Before Christmas, our neighbors across the street surprised us with all-day ride passes to Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America--not just for us but for Ben's brother and their kids as well!
So at last this Friday was our day for the adventure. It was the first experience of its kind for our boys, and they both had loads of fun! And it was very special enjoying the cousins at such an exciting place.
Thankful for such a generous gift and special time!
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Saturday, February 20, 2016
On Romans 8:38-39
God is sovereign over death.
The moment the cord is broken is never accidental, whether it comes by a long-fought battle with cancer, a freak accident, a ferocious attack, miscarriage, or sweet, silent sleeping into eternity.
God is sovereign over life.
He governs the womb, can close it or open it (even at 90 years old), chooses the moment of new life, weaves every strand of DNA together, sets each family in place with the shape, color, and combination of people He desires. He can preserve life at no effort or expenditure of labor, regardless of any human diagnosis. Near-death experiences are not near anything to Him. Life expectancy is a merely human notion.
God is sovereign over angels.
They do His bidding absolutely and always. They are the mighty ones who do His work, obeying the voice of His word. All the hosts in all places of His dominion are fully under His control. They are ministering spirits, who do what He sends them to do.
God is sovereign over demons.
The enemy forces are strong and thick. They manipulate human hearts and plant lies. They wreak deception, death, and destruction. But if He determines it is time for them to leave a place, they will go. If they would desire something otherwise, they must implore Him (and perhaps He will mercifully send them into a herd of pigs, but only if He so desires).
God is sovereign over the present.
Look around you, at the combination of struggles, pleasures, personalities, gifts, and limitations you experience right now. God has set you in this place. He determines the red lights we hit, the flu virus picked up on a cart handle, the moment of sweetness in a toddler, the pile of dirty dishes that ceaselessly advances, the computer glitches, the pot of hot coffee, the food in the fridge, the pants that are getting a bit too tight.
God is sovereign over the future.
Our imaginations can paint a million pictures of what tomorrow may bring: horrific nightmares of all that could befall us and empty daydreams of how it will go if we have things our way. But our story is written in God's book already. He knows the precise turn of plot that we will face. No experience or struggle will catch Him off guard. No difficulty will come without its predetermined grace and purpose. There are new mercies for each morning, and He knows and holds them all for precisely the right moment.
God is sovereign over all powers.
The manipulations of a boss, the eye of a hurricane, the empty promises of a politician, the repentance of a spouse, the tide that pulls you under or sends you back to shore, the dripping water that slowly erodes, the forces that swirl around us, so far beyond our ability to control or even understand. They are each in His hand. No wind blows except at His bidding. The clouds are the dust of His feet.
God is sovereign over height.
The space shuttle that exploded, the plane that soars, the stars that dance in unfathomable space, the lofty plans of aspiration and ambition, the day when everything just goes right.
God is sovereign over depth.
The secret fish at the bottom of the ocean, the pit of despair you can't even imagine crawling out of, the lost treasure that slowly rusts away from any human eye, the crushed and heart-broken.
God is sovereign over every created thing.
Did something get missed? God is sovereign over it. If it exists, and He made it, then it falls within His realm of authority. The tiniest molecule and cosmic expanses.
And you, the movements of your heart, the secret longings, hidden sins, ability to hunger and thirst after what is good or what is evil. All is in His hand.
And if God is indeed sovereign over all that, then none of it can intervene with His determination to love those whom He has chosen.
The moment the cord is broken is never accidental, whether it comes by a long-fought battle with cancer, a freak accident, a ferocious attack, miscarriage, or sweet, silent sleeping into eternity.
God is sovereign over life.
He governs the womb, can close it or open it (even at 90 years old), chooses the moment of new life, weaves every strand of DNA together, sets each family in place with the shape, color, and combination of people He desires. He can preserve life at no effort or expenditure of labor, regardless of any human diagnosis. Near-death experiences are not near anything to Him. Life expectancy is a merely human notion.
God is sovereign over angels.
They do His bidding absolutely and always. They are the mighty ones who do His work, obeying the voice of His word. All the hosts in all places of His dominion are fully under His control. They are ministering spirits, who do what He sends them to do.
God is sovereign over demons.
The enemy forces are strong and thick. They manipulate human hearts and plant lies. They wreak deception, death, and destruction. But if He determines it is time for them to leave a place, they will go. If they would desire something otherwise, they must implore Him (and perhaps He will mercifully send them into a herd of pigs, but only if He so desires).
God is sovereign over the present.
Look around you, at the combination of struggles, pleasures, personalities, gifts, and limitations you experience right now. God has set you in this place. He determines the red lights we hit, the flu virus picked up on a cart handle, the moment of sweetness in a toddler, the pile of dirty dishes that ceaselessly advances, the computer glitches, the pot of hot coffee, the food in the fridge, the pants that are getting a bit too tight.
God is sovereign over the future.
Our imaginations can paint a million pictures of what tomorrow may bring: horrific nightmares of all that could befall us and empty daydreams of how it will go if we have things our way. But our story is written in God's book already. He knows the precise turn of plot that we will face. No experience or struggle will catch Him off guard. No difficulty will come without its predetermined grace and purpose. There are new mercies for each morning, and He knows and holds them all for precisely the right moment.
God is sovereign over all powers.
The manipulations of a boss, the eye of a hurricane, the empty promises of a politician, the repentance of a spouse, the tide that pulls you under or sends you back to shore, the dripping water that slowly erodes, the forces that swirl around us, so far beyond our ability to control or even understand. They are each in His hand. No wind blows except at His bidding. The clouds are the dust of His feet.
God is sovereign over height.
The space shuttle that exploded, the plane that soars, the stars that dance in unfathomable space, the lofty plans of aspiration and ambition, the day when everything just goes right.
God is sovereign over depth.
The secret fish at the bottom of the ocean, the pit of despair you can't even imagine crawling out of, the lost treasure that slowly rusts away from any human eye, the crushed and heart-broken.
God is sovereign over every created thing.
Did something get missed? God is sovereign over it. If it exists, and He made it, then it falls within His realm of authority. The tiniest molecule and cosmic expanses.
And you, the movements of your heart, the secret longings, hidden sins, ability to hunger and thirst after what is good or what is evil. All is in His hand.
And if God is indeed sovereign over all that, then none of it can intervene with His determination to love those whom He has chosen.
Sunday, February 14, 2016
To My Valentine
Dear Benjamin,
"All acts of love done in faith are small pictures of the gospel" (Miller, The Loving Life, 41).
You apologized somewhat sheepishly last night that you didn't have anything to give me today (but you're planning a dinner out next weekend).
But you were wrong.
You have given me many gifts today. Gifts that were costly, sacrificial, and uniquely fit to my needs.
Thank you for being on "wake-up duty," being the first smile and hug for our boys this morning, reading them their Bible story, getting them dressed for church, feeding them bananas.
Thank you for starting the car early, so it would be warm and ready to go to church.
Thank you for laboring to make the Sunday dash out the door as smooth and peaceful as possible... wrestling shoes onto wiggling feet, hats onto heads, mittens onto fingers, buckles on carseats, kisses on noses.
Thank you for praying as we drove, for asking God's help that we would each hear from Him and seek Him today.
Thank you for worshiping in spirit and in truth as we sang in church, for helping our big boy sit quietly, for giving him paper and pencils when he got fidgety, for escorting him up to his Sunday school classroom.
Thank you for holding my hand while we drove home, for sharing about your ministry (amid excited interruptions from the backseat), and for helping everyone get settled for naps.
"When I was explaining to a man I was discipling how death is the center of love, he recoiled from the thought. Then he laughed and said, 'Loving my wife with a dying love is like asking me to drown myself in a bowl of water on the kitchen table.' To put energy into the dying of self feels lousy. That is one of the many feelings of authentic love" (The Loving Life, 42).
Thank you for picking up your cross daily and following Jesus. Thank you for dying to self to love me.
Happy Valentine's Day.
I love you.
"All acts of love done in faith are small pictures of the gospel" (Miller, The Loving Life, 41).
You apologized somewhat sheepishly last night that you didn't have anything to give me today (but you're planning a dinner out next weekend).
But you were wrong.
You have given me many gifts today. Gifts that were costly, sacrificial, and uniquely fit to my needs.
Thank you for being on "wake-up duty," being the first smile and hug for our boys this morning, reading them their Bible story, getting them dressed for church, feeding them bananas.
Thank you for starting the car early, so it would be warm and ready to go to church.
Thank you for laboring to make the Sunday dash out the door as smooth and peaceful as possible... wrestling shoes onto wiggling feet, hats onto heads, mittens onto fingers, buckles on carseats, kisses on noses.
Thank you for praying as we drove, for asking God's help that we would each hear from Him and seek Him today.
Thank you for worshiping in spirit and in truth as we sang in church, for helping our big boy sit quietly, for giving him paper and pencils when he got fidgety, for escorting him up to his Sunday school classroom.
Thank you for holding my hand while we drove home, for sharing about your ministry (amid excited interruptions from the backseat), and for helping everyone get settled for naps.
"When I was explaining to a man I was discipling how death is the center of love, he recoiled from the thought. Then he laughed and said, 'Loving my wife with a dying love is like asking me to drown myself in a bowl of water on the kitchen table.' To put energy into the dying of self feels lousy. That is one of the many feelings of authentic love" (The Loving Life, 42).
Thank you for picking up your cross daily and following Jesus. Thank you for dying to self to love me.
Happy Valentine's Day.
I love you.
Friday, February 12, 2016
Wuv, Twue Wuv
Thought for today:
She may say, "I used to be so energetic, but all these people take, take, take from me and now I have no time to just be me!" And the world gathers around and comforts her and says she needs some time to follow her dreams.But the Christian woman needs to see, "I used to be so boring! Now my character has some depth, some people to love, some hardships to bear. Now I have some material to work with." (Loving the Little Years, Jankovic, p. 61)
In anticipation of Valentine's Day, how thankful I am for the noise, the mess, the unrelenting needs, the general challenge and gift it is to have people in my life (in fact, in my very home), who are precious instruments of grace and growth to me.
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Victor's Birthday
Before it totally escapes my memory, here are a few pictures from celebrating Victor's birthday (a month and a day ago).
Fun celebrating at McDonalds with the Kattersons
Many special moments and special people!
A fun, early celebration in Iowa
Grammy made chocolate chip cookie dough stuffed cupcakes!
Fun celebrating at McDonalds with the Kattersons
We had two special friends come for lunch
And Pop-Pop and Mr. Kevin were able to come for supper!
Many special moments and special people!
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Gallery Wall
Tonight, at long last, our living room wall is complete. Those of you with a discriminating eye (i.e. anyone) will notice that the writing on the canvases is ... very homemade. And everything is not as straight and symmetrical as it could be. And it may be evident that my motto regarding this wall has been, "I don't care! I just want something up on the wall!"
Idiosyncrasies aside, in the life of this Katterson family, it is a happy moment. :)
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Missing Daddy
It was Youth Retreat weekend, and so we were Daddy-less. Made it through by the skin of our teeth.
Counting down the minutes til he's home again!
To help pass the time, we ran Stuffed Animal Races, made an obstacle course, threw cotton balls down the stairs, made marshmallow-and-toothpick creations, threw wadded up foil and newspaper balls, and played at the neighbors.
Meals included chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and Mickey-D's.
Now, how bout you don't go away overnight ever again?
Or at least not til Summer Camp?
Love you, hon.
Counting down the minutes til he's home again!
To help pass the time, we ran Stuffed Animal Races, made an obstacle course, threw cotton balls down the stairs, made marshmallow-and-toothpick creations, threw wadded up foil and newspaper balls, and played at the neighbors.
Meals included chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and Mickey-D's.
We made Snow Ice Cream (with blue sprinkles).
The snow is getting a little iffy for eating, but the boys were promised, and they certainly enjoyed!
Cinnamon rolls and smoothies for breakfast.
A little reading together while Mom got ready for church.
Now, how bout you don't go away overnight ever again?
Or at least not til Summer Camp?
Love you, hon.
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