Sean & Shey: 2013

Book Review: Pirates on the Farm

Wednesday, December 04, 2013

By Denette Fretz, Illustrated by Gene Barretta

My daughter is only 2 and a half, but she already has her selection of favorite characters. One group of such favorites is pirates. I suppose this is largely due to a certain Disney Junior cartoon show, but boy, is Gia adorable when she cries out "Yo ho!" When I saw the book, Pirates on the Farm was available for review, I couldn't wait to receive it and read it with Gia.

The book is wonderfully written by Denette Fretz and beautifully illustrated by Gene Barretta. Though the recommended age for reading this book is 4-8, my almost-three-year-old still loved it. Denette Fretz uses many fun and new "pirate-y" vocabulary, and even includes a mini-dictionary of the terms in the back of the book. It was fun to say these words then have Gia repeat them. The pictures are so colorful and full of action. There are new things to see every time we read the book. Bright, colorful, funny pictures are a must for keeping my little girl's attention while reading and this book did just that!

But the most memorable part of this charming childrens' book is the overall story. A group of unruly, socially unacceptable pirates move into the farmland next to this particular family. The mother is aghast at the new neighbors' unsightly antics, while the two children are somewhat indifferent, if not even curious. But it is the father of the family who sets the most wonderful example of all. He is welcoming to the pirates when everyone else in town shuns them. He helps the inexperienced pirates as they attempt to learn the ways of farming. He even sits beside them during church when everyone else just shifts seats and stares. The leadership of the father of this family is told in a humble but memorable way. And not to spoil the story, but when everyone comes around to loving the pirates in the end, it is truly a lesson worth remembering. There are people we meet everyday who are different than us. They may not have a hook for a hand or a parrot on their shoulder--then again, they might. But everyone is a child of God, worthy of our love and respect. This book is a great lesson in loving your neighbors, even if they are a bit different.

This would make a great Christmas gift for any kid!!

I was given a copy of this book by BookSneeze in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

Book Review

Book Review: Open: What Happens When You Get Real, Get Honest and Get Accountable

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Open

What Happens When You Get Real, Get Honest, and Get AccountableBy Craig Gross, with Adam Palmer
Published by Thomas Nelson

Growing up in the church, I've heard the word "accountability" tossed around in a number of different contexts. Accountability partners, accountability small groups, etc seemed to be all the rage in my church throughout middle school and high school. These meetings usually involved a gathering of students in the same grade and gender, and we were encouraged to share our life struggles with one another. While a lot of fun and some support happened during those groups, I wouldn't quite call it accountability. Not in the purest sense of the word, at least.

Author Craig Gross does an excellent job of laying down the case for the accountability: our need for it in society, in our relationships, in our churches-- in everything. He gives multiple examples from both sides of the coin-- those who have sought and accepted accountability from others and those who have recklessly lived their lives without anyone to keep them in check. Its no mystery that if left to our own devices, sin will rule our hearts. But when we desire a deeper relationship with Christ, and truly seek to live life to its fullest, accountability for our recurring sins is a natural by-product of that commitment.

A large portion of this book is devoted to reasons we need accountability. While I agreed completely with everything the author wrote about this subject, it seemed a little bit redundant at times. Or perhaps it is because I grew up with the concept already ingrained in my lifestyle. If accountability is a completely new and foreign concept to someone, I can see how this portion of the book would be helpful. Craig Gross does a good job of presenting what accountability is and is NOT. Like I mentioned before, accountability can mean a lot of things to a lot of people, and I greatly appreciated his concept and blue plan, if you will, for what effective accountability should look like. Gross writes, "... accountability is not about sitting across from someone as a judge, but about sitting next to him as an advocate." All too often, we shy away from accountability for fear of being judged, when in fact, judging should have no place in an accountable relationship. Its about restoring and renewing a person, and encouraging them to continually battle the struggles in their lives.

I do have to say there was one part of the book which I really did not care for, and that was Gross's take on small groups. I believe he was trying to make the point that a small group (usually sponsored by your church, consisting of couples or others in your similar life stage) is not the place for nitty-gritty accountability. I agree with that, recognizing that its hard for a husband to talk about his pornography addiction or in front of other mens' wives (or something like that), but I do feel the way in which he talked about small groups as a whole was very unfair. He has obviously not had a good experience with any small group, and as such, I believe he's unqualified to make some of the negative statements he did about small groups as a whole. I have been part of both good and bad small groups. But here's the deal: the thing that made them good or bad had nothing to do with the concept of a small group or even the other people involved... it had entirely to do with ME and where my heart was. We are currently in a small group that is an extension of several other accountability relationships that I have. While we may not go into detail, our small group is striving to become a place where accountability in our marriages, parenting, spiritual life, etc is something we strive for. This looks different than a one on one or smaller group accountability, but it is a continuation of that. *OK, off my soap box.*

Overall, the book is a good read and can be valuable for someone who is looking to establish an accountability relationship with someone else. It would be a good book for accountability partners or groups to read together, so as to all be on the same page. Authenticity and honesty is crucial, so having everyone on the same page is a good place to start.

I was given a copy of this book by BookSneeze in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

gospel

Marriage Is For the Gospel

Monday, November 04, 2013

image via. Please tell me this made you laugh. Its meant to be funny.

There's a popular blog post making the Facebook circuit right now entitled "Marriage isn't for you." I see many of my friends posting and sharing it with comments such as "Love this!" "So true!" "Great article!" And while some of the senitments in this article are nice, they're really just that... sentiments. Nice thoughts that don't really have a driving Truth behind them. I'm not intersted in starting a "blogger war"- who has time for that? Not this pregnant momma. But marriage is something I am deeply passionate about, and because of that, I want to take a few moments to point out a few things. All too often, we read articles or watch videos that "sound good" but they're missing the heart of the issue--God. They're glossed over with religious moralism that really has nothing to do with God or the Gospel. So with that in mind... a few thoughts:

I think I understand what the author is trying to get at... marriage is not for selfish people because its not about you. I completely wholeheartedly agree with that. But that's where my concurrence ends; I think he missed the punch line. The Truth is, marriage isn't about me and its not even about my spouse (though he's wonderful). Its not about the families we've joined, the kids we've had (though both are awesome), or the life lessons we're learning through loving each other. Marriage is completely and 100% all about Christ, the ultimate Bridegroom who sacrificed everything--his life-- for His Bride, the Church-- US. The God-given gift of marriage is so that we, as Christ-followers can display that sacrifical, saving love Christ has for us, and that through our marital example of the Gospel, others might also come to know and live in a saving relationship with Christ. So no, marriage isn't about you or your spouse or even the future family you will have. It's about living out the Gospel in the most sacred human to human relationship we've ever been given, so that God may be glorified and the lost may be found.

Sound heavy? It is. Your marriage- yes, that thing you did perhaps years ago, not fully knowing what you were getting into- is the daily, living & breathing mission field through which God wants to bring His non-believing children into an eternal-life-saving relationship with Him. Betcha didn't think your marriage could affect so many other people, huh? Other peoples' eternal lives can be greatly affected by your marriage.

When Sean and I got married, we were young. And I'm not too proud to say that I had no idea what I was getting into. I had a small view of God, and therefore a small view of marriage and the Gospel. But I am so thankful that through the years (we've been married 9 1/2 years) and God's great, redeeming mercy, we have both grown in our relationships with Christ. We've come to see the depserate need for Christ and the Gospel to be the heart of our marriage. You see, I am a terribly selfish person. That's why I really do appreciate the sentiment that marriage is not for the selfish person. Nothing will expose your self-centered mess of a heart faster than marriage (or kids, but that's another story). This is where I am learning that marriage is about even more than being selfless... Its about recognizing the utter, awe-inspiring holiness of God and as a result of that, acknowledging my sin more and more. Praise the Lord the condition of my marriage isn't dependent upon anything I do or don't do for Sean! Christ has already been the perfect Bridegroom, the living example of what I am to strive for. I don't have to despair in my imperfections, because Christ drives me to His example as my Bridegroom... perfectly loving and ultimately selfless in laying down his holy life for my sinful one.

So what does it look like to have the Gospel displayed through your marriage? Any of our close friends can tell you we're not perfect. Those with whom we do life have seen our arguments. (After years of faking it around others, we've grown weary of the facade, and are striving for authentic community. Trust me, its not always pretty. But its worth it.) I have to ask my husband's forgiveness daily. I have to confess that I am selfish, and that I can't love him perfectly on my own. I need more Christ in my heart to be the wife I am called to be. And I fail daily, but in those moments, my husband graciously forgives me with a love that can only come from God. Christ lived the life I cannot live (perfect); He died the death that I deserve (for all my sins); He was buried in a tomb that had my name on it; He rose from that grave, conquering sin and death once, for all; He ascended to Heaven where he now sits at the right hand of our Father. Marriage is about repeating the Gospel, day after day, hour after hour (sometimes minute after minute)... dying to myself so that I may love my spouse and honor God. Forgiving each other just as freely as we have been forgiven by Christ. Hopefully in that process of spousal forgiveness, others will come to know that they, too have a great need for forgiveness and that Christ gives it freely to all who seek Him.

Want to read more about this idea of marriage? Here are some books that I highly recommend- they've completely changed the way I view marriage. (These are not affiliate links. I don't benefit in any way if you purchase one of these books from this link, but you'll benefit greatly by reading them! :))

True Woman 101 (This is a group Bible study for women. Revolutionary in my life!)
Real Marriage, by Mark & Grace Driscoll
The Meaning of Marriage, Tim Keller

Book Review- How We Love Our Kids

Thursday, October 10, 2013

I was so excited to receive "How We Love Our Kids" in the mail. Its my first parenting book review, and I was eager to dive in. This book by Milan and Kay Yerkovich did not disappoint!

The premise of the book is that it explores 5 Love Styles of parenting. I've been through Gary Smalley's 5 Love Languages and have found those to be extremely helpful in my marriage, so I was interested in applying the same principle to parenting. Gia is now at the full-blown toddler two's stage, and she is definitely exposing multiple areas in which our parenting skills need some work.

The book is honest and hard-hitting from the very beginning-- something I greatly appreciate. What can I say? I'm a realist. They write that God has wired us from the very beginning for connectivity (HELLO, oxytocin- my favorite hormone) and "God's miraculous design involves an inherent readiness to connect with and be shaped by our caregivers." But just because that is at the core of who we are doesn't mean that its easy-- for the child or the parent.

Milan tells a story about how some instances of sock stealing by his children set him off, exposing anger within him that was surprising. He goes on to write that 'the very presence of children exposes messes in parents' lives." In fact, he spends a good deal of the first chapters talking about this idea. Not only are kids messy, but they have a tendency to expose our own messes! Oh, how true that is. This thought alone has challenged me to stop and think about things that trigger intense reactions in parenting... is it really about Gia's behavior? Or does it have more to do with me (my preferences, my habits, my triggers, etc). Often as parents, we have the tendency to think we are right, simply by nature of our position. But we know this isn't really the truth... we are just as flawed as the children we are leading, both in need of a heavenly Father to point us to the truth. When we can face the music that we're not perfect people or parents, we're in a good place to start parenting our kids with more love and compassion. Yerkovich writes: "If there weren't any kids around, I would look pretty good most of the time. There would be far less opportunity for my weaknesses to be exposed. But every child increases the chances of exposure and failure exponentially in ways that confound and frustrate me to no end. Kids have a natural knack for revealing the things we like least about ourselves." Oh how true that is! Yerkovich likens this tendency in our children to a coach who points out weaknesses... our children point spotlights on places we need to grown in our lives. This isn't a bad thing, its just the way it is. And what we do with those "spotlight" moments can have a huge effect on our children and the effectiveness with which we parent them.

After a great introduction, the next section of this book explores the different types of parents: the avoider, the pleaser, the vacillator, the controller, and the victim. Each section gives real-life scenarios in which the characteristics could play out, as well as an assessment to determine if this fits you. It then gives recommendations for parenting each age group- baby, preschool, adolescent- as well as how to co-parent with someone who is each particular type. Finally, each chapter gives growth goals. I found this style of breaking down each segment incredibly helpful and even a great resource to refer back to through the years. I was easily able to pick out my style of parenting and identified (almost painfully) with the areas in which growth is needed. But it was good to have the growth areas written out with clear and practical plans of attack. I found this to be the most helpful section of the entire book.

Other parts of the book focus on the different types of kids, and how to help them thrive in their personalities. It also dedicated time to unique children- the introvert, free-spirit, determined, sensitive, and premature child. The final section of this book focuses on gifts we can give our children... comfort, laughter, power, etc. While I found parts of this book to be a bit clinical and technical (both are counselors) at times, the information and direction provided are highly valuable and applicable. I would highly recommend this book to parents of kids of any age! This is one of the few books I have found that specifically speaks to parenting young toddlers and even babies, which I greatly appreciated!

You can preview or buy this book on Amazon.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

baby 3

Praying Her Name

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Joanna Payton

"After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means." (Luke 8:1-3)

55 "The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it." (Luke 23:55)

"On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words.
9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense." (Luke 24:1-11)

There is just so much I love about this woman who is only briefly mentioned by name twice in the Bible. Though not much is written about her, by looking into the facts, we can learn a lot about the kind of woman she was, the heart for her Lord, and the influence she had on those around her. After studying this woman, there are 5 things about Joanna that stood out, and have in turn, been praying for our daughter Joanna. (I'm writing those prayers in italics below.) (I got a lot of this commentary from Biblegateway.)

A Sick Woman Healed by Christ

Joanna, along with Mary Magdalene and Susanna were among the “certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities” (8:2). Whether Joanna had been demon-possessed or suffered from some mental or physical disability we are not told. It is evident that this female of the upper class, restored to normal health by Christ, gave her life to Him. She is here seen as one of the traveling company who went before Christ and the Twelve to arrange for their hospitable reception. We don't know what she experienced healing from, but her response to Jesus' healing touch was huge and personal. Out of her own resources many expenses were met, and in this way she ministered unto Him of her substance. Having freely received His healing touch, she freely gave of herself and of her means for His welfare.

God, we are all sick and in need of a Healer. Sin has separated us and we need the Great Physician to heal our darkened hearts. Draw our daughter to you. You've placed the desire for YOU in every heart; I pray you will cultivate a deep longing in her from an early age to know you and seek you out. Just like you healed Joanna in the Bible, I pray our daughter will have a spirit that is open to your healing of her sinful heart as she surrenders to you. Whatever ailments she may face in her life, whether spiritual, mental or physical, I pray she will always look first to you as Jehovah-Rapha, her healer. I pray she will be a woman of hospitality... that she will be welcoming and warm so that your name may be made great. May she give whatever she has from the fullness of her heart, whether it is a lot or a little.

A Woman of Power with an Unusual Sphere of Influence

Chuza, the husband of Joanna, was the “steward” of Herod, which is the same word given as “tutor” or “guardian”. Some scholars believe Chuza is the noble man mentioned in John 4:46-54.

46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.

An interesting thought if Chuza truly is the man mentioned in this passage. But regardless of that speculation, Chuza was Herod's highest-ranking servant, someone trusted and respected within the Roman influenced society that had power, influence and wealth. He must have been a man of intelligence and ability in order to hold the position he did as manager of Herod’s household. By employment of her husband, Joanna was fundamentally a rich, significant woman. Because of her close proximity to Herod, it is highly likely that Herod himself may have known about Joanna's personal story of healing at the hands of Jesus. The office of Chuza also gave Joanna an excellent opportunity of witnessing in the palace, and we can imagine how she took full advantage of it. She had the opportunity to reveal the truth about Jesus among the court who only only heard lies from Herod. In fact, tradition has it that Chuza lost his position in Herod’s palace because of his wife’s conversion to Christianity and her courageous testimony among Herod’s servants.

Lord, we pray for the man that our daughter will marry. We pray that you will make him wise and knowledgeable... not just of earthly things, but wise in matters of the eternal. May he be a strong leader, respected by his family and other, but most importantly, seen as a follower of you. May his character and witness be evident to all who come into contact with him. May he lead our daugther with integrity and love, out of a devoted heart to you.

We also pray that you will use Joanna to be a witness for you in whatever circumstance she is in. Whether that be near to us or far from home, give her a unique sphere of influence wherein the witness of your glory can shine. Give her peace that you will provide for her and never leave her as she seeks and serves you.

A Generous Supporter of Christ

Healed and saved, Joanna gave thanks. Christ had ministered to her physical restoration and salvation and in turn she ministered to Him. By saying the women supported Jesus out of their own means, we are to understand material possessions, such as money and property, and Joanna honored the Lord with these. Knowing that He and the disciples accompanying Him had very little to support them, Joanna, out of her plenty, gave liberally to their needs and thus exemplified the grace of giving. Let's not forget this was a brave (and probably unpopular) move. Jesus and those in his ministry were strongly disliked by the Jewish and Roman authorities. On Joanna's dime, they were defying the values and power of the very class she belonged to!

Jesus, may you give us wisdom as we teach Joanna that all we have is truly not ours, but it all belongs to you. I pray Joanna will learn to give from a cheerful heart-- not just of her money or possessions but of herself, her time, her heart.

A Sorrowful Mourner at the Grave of Christ

Among the women at the cross, the heart of Joanna must have been rent with anguish as she saw her beloved Lord dying in agony and shame. She stayed loyal to her Healer and Redeemer-- even as officials she may have personally known were crucifying him. She chose Jesus over opportunity, career and class. She was brave in her following of Him, even to Christ's death- and beyond. The One who had cured her body and her soul had become precious to Joanna, and, having ministered to Him while He was alive, she continued her ministry of love as His body was still and cold in death.

Jesus, I pray Joanna will be faithful to you. That through tough times, in the face of ridicule or unpopularity, she will cling to what she knows is true- YOU. Give her a brave spirit with a heart that can break for matters that concern you.

A Joyful Herald of Her Lord’s Resurrection

Continuing her loyalty, even beyond Christ's death, Joanna was among the sorrow-stricken women who early on that first memorable Lord’s Day gathered at the sepulcher to linger in the presence of the dead. But to their amazement the tomb was empty, for the living Lord was no longer among the dead. Perplexed over the vacant grave, they beheld the angelic guardians and heard them say, “He is not here, but is risen: remember what he said to you when you were with him in Galilee.” How could they forget His words! Recalling all He had said of His sufferings, death and Resurrection, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, became the first human heralds of the Resurrection. With all haste they went to the apostles and told them the good news, but for awhile their words seemed as idle tales until Peter saw for himself the graveclothes but no dead Master (Luke 24:1-12). He then believed the women’s declaration of the Lord who was alive forevermore. Joanna, then, was among the last at the cross, and among the first to witness the empty tomb and likewise among the first to proclaim that the Lord whom she had so dearly loved was risen indeed.

Though brief, I love the story of Joanna and her faith, as well as the faith of the ladies that she was with. What a group they must have been! Think about the last part of this story... the women are telling the Eleven disciples (and others) what the angels had told them about the Risen Christ, but the men did not believe them-- the verse says it sounded like nonsense. These men had been with Jesus all throughout His ministry. They knew him personally. They loved Him. And yet they still thought these women were speaking nonsense. But that didn't stop the women from boldly sharing the truth of Christ through faith. The Eleven would have to see for themselves the empty tomb before they would believe. What an encouragement Joanna and her friends are, even today.

Lord, I pray you will surround Joanna with godly friends. Girls/women who will encourage her in faith and surround her with truth, even when others doubt. I pray you will give Joanna a heart that is eager to believe your truths, and a sensitivity to guard her heart from things (and people- especially boys) who could lead her astray. May she boldly proclaim the Good News of the Risen Christ. Give her a steadfast heart to know what it is you have asked her to do and the resolve to carry forth your Word in the midst of disbelief.

What about the middle name??

Payton was a top contender for a first name- both Sean and I love it. But I'm not really big on gender neutral or gender bender names (even though, ironically, Sean & Gia are calling Joanna "Joey) AND let's face it... we live in Indy. Peyton Manning is still king in this town, even though he's literally playing for another team now. But I love the same so much and it has special family meaning-- it is my grandma's maiden name. Her parents, George and Alberta Payton were my great-grandparents (Daddy George and Great Gran). I have very few memories of them, but I love my Gran and remember how fondly she always spoke of her parents. And I love the way she always referred to them as "Momma and Daddy." Its a good, solid, Oklahoma-rooted family name.

So there you have it! Joanna Payton will be making her debut January 4th-ish. :)

baby 3

Baby Girl 3: Choosing Her Name

Wednesday, October 09, 2013

^ Not me ^

So I know I've majorly slacked on blogging much at all about baby girl #3. Life with a toddler is busy and even more exhausting when another babe is growing inside! But I thought I'd better get back at it, at least making an attempt to update the blog about her, right? At least I already blogged about her gender reveal... It's a girl! Yay!

So now, on to her name. I guess we can't keep calling her "baby girl 3" because that's way too long and doesn't really have that 'ring' to it, ya know? And just a warning, I may need to break this up into a couple of posts. This name means so much to my heart, and it truly encapsulates so many hopes and prayers I have for our little girl. I just want everyone to know how much this name means to us. So I may take a couple posts to explain it all. For months, Sean & I figured this baby would be another girl, mainly for the fact that we had no idea what we would name another girl. We had several boys' names, but girls- nope! When Gia's adopted grandparents offered to keep her for an evening while we went on a date, we thought itd' be the perfect opportunity to really buckle down and find a name for this babe.

We went to our usual name-picking spot: Olive Garden. Its where we went the evening we found out we were having a girl in Whitney, and also where we picked her name. We then went back to Olive Garden when I was pregnant with Gianna and again chose her name over dinner there. Its another little way we like to honor and involve the memory of Whitney in our current life, even after it has continued to move on all these years later.

Being that we were completely at a loss for agreeing on the name, I brought some notecards and markers so that we could write down the top 2 or 3 names that each of us were thinking about. After ordering our dinner (with a starter of fried calamari, of course!), we secretly wrote down our top choices, then revealed them to each other. There was one name we agreed on, a family name, but we didn't agree on it being first or middle. It also just didn't seem to "fit" our little girl. Funny how we've not even held her yet, and there is some familiarity with her spirit already. Sean turned over his top name choice card, and at first, I wasn't thrilled. It kinda came out of nowhere and I'd never even considered it before. In fact, I had a funny connotation with name he wrote down... I immediately thought of an uber-conservative, pentecostal type girl in a long denim skirt with long hair pulled back in a bun-- Duggar style. (Her name is one of the 20+ names of the Duggar kids- there's a clue! To be clear- I love the Duggars, and admire the way they are raising Godly kids.) But, I remembered a Bible study I did last year that completely changed my life (True Woman 101), and on one of the days it was talking about when Adam established names for all the creatures. God gave him, specifically, the task of naming all the animals, and someone in our group asked if that meant that we had to let our husbands choose the names for our kids. I'd never though about it that way. While I don't necessarily think that's what's implied in the Scriptures, it definitely made me more willing to seek out Sean's reasoning behind the "top choice" name he'd brought to the table, despite my odd, initial association with the name. So I asked him why that name? When he pulled out his phone to look up the Scripture in which her name is mentioned, I knew it was "the name" for our baby girl. And after studying more about this woman of God, I am again a firm believer that there is power in what we name our children, and that names do mean something. And I am so thankful that God has given us this name for our daughter...

Gia's awake now... Stay tuned for the rest of the story in a little bit...

God's Sovereignty

Shane & Shane & God's Sovereignty

Sunday, October 06, 2013

On Facebook, I came across a song by Shane & Shane that I had never heard before called "Though You Slay Me." Everybody needs a little more Shane &; Shane in their life, so I clicked the YouTube link to listen to it. What I found after the jump is one fo the most beautiful things I''ve ever heard, but some of the lyrics I didn't completely understand. So before you listen to the song, watch this short clip explaining the story behind the song.

Now you can listen to the song... It has an excerpt from John Piper that is the best part of this video... be sure the listen to that, too. What gets better than some Shane & Shane + John Piper?

I've copied the lyrics here below, in case you want to follow along as you listen. (I always like to do this when I hear a new song for the first time.)

Shane & Shane - Though You Slay Me Lyrics
I come, God, I come
I return to the Lord
The one who's broken
The one who's torn me apart
You struck down to bind me up
You say You do it all in love
That I might know You in Your suffering

Though You slay me
Yet I will praise You
Though You take from me
I will bless Your name
Though You ruin me
Still I will worship
Sing a song to the one who's all I need

My heart and flesh may fail
The earth below give way
But with my eyes, with my eyes I'll see the Lord
Lifted high on that day
Behold, the Lamb that was slain
And I'll know every tear was worth it all

Though You slay me
Yet I will praise You
Though You take from me
I will bless Your name
Though You ruin me
Still I will worship
Sing a song to the one who's all I need

Though tonight I'm crying out
Let this cup pass from me now
You're still all that I need
You're enough for me
You're enough for me

Though You slay me
Yet I will praise You
Though You take from me
I will bless Your name
Though You ruin me
Still I will worship
Sing a song to the one who's all I need
Sing a song to the one who's all I need
__________________

If you haven't been in a hospital room like Shane describes in the first video, or in one of the trial Piper references, you will be. If you haven't experienced misery in the path of obedience, you will. Not being a Debbie Downer, just being realistic about life on this Earth.

October is Infant Loss awareness month. Its easy to go through my life now, several years removed from the loss of Whitney and not think too much about her. (I think this is a self-preservation thing, not meaning I love her any less.) Gia keeps me hopping and the new one growing inside joyfully wears out whatever energy is left over in a day. And to be honest, sometimes remembering Whitney hurts. Ok, it always hurts. But some days more than others. So it gets easier to ignore it, and just get through the days as they come, without looking at the things that have passed. But when I do that, I am neglecting a season of life where the goodness and sovereignty of God has never been greater. And who doesn't need to be reminded of that? I sure do. And it seems I'm entering yet another season of life where I am having to seek out and remind myself of God's sovereignty. He hasn't shown up with an answer yet, but I know He will. Looking back at the time we had with Whitney, and the way His goodness radiated through every millisecond of that season brings me hope and renews my faith. So if reminding myself of the truths about God involves some pain from the loss of the past, I know it is worth it to remain faithful to the calling that we have received. Even better than that? I know ultimately there will be a day where there is no pain in remembering Whitney, because she will be right beside me or better yet, in my arms, and we will be praising the sovereignty and goodness of our God at His very feet.

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Beach

Vacation Is Good For the Heart

Sunday, September 29, 2013

At the end of the summer, Sean took a week of vacation. We didn't have any big plans, just staying close to home and enjoying time together. It was a welcome week of relaxing family fun after a busy trip & event-filled summer.

One day, we headed up to Lake Michigan to meet some of our dearest friends, the Webbs. Sean and Ben were roommates in college, and to say they are cut from the same cloth is an understatement. I get a kick out of seeing my husband when he's hanging out with his close friends-- friends from college who knew him before he had kids and the responsibility of family. And its fun to see how God has shaped and transformed our lives since then. Ben & Christina live up north in Indiana and were just about 30 minutes away from the beach we went to. We had a great time together and it was so fun to catch up with them. I wish we made time to do it more often.

The beach we went to was beautiful... we got there around 10:30 (thank you Central Time Zone) so there weren't many people there yet. It was pretty clean and had nice facilities. My only complaint is that there were a lot of people smoking. Isn't smoking like, so 1990? And certainly in public places? Gia is a waterbug. Every day this summer she has asked to go swimming. And when we went to the beach? Oh, she was right at home. Get this girl to the coast (preferrably the East Coast)! She could have stayed out there all day long. The day we went was exceptionally hot, but it was perfect because it made the usually frigid lake water warm enough to really enjoy! A nice breeze kept Christina & me cool as we sat with our feet in the water by the kids.

A funny little story: At one point, I got up from my camp chair near the water to go get a drink. When I came back, I my entire seat was soaking wet. I asked the guys & kids if any of them had gotten the seat wet. They said no, so for the rest of the day, I was worried that my water had broken. I'm sure I probably seemed a bit distracted, but I seriously thought my water had broken-- way too early for that! Later on, I had to reason with the rational side of my brain... I know what it feels like for my water to break, and I definitely didn't feel that. I was just being silly and overly worried. When I came home and told my girlfriends, they all laughed, knowing that your water doesn't just break without you knowing it. So now if I make a sudden movement, they tease me saying, "Is your water breaking?" Oh, its good to have friends who can laugh at your silliness.

Anyway, here are some pics from our trip:

See our wonky canopy setup in the background? Yeah, its wonky because the wind flipped it over and it came hurling towards me & Christina while the boys were 1/2 mile out in the water. Some old guy helped up set it back up.

After the beach, we packed up and headed to Bass Pro Shop. Sean has recently picked up the hobby of fly fishing, so he wanted to go check out some of their gear. Gia was sacked out from the beach, but as soon as we went into the store, she woke up and was running around like crazy again. She loved playing on all the big boats they had on display, and she thought the stuffed animals (taxidermy) throughout was pretty cool.

Next on our family day extravanganza was a spot my friend Lindsay told us about: Albanese Candy Factory. I am so glad we decided to stop here... it was so much fun! They have just about every kind of candy imaginable and every flavor of anything gummy you could ever dream up. You can get bags of individual flavors of gummy bears, and the peach rings are to die for. In fact, after eating the Albanese peach rings, I am ruined for all others. In the weeks after we went there, I tried peach rings from 4 different brands, and they all grossly paled in comparison. Thankfully my sweet hubby just got back from mens' retreat up there in the same area and he brought me 4.5 pounds of peach rings!! They've lasted a couple weeks, but I am quickly running out. The candy factory also has a cool area where you can watch them making some of the candy. They also have tons of different chocolates and truffles and stuff like that. YUMMMMMY! If you're ever in the area, you should check it out.

Last on our day-long outing to-do list was to eat at one of our favorite Chicago restaurants, Perillo's. Since the town we were in was just outside of Chicago, they actually had a Perillo's!! We ate some delicious Italian subs and charbroiled chicken croissant sandwiches. It was delicious.

This was the first family vacation we've taken that was just the three of us and it was such a great time. Gia did wonderful on the 3 hour drive there and back (for the most part... as wonderful as a 2 year old can be), and it was so nice to just spend that time with Sean, having fun. I think this trip, though not extravagant or fancy, will be one I remember for a very long time!!

The rest of the week, we just did stuff around the house, went to the Childrens' Museum, and Sean had to get a lot of dental work done. That wasn't so fun, but we also drove to 38th street and ate at one of the BEST Indian Buffets I've ever had!! It was delicious!

baby 3

Baby 3 Gender Reveal: Its A....

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

I have no shame in saying I love Pinterest. I love all the party ideas, the endless possibility of fabric combinations and the genius use of everyday household items. I also love having an excuse to plan a party. You may remember the First Birthday Party I planned for Gia or the Baby Showers my girlfriends and I helped plan. I just love all that stuff. So of course, finding out the gender of our baby is cause for celebration and deserves some kind of party. Right?

We didn't do anything for Whitney (for obvious reasons) and for Gia, we just had the doctor put the gender in an envelope for us to open on Christmas Day. That was fun, but I wanted to do something a little more for this one. I had originally wanted to again have the sonographer seal the gender in an envelope, then have Sean and I find out by spraying each other with either pink or blue silly string. I think Gia would have liked that too. But there were 2 problems with this scenario: One, I really wanted to watch the ultrasound while it was being done. But I've seen so many ultrasounds (myself and others- loved working at the Pregnancy Care Centers!) that I know I'd be able to spot boy or girl parts in an instant. And Two, my husband isn't too keen on cutesy photo ops. He kept saying, "What am I supposed to do? Spray you with silly string then put on my surprise face?" Those two things told me my original plan probably wouldn't turn out as dreamily as I envisioned.

So I went to my next idea: something with my girlfriends! This would solve both problems: I could watch the ultrasound as it was being done (Sean and I would find out at that point what the baby is), AND I could share the excitement of surprise with my friends who would do the screaming and excited surprise faces I thought would be fun.

Almost everyone thought I was having a boy, but a couple thought it was a girl. I decided to get 12 balloons... half pink, half blue with two being black. Before I went to the party store to buy the balloons, I cut up some crepe paper in the correct gender color. Before the balloons were filled with helium, the girls at Party City filled the balloons with the confetti I had made. This turned out to be a great idea... I was so glad I had brought my own confetti. I didn't have to buy any there, and it was super light which allowed the balloons to blow up beautifully. The girls at Party City also said that they'd had trouble with the heavier confetti popping the ballloons. So I was really glad I brought my own.

I bought a few more things as the Dollar Store just for decoration: More crepe paper, pink and blue paper, mints etc. Nothing big, just a few things. I also made two desserts: apple pie & strawberry pie. I kept my friends guessing to the last minute! Here's the quick decor job I did:

When my friends were all there, I had them grab a balloon that corresponded with their gender guess. Two of them also held a black balloon & straight pin to pop it. Here's how it went down:

My beautiful friends.

Fixin' to pop the balloons....

Waiting for the "pop"...

Love the "ghost balloon" in this shot!

Pink confetti! Its a girl!

Poor baby Cam was not amused at the news of his soon-to-be girlfriend. Or maybe it was the pop & screams.

Can you believe my daughter slept through it?

It was so much fun! Everyone was pretty surprised. I did record video of that would have been awesome.... but when we watched it back, it cut out literally right as we were popping the balloons... memory card full. FAIL. Oh, well, at least we have the pictures!

So yes, a third girl for this Wilson family! I am so excited and can't wait for Gia to have a baby sister! Most of our stuff from Gia is pretty gender neutral, but they will be born in opposite seasons so I will still have to get almost all new clothes for this one. I'm hoping some stuff will still work for her though. We're still stuck on a name. Sean has one he thinks he likes but isn't going to tell me until our date night hopefully on Friday. We have a tradition of deciding our names at Olive Garden, so we shall see. But we will be telling her name as soon as we figure that out!

Book Review

Book Review: Gods At War

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Gods At War, by Kyle Idleman

I've been familiar with Kyle Idleman since he began as a young preacher. I was in college, and his dad was the president where I attended school. So in one of those strange, disconnected ways, I feel like I kind of "know" him- if only through stories his dad told and from hearing him preach every now and then. At any rate, I was excited to read his latest book, especially because I appreciate his honesty and the integrity I know his family upholds in their lives.

Gods At War is one of my favorite books (other than Bread & Wine) that I've read this year. Why does it stick out so much among the rest of my recent reads? Plain and simple: its relevant. Even if you think its not relevant to you personally, it is. The basic premise of the book is this: the true issue beneath all of our problems is idolatry. When we talk about the sins that affect us and rule our lives, darkening our hearts, they can all be boiled down to the core issue of idolatry. Upon reading this in the first chapter, I was a little skeptical (that's actually the title of Chapter One: Idolatry is the Issue). Could it really be that simple? How does every struggle I face, every recurring sin that plagues me, possibly all boil down to idolatry. Afterall, isn't that something that only ancient people did... like when they crafted cows out of gold or carved crocodile-men out of wood? Surely something for ancient Egyptians and not modern-day me.

In his introduction, Idleman says:

Idolatry seems so primitive. So irrelevant. Is a book on idolatry even necessary? Why not a book about rain dancing and witch doctors?

And yet idolatry is the number one issue in the Bible, and that should raise caution signals for us. Idolatry comes into every book... In all of Judaism, it was one of only four sins to which the death penalty was attached.

Seeing my faith and life through the lens of idolatry has rebuilt my relationship with God from the ground up...As we look at life through this lens, it becomes clear that there's a war going on. The gods are at war, and their strength is not to be underestimated. These gods clash for the throne of your heart, and much is at stake. Everything about me, everything I do, every relationship I have, everything I hope or dream or wish to become depends up what god wins that war.

This book covers every possible source of idolatry I can think of--and many I would not have ever imagined. Idleman breaks it down into three categories: The Temple of Pleasure (featuring the gods of food, sex and entertainment), The Temple of Power (highlighting the gods of success, money and achievement), and The Temple of Love (exposing the gods of romance, family and me). As I was reading through the first group of gods in the Temple of Pleasure, I have to be honest- none of them screamed at me with conviction. I gleaned some valuable truths and new perspectives on Bible passages I'd read before, but nothing really hit home. As I started reading through the Temple of Power, I began to think (ironically, arrogantly and erroneously) that maybe I didn't have an idolatry problem after all. Ha! That was when I came to the chapter about the god of achievement. Everything in this chapter bored deep into my heart, revealing what was true all along... I do have an idolatry problem. And to say I don't would be to suggest that I am free from all sin, which, as we all know of this fallen world, just simply is not true.

In reading about the god of achievement, I was convicted with the story of Mary & Martha. Its not that what Martha was doing was bad- she was preparing and serving her Lord. But what Mary chose- worship- was better. Idleman goes on to talk about the git-r-done nature of our Western world, and I have to confess, I get caught up in that daily. I realized through reading this book, an idol doesn't have to be big and ugly (like lust), or even shiny and attractive (like money). It can just as easily be a daily checklist that is completed or a kitchen that always stays clean or a perfectly manicured lawn. (Though my idol of achievement is definitely not the last one!) Idleman writes, "Obviously there is nothing wrong with any of these achievements; in fact, these achievements can be acts of worship that glorify God. But when our lives are all about getting things done, we can find that there is not much room for God. Instead, our approach to worshipping God can be checking off a box on our to-do list labeled 'Go to Church.'"

I would venture to say that this book will hit home for any person who picks it up. In the weeks since I've finished this book, I have looked at life- my struggles and the struggles of my friends- and can definitely see how the core issue can be boiled down to idolatry. That's not to simplify or minimize the sin, of course. But seeing the heart of the matter for what it truly is a great place to start in surrendering it to God-- the ONLY one worthy of our worship.

You can purchase this book right now on Amazon. Its on sale now for only $8.99!!! (Usually $14.99)

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Book Review: Pirates on the Farm

Book Review: Open: What Happens When You Get Real, Get Honest and Get Accountable

Marriage Is For the Gospel

Book Review- How We Love Our Kids

Praying Her Name

Baby Girl 3: Choosing Her Name

Shane & Shane & God's Sovereignty

Vacation Is Good For the Heart

Baby 3 Gender Reveal: Its A....

Book Review: Gods At War

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