This HAS to Change

It's articles like this that absolutely make my blood run cold and boil at the same time:

Too Sexy Too Soon
by Marissa Cohen, Redbook

While it may seem cute when a 5-year-old copies the hip-shaking dance moves she sees on TV, it's also one of the first signs of how the adult concept of "sexiness" is being sold to younger and younger kids today, say Diane E. Levin, Ph.D., and Jean Kilbourne, Ed.D. In their new book, So Sexy So Soon, the authors explore a culture where grade-schoolers want to dress like go-go dancers, 10-year-old boys have seen Internet porn, and 13-year-olds talk casually about oral sex. Here, Kilbourne discusses how childhood is changing, and what parents can do to protect their kids:

What's different about how little girls are acting and dressing today?
We used to dress up in our mother's clothes. Now little girls are dressing up as sexy teenagers, and there are clothes being marketed to them that look like they are from Victoria's Secret. I see little girls wearing strapless black numbers to the school dance! As a result, girls are getting the message that not only is it important to be pretty but it is also important to be hot and sexy. Research clearly shows that this pressure is damaging to girls' self-esteem.

How does this affect their relationships with boys?
Girls have always gotten the message that it's important to attract boys, but we used to get it a little later, when we were 12 or 13; now they're getting it as early as 6 or 7. Girls in grade school are competing with each other to see who's the hottest, and then boys are learning that's how they should look at girls. It sets up a dynamic that does an enormous amount of harm. Little boys learn to look at girls as objects rather than as friends.

What happens as kids get older?
When a girl has learned early on that what matters most is how sexy she is, then by the time she hits the tween years, the message is already deep in her psyche and it just becomes louder and more harmful. Sex gets speeded up — 12- and 13-year-olds are doing what 16-year-olds used to do, and by the time they're 16, many are already blasé about casual sex. That's when you hear about "friends with benefits" and kids thinking about sex as being separate from a relationship. This not only puts them at physical risk for STDs, unwanted pregnancy, or even date rape, but they also lose the chance to develop the empathy and compassion that are necessary to make intimate relationships work later on.

What can moms do?
When your children are younger, you can limit their exposure to certain media. As kids get older, stay familiar with what they are listening to and watching. Ask them why they like certain songs or clothes so you can open up a dialogue about it. It's so important to start talking to your kids about sexuality and relationships as early as possible, in an age-appropriate way. If they know they can ask you anything and they will not be punished or shamed for it, that will pay off in incredible dividends when they hit their teenage years. When kids feel like they can talk to you, they will.

This ain't yo momma's pre-teen years, that's for sure. And if that article didn't curl your toes, this one surely will: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/27706917/?GT1=43001
Yikes.

My point with all this is not to depress you or get us all bogged down with worry. I'm actually bringing up this reality to ask for prayer. You see, there's something I haven't really "gone public" with that these articles--and all the scary facts they contain--are now prompting me to share.

This past spring, I felt God's leading to create a fiction series for tweens that is based on the beatitudes. A few basic problems surfaced right away. One, I don't write fiction; and two, I don't write for tweens. But I jumped on board and cranked out several chapters right away just running on the excitement and fun of the mission. That wore away quickly. Adrenaline only takes you so far.

But I still felt this huge burden that our kids just don't stand a chance of being pure in this culture, but for the grace of God. I wanted desperately to show them what being a Christian could look like as my characters held each other accountable and tried to walk in Christ's path. I wanted to show them that being Christian does NOT equal being a snob or a prude or a nut. But as I said, it was getting really hard to write in a genre that I've never really done before.

So I prayed. "God?" I asked. "Are you absolutely sure that THIS is what I'm supposed to be doing? I mean, fiction's not my gift, obviously." My faithful God replied with this: "Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds, for riches don’t last forever, and the crown might not be passed to the next generation" (Proverbs 27:23-24, NLT).

Wow. I took that to mean that I need to be aware of what my kids are exposed to and pour myself into looking after their spiritual well-being. Just because I've chosen to follow Christ doesn't mean they necessarily will. And then I felt like God was showing me this truth not only for my kids, but for kids in general. I felt like He was saying, "Yes, Kathy, this is what you're supposed to be working on."

Well, given that answer, how could I NOT obey? I plugged away, hard as it was. At She Speaks in June, a publisher expressed a genuine interest in the idea of the series. She emailed me a proposal template which I completed and sent to her a few weeks ago. The first book isn't quite finished yet (though it's getting close!), but the proposal only required the first several chapters. I haven't heard back from her yet, but I know the reality. The chances of publication are very slim from a human standpoint.

You all, I am boldy asking for prayer. I don't for a red-handed second think that anything I've done on my own can make a difference in this "crooked and perverse generation." I certainly don't anticipate starting a revolution. But since God's been the instigator here--and I believe that with all my heart--then I'm humbly asking you to pray that God would use this work to touch young lives according to His will. If that's only a small circle of kids here locally, fine. If it's many more than that, great.

I remember one time reading in the OT about child sacrifices and being appalled. I thought, "How could people actually condone sacrificing their children?" and the text noted how detestable it was to God too. But you know what? Our culture isn't so different. We don't throw them into a volcano, but to an extent we have thrown them to the wolves in this hyper-sexed society that tells kids their value is in their hotness. Please join me in unleashing God's power to show kids, whatever the means, that they are loved, worthy of respect, and are precious in God's sight. If they value themselves by Christ's standards, maybe one day we won't be reading articles like the ones above.

Yay, October!

The first-ever father/son deer hunt for my two favorite guys. No harvest, but have you ever seen a finer lookin' pair of hunters?



Soccer season ended... (basketball, here we come!)



Carving pumpkins the night before Halloween...



and then...HALLOWEEN! Frankenstein was supposed to have a bride, but at the last minute she decided to give up her black and silver wig and make-up for the comfort of her robe and slippers! (Don't brides usually wait until after the honeymoon to do that?!) And the headless horseman rides again!

Just in case you can't tell (and why wouldn't you be able to?) Shane is dressed as an Illini fan. His hair is painted blue, but the orange and blue face paint were not cooperating. I guess when they've sat in the closet for three or four years, they lose their creaminess.

And yep, I was a witch. Feel free to keep your comments to yourself about that! :-)

Movie Reviews...

If you haven't seen High School Musical 3 or Fireproof and don't want any give-aways, you may want to skip this. And some of you might disagree with me. But I just thought I'd share my views on two movies I saw over the weekend. :-)

HSM3: My least favorite of the series. I SO wanted to love this movie and I went in to it convinced that I would. I even guilted Shane into coming to see it with us. Now I’ll never live it down. ;-) Many of you may love it so I don’t want to step on toes, but here are some random thoughts I had as I watched it…
“Why does Gabriella’s hemline have to be cut so short in a dance number where she gets picked up, spun around, and has her arms raised so much?”
“Why do the cheerleaders’ tops have to be cut so low?”
“What happened to Ryan? I loved how his character grew in HSM2 and at how the Wildcats encouraged his talent and involvement. So why is he so one-dimensional now?”
“Did Zeke have more than two lines?” He was referred to more than he spoke.

And after I watched it…
“Uh…did I see them at prom or didn’t I?” Sure, T & G had “their own” prom but jumbled segments weakened the story-line for me. I think? Honestly, I was confused. And was that graduation or the musical or both at the same time?
“What were the walk away hit numbers? The Boys are Back was by far the coolest, but I can’t even remember the tune right now.” (Of course, I haven’t heard it 35 times yet on TV, either.)

I don’t want to seem too cynical. The kids liked it enough (and Praise Jesus! I heard my girls discussing how they thought some of the outfits were inappropriate!). But after 1 & 2, I wondered if we’d ever get enough of this fab group. I think I have now. So that’s good, right? :-)


Fireproof: Even if you’re not married this gem provides a lesson and reminder we all need—to love and serve others unconditionally. And for nonbelievers it presents them with the gospel message. Is the acting going to win any Oscars? Probably not. But if we use God’s measuring stick, as opposed to Oscar’s OR the world’s, this film is HUGE! The Holy Spirit can and will and is working through this movie to soften and convict hearts, plant seeds, and whatever else He sees fit to do. It’s a tool worth exposing yourself to.

Some thoughts while watching…
“My goodness, Kirk Cameron is all grown up! (Yikes, that means I am too.)”
“Where’s the humor and fun in the couple’s relationship? Did they used to have any before things got so bad?”
“Wow…she’s cold as ice! Give him a chance!”
“The big dude is a hoot!” There were some truly funny parts, especially with the male relationships at the fire house—and not a vulgarity to be found!

At a pivotal part in the story when Caleb, the husband, is at the crossroads of feeding his addiction or destroying it, I became angry at how accessible this particular temptation is. It literally just popped up right in front of him. A weak person stands little chance without the power of the Holy Spirit guiding his choices. Seeing him beat that devil down with a bat was very satisfying.

By the end, you see God’s work in a man who’s changed. And a wife too. AND you feel some hope that maybe the Christian niche will gain a stronger foothold in cinema. AMEN!

I’ve posted recently (either here or on the Olive Branch?) talking about our charge to “tell the wonderful things God has done.” Well, have I got a story for you!

Through the wonder of the internet, God has connected me with a soul-sister in Minnesota, a 3rd grade teacher named Tammy. It has been awe-inspiring to both Tammy and me to watch God create a bond that’s a little more solid and a little more revealing about His plans through each exchanged email. Maybe the best way to share this is to provide chronological snippets of our exchanges. What started it all was an email from Tammy about an article I wrote…

I just recently received my first issue of TCW and loved it. The last article I read was one you wrote about control and what God wants. It was in the July/August issue. It was perfect for me to read.

My husband and I have been trying for our second child for almost two years. I have been through a major roller coaster ride of emotions going through this. I learned about six months ago that I really like to be in control and I never realized how much I try to control EVERYTHING which is not possible. I have to remind myself that I cannot control this….God is in control and I shouldn’t try to grab onto it over and over again. Your article really encouraged me and gave me a boost in giving it all to God.

Understanding fully how to hand it over to God has released some of this pressure though I continue to trip up from time to time. Thank you for sharing on this topic. I know I need to be patient and wait upon the Lord. In His time, our family will grow. Thank you once again. Many blessings to you and your family!

Now it was clear to me immediately that I needed to share my own struggle with infertility with this dear woman. So I replied without even really stopping to think,

I can't tell you what your sweet message meant to me. God used it to encourage me in my writing when I really needed it. So thank you, thank you. Now I want to encourage YOU! My husband and I found out I was pregnant only a few months after we'd gotten married in 1995. He was elated; I wasn't. I wanted to just be married for awhile without kids, ya know? Then when I began to get really excited (finally) we miscarried. From that point on, for two years, it became our mission to get pregnant. He was tested, I was tested, I had my tubes blasted, we prayed when we thought about it (we weren't walking the walk back then), and we finally ended up having success with Chlomid. It "took" the first month and eight months later I had beautiful fraternal twin girls who looked nothing alike. They'll have their 11th birthday in December. Three years after their birth we began trying for number three. No luck on our own, but again, Chlomid worked on the first try and nine months later came our bouncing baby boy.

I share this because I want to let you know that God sometimes works through professionals--maybe so that in some way you can be the salt and the light to them, maybe so that they can touch you in some way. I've heard it said "If God wanted you to be pregnant you would be." But to that I say, "He provides avenues and help and if He doesn't want us pregnant, we still won't be." In other words, don't let people give you a hard time for seeking available help. Of course, seek God FIRST, and it'll all work out.

I don't know you, but I already love you. Keep me posted on your family growth. ;-)

Now, hold up…I know what you’re thinking: Sheesh, Kath! That’s a lot of very personal info you’re giving to someone you don’t even know! Aren’t you afraid she’ll think you’re a nutcase or someone who’s too desperate for a friend? The second AFTER I hit send, yes, I was afraid of both of those things. But I’m sure it was the Holy Spirit prompting me to do it—talk to Him about it. ;-) Here’s a portion of Tammy’s response:

Wow! I don’t know you and love you, too!! I am tearing up over here. Thank you so much for responding and sharing your beautiful story with me! I needed your words! I am in awe of God right now. Here we are - two people who have never met before….I recently was given a subscription to TCW as a gift…..read your article that touched me in a BIG way…..and saw your email and felt the need to write to you. Then you write back with words that only a person who has dealt with fertility issues could write. He uses everything, doesn’t He?!

Take THAT doubt and pride!! Of course, I had to respond, but I’ll skip ahead a few exchanges because we got very personal about praying over wombs and what not, getting to know each other a little better and just praising God all the way.

Then I received this message from Tammy…

I got my “wonderful” period yesterday….so I guess I am not pregnant. But, I didn’t cry this time. I have cried every time since January of 07! I have had a greater peace within me from our writing back and forth. I just feel like I am in a better place right now. I know I may still have good and bad days with this, but it was an awesome feeling to actually be “OK” with it this time. I was still bummed, but not like I have been in the past. Thanks again for your openness with me.

My response…(and again, please note that this was another one that as soon as I hit send, I began to fear I’d gone too far and lost my new email friend forever.)

Okay, YOU may not have cried when you got your "wonderful" period (I laughed out loud when I read that!) but I had tears in my eyes as I read your whole message. God is SO amazing!!! What a blessing you are to me!

So let's see, if I've got my math right, I need to be on-my-face prayin' REALLY hard on Oct. 13th...and YOU better be getting ready for a romantic evening! (wink, wink) Hey, that's Columbus Day! You and I will both have the day off. I just had a crazy idea...do you want to join me in a fast that morning? Just skip breakfast that day and pray for you every time we get a hunger pang? Then break the fast at lunch? Even though we're hundreds of miles apart, we could be unified in the effort through that. What do you think?

But instead of writing me off as a fanatic or worse, my girl responded,

Okay, now I am crying!!!! Trying to keep it together while the kids are packing up over here. On Sunday in church as I was listening to the sermon….for whatever reason I thought about fasting. I do not generally do that. I did once in my life and it was an amazing experience for my faith. So on Sunday it was on my mind and I really felt strongly to fast. To be honest, after Sunday it hadn’t crossed my mind until JUST RIGHT NOW!!!! YES! I would love to fast with you and thank you for being YOU!! Praise God! It is obvious God is telling me to fast!! The thirteenth sounds great………I actually will be teaching because we do not get Columbus Day off. But, that is fine!! Normal people would ovulate around there, but my time is usually around the 16th day of my cycles???? But I feel often that when the kit says I am ovulating that I am not…..maybe I missed it?? This is wonderful! I want to do this and I thank you for listening to your heart and what God is telling you.

You all, we serve an AWESOME GOD, do we not?! So on the 13th when some of us get a day off for Columbus Day, would you all mind lifting up a special prayer for Tammy? You too will be a part, then, of this amazing work God is doing.

Color Me...Unsure?

I ran across this color analysis yesterday and thought it was kind of interesting. Supposedly, your color preferences can indicate certain things about your personality and your strengths. Since the Q & A was short and free, I decided to give it a whirl. I show a high preference for looking at cooler colors like blues and purples. Following is the free portion of my analysis. You'll notice each one stops mid-sentence, followed by ellipses (...). That's because I'd have to pay to read the rest. And if ya know me, ya know that ain't happenin'. :-)

You're a Problem Solver. You are constantly considering what else each person or situation requires. You want to know what is missing. During this period of mulling things over, others might view you as passive or quiet... (Me? Passive and quiet? Actually, yeah, a lot of the time, though I'm sure some of you would disagree. ;-)

Hue are You?
You're a Problem Solver! You are constantly considering what else each person or situation requires of you... (Me? A problem-solver? I'm much too passive for that. But I do like to know up front what people or situations require of me! That's totally true!)

Empowerment
Logical and practical, you easily find new ways of achieving your goals. But because you keep your emotions tightly... (Okay, this is the one that almost tempted me to buy the rest because I AM fueled entirely too much by emotion. And I really wanted to read the rest of that part because it sounded like it was going in the opposite direction!)

Relationships
You encourage people to be the best that they can be. Being concerned for them inspires you and... (This one was kind of cool because it confirms where I am in my writing right now.)

Career
You are a wonderful strategist, able to plan future designs with a clear, sharp, and imaginative style. You love... (Me? A strategist? Somehow that doesn't quite compute. When things get too complicated, I develop some sort of coping mechanism--usually, "Who cares?) ;-)

Taking On the World
Sometimes you have so much self-confidence you feel you can save the world. You love initiating new... (I would really like to read the rest of this too because I DO love initiating new things. The problem comes with the follow-through. The Lord's been working with me on this one.)

A different day and mood might yield different results--who knows? (It didn't reflect the fact I'm tight, though, did it?!) But I just thought it was kind of fun. If you'd like to give it a shot, click here and let me know if it pegged you or not by posting a comment.

Brought to My Senses

All this reading of C. S. Lewis and Genesis that some of us have been doing has a certain song going through my head. On Sting's 1996 CD, Mercury Falling, there's a beautiful song called "Brought to My Senses". It's so vivivdly captivating that I used to use it in my freshman English classes to illustrate such literary techniques as personification and imagery, and we even practiced a bit of critical analysis on it. Back then, I adored the song for the way it captured my love for my husband and set it into an achingly beautiful and powerful natural analogy. And it still moves me that way.

But it also moves me in a new way, just as many other love songs from the past now do. If you shift your perspective from one of love between a man and a woman, to one of love between Creator and created, you'll see something even more magnificent. Take a listen and just see if "every signpost in nature says" Who you belong to. Lyrics are also below.

Brought to My Senses--Sting

(This first part isn't on the video, but it's almost acapella and very haunting--just my little analysis here, but kind of like us before Jesus, alone with storms brewing)

Alone with my thoughts this evening I walked on the banks of Tyne
I wondered how I could win you Or if I could make you mine
Or if I could make you mine
The wind it was so insistent With tales of a stormy south
But when I spied two birds in a sycamore tree
There came a dryness in my mouth Came a dryness in my mouth
For then without rhyme or reason The two birds did rise up to fly
And where the two birds were flying
I swear I saw you and I, I swear I saw you and I


(Now the music changes and this is where the video picks up.)

I walked out this morning
It was like a veil had been removed from before my eyes
For the first time I saw the work of heaven
In the line where the hills had been married to the sky
And all around me every blade of singing grass
Was calling out your name and that our love would always last
And inside every turning leaf Is the pattern of an older tree
The shape of our future The shape of all our history
And out of the confusion Where the river meets the sea
Came things I'd never seen Things I'd never seen

I was brought to my senses
I was blind but now that I can see
Every signpost in nature Said you belong to me

I know it's true
It's written in a sky as blue
As blue as your eyes, as blue as your eyes
If nature's red in tooth and claw
Like winter's freeze and summer's thaw
The wounds she gave me Were the wounds that would heal me
And we'd be like the moon and sun
And when our courtly dance had run Its course across the sky
Then together we would lie
And out of the confusion
Where the river meets the sea
Something new would arrive Something better would arrive

I was brought to my senses
I was blind but now that I can see
Every signpost in nature Said you belong to me

Thinking of Dorothy

When we went to Orlando in June, we visited Disney World, Sea World, and Faith World. I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of the first two, but maybe not the third one—and it was my favorite.

Faith World is the name of Clint Brown’s church. If you know my family at all, you know we loves us summa dat Clint Brown, both his preachin’ and his awesome praise and worship music.

So we figured while in town, we’d go worship with a ministry that has blessed us tremendously.

We were late arriving for the second service (it was ALL the way across town from our resort and we underestimated the time it would take to get there), but still managed to slip into a pew during praise and worship. The pew we slipped into was only occupied by one other person.

Now if you’ve listened to Pastor Clint at all, you know he does a lot of “Look at your neighbor and say…” or “Touch your neighbor and say, ‘Neighbor,…’” during his songs, so it came as no real surprise when he directed us to do that while praising.

The neighbor on my right was the sole occupant of the pew other than me and my family. She was an African American lady who had the biggest, happiest smile I’d ever seen. Pastor Clint had directed us to tell our neighbors something and when I turned to do it, I saw tears along with that winning smile. Then as the worship continued, I noticed her crying harder and wiping her face with tissues while offering up requests for the Lord’s touch along with phrases of gratitude and love to Him.

As we both worshiped, I would alternately drape my arm around her shoulders to squeeze her or pat and rub her back in circles to let her know she is loved. (She was receptive or I wouldn’t have continued!) I held her hand during a corporate prayer. And of course I had tears streaming down my face to match the ones that were streaming down hers.

I was doing this with a complete stranger, y’all! I can only attribute that to the Holy Spirit because I barely do that with people I know—at least for that long! And yet the unity of spirit I felt with this “stranger” immediately rendered her a dear sister in Christ. I didn’t need to know anything about her other than that to know that I loved her.

After a powerful sermon and a closing song, the service wrapped up and I finally got to meet this lovely lady who had captured my heart. Her name was Dorothy. She shared that she had just had heart surgery and that she was so grateful to God for giving her a second chance. I introduced her to my family and she said how sweet we all are (another bonus to worshiping with strangers! LOL!). I told her we were only there on vacation, down from Illinois. She asked us to keep her in our prayers and she said she’d keep us in hers. When we parted ways, I praised God in my head for seating me next to Dorothy--what a blessing!

Later, my heart melted as I heard my kids remember Dorothy in their meal-time prayers. I still think and pray about her often and occasionally they do too.

Dorothy, if you’re out there (why, oh why didn’t I get her last name? her email? give her my blog address?) we love you and we pray God’s continued blessing in your precious life.

Oh Happy Day!

Shane and I have been waiting TEN summers for this...

WOO HOO!!!

Country Convert

Go ahead and hang your hat on the nail and kick off your boots—this is a long ‘un. (grin)

I detested country music when I was growing up, which is probably odd considering I was a farm girl. Instead I was a rock-n-roller, boogying to 45’s in my pink shag-carpeted room. Disco was cool in the late 70’s and my favorite album in 1980 that I bought with my very own money was Donna Summer’s The Wanderer. Then the second British invasion hit and “cool” to me was wrapped up in the unique sounds of Duran Duran and The Police.

Country? Not for this country girl. I’d rather have a tooth pulled.

My aversion followed me into adulthood. When I’d drive in and out of various listening areas, pausing on a country station never occurred to me. If it did happen, it was because a commercial was on and as soon as the first song hit, I was on the knob immediately.

In the early ‘90’s Garth Brooks almost lured me over to the “other side”—a side where dark denim Wrangler’s, plaid button-down Ely shirts, ropers, and big hats somehow didn’t look altogether bad. I loved his song “The Thunder Rolls” and of course, “Friends in Low Places” was a great sing along at weddings, parties, and even with my future hubby, who in the right hat, looked a little like Mr. Brooks his own bad self. (Don’t believe me? Come over and let me show you footage of our wedding reception!)

But Garth still couldn’t hold a candle to the heart-pumpin’ beats of club mixes, the wanna-be vibe of rap (Hello?! Ice Ice Baby anyone?), or the insightful and humanitarian depths of Sting (who ironically, has been incorporating country sounds into some of his music for years). After Garthamania subsided, so did any interest whatsoever in the world of country music.

When I began chasing Jesus harder, I swapped my listening habits from secular to Christian. God has spoken to me countless times through the lyrics he’s inspired in these artists. And when kids entered my life, I was glad to have a “family-friendly” music track in the background of their growing up.

But now, my twins are 10 ½. Peer influences are gaining a stronger foothold than ever before, though thankfully right now, my girls still seem to care what Dad and I think. This is a crucial time: I can either be a dictator and say “You will listen ONLY to Christian music” and risk a complete backlash when they’re older; or I can say, “Oh, you want to listen to country? Okay, but I’m listening with you.”

Guess which route we took? In fact, Shane loves country and when he first enthusiastically cranked up “Today’s Hot Country” on an hour-and-a half long car trip, I wanted to thump him. But instead, I shut up and listened.

Know what I learned? Kenny Chesney “never wanted nothin’ more” when he got down on his knees and accepted the Lord. Carrie Underwood begged Jesus to “take the wheel” when her life was out of control. George Straight “saw God today” in the things around him.

WHAT?! I thought country music was about cryin’ in your beer, gettin’ in brawls, and getting’ revenge on that cheatin’ no-good man! What was up with all this?! It was a turning point. And I loved the heart I was hearing.

Not all the songs are as “good” as the ones mentioned above, but what I’ve found is that even the ones that aren’t can lead to some good discussion about bad results from sin. For example, take Carrie Underwood’s “Last Name.” I’ve talked to the girls about it under Christ's authority (I Cor. 10:31, "whatever you do, do it for the glory of God"). I've told my daughters, "Man, I love the music and vocals on that song, but did you catch the words?! Whew! Just goes to show you that alcohol and crazy behavior can ruin your life..." and then we'll talk about excess vs. moderation or something like that. (I haven’t quite figured out how to deal yet with “She’s a Hottie” other than turning the station. Any ideas? ;-) )

I’m hoping that by allowing my kids to listen to some (not all) music of their choosing, I’m helping them to be in the world but not OF the world. And oddly enough, country music is helping me do through the life lessons it offers.

Yeehaw! Slow down the hay-wagon, I’m gettin’ on board! :-)

A Little Catch Up

Since I've been such a major slacker on keeping this blog updated, I've got like, months of pictures (only representative samples, mind you) that will hopefully bridge the gap a little.

From April we have...

the basement finishing project. This is looking into the family room. (I need to get a "finished" picture in the near future.)

The kids are laying out the floor to the workout room. It was like a giant puzzle!

Lexi's much-anticipated finished room!


From May we have...
soccer! This is the team picture from the last game.

Maise, Lexi, and soccer bud, Dana.

Also from May we have the front end of the turtle escape...

as well as the back end!

We ended up letting her go in our woods, but this turtle was the rockin'-est turtle I'd ever been around. She (and the kids can tell you how they know it was a "she"--something about her tail and markings) wasn't shy at all and would even come towards us like she wanted to play!

Here's Skylar showing some of his rad Taekwondo moves. He has since decided to focus on basketball, but doesn't he look smashing in his...uh, his...uniform?! (I forget what it's called!)

From June we have a few shots from our trip.

Here's Disney's Magic Kindgom!

This is my favorite shot from Sea World. Talk about a ham bone!!!

And from July...could it really be?!

My boy turned SEVEN!!!

Little Entrepreneurs

I wish y'all could see what I'm seeing right now from my porch. At the end of our driveway is a tea stand, the money-making brain-child of our three kids. They agreed to do everything from set-up to clean-up, and their enthusiasm was impossible to deny: consequently, a business was born.

The organization appears to be flourishing as three cars have already stopped and made purchases. On staff: Lexi and Skylar--advertising; Maisie--customer service; all three--accounting (are there trust issues among personnel?); Penny-Poo (master barker and hackle-raiser)--security. I stopped by the enterprise to get some pictures but the camera needed one more battery than I actually had. So I'll try to describe the scene...

They hear a car coming down the road. There's a brief flurry of activity as bodies are positioned strategically and signs are lifted high into the air. The car slows (there's a dog and kids by the road, after all!). Then shoulders slump as the car goes on by. Time between cars is spent singing Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift songs. And my oh my can those voices carry!

However, on occasion a thirsty or just plain nice prospective customer will happen along and patronize the stand. There are three sizes of tea to choose from, which are introduced with a smile along with the prices. Ten cents will get you a Dixie cup-sized drink, 25 cents will get you a small coffee-cup size, and 50 cents will get a large coffee cup size. Ice goes in first, then the peach-tea is poured. Customers are sent away with a cold drink on a hot day and a big "Thank You!"

Ooh! More customers! Two guys on a four-wheeler stopped by for some liquid refreshment and hospitality! (This is just too stinkin' cute! Blast those darn camera batteries for running out of juice! Too bad it's not tea-powered.)

Free enterprise at its finest! :-)

Braggin' Rights Continued...

The first installment of “Braggin’ Rights” was posted, like almost two months ago. Sorry for the lapse, but I'm picking it up again now. This installment will focus on the twinship of Lexi and Maisie, and then I'll devote a separate post later to each of them. I’ve tried really hard to not lump them together all the time, but I wanted to include a little something “twinny” because that’s an aspect of their uniqueness too.

When my girls were born, people couldn’t understand why Shane and I didn’t name them immediately. We had the names picked out, after all. But I needed to see both babies at once to know who would be named what! Because they came five weeks early, Lex had to be hooked up to a monitor for a day or so due to a few breathing irregularities. So on the day of their big debut I was able to see and hold Maisie, but Lexi was in the nursery.

Mais definitely “looked” like a Maisie Madolyn; she had light reddish blonde hair and full lips that suggested a beautiful smile would reside on them often. Her deep blue eyes set against her hair reminded me of sunshine and blue sky. The name Maisie means “pearl”—an apt description of her smooth, creamy skin, but I also associate it with a golden color for some reason (maybe because of “maize” meaning corn?). So a sunshiny, pearlescent name for this little “towhead” seemed absolutely perfect.

But I hadn’t really gotten a good look at “Baby B” before she was whisked away--would she look like an Alexandra Anne? When I was finally able to hold her and gaze upon that petite little dark-haired beauty, I knew—she was my Alexandra. Her little red lips were pursed into a perfect bow and when paired with her high forehead, gave her an aristocratic look. Yep, “Alexandra Anne” would be a perfect fit, though that was a big name for such a little squirt. “Lexi” for short worked perfectly. These days, she goes more by “Sassy” though. When Skylar was little, he couldn’t pronounce Lexi’s name—what he said sounded like Sassy, and because this girl definitely is sassy, it has stuck.

Having come in a pair, these two have always had a built-in playmate. Some of the time they can get on each others’ nerves just like any sibling can. But most of the time it's been a huge blessing. For instance, on a recent safari in the woods behind our house, the dynamic duo managed to find AND capture mating frogs--see below and yes, the small one is on the big one's back--AND furnish them with an appropriate enough environment that they'd continue to procreate!!! When the frogs finished after a few days (FINALLY--WOW!) I made the girls release them because we had enough eggs to supply frogs for the whole county.





Here are both remarkable pairs--frogs AND girls!

Don't these gals make a great team? They've been such distinct little ladies from the womb, but they're also compatible and enjoy many of the same things. God is SO good.