He is Greater.....John 3:30 says He must become greater, I must become less"

4 more hours and Halloween is over for another year.  Yep, I do actually count down the hours.  I don't want to make a federal issue out of it, mostly because the darkness of it doesn't deserve that much media attention.....but the day is just a burden to me.  Spiritual warfare is as real to me as dinner on the table and conversation with friends.  The demons would love to make us think that they aren't so bad......by dressing our cute kids up as evil horrific beings on Halloween and going out to beg for candy.  Blech. Because I have this attitude, my kids never get cute costumes.  The early years, when they want to go trick or treating are painful because they don't look "fun".  well.  yeah.  They don't because I hate this holiday and don't want to invest my creative energy, time or money on it!  I set out a bowl of candy every year.....this year not one child came to the door.  There you have it. Roger saved the moment when Precious was unhappy

top ten things that are good about winter: 1.  No need to don a swim suit. 2.  No fruit flies in my wine. 3.  Hoodies. 4.  Christmas. 5.  Earlier bedtime.....sleeping in longer....aka.....longer nights.  (don't judge me.  I have alot of kids) 6.  Boots and scarves. 7.  Chili soup and warm cinnamon rolls. 8.  Holidays and family 9.  Gifts and the spirit of generosity. 10.  Snow.  Yep.  I like it.  It's pretty.

Last weekend, both Isaac and Jeremiah spoke up about "needing" a new coat for winter.  Winter in Iowa is ugly, and brutal, and unpredictable.  We can go days without seeing the sunshine through a thick and cloudy sky.  The wind is like ice.  We see more icy rain than snow some weeks.....and its dark.  The trees are bare.  It is absolutely cold.  For about 4 months. Roger said they should check the closets and storage tubs because they had coats last year.  Jeremiah's eyes welled up with tears.  He really likes new things. He had found a coat on sale....and I wanted him to have it.  I dug up the old coat....that he hates.....and we just moved on.  Isaac forgot he had a winter coat and said he would try it on when we dug it out.  Precious gladly wore last years coat and also tried on one that Jeremiah hated 2 years ago and said that would work.  Josiah loved his walmart coat for $14.99. Grace got in the car for school yesterday and it was 34 degrees out and she shivere

Music.  Late afternoon today I saw this video and was moved by the beauty, the artistry, the passion in it.  I love piano.  I love cello.  I love culture.  I love the new music and I love the old hymns of faith.  I love worship.    Last night I was honored to sit at the Unity Christian High School fall music concert and enjoy band, orchestra, choir and small groups singing.....and it was powerful and it was tender and it was good.  Grace sang and even danced.....Claire played the violin....and Roger stayed home with the rest of the gang cuz high school concerts are not fun with kids who cannot sit.  This morning, I took Precious to the clinic to treat a wart on her knee....for the 4th time in a couple of years.  As we came into the hospital/clinic lobby, I heard beautiful piano music playing and because the lobby is marble/tile/stone, the music echoes everywhere.  As we left the clinic, she was still playing.  I think she was a friend of mine (Susan?) but I didn't get close because

Home.  I may have written about this before but oh well.  I'm thinking about Home tonight so that is what I am writing.  I hope it strikes a cord with someone else out there tonight. Years ago, a therapist friend said something like this:  People who struggle with depression don't seem to have a very good sense of "home".  Conversely, people who know what "home" means to them tend to not struggle with depression.  I have taken this thought further and I do hereby declare that "home" is important for lots of reasons. I had a long work week already this week.  Tonight, I came home around 9pm with Grace after the high school fall concert.  We sent Roger to bed because he had been up since 3am or earlier....and Isaac took Josiah downstairs to wind down.  Claire went from concert to dance.  Precious and Jeremiah were both on sleepovers.  We don't have school tomorrow for the grade school kids due to parent teacher conferences this week (which w

Deep breath. Gulp. Here goes..... Yesterday, a little girl in our community was found unconscious in the morning when her parents went to wake her for church.  They rushed her to the hospital and all of yesterday prayers were lifted up for her, and her family.....through the night, the gates of Heaven were stormed with pleas.  We begged God to save her life, to heal her, to do a miracle.  She was only 4 years old, to my knowledge.  Her parents asked for prayers but declared that God is sovereign in all things, even as her life hung in the balance.  She died today. I had several talks with God about sweet Ava.  He could show off and do a miracle and these people would give Him all the glory forever and ever....they just would.  Our entire community would recognize a miracle and give Him honor for it......and God can do it.  Whenever he wants to.  It was not in His plan to do so today for Ava.  I reasoned it out in my head, I cried it out of my heart, I prayed it through as I dr

This morning in church, a family came to the row in front of us.  Mom, dad, and 3 kiddos.  I didn't know them so I studied them a bit.  Then, Josiah threw a fit, and another fit....and a louder fit...because he is a 2 year old who is potty-training....and willful...and emotional.  I took him out.  Then Precious came out.  I talked Precious into taking Joe to "Little Lambs" but when we got there, he freaked out.  He wants just me.  Night.  and day.  Mom....mom....mom.  but he agreed to let Jeremiah join him in Little Lambs 2 year old church.  Jeremiah is a sweet, sweet boy.  He left church to go help Joe.  I sat back down in our row in church.....20 minutes later. The family ahead of me was snuggling, kids and parents, in that sweet way that keeps children quiet during the sermon.  Pastor said something like this:   "when I was young, we were taught that big boys don't cry".....and the dad ahead of me looked down at the boy lounging on his lap and he said,

A  lighthouse  is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and used as a  navigational aid  for  maritime pilots  at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mark dangerous coastlines, hazardous  shoals ,  reefs , safe entries to harbors, and can also assist in aerial navigation. Once widely used, the number of operational lighthouses has declined due to the expense of maintenance and use of electronic navigational systems........so says Wikipedia. Today, I was driving south, headed home after a long and trying day, and on the horizon I saw my lighthouse.  Well, not a lighthouse, exactly, since I live in Iowa and there are no oceans or ships.  My lighthouse is actually a wind turbine......and it sits on a cattle farm just outside of my town.....on the property of my friends.  As I saw the turbine spinning slowly in the distance, a wave of peace and expectation and satisfaction overwhelmed me.  There is a corner, just

Today I was that mom.......at the medical clinic in the waiting room......in front of a former client even.  Josiah was wailing because he had gotten a flu shot and was really mad and sad......and tired.....and he enjoyed the echo in the lobby of the clinic.  He was crying and wailing really loud and I said it.  I really did.  Through desperately clenched teeth,  I growled into his ear and said this, "Do you want another shot?  If you keep crying I can get you another one!"  It worked.  He whimpered awhile and in fear, decided the path of least resistance would be to go to sleep in my arms.  Shameful.  mortifying, really....and yet that is what we do when we are desperate. I had Josiah and Precious in for their daycare physicals, which included freezing off a wart, an ENT referral and shots.....and Isaac who has been ill since last Friday with no improvement.  I had already worked about 6 hours and my phone was pinging with responses to requests for visits, etc. ( I would

"Spoil me Sunday" came for Jeremiah today.  He started basketball last week but his shoes were too small so the catalyst for this date was the purchase of new shoes.  He is a 7 1/2.....which is smack dab in the middle of child shoes vs. adult shoes.  If you are a parent, you know that the difference is about $30.00.  Also, with the cooler mornings and the threat of cold winter coming soon he needed pants.  My boys wear shorts for 6 months, then sweat pants for 6 months.....in various shades of black and grey.  Jeremiah gained about 20 pounds and grew about 4 inches since last year.  After church, we went shopping. We drove away from home munching on honey crisp apples and listening to music, enjoying the fall sunshine and harvest in the fields and all the colors of leaves on the trees.  Jeremiah deserved my full attention today even tho I was worried about Isaac who is sick, and the littles who are so much work.  Jeremiah and I were going out for a special date day.  It wa

Tonight I drove to Isaac's football practice earlier than necessay.  Roger was doing a school duty, and Claire was at work, and Jeremiah was in charge of Precious and Josiah.  I could have stayed home to help for another half hour but I just wanted to......go.  I wanted time to pray for a friend who had asked for prayer today.  I wanted to sit in my car with the windows down and feel the cool breeze at dusk and not do but just be. As I watched practice, I saw a younger boy on the field who I have watched before.  He must play in the youth league.  He is heavy and slow and doesn't run well.  Both tonight and the other time, I watched him struggle to finish the conditioning drill, fighting the urge to quit and give up.  When I noticed him the first time, it was because I heard his coach say, "I'm not gonna let you quit!" and join him on the field to finish the drill.....and my heart ached as I saw another player from his team join them and redo the drill so that

Once upon a time, there was a flat of foster homes, owned by a Christian ministry called Sarah's Covenant Homes.  This particular building was named Joy Home.  On the main floor, was a flat, or apartment that housed 9 little girls with varying special needs from blindness to hand/foot deformities to down syndrome and other things.  Prior to living as a family in Joy Pink apartment, these children were in different small foster home care with Indian caregivers, with american foster moms who raised their own support and came for several months at a time to volunteer.......and prior to that, some of these 9 Joy Pink girls lived in one big complex called Victory Home.  This is where I first met several of the girls in Joy Pink.  Sleeping crib to crib, and bed to bed in big rooms with sometimes 20 or more other children..........and prior to that, these special needs children were in a government orphanage in India.  Each of these girls were abandoned orphans with special needs.  

So.  Josiah Christian is potty-training.  My sitter, and friend, declared this past week as time to get going because he was acting so ready with her.  She is awesome......and competent.  4 days in a row, I sent him to her while I worked and she helped him do more on the potty and less in his pants.  Yesterday I bought 2 more packs of underwear because I did not have enough.  The kid is doing great.  He is motivated.  He is ready.  He is 2 months away from being 3 years old. Its a crazy thing.....to consider that the last baby of the family is almost done with diapers and homemade wipes.....we've been buying these for over 16 years straight.  I'm ready to be done with diapers.  I am.  I love babies so, so much and if God brings them to my home I will say yes.....but I really, really think that we can definitively say we are almost done with diapers and homemade wipes.......and for selfish and financial reasons, its awesome.  For reasons regarding Josiah.....its even more ama

Apple trees.  In the midwest, in October, this is a familiar scene.  Healthy trees, laden with apples that weigh down the branches and sometimes even fall to the ground.  The stores are full of many different varieties of apples, as are the farmer's markets......and the recipes for apples are abundant.  It is apple season here. This week, in my driving around the county for work, and walking dogs on sunny afternoons, God showed me something as I admired the apple trees.  I want to share it with all of you.  I pray God will use my words to give you the same deeper understanding of him that I have in this illustration.  Like the actual fruit, God's blessings and his spiritual fruit are in season.  (always).  God's fruit is so plentiful that in its heaviness, the branches weigh down and get closer to the earth, so that we can reach them.  God longs to share His fruit with us......his blessing.....his food.  The bible says "taste and see that the Lord is good".....

Cousin Heddy, who I don't think I have ever met, was one of the dozens of generous souls who responded to my plea for help buying cots for Indian elderly women who care for the abandoned special needs kiddos there.  Responses have come from Kansas, Minneapolis, Iowa and Colorado....and as the checks come in I am just in of God's power to move the hearts of so many.  I love this ministry so, so much.....and I love all of you for partnering with me.  Cousin Heddy, today, you moved my heart even more.  With your check was the sweetest note......and I am so grateful for your words. Cousin Heddy spoke about my grandma Wilma and her memories of being in my Grandmother's home with 8 children and Grandma always in the kitchen cooking and doing laundry......she gave me a vivid picture of my grandma who I miss so much......as a kind woman who worked hard and labored for her family and made everyone feel so welcome.....and she said that she imagined I was like her.  She said that G

here is the kimchi recipe we use.....from thekitch.com webwite. What you Need :  1 medium head (2 lbs) napa cabbage, 1/4 cup sea salt or kosher salt (see recipe notes), water (see recipe notes), 1 TBSP grated garlic (5-6 cloves), 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp sugar, 2-3 tbsp water, 1 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes (use less if you don't want it super hot), 1 1/2 tbsp paprika, and 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce.  8 oz Korean radish, peeled and cut into matchsticks (we use regular red radish with the red skin peeled off), 4 scallions, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces. Instructions: 1.  slice the cabbage:  cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters and remove the cores.   Cut each quarter crosswise into 2 inch wide strips. 2.  Salt the cabbage:  place the cabbage and salt in a large bowl.  Using your hands (gloves optional), massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to soften a bit, then add water to cover the cabbage.  Put a plate on thop and weigh it down with something heavy like a j

Are we ready for the new push?  The new race?  The new effort?  I am.  Overwhelmingly, I am speachless regarding the support that came for my request for a sleeping cot/bedding for each of the 61 care-giving ayahs at Sarah's Covenant Homes in India.  Overwhelmingly, I am proud and humbled by the care and nurture shown to Sarah and Lindsey when they visited last week.......but there is more work to do, folks.  My fear of man nature says, "don't ask for more....be grateful for what they have done".  and yet, my fear of God says.......the race is not yet complete and the children still have needs.  So.  I'm gearing up for the next effort.  I have a few trailblazers who already sent me checks in faith....and boy oh boy, do I have a cause.  I think it will help if I frame it up a bit.   One of the needs at SCH right now is a Christmas sari and bonus for each of their employees.  They also need money for the children and school and food and diapers.....but here is