My Potatos Are Sprouting

Both kids are sleeping and I have about an hour to do WHATEVER I want. This is pretty much what goes through my head:

"I think I'll shower.

Nah, maybe I should sweep the kitchen and clean the bathroom.

Well, maybe I could read a book, make a craft, catch up with someone I haven't in a while.

Take a nap?

(Pause to check Facebook for a minute. Be inspired by all the amazing accomplishments my friends are posting about).

Maybe I should write a book.

RIGHT.

(Inspirational song plays in the background).

My heart is overflowing and my mind can't keep up. Maybe I should blog about that."

Nevermind that it's been since 2012.

That's right. Over a year and a half since my last post. Part of me assumes no one will remember I ever did blog, and that's ok. It's therapeutic and helps me capture important things when I have time to type them up. The other part of me hopes someone reads it and something resonates. Today is a special day.

My heart is quite happy today, so the dew that threaten the back of my lids and forms a lump at the back of my throat stems from immense gratitude and humility for the gift God has given me. Make that plural. GiftS.

I often refer to them as E and M. Babyson and Babysis. Sweetness and Princess. You may know them as Elliot and Myla. Maybe you haven't seen a recent picture (I only post hundreds more than anyone other than Grandparents wish to see)?

Just in case.

Mr. "Ee Ee" (as He refers to himself)

 

Miss Myla

 

 

 

 

These two overwhelm me. Daily.

 

Such amazing gifts. I have never been as at peace in my life as I am now. Here in this trench of daily teaching, training, loving, feeding, guiding, watching, learning, struggling, praying. I will attempt to explain in brief below as I race against the ticking clock.

 

It's a whirlwind from the moment I get up. Babyson's voice floats over the monitor, tickling my ears and waking me out of a comfortable rest. "How much can I get done before he actually needs out?"

 

Dress. Brush teeth. Make bed. Open windows. Let's get him.

 

From there, more moments than I can share, up to this very one. Moments stacked until my eyes can't hold the grati-tears back.

 

+Watching Elliot feel so proud that he could help by rinsing sisters feet during her bath, and putting her paci back in her mouth when she cried

 

+Encouraging toddler conversations with him by acknowledging that I understand his version of English

 

+Soaking up the coos and gurgles Myla lets out as she joins the conversation

 

+Affirming E's love for his storybook bible and practicing his memory verse

 

+ Melting in my soul as Myla's smile stretches wide enough she has to close her eyes

 

Just watching Elliot pick up on things we've been teaching, reading, and saying is enough to put me under. He is a sponge and the responsibility that goes along with that is overwhelming. Amazing. And a joyful struggle. And we have plenty of hard moments too. With illness, disobedience, lack of sleep, loss of focus, attitudes and disappointments. But even those things lend themselves to the greater purpose of glorifying God in all things.

 

The emotion of all this surged upon my heart at once today, and that's why it overwhelms. Full glimpses of what God is doing in my home and with my kids, and that I get to be used in that...awesome. So this morning when I caught a glimpse of the basket of sprouting potatos atop my refrigerator, I almost laughed. They represent to me the many things I think are important (house, laundry, to do lists) -and they certainly have a place- but are humorous in comparison to the eternal investments being made closer to the tile under the refrigerator. Snacks, new words, bible verses, love, memories, and relationships.

 

That's all. Just praising God for His greatness and gifts. And being humbled by it all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While Pictures are Loading...

...I should be taking a nap, but it's hard to sleep when you have things you need to do and baby is sleeping. Especially if they are fun things. Fun things like uploading photos to create a photo card and and updating the blogging world for the first time since said baby was born. Hard to believe.

Baby boy made it into this world with good health, his mom's lips, and his dads gift of sleep - for that we praise the Lord! He is the new joy of our lives, user of our energy, spender of our money, entertainer of our family, teacher of our reality, and blessing of each of our moments. Absolutely. Love. Him.

With that, I get up every morning with a plan and a purpose...one which is so different from before but that feels very important and meaningful. Baby boy can't even speak words yet and I've learned tons about myself and feel as though he has brought Justin and I even closer together. It's fun to work on a project together (parenting), learning new skills as a team. Justin is amazing. I am blessed. God is SO gracious.

So, from this happy, content, humbled, tired, preoccupied, thankful, MOM to you - have a joyous weekend preparing and celebrating this Christmas season, and may you find a small gift in every day for which to be grateful!

-Kjo

July to Malachi

It's been a while since my last post (Sadly, not because I haven't drafted anything. Only because nothing I drafted made the cut from 'good idea' to 'good enough to make public'). July has been quite a month. Here are the highlights so far...

*Husband turned 30 on July 1st

30th Birthday

*Sister had a birthday, also on July 1st, but she is still much younger and sprier
*Celebrated the 4th with friends, fireworks and some good "Fair" food (Roasted corn on the cob...should have taken a picture). Also, made mini dessert :)

Mini Dessert

*Grandpa had his birthday on July 15th
*Mourned the loss of an uncle (on Hubby's side), and rejoiced with so many family members that he is in heaven now.
*Took a last minute road trip to St. Louis, MO (ok, not quite there, but maybe 50 miles south) in our car, there and back again in three days.
*Ate Indian food twice in exactly a week (This is a big highlight. LOVE Indian food. For those of you in the area, you should try the Saffron House. I'll even go with you!) The Saffron House
*Helped paint the nursery wall accents (All the wall painting is done now - woohoo! Ordered the curtains, bought the fabric for the bedding, got screws and instructions to set up the crib - this is progress people!)
*Got mostly registered for the baby
*Had our 30 week appointment today! Everything looks good and I CANNOT BELIEVE we are 10 weeks from D-Day! Baby at 30 Weeks 
*Finished our payments at my OB's office. (Now, we focus on what the hospital will require from our bank account).
*Found myself a little jealous of a couple of friends traveling and doing mission work in Africa. But it's okay now. I'm not going to stay jealous..."It, comes and goes." (That is a movie quote...a good movie too).
*Landed in the book of Malachi for my personal study time, and am just falling in love with it. The love God has for His people just permeates the pages even as He is scolding them and reminding them how they have left their first love. And so many good reminders and convictions that as believers, and Priests of Christ, we should be keeping our sacrifices pure and un-defiled. Our sin is serious, and we can't ignore it. Confess, repent, forgive others, seek humility, and do things the way the Lord leads us. Not half hearted. Not comfortably and out of convenience, but sacrificially and intentionally giving the best we have of EVERYTHING to Him in obedience and out of love and thanksgiving for all He's done for us. I'm just half way through and I am already sad about being done with this little book! What are you reading/learning in your quiet time?

(liberty.edu's photo)

That's kind of it. It's only July 18th, so I'm guessing there is much more to come, but that's how I am doing. How are you?

- Kjo

Somewhere Else While I'm Still Here

Whew, let me just say that tonight I am thankful to be out of the fog. Yes, it's supposed to get foggy here in my city overnight, but I'm talking about a mental fog. It seems to have been coming and going more frequently of late (I attribute that to the pregnancy). WHAT!? That is right - I am expecting a baby in September! My husband and I are so excited :) Finally able to share it with "the world" this week, and I have only now felt like I could get a blog together that wouldn't bore ME before I finished writing it. I've been that out of it, and I try to grab onto the spurts of energy and mental power as I get them. I'm having one right now.

The reason I decided to get with it on the blog tonight is because of an odd thing that happens every now and again. It's the sensation that although I'm here, I'm just as much somewhere else. Typically this phenomenon is brought about by a smell or person, object or picture that immediately takes me "back." Back, to some other place or time that I have been. Likely you can relate. For me, those experiences are typically pleasant, although bitter-sweet. And this one definitely was.

It started I suppose when reality began to sink in that this precious bundle of joy (now the size of a plum I might add) will, and to some extant already has, change my life dramatically. For example, I haven't been drinking coffee much and I've been avoiding certain foods and activities. Things I normally don't think twice about. But over the last couple of weeks I really began to think about how I will not be going back to Sudan this year. That's a big change. So much of my heart resides in a corner I call "Africa" and it grows and blooms every year with the thought of returning, seeing those friends and family across the ocean, and serving God alongside them. But this year will be different. VERY different. I can't even imagine all of it, which I suppose is good. None of us might have kids if we really understood the sacrifice and exhaustion that accompanies said joyful bundle ahead of time!

So I've been processing the fact that we will have a new assignment come September: parenthood. Might not have to fly across the sea to fulfill it, but I think it will more challenging, and hopefully even more rewarding, this next phase of calling the Lord has on our lives.

All that being said, there is still a part of me missing Africa. (I suppose the fact that I haven't felt well and don't yet look pregnant aid this wistful feeling). I'm still learning how to put that in its place.

Yesterday, I was browsing Pinterest and randomly come across a photo that is displayed over and over and over on the holding video on the KLM flights from here to Amsterdam / Amsterdam to Africa.

The video plays music as a video rolls of different scenes and poses around this fixture. Gets pretty annoying after about 15 minutes of sitting in your seat, waiting for take off, but always "takes me back" when I see/hear it. It is visually and emotionally tied to our Africa trips. 

Later, as I was working on my Bible Study, I realized I was a using  KLM pen (Not sure how I got it. Hope I didn't steal it). Didn't even realize we had one, but there it was in my hand. Back again.

I'm afraid to even get out the photos from when we were actually IN AFRICA:. Could be sentimental overload.

The icing on the cake came on my walk today. Someone was cooking with the windows open and it smelled almost exactly the way our food smelled while in Sudan. Rice and Beans, maybe some chips. Oi. I can picture myself smelling that smell in Sudan...does that make any sense?

All this to say, I've been in Sudan or on my way there a lot this week. Thankful for the time and lessons learned there, friendships made and ministry done. And thankful at the same time that our new assignment will hold its own blessings and lessons, and hoping that one day, I will get to return to Sudan, and maybe take our Plum Joy with us. In the meantime, I've got photos and memories to "Take me Back" as often as I'd like.

KJo

A Little "Awe" In Your Alleluia

For those of you in the DFW Metroplex who listen to KCBI, you will understand when I say I was a little sad to see January go. Not because I particularly love February, but because the end of the first month of 2012 marked the end of Spiritual Fitness month on KCBI. I have so enjoyed the devotionals, testimonials, and challenges to get spiritually fit from Jim and Terri every day on the Morning Show. This month is Financial Fitness month, so I'm sure I'll love it too. Right now I'm still missing January.


On the second to last day, they aired a sound bite from a video clip with Louie Giglio. Rocked. My. World. He is teaching on Psalm 148 which I've posted from below. Would you take a minute to read the Psalm, and then watch the video? It's 14 minutes long, and worth every last second. Even if you don't like to sing, you'll want to make your best joyful noise (or happy tears) by the end. Our God is so Awesome! Worthy to be praised! It's so exciting I may have to go watch it again right now!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zWKm-LZWm4

Psalm 148

Praise the LORD!

                Praise the LORD from the heavens;

                praise him in the heights!

                Praise him, all his angels;

                praise him, all his hosts!

                Praise him, sun and moon,

                praise him, all you shining stars!

                Praise him, you highest heavens,

                and you waters above the heavens!

                Let them praise the name of the LORD!

                For he commanded and they were created.

                And he established them forever and ever;

                he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.

                Praise the LORD from the earth,

                you great sea creatures and all deeps,

                fire and hail, snow and mist,

                stormy wind fulfilling his word!

                Mountains and all hills,

                fruit trees and all cedars!

                Beasts and all livestock,

                creeping things and flying birds!

                Kings of the earth and all peoples,

                princes and all rulers of the earth!

                Young men and maidens together,

                old men and children!

                Let them praise the name of the LORD,

                for his name alone is exalted;

                his majesty is above earth and heaven.

                He has raised up a horn for his people,

                praise for all his saints,

                for the people of Israel who are near to him.

                Praise the LORD!

Fun Friday - "Is . . ."

A good Friday is = lunch with a friend at a tasty lunch place, trying new food and enjoying fortune cookies.


A FUN FRIDAY is = lunch with a friend at a tasty lunch place, trying new food and enjoying "Twin" fortune cookies.

I have never seen two cookies in one wrapper before...very fun! I think this means you get to choose the good fortune and throw the other one away!

Hope your Friday is as much fun as mine :)

Every Morning

His mercies are new. And I am so thankful!


Some mornings I wake up with the world on my shoulders. Do you know the feeling? As soon as you wake up, your mind is flooded with the list of things that must get done in that day and the burden even makes you stand a little lower. Certainly it doesn’t feel like there is energy to make it to lunch, let alone the activities after dinner.


I had a morning like that this week. I had slept fairly well the night before but upon waking, the burdens of the day woke with me and lodged themselves in my mind.


On my drive to work I remember listening to a discussion about worship. I can’t remember anything from the talk except for this phrase: “His mercies are new every morning.” As I mediated on it in my mind and heart, I turned my thoughts from not being able to handle the agenda for the day to the fact that God gives His strength to handle the day. I don’t have to do it alone. Immediately I felt the stress trickle away like water in a sieve, while at the same time joy and thankfulness replaced the anxiety. His mercies are new, and today, right now, they are new. Not recycled from yesterday, or only what is left over after last night, they are new: in full and with strength and power. That is good news. And I stood taller and lived better because of that truth.


What are you facing today that has you slumping, or unable to get out of bed? Are you carrying around extra emotional weight because it seems you are alone or that if you don’t worry about it, who will? Take a moment to remember that God’s strength is able, and when Christ is in You, His strength is available to you: new and fresh. Every morning.

"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness."

Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV