On a lighter note...Shoe Shopping

Two posts in one day? Well, it's raining and Eliora is napping...so sure, why not?

Actually this is about Eliora again...
Yesterday we went shoe shopping. I had bought Eliora some sneakers a while back for $3 (I can't pass up a deal) but there was a reason they were only $3. She wore them twice. Both times she tripped and fell and bruised her lip. The second time it was very puffy and black and blue and I felt very sorry for her. So I decided, no more cheap sneaks, it's off to Kmart we go. So te trekked up the road (it's walking distance on a good day) to Kmart to check out their shoe selection. Eliora is perfectly charming until she sees all the shoes. You can just see the glaze come over her eyes - I WANT THEM ALL!!! She starts grunting and reaching for the shoes. Well, Kmart had a bout 3 choices, all with cartoon characters that I don't know on them and we quickly emerged shoeless.
Have no fear! Wal*Mart is near! So we trekked over to WallyWorld...meanwhile Eliora is getting antsy - kicking her shoes off constantly, but it was cold and so I kept putting them back on her. Well, finally we were at the Wal*Mart stop light and 1/2 way across the road when someone honks - I look up to see a man in a truck waving his hands and pointing back to the sidewalk. There by the curb lies one navy blue buckle shoe...and a victorious smile on Eliora's face like "Ha ha mom, you didn't even know :o)" So back to the sidewalk to wait for the next green light.
Ok so in WalMart there are like a bazillion choices compared to Kmart. Did you ever go shoe shopping with a 1-year-old? Well I had to have her out of the stroller so she could walk in the shoes she tried on. But she didn't want to walk. There was a glittery red pair of buckle shoes that kept pulling her back to the rack. More loud grunting every time I said "no, Eliora, we need sneakers, not sparkly red shoes." Meanwhile there are store associates everywhere - up on those lifter thingys fixing lights, another shoe dept. woman just watching us, i'm not sure why.
Well, we finally picked out a pair of sneakers - white with pink rhinestones on the side (nothing for girls comes without glitter...) and made it out of the store only to get a phone call from Lukas that he'd driven by to see me chase after the shoe and he was the one who had honked! I think next time I'll send him to get the shoes. He'd certainly steer clear of the glitter...

It's All or Nothing

Today I was reading I John passages about not loving the world. One of the cross references was Matthew 6:24, the verse that states you cannot serve both God and "mammon"/money/the world, etc. It's either all for Christ or nothing. It reminded me of a line from a Keith Green song that goes "If you can't come to me every day then don't bother comming at all." WOE! When I first heard that song I was like man, Keith you went a little overboard there didn't you? But if you ever read his biography (No Compromise...by Melody Green) you get the background of that song. Now, he had some wacky theology ideas, don't get me wrong, but in his recognition of the need for the church to get a move on in sanctification he was right on. (though I don't believe he used the word sanctification). You can't have Christ and the world. It's one or the other - all or nothing. There is no room for a little bit of the world - it's like being married and having a boyfriend you only write letters to. HELLO! That would not work....That's not total devotion. And arent' we supposed to Love Christ more than family, too? That's what that line in the song means - it's all or nothing, no middle ground. You can't play the game on the outside and be chasing the world inside.
So why are we so afraid to throw ourselves completely at Christ - total abandonment? Isn't that what salvation is all about? "Deny yourself..." Christ said that a LOT while He was on earth. The Pharisees were playing the game...Judas played the game...and last time I checked they wern't saved in the first place.
So don't be afraid to be abandoned to Christ - He's the Soverign God of the universe! I'm still studying this thing out, but I'm just excited to daily realize there is one thing that is worth chasing after my entire life - holiness...Christ-likeness...sanctification. THAT is what matters more than anything this world has to offer.

Giggles

There is no more joyful sound than Eliora's giggles. When she heads to the dining room table, you know it's giggle time. She likes me or Lukas to chase her around it - she's getting faster by the day! And she giggles uncontrolably the whole time. I only wish I could record it for you, you would certainly smile.
Sometimes she brings such tears of joy to my eyes. This tiny life is in my care and she loves me unquestioningly because I'm her mom. Like right now she's sitting next to me in her high chair eating a grilled-cheese sandwich and broccoli bites. She has cheese all over her face and hands, and every time she looks me in the eye she smiles a huge grin and giggles. She would also LOVE to get her cheese-covered fingers all over the keyboard, too I'm sure!
Last night Lukas and I were sitting on the couch watching her play, when she decided she needed to be on the couch too. Only she is never still, so she had to stand on the couch, then sit, then climb all over the two of us, then stand again, then fall back, then sit, then stand...She giggled uncontrollably the whole time, and so did we.
But now I must go, broccoli is being launched to the floor, each piece that lands getting a victorious grin from Eliora. There goes another!

Contentment

I spent the past week reading through the book of Job. Talk about putting life into perspective! For a month or two now it seemed every day I would read or hear something about having joy no matter what the situation. That true joy is not dependent on circumstances. I think it's finally beginning to sink into my brain. Look at Job - had everything going for him - wife, 10 kids who loved him and each other, riches galore and respected by everyone he knew. He lost it ALL in a matter of minutes - minutes! Yet he sank to his knees and cried out "The Lord gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD." the very next verse says "Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God." Job had no clue why these things were happening to him - in human eyes, it all seemed the ultimate of unfair treatment - but he turned to the Source of strength and blessed the Lord. Wow !
Ok, the other night my dear love went to the bank at the end of the day to cash his check and when he got home $50 was missing. It was too late to go back to the bank and it was Friday...I totally flipped (ok, i'm not much of a flipper, but as much as i can flip, i flipped)...Anyways, there was nothing we could do about it at that moment - the situation was out of our control until tomorrow. About an hour later I had to cry to God for forgiveness because I'd just denied everything I'd been learning - joy not dependent on circumstances. Who cares about $50 when there is a lost and dying world out there!?!? Was I filled with the Spirit - no way, I was wallowing in self. Job lost way more than $50 - he lost 10 children in an instant! Yet his first reaction was to bless God because HE gives and HE takes away.
So I'm learning - and I'm so far from having "arrived." But I'll remember that lesson as I go through the upcoming weeks!

Orange Julius

Tonight I made an entire batch of Orange Julius, put my beautiful daughter to bed at 10 minutes to 6 and drank the entire pitcher full (2 qts., LOTS of sugar) trying to convince myself that I'm not a bad mom and that there are a million others out there just like me.
So I decided to write my contemplations down in a blog - perhaps another mom will read this and say, hey, me too!!
My daughter is a budding almost 14 month old. For the first 6 months of her life she only cried when she was hungry or tired and everyone said I was SO spoiled. But believe me, she is making up for all of that now. She cried, no, half whined, half screamed, from about 4:00 this afternoon, a slight break for supper and back at it until I put her into the bath and then to bed before 6:00! If only she could speak English!!! She didn't want to play with her toys, didn't want to snuggle, didn't want to read or look at pictures. Perhaps she was just tired, but how was I to know? She was breaking the routine - aren't children supposed to LOVE routine? Isn't that what all the parenting books say - Children Love Routine....chapter 2.
So I'm drinking my Orange Julius and hoping my new neighbors understand.
Being a mom is such a blessing and such a challenge. Not once have I regretted it. Though a time or two I've thought of telling Lukas, "hey I'm off to the mall to spend all your hard-earned money on new clothes to make me feel better." But seeing as I'm the frugal one of the family, It's usually been "Hey Love, want some Orange Julius?" He is a wonderful husband, though, and always tells me on days like this that I'm beautiful and doing a wonderful job. He'd tell me that if I was bald and wearing a burlap sack...actually he'd probably think the sack thing was cool and want one himself. Then he reminds me that the most important thing is to be consistent with Eliora and to pray for her constantly.
He sure puts things into perspective. Actually, relying on the Bible, and not myself, puts everything into perspective. That's good, because I'm sure all that Orange Julius is going to add some coushion to my hips tomorrow.
Here's the recipe for anyone who's feelin' the same way:
ORANGE JULIUS
1 6-oz container OJ concentrate
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 t. vanilla
12 ice cubes
Blend all together. Pour into LARGE glass and savor.