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

For The Love of Family and Discipline

Thankfully, Micah was able (thanks to Chick-fil-a!!!) to fly in for a long weekend. We still work, wait, and pray for wisdom and guidance. Our time together was sweet and not a moment taken for granted.We even got to attend the crowning of Miss Wilkes Central together. The winner was... my sister Chelsea!!! I was thankful that a girl with such a beautiful heart through the grace of God in her life won. Congratulations!

There are moments in parenting the boys -and in our present situation, I have more of them:)-that I learn something overwhelming and wonderful about God and the way He is a loving Father to me. Because of His grace, He gives me object lessons as I struggle through being a parent that seeks the best for my children. The boys and I have been sick this week. We have also had snow and have locked ourselves inside for the duration of the storm. Last night, I had big plans for us in spite of our circumstances. We have been working on a puzzle and I had selected some fun reading for us. There are always fun things to do on the Wii and Lego houses and Star Wars ships to build as well. But it was clear very early in the evening that I was going to have to discipline the boys. I knew the best way to train their hearts was to send them to bed without doing all the fun stuff. I gave them chance after chance to redeem themselves, but clearly, they were just going to keep taking advantage of the situation, not heed my warnings, and do what they wanted to do instead of what I had asked. My hesitation was selfish; I wanted us to enjoy the time together. I eventually sent them to bed and the minute the words came out of my mouth, they began bargaining with me promising they would do what I had asked. In our house, we follow the rule that obedience takes place the first time an instruction is given, when you have obeyed all the way, and done so with a happy heart. This was an opportunity for me to be consistent in this rule. They cried… actually wailed… and I cried. I had much better things planned for them this evening but because of their choices, all of us were missing out. If they had only trusted me and obeyed they would have been playing and not crying! As I sat on the sofa, listening to them vocalize their sadness, I immediately wondered about all the times I have been disciplined because of my choices and responded in the same way. Proverbs 12:1 admonishes: Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. It is difficult to declare “I love to be disciplined and I do not want to be stupid!”

Obedience is tricky. God first loved me, so I love, obey, and trust that God desires the best for me. I am understanding more and more the dynamics of true obedience in this way as compared to obedience out of guilt, a false sense of righteousness, because I think that in obeying I can get my own way, or trying to pay God back for what He has done for me. When I either don’t obey or my obedience is not out of a heart that loves God and God disciplines me out of love, I many times just feel badly that I didn’t get what I wanted or that something didn’t go as I planned. Even if the consequence is a clear result of my choices, I look for ways to blame God. I have felt that God was sovereignly unresponsive to my cries and glad I was getting what I deserved. As I wept with my boys, I realized very deeply how very wrong I have been. I never thought that He might be enduring with me, hearing my cries, and desiring that the discipline I was receiving would change my heart in the future. He at the same time supplies all I need to continue to have fellowship with Him through Christ and comfort in the midst of anguish through His steadfast love. There is deep love in discipline; far deeper than allowing behavior that will lead ultimately to destruction. I believe I have known these things as truths, but in this particular moment, God allowed me to feel them as I felt for my boys. The writer of Hebrews says it far better than I:

And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. "For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:5-11

The Wood Between the Worlds

"It was the quietest wood you could possibly imagine. There were no birds, no insects, no animals, and no wind. You could almost feel the trees growing. The pool he had just got out of was not the only pool. There were dozens of others- a pool every few yards as far as his eyes could reach. You could almost feel the trees drinking the water up with their roots. This wood was very much alive. When he tried to describe it afterward Digory always said, 'It was a rich place: as rich as plumcake.' The strangest thing was that, almost before he had looked about him, Digory had half forgotten how he had come there."

~C.S. Lewis, The Magician's Nephew

Both in location and in situation, there seem to be several parallels between the place Digory and Polly traveled to which they called "The Wood Between the Worlds" and where the boys and I are right now. Both of us Lewis fans, my mother-in-law and I sat in the kitchen of the home we are staying in and admired the forest out the back doors. I look out the back windows every morning of our "in-between place" and wonder which "pool" our family is going to jump in to and be on our way to our new world.

Can I be honest with you? In the complexities of human experience and eternal truths, there are many times seemingly conflicting ideas. I have never benefited from denying (or trying to) the feelings associated with recognizing the truths. So I ask that as I attempt to speak as truthfully as I can, I ask you to trust that to me the truths are the most important and where I land in light of my feelings. The feelings however are real and a part of the journey as well.

I miss my husband so much! ~ It is refreshing after 12 years in marriage to the same man to ache for his companionship in day to day life. While our present situation is not ideal, it is a gift to be re-acquainted with old feelings of wanting to be with him. ~ I will be so glad when we can have that again and we can be as close to home as we will be this side of eternity. ~ I am so thankful Micah has this opportunity with Chick-fil-a and pray it leads to a permanent position. He has a wonderful opportunity in CA and I am so proud of him and thankful for the way God has bless him in his work. ~ I am thankful for the opportunity for us to really get on the same page when it comes to goals and direction for our family. Not being in the same place has forced us to communicate more about where we are and where we are going. ~ I do not like being by myself at night and the one to have to check the doors, kill all the spiders, etc., etc., etc. ~ I am learning to trust the Lord more with my safety and having to model more earnestly the verses I quote to the boys at night when we all lay down to rest. All the things I know to be true of who God is, His Omnipresence, Omnipotence, His Wisdom, His Goodness- are so comforting and are all that brings me peace.

I am so thankful we have this home to live in right between my parents and his. It is beautiful and comfortable and gives us a place to store our stuff as well. It is a joy to see them so often. The boys have so many people to love on them. It is truly a blessing to have time here, after so many years living in another state, to just travel a few minutes to visit extended family. ~ It is a blessing to be taught daily that we are to hold loosely to the things of this world; even the concept of earthly home. ~ I am having to be a much better time manager here than any other place we have lived due to all the opportunities we have to visit family and friends. I have to be more diligent in putting the convictions of our family into practice more here as well.

I wanted to share a few of my favorite photos from the last three weeks.

The last time we were in "Daddy's Mall" together.

This was the caravan that brought us from PA to NC. We were blessed to have my Dad, Uncle, and Brother to help haul us down the east side of the country.

Travel Day

The NC crew the day before Micah flew out

The 5 Childs Cousins

All the testosterone in my house snuggled together just before bedtime.

I love this one. I snapped it as Micah waved goodbye to the boys and me just before he went through security at the airport. If you were at Charlotte Douglas Airport that day and heard sobs coming from baggage claim, that was probably me:)

I got both boys a haircut soon after we got to NC. Andrew had a much different face during the whole thing. I couldn't resist adding this one of Elijah.

We just celebrated Andrew's 6th birthday this past Tuesday. What a precious gift he is. He asked for Monkey Bread for his birthday breakfast and wanted to wear a tie "like Daddy does" for the special occasion.

Riding a carousel with Mary and Nana

The best parallel between the wood between the worlds and here is that we are certain there is "a very strong sun overhead". We all feel God's protection and provision for us and it feels as warm as it has always been.

When I titled our family blog, Joy In Our Journey, I had no idea at the time just how much "journeying" we would be doing as a family. I thought that the title had spiritual significance for sure but am really taken aback at its literal meaning in our lives. Saturday is moving day. We have been a long way this year and I am feeling the strenuousness of the distance as it draws to a close. This morning, this verse was in the inbox of my email:

This is what the Lord says, ‘Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

Isaiah 43:16,18,19

I wonder if this verse is prophetic for us this year! I know the God made a way for His people as He brought them into the promised land. I feel in a far less dramatic yet parallel way, He is leading us on. He is changing natural life for us as a family. Who knows where we will be next year? Well, we do know Who knows, but we surely don't! We do know that His provision is perfect and care is secure. Blessings to you all as we ring in 2010!