Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Amen

I have my arms around the toilet when she says it.
It's cleaning day and my girls are scrubbing with me. Rose complains about this inconvenience to her plans.
I reason, "Rose, do you know how gross it would be if we didn't clean the toilets and the floors?"
She scours the sink and retorts, "I think we are going to think differently about some things in life."
I slow.
Yes, we probably are.

My mom lives next door to me. We think differently about quite a few things.
She's violently enthusiastic and I'm tentative.

This is what a violently enthusiastic person looks like

We hold differing views on lots of things, but we love each other and we know that we are God's good gifts to one another. We help each other, we offer perspective to the other.

This is good. This is the way God intended family to be. Not a collection of Russia stacking dolls, but unique, different, complimentary.

I need to remember this when my children stretch out of my box of comfort. I need to remember I am not trying to raise perfect little me's (which is in itself contradictory). I am trying to raise God loving/serving/fearing men and women who delight in the individuality of who God has made them.

Rosy sleeping with her babies.

Avonlea on Bald Butte overlooking Mt. Hood

Grant loving his dog

Rowan carries everything in his overalls
what I tend to think my children should look like

what my children actually look like
We explored the attic this week. Avonlea found an old dress of mine from high school. Rowan found the vest to my dad's first suit that I used to wear. They wore them. In public. On purpose. And they were completely themselves in them. They used my things as an accessory to themselves.

Someday, I may come across one of my mom's flags and maybe I'll give it a wave. Maybe Rose will decide never to clean her toilets but she'll love to write poetry while taking a bubble bath.

The possibilities are endless. The potential is amazing. Family is a whole lot of fun.


And one more of my babies will leave the nest next week. This is a video of Grant telling about his mission trip. However, he messed up and cracked us both up. This right here is what I will miss for the next 5 weeks. Please remember him in your prayers.



7 comments:

  1. Hello from Mongolia!

    Well, dear sister-in-Christ, I just had to comment this time (I very rarely do) because you just crack me up. "This is what a violently enthusiastic person looks like" hahaha

    I just don't remember how I found you, but you have made me laugh out loud so many times. Good medicine. Do you think you could just bring your family over here....if for nothing else, comic relief!? I'm pretty sure there must be some other useful stuff you could do, but I can't think of anything right now. :)

    You also make me think....such a sweet combination!

    I read your post to my daughter Ahnya and we both got such a bang out of Grant's "amen"!! So funny....and then the barely detectible head smack at the end....we laughed so hard. Thanks, Grant.

    I obviously know a wee bit about you, so here's a little about me: we have been m'ssionaries here since 1992 and though we are feeling the rigors of life here more than we used to (we're 56 & 57 now), we still consider it such a privilege to be here in the western countryside of Mongolia for the sake of the gospel. We have 2 daughters -- our oldest is 31, married to a godly man, grew up in the boonies of Mongolia from age 8, and considers it home. Our youngest is almost 17, was adopted from an orphanage in Ulaanbaatar as a little baby, is "stimulating" and delightful (that means she stretches us!), and can't wait to move to America when she graduates! Isn't that interesting? We are all desiring to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ"....all that really matters.

    Thanks again....and may our Lord bless you as you serve Him there.

    ....with love from afar....

    Lisa

    Tosontsengel, Zavkhan
    Mongolia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lisa! Wow! I am so blessed that you took the time to reply! Grant almost stopped talking to me because I put that clip on, but your response reconciled him!
      I love that I have brothers and sisters in Christ around the world! Thank you for serving Him so faithfully all these years, you are an encouragement!
      I think Ahnya and Rose would probably be friends.
      Comic relief is always helpful, but just for future reference, I can also dance.

      God bless you and your family!

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    2. Oh! Dancing would be nice, too....we even have space for it, see? (complete with Mary Engelbreit yellow floors....very Mongolian....which I hated at first but now love....very cheery in the long winter!)

      Do come!!

      /Users/Lisa/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Masters/2015/07/03/20150703-093942/DSCN7125.JPG

      (maybe this pic won't show up....I don't know how to insert one here)

      Delete
    3. I couldn't see the picture, but I could imagine it! And dancing on yellow floors sounds heavenly!

      Delete

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