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

Their names were Don and Eiko.....He was from the midwest and she was from Japan.  When we arrived at their home we noticed lots of lawn statues and decorations....and christmas lights....and a whole lot of tender loving care.  There were rose bushes and climbing blooms on trellises....and a gazebo....and more lawn creatures.  Don came out and shook our hands....Eiko came out soon after.  Don and Roger walked around the RV in the Sunday mid-day sunshine and Eiko told me about her problems with allergies and pain and how they could no longer travel in the RV.  Don and Eiko were selling the RV.  They were in their 70s and just not getting around as much. We took the RV for a ride and first Don got it off the blocks and down the road...then Roger got in the driver's seat and Don gave him some lessons.  Don shared that Eiko had lupus and couldn't stand sunlight and extremes in temperature.  He also shared that he was a service veteran of the air fo...

So, today I am noticing a theme on social media.  Moms are posting the first day of school and last day of school pics side by side.  I'm thinking......jeesh.  Did I even get a first day of school pic?  And the last day of school?  Well, Claire's last day was last friday and she was wiped out.....slept about 15 hours that night.  No photo.  Precious had her last day of TK on Wednesday and went to school in tears because she said, "I'm not ready mom!"....no photo there..... Today the boys finished.  I picked Isaac up an hour before school was done to go to his first baseball game of the season.  Our public school won't let him play with the local team because is isn't enrolled there....but he is welcome to join a team in 2 different towns that have Christian high schools.  Our Christian grade school doesn't have a football or  baseball team....so we have to go out of town for those sports.  Ridiculous.  More ridiculous yet ...

I have a friend and co-worker who is a mom to 4 children 6 and younger.....with no extended family in the area.  She works hard and likes to enjoy her family.  She has had a woman come to clean her home for awhile....named Violetta.  One of the first times Violetta came to her home, she finished the jobs that were  requested and then just folded my friend's laundry because she had time.  My friend was blessed.  Another time, my friend was battling the stomach flu with her kiddos and told Violetta that maybe she she wanted to skip a week so that Violetta didn't get sick.  Violetta said, "oh no!  you need me to come!"  We stopped by the next day to check on the tired mama and her sick nest of birdies and she said, "I'm fine....Violetta was here".   Violetta.  It sounds like something fragrant and pleasant......and feels warm and fuzzy.  Say it.  "Violetta".....ahhhhhhhh. Violetta was looking for more houses to clean and so I...

Tomorrow marks the last day of this school year for Precious Maryn.  She finishes Transitional Kindergarten tomorrow with a pool party and a trip to Culvers for Ice Cream.  Who even cares if she is allergic to dairy......she's gonna go and enjoy and savor every moment of her typical, happy, well-adjusted class farewell.  This is particularly emotional for me because 2 weeks ago we stopped giving Precious meds for her ADHD.  The med we were using caused her to be far too sedated and wore off abruptly and the recommended new med was gonna cost us $260.00 a month.  A.  Month.  Disgusted by the injustice of this, I determined that we could make it without meds and just use our therapeutic tricks and oils and diet and prayer......but its been a really, really hard 2 weeks.  She has this behavioral issue pretty intensely.  I kinda forgot how hard life was with her since she'd had meds for the past 6 months.    I love this child so, so mu...

Today is May 23.  Two years ago, I went to a meeting in the morning and learned that Josiah and his first mama were in trouble.  I started to pray and ask God to help them and to make sure Josiah would be safe, whatever God chose to do with his precious little life.....and by 5pm, the DHS worker was bringing him to my home.  We were willing to love him and help him and comfort him.....and that night, as I held him and and listened to him jabber and tell his story, I felt.....like clay to the potter.  God used us that day, to help Joe and his birth mom.  We borrowed some formula, went to Walmart late at night for Batman pajamas and bottles and diapers and clothes and more formula......set up the pack n play......and hauled out the baby toys. I sheepishly called my parents and a friend or two and said something like this:  We have a baby here.  We don't know how long he will be here but for now, he is here. Our friends and family came in droves with...

Luke tells of three distinct experiences. A violent wind filled the house: breath or wind is a symbol of the Spirit of God. Ezekiel 37 tells the story of the prophet's vision of a valley of dry bones which come together: when the 'breath' of God enters them, they come to life and stand on their feet. The Pentecost wind represents the power of God to bring life to the 'dry bones' of faith. Tomorrow is Pentecost.  I am so not qualified to write about this significant event in our faith....but when I asked for an idea for a blog, my friend Jen suggested Pentecost.  Here goes.  The above paragraph is something I found on google to get me started....and so for the moment, I want to think about the wind.  The Wind of the Holy spirit......I have sat in my rather quiet and conservative church many sundays and prayed that God would send the wind of His spirit over us to shake things up, scare us a bit, declare His power and presence....and so far, He has remained quie...

I was in my bathroom this morning and saw a quarter on the floor.  I looked at it and thought to myself......wow.....its like ever since I started collecting change for Sarah's Covenant Homes, I seem to find it everywhere!  Maybe God is depositing coins around my house now, just so I will find them for his special kiddos in India!  I stood at the sink and looked at my tired self in the i .  I pulled at my eyes, you know how we women do....and practiced a smile.  Then a frown.  I checked my teeth.....and then looked down as I washed my hands and there was another quarter.  2 quarters in the bathroom first thing this morning! People. Join this effort.  Please?  These very real children living on the other side of the Earth need medical care and food and clothing and education and love and prayer......and our money.  Many of us already have a charity or a passion for something and I'm not asking that you replace it with what weighs hea...

Yesterday, after getting the big kids off to school, and Roger to work, and the littles to daycare, I met up with a co-worker and we drove to Des Moines for a conference.  She and I are certified lactation counselors and our office payed for us to attend the 26th annual Iowa Breastfeeding Conference for May 20/21.  I got to eat out at a nice restaurant for dinner, sleep in a clean and quiet hotel room and soak up 2 days work of recent and relevant research and strategies to help mothers and babies with breastfeeding.  What a treat.  Seriously.....I've been at this job for a couple of decades now and it is so inspiring to be able to attend a conference and hear new, research-based info from experts in their fields......and get paid for it.  I am blessed. Roger was "super-dad" and did all the taxi driving and feeding and comforting and parenting for this 36 hours I was away.  Precious had a predictable meltdown....or 2....but tonight, at 10:30, all is well...

Tonight we went to the school program called the SCCS Extravaganza.  They do it every year about a week before school finishes for the year.  Every year, I sit and watch this program and the hair stands up on my arms or my throat tightens with emotion, watching all of these children singing praises to God....and recaping their entire year of monthly chapels and songs and learning about the character and mercy and purpose of Holy God.  Oh.  My.  Word.  For about 10 years now, I have sat at this program and decided that it doesn't matter how much we still owe for tuition, at the end of the school year.  It is worth it.  Every year.  Every year it gets harder and harder to find the money but when I sit in the pew at the SCCS Extravaganza in May......I am reinspired. One song tonight is called He Knows My Name.  I found it on You Tube but can't quite get it on the blog tonight for some reason.  If you want to listen, just look it up...

Katelynsfund.org is an important ministry to me.  I did a blog there tonight.....and have some Katelyn's Fund shirts in the back of my car if anyone wants some.  This organization provides support and grants for adoption.  If you want to hear my thoughts about "Gotcha Day" I wrote them out there.   Sigh. Not here.  Here......is different.  This blog is about how to make God bigger and me smaller....because without Him, I am irrelevant.  With Him.....my life matters.  Anything that is good in me is from the Lord.  Period.  I get no credit.  I tried it once with out Him and it was a crash and burn.   So what is it now?  It's raising a generation of kids who Know the Lord.....Trust Him....don't hide behind pride.....and seek Christian people who will help.  That's really what it is.  I don't know how to make that cohesive....so for now it is just in the daily stuff of life.  Giving a hug.....sending...

I visit lots of teen moms in the community health work that I do.  We discuss parenting and education and relationships.  We talk about nails and holidays and guys......Teen moms are something else, really.  Today I stopped by to chat with one of my teen moms that I have known for a long time, long before she became a teen mom.  She is graduating from High School this week.  In fact, she finished her classes today.  She was looking smart and cute in her leather boots and leggings and plaid shirt with her curly hair tied back and her freckles......her daughter was toddling around her parents' home where they live.  Her husband was in the family room on the couch watching tv with other relatives.  She's barely 18.  I'm so stinkin proud of her.  She fought against all odds to finish her high school education and breastfed her child for over 18 months.  She supported her husband and defended him to employers and lawyers when he got hur...

I was at the kitchen counter just now, sending down food garbage to the disposal that lives under my sink......and unloading the dishwasher and stacking the dirty dishes of the day to ready them for a good scrub.......and saw my little bud vase next to the sink.  It's dutch china.....from my grandmother's house.....and its perfect for a few sprigs of lilacs.  I've been picking them every few days and enjoying them next to my sink for a week or two.....and tonight the vase is empty because this particular perennial is almost done blooming.  I love lilacs.  I love the smell.  I love the promise of an end to winter cold and the anticipation of summer.....lilacs make me feel like a child again, playing outside in springtime.  There is a woman in our church who is our "care elder".  Her name is Dee.  She is also a friend to my mom and has been in a small group with her for years and years.  Last sunday, we sat just behind and to the left of Dee...

I had a lovely day yesterday for Mothers Day.  Our church did a good job of recognizing moms but the pastor was also really good at pointing out the hard things with mother's day.....and then we went for Sunday Brunch with Roger's parents and my mom.....so we all stuffed ourselves and then walked around looking at Dutch tulips for awhile as the little kids played in the park.  I took a nap in the afternoon which was kinda fun but kinda dumb because then I couldn't sleep at bedtime.  I lost my birthday gift yesterday....or Saturday night maybe.  I got a fitbit and I was lovin it and I lost it.  Grrrr. Roger made sure I didn't have to cook all day and I enjoyed a day of less and of presence with my family.  Mindfulness.  Have you heard of it?  It's all the buzz in my world.  Be mindful and present in whatever you are doing.  I did some of that yesterday. Being a mom means that Today I woke up in a panic mode because it is the middle o...

Tonight we were out of wipes.  Not commercial wipes, but homemade wipes.  When we were expecting Claire 16 years ago, my fellow nurses threw me a baby shower.  A fellow nurse gave me homemade wipes with the recipe to continue.  For whatever reason, Roger really connected with the wipes-part of parenting.  Maybe because it involved an electric knife, and good-smelling oil and baby wash.....maybe because the tub of wipes seems to never end......but whatever the reason, we have embraced homemade wipes.....for 16 years.  The recipe is this:  cut a big role of Bounty paper towels (yes.  it has to be Bounty).  Place in a tupperware container that fits the half-roll.  Mix 2 cups distilled water with 2 tbsp baby oil and 2 tbsp Baby Magic baby wash.  Pour over the roll of paper towels and seal.  When you open it for the first time, remove the cardboard center of the roll and pull from the middle.   These wipes stay moist, don't sm...

1 Kings 17:16 says this.  "For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah."   That story came to life for me when I first decided to go to India and learn about SCH and India Christian Ministries.  I had been invited to help teach at the first women's school of worship training......and wanted desperately to meet the children of SCH.  I prayed alot, asking God to show me how and why and when it would happen and he totally showed up and gave me the plan.  He also gave me the idea of jars of oil......from scripture.....and even though my pride said I should just put the trip on a credit card, God said there was a different plan.  Invite others to join in the journey.....send out support letters and ask for help so that they.....so....that....they.....too......could be blessed.  I sent out the letters and prayed that the oil would stay in the jars and not run dry.....and enou...

We were sitting at the table, having potluck lunch at church today.  We joined another family and were chatting about this and that.  They have 2 little boys and one of the boys was talking to mom and kind of pushing things with her......and she turned to me, with her pretty face looking strained, her big, dark eyes searching and she say......"Ugh.  How?  How do you do it with 5?"   I almost busted out laughing....but instead I gave her lots of reassurance that it would get better as the kids get older.....and now, tonight, I'm laughing at myself instead.  Why? I had a busy Sunday today.....not much sitting and resting.  Precious Maryn has had some rough days......and Sundays are particularly hard for her.....as are meals......and Josiah was really whiney today.  Claire was stressed and snappy because she had to pack up and go to Des Moines for a school event today and all she really wanted to do was watch movies on her laptop in her bedroom,...

Tonight, I talked to my second teen a bit.  I told him about having a hobby, a passion, a focus.....and that it can be the difference between just living every day, and having the days all run together as the same, versus really living every day with purpose.  I urged him to consider what might get his heart beating faster.....what we could say, "This is Isaac and he......."  as something that defines him.  I gently explained to him that school and UTube and xbox were  not enough.  God created him for more than this.....and I didn't care what his thing was, as long as he found a "thing". I asked if he understood what I was getting at and he said that he did. A bit later, we called him up for dinner.  It was tacos and nachos....weekend comfort food.....and casual tonight because Claire is out being social and Jeremiah is with a friend.....and we were busy today.  Isaac turned to me in the kitchen and said, "Food".  Pardon?  "Food, mo...