LOST!

No, this is not a commentary on the television show.

WE'VE LOST TAGGIE!

You may be asking yourself, "What in the world?" Allow me explain.

Taggie is a little 1' x 1' square of fuzzy polka-dots that Baby Girl adores. It was a gift from Lisa Johnson, one of my GB's friends. The opposite side of it is silky pink and there are tons of different ribbons all around the edges....just perfect for rubbing when you're sleepy.

Sadly, this is the only picture I have of our precious Taggie. :( And it had to be on our set of back-up sheets that doesn't match a thing in our room.

The boys went to Tyler's football game in Commerce tonight so it was just us girls. We went to Wal-Mart to stock up on some reinforcements for the evening. You know- candy corn pumpkins, a Richard Crowe film, just the bare essentials. Esther Grace wasn't feeling so hot (hence the reason we stayed behind) so I let her carry Taggie into the store. She was happy as a dove riding around in that buggy. You'd have thought it was a convertible the way she was acting. I didn't notice until after we checked out that Taggie was missing. I spent the next hour retracing my steps all around the store, the checkout lanes, and the parking lot. No Taggie.

I was in tears and beside myself when the sweet little greeter lady at the door told me that she was on duty until 10 tonight and she'd look for me. She actually stored my number in her cell phone as "Baby Blanket" and told me she'd call. Well, it's now 10:20 and not a single peep from my phone. I've called the store myself about 5 times since 7:00 but no luck. She sleeps with it every night and at every nap. It travels in the car with us, goes to the library, to Bible Study, and comforts her in nursery. I don't know what I'm going to do. I've already called my Dad about 10 times asking if Lisa, who's at the game, can tell me where she got it so I can order another one. He did not find that amusing one bit. Apparently my Taggie saga doesn't hold a candle to Tyler's high school football career. Hmph. I always knew he was the favorite. It's just because he's the baby. And only boy.

I feel so guilty. I mean, I was such a better mother than this to Jonah when it came to Lovie. Partly because I pictured myself huddled in a corner of his room loving that little lamb the night he moves away to college, but still. I was a good mother. I've just slacked off with Baby #2. I mean if I'm this laissez-faire with a Taggie, then what will I be like with her boyfriends? (I knew French would pay off. Spell check didn't even flag that. I googled it just to check myself. Madame Carlson would be proud.) But seriously. I prayed over Jonah every night when he was younger. I labored in my journals over his future and daily hourly approached the Throne on his behalf. With Sister, I'm just grateful when she closes those eyes and I can change into some jammies. What am I doing?! I have got to be more purposeful with her. And if the Lord uses a square foot of fabric to teach me that, I'm grateful. It could've been worse. The lesson could've come in a 6' foot tattooed package with piercings named Flash. Oh thank You, Lord.

Anyways- I seriously doubt anyone reads this blog that lives in Monroe. I think the only people that do read it are family and that's just because they feel obligated to since I refer to it at every holiday function as of late. BUT- if anyone finds our sweet Taggie at the Wal-Mart in Monroe, I'd offer you a large reward. Okay, maybe just some homemade pumpkin bread or something. I'm sure a little one-year-old would be very appreciative.

No Sweeter Word

Yesterday we had one of those mornings. Bible Study starts at 9:30 but we have to be there early so we usually head out of here around 8:20 or so. Not yesterday morning. It all started out fine. I got up and got myself ready before the kids were up. Around 7:40, I woke Jonah up and got him fed, bathed, and dressed. While we were brushing his teeth, we heard stirrings from the baby monitor. Esther Grace was up and Jonah was so upset. He loves to go into her room on these mornings and wake her up himself, usually with a song, dance and a smile. It makes him feel like such the big brother. This morning he was beside himself that he didn't get to exercise his authority over her and he was very clear that she was such a bad sister for waking herself up. I explained that he needed to have a loving heart. We've been talking about rejoicing with others and having a happy heart so I tried to explain that this was the perfect opportunity to celebrate with Sister instead of the obvious route we were going.

     "Yay! Esther Grace is so BIG! She woke up all by herself! Isn't that wonderful??!!!!!" (I may have thrown in a little leprechaun-like leap and a few jumping jacks for good measure.)
     "No, it is NOT wonderful, Mommy! That is MY job. I'M supposed to wake her up. Her's being a BAD girl. Bad! Bad! Bad!" I knew I had to intervene quickly.
     "Okay, Jo. Here's the deal. Gracie's getting up and I'm sorry that you didn't get to wake her but that's just the way it happens sometimes. So-we're going to put a smile on our face, a song in our heart, and be happy this morning, okay?" All I got was a pout. I started to brush my teeth and Jonah disappeared on a mission to retrieve his shoes from somewhere in his room.

Then, I heard him on the baby monitor. It didn't sound good.
That was definitely a yelp.
Followed by a full-fledged holler.
Okay-that's crying.
Great.

He came back like everything was completely normal.
"Jonah, did you hit your sister?"
"Oh, no. Her just hit herself." Riiiiight.
"Jonah, did you hit your sister?"
"No." (Shrug.) "I don't know why her would do that but her just went -boomp- and hit her head."
"Jonah. Did. You. Hit. Your. Sister."
"Sooooorrrrrryyyyyy."
UUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!

Later, I found out that he actually hit her with a closed fist right in the middle of her forehead. (There wasn't a mark so either he didn't hit her all that hard or his arm was just too short to reach her all the way in her crib.) Needless to say, he got FOUR spankings. Two for hitting and two for lying about it. FOUR! All before 8:00 in the morning! I should've known this was the way the morning was going to go. We're studying Isaiah and that particular week's lesson was on Isaiah 5. A huge time-out for Israel. Really bad spankings from God for His disobedient children.

"Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit." Isaiah 5:2b

That evening, I was telling Bear about it and Jonah walked in on our conversation. (I try not to tell these stories in front of him because I don't want him to think that we're bragging about his misbehavior. That and sometimes they're really funny and I don't want him to see us laughing about it.) He stopped when he realized what we were talking about.
     "No. Don't say that Mommy. Don't say that to Daddy. I don't want you to talk about it to him." Bear interjected,
     "It's good to be ashamed of our sin, isn't it Buddy? I'm glad that you feel sorry for your sin. That means that you know it's wrong." I added,
     "You know what makes it better. It's when we learn from our sin and choose to follow God's Ways because His Ways are so much easier and better!"
Jonah nodded in agreement, a smile beginning to appear on his little face.
     "And you know what's the best Buddy?" Bear said.
     "What Daddy?"
     "That we're forgiven."

Forgiven.

There are four main Greek words used for 'forgiven' in the New Testament but here are my two favorite.

charizomai meaning "to release a person from the obligation of repaying what is owed" derived from "charis" which means "God's freely given grace"

apoluo meaning "set free, release, pardon a prisoner, release a debtor, to remove the guilt resulting from wrongdoing"

Anyone need release? Need to be set free? Need some guilt removed? I'm right there with you.

"This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds. Then he adds: Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more. And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:16-25

Forgiven.

I can't think of a sweeter word.

It's Strictly a Parenting Issue

Okay, so I'm seeing a trend among Jonah's friends. First, there's Carter and his humble attitude. :) Bless him. He's such a sweet boy.

There's also Charlie, Jonah's cousin. I was talking to "Aunt B" (Brooke, my sister-in-law and mother to Charlie) about the kids a few weeks ago. She actually has two babies, well- they're almost 4. Charlie & Sarah are fraternal twins and are quite full of personality...in a good way, mind you.

Don't you just love the boots with the dress? She is a fashion connoisseur, let me tell you!

"Bant B", as Jonah calls her, was sharing how her two were at the playground and there was a tunnel slide. Sarah climbed up on top of the slide while Charlie crawled into the opening at the bottom. Then, Charlie proceeds to jump out of the opening with arms raised and shouted, "I AM RISEN!!!" Is that not precious?! Apparently, he was Jesus and Sarah was the angel at the tomb.

To go along with this pattern of Bible interpretation and application, Jonah came home from preschool the other day with a chapel story. Did you know that Abraham was running away from his "emenies", the Ammorites, when God told him to go to Nineveh? Yes, and when Abraham heard that he decided that he didn't want to go and so he ran away from God. But he didn't get far because there was a big sea in his way. So guess what he did? He stuck his big stick in the sand and God parted the water and they all walked across on dry land! Somehow, later on in the day, he added chains, jail, and a prison break to the story; however, Paul and Silas were nowhere to be found. Hmmmmmmm......let's hope he doesn't make a career out of writing commentaries!

I have no idea what version of the Bible Jonah's reading. And what is it with these boys wanting to be Divine? I'll tell you what I think. It's strictly a parenting issue.

Most boys their age emulate superheroes or run around playing good guy vs. bad guy. These three? They pretend to be the Ultimate Superhero. I mean, come on. What superpower is better than being risen from the dead? How do they know these things? Because their parents are teaching them God's Truth. Granted, things can get a little skewed...Abraham? Red Sea? Ammorites? Yeah. But what these young ones understand is that there is a God Who is All-Powerful and in control. He Alone holds the world in place and it is safe to trust Him with everything. They know that there are heroes of the faith (Hebrews 11-12) and they want to be a part of that Hall of Fame!

I read something very powerful in my Bible study notes the other day: "What we believe about God determines what we believe about ourselves, our world, our purposes, and our lives. What we believe determines how we behave." Yes. Even on the playground.

Oh, Lord- that I would be as bold as these toddlers! To live out my faith so unashamedly! What a blessing.

Thank you Ryan, Kelli, Russell, and Brooke for teaching your babies what really matters despite what this world may say. You embrace Matthew 19:14 wholeheartedly- "Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." You bring your children to Him everyday and by your example, encourage me to do the same. It's hard to inspire strength mixed with humility in a little fella, boldness seasoned with grace in a baby girl. But we have to do it because we're called to.

"These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life....Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 6:1-2, 5-7

So thanks for your support and encouragement guys! (And if you find a Cliffs Notes on the Holy Bible, could you send it my way? I'm thinking we need a refresher course on the whole Old Testament.)