was small and non-traditional--exactly how they wanted it.

Jeff has done a number of weddings before, but not during the past 4+ years (rabbinic authority does not allow Christian ministers to perform weddings in Israel, so he didn't do any during our time there)...so he was a little nervous about it. But he did fantastic! He was humorous at the right time, serious at the right time--non-apologetic about his Christian beliefs while being sensitive to others' opinions--warm and friendly in conversation with the family and other guests before and after the wedding--and always dignified. People thought it was interesting that Mark had gotten his barber to perform his wedding. :) But they were so pleased and just couldn't thank Jeff enough for his part in making this special day happen.

One of the best parts of the day for me was while Jeff and I were waiting for the wedding to begin, we had some time to sit and look out over the city of Harrisonburg and pray together. Jeff's words to God, and his later words to me, refreshed my soul and drew me closer to both God and Jeff.

David, the Shepherd Boy

Recently David has been fascinated by Grandpa's cane. When my parents eat dinner at our house, David almost always scurries over to where Grandpa's cane is lying on the pew in our kitchen as soon as he is released from his booster seat. Sometimes, with his wild swings of it, he's a dangerous little man! But a few nights ago, he was getting the hang of the proper way to use the cane...despite the fact that it's taller than he is. Now he just needs some sheep to take care of, and he'll be just like his biblical namesake!

Exquisite Agony

Last night, after a difficult conversation with two people I love very much, I picked up a book by Gene Edwards, Exquisite Agony, subtitled Healing for Christians who have been hurt by other Christians. We've had this book for a while, but I've never felt compelled to read it before. Now however, as we go through an extremely challenging situation, it seems appropriate.

Here's a quote from the book...
"Every crucifixion contains certain characteristics common to all crucifixions: Rejection. Pain. Unfairness. Rumor. Innuendoes. More pain. Misunderstanding. Demeaning. Belittling. Loss of reputation. Loss of friends. Often, there is excommunication. The loss of all things."

Yep, that pretty much sums it up. One of the unique aspects of this situation is that even while I feel pain inflicted on me, I know for sure that I am also inflicting pain on others. That hurts the most, and my heart aches for an easy solution but finds none.

Chess Masters

"I think this is how you set up these funny black and white things."
"Wow, look how good Josiah is at getting the pieces set up. He makes it look just like Daddy does it! Maybe someday I'll learn. For now, I'm gonna suck my thumb and watch."

Jeff is very good at chess; and he has passed down his love of the game to Josiah who, from an early age, was interested in playing with the pieces, loading them into dump trucks, eventually learning where to put them on the board, learning their correct names, learning how each piece moves, etc. We obviously think he's a genius because he's only 4 and he knows how to play chess! :)

Now David is becoming interested in chess as well, although he is still very much at the let-me-see-if-I-can-get-these-pieces-to-stand-up-without-knocking-them-over stage!

Spiky Hair

Yesterday, being Jeff's day off, we spent in town, going shopping, getting pizza for lunch, and taking it to the barber shop to share with the other barbers...then Jeff cut the boys' hair. Both Josiah and David were looking a little shaggy; and although I realize shaggy is "in" for boys these days, as long as our guys are little, we'll keep their hair neatly trimmed! :)

Whenever Jeff gives Josiah a haircut, Josiah wants Jeff to spike it for him...so here is the result: spiky hair and a happy boy!

Whose Eye?

It's amazing how sometimes a person can be identified by such a small part of their body.