This Guy ...

... has been giving me a run for my money these days.

Brian has been getting into things and into trouble!

My favorite story from the week: Yesterday he drew on a wall (a little) right after I'd told him not to uncap the marker and while I was standing right next to him. After a timeout I told him he had to help me clean up. I sprayed "disolv-it" on the lines and while I was wiping it up he, cheerfully and proudly, sprayed me in the face with the solution. He was so excited he knew how to make the bottle spray. Oh dear. (He was not disciplined for that, because there was no disobedience or malicious intent.)

He's a dear boy and I do love him so. Seriously, the overwhelming affection takes me by surprise sometimes. But there are also times I look forward to being able to leave him alone in a room for more than thirty seconds, and trust no disasters will have occurred! What age will that be, exactly?!

My Life is not a Television Drama

Life has been going really well lately, which should be a good thing. Right?

But, now and then, I find myself expecting some terrible thing to happen. Really terrible, such as one of the kids suddenly falling ill and being diagnosed with a terminal illness, Colin dying or losing someone else who is close to me.

It's weird.

I imagine, however, that some of you can relate.

Because like me, you've seen too many television dramas on stations like Lifetime. In the opening scenes life is beautiful: the people are beautiful; the dialog is beautiful; the music is beautiful; dang it, even the weather is beautiful!

Then it happens. An accident or a natural disaster. A disease or a death. The protagonists are thrown into the trials and it gets intense: the people are intense; the dialog is intense; the music is ... well, you get the picture.

Honestly, this is how I've been thinking about my life. In my mind it goes something like this: Things are just going too well. Really, life should be more difficult. Surely something awful will happen soon.

My husband is good to remind me, when I make some pessimistic comment, that God does give us blessings we can enjoy and He's not out to get us. He loves us; Jesus took on the punishment for all sin. I'm thankful for my husband's influence, because certainly, thinking like this reveals a flawed understanding of what it is to be God's child, His sheep, His beloved. For even when life is difficult, I can still trust him for my every breath and need.

In addition to unbelief, such thoughts also reveal how what you put in effects what comes out. My mom used to say (much to my annoyance, because I wanted to be free to enjoy the smut other kids were allowed to see and hear - now, I thank you mom!), Garbage in, garbage out. And Paul exhorts us to think about the good, pure, noble, excellent, praiseworthy things (Phil 4:8).

My life is not a television drama.

My life is under the precious care of God the Father, Son, and Spirit. Yes, surely a tragedy (or more) will come my way in this life - which until now, frankly, has been filled with ease - because we live in a fallen, death-filled world. But as King David said: All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be, Psalm 139:16. Neither the good times nor the bad times take God by surprise. He will see us through.

The main take-away point for me from all of this is to stay connected to God in prayer and through Scripture. If life isn't a television drama, or a tossing of the dice, then I need to get to the Truth to understand God and the world. Peter closes the final chapter of II Peter with these words:

Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

May you stimulated to wholesome thinking in the coming days, friends!

Life is not a television drama. Praise! the!! Lord!!!

Apple Pie Anyone?

We went apple picking yesterday! Simmons Farm, in the south hills of Pittsburgh, has it all: apple & pumpkin picking, a store, a petting zoo, hay rides, etc. We got ourselves a couple pecks of apples, so each of the kids could have their own bag to carry. The varieties of choice: empire and jonagold. Both are crisp and delicious!

Later in the afternoon, Elizabeth and I prepared and baked our first pie together. (We've done pumpkin in the past, but I don't feel like it counts because I've always purchased the crust. This one was from scratch, start to finish!)

Some wonderful person has put together this site to walk you through making an apple pie. It's more elaborate than necessary for me, but the pictures and lists of necessary ingredients and tools are great for baking with a kid. We put a laptop on the table and went to work!

I'll say it again: Happy fall!

A Serious Trip to the Art Museum

We took our end-of-September field trip to the Carnegie Museum of Art. The day was wet and dreary, ideal for such a visit. We had a lovely time. Brian was exceptionally well behaved as we strolled through the galleries, taking in the variety of pieces on display.

We're so high culture, aren't we?

As proof, here's the final activity we enjoyed on our way to the parking garage:

High culture indeed!

Little Punkins Pickin' Pumpkins

It's fall!

I don't have a favorite season; I love the change that comes with each one. Here I write to you in a sweatshirt and jeans; this time last week I sweating in shorts and a t-shirt. It's rainy and grey outside and I can't really get enough of it. (I know, it's messed up - feel free to comment.)

We attempted to apple pick a couple of weekends ago, but I'd misunderstood the website. There were apples galore, but in large containers in a sweet, little farm store. I was disappointed. Fortunately the pumpkins were ripe for the pickin'!

Yes folks, what you see below is a painted television with a Steelers game "on." Pittsburgh, how I love thee! Red Sox fans, you ain't got nothin' on Steelers fans.

Appointments with God

My time with God is not just studying His word, it is every moment I am alive, opening the eyes of my heart, seeing Him, living in His grace, asking for His strength, resting in my limitations and His adequacy.

So whether tending to a sick child in the middle of the night with sleep deprivation, or nursing a sweet baby with a toddler pulling at your leg or praying and talking late into the night with a confused lonely teen, or just washing dishes and cooking one more time, it is an appointment with God, a time of worship, a place to celebrate His presence, because He is there, close to your heart and so longing for your companionship--you spending time with Him in the midst of it all!

-Sally Clarkson

You can read Sally's full post here.

I was so encouraged by this post this morning I wanted to pass along the final paragraphs. We do need to spend time with the Lord, getting to know Him through His word. But what a blessed reminder that He's also with us when we're not "doing quiet time."

He's present with us in our work and play, our waking and sleeping, our rising and sitting - Psalm 139. Praise God for His omnipresence!

Walk with Him today. In the words of Francis Shaeffer, He is the God who is there.

A Week "Away"

We spent last week house and dogsitting for my parents who enjoyed a trip to Brazil (so jealous!) Throughout the week, we passed the time doing school, hanging out with siblings' families, enjoying my parent's (enormous) yard, and visiting local attractions.

Meet Barney, Brian's best friend

Tree climbing!

Sliding with Aunt Michelle

(that's my elem school in the background)

playing with trucks, paper clips, & magnets

(Brian and cousin Isaac)

exploring the creek at Penn Hills Park

Oakmont Bakery and Riverview Park

minigolfing for my sister's birthday:

cousins!

sister Michelle and bro-in-law, Adam, at the back

I had an extraordinarily good time being back where I grew up (now only 40 min away!) Mom said we can do it again for a few days at the end of the month. I'm looking forward to it!

Where would you hang out in your hometown if you had a week to "vacation" there?