Sigh

I've been trying for 3plus weeks to get Lucas to eat solids. We started with rice cereal. It met with the resistance of a sucked in bottom lip covered with a clamped down top lip. So, after battling with that for about a week, we moved on to vegetables, sweet potatoes to be specific. More disgusted looks and closed mouth. Today, against every desire in me, I tried pears with him. I thought, at least then I'll know if he is just being picky or if he is not ready for solids. Well, now I know.. . and just what am I supposed to do with the information that he is being picky?! He only ate about three bites, but he was opening his mouth for me. Sigh. . .

What I have been pondering

I am by no means suffering. I am only needing to persevere on little sleep. In the midst of it all, I feel like I am still enjoying my life and doing the things God has for me. I am learning to let things go a little bit. . .the floor is a lot dirtier, the piles are more numerous, I sit instead of doing the dishes. . .These excerpts from a devotional by Elizabeth Elliot have challenged me and reminded me that, in all the little things and things that sometimes feel like trials, there is a great significance in obedience.

". . .I say again, man cannot chose his duties. You may chose to forsake your duties, and chose not to have the sorrow they bring. But you will go forth, and what will you find, my daughter? Sorrow without duty--bitter herbs, and no bread with them. . .if we reject this cross, we will not find it in this world again. " Here is the opportunity offered."

And,
"For those of us who are not at the moment in pain, may we not let slip any cross Jesus may present to us, any little way of letting go of ourselves, any smallest task to do with gladness and humility, any disapointment accepted with grace and silence. These are His appointments. If we miss them here, we'll not find them again in this world or in any other."

I feel such gratitude at the duties that God has chosen for me. May I not hold them lightly.

Random things

Evelyn's new practice is to sing, "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mom. . ." over and over to the tune of London Bridges.

Ezra said to Evelyn at lunch yesterday, in all seriousness, "Evelyn, if you don't believe in Jesus, you will go to hell."

Simeon told Grandpa Clark that he had played football with Grandpa Bundt over Thanksgiving break. Grandpa Clark asked him if he played with his Uncle Josh. Simeon replied, "No, he's a real football player."

How far I've come

We've been butchering deer this week. When we were first married, that meant that Joel did the butchering and I stayed as far away as possible. If for some terrible reason I had to come in contact with the butchering process, I held my breath, closed my eyes and scooted past. And now this week. . .I went and picked up my oldest sons who were "helping" with the butchering. I walked my daughter by a deer carcaas. I watched my husband strip the hide off a deer with a pickup truck. And I ended my evening with two hours of cleaning the meat from the deer in my own kitchen. I only gagged a couple of times. Oh how far I've come.

Simeon's response to all the deer around the house in the last few days come out after school yesterday. He walked into the house and said, "I don't like the way this house smells anymore." I think I'll go light a candle somewhere. . .

Potty-talk

Evelyn, sitting on the toliet, asks me, "Do you know that Jesus loves you?"
Me: "Yes, he love you too!"
Evelyn: "And Ezra, and 'siah and Simeon and Daddy and baby. . .sing it."
So, then we had to sing Jesus Love the little Children.

Last night

One of our new practices this year is that Simeon and Josiah both have an opportunity to tell me about their day after we read, before bed. Last night Simeon's best thing from his day involved a football game during recess. He was on a team with two other fourth graders. They were playing against "fourteen" other kids and Logan (one of Simeon's favorite people who is in fourth grade) threw Simeon a pass, which Simeon ran in for a touchdown. After explaining in great detail the play, Simeon said to me, "That's pretty good to be able to do that against fourth graders - I'm only a kindergartener!"

What he comes up with!

Ezra: "Ooohh, my back really hurts from all my work (i.e. lite brite). . .Mom, do you have anything to help it feel better (i.e. a good tasting candy "medicine") or do I just need to handle it?"