What We've Been Up To Lately

Micah and I took Andrew and Elijah (actually the boys and I took Micah) to the Kentucky Book Fair in Frankfort this past Saturday. We had a great time meeting KY authors and looking at their work. I especially enjoyed the photography books displaying the beauty of the Appalachian mountains. Micah had the best time, talking with historians and writers... and OF COURSE looking at all the BOOKS! Speaking of, did I mention that we have moved his library into our precious 900 sq.ft. apartment?!? Where you may ask? Well, everywhere!!!We needed to get them out of our damp storage space and now Micah feels like life as he knows it is normal again.

With an almost five year old a two year old, there aren't many quiet moment unless little ones are sleeping! There are so many funny conversations between the two of them lately. Micah and I just look at each other and laugh and laugh! We recently went to Longhorn Steakhouse for a late lunch/early dinner. The conversation turned to what we were eating. Micah asked Andrew what steak was made from and he quickly answered "cows!". Elijah quickly responded to Andrew's answer stating, "Not cows! Snake!" Our two year old thinks we eat snake. The next question was, naturally, "What animal are fries made from?" of course. Elijah didn't have an answer for that one.

I rented "The Pirates Who Don't do Anything" for the boys and they have been singing the theme song over and over as well as sword fighting with anything sword-worthy... for example, vacuum cleaner hoses, crayons, etc. Really anything will do when you are in a pinch for a sword. Here is a video of Elijah singing the theme song. Enjoy!

We are the pirates who don't do anything.

We just stay home and lay around.

And if you ask us to do anything,

We'll just tell you, we don't do anything!

Today, they are camping in their room. This is one of their favorite things to play, building tents, setting up sleeping bags, etc. Andrew and I just finished home school. Andrew is a great problem-solver. He has much of his mom in him; always believing there is a way to do anything... you just have to take the time to figure it out. He has successfully learned to write his letters up to "K" and is doing great with phonics(with help from Nana); even sounding out a few words and simple sentences. Elijah does phonics right along with us. He speaks with a "w" for a "r" sound, so I especially love when he says, "pa-pa-peaw" instead of "pa-pa-pear". Cute little baby talk seems to fade fast so I intend to enjoy it while it lasts.


Today during art, Andrew drew a great turtle and he wanted to share it with you as well.

Superhero & Princess Night

Chick-fil-a hosted a night for kids and adults to dress up for free food. The boys decided that Peter Pan was a good enough superhero for them! They both looked so cute. They were just disappointed that their costumes didn't also allow them to fly!

True Woman Conference

I was so privileged to be able to attend the True Woman '08 Conference with other ladies from my church this past weekend. I am so appreciative to to Micah for making all the arrangements and for Martha (Nana) and Mary for taking care of Andrew and Elijah while I was gone.

I have thought a lot about how I was going to write about this event. To be honest, I was unaware of the sincerity of the theme until the last day- last morning session. From what I learned from the speakers, back in the 50's there was a similar conference held in Chicago, attended by a number of women who embarked on an organized, militant attempt to show bitterness and anger toward men for the way they had been treated by them in the past. Let me make this first disclaimer- Women asking for equal rights has seemed entirely appropriate to me. I am aware that women were in some ways responding to true abuse at the hand of men that showed contempt for God's design for them as husbands, fathers, etc.. The ways women had defined themselves before this time wasn't necessarily biblical either, focusing on being domestic divas, controlling their husbands in different, less obvious ways. This campaign took on an equally sinful form, thus also skewing God's design for womanhood. I am still having my eyes opened to the results of feminism in my own life. The subtle ways it has shaped my perception of who I think I am is fascinating to me. Anyway, it was a momentous event; 6,000 women embarking on redefining womanhood based on the instruction of God's word.

I thought I might share from each speaker what I took away personally.

John Piper began the conference with a poignant, yet endearing message explaining how wimpy theology makes wimpy women. So much of what Pastor Piper says is worth noting, but I thought I would share his definition of a biblical woman and God's purpose for marriage.

"The ultimate meaning of biblical womanhood is a distinctive calling of God to display His glory and that of His Son in ways that would not be displayed if there were no womanhood."

I thought this simple, back to basics definition was entirely helpful and placed my identity at the center of God's purpose along with biblical manhood. Of course he fleshed this out through the lens of scripture. He then went on to talk about marriage and singleness. It was so good to be reminded that even before man sinned, even before God created anything, He had ordained marriage to show the relationship between His Son and His redeemed church.

I also appreciated many of the other speakers. The things I took away from them were as follows:

from Nancy Leigh DeMoss ~ I was reminded that my life is not my own and that God can be trusted as He knows all things with immeasurable wisdom and is most concerned with making my life a visible picture of grace.

from Mary Kassian ~ that you don't have to look like an ad for Brooks Brothers to be a biblical woman:)... and to be more aware of the ways the feminist movement has infiltrated our culture. Also, she again challenged me, along with Carolyn McCully to define womanhood the way God defines it in His word.

from Karen Loritts ~ to stop listening (my flesh) to myself and start talking (the truth) to myself. This lesson was particularly helpful to me practically!

from Janet Parshall ~ I remembered how much the story of Hannah in the book of 1 Samuel speaks to me in the remarkable testimony of a woman who trusted and honored the Lord above all. I am also reminded that my voice in not far from the ear of the Lord and how He is writing His story upon my whole life.

from Joni Erickson Tada ~ that my soul is not as frail as I would like to think and sometimes the not-so-lovely parts of me have to be painfully chiseled away. Also, I that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, even though my flesh is greatly affected by sin.

I was encouraged that as God "scripts" (Nancy Leigh De Moss) the story of my life and I respond to my lot and portion, may I be found faithful to the calling to honor the Lord in my womanhood by the grace and power of Jesus Christ.

I enjoyed the time I had to spend alone. This was the lake I walked around to get from my hotel to the conference center. It was such a beautiful part of the city. I think the best part of the whole thing was meeting precious women and getting to know them better from my church. The very best part was spending time with Cara!!!

My Great High Priest

A couple of years ago, I was really struggling to find ways to involve myself in more formal opportunities to study God's word. Here lately, the opportunities seem endless! There is one recurring theme that seems to jump out of whatever study I am doing. It has been one of those things that I obviously need to pay attention to. Whether in Exodus, Hebrews, or studying the concept of God's sustaining and sanctifying grace, meditating on Jesus as my Great High Priest has been such an encouragement to me.

Last night during the Presidential debate, there was a statement John McCain made several times in regard to Barack Obama that stuck out. He said many times, "You don't understand". I have thought a lot about the context of his statement, promoting his foreign policy experience over Obama's lack thereof. As I contemplated the validity of this my brain left the Presidential debate and I was again brought back to my study of Hebrews; particularly Hebrews 4:14-16.

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. for we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

It has been comforting and convicting for me lately to allow this to sink in. I have many times used "you don't understand" as an anthem to acquit myself of responsibilities before God in the way I deal with life. I remember thinking it as early as I remember thinking, that I wanted my way over what my parents asked of me because they surely didn't understand me. In school it really seemed to follow me into relationships with friends, as it drew clique-like circles around groups with the same understandings. Later on in life, it has brought sanctification and sometimes pain as trying to understand has seemed more important in maintaining and growing relationships with others.

It offers me much hope to realize that the King of Kings can sympathize with my weaknesses, whatever they are, and is interceding on my behalf in ways even I do not have the capacity to ask for. He is intimately acquainted with and desires the best for me in the most perfect way. My old excuse of "you don't understand" is obliterated in light of His divine human experience and perfect understanding.

Our Weekend

We have had a nice weekend of out-of-the-ordinary activities with the boys. This past Friday night, we took them bowling. They both did great- Andrew was able to hold the ball and launch it toward the pins all on his own! Elijah needed a bit of assistance. He was excited if his ball made it to the pins before the timer shut down our lane!

This evening, we spent two hours on the Ohio river with the staff of Chick-fil-a. Micah's boss treated everyone from both of his stores to desserts and a lovely evening on the Spirit of Jefferson boat. When the boys found out we would be going on a big boat, they were so excited. Andrew asked who would be driving the boat and I answered, "the captain", of course. Suddenly, Elijah's excitement turned to concern. He looked at Micah and I with his big brown eyes and said, "Captain Hook?". After a good laugh we assured him that Captain Hook was not in charge of the boat we would be on. We all enjoyed ourselves; the boys especially enjoyed the dance floor. We're not sure where Elijah has learned this hip-hop pose, but is was certainly a crowd pleaser.

As for a family update, we are taking things one day at a time. As some of you know, Micah decided it was unwise for him to continue school this fall. I am so thankful for him and his dedication to making decisions that are best for our family~ The Lord has blessed that decision so far. The answer to the question of where to go from here, well- We are the Lord's and we are going to continue to pray for the grace and strength to remain in His will, careful to enjoy all the moments of joy we are afforded along the way.

Within the Pain of Departing

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; stuck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life is in You.

~

2 Corinthians 4:7-18

~

In loving memory of Timothy Mark Shumate

December 5, 1967-August 20, 2008

State Fair Time Again!

We spent Monday, August 18 at the fair. The boys waited eagerly after purchasing advance tickets for the day to come. As always, we had a blast. Of course we visited all our favorite exhibits, except for the cows. It was closed this year during the afternoon we were there while the animals we're loaded up to head out. I was not too sad, being that it is by far the smelliest exhibit.

It was fun to see Andrew on the same kiddo-rides at Six Flags, but this year able to ride on his own and Elijah with Daddy.
Micah liked the goats, I liked the decorated cakes (the pork chop sandwich was a close second), and Andrew said he liked his bag of cotton candy. When asked what his favorite thing at the fair was, Elijah said "Da Da dance". You may think at first that Elijah was mistaken, but this year, prompted by oldies from the Newsboys in concert in the evening, Micah did dance. This, friends, is a rarity. I think for all of us, the time we spent at the concert was most enjoyable. The boys had never seen such a display and they responded with delight. I haven't seen the Newsboys since I was a teen. They have as much energy as ever and the drum-off between the drummer and lead singer was certainly memorable.

This is totally unrelated but I had to include this picture. Like many Americans, we are getting so much more sleep now that the Olympics are over! Micah and I would leave the TV on all night and if we were to wake up, we would even watch in the wee hours of the morning. We loved the racing. Here the boys are at the starting line of the Childs 10 yard in our hallway.

What We've Been Up To...

Driving to NC

Meeting Dad, Mom, and Matt for help in the middle of the trip

Seeing baby Caleb for the first time

Outings with extended family

Meals with Abba and Nana

Uplifting conversations with Dustin and Mary

Jars of Clay with Amy

Writing and recording with Matt

Shopping with Chelsea and Mary

Rock Band with them both

Making friends with Toby

Getting out our energy! with Papa and Mimi

Visits with GG and Great-Grandfather

Lunch with Jeff and Cindy, Dinner with Matt and Stacie

Seeing Daddy for the first time in over a week

Another trip to Knoxville, then up to Lexington, then home to Louisville

Summer coming to a close

Beautiful weather

Walks at the park

Racing tricycles in the parking lot

Sitting on the kitchen floor, Elijah in my lap, Watching cookies rise in the oven

Andrew conquering obstacles, Becoming more of a "big boy"

Both boys pretending to be superheros

New bed for Elijah

Adoring glances from Micah

Ice cream sundays with extra cherries

Amid the chaos of life, the sweetest moments arise.

Hopefully you see why I haven't written in a while.

Exciting News

After months of waiting on the Lord to give Micah direction about this fall, we finally have it in the form of a Louisville Cardinal! Micah found out yesterday that he was accepted into Graduate Studies in the History Department at the University of Louisville. Of course the boys and I are so proud of him. He has worked so diligently, especially getting ready for the GRE. He and I plowed through nights of geometry and algebra problems to make sure his math score was sufficient. He plans to focus on American History.

Even though he will be attending U of L, I don't think that either one of us will be able to pull for them over our favorite teams, the Carolina Tarheels and Duke Blue Devils respectively! We all pray that God continues to lead and give us wisdom from this point on. He has only given us reason to believe that He is for us and that He can be trusted.

Ode to Lucky Charms

This blog is really going to seem bizarre to our faithful regular readers. If this is your first time visiting us at joyinourjourney, please go back to previous blogs for more substance:)

With the current demands on our weekly budget, I have been getting more and more creative in how to stretch groceries. Last week, the large boxes of Lucky Charms were on sale and I had a coupon. I couldn't pass up the opportunity for the savings, even though it meant days of early morning sugar rushes. They have whole grain in them too of course! Who are the ones in the house most pleased with my choice? Andrew and Elijah of course!!! They love cereal for breakfast and a cup full for snack. I have to admit, I really like them too. I am most sympathetic to Andrew who wants to eat all the marshmallows first. I taught him quickly that mommy's method involves eating all the cereal first and leaving the marshmallows last!!! Hopefully next weeks sale will involve vitamin/fiber-packed, cardboard-tasting flakes and twigs to get us back on track:(

"Two" Birthdays

This blog may seem a little self-serving, but for me, it is an exercise in thankfulness. There are people on this planet I know who see birthdays as depressing. I must admit that the frequency in which they seem to be happening in my life causes some reflection, but I guess compared to the alternative, to not be celebrating a birthday, would mean that I would no longer be here!

I woke up this morning first to the sound of Micah's alarm and then to he and Andrew bringing me breakfast in bed. Not too long thereafter, I heard the sweet voice of Mom on the phone, then was greeted by Elijah smiling and ready for morning hugs. The remainder of the day was filled with calls from precious friends and family and an intimate celebration with good food and cake. I even had the pleasure of playing Mom-the referee, expert diaper-changer, and snack provider-extraordinaire. Micah was especially conscious to my needs and offered many opportunities for me to relax and feel loved and appreciated. At least for this day, the grace in being given breath and life was in the front of my mind. We spent the end of the day at the park playing baseball. Andrew and Elijah both are hitting the ball with the bat well for their ages. The weather was lovely.

In contrast, I was thinking about the One who made birthdays in Acts 17:24-25:

"The God who made that world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind like and breath and everything. And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward Him and find Him. Yet He is actually not far from each one of us, for 'In Him we live and move and have our being.'"

Just as God made nations to rise and fall, He has given me 29 years of blessings on this earth. And as God is not the created but the Creator, He sustains my life. God is not like "unknown gods" but is faithful and true to His word. I pray I can keep this perspective throughout the next year.

The next morning, we began by waking Elijah quietly singing "Happy Birthday to You!" We had his pictures made that morning as well followed by a trip to ToysRUs. He was a little overwhelmed at all the kid stuff. We had a peaceful rest of the day, with naps for everyone and more cake of course! It was amazing- from the minute Elijah turned two, he seemed more aware and able to communicate more effectively. He added 10-20 new words to his vocabulary and was ready for less of an afternoon nap. Thankfully, he is still just as cuddly and affectionate as ever. I am hoping he doesn't grow out of that soon at all.

Having two birthdays back to back was nice. It made the week fun for all of us!

Summer 2008

I decided I had quite a few Andrew and Elijah fan club-friendly pictures to add to the blog. They have been busy this summer!

This is Andrew and his good friend Faith. Faith likes to dress him up like "Prince Charming".Andrew is very social and loves his friends. I think loyalty is going to be one of his best qualities.

Andrew has been learning to swim. He is really doing well...

Elijah is even doing well but prefers playing around the pool. He jumps to Micah and me fearlessly; just kind of falling happily into the water. He doesn't jump in unless someone is there to catch him, unlike my sister Amy if I remember correctly!!!

Elijah has been doing the funniest thing. I have been encouraging him to use words (now that he knows a few) to tell me what he wants instead of screaming "No!" or, well, just screaming. Instead, he has started acting out things that happen. For instance, the other evening he fell face first in the grass. I didn't see it happen, but he ran to me with a face full of dirt crying. After I asked him what happened, he laid down face first on the floor in front of me to demonstrate. The other people around me thought he was just hilarious, so he kept acting it out for them. He is quite a character!

Here are my boys with friends at a birthday celebration.

Book Review

Tonight, I finished reading the book Escape by Carolyn Jessop. It was a book Micah thought I would enjoy reading. I don't know if enjoy is the word I would use to describe my experience trying to understand the world of FLDS (the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints). I am however glad to have gained some insight on their beliefs as well as those of similar groups. There are two things that were most impressed upon me after finishing the book.

First of all, if a person doesn't see and know the true word of God, there are many many ways to be deceived. I was astounded at the bizarre doctrine that was neither questioned in the least let alone denied by the women in the group; even when it meant severe physical and emotional abuse for themselves as well as their children. I see how each person, from the earliest age is indoctrinated to not question, but still this fact was shocking even on a every-human, general-revelation level. Man can say anything, but God's words do not change and are consistent and true. Just as Eve was deceived, these women are continually deceived, buying into lies and deception to please their husbands enough so they will be allowed into "heaven".

The second is that even though Carolyn, the writer of the book, successfully escapes her abusive, polygamist lifestyle, she finds herself "not shopping for a new god" in the end. It made me very sad; knowing her vision of God has been severely skewed and leads her to a works based salvation. I would love for her to see the God of the Bible who seeks after her and works salvation in and through the finished work of Jesus Christ. She claims to know freedom, but there is no other lasting freedom than this.

Anytime I am made aware of children being abused, it breaks my heart. It always brings me to my knees, praying for mercy for those who are so small, they cannot defend themselves. It is something I think we all have to push out of out minds to find some level of comfort in the world, but the suffering is real and it happens constantly. This book made me deal with this reality head on; ending up in the same posture as before.

In contrast, I am teaching at Lagrange Baptist Church's VBS next week. I studied Jeremiah 36 and was further encouraged to take seriously God's words. I have also been attending a book study at church using Nancy Leigh DeMoss' Lies Women Believe and the Truth the Set Them Free, additionally instructing me to know the word. I guess assuming this is important is a gigantic understatement!!!

No More Stitches!!!

Rainy, stormy day... on the balcony to get some "outside" time.

Andrew's Head Injury Update, etc.

Andrew has been healing well. He goes to the doc today to have his stitches removed! It is amazing how quickly our bodies repair themselves, with the help of skilled docs through God's gracious general revelation:) Here he is with stitches and hopefully I can post soon with a picture of him with out them!
I had to include a picture of Elijah with his new friend, monkey. While we were on vacation, Micah found this monkey the same size and texture as "bear" and thought Elijah needed it. In fact, he needed it so badly, he squealed his tires to make it into the shopping center before they closed. This is very untypical of my husband!!! Nevertheless, monkey is the newest addition to our family and seems to be just as important as bear at this point!


I also have been doing more painting. I thought I would share my latest piece. I did this one for my mother-in-law. It is relaxing and much like good therapy to carefully and sometimes haphazardly put paint on a blank canvas~

Andrew and the ER

We have had company this past week. Micah's brother Matt and his wife Stacie arrived Saturday and stayed with us while they attended the "New Attitude" conference in downtown Louisville.

As the Lord would have it, we would need a couple of extra hands this past Monday evening. I have heard the phrase "You are going to bust your head wide open!" many times growing up and have adopted it myself in warning the boys about rough play and running/jumping/climbing in the house. Monday evening around 6:45, Andrew proved this saying can actually transcend words and become reality. He was running and hit a wall corner in our apartment and busted his head open! Thankfully, after visiting two ERs, consulting with four docs, his head was stitched up around 12:45 a.m.. Andrew was so brave. I remember when he broke his arm being astounded at his ability to stay calm and follow directions despite his pain and uncertainty. Micah and I both as well as the doctors throughout each of these instances have given him clear expectations of what was going to happen. He listens and trusts. It is very convicting for the adults to see a child do this better than they do sometimes! Thank you for your prayers for Andrew. He goes to see a facial surgeon on Monday to see how he is healing.
In every trial, there is so much to be thankful for- The fact that God saw us through it, that it wasn't worse than it was, there were doctors and nurses who knew just what to do to fix it, that Micah and I could be there for Andrew (as we watched a child being brought in from an accident separated from his mother and very frightened), and that Matt and Stacie were her to help care for Elijah. Blessings abound.