Frogs and Other Things

One of the new things we have had to get used to in south Mississippi is the swamp land. As I mentioned in a previous post, we were introduced to the idea that we shared this space with alligators. There are many other creatures that inhabit our surrounding area, though; only a few we are aware of I am sure. We were given an up-close-and-personal look at some of them. There is a pond nearby, but these guys prefer hanging out (literally) at our front door. Our lamp post is a buffet open to amphibians and reptiles from dark to first light. It has been fun to see who is going to show up each night. Some of them even offer us a serenade! It isn't quite like Romeo at your window, but very interesting and enjoyable.

Wait a second... This guy is green and showing his musculature, but it isn't a frog! It is Elijah playing Wii bowling! My mistake~ I just had to get this pic in somewhere;)

In other news, we are moving AGAIN! To another position... to another place... to another chapter of learning, growing, and hopefully ending up somewhere permanently. May God give us the grace and strength to continue our journey "to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31).

Micah's 32nd Birthday

Last night, Micah and I fell asleep on the couch watching TV. Around 2:30 in the morning, I woke up in the -fallen asleep on the couch and now completely stiff- position. I immediately sensed a kiddo sitting at my feet and realized that Elijah was wide awake with his gaze fixed on the glowing box at the other end of the room. After inquiring about his being awake, I realized that he had been watching Divorce Court. "What are you watching?" I asked, as if he had made this choice for himself. "I am watching this show. The show where they win $10,000 was on first and then I watched this!" he explained. I gathered he had been watching at least 40 minutes of television (maybe more?!?)- 35 devoted to Divorce Court. Needless to say, I felt like Mother of the Year! This morning as I was thinking about last nights events, I kept wondering what he could have heard from multiple post nuptial couples bent on publicly humiliating each other on national television. Thankfully, I was reminded of a quote I appreciate so much in Gary Thomas' Sacred Parenting. He speaks to the fact that "none of us can mess up so badly that our children somehow extend beyond the reach of God's mercy." That certainly doesn't mean that I do stupid things on purpose, but I feel encouraged that my inadvertent sharing of entirely inappropriate television falls in that category.

That was the first moment of Micah's 32nd birthday that he will remember. Birthdays are lots of fun at our house. I try to carry on my Mom's tradition of making the cake of the birthday person's choice. Andrew and Elijah really wanted to get Daddy a Star Wars or Iron Man cake, but sensing that these choices served them more than Micah, made him his choice; yellow cupcakes with chocolate frosting. He also really likes these Peanut Butter things... not sure what they're called...

Last night we celebrated with Sushi since tonight, Micah will be spending his birthday evening at Chick-fil-a. He is such a blessing to the boys and I. His diligence at work and presence at home is something I am especially thankful for. There are few men who can do both well and by the grace of God, I happen to be married to one of them.

Before the Oil Arrives

As I sit here and write, the sky outside is a dark grey and the air has the undertone of oil. The smell is a constant reminder of the current situation, even if the coast is out of sight. The atmosphere is calm, but everywhere you look, life is bracing for the inevitable. It is sobering. Knowing the gulf now harbors countless dead animals and fish. Knowing there are so many who starting as early as tomorrow, will not have jobs. The sky says it all. Our view is rather grey. We groan with creation feeling once again the agony of a world not yet redeemed (Rom. 8:18-25).

Just this past week, we traveled to Pensacola, FL and spent a couple of days on the beach. The sand and surf was as beautiful as my best memory of the coast. I have always loved the ocean. There is nothing like seeing the moon rest low against the backdrop of a calm sea and glisten atop the waves. As a little girl, the sound of the waves calmed my soul and lulled me to rest. With two boys to keep up with, I am not sure the waves had the same effect this trip. We had a blast, though.

We weren't completely conscious of the privilege we had been given at the time. It was only in the last day or so that the reality of the disaster has taken affect. But for two days, we collected shells, played in the turquoise waves, and built castles on the white sand. In a week, we probably won't even be able to recognize the same area.

A recent post by Russell Moore speaks clearly about our response to this disaster as believers in the One True and Living God. You can read that here.

Visiting New Orleans

Micah had a free afternoon this past Tuesday and we decided to drive west to New Orleans. He hadn't seen the city since his youth. I had never seen it at all. The drive over was a testimony to man's ingenuity and gifting from a Creator who made him in His image. The bridge over Lake Pontchartrain is about 5 miles long. One of the most obvious things visitors experience is the damage still left by Katrina. The bridges on which we drove were new but the old ones were still visible but obviously demolished. There were many areas that looked abandoned due to the vast devastation the hurricane brought to the coast.

We didn't have a lot of time, but we did see the French Quarter, the New Orleans bank of the Mississippi River, the famous (or infamous) Bourbon Street, and a small part of the Garden District.

We ended up at PF Changs for dinner where the boys closed the trip with a chopstick-drum concert.

Deep South Adventures

There is one route we take regularly that goes right by the gulf. It is far more scenic than the stretch of interstate a few miles north. I don't mind taking more time in a commute to enjoy the views of the water and white sand beaches and the smell of the salty, sea air.

We also found a new park; Gulf Islands National Seashore. I took the boys there recently to play some soccer.

We were informed at the visitor's Center that there are alligators in the park and where exactly to find them. Andrew and Elijah were more than excited about seeing alligators in their natural habitat. As for me, I wouldn't call my reaction "excitement". It felt more like... well... freaking out! They were so disappointed when we didn't "meet an alligator" as Andrew said. I was relieved:)

A fellow CFA Interim shared tickets to a Mississippi Surge Hockey Game with our family. I have learned one thing after attending one hockey game. I am not a fan of hockey games! I am sure there is skill involved, but in my simple mind, I only see disorganization and fighting! Call me crazy, but I guess it is just my ignorant opinion~ I kept thinking, what does Mary Kassian think about this? She is my female theologian hero from Canada who has boys that play hockey. Maybe someday I will understand. For the boys, any place with cotton candy and popcorn is fun!

The most amusing part of the whole thing was the visiting team's box.

There nothing like an old friend to help me feel connectedness to our past. My friend Karen's parents were gracious enough to allow us to visit with her and her children at their home near Mobile. It was fun to get our kiddos together. When Karen and I first met nine years ago, neither of us had any children. We used to plan big dinners and Pendegraph functions for The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary together. Now, we play duck-duck-goose and fly kites with our little balls of energy:)

Easter was day of worshiping our Risen Savior. I know I am a girl and like shopping, but for me, dressing us Easter Sunday morning in new clothes with bright, spring colors exemplifies how Christ has given me new clothes- His clothes. What He accomplished for me in His death and resurrection allow me to be presented to the Father clothed in His righteousness and with a new heart.

Micah is working diligently to make the most of his time here. We continue to wait and pray for contentment in every circumstance.

Trip to Mobile, AL

This past Monday, we visited the U.S.S. Alabama. It was a battleship used in WWII. It was voted by the boys as one of the coolest things they have ever toured.

Andrew and Elijah "operating" the on-deck machine guns.

They allowed us to see all the loading areas for these enormous guns. It was fascinating to see how the artillery made it up several flights and into the barrels.

The boys met this guy on the tour.

The Brig... Just where these two monkeys belong!

They thought the sleeping quarters were fabulous! As for me, I was not sure I could handle such close quarters. I am pretty sure these were the upscale officers' bunks.

This was a program for a worship service in the Chapel. They sometimes held services on deck in good weather. The Hymn was beautiful:

From all that dwell below the skies,

Let the Creator's praise arise;

Let the Redeemer's Name be sung,

Thro' every land, by every tongue.

Eternal are Thy mercies, Lord;

Eternal truth attends Thy word;

Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore

Till suns shall rise and set no more.

Micah's favorite: A Tomcat

We also went inside the U.S.S. Drum; a submarine that completed 14 war patrols from 1942-1946. Claustrophobia, here I come!

They let Andrew and Elijah take her for a spin around the Gulf;)

Some buy the T-Shirt, we buy the hats. Captain Childs and Sailor Childs reporting for duty- running around and playing on all the "military stuff".

At the end of the day, we had some fabulous seafood at "The Original Oyster House". Micah and I loved the fresh seafood and the boys loved the little alligators that sat perched on their kids shrimp and fish.

For more info on the U.S.S. Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, visit http://www.ussalabama.com/.

Mississippi

Micah and I both have already begun to reflect on the past two months. The one thing that is the most obvious is that God truly grew us into being able to cope with all the trials in our situation. It has taken a great deal of trust in His sovereignty over CA and NC (and all the places in between) to make it as well. I am absolutely sure that had we had to have been in this situation years ago, we would have handled it much differently. That doesn't speak well of us, but of God who allowed us to mature toward this task. This quote by Wendell Berry is so true: "It is not from ourselves that we learn to be better than we are."

From the Northeast to the far West, now to South Mississippi, we have seen a good portion of the United States. We moved into our new life for the next few months last week and the best part is that we all feel like a family again! The trip down south was full of "Are we there yet's?" and "Can we watch another movie?" What is funny about this picture is that I had to take several to get one of both boys looking like they were enjoying themselves! In the others, one or both boys were making terrible, scowling faces:) I think maybe I bribed them with candy for this one shot...

New culture, new surroundings, new people. What is interesting, though, is that people, even though they are different, are the same. We have heard a lot of stereotypes about people from the north or from the south or from the city or country, but all things considered, at the core, people are exactly the same. Though it comes out of them with different accents, they all have struggles, preferences, concerns, a history that always lends them to some type of behavior, etc. It is more and more obvious that the fundamental problem is that we need Jesus! All of us in the exact same way. We all need a big God who is in control of life when all seems out of control. We all need Him to be working on our behalf, giving us life and breath and everything else. We need Him to take us off the twisted, steep, thorny path and put us on the straight, well-lit path where He is the ultimate goal. We are either sluggishly navigating our own way or following Him and that- only through graciously sanctified eyes- is clear.

We have never lived so close to the coast! The boys are excited about warmer weather and playing on the beach some while we are here.

These pics are from Biloxi, known for its casinos. Andrew preferred the mini-lighthouse to the ominous buildings.

Our goal no matter where we are is learning to love people where they are in the way we have been loved. I would like to say that this is easy, but it is truly difficult. It is just as difficult as it is for others to love me even on my good days! But our Example is perfect and empowers us to know love and then in turn love others. Of course we are hoping this is just one step closer to God providing Micah with a permanent position with Chick-fil-a. For us, these two goals go hand in hand.

On The Road Again

It is difficult to believe that Micah has accomplished his tasks in CA and we are once again moving! Next opportunity, Mississippi. The best part, we will all be together again. I go to pick him up at the airport on Sunday evening,. If you happen to be at Charlotte-Douglas and hear joyful, celebratory noise coming from baggage claim, it is just our family, thankful to be reunited again.

Please pray for us over the next week as we tie up loose ends and follow the road prepared for us. God has been so good to see us through the past two months and to continue to guide us into a new phase of this journey.

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory, for the sake of Your steadfast love and faithfulness!

Psalm 115:1