In the playroom

Thunderclap!
“More?” she said…
But I’m not God.

Sweetest scent.
“More?” I said…
But I’m not God.

Childhood books,
“More?” she said…
And so I read.

Material memories,
“More?” I cried.
Fate is suffused.

3 things to say

I
As I bent down to wash off Maia’s messy dinner hands and dinner face, she wrapped her arms around me and spoke beautiful words. She spoke them softly and confidently—although not as if they weren’t a sudden epiphany, “wuv wu”. And I nearly lost it… finishing the clean up through fog filled eyes.

II
…and they all waited for her up on the sidewalk. Kelli unloaded her from the car and sent her up the steps. Then the frenzy began. Her four friends were simply delighted to see her. They all jumped and squealed, running circles around each other. I think child-like faith must look something like that.

III
As I bowed my head to pray with Maia before dinner last night, I heard a strange sound. Suddenly she was speaking a series of “umms” and “um-hums” as I offered thanks for our meal. Wanting to take part in things, Maia has—apparently—learned what it means to “agree in prayer”.

these days

These days she looks at us with searching intensity while we explain to her the nuances of life (the way of discipline or the reason playtime has to wait). And she expresses her delight at the little things with shotgun delivery. “CAR!” “PuzzlePuzzle?” and randomly, while sitting at the dinner table, she’ll point appropriately and exclaim, “MOMmys… DADdys...,” the plural apparently added on just for good measure.

Luther's sanctification

“This life is not righteousness, but growth in righteousness; not health, but healing; not being, but becoming, not rest, but exercise. We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it; the process is not yet finished, but it is going on; this is not the end, but it is the goal; all does not yet gleam with glory, but all is being purified.”
Luther (from: John Theodore Mueller, Christian Dogmatics (1934), p. 389):

self-aware

as her humour develops it becomes increasingly obvious that self-awareness and humour are intimately tied. so it sheds new light (hope) on the shards of teenage angst that are left over in our hearts. self-awareness brings laughter, not just despair.

2007 PCA Mercy Ministry Conference

2007 PCA Mercy Ministry Conference

If you or someone you know wants to attend the 2007 PCA Mercy Ministry Conference but are not able to because you did not sign up early enough, please contact me by leaving a comment on this post. i am registered, but am now not able to attend. however, they are not able to refund my registration and i need to find someone to transfer my registration to!

again, if you would like to attend the 2007 PCA Mercy Ministry Conference, please leave a comment on this post! i would be happy to get in touch with you and help you transfer my registration accordingly.

2007 PCA Mercy Ministry Conference

we're home!

Maia’s supposed to be napping. Instead, she fingers at the bandage on her right hand. Unfettered now, she hovers—just barely—above her crib mattress… too curious to sleep. Rag doll limptitude now suffused by the clear liquid hospital “blood” of medicine. A chuckle escapes from behind the paleness, and her crusted mouth breaks into a grin. Our little girl is back.

Ornery, perky peaks from under a sea of bluewhitegreenyellow blankets… she stalls her nap. “Mommy! Daddy!” she blurts out persuasively. Persuasive, for what she really communicates is, “I’m so cute! Let’s play!” “Mommy will be right back”, I reply…just as convincingly. “Lay down, its time to sleep.” Almost as abruptly as she picked herself up from the crib, she throws herself down. Her sleep needs now wrapped up in one bold mixture of disorder, deprivation and rejuvenation, restful slumber refuses to overstay its welcome (though she is one visitor we would like to do so).

She fingers her bandage again.

Soon she’ll point at that hand to proudly proclaim, “Boo-boo.” And it won’t be long till she’s fingering at her favorite bible again—looking for Jesus’ “boo-boos”. Then, finding them she’ll proudly point and proclaim, “boo-boos!” And, upon further prodding, she’ll kiss Jesus’ boo-boos and say, “dhank-do” (which—translated—means, “Thank you”).