He is MIGHTY to save...

The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

The name Abigail means my Father rejoices... She asks me to read her verse to her almost every night.. and every night she asks again what each part means... (yes, I'm sure it's also a manipulative attempt to postpone bed time... :) ) She giggles each time I tell her that He will rejoice over her with SINGING. I wonder what her visual of that looks like...

The first time I heard that verse was when I was 21. It was my second day in treatment in Arizona. I hadn't looked at anyone's face yet... In fact, I hadn't looked any higher than anyone's feet... I was ashamed, angry, and hopeless... My counselor pushed his Bible across the table so that it lay open to Zeph. 3:17 right under my face... I had nowhere else to look but in God's Word... I looked at the words as he read it aloud to me....

Eight years later I had spiraled once again into the same shame and hopelessness that I had felt that day... I was also pregnant with what I would soon find out was a girl... While looking for a name, I read about Abigail in the Bible and looked up the meaning. "Abigail - My Father rejoices".... I prayed that my daughter would not have to wait until she was 21 to hear and understand God's incredible love for her and His mighty power to save.

This March 11th Abigail (and her 2 older brothers) asked Jesus into her heart to be her Lord and Savior. I have never thought that I would "let" my children make that decision at such a young age, afraid that they would not fully comprehend or that they would do it in order to please man (us.) But that morning, as Abigail asked and I tried to gently put her off, I couldn't get Matthew 18:3 out of my head. "Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Who was I to tell a 3 year old who was telling me again and again that she wanted to ask Jesus into her heart that she "was too young" or "didn't understand enough"? Maybe I should have been asking myself if I am childlike enough or humble enough to have Jesus in MY heart.... So, with each kid, we talked through why they wanted to make this decision and what that meant. We read through verses that explained God's plan of salvation. And then we prayed. For more than 2 years now the kids and I have been praying almost every day that God would help us to love Him more, love others more, and become more like Him... That we would use the strength of His Holy Spirit to do right and that He would change our hearts. We thank Him that even though He is AWESOME and MIGHTY and LORD of ALL, He still cares for us, forgives us, and loves us with a love we can't even comprehend. Unfortunately, I sin against God and against them every SINGLE day... BUT...God is humbling me and teaching me to go to Him and to them to confess and ask for forgiveness. In this, I pray that the kids are seeing the fallenness of man, the futility of trying to do right on our own strength, and our desperate need for a Savior. That even though we sin every single day, (and though he knew we would sin every day before we were ever born) he still chose to send His one and only son to suffer and die for us... To endure the punishment that we deserved so that we could know Him, love Him, glorify Him, and spend eternity with Him. Now, I can't know for sure how much of all of this my kids can grasp at such a young age. (I DO know that I can hardly even grasp it at my age!) But I will keep talking to them about it and use my own sin to bring them (and myself) back to Jesus. And I thank God that they "became like little children" and invited Him to come into their hearts that morning... I am praying that they will come to Him and love Him "like little children" for the rest of their lives.

After we finished praying, all three kids, smiling ear to ear, jumped up and down saying, "Now we are ALL Christians... except Micah!" and "Now I don't have to be afraid to die!" and "We are all going to be in heaven together!" Caleb turned to me and said, "I'm going to learn things really quickly now, Mommy... I'm going to get wise." The kids immediately called Daddy to tell him the wonderful news and he was very excited for them and eager to hear more. That night, he talked to them and listened to what they had to say about it all and then we had communion for the first time all together...

The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save....

Sticker Guilt Offerings...

So, Micah's temp got up to 107.0 that night after we went to the doctor... No, that's not a typo and no, my thermometer was not broken... I didn't think it was possible for a (live) person to have a temp that high. He was asleep with only a t shirt and diaper on and had no blanket. I (thank you , Lord) went in to check on him in the night and he felt pretty hot. I took his temp and it was 107.0. Surely, that couldn't be right. So I took it again.. 107.0.. and then again... 107.0. I took my own to make sure the thermometer was not broken. It was normal. I took Scott's and his was perfectly normal too. So, I took Micah's one more time... Still 107.0. We got some more Tylenol in him and put him into a cool bath. As I was pouring water over him and he was playing (in a sleepy, feverish stupor-like way) I kept taking his temp. When we finally got it down to 99 I pulled him out of the bath, cuddled him for a while (trying not to warm him up again) and laid him back down. I checked on him several more times during the night and by the morning his temps were staying below 102. At the appt. the Dr. had said his tonsils were red and big and had spots... (Really, the fever and his breathing being a little labored were his only other symptoms.) He took a throat culture (gag) and then we had to get a chest x-ray and have some blood drawn.. It was hard to to hold down my crying baby while he was getting stuck for blood. They gave him like 50 stickers.. Out of guilt. :) And then, in the x-ray room I had to hold his hands up in the air while he stood in front of the x-ray with nothing but a diaper and lead apron on. :( He kept half crying half laughing in a very lethargic, nervous way. 50 more stickers... Once again, trying to buy away their guilty conscience. heh heh. :) Anyway, they started him on an antibiotic, thinking it might be strep. We gave him his first dose that evening and a few hours later was when we temped him at 107.... Since that morning he's been MUCH better. And so far, the rest of us are doing fine. But, what a scare! We are so thankful that we happened to check on him and found out that it was so high - Who knows how long it may have stayed up like that and how that might have hurt him. Oh, and here's a little sidenote.. The next morning I got a phone call from the lab saying that one of the tubes of blood had clotted on the way to the lab and that he would have to come back and be "re-drawn." (re-tortured.) I told her "Not on your life, lady" and hung up. Not really... But, we DID eventually get out of having to go again.

A Different Spirit...

Caleb... sweet.. tender hearted.. DETAIL oriented.. perfectionist.. gentle.. compassionate.. friendly.. lover of hugs.. and cuddles.. committed.. organizer.. aesthetic.. loved and motivated by words of affirmation.. and hugs.. my schedule keeper and reminder.. quick to forgive.. loyal.. eager to know and follow God.. quick to identify right from wrong, good from evil.. and quick to declare it.. When Caleb was born we chose his name and a verse to go along with it... Numbers 14:24: "But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to and his descendants will inherit it." I've been thinking a lot lately about how that is so much like him... Just thought that was kind of cool.

Here am I. Send me...

Isaiah has a great sense of humor... He is actually quite witty.. He LOVES to serve other people is any way at all.. He is also very cautious and likes to know what to expect.. Not at all the "plow ahead through whatever may come" sort of kid.. Since he was 2 he has always lived vicariously through Caleb - encouraging HIM to try something that he's (Isaiah) not too sure of. He watches and assesses the situation, evaluating whether or not the thrill is worth the risk.. He pays attention to and studies things that most don't.. For example, air ducts, pipes, wires, sewers... :) He's a sweet kid, more huggy than he lets on.. He gets embarassed by affection at first, but really enjoys the attention and snuggles anyway.. He is very quick to catch on in Math and would listen all day (literally) to someone read a book (even without pictures!)or tell a story... He's definitely a quality time kid when it comes to love languages.. He will talk your ear off if you get him alone! He's also very sensitive to words - affirming or critical.. The verse that we chose for him when he was born - "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me." (Is. 6:8) is SO him... The first to be cheerfully willing and eager. What a great kid... He's growing up way too fast.

Urine Sample?? No Problem...

So, we just about made it through the entire winter without getting sick... Micah had a fever yesterday and today that just wouldn't get down past 101-102 even on a Tylenol/Advil alternating 3 1/2 hour rotation. As soon as the meds wear off it shoots right back up to 105. I decided to call the nurse to see if I should just keep treating the fever or what... So, we're headed in in 45 min... But the nurse asked if he was potty trained.. Because if I "could bring a urine sample that would be good.." Hmmm... Now, most of you are familiar with my very lackadaisical, detached attitude toward potty training my kids... Not too interested in the whole process... (Just let me know when you're ready to go the undies-way with no messes.) So, I pause and tell the nurse, "No problem.." Right. It's 1:13pm.. Abigail's screaming because she has a splinter the size of Montana stuck in her heel, Caleb is feeding Isaiah's beloved stuffed animals to Zeke, I haven't even THOUGHT about lunch and I've got to get pee - in a cup - out of my very UNpotty-trained 2 year old. (Who, by the way is probably totally dehydrated from the high fever, lethargic and kind of tremoring a bit.) After slipping into a phone booth to change into my super mommy-too-tight suit and cape I spring into action. (Because I am such a "springy" kind of person..) While calming Abigail, talking up the big potty adventure for Micah, and fielding questions from the boys about lunchtime possibilities, I grab the saran wrap and a plastic container. Saran wrap across seat, (with slack) container on saran, seat down, potty seat on, diaper off, Micah - who I should have used hot pads to pick up - on... We read through a couple of Ranger Ricks together, (thanks, Susan) and Caleb takes over while I yank out the splinter and fry up some tortillas. (well, nuke up some tortillas..) Caleb's taking his job seriously.. We've got a sippy cup of juice, animal crackers, and a fine reading of Green Eggs and Ham going on in there. Caleb emerges for a moment to write his name on some paper and returns to Micah on a mission to get Micah to actually say "Caleb" and not "Brother." (Because surely if he SEES the word he will SAY it the right way.) Still no urine sample... Abigail is recovering nicely, lunch has carried on. (two eating in the bathroom yes, gross I know, and two at the counter.) After lunch the big kids are on there way upstairs to nap and I'm back in the bathroom reading another issue of Ranger Rick. Micah takes over and the tylenol has kicked in... He's talking a mile a minute and reading that magazine with more fervor and enthusiasm than I ever could. So, I let him have the magazine and he reads (babbles) aloud through about 6 issues- bear in hand. Clock check... 2:45. My kid has been on the pot for an hour and a half... I would feel very guilty if it weren't for the fact that he's as happy as a clam in there with Ol Buddy Rick. Urine check... We have a positive.. Woo Hoo. As I cheer Micah on and take the container out of the bathroom I notice animal cracker crumbs floating in the pee... Wonder if that's ok..

He has become ONE OF THEM...

So, Scott interviewed for a new job in late January.... The week after his interview as we were waiting to hear, he went out for Chinese at lunch with a couple of co-workers (from Thrivent.) This was the fortune in his fortune cookie. :) Now, we really are NOT superstitious people, but it was pretty fun to get!! Sure enough, a couple of days later we got the call and he was hired. About a month later, we were eating at that same Chinese restaurant, and he got the next fortune pictured! heh heh. Pretty funny.

So, yes. It was inevitable, I'm sure... (If you don't want to work for Caterpillar, don't move to the Peoria area... heh heh) We have officially joined the 99.9% of the population here in working in some way, shape or form for CAT. :) Scott is in his second week at the Peoria Proving Grounds and is really enjoying it so far. He is on a team that focuses primarily on the BIG wheel loaders and works with the engineers and mechanics to run tests, diagnose problems, and brainstorm solutions, among many other things!! Scotty Lee heaven, I call it. Looking at big machines all day that don't work right and then working with a bunch of other people to try to figure out the problem!? Not so much heaven to me.. :) He even gets to DRIVE them.... Which of course caused an instantaneous achievement of Super Cool Daddy of the Year. We are all excited about the change and I am loving seeing my husband not only enjoy his work and do well at it, but also get paid to do it!! (AKA NOT commission-based work) He will work first shift until the fall and then the plan is to move to second shift... My nephew, Elijah, will be relieved to know that his uncle Scott now has a "real" job. (He comes home dirty.) :)