T-Rex Temptation

Sunday night is pizza night for the Early family. Last night as we drove to Giordano’s, the subject of stranger danger came up. Brandon and I took turns giving Owen different scenarios that could be dangerous.

What if someone asked you to get in their car because they have some candy?

What if someone asked you to help him look for his lost puppy?

What if someone told you they were going to take you to your mom and dad?

Owen was passing all our tests with flying colors. He knew the right answer . . . say no, run away and tell a trusted adult. Brandon decided to throw in one last test of Owen’s resolve.

What if someone said they were going to take you to see a real live t-rex dinosaur?

A short pause . . . “grrrrrrrr.” In an extremely sad and dejected voice Owen replied, “I would say no . . . but I would really want to see the live t-rex!”

I know it was really hard for Owen to say no. Unfortunately, we have a crafty enemy who is able to tempt us right where it hurts. That is why I am so thankful for the truth of 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

Seeking

Today the boys and I did a devotion about Elijah helping a widow. I asked Owen if he knew what a widow was. He didn’t. I explained that a widow is a woman whose husband has died. He pondered this for a moment and then asked, “Since Joshua was the son of “none” does that mean he was a widow boy?” After explaining that Nun was actually the name of Joshua’s father, I gave Owen a big hug and thanked him for asking such a great question. This little guy is a thinker! I love that my kids think about what they are learning and ask really good questions. Their good questions not only spur me on to continue growing and learning, but also remind me that I need to be seeking after God with all my heart.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

One Word

One word. I like this option over a New Year's resolution. The first time I ever heard this idea was from a friend at my church. She decided to choose one word as her own personal spiritual theme for the year. Now, the Christian radio station I listen to is following suite. What is one word that encompasses my desire for this new year? Although I've pondered it for a few weeks, there is really only one word that has come to mind. Move. Spiritually speaking, I want to move. I want to have the courage and boldness to do what God asks me to do. I want to accomplish the good works he has prepared in advance for me to do. I want to put feet to my faith. Move.

I know there is a season for everything. Right now, I believe I'm exiting a season of mourning. I flipped to Ecclesiastes in my Bible to find the verses that express this truth. Ecclesiastes 3:2-8 pairs the various seasons by placing opposites together. So as I depart my mourning, where am I headed? Dancing. If you look up the definition of dancing, guess what word you will find? Move. Dictionary.com defines dancing like this: to move one's feet or body, or both, rhythmically in a pattern of steps, esp. to the accompaniment of music. I can just picture Jesus smiling at me, extending his hand, and saying, "May I have this dance?"

God, move my feet, move my body, direct my steps all for your great glory. Amen.

"Me, Myself, & Bob"

I have gained a real appreciation for biographies and autobiographies lately. Knowing this, my mom purchased "Me, Myself, & Bob" by Phil Vischer as a Christmas gift for me. I loved this book! While reading it, I was constantly telling anyone who would listen everything I was learning. I wish I could sum it all up or give you a quick summary, but I can't. All I can say is that I loved this book and would highly recommend it to anyone.

This Little Light of Mine . . .

I recently began volunteering in Owen's kindergarten classroom. I head to the school once a week for about an hour. I love getting to see his teacher in action and meeting the other kids in his class.

The teacher was giving the students some instructions today so I had a few minutes to look around the room. I noticed a large piece of paper hanging on the wall. The top of the paper said . . . "Ways that baby animals are the same . . ." Under this heading, the teacher had written the responses given by each student in the classroom. I scanned the page and found Owen's name and response . . . "With the help of Jesus."

Owen is shining the light of Jesus in a place that I can not shine. As his mom I am proud of him and humbled at the same time. How am I doing? Do I shine where God has me? I pray that "with the help of Jesus" I can shine like my 5 year old did today.

One Sentence Updates

Too busy living life to write it all down. Here are the highlights . . .

Brandon: The fun dad with lots of youth ministry plans.

Owen: The inquisitive learner who likes to talk a lot.

Miles: The potty-trained boy who makes us laugh.

Me: The blessed mom who is trying to take it all in.

More Random Pictures

Getting ready to visit GGs (Great Grandparents). Yes, it is still summertime in the Midwest. Probably reached high 80s this particular day. I believe he kept all this on for most of the 1-hour van ride.

There has got to be a better way to slice boneless chicken breasts in half. I was actually laughing out loud in the kitchen as I butchered these poor things.

We visited Madison zoo this week. I was hoping to show the boys a camel. We are getting ready to talk about the Israelites in Egypt during our devotion time. A camel would have been a great object lesson. Unfortunately, the camels were in the middle of the construction zone. Are penguins in the Bible anywhere?

When asked what he was most excited to see at the zoo, Miles said "dinosaurs!" Fortunately, there was a little dinosaur graveyard in the play area. That seemed to please the little guy!

This picture cracks me up!

We weren't able to see any camels, but the boys did get a mini-lesson on giraffes. We discussed how they fit into the ark!

We talked about Jacob's 12 sons this week. This will come in handy for future lessons as we talk about the 12 tribes and the Israelites. We didn't discuss the multiple mother situation at this point. We'll save that for another time:-)

Owen absolutely loves his Joseph coat. He wore it to Giordano's Pizza the other day and modeled it for the garbage man as well!

Me and the hubs heading off to a wedding. We will be celebrating 10 years of marriage on August 12th!