Love this!

"You will never have a beauty secret with more visible results than the study of God's Word."
-Beth Moore

Goggles (II). So much more than a pool accessory.

So I guess I've got just a little see-it-to-believe-it in me.
(Kevin's brain is finally rubbing off- YESSS!).

I had some serious onion chopping to do today, so I decided to give it a go.

I did.
I sported them.
I even had to have a stern mama talk while wearing them.
And here is my assessment:
Wearing swimming goggles to chop onions is AWESOME.
Honestly, I can't believe this kind of gimmicky apparel isn't hanging from grocery store produce aisles everywhere.
The goggles did fog up, but I managed to keep all of my digits in tact nevertheless.

Four stars to the new method!

Psalm 116:8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. (Thanks to Kim for finding this very fitting verse! :))

Goggles. The gateway to knowing.

So my four-year-old sported some swim goggles to a church party tonight, and lots of people laughed and asked questions about this curiously. I even learned something fascinating in goggle-related conversation. Did you know that wearing goggles can keep your eyes from tearing up while chopping onions? (So many reasons to read this blog, I tell you).

Anyway, the goggles thing seemed to be a pretty entertaining novelty to people outside of our family. But for those of us on the inside of the clan, it was rather simply Keefe being Keefe: loveably unpredictable, tender-hearted, optimistic, innocent, curious about the entire world, and eager to participate in its most wonderful offerings (like goggles).

We laughed too, of course, but in a different kind of way. Keefe is not a novelty to us. His antics run 24/7. We know that he sneaks goggles into the bathtub, that he is obsessed with divers, that he will pair goggles with any costume, and that he probably doesn't really know the difference between goggles and sunglasses in terms of "normal" day to day wear.

We know that he didn't think anything extraordinary of wearing goggles to the party tonight.
And we know that we are mighty blessed to know him this well; to be privy to such an affinity.

Do you believe that God loves knowing you this well?
That He loves being privy to your affinities, quirks, and tenderly innocent social maneuvers in this life? (I know a guy who once tried to impress a girl by dumping spaghetti on another guy's head. It didn't go so well. Not well at all, actually. But I think that if he ever wanted to, he could share that story with God and they could reminisce and really have a laugh together).

I think it's easy to focus heavily on the reasons that God would be displeased with us; to focus on our shortcomings and weaknesses. And we do have to sit with those things at times, to figure out where we're getting a little too independent, a little too prideful; to see where our decisions are not lining up with God's superior intentions.

But any parent will tell you the same thing.
Real relationship is so amazing because of the knowing, the precious knowing that breeds life together.

Get to know God intimately and delight in Him.
Give Him your life and He will delight in you.
Honestly.
Fervently.
Goggles and all!

Prov. 24:3,4 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures.

Conversations I'm having today.

-why (mid-chew) we really shouldn't chew gum that we found on the sidewalk.
-how, when a toilet seat cushion is stuck over our heads, we should stay calm and think of it like a turtleneck: easier on than off.
-how monsters don't shoot us because they don't have guns; and besides, Mama will give monsters a big spanking if necessary. Mama is NOT afraid of monsters.

Doesn't this post just seem fitting somehow after the last one? :)

Mud Day!

Yesterday, Perfect Yesterday, was Mud Day in these parts. It was the first really good rain in a long time, and Keefe found worms, Elle got soaked, and I very happily waddled around the yard in a shiny teal raincoat and ballet-style crocs, helping Keefe to locate these new pals. Then we went inside to get cozy and make hot spice cranberry drinks. We pulled Elle to the table to play with toys at our side while Keefe and I knocked out a 100-piece parrot puzzle, sweet piano music for children in the background.

It was just one of those perfect mornings.

It's great to be a mom.

The door.

Stephen Leacock - "I detest life-insurance agents: they always argue that I shall some day die, which is not so."
-My gmail funny quote of the day

It's kind of interesting that Jesus rose from the dead so soon after dying. And I'm not saying they weren't sweating it out. They were surely sweating it out in the span of those three days.

But isn't that just the ultimate comfort for us, too?

He conquered it. Physically, spiritually, emotionally. And now it's just this process, this event, we have to go through one day; but it's not actually the end of anything. It's just the stone rolled in. It's just the door.

May any fears of death that you have be genuinely comforted by the fact that Jesus did this before us, conquering it, giving us our real beginnings on the other side of that door.

"And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy..." Matt. 28:8