Memorial Day is never boring, there are usually thunderstorms, metal chairs being slammed together, someone getting hurt playing volleyball or the kid with the super-soaker that just won't stick to the fields.  This year was no different.  First I spend the morning trying to get it together with three kids, making a picnic lunch and packing extra clothes for everyone.  My wonderful mother-in-law kept the babies for a few hours so that we could go to the park and actually eat the lunch I made.  But not long after I arrived I noticed the strange rash that started on my legs that morning was spreading all over my arms and down to my feet.  I thought I had eaten too many tomatoes earlier that day, but Colleen and Crystal confirmed that I had Fifths Disease.  Colleen knew because she had it when she was in her twenties, and Crystal just knows.  A week earlier I had a fever and bad head cold and my joints hurt so bad.  Well, these are the classic symptoms of Fifths Disease in an adult.  As a child, the rash shows up on the face and is called Slap-Cheek.  Well, Rachel tells me, "Bye Funky!"  So I knew I needed to go home.  I took the twins with me so Lydia could play at the park.  We were home for a few hours when I realize the babies had locked themselves in their bedroom.  I thought I was going to stay calm and open the door with the little key over the doorjamb.  Yeah right.  When I couldn't get that to work, I unscrewed their door knob hoping to get a better shot at the lock.  Well, I still couldn't get it and in the process the other side of the door knob fell into their room!  The lock was still in place though, so now I really panicked!  I called Matthew hoping he was at home, but he wasn't.  But he gave the phone to Aaron and I told him to come home ASAP.  I look through the hole in the door and see Elijah standing on the changing table, same table he jumped on last week and broke through a big hole!  I had gotten down a bag of keepsake clothes that morning and he was throwing those clothes piece by piece around the room.  Then he went to the wipes which he threw one by one around the room also.  Emily was trying to get that silly door knob back in place the whole time.  I tell you she's a master-mind!  Aaron got there and he wasn't sure what to do, so he goes to the source of all knowledge, the Internet, to try and find a fix.  Then I had the idea to take the doorknob off of Lydia's door and stick in the part with the lock on it and presto, I was able to open the door.  "Hi Mommy"  They were fine, but their room was a wreck.  What else is new with twins, right?  So, I will remember this Memorial Day for a long time, especially when I think I want more kids!!!

I had this song on my heart this morning.  It came out when I was graduating from college and it was my song to my mom and dad for all they contributed to me.  Kind of cheesy, I know, but it is how I feel about them. 

 

by Natalie Merchant

 

You've been so kind and generous, I don't know how you keep on giving
For your kindness I'm in debt to you
For your selflessness, my admiration
For everything you've done, you know I'm bound, I'm bound to
thank you for it....

You've been so kind and generous, I don't know how you keep on giving
For your kindness I'm in debt to you
And I never could have come this far without you
For everything you've done, you know I'm bound, I'm bound to
thank you for it....

Oh, I want to thank you for so many gifts you gave with love and tenderness,
I wanna thank you
I want to thank you for your generosity, the love and the honesty that you gave me
I want to thank you, show my gratitude, my love and my respect for you,
I wanna thank you

Oh I want to thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you, thank you...

 

Every month when I come across this proverb it makes me smile, then it makes me think, "Yeah, that's true!"  It is Proverbs 13:8

 

 

If you have nothing, you probably don't need a security system.  And this morning I was thinking about the scripture in Isaiah that says "to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word."  So if I haven't tried to puff myself up as "something" then no one can steal it from me.  I've had a long standing struggle with identity.  When in college I was the 4.0, then I was a wife, accountant and then a CPA.  Then I became a mother and thought that all my struggles with identity would end, because now I was what God really intended me to be. I am not being sarcastic, I really thought this.  When I realized that my primary identity is Child of God, and that those other roles flow much more beautifully when I have that right, I got some measure of peace about who I am.  Because the more exposure I have in the world, the more things that make me important, the more I have to lose.  But I can't lose the love of the Father.  As I said, nothing can separate me from the love of God.  It is beautiful to me. 

 

Happy Mothers Day to all the mommies out there.  God bless you today!

Romans 8:35-39

 

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

 

Nor someone's opinion regarding the state of my salvation.

Well, the twins can get out of the cage now!  In a blink they go from safely watching Barney and playing with toys to wandering around the house looking for havoc to wreck!  LOL  I remember Debbie saying when Philip and Nathan started walking until about maybe 5 years old, it was tough.  Excuse me, until they were FIVE!  Then she said it KIND OF got better around 5.  I also have no peace when they are in their cribs.  The other morning they slept late I and I kept waiting to hear them making noise to let me know when they were ready to get up.  I never heard them until their bedroom door opened and Emily walked out saying, "Hi Mommy!"  I went in their room and Elijah was on the crib like it was a horse and saw me and said, "Momma?" like he wasn't sure what to do next.  Whew!  But seriously, I am so thankful for healthy kids.  When I came home from the benefit on Saturday I just looked at my kids and cried with appreciation for them and my life.  I thought of Chris Odem and what she would give to be here with her girls, running around after them, playing with them and even cleaning up after them.  I remember a quote I read once that said to praise God for every "average" day.  We are really very blessed.

 

I have had this thought running through my mind since a week or so ago.  (Yes, just one.)  I read in John 12 about after Lazarus was raised from the dead in verses 9-11

 

Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him." 

 

I never noticed before that the chief priests wanted to kill Lazarus too.  What struck me was how the miracle performed in Lazarus' life caused people to put their faith in Jesus, not Lazarus.  This is the purpose for the miracles done in our lives too.  All things are for the glory of God.  Lazarus being raised is probably the most dramatic miracle that can happen, yet the subtle miracles that happen in our lives can have the same effect.  I remember finding Sis. Becky's poem about the mountain when I was at such a pivotal time at age 17.  It talks about her attitude toward the circumstances of her life going from shrinking back and wanting to run, to choosing the mountain because of what it produced in her life.  At least that is what I remember from it.  That change in mindset is every much a miracle as Lazarus being raised.  How often our circumstances have the potential of making us bitter, angry and feeling justified in whatever we do.  But when the Spirit of the Lord saturates those same circumstances, they can transform us into the fullness of the stature of Jesus Christ.  Praise God! 

 

Well, the "freedom" twins are playing tug-of-war with the TV remote and I've got to make dinner now.  God bless.