You're Going Down Goliath!

My little boys have a small obsession with the David and Goliath story.  It's the only Bible story they want to read, the only "movie" they want to watch, the only thing they want to "play", and often all they talk about.  I suppose this is a good thing.  :)  After all, David is described as "a man after God's own heart" and the story of him killing the giant is full of rich lessons for our hearts... #1. It doesn't matter how small you are vs how great your enemy seems, with faith in God, you can conquer!  #2.  God does not always (and actually rarely does) choose the most obvious or expected "hero" to accomplish his purposes.  #3.  It is possible to be a fierce, passionate, wild at heart warrior and at the same time be an artistic, poetic, tender-hearted lover of God.  And I'm sure there are several more points...  So, we've been talking about this a lot in our home and elsewhere...  Here are some little examples to give you an idea of their obsession.

While in the pool a few days ago, I kept feeling little rocks under my feet. I picked up a few and then asked, "Why are there rocks in the bottom of the pool?"  To which Titus quickly replied, "cause we killed Goliaf!"  Read 1 Samuel 17 if that doesn't make sense to you.

A couple of weeks ago Joshua was in the living room swinging his little blanket around his head and out flew a tennis ball...  It hit Titus right in the forehead, but instead of crying or getting upset, Titus dropped IMMEDIATELY to the floor and played dead.  Then Joshua ran around the living room yelling, "I'm a hero!  I killed Goliath!".

Last night we're in the checkout at Target and Joshua is chanting (loudly), "I WILL KILL YOU IN THE NAME OF GOD!"   It was funny and embarrassing... I mean, what do you say to people?   With the world as it is now, people usually frown upon talk of killing.  ;)  And it's not like we actually encourage killing people, especially in the name of God. We TRY to be law-abiding people. I guess I could've tried to explain it to the confused and slightly rattled college-age checker...but I didn't.  I just smiled at Joshua and said, "you go David!". 

All that said, it's created some very funny moments, great laughs, sweet memories with my little warrior boys.  But as I was sharing some of this with a friend, I was reminded of just how many God loving men in our culture have been encouraged to be wimpy...to be cowardly...to think that peace-making is the same thing as peace-keeping, and to even believe that Jesus was kinda wimpy because he loved children and was willing to minister to women... Oh man... that's all such a lie.  Jesus was, is, and will always be the greatest warrior of all time. Revelation 19 says that He will be riding a white horse, have eyes like fire, and a robe dipped in blood.  So, William Wallace you can move on over. ;)  Without going in to details or drudging up things I'd rather leave in the I HAVE AND WILL FORGIVE column, I have seen FAR TOO MANY church leaders who believe they are being Christ-like when they prefer to count church attendance, balance the budget, and strategize and sit on committees, rather than LEAD the sheep, STAND UP for the weak, or FIGHT for what's Spirit led, rather than sit comfortably in tradition.  And this is not just church leaders... how many men in general have we seen refuse to fight for their marriage covenant, fight for the hearts of their children, fight to go God's way and not the world's??? 

I'm honestly not sure how much can really be done with that mentality in our world today.  I don't plan to stand on the street corner and preach this stuff...  But what do I plan to do?  I plan to raise warrior-men.  Men who know how to love graciously, deeply, tenderly AND who also know how to FIGHT, to be passionate, to STAND UP, LEAD, NOT IGNORE INJUSTICE.... men who will believe that if God's on their side, they can KILL the giant. And you can bet, I've taught my daughters to be on the lookout for men like this to marry.  ;)

What I Would Like To Say

I've been wanting to say something like this for a while... Then I discovered this.  She says it better than I could've, but I agree with everything she said.  Please read and enjoy!

http://www.generationcedar.com/main/2013/01/what-i-would-like-to-say-when-people-make-me-feel-like-a-freak-for-having-children.html

The Praiseworthy Deeds of the LORD

 My beautiful Mama and precious Abigail Joy.

 So, back in the end of January (remember I'm a bit behind as usual) sweet little Titus had a little experience that I want to share about so that Jesus will get a sliver of the glory He is due.  One day Titus had a tiny little cough... like seriously maybe coughed 2 or 3 times.  Thought nothing of it.  The next day Bai and I had the 3 littles in town when I noticed that he seemed to be breathing weird.  He was kind of panting...short little breaths...like he had been running and was trying to catch his breath, only he was sitting still. :(((( I lifted his shirt and his little rib cage was expanding... HE WAS FIGHTING FOR OXYGEN! So, I call our dr (after hours) and decided it would be best to head to the ER.  We had to transfer Joshua to big sis Emily (she and a friend had to leave a movie!) and get them home and Bai, Titus, Abby, and I headed across Austin to Dell Children's - the best hospital ever for kids!  I admit I was a little worried, not only for Titus' health, but also with hauling new healthy Abby into a germ ridden hospital (why does this stuff happen when Daddy's out of town?!) but, I figured it would all be okay.  We got into the waiting room and there are SICK CHILDREN EVERYWHERE...Lots of people wearing masks...A huge waiting room, almost completely full...  probably 50- 60 sick kids waiting to get called back.  We sign in, the nurse takes Titus' temp and it's up a bit now (102) and she looks at his little ribs flaring, takes our details, and tells us to have a seat.  At this point I am pleading with God for protection over both Titus and Abby - wondering how long we'll have to sit and wait.  As soon as I sat down they called his name..................and it's then that I realize............ we just got ushered past all these people waiting......  I looked at Bailey and said, "oh man, he might be in some serious trouble."  After vitals, and checking, and poking, and questions, and fever medicine, etc... We are sent back to wait for a Dr.  I COULD NOT have done this without Bai.  How do you nurse and tend to a baby and at the same time love on a sicky little 2 year old?  YOU BRING BAILEY WITH YOU!!!  She was amazing.  So much so, that every nurse and dr we saw had to ask which one of us was Titus' mama.  :)  Thankfully, she gets that a lot and isn't offended.  Well, finally (hours go by) we saw a Dr (a couple actually), they hear a little spot on one of his lungs that sounds like pneumonia and we wait to do xrays.  All this time I had been texting Troy, Taylor and my parents, asking them to pray for total healing.  The xray taking went smoothly - the tech guys called Titus, "Mighty Tighty" and said he was the best 2 year old they'd ever xrayed.  And then of course it's back to waiting for results.  Well, here's the moment I've been excited about telling you ---  THE SPOT ON HIS LUNG WAS GONE!  :)))  Hallelujah!  Glory to Jesus!!!  HEALED!  Now, of course the Dr's said, 'well, maybe we just heard a little mucous patch and not pneumonia", etc..., but then that really wouldn't explain why he couldn't breathe.  All we had to do was get him a little breathing treatment and head home.  WELL. I know they have to try to come up with medical explanations, but not me.  I KNOW what happened.  God heard our cry for mercy and he answered.  Praise the one true Physician!  He is sooo good!  So I just had to tell you this PRAISEWORTHY DEED...  May your faith be strengthened and may Jesus receive the glory.

This precious boy was sooo funny during the long wait.  He HATED the little thing on his thumb that monitored his blood oxygen levels.  He would get all sleepy... and then silly... and then started throwing a BIG FIT about this thing on his thumb.  It went in cycles.  THANK GOD BAILEY WAS WITH ME! 

Here's his breathing treatment.  I think he looks kind of like a character from Star Wars.  ;)

Here's the sweet Princess.  She was so good through the whole ordeal.  And in case you're wondering - yes, God also spared her any illness from that whole event!  Whew!

Prayer Time

It's an amazing thing that we can pray to the Father.  I mean really, when you think about Jesus dying on the cross and the curtain ripping (Matt. 27:51) so that we have access to the Holy of Holies...  That we, in our dirty sin, can just climb up in God's lap... appeal to Him, "touch" Him, worship Him, rest our head on His chest, sing to Him, cry to Him, thank Him, and ask from Him.  It's amazing.  Really.

I love that we can talk to Him anywhere, anytime.  In the shower, in bed, kneeling, standing, driving, etc...  We have full access to Him 24/7.

But before I became a mom, never did I imagine just how far down into the humanness (maybe not a word ?):) of our everyday life, does God actually go to hear our hearts...  Let me explain.

Troy came home from his work week last night.  Lots going on in life as always... Lots of things on our hearts.  Serious concerns for others, ourselves, our family, our children.  Lots to go to the Father about.  So this morning we need to pray...................  NO, we do not go lock ourselves in a prayer closet.  We don't quietly kneel down in a peaceful room.  We don't privately whisper prayers in a secluded place...  He and I sat cross- legged on the kitchen floor.  Little boys climbing in and out of our laps.  There was snot and smooshed bananas, and a diaper that needed changing.  We were interrupted several times...  and honestly after a while I struggled to even think.  We laughed and Troy reminded me that - they-- these precious little ones, who are beautiful and innocent -- they represent the very presence of the Lord in our home.

It may not be what we always thought prayer should look like (who gets to decide that anyway?) and it may not even be what you'd prefer..............  But I'll take it anyday.  The love of my life, my husband, protecter, and leader and a couple of our most precious gifts -- entering into the Holy of Holies together.  We were heard, healed, answered and blessed.  And I think the Father was blessed a little bit too.  :)))

Favorite Thing About Jesus

This is Joshua's "king cobra" look.  Wooo, scary!

Look at these beauties... melts my heart!

Another day at the San Antonio Zoo!!!  One of my very favorite places on Earth!  :)

So, this morning at our devotionals (this is a loose term when you have a 4yo, a 2yo, and a baby around the table) we shared some of our favorite things about Jesus.  I have this on my heart a lot lately... maybe with the Easter celebration coming up???  Anyway, I thought it'd be good for us to share this and maybe it would bless Jesus to hear us say aloud some of our favorite things about Him. 
                                   Joshua - "my favorite thing about Jesus is how he talks nice."
                                   Mama - "my favorite thing about Jesus is that he LOVES children!"
                                   Bailey - "my favorite thing about Jesus is that he's funny."
                                   Titus - "no thing bout Jesus!" :(((  He was pouting for having to sit at the table...  He later conceded that it's good that Jesus made elephants.  :)
                                   Emily -"my favorite thing about Jesus is that He likes to hang out with us."

Haha!  Titus always keeps me on my toes.  And I really appreciate toddler honesty.  :)  But for the record:   Jesus, we adore you!  You are beautiful and awesome and SO MUCH MORE THAN WE COULD EVER DESERVE.  We love you!!!

Crucifixion Type Love

This is beautiful and inspiring.  :)))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E9doP6EtHk

Catching Up

So I know that I've been away for a while (I probably said exactly that the last time I blogged! :0) but here are some shots to try to catch up a little.  This is at the hospital when Abby Joy joined our crazy family!  :)  We are soooo glad she's here.

Here's sweet Bailey Jo having a nap with sister.

Gran Ann and Sir with Abby.

The Lone Ranger never sleeps without his gun ready for to "fertect" us.  :)

Joshua giving Titus a "haircut".  Titus sat so still I laughed!

No clue why these pics repeated and it took me forever to get them on so forgive my techno inabilities!

This was when the Lady Bug started smiling.

Sea World.

Titus turned 2!!!

And he often acts 2!   Cute little stinker!

Grandie reading to the big brothers.  This book is from Emily and it's their very favorite... SNAKES AND REPTILES!  :)

Precious big cousin Audrey Kate.

The Crisis Bread Basket is a place for the less fortunate to get some food when needed.  For Joshua's 4th bday, we asked for no gifts for his, but instead  - donations to charities.  Joshua got to deliver food as well as diapers and baby items to the crisis pregnancy center.  It was very special.  I look forward to the day when he's old enough to really understand this.