conversantlife.com blog #8

This conversantlife blog addresses our tendency to justify unfaithfulness to the gathered people of God...to go from dessert to dessert to dessert and rarely stick around for the main meal (let alone the clean up). You can read it here.

(Have a wonderful July 4th!)

on visitors, web searches, and blogs

Today marks the 26th anniversary of Jesus interrupting my existence! I wrote about it briefly in a conversant life blog here.

Curiously, today our family received visitors from a group seeking to convert us to their faith. I was upstairs preparing for a radio interview when I saw Barry talking with a couple further down the driveway.

Barry relayed later that our precious eldest eyed them cautiously for a few minutes then said without any malice (or self-editing) in his heart, "Excuse me. I think it's rude to just show up and talk like this when you weren't invited."

Not sure we've ever used the word "evangelism" in conversation with Jonathan...but we have emphasized the words "respect" and "love" when discussing what it means to share faith...(Seems like he was listening. )

Then I was searching for an image to post with the conversantlife.com blog and typed in "art + salvation." Do you know what it pulled up? Nope, not a cross. Dozens of images from Terminator.

So...

I'll keep in mind the image of what the cross suddenly meant to me back on June 26th, 1983.
I'll keep in mind what the cross means today to my honest children.
And I'll keep in mind what the cross will mean on the day this home vanishes and another appears.

underwater

My children have provided wonderful, thought-full moments all of their lives. Here are some of their recent gifts:

Keona
"Wow, you mean that when I do things that please God and no one sees, I have treasure in heaven?! That means God has presents waiting for me!!! I LOVE presents!"

Louie
(On Father's Day while in the car)
"Happee-to, Happee-to, Happee-to Daddee." (clapping)

Jona
"Mom, it's easier for me to swim under water. On top, I feel like I'm drowning."

As I've watched my eldest struggle socially this summer (Asperger kids often wrestle to understand interpersonsal scripts--it's like a foreign language to them), I've thought back to Jonathan's words.

• Underwater...all the noise is muted.
• Underwater...there are fewer distractions.
• Underwater...he can be himself and no one judges him.
  
• Underwater...our special son emerges with insight for those who live most of life on the surface.

conversantlife.com blog #7

I feel this post is specifically for a few--a cry from God's heart for their freedom.

Click here to read "woe to those who try to outrun their addictions: will we slow down and get help?"

my baby

In a mint-green taffeta dress and a tiara in her hair, dear Keona glowed from the moment she opened her eyes to celebrate her 6th birthday yesterday.

She's been counting down since January 1st...her birthday year, her birthday month, and finally, the big day.

After church she prepared to receive her friends for the party. She greeted each one with a big hug and immediately swooped up their gifts--presents are my dear daughter's love language.

I learned a bit during the party...(1) I should never open one of those port-a-party small businesses, (2) structured games (which didn't happen, please see #1) help kids keep playing as a group instead of two here, three there, one alone by themselves, (3) Keona's gift of influence is extraordinary, and it comes with responsibility.

She's still my little girl, but she's growing up fast. Keona decided years ago that she was going to build a house next to our house: "You'll have to cut a hole in this house and we'll make a hall to my house! Then we'll always be together and you can help me with my children and I can do your hair."

We dream about it together, make plans for her rainbow-colored home, her barn and horses, the 11 children (6 girls and 5 boys) that she plans to adopt, and we talk about how wonderful it will be to play together forever...

Forever...

conversantlife.com blog post

I've just posted a blog at conversantlife.com on, "Woe to those who prefer the spirit of control over the spirit of liberty: will we expend the energy to pursue interior holiness?"

"what will my last name be?"

Some thought-full words from my precious kids:

Keona:
"Mommy, does God have special needs?"

Jonathan:
"Mom, before I was born, I existed in God's thoughts. What was that like? Did I feel anything? Did I see anything? What was my version of life before God began growing me in the womb?"

Keona:
"Mommy, what will my last name be when I get married?"
"I don't know baby."
"I do: I think it will be 'hakuna matata.'"

Jonathan about his beautiful friend from speech pathology:
"Mom, do I like her because of her insides or just her outsides?"

Keona:
"I don't like that one." (Spoken about our newest family focus on the white board which reads: Taking responsibility strengthens your mind. Making excuses weakens it.)

Jonathan:
"Mom, I think I'm going to be one of the best animators in the world. Not THE best, just one of."