Things I'm thankful for today:

-Hannah's many, many questions
-a warm house
-smell of baking banana bread
-the Internet
-Henry J.M. Nouwen
-a praying husband
-conversations
-lotion & chapstick
-the Lenten season
-my bread machine
-the dining room window
-an unexpected chat with Laurie
-my treadmill
-shelves
-the fact that we need shelves
-buds on branches poking through the snow
-more and more daylight
-naptime

yet another reason to buy her album....

You will lose your baby teeth
At times you'll lose your faith in me
You will lose a lot of things
But you cannot lose my love

You may lose your appetite
Your guiding sense of wrong and right
You may lose your will to fight
But you cannot lose my love

You will lose your confidence
In times of trial your common sense
You may lose your innocence
But you cannot lose my love

Many things can be misplaced
Your very memories be erased
No matter what the time or space
You cannot lose my love

-Sara Groves

40 months...or so

Hannah,
In church yesterday, I saw a glimpse into the heart of a parent whose child is now an adult. During part of the service, the son made a public confession of faith and declaration of what God means to him, then his father proudly baptized his son. During the song that followed, he returned to his seat where his mother, wife, and son were waiting for him. His mother, especially, couldn't hold back the tears and as we all sang, she wept silently.

Later on during the service, we were asked to pray for loved ones, friends, neighbors who haven't experienced God's forgiveness and new perspective on life. A different mother, sitting in the same vicinity, went up and also wept silently. Her son, now an adult, doesn't yet know his need for God.

A few days ago, I was reading a book on parenting. And it reminded me that the older you get, the less control I have. There are certain decisions you will need to make on your own. And the decision I so desperately want you to make, alongside these two other mothers, can only be made by you.

Our church has been recently challenging us to reflect on why we are Christians. It's so difficult to articulate why I decided to be a follower of Christ....it's been a journey of questioning, studying, and living. I've had to find answers to my many doubts. I've watched other people work out, or continue to struggle with theirs. All those things have been a very important part of my journey. But the most important reason why I'm a Christian is because of God's love. We humans, have really made a mess of this world. So much pain, suffering. We have misplaced desires and passions. But we have a God who wants real communion with us...and has given us the freedom to decide whether or not we want to walk with Him (would it be genuine communion if it was forced?).

I love you so much, Hannah. And at times, I get overwhelmed with the thought of ever losing you. So I understand the rejoicing one mother experienced yesterday, knowing she'll be with her son in eternity....and the sadness of another who doesn't know if she'll experience that same joy.

I hope you'll be able to get a taste of God's love for you through the way your dad and I love you. I know that you, of all people, will realize that we aren't perfect and need wisdom that is not our own, but I pray that you will see the power of forgiveness and redemption in the way we love you, one another, and the people around us. We will fail many times, but God will never fail you.

There's a song, that I'll probably post later, that keeps surfacing during quiet times or times of prayer. It reminds me that life is and will be full of losses....but one thing you can never lose is my love. When you came into the world, my heart expanded....I never knew I could love in a way that I love you. This love has given me a glimpse of how pervasive and passionate God's love must be. At this point in my journey, this is the primary reason I'm a Christian.

Thankful for you in so many ways,
Mom

Who does this?!

Warning: Vickie, you may not like this video.

Should I be stopping this behavior? Am I sick for thinking this is really funny? You can be honest, I can take it.
Note: I think she got this by watching our dog....he gets "sick" every now and then. At least she cleans up after herself in a more civil way than he does. =)

Would you buy one of these?

I made these for some friends this week. One of them offered to sell them for me at her eating establishment, so I took her up on it. After spending so much time on them, I now understand why some stores sell them for about $7. I'm just hoping they'll sell for a buck a piece. I have a long way to go in the decorating/detail department, but it was fun.