Sunday, March 28, 2010

The latter part of March

It's been an interesting month at our house! On March 8th Stephen started with what turned out to be (according to the Dr) Rotovirus. We thought that was over by the 17th but yesterday he started all over again and I'm perplexed as to what may be going on. Since St. Patrick's Day was on the 17th, and we'd not been out for a while because of Stephen, I took the boys down to the Ohio river to see some of the high water and play at the park. They had a wonderful time burning off some extra energy and it was nice to feel spring in the air!





When we got home I decided to officially declare that spring was here and gave them their spring haircuts.

On the 20th was my monthly day off and I decided to go clothes shopping (my least favorite thing to do)to use some birthday money that was designated for that purpose. It just "happened" to be Christopher and Banks "Friends and Family" day 40% off storewide sale and I had a $15 off $30 coupon so I was able to get $158 worth of clothes for a little over $80. That's always happiness! So mom, I did use the money and here are some of the things I got (the jean skirt was a not a purchase that day).






Ahhhh....than about 10:00 that evening "the Party" began.

Daniel started first and an hour after doing laundry and helping him to get settled in with his "party pail"...I joined him. Oh what fun! This stomach flu wasn't the typical 24 hours and you're over it. It was a good week before the nausea went away and my strength started to return. Daniel is still having some nausea. So it was a slow week until Thursday night when Allan joined "the Party" and then Philip came home from school Friday after chapel and joined him. So dear readers, I'm anxious for some of the spring breezes to start blowing through our home! It's time to be well.

Thankfully Philip was able to get on his feet in time to fly to KS for a revival this week. When I talked to him today he seemed to be some better. And interspersed through all of this has been some medical decisions we've been faced with to fix a problem I have. Surgery will be taking place sometime in the next 3-7 weeks and we're praying for a sense of peace about the whole process. Anytime anyone wants to start messing around with my insides I want to remind them they'd better be doing the best A+ job they've ever done! I'll be glad when all the tests, pokes, and Dr's visits are done!

I know what I write on here is very trivial. But this is my "trivial" blog. I do all my serious blogging elsewhere. But I did have an interesting conversation yesterday with the boys about the "Easter bunny." Thus far we've been able to focus on Easter and have totally stayed away from the secular celebration. They've been oblivious to any alternatives. But there was an Easter bunny at Kroger yesterday and they boys were very interested in this odd, white, rabbit who waved at them. So, I sat down when we got home and talked to them about spring, flowers, chicks, chocolate bunnies and colored eggs and how people celebrate spring with all of these things. They wondered if all of these things were wrong and I assured them there was nothing wrong with any of those things. We love God's seasons and spring is particularly a wonderful reminder of the newness God brings to our lives and the beautiful colors are so energizing after the dullness of winter. Candy of course is wonderful (unless you eat too much) and eggs are good for you. But, I told them, many times celebrating spring takes the place of celebrating Easter and asked them to tell me what Easter was all about. They both summarized what Easter is about...God created us to love and serve Him but we've sinned and caused there to be a break in the relationship and because we've sinned we deserve to be punished. But God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to take our punishment so that we wouldn't have to die and we could have a right relationship with God. At Easter we celebrate Jesus' sacrifice and gift of eternal life provided through His resurrection. I explained that for many people in our world, Easter isn't about the awesomeness of the resurrection and how it has changed our lives but rather it's about bunnies and candy and eggs. Allan looked at me and said, "But that's a bunch of baloney! (which is a new phrase he's picked up) and Daniel piped up, "Yeah, that's craziness!" So, I concluded, that's why as a family we don't get all excited about the "Easter bunny" or all of the things that surround him. But we do get excited about Easter! They then tried to pry out of me some of the special things I've been mulling on to celebrate this Easter (they were not successful). But as they went on to play, a deep sadness settled over me. For they are growing up in a world and a country, that has lost all sense of God and right living. Becoming "civilized" and "educated" has meant freeing ourselves from the acknowledgement of(and subsequently obedience to)a Creator who made us and loves us. My children look on at their substitutes and say, it's "baloney" and "craziness" but I couldn't help but wonder how long it will be until their worldviews will be challenged with the same evaluation. I was reminded again, that as their mother, I'm not teaching them to stand on traditions (though some of them have merit) nor empty phraseology. But rather I'm diligently training them the foundational, Biblical, doctrines that have been lived and fought for since the beginning of time. I'm not only teaching them what to live for but what is worth dying for. And certainly this time of year is rich with the resounding message of a God who reached out and continues to reach fallen humanity with the message of hope...HE IS RISEN! May you know and celebrate the freedom we have through faith in Christ this Easter season! HE IS RISEN INDEED!

2 comments:

sarahmfry said...

Oh, Marianne...I love this! It's so neat to hear their reactions.

Kids can handle truth so much better than people realize.

And I did get a chuckle over your party pail....

Praying your surgery goes well. Have a blessed Good Friday.

A Fierce Reality said...

I'm a medical student but interested in writing and would very much want to be a self taught good photographer one day.

Your photos are stunning...keep them coming.

Regards
Harold