Andy and I have noticed that the baby tub we were using was beginning to become to small for Elijah. He likes to stretch out his long legs and the tub we were using was prohibiting his movement.
Time for a new tub...
I bought the tub (Primo EuroBath baby tub) on craigslist to save money, time, and the shipping costs.
The tub was picked up today during lunch time in the parking lot of a popular store and the former owner and I got to talking.
Turns out she is the single mom of a 15 month old girl. Single due to domestic violence. In her words, "he's an abusive pervert."
She was brave enough to leave her husband and take her six month old baby to stay in a domestic violence shelter for six months.
He has visitation rights on Sundays at a police station.
As she was telling me this and crying in the parking lot I was encouraging her (I happen to have a lot of experience with domestic violence both personally and professionally) and thanking God for the opportunity to meet her.
I have a new tub, a new person to intercede on behalf of, and a new friend.
How just like God to show up and do something unexpected--even on days when we are worn out and bone tired like today. Yay for God. And courage.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
New Believers "section"
Elijah and I made a voyage to the Christian bookstore tonight to buy a few large print Bibles and a couple of other books for a few of the men at the Center.
We ended up not buying any large print Bibles. They are ridiculously priced. Christians must be an easy crowd to rip off.
I was speaking with an employee in the store and mentioned that I am looking for something for the merger between science and Christianity (we've recently had an agnostic get gloriously saved and he's looking for something to read) and something to help a new believer for another man in the program.
He told me about their "new believers" section and began to lead me to this "section" in the back of the store.
In the very back of the store, to the right of the choir robes, on the bottom right hand side of the shelf was a sign that had fallen over that read "new believers." This "section" had a total of five books--three of them were the same book in different sizes (which I bought).
Glad to see that new believer material is selling well. That 1/4 of a shelf in a big book store spoke volumes to me tonight. We need new believers.
We ended up not buying any large print Bibles. They are ridiculously priced. Christians must be an easy crowd to rip off.
I was speaking with an employee in the store and mentioned that I am looking for something for the merger between science and Christianity (we've recently had an agnostic get gloriously saved and he's looking for something to read) and something to help a new believer for another man in the program.
He told me about their "new believers" section and began to lead me to this "section" in the back of the store.
In the very back of the store, to the right of the choir robes, on the bottom right hand side of the shelf was a sign that had fallen over that read "new believers." This "section" had a total of five books--three of them were the same book in different sizes (which I bought).
Glad to see that new believer material is selling well. That 1/4 of a shelf in a big book store spoke volumes to me tonight. We need new believers.
Monday, January 9, 2012
REfocus
Every once and a while I just need to re-focus and prioritize.
I need to get to bed earlier and do my devotions EVERY DAY. I'm craving it. I need it. Not some short little devotional (I do fine with that on the Kindle) but some knee deep time with my savior.
Being exhausted is my own fault. I could go to bed when the baby goes to bed but then what about everything else that's fighting for my frazzled attention?
Running another half marathon in the middle of March is still my goal but I need to actually run to do it.
I have half knit projects that need to be finished and last night I just HAD to try out my new cookie press resulting in way too many cookies for us to eat (I brought them to work) and a stomach ache this morning from eating raw cookie dough.
I am self-sabotaging myself. Time to stop. Time to focus.
An accountability partner will help--and I am thankful for her.
A loving husband who tells me, "go to bed! You are cranky and annoying" helps.
A desperate need for holiness helps.
Let's do this! :-)
I need to get to bed earlier and do my devotions EVERY DAY. I'm craving it. I need it. Not some short little devotional (I do fine with that on the Kindle) but some knee deep time with my savior.
Being exhausted is my own fault. I could go to bed when the baby goes to bed but then what about everything else that's fighting for my frazzled attention?
Running another half marathon in the middle of March is still my goal but I need to actually run to do it.
I have half knit projects that need to be finished and last night I just HAD to try out my new cookie press resulting in way too many cookies for us to eat (I brought them to work) and a stomach ache this morning from eating raw cookie dough.
I am self-sabotaging myself. Time to stop. Time to focus.
An accountability partner will help--and I am thankful for her.
A loving husband who tells me, "go to bed! You are cranky and annoying" helps.
A desperate need for holiness helps.
Let's do this! :-)
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
On Christmas Eve I took advantage of the opportunity and went for a few mile jog while Andy watched the baby. I ran around the inside of the gated campus where we live.
I only had a few laps left when I noticed her--the electric blue tight dress--cut way too short and way too tight-wearing black leather knee boots with killer heels. Prostitutes in our neighborhood, especially out back by the tennis courts are no surprise. What shocked me was how young she looked as I ran closer to her.
I jogged on by and began to reminisce about playing tennis over there with Andy when the prostitutes waiting to get picked up would watch and cheer us on in our game. They would get picked up and we would continue with our game. They would sit along the curb and watch us play. We had fun.
We missed the opportunity then to evangelize to them. I felt convicted about the electric blue girl and decided that one my next lap around that I would say something to her.
By the time I came back around it was too late. She was gone. Another missed opportunity. I'm not sure if I was truly disappointed or relieved--or a mixture of both. All I know is that she was gone. I delayed responding to the nudging in my spirit. I do that too often.
The more I thought about as I continued jogging the more upset I became. If I were to talk to this girl what would I say? I would want to get her off the street immediately--probably invite her inside to chat or to eat with us on Christmas Eve. In reality I would have been talking to her through a locked fence. She wouldn't have been able to get in and I wouldn't have been able to get out. The opening to the gate is a half mile away. We say we are incarnational in our community by our gated property with security guards to keep the community out says otherwise...
I prayed about it as I became frustrated.
On my last lap around I noticed another lady out there--down closer to the maintenance shed this time. The LORD was giving me another opportunity. This time I was walking as a cool down. I approached the fence and began to open my mouth when I was distracted by two kids behind me on campus filling up a bike tire with air. I turned to look at them and then at the woman on the street. I started to walk away and then turned back again toward the street. I did the same thing a third time and ended up not talking to her reasoning that I didn't want to expose the kids there to what could happen if I did talk to her. In hindsight I would have done it.
Another missed opportunity. My spirit was going crazy--and still is. Call it holy discontent. Call it shame and disappointment. Call it whatever you want but there are people in need at our front door (gate) literally and we can't even tell them that we have what they need. We are too busy protecting what we have when we should be--I should be--willing to give it away. LORD, have mercy on us--on me.
As I walked toward our building Andy was outside with the baby who was crying. It was time to be a mom.
I only had a few laps left when I noticed her--the electric blue tight dress--cut way too short and way too tight-wearing black leather knee boots with killer heels. Prostitutes in our neighborhood, especially out back by the tennis courts are no surprise. What shocked me was how young she looked as I ran closer to her.
I jogged on by and began to reminisce about playing tennis over there with Andy when the prostitutes waiting to get picked up would watch and cheer us on in our game. They would get picked up and we would continue with our game. They would sit along the curb and watch us play. We had fun.
We missed the opportunity then to evangelize to them. I felt convicted about the electric blue girl and decided that one my next lap around that I would say something to her.
By the time I came back around it was too late. She was gone. Another missed opportunity. I'm not sure if I was truly disappointed or relieved--or a mixture of both. All I know is that she was gone. I delayed responding to the nudging in my spirit. I do that too often.
The more I thought about as I continued jogging the more upset I became. If I were to talk to this girl what would I say? I would want to get her off the street immediately--probably invite her inside to chat or to eat with us on Christmas Eve. In reality I would have been talking to her through a locked fence. She wouldn't have been able to get in and I wouldn't have been able to get out. The opening to the gate is a half mile away. We say we are incarnational in our community by our gated property with security guards to keep the community out says otherwise...
I prayed about it as I became frustrated.
On my last lap around I noticed another lady out there--down closer to the maintenance shed this time. The LORD was giving me another opportunity. This time I was walking as a cool down. I approached the fence and began to open my mouth when I was distracted by two kids behind me on campus filling up a bike tire with air. I turned to look at them and then at the woman on the street. I started to walk away and then turned back again toward the street. I did the same thing a third time and ended up not talking to her reasoning that I didn't want to expose the kids there to what could happen if I did talk to her. In hindsight I would have done it.
Another missed opportunity. My spirit was going crazy--and still is. Call it holy discontent. Call it shame and disappointment. Call it whatever you want but there are people in need at our front door (gate) literally and we can't even tell them that we have what they need. We are too busy protecting what we have when we should be--I should be--willing to give it away. LORD, have mercy on us--on me.
As I walked toward our building Andy was outside with the baby who was crying. It was time to be a mom.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)