A Letter to Josiah

Dear Josiah,

You are my favorite little 3-year-old! You are a bouncy, energetic, snuggling, funny guy.

You love animals, your bear and blankie, digging in the dirt, playing with balls, and eating frosting (although you often leave the rest of the donut/cupcake on your plate).


And the things you love, you love to SAY you love!


"I love Taste of Scandinavia."
"I love bars."
"I do not love those glasses." (when Daddy was picking out new frames)
"I love this cereal."

You are also enthusiastic to praise the day ...

"This is a great day to go for a walk!"
"This is a great day to go to Wednesday Connection!"
"This is a great day to go to the library!"

I love when you are feeling joyful and thankful. We have our struggles putting aside a grumble heart very regularly as well.

You often wake up from your snooze in need of a good snuggle on my lap, and it's a sweet time to read books or just sit and be quiet together. You are certainly an introvert, and when we have too many days of people, people, people, you will sometimes just bury your head in my lap and need to be quiet. And that's just fine.


You're growing each day. You can put on your own Crocs, open the garage door, take the lid off the sand table, and put the silverware in the dishwasher.

Things You Say:


Carrying a big carton of water: "This water is so refreshing. It cools off my heart. Jesus cools off ugly hearts too."

In the car: "Can I put my water bottle in my hold cupper?"

Riding your Strider bike up a big hill: "My legs are getting sleepy."

One of my favorite things is that you recognize the shape of a cross, and when you see one (be it on a church that we are driving by or a small plastic toy), you say (totally unprompted), "That's like Jesus died on the cross!" Yes, my son, and how I pray that the cross will be a central reality for your whole life, remembering that our sins were fully paid for by Jesus, our access to God earned by His perfect record, our hope secure in the promise of life with Him forever.

But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Galatians 6:14

I love you, sweet son.

Momma

Celebration

We've enjoyed the celebration of the 4th of July this week!

Monday  night the boys were thrilled to watch a parade (complete with the huge mosquito float... ??) and gather a fresh bag of candy along with some friends.

Hearkening back about a decade, we partook of "red, white, and blue breakfast," comprised of raspberries, blueberries, and vanilla ice cream. A big hit.

We had a terrific time hosting a picnic lunch, full of a fun crowd of special people. If I counted correctly, there were 55 or so people (including 37 kids!). We were "berry bombed" by the sweet Bodes, who brought two flats of fresh-picked strawberries to surprise us! The lunch tables groaned under all the "pot-blessing" dishes shared by everyone. It was delightful.

Of course, in the mix of things I somehow neglected to capture one single picture of the fun.

Even my flowers seemed particularly bright in honor of the occasion. :)

Before supper, the boys had a refreshing run through the sprinkler.

All in all, much to be thankful for. Most of all, glad for the One who ransomed us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son. Freedom indeed!

Our Story: Meeting and The Long Summer

To start at the beginning of the story, see Our Story: Introductions.  Second installment, see Our Story: Rescued.  Third installment, see Our Story: A Long Wait. Fourth installment, see Our Story: First Sight. Fifth installment, see Our Story: Just a Hint. Sixth installment, see Our Story: What Is Going On?.


The Meeting and The Long Summer
Ben Gives a Call



Two months passed. A painful scramble of no news and hints of interest that kept me on pins and needles.

It was toward the end of May when the phone call came, a voicemail actually.

Would you be free to talk, maybe sometime tomorrow?

Well, sure. (Incidentally, I found that my dad had gotten a phone call a few days earlier himself.)

So, on a Thursday evening before Memorial Day, Ben came to the door, and we walked down a block and over a block to Dunn Bros. I got a decaf white chocolate mocha, which Ben paid for. It sat there mostly undrunk, cooling while we talked.

Ben fiddled with his glass, leaned forward, and said, "You probably already know this, but I'm very attracted to you. I've been talking to David Livingston, so all my wisdom is coming from him. First and foremost, I want this to be based on Jesus Christ. And I'd like to get you know you more."

The conclusion of the conversation: We were officially "friends getting to know one another." And when we got back to the house, he gave me a bouquet of little white flowers.

So began a rather tumultuous and emotionally turbulent summer, for me.

My whole family was actually coming to town a few days after that fateful meeting, so after the Saturday night worship service, Ben drove me in his little black Geo to Baker's Square to meet them all at dinner.

I was pretty giddy and happy there, finally to have some explicit confirmation of interest. But then the other side of me spoke loudly about the impracticality of it all ... It could never work. We are too different.

One evening a few weeks later, four other couples and Ben and I had dinner at the South office. We played round robin ping-pong and hit around a volleyball outside in the rain. Ben was goofy, and I felt conspicuous amongst the other "confirmed couples." The next few days were full of analyzing. I felt like we were from two different worlds--his exotic and far away and full of change and adventure ... and mine stable, focused, disciplined, secure. I felt very far away from him and a little scared at the way forward.

Weeks went by, and I continued conflicted.

We would see each other periodically. Sometimes Ben would seek me out, and I would feel a mixture of excitement and dread. Sometimes we would miss each other, and I would feel agitated and uncertain.

I found myself in the church kitchen one day that summer, mixing up brownie mixes for a big event. The solitude was so calming, and I prayed for God to lay bare my heart, to show me what the motives were behind all this turmoil.

Was it pride, thinking I was better than Ben? Was it fear that I would be thrown from everything known and familiar? Was it legitimate lack of connection? Was it avoiding conflict and not wanting to disappoint him or others?

The sense came to me that I was projecting beyond where today was--trying to find feeling in myself beyond our status, trying to peer into the future and see what would happen in 10 years, if I would be married to a stranger in a strange place. I wasn't waiting for the Lord to unfold His will moment by moment, quiet in His hands, receiving just what He was pleased to give.

I read a little piece from the Word, and a peace fell. I could rest right here, right where we were... officially, friends intentionally getting to know one another. Not more, but not less.

It wasn't the end of the questions, but it steadied my heart through a few more weeks of wrestling.

Highlights of the Past 2+ Weeks

The difficulty of seasons full of sweet and busy activity is that the sweet, busy activity tends to preclude (me, at least) from actually recording what has happened!

So, to briefly catch up on life since graduation ...

We enjoyed Grandma Kay's visit so much, along with lots of lovely time together with our Katterson cousins! It was a special and meaningful gift that she was able to come and celebrate the big milestone of Ben's graduation.

Ben built me a sweet raised garden bed, and I am earnestly seeking to reform from my entire life's track record of killing plants! It has been rather thrilling to see what simple care and God's gifts of sun and rain will grow!

And my cute little gardener helpers are the best.

We had our last week of Sunday school a couple weeks ago. These sweet girls were in my small group, and it was a joy to get to know them through the year. I'm thankful for their friendship!

 

We were able to host 3 camp trainings, a "new 7th graders" open house, and a volunteer appreciation at our home. It's been really great to be able to use the beautiful yard and great big garage for the kinds of hospitality that we dreamed of when we first saw this home. Great and exhausting. :)

For Memorial Day weekend we were able to make a trip to Iowa, which provided a lovely, refreshing break from the busyness and also a chance to celebrate Ben's graduation with my family.

Everybody loved some time with the cousins, and we had a little Elliot birthday celebration as well! On Saturday the girls and kids went to Stringtown Grocery while the guys golfed. And Sunday afternoon Ben and I had a great date! A leisurely lunch and time to chat at Panera, walking through a park, stopping in at Half Price Books, and picking up frozen yogurt for later in the evening.

Big handsome growing boy.

Classic Elliot face...

Our last evening there was a great highlight of picnicking at the Banowetz Christmas tree farm and then shooting off some super cool rockets!

Now we have completed a full week of Ben's new full-time position, and we are amazed by God's grace, enjoying these full and meaningful moments, and looking forward to what the new mercies of our next morning will bring.

Summer Bucket Lists and a Mystery to Seek

It's a warm Sunday afternoon, with the breeze shuffling through treetops out the window. It's a good day, this first Sunday in June, to consider the summer still stretching before us. Grabbing a handful of books off of Ben's office shelf, I scanned through the first couple pages of one of them, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment.

A line (underlined by Ben) caught my eye. As Burroughs unpacks Philippians 4:12, he summarizes the point: That to be well skilled in the mystery of Christian contentment is the duty, glory and excellence of a Christian.

It arrests my attention maybe because of my original plan in hiding out in Ben's study for an hour or two this afternoon ... to make a list of goals for the summer, or at least things to discuss with Ben when we have a few minutes.

Summer Bucket List:

• Daddy dates (and Mommy dates) with the boys
• Explore nearby ice cream shops
• Concerts in the park
• Swimming at Golden Lake Beach
• Sunday picnics after church
• Explore north trails and regional parks
• Check out a county fair
• Family bike rides

Lovely things, really. And I hope we do some (or all) of them.

But this painfully elusive mystery--contentment at all times, whatever may come--strikes me as a helpful, permeating pursuit for the season ahead.

A heart that receives with quiet gratitude what God is pleased to give.

Be it sweet, silly moments making faces with my boys ... or a temper tantrum at the Cub checkout. Restful and refreshing mornings at a coffee shop ... or a middle of the night stomach flu. Peaceful playing at a park ... or stressful, exhausting shepherding through sibling squabbles, defiance, arrogance, and the painful revealing of my own sinful need.

Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.

Yes indeed, growth in the art and mystery of contentment would be a sweet fruit of grace this summer.