A Day to Remember

Last night, Ephraim surprised me during his bedtime prayers by asking Jesus to help him be a better person. He is 5 1/2 and not extremely mature even compared to typical 5-year-olds. I told him that was a good thing to pray for and that it was a tiny step towards eventually asking Jesus to save him. He surprised me again by saying he wanted to ask Jesus to save him right then.

I thought for a moment. Nathan was saved on New Year's Eve the year he was 5; and I couldn't help comparing the boys. Nathan had been adamant about asking Jesus into his heart, but I was reluctant because of his age. Truthfully, I tried to talk him out of it, saying, "Nathan, you don't have to do this until you're ready;" to which he replied "Mommy, I am ready... why won't you just let me do this?" Nathan prayed the sinner's prayer and knew & believed everything he was supposed to believe; but I worried because of his age. In hindsight, I see now that his salvation was real... he was one way before salvation and a different way afterwards.

Now, almost 3 years to the day later (December 27th this time); I had another 5-year-old asking me the same question. I compared Ephraim's maturity level with Nathan's at the same age, and sighed. "Ephraim, let's think and talk about this for a few days... and if you are really sure you are ready and if I'm really sure you understand what it means to ask Jesus to save you... well, I'll help you pray the prayer on New Year's Eve, just like Nathan did."

This was not good enough for Ephraim. He could not sleep; and could not let go of the idea of asking Jesus to save him right then. It was as if Someone had taken hold of him...

I thought again about how it turned out with Nathan... about how in hindsight I can see the reality of his conversion and the Truth of Jesus living inside of him. As I considered Ephraim's eagerness to be saved by God... to commit to making Jesus the Lord of his life... I thought, "Who am I to stand in the way of this?"

So, I helped him.

I have adopted and adapted (though definitely DID NOT invent it!) a simplified method of explaining salvation to very young children: the ABC method.

A: Admit you are a sinner.

B: Believe Jesus is God's son and that Jesus died on the cross for you and that Jesus rose again on the 3rd day.

C: Confess/Commit to make Jesus the Lord (boss) of your life.

Also important: to love Jesus and to understand he is the bridge to God; that without Him none of us can get to God; and that he became the bridge by taking our punishment for us when He died on the cross. One of Matthew's friends said, "It's kind of like Jesus took our spanking for us."

There's more, of course... a lifetime more to learn about Jesus... but that is about as much as a 5-year-old can comprehend... for now...

We will wait to have Ephraim Baptized (unless he insists) to give him a chance to really learn about the Person living in his heart and to give him a chance to grow old enough to remember the day he obeys Christ's first request be being Baptized. This will also give us a chance to see Ephraim's salvation story unfold... and allow Ephraim to be old enough to be able to say, "This is what I was like before Jesus saved me... and this is how I changed..."

What a night!

A Mother's Treasures

My boys are growing up. We have a great, rowdy time together... but sometimes they surprise me still with the sweet love that exists only between mothers and their boys.

I treasure these moments! So often, I am forgotten as a mother of boys... our church celebrates mothers and daughters... fathers and daughters... fathers and sons... only my role has never been acknowledged... and although I laugh and say I don't care... I sometimes secretly do care...

My boys made up for it this month. I wouldn't trade being the mother of boys for any other honor...

Matthew began my sweet remembrance. Ephraim had to decorate a paper Christmas tree for school; and I dug out some old beads to use as jeweled lights. While Ephraim and I worked, Matthew mysteriously disappeared. About an hour later, Matthew brought me a hand-made paper envelope decorated with a Christmas tree he had drawn. I opened it, and found a bracelet made from jewels and string. My heart leaped, and images of so many hand-made gifts from Matthew over the years flew through my mind. He has always had such a sweet desire to make things for me... and I was so surprised and happy when my 11-year-old boy gave me one more bracelet he made himself... a remnant of his younger days.

Nathan was the second to pull at my heart strings. He went to the "Secret Santa" shop with enough money to buy gifts for everyone in the family. He was so excited when he got home, and wanted all of us to open our gifts right away! I relented, because I didn't want to dampen his excitement. I oohed and aaahed over his gift to me; as did the rest of the family with their gifts. Then, Nathan suprised me by saying, "I got you something else, Mommy." I was even more touched that he got me two gifts... and then he said the same thing three more times! I was so honored to be showered with so many gifts from my 8-year-old boy.

Ephraim... well, Ephraim is still my baby. He gives me moments every day, and I know I must hold onto them because he is growing up so fast! My favorite moments with him are at night; when he is lying in his bed and we are talking about his day. He is still willing to give me kisses, and I store them in my heart.

I am grateful beyond measure for my boys and their love.

The 2-bite Rule and Other Things that are Gone with the Wind...

We went to Thanksgiving dinner at our church (pot-luck) tonight; and I packed a sack lunch for Ephraim before we went. I thoroughly enjoyed eating about a tablespoon-sized serving of all of the vegetable casseroles I never cook at home... but Ephraim would not have been into it.

More than a few people passed our table and laughed as they observed Ephraim eating his Blueberry poptarts. One well-meaning soul told me she had used a "two bite" rule with her kids; and that it really worked.

I, too, had a successful run with the "two bite" rule... with my oldest two boys. They were required to take two bites of everything on their plates; and then they were allowed to eat enough of whatever we were having that they liked to get full. Now that I think of it, I believe the idea of the "two bite" rule came from the very same person who suggested it to me tonight. I must admit, it worked like a charm for years.

That, however, was before Ephraim.

I used to think parents could and should prevail in any battle of wills. However, having ideas of how to raise children and having actual children living in your home needing to be raised are two entirely different matters! I have found it possible to win every battle of wills with a couple of exceptions:

• They will potty-train when they want to, and not a moment sooner.
• If they determine not to put a food item in their mouths, you actually cannot force the matter. In some cases, the food will rot before they eat it! And two bites? Not if they've set their resolve against it. You can pry their mouths open and shove the food inside... but you cannot make them swallow it!

I never thought I would stoop this low... but I eventually compromised with Ephraim on my "two-bite" rule. I have deceived myself into thinking I have maintained the spirit of "Mommy is the boss" by saying, "Okay, Ephraim. You don't have to eat it, but you MUST taste it. Just touch it with your tongue."

Gone are the days when Matthew believed Nutrigrain bars were candy bars (see, I was better at nutrition at one point in my life!) Gone are the days of the "two bite" rule. The new motto: "Just touch it to your tongue!"

Sigh...

Conversing with a 5-year-old

I am in the shower; but Ephraim absolutely MUST talk to me right now!

Ephraim: Mommy, we're (unintelligible) tomatoes!

Mommy: What?

Ephraim: We're (throwing???) tomatoes!

Mommy: You're throwing tomatoes?

Ephraim: NO! We're growing tomatoes!

Mommy: Are you growing tomatoes in your classroom?

Ephraim: No.

Mommy: Who is growing tomatoes?

Ephraim (shrugs): Nobody is.

Mommy (turns off the shower and looks at Ephraim through crack in the glass door, completely bewildered: Ephraim, what on earth are you talking about?

Ephraim: Nobody is growing tomatoes. I think the rain is doing it. They're growing on our yard!

Mommy: Oh...

3 Boys and a Wedding

Charles' cousin got married last night at a beautiful plantation in South Georgia. Everything was perfect, from the Spanish Moss hanging from the big oak trees to the gentle, cool breeze (instead of the usual sweltering heat!) As the bride completed her triumphant march down the isle to meet her groom; the organ completed with a resounding chord.

In the immediate silence that followed the ending note from the organ, my youngest child let out a belch that would have put most grown men to shame.

My two oldest boys and two of their female cousins burst into uncontrollable giggles. And, unfortunately, so did I.

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I buried my face in Ephraim's neck and tried to muster the evil eye. I cut my eyes at Matthew and Nathan and whispered "SHHHH..." giving them my sternest mother's look. They gained control of themselves as I stared straight ahead... and then lost it again when I buried my head in Ephraim's neck again and began shaking with laughter.

I had to walk away with Ephraim. Why is it so hard to quit laughing when it is MOST important you do so?

Ephraim and I spent the ceremony far from earshot, beside a fence, looking for cows and horses.

Where were you?

I was beginning my first school year as a stay-at-home Mom. After living the hectic life of a working Mom and wife of an international businessman; my new life seemed so easy and blessed! I was a new volunteer counselor at the Crisis Pregnancy Center, where I was learning much about having a personal relationship with Jesus. I was beginning my journey towards becoming a Mary, although I was not yet aware of this. Matthew was 4, Nathan was one, and Ephraim was still God's little secret surprise yet to come.

I was driving Matthew to preschool at Morningside Baptist Church, and I was listening to Bob and Sheri on the radio (they were a lot tamer back then; these days I do not listen to them in front of the kids!) Anyway, I was nearing the intersection of Moon Road, traveling on Weems Road; and I was trying to wrap my mind around what Bob was saying...

A plane flew into the World Trade Center?

At some point, Bob was saying he hated to say it, but he found it hard to believe this was an accident.

I was still listening when the second plane hit. As the day unfolded, so did the rest of the story of the well-planned attack on the United States of America. This wasn't a distant war story being retold by my grandfather, a veteran of World War II. This was only too real, complete with vivid pictures and video footage; and for the first time since World War II... it was happening on American soil.

I will never forget it.

It amazes me to look around and see so many have already forgotten. We must not take our freedom or our lives for granted.

The World of Boys

We have a lake near our house, and the lake is fed by a small stream that is stagnant in places. I am at the moment in search of an Avon lady to help me with a small mosquito problem! (I need some Skin-so-soft like Grandmomma used to use...) But I digress...

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A common pastime of ours is to walk down to a particular point on the bank of the creek and check on the growth of a large group of tadpoles. At the moment, they look like the little guys swimming above... no feet yet!

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As I mentioned earlier, this creek is stagnant in places... which means it really kind of stinks! Despite this, my boys (who cannot stand the smell of cooking vegetables); always want to stop and put their hands in the water, trying to catch the tadpoles!

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I'm not as girlie as I used to be, but this is something I cannot understand. It's yucky! I try to get them to stop.

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Me: You don't know what kind of germs are in that creek!

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Nathan: I can wash my hands.

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Me (trying another tactic): Don't touch them... you might hurt them. They're very fragile!

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Nathan: I won't hurt them... I'm touching soft. They feel good!

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They feel good? I have no answer for that, so I give up.

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The World of Boys!

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Happy Birthday, Ephraim!

Ephraim is 5!

I was holding Ephraim a few weeks ago, and he was talking about wanting to be a zookeeper when he grows up. He was twirling my hair with his fingers; and he paused and asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up, Mommy?"

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I was a little startled. The first thing I thought was, That's a really good question now that Ephraim is going to Kindergarten and school counseling is no longer a critical need... consequently the jobs in my field are few and far between...

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However, I knew Ephraim didn't want to hear all of that. Instead, I though a moment and then replied, "I think I want to be a Grandma when I grow up."

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Ephraim was horrified. "Mommy!" he exclaimed, "You can't be a grandma when you grow up!"

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Why not?" I asked.

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"Because grandmas are old, and I don't want you to be old!"

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Matthew and I laughed about this later, and I told Matthew getting old was better than the alternative (people who never grow old avoid doing so by dying young... not that I fear death, but I would like to see my grandchildren!)

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However, there was no convincing Ephraim. We just had a Scarlet O'Hara moment and I said, "Let's worry about that another day!"

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The Golden Roach

Consider life through the eyes of a child.

We live in an old house in an old neighborhood with a lake and lots of big, old, southern trees nearby. That sentence may bring to mind Spanish moss and fireflies... but there is a hidden truth about living in such a place in the south:

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Big black roaches that fly when provoked.

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Our pest control seems to work fairly well, because nearly every roach we find has stumbled over the threshold and died or is in the process of dying. However, I wish a spray could be invented to keep them from crossing that threshold in the first place!

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The boys and I took a late swim this evening, and the fireflies were starting to come out by the time we came inside. The boys were rowdy as they took their towels to the laundry room; but there was a sudden hush as the three of them crowded around an apparently glorious sight.

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"Look!" one of them breathed reverently. "A golden cockroach!"

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I watched and listened for a few minutes as they marveled at the sight and discussed what could have caused such a thing to happen. Finally, I sighed and said, "I wish somebody would pick it up with a Kleenex and flush it down the toilet instead of standing around admiring it!"

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Alas, this was not to be. My comment snapped them out of their trance, and they all filed upstairs to take a shower; leaving the roach for me to handle.

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Boys!

Nathan's Baptism

Nathan and his friend from infancy, Rachel, were baptized on the same day.

Nathan's first steps after the symbol of his commitment to follow Christ

Nathan was baptized this past Sunday. He prayed to receive Christ on New Year's Eve of 2005, when he was only 5 year old. His salvation was genuine, but we waited these years to be certain he understood the importance of his choice to follow Christ. Even now, he is so young... I think back to my life when I was in the second grade, and I remember very little... only the most important events, really. I remember my mother having a major surgery and being worried she would die. I remember being placed in the "low" reading group, which was embarrassing. Unfortunately, that's about it. A few images of playing with a little girl named Ginger, the Blanchard playground, and a Brownie uniform; but not much else.

So, how did I know Nathan was ready, even in second grade, to take this life-altering step? How could I be sure he would remember it?

To begin with, I have always been absolutely sure about the authenticity of Nathan's salvation experience. I didn't want him to ask Jesus to save him at 5, because I knew his memory would be limited and I was afraid he would be too young to understand what he was doing. However, he was absolutely determined to have Jesus live in his heart, and would have prayed with or without my help. I could not pass up the invitation to be a part of what God had obviously initiated in his heart, so I just did as much as I could to explain salvation on a 5-year-old level. I adapted the "ABC" formula that I'd learned from the Lifeway VBS curriculum to a language Nathan understood:

A: Admit you're a sinner. Understand everyone sins (the preacher, Mommy, Daddy... everyone but Jesus). Romans 3:23

B: Believe that Jesus died for our sins on the cross because he loved us... that he took our punishment for us (a little boy I used to know said it's like Jesus took our spanking for us). Also believe Jesus rose from the dead (came back to life) 3 days later and is alive now in Heaven and in our heart as the Holy Spirit. John 3:16

C. Commit to try your best to follow Jesus and make Him Lord of your life (the boss). Even though you will make mistakes (refer back to A); you're going to try your very best to do what Jesus wants you to do.

"C" is by far the hardest part of salvation; but I believe it is crucial to help children understand this part of our salvation before Baptism; because otherwise, we are cheating them out of something absolutely necessary for living in Christ. I know of what I speak; I didn't realize I had not done "C" until I was 31 years old. By this time, I had already been baptized twice (once at confirmation and again when I joined a Baptist church); but I had missed out on the key to working out my salvation. I didn't want my children to make the same mistake I had made, so I have really stressed making Jesus "the boss" of your life.

The other thing that helped me know for certain Nathan's salvation experience was genuine was the presence of the Holy Spirit in his tiny body... it was unmistakable. Nathan was strong-willed from the very beginning. He knew what he wanted to do and what he didn't want to do... and there was not a spanking, time-out, or lost privilege in existence to change his mind once it was made up before Christ lived in his heart. Nathan's mind was his law... his own word was final for him. I have never seen anything like it. All I could do was pray.

My prayers for Nathan were pretty specific. He was obviously strong-willed; and I prayed God would use Nathan's strong will for His glory. I prayed my Nathan would be like the prophet Nathan who bravely confronted King David about stealing Bathsheba and murdering her husband. Some of the worst trouble Nathan has ever been in has been for vigilante justice (administering playground justice to bullies when the teacher does not punish an offender); so it seemed like God had already made Nathan to stand up for what was right. I just needed God to harness that tendency and use it for His glory instead of Nathan's vigilantism!

After praying to receive Christ, Nathan was suddenly able to be swayed from doing his own will. He was able to see other people's points of view. He began backing bending his own will when it went against God's will. The Holy Spirit in Nathan was obvious because it was such a stark contrast to Nathan prior to salvation. There was no mistaking it!

This is not to say Nathan no longer sins... far from it. A week ago, he acted out badly at children's church, over something he wrongly perceived as an injustice. Before Christ, there was only an unyielding belief that his own will was superior to all others. Now, Nathan is able to admit mistakes in judgement and actions. Through Christ, he is capable of repentance.

Wisdom From "The Graduate"

Now that Ephraim has graduated from preschool, he is full of wisdom and advice for everyone. After church yesterday, we went out for lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant so the boys could enjoy Mexican chicken fingers and french fries (ha, ha). At the end of the meal, Charles took Nathan to the restroom and Ephraim got up to follow them.

"Ephraim, come back," I said. "You already went to the bathroom with Mommy, remember?"

Ephraim returned to the table, but looked worriedly over his shoulder at his father and brother who were by this time nearly around the corner. At the top of his voice (across the adjoining table where about 10 people were seated), he hollered, "JUST REMEMBER TO FLUSH!"

Charles and Nathan hastily scooted around the corner, leaving Matthew and myself to put our heads in our hands and laugh.

Always an adventure!

Ephraim's Preschool Graduation

Singing "Deep and Wide"

Counting his "fingers in his pocket"

Going on a "Bear Hunt"

Receiving his "Diploma"

I didn't think I would cry. This was my third time watching one of my baby boys graduate from preschool, after all! I was wrong. I cried more this time than ever before.

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Oh, cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,

But children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust, go to sleep.

I’m rocking my baby. Babies don’t keep.

-taken from a poem by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton published in Ladies Home Journal in 1958

Like It Was Lasterday

(Nathan up to something; his brothers oblivious)

Nathan is 8. How can this be?

Nathan was a sweet baby who loved to be held. Many people don't believe this, but he never even cried until he was 4 months old and got his first ear infection! Before that, he made this noise that was a cross between a sniff and a cough when he wanted something. The first time we heard that noise coming from the bassinet, Charles and I looked at each other in confusion. We walked over to the bassinet and peered inside.

"What's he doing?" I asked.

Charles had an incredulous look on his face. He said, "Is that his... is he... crying?"

We thought we had hit the mother lode!

As a toddler, Nathan was such a character. He looked like an angel with his blond hair, green eyes, and long lashes; but he was always up to something. He waited a long time to start talking... until well after he was two... and suddenly started conversing with us in complete sentences! He had very few baby words: "Bubba" for Matthew; "lasterday" for anything that happened in the past but not yesterday; and a precious few others. At 3, he talked like a little adult with the exception of his high-pitched voice. Charles called him our little munchkin because of his voice.

When Nathan was 5, he asked me on New Year's Eve if he could pray to ask Jesus to save him. I was worried about him being too young, and told him he could wait until he was older if he didn't understand what he was doing. Really, I tried to talk him out of it. He sighed and asked, "Mommy, I want to do this. Why can't I ask Jesus to save me now?" I talked with him at length and came to realize he really did understand; so he prayed on December 31, 2005. I saw the Holy Spirit in him after that night. Don't get me wrong... the character and mischief is still there! But so is Jesus.

The days and months flew by; and before I knew it so had the years. I can't believe he is 8! The boy who clung to me for dear life when I tried to leave him at Pre-K now hops out of the car and bounds up the stairs to school without a backward glance. He can still be sweet, though. Even though he spoke very few baby words; one precious word still remains in his vocabulary: "renember" for remember. I cannot bring myself to correct him! The other night, Ephraim fell asleep in my lap. After Charles took Ephraim to bed, Nathan said to me, "Mommy, you can sit with me in the big chair if you want to." This may not sound like much of an invitation, but it is huge for an 8-year-old boy! He still crawls into bed with me in the mornings just before I wake up. These precious moments will disappear so gradually that I won't notice exactly when they go, but I will wake up one day and realize they are gone.

Disney's Water Parks

Matthew (left)

Nathan on a water slide

Nathan

Ephraim

This was our first trip to Disney during the warm months since 2000, so we had the opportunity to try out the water parks. The older boys loved them! Ephraim fell and skinned his knee and didn't want to risk losing his band-aid on the day we went to Blizzard Beach, so he skipped that one. I was glad... Typhoon Lagoon had more for preschoolers than Blizzard Beach; although Blizzard Beach had a nice area for both babies and "tweenagers."

It is really taking me awhile to blog about our vacation! I am entering the busiest time of our year... April thru June... when every single weekend is taken up with one or more birthday celebrations and/or a holiday or anniversary. I will probably not blog regularly until July!

To complicate matters, we have two children graduating this year... no, not from high school! Matthew is graduating from the 5th grade (since middle school starts in 6th now) and Ephraim is graduating from preschool. Ouch on both accounts! I can't believe either of them has grown so quickly!

Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios

Ephraim's Brown Cow

Ephraim, Matthew, and Nathan

The "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" Playground at Hollywood Studios

The Sci-Fi Drive In Diner

Ephraim, Petting Zoo Tour Guide

If you know Ephraim, you know we spent some time at Animal Kingdom. Matthew and Nathan were wanting to move along to the more thrilling attractions... but nothing at Disney World was any more thrilling than finding a brown cow in the "Affection Section" petting zoo!

The Kilimanjaro Safari was another big hit. We didn't have our camera the first time we rode it, because it had been raining and still looked threatening. Oh, I regret not having the ability to video on that first safari ride! Ephraim was so sweet, and so in his own little world! He was so excited about every animal we saw, and even told a few of them he loved them! I remember in particular as we passed the elephants, he said,"Bye, elephant! I love you elephant!" in his sweet little four-year-old almost whisper!

I took my camera on the second safari ride, but he never said the same thing again. He was still cute, though!

Ephraim, Safari Tour Guide

Disney's Fort Wilderness Cabins

We decided to go with a cabin for our Disney vacation, because of the kitchen and living area. When you have 3 children, being able to spread out is of utmost importance!



The cabin was very cute, and we were able to spread out in some ways. I think it was the right choice for us this year, but I know we'll never choose Fort Wilderness cabins again for a couple of reasons:

• Bus transportation to and from the campgrounds (which includes the cabins) takes twice as long as other Disney resorts because you have to take a separate bus to get to your cabin once you arrive at Fort Wilderness. So, it takes 20 minutes to get from the Magic Kingdom to Fort Wilderness... and then another 20 minutes to get to your cabin. The total travel time for every place we went was a minimum of 40 minutes... not good with 3 rambunctious kids!
• There were very few drawers in the cabins... much less drawer space than a regular hotel room... which meant 5 people were living out of 5 suitcases for an entire week. That kind of cut down on the benefit of having enough space to spread out!
  

• The campground, like much of Florida, is a swamp. We had a GREAT time with no mosquitoes... but we ARE talking about a cabin in the middle of an honest-to-goodness swamp. I'm not sure what the experience would be like during the summer!
• I don't know HOW many lizards my boys caught in the swamp right outside the door of our cabin. My fear for my boys was, if the lizards like living in the swamp so much, maybe their friends the snakes are living here, too! I warned my boys of this, but it did not deter them from sneaking into the swamp to catch another lizard. I think a nice room on the 12th floor of a different resort might be a little safer for my adventurers!
  

Disney is expensive... there is no getting around that. Staying in a cabin or a suite is more expensive than a regular room, but we thought we would save money by eating some meals in the cabin. We ended up buying the meal plan that included one table service, one quick meal, and one snack per day. Thank goodness we bought the meal plan with travel time being so long, because we only ate breakfast in the cabin. We wouldn't have gotten to do everything in the parks if we had eaten every meal in the cabin.

We loved the meal plan! That table service meal (translated sit-down dinner) was priceless for parents with 3 kids! This sounds bad, but I just love having people bring me my food! We spent about the same amount on the meal plan as we had spent buying food (mostly quick-service) on previous trips; so it was definitely worth it for us. Charles and I were actually able to eat healthy once a day for about the same price as fast food all day. That worked well for us... but we do have 3 boys and they REALLY eat a lot (chicken fingers and french fries, anyway).

Next time, I think we will stay in a hotel room on the monorail (Grand Floridian maybe?) which will significantly cut travel time; buy the deluxe meal plan, and pay for child care a couple of times if we start to feel claustrophobic!

12 Hour Window for Stitches!

We had been back from Disney World for less than 24 hours.

Ephraim decided to climb on top of our high-top dining room table to look at something...

He slipped and fell; and as he fell he sliced his lower lip open when his mouth hit the edge of the table.

Charles held him and checked first for broken teeth (this is my first assumption when I see a child with blood pouring out of his mouth, since my brother knocked his two front teeth out of his mouth FOUR times!) There was a lot of blood, but his teeth looked fine. I went over to the table to see if I could tell what had happened... I was still looking for teeth or teeth marks, really... when Charles said the words a mother never wants to hear...

"Oh, my God... Samantha, you need to come look at this."

Ephraim's lower lip was gaping completely open, as if it had been intentionally sliced and pulled apart. In addition, it looked like a chunk of meat was missing.

I took him immediately to the Pediatric Emergency Center... a bit wary because of previous experiences there... but breathed a sigh of relief to see my own doctor's name listed as the physician on duty. Praise God!

A few hours later, after inhaling the coughs of a dozen children sick enough to be contagious but who would NOT (I knew) receive any antibiotics in this day and age and had therefore waited (and coughed on Ephraim and me) needlessly; I asked Dr. Ellison if I did the right thing by bringing Ephraim in or if I should have waited until the next day to see if the wound really needed stitches.

He said you have to get stitches within 12 hours of an injury, or it will be too late because the wound will begin to heal. In Ephraim's case, this could have been very bad because his lip was split beyond his lip line. If a lip is not torn beyond the lip line, stitches are not necessary; but anything beyond that may not align properly when it heals.

Who knew?

There was really no danger that I wouldn't take Ephraim to the Emergency Center because of the way his lip looked; but the 12 hour time limit is a good thing to know.

Pictures from Peru

I will try to upload more pictures to Facebook when I have time!

Hoping for snow.... the tale of a truly southern boy

Matthew and Ephraim at Disney World During Christmas of 2006

Poor Ephraim!

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We are planning a trip to Disney World during the warm months. Ephraim rarely stops talking... it's just constant chatter all of the time... so I sometimes miss some of the precious things he says, I'm sure. However, I'm glad I didn't miss this one!

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He said recently, "Well, when we go to Disney World, we'll build a snow man!"

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A bit surprised, I asked, "What did you say?"

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"It snows in Disney World," he replied matter-of-factly. "When we go, we will play in the snow and build a snow man."

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It took me a moment to understand what he was talking about... and then it dawned on me. The only "snow" Ephraim has ever seen (with the exception of about 25 flurries a few weeks ago) is the fake snow Disney World produces at Hollywood Studios and the Magic Kingdom during Christmas!

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He was not happy when I tried to explain that it probably would not snow in Orlando OR that the snow we saw during Christmas of 2006 was actually made out of soap. In fact, I could tell he thought I had lost my mind. He knew it would snow at Disney World any time of year.

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Maybe Blizzard Beach will make up for the lack of snow!

Nathan tasting "snow" at Disney World!

Our Pristine Swimming Pool

Charles is doing an excellent job of keeping our swimming pool clear and clean over the winter... just look how much these guys are enjoying it!

It's probably a good thing he didn't see the ducks taking a swim...

Mission to the Amazon Jungle in Peru

It was snowing in Columbus when they left. Charles has been craving an adventure in the snow... but that's not what he'll be getting on this trip!

They are scouting out an area of the jungle to see what type of long-term mission opportunities might be feasible for MBC on a long-term basis. This particular area was abandoned by a previous church, and I can understand how that could happen. Airfare to Peru is very expensive; and the accommodations once you arrive are... well... a tent in the jungle. The Amazon Jungle. They have to travel to their site in a boat down the Amazon River for about 4 hours. After the boat ride, I believe they are also backpacking a small distance. It's not the type of mission trip that will appeal to everyone!

Here are some of the things that might discourage the average person from a trip to the Amazon:

• "The Willy Fish" (I didn't make up the name; I'm just repeating what it's called!) Learn about this clever little guy with this clip originally aired on Animal Planet:

• Piranhas.

• The Anaconda (and other critters). Here, you can learn how to survive an Anaconda bite:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72QsTwxqDmg

Very interesting!

I'm not really worried about the guys in the Amazon. However, I did tell Charles to stay out of the Amazon River. I know piranhas are only attracted to the smell of blood... but why test the theory? I saw the movie Piranha in my formative years, and I can guarantee you I am not ever getting in the water with any piranhas! No Way!

Here is the trailer for the movie that forever shaped my opinion of bathing in the Amazon River:

Crazy in Love

This is dedicated to my very young friends...

When Charles and I met, we had that special "spark" right away. We met in June of 1995 on my first day at MBC, and hung out together over the summer in a big group of friends. We finally went to the movies alone in September, I think... and that was the beginning of dating. We were engaged at Christmas and married the following June in a simple church ceremony. Why the rush? It's simple... we couldn't WAIT to be married!

Now, I don't ordinarily recommend marrying so quickly. However, we were both seeking the Lord when we found each other... and we were 26 and 25 (so we had a little maturity on us); and we just knew it was right.

After becoming engaged, my goal was to plan a wedding as quickly as possible. Once we decided to get married, we couldn't wait to get started on our lives together! I was in graduate school, so the wedding had to be between quarters. June 15th gave us enough time for a honeymoon, so that was the date!

I looked forward to my wedding day; but my main wish throughout it all was to be Mrs. Charles Ellis. I wanted a church wedding, but I didn't want to go into debt for one day. A lot of frivolous items normally associated with weddings didn't really matter to me, so it was easy to cut corners.

There were only 2 things I kind of regretted at the time.

First, I borrowed my childhood friend's wedding dress... which I loved doing because I love her and was honored to wear her beautiful dress... but I felt a little twinge of regret at not having a wedding dress to pass down to my future daughters. Well, that is obviously no longer a regret because I have 3 sons. God knew I didn't need a wedding dress, and He probably prompted Deborah to offer hers!

The second thing I kind of wanted was dancing at my wedding. I chose a simple reception over dancing; and God worked that one out, too. We were surprised by how exhausted we felt after our short ceremony and reception; and were relieved we didn't still have several hours of dancing ahead of us!

I am fortunate to have a wonderful example of commitment in the legacy of both sets of my grandparents... each couple was married for 63 years. Isn't that amazing?

My mother's parents, George and Clara, married very young. After her death, we were going through their papers and I noticed her birthdate on her wedding certificate didn't match the date on her birth certificate. After looking at it a few minutes, we realized she had lied about her age to get married! We laughed and cried, imagining my Grandma at 15 wanting so badly to marry my Grandpa that they pretended she was 18! Despite their youth, 63 years.

My father's parents, Allen and Frances, also married young. They met while he was stationed at Ft. Benning, about to be deployed in World War II. They married after a whirlwind courtship, and then he went overseas and fought in Europe for over 3 years. He survived to return home to her. Again, 63 years.

What makes a wedding perfect? What makes a girl feel like a princess on her wedding day?

Perfect flowers, perfect dresses, perfect food, perfect decorations, and dancing... these are all good things. However, the girls I see screaming on TV if these things aren't just right... girls dubbed by the media as bridezillas... these girls are depending on things to make them feel like a princess... and my heart aches for what they are missing.

I have found the one whom my soul loves... Song of Solomon 3:4

I'm glad I was like my Grandma, Clara, who married the man she wanted to marry despite obstacles. I'm glad I wasn't 15 when I did it... but she lived in a different time, and that was right for her. Charles was right for me.

Marriage is hard, even for those who couldn't wait to be married. However, the advantage of marrying someone you couldn't wait to marry is this: "crazy in love" in a committed marriage turns into a comfortable love, but the "crazy" is never completely gone. It comes back every once in awhile, and it's wonderful at any age - from 15 to 89.

Wait on God. He has a plan for you, and you don't want to miss it by making your own plans!
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Crazy Hair

Wednesday was crazy hair day at AWANA. I have had 4 cans of colored hairspray (blue, red, purple, and orange) for 2 years now; and after carrying them across town in our recent move, I was looking to get rid of them. Nathan chose red, and I emptied the can on his head. Ephraim chose blue, and I used nearly all of it on his hair. Matthew said he would pass.

Two cans left: orange and purple. Hmmm... I am an AWANA leader, so I decided to show a little spirit and have crazy hair too. I tossed the orange can... frankly, I have no idea why I bought orange hairspray in the first place because NO ONE in my house would put orange on their heads. (Sorry, Auburn fans!) So, I sprayed purple hairspray all over my hair.

AWANA was fine... the kids got a kick out of my hair... I came home and finished typing a report Matthew had written for school and didn't get around to washing my hair until about 9:30. I washed my hair a couple of times and thought I had gotten it all because the water ran clear... got out of the shower and looked in the mirror...

My hair was a light shade of magenta. You know, like the dog on Blues Clues that had to get glasses back around 2001? Magenta.

I didn't panic. I had used my high-dollar shampoo that I use to keep my "low-lights" from fading. I groaned inwardly, thinking about my recently added low-lights. I knew I would lose all of my brown streaks if I used regular shampoo... but I had to get rid of the magenta. Reluctantly, I reached for the Pert and called for Charles to help me.

Charles is a good husband. He washed my hair first with the expensive stuff; a second time with Pert; and a third time with clarifying shampoo strong enough to clean your kitchen floor.

My hair was still magenta.

I decided maybe I should check the hairspray bottle for possible warnings. Aha! It said, "Warning: Do not use on bleached hair. May not wash out."

Bleached hair describes half of my head, because I have highlights. I dried my hair and surveyed the damage. It wasn't entirely bad... some girls do this kind of thing on purpose...

I no longer had blonde highlights. Instead, I had light brown hair with beautiful streaks of magenta. It looked like a professional job. Well, except for the magenta part.

By this time, it was 10:30. I was scheduled to work the next day as a substitute teacher!

Did I mention Charles is a good husband? He went to Wal-mart and scoured the hair-coloring isle and got me a nice box of brown to try and cover the magenta. He called me from his cell phone and called out names of different colors.

I asked him how "ash brown" looked on the box. This question was apparently too much. His answer was short and to the point. "Brown," he said.

I said, "All right, that sounds good, just get that one."

I got up early this morning and applied the brown coloring. It looks a lot better; now my hair is a pretty brown color with a purple hue towards the bottom.

Nathan watched my hair all the way to school. He seemed impressed by the way the purple highlights changed hues depending on the amount of sunlight entering my side of the car.

Matthew reassured me that it was nothing to be ashamed of. He said, "After all, no one ever reads the directions."

The Strong-Willed Child

Which one?

That depends.

What day is it?

Is there a child who isn't strong-willed?

Not at my house!

I bought my well-worn copy of The Strong-Willed Child by James Dobson about 10 years ago when my oldest child, Matthew, was four months old. You might be wondering how it is possible at 4 months to discern such a thing about your baby. We knew Matthew was strong-willed about 3 days after he came into the world!

However, strong-willed children can be tricky. Sometimes, they are easy-going... and because they are so pleasant and good-natured; you are completely deceived into thinking your "easy baby" is not strong-willed.

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Nathan was like this. Matthew had been very picky and made his preferences known LOUDLY from birth. On the other hand, nothing really bothered Nathan until he became a toddler and learned the word, "No." Out of nowhere, Nathan's will of steel was laid bare for all to see! Whenever Nathan made a decision, NOTHING changed his mind. He would always consider the cost (whether it be the loss of a privilege or a spanking); and he always decided getting his way was worth ANY consequence!

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Nathan never reconsidered an opinion once he had formed it until after he prayed to receive Christ at age 5. After that, the Holy Spirit changed Nathan's heart and he became a different person... still strong-willed, but more likely to make a stand for good than for anything else. Despite his age at conversion, he is one of the best examples I have ever seen of the influence of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Ephraim was also a little tricky to discern as strong-willed. As a baby, he crumbled anytime we told him "No." I thought to myself, finally one who won't argue with me! Alas, the honeymoon has ended. Now, I never know what he is going to say when I tell him "no" or send him to time-out. Here are a few of my favorites:

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• Don't say no, Mommy! No is a bad word!
• Don't say no, Mommy! No hurts my feelings!
• I can't go to bed. It makes me sick.
• I can't eat my (healthy) food. It makes my tummy sad.
• I can't (you name it, he can't do it). I have to play with my animals.
• Daddy made a bad choice. Daddy told me no. No is a bad word!
• I can't go to time out. Time out makes me sad!
• I can't go to time-out. Mrs Linda (his teacher) said no more time-outs!

There are more, but I can't think of them at the moment.

Being strong-willed doesn't end in the toddler years. I won't go into details because I don't want to embarrass my child; but there are definitely challenges as we approach the "tweenage" years. Parenting is hard work!

My prayer is for my children to take their strong wills and use them for good, as Nathan (the prophet) did when he confronted King David about his affair with Bathsheeba and the murder of her husband. What courage the prophet Nathan had! He stood up for what was right in a postition that could have ended very badly for him.

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A perfect example of how God can use a strong-willed man for good.

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I apologize for any mispelled words and for all of the dashes (-) in this post... "spell-check" and "return" are not working properly on Blogspot at the moment, and I am finding it hard to write and edit without them! Veggie Tales is playing in the background; and somehow, I cannot concentrate well enough to find my mistakes!

A Christian Mom's Review of The Golden Compass and Philip Pullman's Trilogy

I finished reading the trilogy by Philip Pullman, His Dark Materials, several weeks ago. I wanted to take some time for reflection before blogging my review.

The first question on every parent's mind is, "Should I let my child see the movie?" This was definitely my question after receiving various email warnings from people who had not seen the movie or read the book. I decided to read the trilogy rather than see the movie; mainly because seeing The Golden Compass would segue to Matthew reading all three books, anyway. I needed to do my research.

The answer to every parent's question is, No, you should not allow your children to see The Golden Compass. The underlying premise of the story is the idea that original sin does not exist. Satan tempting Eve with the apple is depicted as a good thing; and Satan and all of the other fallen angels are painted as rebels on the side of good. God, on the other hand, is shown as the bad guy... punishing mankind for Eve eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Pullman weaves his story around the idea of God as a weak-minded control freak who sucks the fun out of life with all of His rules.

Pullman doesn't address Christ at all. Well, of course he doesn't mention Jesus. How could he? Mentioning Jesus would unravel the plot.

Anyway, the three books follow the main character, Lyra, and several others as they try to determine which side is actually good (the church and God or the fallen angels and Satan). At the end of the third book, God is destroyed.

I found the trilogy entertaining in a sick kind of way; mainly because I had just finished Beth Moore's Bible study Daniel, which really digs into the prophesies concerning end times. His Dark Materials is like a fun house mirror reflection of Genesis, Daniel, and Revelation all rolled into one. It reminds me of when my children try to explain how something happened and put their own slant on it. (I didn't actually kick him, Mommy. He ran into my foot! I didn't say he was a loser to be mean, Mommy. I was talking about the time he lost when we played that board game, remember?) Through Philip Pullman's stories, I had the feeling I was listening to a rebellious, but very persuasive child, telling his side of the story. It was amazing to see how many different ways Phillip Pullman came up with to dismiss or explain away scripture.

Anyway, children shouldn't see this movie because the trilogy is headed in a direction you don't want to go. Pullman is a gifted author and convincing story-teller. I was grateful for the timing of my last Bible study. Know your scripture before reading this...

As far as explaining to my kids why we wouldn't be seeing the movie; I just told the truth, short and simple. I said, "The books depict God as the bad guy and Satan as the good guy, and in the end God is killed. It's totally unrealistic and goes completely against the Bible." They didn't seem at all interested once they knew the plot. I think it really helped, though, that I read the books before telling them we couldn't see the movie. They knew for sure that I knew what I was talking about.