Doing Something Right

One of the inevitabilities of parenting is feeling like a failure at least 10 times a week (day?). Or questioning if anything you're doing is having any impact. I have wondered aloud, on more than one occasion, if a cardboard cut-out of myself would be as effective a parent as the actual me. But then...every once in a while...something happens to encourage you on your journey and help you believe that you might be doing something right.

Last week our family vacation included a trip to waterpark. While Connor was certainly tall enough to ride several slides, I questioned whether or not they may be too fast or scary. Standing at the bottom of a slide, I asked a life guard, "Is this one really fast?" "It is called 'Extreme Rush'," he responded. Still, Connor wanted to try. We climbed the steps to the top and got him situated stomach-down on his mat, when he started to nervously whine. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to," I told him. "It's perfectly fine to get off." No, no, he wanted to try. Off he went down "Extreme Rush" as I raced down to meet him at the bottom. Smiling ebulliently, he bounded off the slide. "Mom! You know how I did the slide? God was in my heart, and he helped me!"

The past week began our August theme of "Many Names." Thursday morning I told the boys we needed to read our story for the week before we ran errands. "Mom," Brady asked, "could we read the story about Joshua and the walls? I want to read that one!" How could I say no to a request? Happily changing the lesson plan, I flipped to the story about Joshua leading the Isrealites to Jericho, settling in the promised land, and ending with our revised verse for the week, Joshua 24:15, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

May it be so.

Baptismal promises...

Sharing the story of Jesus' basptism and remembering our baptisms...

Elizabeth, Molly and Jen, 2003

Ed and Jane (Godparents), Brady, Molly and Craig, 2005

Elizabeth, Brett, James and Jen, 2005

**I can't seem to find a picture from Sarah's baptism, so draw a mental picture: cute baby, cute mommy Jen, fat pregnant Godmother Molly, 2007

Pastor Angie and Connor, 2008

"We receive these children as new people in Christ. We offer understanding and support as they explore life. We enfold them in our love, seeking together to grow in favor with God and in love with all people. We join together with these parents in acting out the gospel in our midst so that these children may live with us for Christ, showing forth God's love for all." - UCC baptismal promise



Barefoot on Holy Ground

In discussing the story of Moses and the burning bush this week, we ended up focusing less on the fire and more on the idea of holy ground. How to explain "holy ground" to concrete thinkers? I settled on the idea that a place of holy ground is somewhere that you feel loved and special. The list of places we generated had some hits (the bed where we cuddle to read bedtime stories, the field where they play baseball with Daddy) and misses (our TV), but I tried not to pass judgement and instead model with my own contributions.

One spot I suggested was the park within easy walking distance of our house. In the summer it boasts a beautifully manicured rose garden. In the fall the mature oaks blaze red and orange. I have many memories of pushing a stroller, pulling a wagon, helping balance a precarious 2-wheeler, taking family photos, and outdoor meals on blankets in this space. We took advantage of the not-too-steamy weather this week, put the dog on her leash and packed a picnic lunch for our special park.

"Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." -Exodus 3:5

In my own thinking about this story of Moses, I was drawn to the image of bare feet. Why does God call  Moses to take off his shoes? To the Kindermusik teacher in me, the answer is clear. In our music and movement classes with young children, we always encourage children to be barefoot, because "the sensory input from the bottoms of the feet send information directly to the brain about texture, temperature, and contour of the surface. When barefoot, the child doesn't need to use his or her eyes to look at the surface under his feet creating an unnatural posture, but rather can sense where the floor is and make adjustments with appropriate posture. Their bare feet give them the proprioceptive sensory feedback that allows them to learn balance and a stable base of support" (Kindermusik). Playing barefoot, especially outside, connects our brains to our bodies and our bodies to the earth. We are grounded. We more fully sense creation--God's creation--as it is literally underfoot. The lesson: connect with yourself and connect to God with some good barefoot play and experience Holy Ground!

Isaiah 43: Two Images

Image One- The view from our Colorado Springs home is beautiful- every morning I get the privilege of looking west at Pike's Peak, large and looming in the not so distance. Horrifying then to see smoke to it's north recently, and then flames. Horrifying to know those flames were homes burning. And then to watch as the fires moved closer to our own home. The wedding album was first to go in a laundry basket, followed by the baptism dress I wore along with the girls. We packed the fire box of papers, the hard drive of photos, the girls' baby blankets. The girls watched as my husband carried the basket to the car, and together we prayed Isaiah 43. We were not evacuated that night, and over the coming days the fire has slowly become more and more contained. Image Two- Away for a week of Family Camp at our beloved Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp, I sit on the porch of our cabin listening to the pouring of rain; disappointed faces take in the realization that sand candle making and water games will be cancelled, that Daddy is midway through a 10-mile hike and isn't due back until dinner time. We pray our verse again, and laugh. Thank you Creator God for showing us You are mighty and good and with us.

Fire and Water

Fire and water. Both are necessary to survival, but both have significant power with the ability to take life as easily as they sustain it. We hold in our hearts those affected by forest fires and flooding. At the same time, we give heartfelt thanks to a God who promises in Isaiah 43 to walk with us through the water and fire. What an amazing lesson to teach our children: no matter what trials life throws at us, our God loves us and walks before us and within us. Amen.

Still, small voice; retold

We took a few liberties from the biblical text in our dramatic retelling of Elijah's encounter with God on Mt. Sinai:

Three times

My girls have a well-established flair for the dramatic (I know you're curious where that may have come from?) and this week's study of the call of Samuel was fodder for great material. Perhaps taking her cue from Darth Vader, Sarah cupped her hands around her mouth and dropped her voice as low as she possibly could, yelling out "Samuel! Samuel!" In each of our role playing I of course played the role of Eli, allowing me the briefest of naptimes on the couch during each of the three intervals. (This Home School VBS thing has its perks!) We have sinced giggled through the week at calling one another in the deepest voice we can, culminating in a phone call to our friends Brady and Connor. (Three calls in fact, as Samuel was called three times!)

The story inspired other dramatic moments as well, like when the girls and I joined hands to pray about listening to God's call and mid-prayer Sarah slaps Elizabeth in the arm. Stopping to ask what happened, it became clear big sister no longer wanted to hold hands with little sister, leading to the discussion "Is God calling us to hurt each other or love each other?!?" And later, "Is God calling us to be rude or kind?" And finally a discussion with myself, "Is God calling you to bang their heads together or merely send them to their rooms?"

Thankfully God's voice continued to call out to Samuel as he continues to call to us. May God's voice of love be loud and clear to you this week!

~Jen