Something's missing from this picture of The Wieber family train. Know what it is?
Not what, but who...Reese, of course! Last weekend we took her for her first "train" ride and she loved it. Reese would like to thank her friend Joel for the use of his trailer hammock.
Though Holland was cheerful and excited to ride with Reese, she offered that it might be time for her to graduate from the caboose and ride like a "big girl". We'll see what kind of creative contraption her daddy comes up with this time. :o)
And Liv...not our little girl anymore, had her seat raised a bunch. I thought those legs of hers were getting long! In fact, the other day she came into the kitchen, hands on hips, "perplexed" written on her forehead:
"Somebody's been putting too small of socks in my drawer!"
Her eyes got really big, and an excited grin spread across her cheeks when we told her it wasn't that her socks were small....her feet were just getting bigger!
It's so fun to see life through the eyes of an exploring babe.
Our little Georgia Reese likes to explore, and does so with quiet stealth. When she's not trying to jail-break from her crib, she's turning corners into other rooms by crawling, hiding under our kitchen table, and grabbing Chester's paws. So far, Reese is showing herself to be adventurous, quieter than her sisters (knock on wood), waaay wiggly but super content, and mildly to severely opinionated. :o) Yes, she can go from 0-60 in less than an instant.
It's been a gift--such a gift--to watch her grow with the extra eyes, play skills, and helpful hands of her sisters. It is no small thing to marvel at one of your children--with your children. They love her and will drop everything to protect her. They will shed tears when she does, and will lend a hand when needed. The girls love giving Reesie a bath, helping with diaper changes, stocking the diaper bag, and reading to her as she lays in her crib. Liv's favorite book to read to Reese, would be one about true-life shark attacks. I hope Reese doesn't develop an unnatural fear of sharks. Actually, on second thought, can a fear of sharks be unnatural? Probably not. I think maybe this is for her benefit, then. :o) Read away, Liv, read away.
The discovery of grass is so fun to watch.
First we have the initial shock of something tickly, scratchy, bright green and moving to the time of the wind actually touching her skin. Have you ever thought about how terrifying that is to first eyes?
Her toes are flexed with distaste.
A rush of bravery is embraced, and she timidly grasps the blade of grass. It is here she decides she may actually be okay with this new discovery.
Armed with scrubbers and cleaners, I bend on knees and try blasting the grime away. Elbow grease is just a myth but can exact charm on dirtiness when we pour out.
Two sets of dark and cloudy eyes entered the bathroom where I sat scrubbing away. Three different times I saw those same sets of eyes. Three different times I reasoned. Three different times an apology was forced out. Three different times those eyes left the bathroom in order to try to start anew.
This Monday morning was home to grudgery. This Monday morning was home to unforgiveness and haughty looks. Home to I'm-better-than-you's and at-least-I-don't-do-that's. Finally, this mom gets it, and these girls aren't going to leave their bitterness alone because, it seems, they like to feel this way. They don't, not really, but their flesh does and thrives on this tug-o-war of rights and un-fairness.
Let's pray, I beseech and little one volunteers her sacrifice of words and lays them at His feet. She said sorry for the disobedience and sorry for the meanness and she asked God to take Stinky Attitude out of her heart.
Then it happened.
It was like rain washing off the grime and reek that Mr. Stinky Attitude wiped on her heart. It was like a fresh breeze entered into our little bathroom and gave us new air to breathe and a new chance at redeeming the day. Happiness erupted with that heart scrubbing.
Little one started thanking.
Thank you God for Mummy and thank you God for Daddy and for Grandma and for Uncle Jeff and for my sisters and for...the mumbled list continued long.
And through her tears I heard an upturned smile that couldn't resist her newly softened heart. And she really believed what she said and it transformed her little heart.
Did you hear, 'lil sweetness, what just happened in your prayer?
You became thankful.
It dawned on me that we can ask and ask and ask Stinky Attitude to leave, but it's easier to get him to stay out when we remove his comfortable surroundings. When we scrub away discontent and ungratefulness, he doesn't have a place to feel at home. And the better our hearts are scrubbed, the more out of place Stinky Attitude feels. Gratefulness, we found out, is the key to having a good attitude.
Gratefulness will build beauty and will create a heart home where Stinky Attitude doesn't want to be.
With that, a hug was wrapped around my knees and we rejoiced and made a fresh new start to our Monday.
For the last time, today at least, these 2 sets of eyes went on their way with a new look and a new start.
Looking around at my shower, I began again to scrub away the hardened water, but with renewed fervor, praying for God to do the same in all our hearts.
To see Mr. Stinky Attitude, the beginning, click here.
help me today, as I mother and friend and wife, to not fail. And when I do, thank you for the pardon you give me every time I mess up. Freshly new from your washing grace--forgiven and rebuilt, please give me the wisdom and compassion to forbear with others when they fall down, remembering the me that is daily picked up, brushed off, and loved by You.
These last few weeks have been amazing. Never before have I believed so fully in the power of The Holy Spirit than in these last few weeks. How can I adequately describe what He has done in our very home, our very hearts?
"...And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him. And a certain woman which had an issue of blood 12 years, and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and there was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, when she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague....and he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace and be whole of thy plague. Mark 5:24-35
This passage kept appearing before me. In my daily bible reading with the girls, sent by another in an email, in sermons. I noticed again and again that this lady referred to in the passage had been sick 12 years. 12 years! Just like Brian. It was during this time that I felt a renewed sense of urgency to pray for Brian. Liv felt it, too, when she said resolutely, "We won't stop praying for daddy until he feels better!" Just a couple short weeks later, Brian felt God's hand upon him and has been delivered from the severity of his disease. His worse days now are comparable to his best days before.
Friends, if you had known the heartache we have felt the last 12 years of sickness, pain, near death, hopelessness...the very medical rollercoaster that had been our every day...you would know the relief we feel today.
But silly me, I know you do. You have seen with your eyes, you have prayed with your mouths, you have held with your arms. You have opened the door or phone during devastating times, you have offered words from your heart. You have cooked meals, taken care of pets, nurtured our daughters during hospital overnighters. You have gathered in prayer, embraced in gratitude, thanking God with us for the journey we didn't want, yet tried to be grateful for....because, you see, gratefulness is sometimes the key to being sustained. Yet looking back, we see the refining He had to do in our hearts and our life. We believe in the hope of God. He reminded us throughout the way that we were to look to Him alone and we did feel Him throughout our journey, though admittedly, it was harder to do that during the valleys. Your prayers carried us. Your reminders kept us on track. But never before had we seen such power in His name as we have the last 5 weeks. This has given us new hope, new peace, and a new energy to battle wars.
How does God do that? Take the very blinders off in the most debilitating moments? Give new legs, new eyes, new wisdom, a new song, even? How does He, in less than even an instant, restore all hope and peace? I'll tell you how--He is The Only God. The Creator of Our Universe. Our Father. Almighty. Prince of Peace.
God has done and is doing amazing things in our family. We have witnessed His healing hand and we are overjoyed at Brian's improved health. :O) We wanted to praise God for all He has done, and thank you dear friends, for your past and continued prayers. God does indeed hear them! And even this new understanding of His holiness, is so small compared to how holy He really is...to God be all glory and power.
And the moment erupted into laughter silly, discovered laughter and I shall never forget the gleam and I shall not forget the twinkle and the way it made my wide cheeks hurt and how the air sang peaceful and how my heart smiled that day we sat still and rested, basking in happy together -jw, 2010 Did you know it's National Poetry Month? I didn't either, but my friend Jennifer let me in on the secret. Hop on the poetry bandwagon and share your own!
Jesus departed from our sight that he might return to our heart. He departed, and behold, he is here.
Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430)
White, plain eggs. Like our life, without Jesus.
Brightly dyed with beauty. Like our life with Jesus.
Hidden in tall grass, behind lanky trees, under dense bushes, behind a rock. To find.
And find they do, with shouts of glee.
Hope restored in tiny hearts as an egg is finally found.
Jesus, hidden away in a tomb, behind a rock--grieved for dead--returned to life and heaven on the third day. The disciples weeping with joy at seeing Jesus--again! Hope restored as they realize that Jesus is not dead--at all!
May all your Easter adventures find yourselves in awe of the ultimate gift: eternal life.
