You must see this movie!
You simply must.
Best Pixar movie ever made.
That's what we think.
You simply must.
Best Pixar movie ever made.
That's what we think.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Dating and Debt
No Flash Back Friday post today. No time to flash back, when there is so much happening in the present.
Are you a single guy? The Dutys posted a great link on their blog this week. Take a look!
Single women will benefit from this e-magazine as well...so will parents.
If you're not single or a parent, then just go look at the thing, because it's fun to turn the pages. I feel cool, like I'm in a video game.
Boundless Document
Um...I'm not kidding. I seriously can't stop turning the pages. Someone come over and make me stop. I just turned them again. And again...
Also, I wanted to direct your attention to the Watter's blog. They are a couple from our church (okay, technically they go to LH Bryan) who had their baby on Tuesday (seven weeks early). What a surprise. The baby is doing well, thankfully.
You can see their new baby on their blog....but I want to send you to a great article on getting out of debt. This couple has an incredible story.
Read about how they got rid of over $58,000 worth of debt in 18 months. Wow! It can be done.
The Watter's Debt Story
If you are drowning in debt, and need some encouragement, email this couple. They are pretty passionate about getting rid of debt. Just give them some time to respond, since they have a new baby and all!
In local news this weekend...
There is a carnival and Scholastic Book Fair at the Library in CS. Check it out!
Are you a single guy? The Dutys posted a great link on their blog this week. Take a look!
Single women will benefit from this e-magazine as well...so will parents.
If you're not single or a parent, then just go look at the thing, because it's fun to turn the pages. I feel cool, like I'm in a video game.
Boundless Document
Um...I'm not kidding. I seriously can't stop turning the pages. Someone come over and make me stop. I just turned them again. And again...
Also, I wanted to direct your attention to the Watter's blog. They are a couple from our church (okay, technically they go to LH Bryan) who had their baby on Tuesday (seven weeks early). What a surprise. The baby is doing well, thankfully.
You can see their new baby on their blog....but I want to send you to a great article on getting out of debt. This couple has an incredible story.
Read about how they got rid of over $58,000 worth of debt in 18 months. Wow! It can be done.
The Watter's Debt Story
If you are drowning in debt, and need some encouragement, email this couple. They are pretty passionate about getting rid of debt. Just give them some time to respond, since they have a new baby and all!
In local news this weekend...
There is a carnival and Scholastic Book Fair at the Library in CS. Check it out!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
First of Many Mind Blowing Moments
I've mentioned before...this book...Total Church...
Whoa.
Has made me think.
I made it as far as chapter two, had to pause, and pretty much rethink my entire existence.
I needed a nap and a snack to proceed.
Our pastor, Allen Duty has asked the body of NL to read this book together. He's talking about each chapter on NL's blog. So far, our elders (Allen and Jason) have written about Chapters One, Two, Three and Four.
I wanted to share how this book has personally made me think.
To sum it up, in the first chapter, the authors point out that as Americans, when asked the question, "Who are you?" think of our identity in very individualistic terms.
Who am I?
I'm Heather. I'm a wife. I'm a mother. I love to write, cook, eat Butter Crunch ice cream. I day dream about being a hip hop dancer who also speaks several foreign languages. I'm a type A personality.
That's who I am.
Even in terms of our salvation, we've managed to take something like the gospel, the story of God's desire to rescue MANKIND, His love for the WORLD, and we've made it all about us.
God died for ME.
If I was the only person alive, Jesus would have gone to the cross...just for me.
Yes...God does love me. Thankfully, He has extended an invitation offering me an intimate and personal relationship with Him. It's good to know God loves me. That's true. It's right. I'm just saying, it's easy, with our bent towards isolation and individualism in our country to forget that the Bible is a story about how God chose a nation...people...to be His very own. We forget that the letters in the NT were written to CHURCHES. I read them as if I just picked them up out of my own personal mail box outside....as though God's Word was written just for me, and emailed to hendrickcrew@gmail.com. Instead of asking, "What does this passage say to us, as God's people," I am guilty of only asking myself what God is saying to me.
In reality...we are the people of God. We're the church. We're family. God speaks to me, but He speaks to me within the context of speaking to His people.
This was a big deal for me to sit and think about because, if this foundational truth is even the slightest bit "off" in my mind, then that affects a lot of other things about the way I live my life.
For example...
If I think of myself as an individual, or our life as the Hendricks just in terms of my family, then here is what the authors of Total Church point out...
"The prevailing view of life today is that of an individual standing on his or her own, heroically juggling various responsibilities - family, friendships, career, leisure, chores, decisions and money. We could also add social responsibilities like political activities, campaigning organizations, community groups and school associations. From time to time, the pressures overwhelm us, and we drop one or more of the balls. All too often church becomes one of the balls. We juggle our responsibilities for church (measured predominantly by attendance at meetings) just as we juggle our responsibilities for work or leisure."
Basically...church can become something we do instead of who we are. This is what happens when we see ourselves at the center of our life...an individual or one family juggling all the responsibilities of life. Church is a ball in the air, just like boy scouts, or ballet.
What would happen if we shifted our thinking, and instead of our family or ourselves being the center of our life, the church took that spot?
This blew my mind. It might be basic for you...but it literally shook me.
I'm not first and foremost Heather...mom, wife, cleaner, cooker. I'm Heather...part of the family of God...part of the church...part of a community of believers, a GROUP of people God wants to use to proclaim the gospel.
Titus 2:11-14
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
"Paul emphasizes here, and in many other places, that Christ wants to create a people, not merely isolated individuals who believe in him...We are not saved individually and then choose to join the church as if it were some club or support group. Christ died for his people, and we are saved when by faith we become part of the people for whom Christ died."
The authors of Total Church say it like this...
"Church is not another ball for me to juggle but that which defines who I am and gives Christlike shape to my life."
They throw this thought out there...
"[At] the Crowded House (their church) we expect one another to make decisions with regard to the implications for the church and to make significant decisions in consultation with the church."
They use this example that made my head spin:
In one of their community groups, a couple was about to have twins. What would be normal would be for that couple to access their lives, on their own, and decide how to keep all the balls of life in the air with such a huge, new, big thing (like twins) coming into their lives. The church ball would some times get dropped. That's what it looks like to live like individuals (or individual families). When the couple didn't show up to church consistently, or had to drop out of certain things, or couldn't make it to small group bible study for awhile, in most churches, everyone would just say, "Yep...they have a lot going on right now. This is understandable. THEY just had TWINS!" The couple, for the most part is on their own, to try and keep all the balls of life in the air. The couple had twins...the community did not.
If the community of believers is central, instead of the individual family, then living life as a community may look something more like this...the community had twins, not just the couple.
A community of believers gets together and says, "So and so is about to have twins. What changes do we ALL need to make in our lives and in our homes so that we take into consideration this new thing going on in our church family?" Maybe my kids don't need to be in as many activities this semester so we can help this couple out. Maybe we need to move the night our small group meets. Maybe we need to move the time. Maybe one of the college students should move in with them for a semester."
See...mind boggling.
Basically, this book is helping me see myself first and foremost as God's people...in this thing together, and from that point, looking at our individual lives and asking ourselves how the decisions we are making will not just affect our family, or ourselves, but how will they affect who we really are...a community of believers? How will these decisions our family is making (about our jobs, our calendars, our schedule, our priorities, our time, etc) affect our new purpose as God's people, "Going and making disciples of all men, baptizing them and teaching them to obey everything scripture commands?"
What would it look like for me to make decisions "with regard for my church community" as Total Church suggests?
This took some thinking for me. I'll admit...when I think of the church, I am less likely to think of a community of people and more likely to think of programs. Don't get me wrong. In my thought process, I do eventually get to community...but first and foremost, when I think of church, I think of all the things it takes to make a church "run effectively."
When I feel "good" about my contribution to the church, I am guilty of basing those feelings on whether or not I'm "doing enough" in the programs. Am I serving on enough ministry teams? I'm not saying programs in a church are bad. But I am saying, that's how my mind is guilty of working. I feel like a crappy church member when I'm not performing well in the programs. Programs can be great, but I need to remind myself that Christ didn't die for programs. Christ laid his life down for the church...for people.
If your mind is a little like mine, then it would seem like I'm saying make the church...the building and all its programs the center of your life.
That's not what I'm saying. That's not what Total Church is saying. Program like things can still be important, but I'm not suggesting making church programs and meetings the center of existence.
When thinking about the church being at the center of our life...being the way we identify ourselves, I'm not saying that this means start identifying myself by how well I'm performing within the programs of a church. Like I've said...I've done that before. I've been the most involved church member, served my guts out, and yet at the same time, lived a very selfish, isolated life, never truly connecting with anyone, or letting anyone truly know me. I felt good. I felt like I was performing well...but I wasn't loving people, or letting people know and love me. Looking back on that time, I don't even remember myself as being a person...I was a machine...not vulnerable, honest...not a real person. People didn't really know me, and I had no interest in really knowing others. I look back and remember what a weirdo I was.
I've been guilty of seeing church as something I do...a place where I serve, instead of the church being first and foremost who I am. I want to see the church, first and foremost as people...not programs. Again...my goodness...no one get their church panties in a wad. I'm not saying programs are necessarily bad. I'm just saying, I put way too much importance on "being involved in programs" instead of seeing the church as people to know, love, and do life with.
When I think about our life as an individual family, I want to begin asking myself, "How am I loving these people God has connected us with? How am I serving them...not just in a building...but in their real, every day lives? How am I sharing with them? How am I adjusting our schedule to intimately know others, have them in our home, do life with them? How are we as a community of believers, intimately connected with one another, being salt and light to the people around us? How am I making adjustments in our schedule, in our home to love people living in other homes?"
In Christ we who are many form one body and each member belongs to all the others (Romans 12:5).
How am I living like I belong to all the "others" Christ has saved? Is church something I do, or who I am? When I think of the church, do I think of people, people who I belong to, and who belong to me, or do I think of programs? Is church just another ball I juggle...or is it who we are? Do I feel "good" about myself and my church life by how well I'm performing within programs, or how well I'm living out the things Acts and other parts of scripture say are important for the church...sharing my life...my gifts...my treasure...my possessions...my time...the gospel?
Whoa.
Has made me think.
I made it as far as chapter two, had to pause, and pretty much rethink my entire existence.
I needed a nap and a snack to proceed.
Our pastor, Allen Duty has asked the body of NL to read this book together. He's talking about each chapter on NL's blog. So far, our elders (Allen and Jason) have written about Chapters One, Two, Three and Four.
I wanted to share how this book has personally made me think.
To sum it up, in the first chapter, the authors point out that as Americans, when asked the question, "Who are you?" think of our identity in very individualistic terms.
Who am I?
I'm Heather. I'm a wife. I'm a mother. I love to write, cook, eat Butter Crunch ice cream. I day dream about being a hip hop dancer who also speaks several foreign languages. I'm a type A personality.
That's who I am.
Even in terms of our salvation, we've managed to take something like the gospel, the story of God's desire to rescue MANKIND, His love for the WORLD, and we've made it all about us.
God died for ME.
If I was the only person alive, Jesus would have gone to the cross...just for me.
Yes...God does love me. Thankfully, He has extended an invitation offering me an intimate and personal relationship with Him. It's good to know God loves me. That's true. It's right. I'm just saying, it's easy, with our bent towards isolation and individualism in our country to forget that the Bible is a story about how God chose a nation...people...to be His very own. We forget that the letters in the NT were written to CHURCHES. I read them as if I just picked them up out of my own personal mail box outside....as though God's Word was written just for me, and emailed to hendrickcrew@gmail.com. Instead of asking, "What does this passage say to us, as God's people," I am guilty of only asking myself what God is saying to me.
In reality...we are the people of God. We're the church. We're family. God speaks to me, but He speaks to me within the context of speaking to His people.
This was a big deal for me to sit and think about because, if this foundational truth is even the slightest bit "off" in my mind, then that affects a lot of other things about the way I live my life.
For example...
If I think of myself as an individual, or our life as the Hendricks just in terms of my family, then here is what the authors of Total Church point out...
"The prevailing view of life today is that of an individual standing on his or her own, heroically juggling various responsibilities - family, friendships, career, leisure, chores, decisions and money. We could also add social responsibilities like political activities, campaigning organizations, community groups and school associations. From time to time, the pressures overwhelm us, and we drop one or more of the balls. All too often church becomes one of the balls. We juggle our responsibilities for church (measured predominantly by attendance at meetings) just as we juggle our responsibilities for work or leisure."
Basically...church can become something we do instead of who we are. This is what happens when we see ourselves at the center of our life...an individual or one family juggling all the responsibilities of life. Church is a ball in the air, just like boy scouts, or ballet.
What would happen if we shifted our thinking, and instead of our family or ourselves being the center of our life, the church took that spot?
This blew my mind. It might be basic for you...but it literally shook me.
I'm not first and foremost Heather...mom, wife, cleaner, cooker. I'm Heather...part of the family of God...part of the church...part of a community of believers, a GROUP of people God wants to use to proclaim the gospel.
Titus 2:11-14
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
"Paul emphasizes here, and in many other places, that Christ wants to create a people, not merely isolated individuals who believe in him...We are not saved individually and then choose to join the church as if it were some club or support group. Christ died for his people, and we are saved when by faith we become part of the people for whom Christ died."
The authors of Total Church say it like this...
"Church is not another ball for me to juggle but that which defines who I am and gives Christlike shape to my life."
They throw this thought out there...
"[At] the Crowded House (their church) we expect one another to make decisions with regard to the implications for the church and to make significant decisions in consultation with the church."
They use this example that made my head spin:
In one of their community groups, a couple was about to have twins. What would be normal would be for that couple to access their lives, on their own, and decide how to keep all the balls of life in the air with such a huge, new, big thing (like twins) coming into their lives. The church ball would some times get dropped. That's what it looks like to live like individuals (or individual families). When the couple didn't show up to church consistently, or had to drop out of certain things, or couldn't make it to small group bible study for awhile, in most churches, everyone would just say, "Yep...they have a lot going on right now. This is understandable. THEY just had TWINS!" The couple, for the most part is on their own, to try and keep all the balls of life in the air. The couple had twins...the community did not.
If the community of believers is central, instead of the individual family, then living life as a community may look something more like this...the community had twins, not just the couple.
A community of believers gets together and says, "So and so is about to have twins. What changes do we ALL need to make in our lives and in our homes so that we take into consideration this new thing going on in our church family?" Maybe my kids don't need to be in as many activities this semester so we can help this couple out. Maybe we need to move the night our small group meets. Maybe we need to move the time. Maybe one of the college students should move in with them for a semester."
See...mind boggling.
Basically, this book is helping me see myself first and foremost as God's people...in this thing together, and from that point, looking at our individual lives and asking ourselves how the decisions we are making will not just affect our family, or ourselves, but how will they affect who we really are...a community of believers? How will these decisions our family is making (about our jobs, our calendars, our schedule, our priorities, our time, etc) affect our new purpose as God's people, "Going and making disciples of all men, baptizing them and teaching them to obey everything scripture commands?"
What would it look like for me to make decisions "with regard for my church community" as Total Church suggests?
This took some thinking for me. I'll admit...when I think of the church, I am less likely to think of a community of people and more likely to think of programs. Don't get me wrong. In my thought process, I do eventually get to community...but first and foremost, when I think of church, I think of all the things it takes to make a church "run effectively."
When I feel "good" about my contribution to the church, I am guilty of basing those feelings on whether or not I'm "doing enough" in the programs. Am I serving on enough ministry teams? I'm not saying programs in a church are bad. But I am saying, that's how my mind is guilty of working. I feel like a crappy church member when I'm not performing well in the programs. Programs can be great, but I need to remind myself that Christ didn't die for programs. Christ laid his life down for the church...for people.
If your mind is a little like mine, then it would seem like I'm saying make the church...the building and all its programs the center of your life.
That's not what I'm saying. That's not what Total Church is saying. Program like things can still be important, but I'm not suggesting making church programs and meetings the center of existence.
When thinking about the church being at the center of our life...being the way we identify ourselves, I'm not saying that this means start identifying myself by how well I'm performing within the programs of a church. Like I've said...I've done that before. I've been the most involved church member, served my guts out, and yet at the same time, lived a very selfish, isolated life, never truly connecting with anyone, or letting anyone truly know me. I felt good. I felt like I was performing well...but I wasn't loving people, or letting people know and love me. Looking back on that time, I don't even remember myself as being a person...I was a machine...not vulnerable, honest...not a real person. People didn't really know me, and I had no interest in really knowing others. I look back and remember what a weirdo I was.
I've been guilty of seeing church as something I do...a place where I serve, instead of the church being first and foremost who I am. I want to see the church, first and foremost as people...not programs. Again...my goodness...no one get their church panties in a wad. I'm not saying programs are necessarily bad. I'm just saying, I put way too much importance on "being involved in programs" instead of seeing the church as people to know, love, and do life with.
When I think about our life as an individual family, I want to begin asking myself, "How am I loving these people God has connected us with? How am I serving them...not just in a building...but in their real, every day lives? How am I sharing with them? How am I adjusting our schedule to intimately know others, have them in our home, do life with them? How are we as a community of believers, intimately connected with one another, being salt and light to the people around us? How am I making adjustments in our schedule, in our home to love people living in other homes?"
In Christ we who are many form one body and each member belongs to all the others (Romans 12:5).
How am I living like I belong to all the "others" Christ has saved? Is church something I do, or who I am? When I think of the church, do I think of people, people who I belong to, and who belong to me, or do I think of programs? Is church just another ball I juggle...or is it who we are? Do I feel "good" about myself and my church life by how well I'm performing within programs, or how well I'm living out the things Acts and other parts of scripture say are important for the church...sharing my life...my gifts...my treasure...my possessions...my time...the gospel?
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Blog Cleaning
Be sure to add your recipes below!
In other news, I'm trying to clean up my blog.
If you go to New Life and have a blog, will you let me know?
If you go to Living Hope and have a blog, will you let me know?
If you go to Living Hope Bryan and have a blog, will you let me know that as well?
And...will you check to see if your blog is listed under the right church?
If you moved away, tell me so I can put your blog under the right section.
I love blogs and enjoy getting to keep up with your lives. This will be especially important to our family now that we're moving to a different church. We still want to know what is going on in your lives, even if we have to blog stalk you!
Help!
In other news, I'm trying to clean up my blog.
If you go to New Life and have a blog, will you let me know?
If you go to Living Hope and have a blog, will you let me know?
If you go to Living Hope Bryan and have a blog, will you let me know that as well?
And...will you check to see if your blog is listed under the right church?
If you moved away, tell me so I can put your blog under the right section.
I love blogs and enjoy getting to keep up with your lives. This will be especially important to our family now that we're moving to a different church. We still want to know what is going on in your lives, even if we have to blog stalk you!
Help!
What Do You Do Wednesday
New to "What do you do Wednesday?"
Here's how it started.
So far we've covered Favorite Breakfast Ideas, Favorite Soups, Family Worship, What to do with your kids instead of letting them watch TV, Favorite Internet Sites, How to inspire creativity in kids, Laundry Solutions, favorite recipes to cook when having people over, sleepovers, fevers, an entire series on efficiently running a house, and a whole week of ideas for being frugal.
As promised, the next several What Would You Do Wednesdays are going to be a place to share your favorite recipes.Here's how it started.
So far we've covered Favorite Breakfast Ideas, Favorite Soups, Family Worship, What to do with your kids instead of letting them watch TV, Favorite Internet Sites, How to inspire creativity in kids, Laundry Solutions, favorite recipes to cook when having people over, sleepovers, fevers, an entire series on efficiently running a house, and a whole week of ideas for being frugal.
These posts will only be helpful if lots of people contribute. How yum would it be if all of us gave ONE of our favorites for each category. We'd be overflowing with delicious, proven recipes to try this summer.
If you have some great recipes for breakfast or soups, please click on the links below to add your recipes. It's not too late. At least once a week, I go back through these and use them while cooking dinner or deciding our menu for the week.
Favorite Breakfast
Favorite Soups
I'm going to put these posts under the link, "recipes" on this blog. To easily access it, every time you want to try a new recipe, or just keep from having to write one down yourself, scroll down to the section on this blog called "What We've Said About" and then click on "recipes." Easy!
This week...
Salads!
What are your favorite salad recipes?
Join us in the comment section and share your salad secrets!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Antique Rose Emporium
Our Summer of Awesomeness kicked off on Sunday.
We took the kids to the Antique Rose Emporium for Garden Day.
It was beautiful and so much fun. The Rose Emporium has now been officially added to the places the Hendricks will frequent. What a treasure not very far from home!
The kids picked vegetables, planted flowers, learned about herbs and butterflies, and then explored all over the gardens. We took so many pretty pictures.
We came home with a caterpillar, several cocoons, and lots of snails.
Once we got home, we cut up all our veggies the kids picked, threw them in a skillet, cooked them...and they ate them for a quick snack before church.
Eggplant, potatoes, green beans, zucchini...these kids were eating machines. I'm telling you...there's something magic about homegrown food. Well...there's magic in most homegrown food...all the kids still refused to eat the tomatoes. Who cares though...Aaron's mom and I didn't want to share the tomatoes with the kids anyway. We liked having them all to ourselves.
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| Make a Smilebox slideshow |
Sunday, May 24, 2009
A New Home
Yesterday Aaron announced to Living Hope, the church where he has lead worship for over 10 years that our family is leaving.
Thankfully, we're not going far.
This week, one of the new churches that Living Hope helped start called Aaron to be their worship leader.
Aaron accepted that call.
Our family will now be attending and serving at New Life. Aaron will still be helping at Living Hope as they find a new worship leader...so those of you attending Living Hope, you aren't getting rid of Aaron super fast or anything.
It's weird to think of saying good-bye to so many people who have become like family to us, who will not be going with us to New Life. I think of so many faces, and it takes everything in me to keep from falling on the floor and crying. I already went through this once when Living Hope Bryan started (one of the other new churches Living Hope helped start). I know saying good bye is a good thing in these instances, but I won't lie...it hurts and I hate things that hurt. Aaron came home on Thursday night after telling his praise team the news, and told me through teary eyes how hard it was to tell them we are leaving.
We've been at Living Hope for a long time. Although college students come and go, like waves on the shore, a lot of the same families who are at Living Hope right now have watched Aaron and I grow up, and our family grow bigger and bigger.
Some are dear friends, who I can't imagine not seeing as much as I see them now. All of them are special to us, simply because they are our church family.
But Aaron and I have been praying about this for about a year, and our hearts have been pulled towards New Life for a very long time.
It's been a long, hard wait to see if God was going to move us or not.
Although we're sad to leave the body we have loved for what seems like forever to us, we could not be more excited to join in what God is doing at New Life. Although the transition will be hard in some ways, we can't help but thank God for all the ways He has been so kind to us. He could have called us anywhere, and yet, He called us to New Life. So although it's hard to leave Living Hope, there are also plenty of things to be thankful about as well.
We love Allen and Kendra Duty incredibly.
That's not why we're going to New Life, but I won't lie...serving with Allen and Kendra is definitely a perk.
The Dutys are like family to us. We love them dearly, and it is a sweet honor that God is allowing Aaron and Allen to continue working together. God has been gracious to us to allow us to serve alongside the Dutys and so many others who we feel deeply connected to, even if we haven't known them very long. It's a true blessing to know your pastor well...as a real person...with real problems...who has seen real victory, and yet still has things to work through. We've been blessed by Allen as we see his willingness to work through all these things out loud, in humility, within this new church community. That's Allen, and we're blessed by him.
I know I've said this before, but it's true...
Allen is young...younger than us, and yet God has used Allen to grow us by leaps and bounds.
As Teaching Pastor of New Life, Allen's vision for this new church is something that inspires us, and deeply challenges us.
After every sermon I hear Allen preach, I walk away not only having learned so much, but I also walk away with so much to think about. What the Lord says through Allen keeps me thinking all week long, and reflecting on God's goodness, grace and most importantly the gospel. God has truly gifted Allen to teach and handle His Word well. God uses Allen and this entire body to challenge us to love our neighbors, to reach out to people around us, and include them in our lives and in our homes. The way God uses the men in this body to lead in areas regarding the family and the home have literally changed our lives. For the life of us we can't figure out why God has allowed us to be a part of all that He's doing at New Life...we certainly don't deserve it...but we are overflowing with gratitude and humbled greatly by where God has lead us.
You'll be getting an ear full about all the things God is teaching us through this new church body. As I'm learning and growing...and ouch...stretching, I want to be faithful to share these things with you.
Since we've felt the Lord moving us towards New Life, we have been attending, off and on from the time this new body began. So much about New Life is new to us, since this is a new church. While similar to Living Hope in several ways, New Life is also extremely different. But it already feels like home to us.
God has done His work, and knit this group of people together for His glory, and ever so graciously, He chose to knit the Hendricks in with them. We have loved getting to know these people, to hear their struggles, to share our own. We're challenged by how genuine they are...how honest...and by how intimately they share their lives with one another and with us. We have already learned a great deal from doing life with the people of New Life.
If you live here locally, but don't have a home church, please try New Life!
Right now we meet on Saturday nights, but that's changing in a couple weeks.
Pretty soon, we'll be meeting on Sunday nights.
I could try to convince you, or you could just listen to our oldest son, Anson. This was posted on New Life's blog, but I can't figure out how to link to this one post...
There are many great churches in our community, but I can't pass up an opportunity to invite you to join us for worship soon!
Thankfully, we're not going far.
This week, one of the new churches that Living Hope helped start called Aaron to be their worship leader.
Aaron accepted that call.
Our family will now be attending and serving at New Life. Aaron will still be helping at Living Hope as they find a new worship leader...so those of you attending Living Hope, you aren't getting rid of Aaron super fast or anything.
It's weird to think of saying good-bye to so many people who have become like family to us, who will not be going with us to New Life. I think of so many faces, and it takes everything in me to keep from falling on the floor and crying. I already went through this once when Living Hope Bryan started (one of the other new churches Living Hope helped start). I know saying good bye is a good thing in these instances, but I won't lie...it hurts and I hate things that hurt. Aaron came home on Thursday night after telling his praise team the news, and told me through teary eyes how hard it was to tell them we are leaving.
We've been at Living Hope for a long time. Although college students come and go, like waves on the shore, a lot of the same families who are at Living Hope right now have watched Aaron and I grow up, and our family grow bigger and bigger.
Some are dear friends, who I can't imagine not seeing as much as I see them now. All of them are special to us, simply because they are our church family.
But Aaron and I have been praying about this for about a year, and our hearts have been pulled towards New Life for a very long time.
It's been a long, hard wait to see if God was going to move us or not.
Although we're sad to leave the body we have loved for what seems like forever to us, we could not be more excited to join in what God is doing at New Life. Although the transition will be hard in some ways, we can't help but thank God for all the ways He has been so kind to us. He could have called us anywhere, and yet, He called us to New Life. So although it's hard to leave Living Hope, there are also plenty of things to be thankful about as well.
We love Allen and Kendra Duty incredibly.
That's not why we're going to New Life, but I won't lie...serving with Allen and Kendra is definitely a perk.
The Dutys are like family to us. We love them dearly, and it is a sweet honor that God is allowing Aaron and Allen to continue working together. God has been gracious to us to allow us to serve alongside the Dutys and so many others who we feel deeply connected to, even if we haven't known them very long. It's a true blessing to know your pastor well...as a real person...with real problems...who has seen real victory, and yet still has things to work through. We've been blessed by Allen as we see his willingness to work through all these things out loud, in humility, within this new church community. That's Allen, and we're blessed by him.
I know I've said this before, but it's true...
Allen is young...younger than us, and yet God has used Allen to grow us by leaps and bounds.
As Teaching Pastor of New Life, Allen's vision for this new church is something that inspires us, and deeply challenges us.
After every sermon I hear Allen preach, I walk away not only having learned so much, but I also walk away with so much to think about. What the Lord says through Allen keeps me thinking all week long, and reflecting on God's goodness, grace and most importantly the gospel. God has truly gifted Allen to teach and handle His Word well. God uses Allen and this entire body to challenge us to love our neighbors, to reach out to people around us, and include them in our lives and in our homes. The way God uses the men in this body to lead in areas regarding the family and the home have literally changed our lives. For the life of us we can't figure out why God has allowed us to be a part of all that He's doing at New Life...we certainly don't deserve it...but we are overflowing with gratitude and humbled greatly by where God has lead us.
You'll be getting an ear full about all the things God is teaching us through this new church body. As I'm learning and growing...and ouch...stretching, I want to be faithful to share these things with you.
Since we've felt the Lord moving us towards New Life, we have been attending, off and on from the time this new body began. So much about New Life is new to us, since this is a new church. While similar to Living Hope in several ways, New Life is also extremely different. But it already feels like home to us.
God has done His work, and knit this group of people together for His glory, and ever so graciously, He chose to knit the Hendricks in with them. We have loved getting to know these people, to hear their struggles, to share our own. We're challenged by how genuine they are...how honest...and by how intimately they share their lives with one another and with us. We have already learned a great deal from doing life with the people of New Life.
If you live here locally, but don't have a home church, please try New Life!
Right now we meet on Saturday nights, but that's changing in a couple weeks.
Pretty soon, we'll be meeting on Sunday nights.
I could try to convince you, or you could just listen to our oldest son, Anson. This was posted on New Life's blog, but I can't figure out how to link to this one post...
Anson Hendrick Hired
Yes, you read that right - Anson Hendrick, the oldest son of the Hendrick family, has officially been hired as the New Life Marketing Coordinator. In school today, Anson had to write a persuasive paragraph. He chose to write about New Life, and here is what he had to say:
“New Life is fun. You get to eat there. The food is very good. You get to meet nice people. If you are struggling with something they love to love on you. You get to learn about Jesus. If you believe in Him you will get to go to the best place ever. Find out more about us today.”
In less exciting but still important news, we officially called his dad, Aaron Hendrick, to oversee worship and media at our business meeting last evening. We also approved our Statement of Faith and Church Covenant.
If you have been attending New Life and plan to join the church or would like to learn more about who we are and what we believe, membership classes will begin on June 2nd and will run throughout the month. Praise God for all he is doing at New Life!
________________________________
There are many great churches in our community, but I can't pass up an opportunity to invite you to join us for worship soon!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Two Places to Go on Saturday
Saw this on Money Saving Mom's Blog.
Then Kirby called me after actually going to Kroger.
You know it's bad when I say, "Hello" and the first thing Kirby says is, "Tonight may be the night I get arrested."
She left that store with 14 packs of Huggies Diapers. I wish I could have been there to see this.
So I went to Kroger tonight.
Bought 4 packs of Huggies diapers.
They were 8.99 each. ($36)
From now until May 30, Kroger will give you $3 back for every $15 you spend on Huggies.
$36 minus $6...
My new total was $30.
Took with me four $3 off coupons. (-$12)
If you haven't signed up with Huggies at their website, you should! I got two $3 coupons from them, and I had a couple I had printed online.
So...with the paper coupons, my new total was: $18
Then, you can load coupons at cell fire and shortcuts for Huggies on your card.
I had three of them on my Kroger card. The total deducted was $6.50.
I bought 4 packages of Huggies Diapers for $11.50.
That made them $2.88 a package.
So, if you've got babies in diapers, I recommend a trip to Kroger!
You can only buy 4 packs of diapers per transaction though. So, if you want more than four packs, you'll have to do them in multiple transactions.
Also...does anyone know if you can reload coupons on your card from Cellfire and Shortcuts? As in...after I've used the ones on my card, can I go back and load more? Anyone know?
If you can only find $2 Huggies coupons, your diapers would be more like $4 a pack. Still cheap!
No one get excited about all this math I'm doing. I'm not doing it. I'm sitting at the computer...Aaron is watching something on the Discovery Channel, and I keep yelling out..."What is $36 minus $12?"
Get $1 Flip Flops at Old Navy tomorrow (Saturday).Read about it on Money Saving Mom's blog.
Still not signed up for her blog? Girl...what are you waiting for?
And the Winner Is...
You'll have to watch the video to see.
The winner needs to email me...can't wait to hear from you!
hendrickcrew@gmail.com
I asked Hayden why he said, "Again" on the video after he drew the winner's name.
He said "We were drawing names when you went inside, and we chose her name."
That's what happens I guess when you leave little kids in a tent with a circus hat filled with paper slips.
I know they shook the bag. So hopefully this was an accurate drawing!
Weekend Fun!
We'll do the drawing for Feminine Appeal later this afternoon, but for now I wanted to give you some info about fun stuff going on around town (or near our town) this weekend. Then we're heading to the hospital to meet our newest family member! Aunt Lynsey is having a baby girl today! Hooray! Happy Birthday Ruthie Claire! We love you already and can't wait to meet you!
Family Fun Day
May 23, 2009 -
Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater
Family fun day is an event the entire family can be a part of.
“We created Family Fun Day to provide a spirit filled environment for the whole family,” says Edward Graham, founder of Family Fun Day—Brazos Valley.
There is a myriad of events that take place throughout the day such as face painting, train rides, and other fun activities that will entertain the entire family. Various vendors from across the state of Texas will display and offer their products to an estimated crowd of more than 5,000 people.
In addition to the full day of activities, a wide variety of entertainers will grace the Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater from the Motown sounds of the 70s to today’s hottest artists. Zapp, The Dazz Band, and Lenny Williams will represent the old school portion of the show. While Mike Jones, Lil Will, Cupid and Montell Jordan will represent today’s hottest artists.
Family Fun Day will also feature one of the biggest names in Gospel music today, James Fortune and Fiya, who currently hold the number 1 song position on the Gospel charts for the last seventeen weeks, “I Trust You”.
A portion of the proceeds from Family Fun Day—Brazos Valley will be donated to The Girls Club of Brazos County, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization specifically created to help young girls in the Brazos Valley prepare themselves for the future while emphasizing the importance of life skills.
For more information on Family Fun Day, please contact Edward Graham at (713) 397-9618.
Childrens' Garden Day - Independence (May 24)
Location: Independence Display Gardens
Our first children’s day in the garden was a huge success….. even in the rain. It is time to harvest the garden and build the sunflower house that is already six feet tall. The activities for this session include fun activities like planting a Rainbow Garden as well as learning about butterflies and caterpillars. Participants will even be given a chrysalis of their own to take home to watch the Painted Lady butterfly emerge. So don’t miss out on this event, whether or not you attended before, sign up now for all the fun! The one hour sessions will begin at 1:00 with the final session starting at 3:00pm. Please call 979-836-5548 or email roses@weAREroses.com to reserve a spot. $15.00. Limited space.
Family Fun Day
May 23, 2009 -
Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater
Family fun day is an event the entire family can be a part of.
“We created Family Fun Day to provide a spirit filled environment for the whole family,” says Edward Graham, founder of Family Fun Day—Brazos Valley.
There is a myriad of events that take place throughout the day such as face painting, train rides, and other fun activities that will entertain the entire family. Various vendors from across the state of Texas will display and offer their products to an estimated crowd of more than 5,000 people.
In addition to the full day of activities, a wide variety of entertainers will grace the Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater from the Motown sounds of the 70s to today’s hottest artists. Zapp, The Dazz Band, and Lenny Williams will represent the old school portion of the show. While Mike Jones, Lil Will, Cupid and Montell Jordan will represent today’s hottest artists.
Family Fun Day will also feature one of the biggest names in Gospel music today, James Fortune and Fiya, who currently hold the number 1 song position on the Gospel charts for the last seventeen weeks, “I Trust You”.
A portion of the proceeds from Family Fun Day—Brazos Valley will be donated to The Girls Club of Brazos County, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization specifically created to help young girls in the Brazos Valley prepare themselves for the future while emphasizing the importance of life skills.
For more information on Family Fun Day, please contact Edward Graham at (713) 397-9618.
Childrens' Garden Day - Independence (May 24)
Location: Independence Display Gardens
Our first children’s day in the garden was a huge success….. even in the rain. It is time to harvest the garden and build the sunflower house that is already six feet tall. The activities for this session include fun activities like planting a Rainbow Garden as well as learning about butterflies and caterpillars. Participants will even be given a chrysalis of their own to take home to watch the Painted Lady butterfly emerge. So don’t miss out on this event, whether or not you attended before, sign up now for all the fun! The one hour sessions will begin at 1:00 with the final session starting at 3:00pm. Please call 979-836-5548 or email roses@weAREroses.com to reserve a spot. $15.00. Limited space.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
How Does Your Garden Grow?
During Spring Break, our family spent some time putting in a vegetable garden.
I didn't tell anyone because....let's just say, the Hendricks + their yearly vegetable garden = a running joke among our friends.
We try just about every year to have a vegetable garden. We work hard. We get dirty. We have fun. We get NOTHING TO EAT.
What makes the jokes even more funny is that my husband has an ag degree. It's hard to imagine Aaron as an ag major with his graphic tees and thick, trendy black glasses...but he was an ag major. He sat in classes with people wearing belt buckles. Let's all pause and smile. Not only did Aaron take some soil science classes...he took a lot of soil science classes...and yet, Aaron has confessed that we Hendricks would have starved to death if our lives depended on our garden.
It's weird to think of Aaron in ag classes a few years ago, and today making movies and strumming a guitar. College student...you never know what you're going to be doing in the future, no matter what you're studying right now. So maybe chill out on the "freaking out over college stuff," okay? Work hard. Be a good steward of your time. Love God, His people and the church more than anything else. You'll never regret that.
Back to the garden...
So far, we're right on schedule to keep our friends laughing and cracking garden jokes at our expense.
Look at my garden...
So pretty.
So lush.
So green.
So tall.
And yet, there's not really any food growing in there.
No tomatoes on those six feet tall plants.
Thanks to some smart farmers, we bought some fertilizer this week and hopefully, we'll actually grow some food in our vegetable garden...that's hard for me to believe...but apparently, food is actually supposed to come out of these cool things.
I also have herbs and what not.
Rosemary. Yum.
I use this in soup and to make these delicious oven potatoes.
Cilantro.
I feel like a cool hippy grabbing a handful of this to throw in some guacamole.
And then there are two plants that were here when we moved in this house. I don't know what they are.
Anyone know what this is? Connie, can you help?
Or this? Closeup below. Can I eat it?
Even if we don't get much food out of this garden, I love having one. The boys go out every morning to "check the garden." They all worked to plant the seeds. They love to be in charge of watering it. And my favorite part...my sons ate green beans for a snack at the swimming pool the other day. That's weird, even for my kids whose parents are big fat meany faces and make them eat their dinner every night. The boys ate green beans for a snack! Isn't that nuts? But they were so super duper excited that those green beans came out of our garden. I don't know why, but the fact that we grew them, magically made green beans delicious.
I didn't tell anyone because....let's just say, the Hendricks + their yearly vegetable garden = a running joke among our friends.
We try just about every year to have a vegetable garden. We work hard. We get dirty. We have fun. We get NOTHING TO EAT.
What makes the jokes even more funny is that my husband has an ag degree. It's hard to imagine Aaron as an ag major with his graphic tees and thick, trendy black glasses...but he was an ag major. He sat in classes with people wearing belt buckles. Let's all pause and smile. Not only did Aaron take some soil science classes...he took a lot of soil science classes...and yet, Aaron has confessed that we Hendricks would have starved to death if our lives depended on our garden.
It's weird to think of Aaron in ag classes a few years ago, and today making movies and strumming a guitar. College student...you never know what you're going to be doing in the future, no matter what you're studying right now. So maybe chill out on the "freaking out over college stuff," okay? Work hard. Be a good steward of your time. Love God, His people and the church more than anything else. You'll never regret that.
Back to the garden...
So far, we're right on schedule to keep our friends laughing and cracking garden jokes at our expense.
Look at my garden...
So pretty.So lush.
So green.
So tall.
And yet, there's not really any food growing in there.
No tomatoes on those six feet tall plants.
Thanks to some smart farmers, we bought some fertilizer this week and hopefully, we'll actually grow some food in our vegetable garden...that's hard for me to believe...but apparently, food is actually supposed to come out of these cool things.
I also have herbs and what not.
Rosemary. Yum.I use this in soup and to make these delicious oven potatoes.
Cilantro.I feel like a cool hippy grabbing a handful of this to throw in some guacamole.
Spearmint.
I don't know why I planted this. It smells good. That was my only reason. Anyone know what I should do with this stuff?
I don't know why I planted this. It smells good. That was my only reason. Anyone know what I should do with this stuff?
And then there are two plants that were here when we moved in this house. I don't know what they are.
Anyone know what this is? Connie, can you help?
Or this? Closeup below. Can I eat it?
Even if we don't get much food out of this garden, I love having one. The boys go out every morning to "check the garden." They all worked to plant the seeds. They love to be in charge of watering it. And my favorite part...my sons ate green beans for a snack at the swimming pool the other day. That's weird, even for my kids whose parents are big fat meany faces and make them eat their dinner every night. The boys ate green beans for a snack! Isn't that nuts? But they were so super duper excited that those green beans came out of our garden. I don't know why, but the fact that we grew them, magically made green beans delicious.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Butter Crunch? Anyone?
Once upon a time, I was sitting in church listening to a missionary speak.
Before I go on, I'll let you in on a pathetic, lame truth about myself.
Every single time I see a movie, or in this case, hear a missionary speak, I decide I want to do what the person on the movie does for a living, or be a missionary...you know...whatever I'm watching, I want to be that person.
I'm sure this says something sad about me. I just don't know what sad thing it says.
So I'm sitting...
In church, listening to the missionary, thinking, for about the 900th time that God is telling me to move to Africa. Well, not 900 times, but take the number of times I've heard a missionary speak, and that's the EXACT amount of times, I've thought I was supposed to be a missionary to a far away place.
I had to mention that part about me wanting to be a spy, a girl who works in a hardware store, a hip hop dancer, an inner city teacher, or a wedding planner, in case anyone thinks that God was really calling me to Africa.
So far, I don't think He is. If He is, I'm sure He'd take it up with Aaron.
I just think I'm silly and do that weird "I wish I were that person" thing.
Back to me sitting in church listening to the missionary...
I go through all the normal, "I think God is asking me to be a missionary" steps.
Step 1.
Cool. I could be a missionary, eat weird food, live an exotic, non-normal life...tell people about Jesus.
Step 2.
Imagine myself walking around African villages with black babies on my hips. In these imaginary scenes, I always look exactly like Angelina Jolie does when she's in Africa. Yet another reason why I don't think me wanting to be a missionary has very much to do with Jesus. Imagining me, with gigantic lips, and chiseled arms...I don't know...just seems suspicious if you ask me.
Step 3.
Start thinking of all the reasons why I can't leave Texas.
I'm sad to admit this, but it's true...
Bluebell Ice cream always comes up in my mind WAY closer to the top of the list of reasons I can't move to Africa than it should.
I'm ashamed.
I remember thinking...
"I would never get to eat Blue Bell ice cream again."
And then, the next thing that goes through my mind is...
"I just thought of Blue Bell Ice Cream before I thought of dying a martyrs death or not seeing my friends and extended family for long periods of time...what the cheese is wrong with me? I can't believe God likes me...He knows what I'm thinking...He can read my mind right now...(pause) Hi God...How can you stand me?"
It's in these moments of my life, that I'm extremely embarrassed at who I am, but extremely thankful for who God is.
Not only has He promised to never "un-like" me...somehow, deep down, although I don't know the ins and outs of it, I'm sure God has something to do with Blue Bell making this:
Blue Bell Butter Crunch Ice Cream
You need to try this ... like maybe today ... like maybe don't even read the rest of this post ... just go get some. Eat it for dinner.
God also knows that when people bring ice cream over to our house, but it's not Blue Bell, I have to stop...and ask God to help me continue liking those people. But, that's good for me, I guess...practicing grace when people bring a bucket of slime, instead of Blue Bell.
Before I go on, I'll let you in on a pathetic, lame truth about myself.
Every single time I see a movie, or in this case, hear a missionary speak, I decide I want to do what the person on the movie does for a living, or be a missionary...you know...whatever I'm watching, I want to be that person.
I'm sure this says something sad about me. I just don't know what sad thing it says.
So I'm sitting...
In church, listening to the missionary, thinking, for about the 900th time that God is telling me to move to Africa. Well, not 900 times, but take the number of times I've heard a missionary speak, and that's the EXACT amount of times, I've thought I was supposed to be a missionary to a far away place.
I had to mention that part about me wanting to be a spy, a girl who works in a hardware store, a hip hop dancer, an inner city teacher, or a wedding planner, in case anyone thinks that God was really calling me to Africa.
So far, I don't think He is. If He is, I'm sure He'd take it up with Aaron.
I just think I'm silly and do that weird "I wish I were that person" thing.
Back to me sitting in church listening to the missionary...
I go through all the normal, "I think God is asking me to be a missionary" steps.
Step 1.
Cool. I could be a missionary, eat weird food, live an exotic, non-normal life...tell people about Jesus.
Step 2.
Imagine myself walking around African villages with black babies on my hips. In these imaginary scenes, I always look exactly like Angelina Jolie does when she's in Africa. Yet another reason why I don't think me wanting to be a missionary has very much to do with Jesus. Imagining me, with gigantic lips, and chiseled arms...I don't know...just seems suspicious if you ask me.
Step 3.
Start thinking of all the reasons why I can't leave Texas.
I'm sad to admit this, but it's true...
Bluebell Ice cream always comes up in my mind WAY closer to the top of the list of reasons I can't move to Africa than it should.
I'm ashamed.
I remember thinking...
"I would never get to eat Blue Bell ice cream again."
And then, the next thing that goes through my mind is...
"I just thought of Blue Bell Ice Cream before I thought of dying a martyrs death or not seeing my friends and extended family for long periods of time...what the cheese is wrong with me? I can't believe God likes me...He knows what I'm thinking...He can read my mind right now...(pause) Hi God...How can you stand me?"
It's in these moments of my life, that I'm extremely embarrassed at who I am, but extremely thankful for who God is.
Not only has He promised to never "un-like" me...somehow, deep down, although I don't know the ins and outs of it, I'm sure God has something to do with Blue Bell making this:
Blue Bell Butter Crunch Ice CreamYou need to try this ... like maybe today ... like maybe don't even read the rest of this post ... just go get some. Eat it for dinner.
God also knows that when people bring ice cream over to our house, but it's not Blue Bell, I have to stop...and ask God to help me continue liking those people. But, that's good for me, I guess...practicing grace when people bring a bucket of slime, instead of Blue Bell.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Quick Note
There's a GIVE AWAY below! Check it out.
____________________________________
I'm working on our summer schedule today, using all the great ideas I've received from YOU.
If you live here locally and want to be a part of this stuff, email me and let me know.
hendrickcrew@gmail.com
I'm not going to add anyone to the email list unless you give me permission. That way, we won't bog down your email account.
But, if you want to know what our family is doing for fun throughout the week this summer, or you want to share and invite others to do things with your crew, then email me and I'll keep you in the know.
Now I'm not feeling nearly as scared of summer. There are so many fun, mostly free things to do!
Give Away!
I love this book.I read it last summer, and not only did I learn a lot, I also was able to take what was taught and apply it directly to my life as a wife and mother.
To sum it up...the truth from God's Word in this book tangibly changed the ways I relate to Aaron and the boys.
You've got to love a book like that!
Carolyn Mahaney is the wife of C.J. Mahaney.
I send you guys over to their blog periodically. I'm blessed by their ministry.
If you've never visited the Girl Talk blog, then go on over there! We can waste a lot of time on the computer reading a lot of silly stuff, but this is one blog that you can read that has a PURPOSE. You'll learn. You'll be challenged. It will encourage you as a single woman, or a wife and mom. My favorite part about the Girl Talk blog is not only how biblically sound it is, but how Titus 2ish it is as well. By that I mean, it's written by the Mahaney women...a mom and her grown daughters, watched over by their husband/dad C.J. Mahaney.
Got a daughter? I don't...but if I did, I would definitely see value in reading this blog with my daughter and talking about these ideas with her.
This summer, I'm going to re-read this book, Feminine Appeal and I'd love for us to read it together.
The book has nine chapters.
We'll start the week of June 15 and end the week of August 10.
This will give everyone time to buy the book.
Every week, I'll write a post about each chapter, so we can talk about our favorite parts and how we're APPLYING what we're learning.
One person will get a book for free.
To enter the drawing for a free copy, just leave a comment with your name.
If you get a friend to come over and she agrees to reading the book with us, then you will be entered in the drawing twice.
So, if your friend is making you read this with her, then make sure you mention your friend's name in the comment so she gets entered in the drawing for sending you!
Are you a single woman? I know I sound like a broken record, but we ALL need to know what the Bible says about being a Godly wife and mom. We're one body, remember? What a blessing single women are to their church when they know the truth about God's Word as it applies to the married women in their lives. The college girls that surround me are just as good at encouraging me to live out what scripture teaches about my role as a wife and mother as my married friends. I love how these single women are in this WITH me.
The boys will draw a name on Friday.
Ready, set, enter!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Maybe I Should Reconsider
Because when I find Ashton burying his brother in the back yard
it makes sticking the boys in front of the tv seem tempting.
Really, really tempting.
Really, really tempting.
I walked outside and said, "Ashton what are you doing?"
He never stopped shoveling.
He just said, "Burying Hayden alive."
Thankfully, Hayden was only half buried when I heard Ashton say...
"Hayden, let's bury you alive in a little while. Right now, let's go look for worms."
Boys.
He never stopped shoveling.
He just said, "Burying Hayden alive."
Thankfully, Hayden was only half buried when I heard Ashton say...
"Hayden, let's bury you alive in a little while. Right now, let's go look for worms."
Boys.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Summer Ideas, Camps, Activities?
On one hand, I'm excited about school being over.
When you home school, summer means less work for kids and less work for mom.
Around our house summer means, sleeping late, staying in our pj's until embarrassing times every day...and swimming with friends just about every afternoon....ah...yes...summer.
However, there is this part of me that is sort of dreading summer.
I love my kids, love being with them every single day, but summer for us means, lack of schedule...lack of routine...more free time...
I know I've shared on this blog several times about how we've cut down on tv, video games and computer games over the past couple years.
I know our culture is bound and determine to turn my sons into lazy, uncreative, mediocre, mindless creatures...but this mother is MORE bound and determine not to let that happen.
One of the boys was whining recently about how we never watch tv anymore.
I snapped back, in one of my least proud parenting moments..."I don't care if it kills me...I'm not letting you turn into a lazy dumb lump, no matter how much you want to be one. You might be mad at me now but one day you will thank me."
That wasn't very nice to say, I know. I've been a mom for almost ten years, but in that moment, I sounded more like a mom than I ever have before.
Let's just say, I haven't fully learned how to verbalize this passion to my kids. I need to work on that. I don't want them to drift through life, valuing what this world values. I want to be good stewards of their God-given minds and gifts. I want to raise boys who can think, who are hard workers, who know how to connect with people and care about things worth caring about. I'm just saying, I don't think that's going to happen if we let things like the tv and the computer rob us of time.
Here's the cliff notes on our journey to less tv...
We went from watching way too much tv, to now going several days every week where the tv is never turned on. For the longer version about where our hearts are for our sons regarding the tv, you can read here.
Bottom line...the more we get rid of tv, the more we have seen very little need for it unless they are watching something for school (there are exceptions, or course...but in general, there's just way better stuff to be doing, besides watching tv.)
In our opinion, nothing but GOOD has come from not allowing the tv to be on as much.
We have found this battle well worth fighting.
The more the tv is off, the more we've noticed that the tv was masking behavior issues that might have never been addressed and corrected if we had allowed the tv to remain a constant part of our lives.
The more it's off, the more we've noticed our kids become excellent at other things...like drawing and reading...and just being down right active, creative, happy and involved in each other's lives.
Last summer, we replaced school with a lot of tv time.
This summer, we don't want to allow that to happen again.
We've seen way too many great things happen around this house to even consider turning that box on every day.
That sounds super...but how that plays out in real life this summer is going to be very hard at first...I'm already a little nervous about it.
School takes up at least half our day...which leaves little time in the afternoon for the boys to entertain themselves with non tv/computer related activities.
I'm on the look out for fun, creative, active things for us to do this summer to fill our newfound time.
Got any ideas?
Know of any local camps/activities going on in which kids can participate?
If you live here locally, this would be a great place to give information about any camps, Vacation Bible Schools or other church/community activities you've heard about for families or kids.
I want this summer to be filled with life...with good things...with creativity...with adventure.
Help!
I'll list the few ideas I've found in the comments section.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Flashback Friday
Originally posted May 24, 2007
It hurt at the time, but now I know that she-man, guy-lady coach was a prophet. She was just predicting my future as an actress…someone who could look the part and play the part…just not hit a real ball over a real net.
How could I make kick ball a junior high thing?
I had lots of ideas.
I wanted to make posters of myself holding a kick ball, smiling with my colorful braces, lion mane hair, and scattered acne, giving a big thumbs up.
Under my picture would read:
Kick Ball
It’s for
Kool Kids
or
Kick Ball
Unfortunately, having mean typing skills is not something public schools celebrate or appluad. I never got to be voted, "Most Likely to Become a Transcriptionist or a Court Reporter." Maybe that's why we homeschool. I'm sure that's what I would find out if I went to counseling.
When girls would make laps around me on the track…and I mean, even the big girls ran circles around me…it was all I could do to keep myself from shouting, “Yeah…so…I can keyboard! And I don't mean keyboard as in the cool music one...I mean the computer one!”
When girls would spike volleyballs towards me and I would run out of the way, never ever considering that I should run towards that fast moving object, I wanted to yell back at the man/lady coach standing on the side lines, “Stop screaming at me! Maybe I stink at this…but I can type fast!”
When I hit 8 people in a row because everyone who could pitch on my softball team was absent, to cheer myself up as I walked off the field, I kept saying, “Maybe you can’t throw a ball straight…but come on…no one can do Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing like you can, Heather. NO ONE!”
If the world only knew.
I’m sure it was wrong to daydream about a terrorist taking over my school, and the only reason why we all got to see our parents and eat pizza again was because I could type crazy fast letters to the outside world before the gunmen came back into the room where we were being held hostage. I’m sure it was wrong to imagine all the popular athletes hugging me and thanking God for my fast fingers.
It might not have been wrong, but it was definitely cheesy, to imagine my story of saving my school with my computer clickety-clacking skills being made into a movie…and having the credits at the end of the movie rolling over a picture of me, holding out my amazing, swift typing hands. The girl who would play me in the movie would have pretty hands...because mine look like a short granny's hands.
One time, on a college paper, I wrote at the top:
I should get extra credit because not only is this a great paper, I also typed it very fast. The professor added a point. No joke.
So what’s your unsung talent? Sing it now, or forever hold your peace…or you know…keep daydreaming that a Lifetime movie is going to be made about you.
Do you know what it’s like growing up stinking at sports?
Well I do.
Because I really stink at them.
Except for kick ball.
I was so good at that game, I have vivid memories of being the first person picked by the team captains…heck…I was so good at kick ball, I usually was the team captain.
So I guess up until about fourth grade, I rocked at sports.
Except for that awful part of PE every year when they made you do as many pull ups as you could do in one minute.
I couldn't even do one.
Not one.
Really.
I was sure there was something medically wrong with my arms...or really my arm pits, because that's where it hurt. I’m also pretty sure I lied to everyone and made up a medical term for my fake armpit ailment since my inability to do anything but plummet to the ground when the coach blew on her whistle was mortifying to me.
I remember being in about eighth grade, well into the years of feeling horrible because I had no athletic skills, daydreaming about starting a marketing campaign to bring back kick ball in junior high.
This was right after I went from the A team in volleyball to the B team and then to the C team all in one week. I began fantasizing about kick ball coming back after the jr. high coach told me, upon demoting me three times in one week, that I got on the A team because I looked athletic and I was good friends with all the A team girls, but that I really needed some practice and determination if I was going to climb back up the volleyball ladder.
Well I do.
Because I really stink at them.
Except for kick ball.
I was so good at that game, I have vivid memories of being the first person picked by the team captains…heck…I was so good at kick ball, I usually was the team captain.
So I guess up until about fourth grade, I rocked at sports.
Except for that awful part of PE every year when they made you do as many pull ups as you could do in one minute.
I couldn't even do one.
Not one.
Really.
I was sure there was something medically wrong with my arms...or really my arm pits, because that's where it hurt. I’m also pretty sure I lied to everyone and made up a medical term for my fake armpit ailment since my inability to do anything but plummet to the ground when the coach blew on her whistle was mortifying to me.
I remember being in about eighth grade, well into the years of feeling horrible because I had no athletic skills, daydreaming about starting a marketing campaign to bring back kick ball in junior high.
This was right after I went from the A team in volleyball to the B team and then to the C team all in one week. I began fantasizing about kick ball coming back after the jr. high coach told me, upon demoting me three times in one week, that I got on the A team because I looked athletic and I was good friends with all the A team girls, but that I really needed some practice and determination if I was going to climb back up the volleyball ladder.
It hurt at the time, but now I know that she-man, guy-lady coach was a prophet. She was just predicting my future as an actress…someone who could look the part and play the part…just not hit a real ball over a real net.
How could I make kick ball a junior high thing?
I had lots of ideas.
I wanted to make posters of myself holding a kick ball, smiling with my colorful braces, lion mane hair, and scattered acne, giving a big thumbs up.
Under my picture would read:
Kick Ball
It’s for
Kool Kids
or
Kick Ball
Not Just for Kindergarten
I tried to figure out which celebrities I should write to who would help me usher in the kick ball madness in my middle school.
I was a big fan of writing celebrities at that age, because when the TV people quit showing Private Benjamin, I got so upset about it I told one of my teachers, and she told me to write to the show, sharing my disappointment. They sent me a big picture of Goldie Hawn and told me they were sorry, but now Ghostbusters, the cartoon, would be coming on every day at the time when I normally ate jalapeño chips and watched that mean lady yell at funny Private Benjamin. Private Benjamin was my hero because she stunk at things like sweating and running.
Now that she wasn't so busy with her television show, maybe funny Private Benjamin would hold a kick ball and smile for my posters. This could work.
No wonder I don’t know when to use me or I in sentences. I’m sure my teachers taught me…unfortunately, I was starting kick ball revolutions in my mind.
But you know what I was wicked good at growing up?
Typing.
Yep.
Typing.
I tried to figure out which celebrities I should write to who would help me usher in the kick ball madness in my middle school.
I was a big fan of writing celebrities at that age, because when the TV people quit showing Private Benjamin, I got so upset about it I told one of my teachers, and she told me to write to the show, sharing my disappointment. They sent me a big picture of Goldie Hawn and told me they were sorry, but now Ghostbusters, the cartoon, would be coming on every day at the time when I normally ate jalapeño chips and watched that mean lady yell at funny Private Benjamin. Private Benjamin was my hero because she stunk at things like sweating and running.
Now that she wasn't so busy with her television show, maybe funny Private Benjamin would hold a kick ball and smile for my posters. This could work.
No wonder I don’t know when to use me or I in sentences. I’m sure my teachers taught me…unfortunately, I was starting kick ball revolutions in my mind.
But you know what I was wicked good at growing up?
Typing.
Yep.
Typing.
Unfortunately, having mean typing skills is not something public schools celebrate or appluad. I never got to be voted, "Most Likely to Become a Transcriptionist or a Court Reporter." Maybe that's why we homeschool. I'm sure that's what I would find out if I went to counseling.
When girls would make laps around me on the track…and I mean, even the big girls ran circles around me…it was all I could do to keep myself from shouting, “Yeah…so…I can keyboard! And I don't mean keyboard as in the cool music one...I mean the computer one!”
When girls would spike volleyballs towards me and I would run out of the way, never ever considering that I should run towards that fast moving object, I wanted to yell back at the man/lady coach standing on the side lines, “Stop screaming at me! Maybe I stink at this…but I can type fast!”
When I hit 8 people in a row because everyone who could pitch on my softball team was absent, to cheer myself up as I walked off the field, I kept saying, “Maybe you can’t throw a ball straight…but come on…no one can do Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing like you can, Heather. NO ONE!”
If the world only knew.
I’m sure it was wrong to daydream about a terrorist taking over my school, and the only reason why we all got to see our parents and eat pizza again was because I could type crazy fast letters to the outside world before the gunmen came back into the room where we were being held hostage. I’m sure it was wrong to imagine all the popular athletes hugging me and thanking God for my fast fingers.
It might not have been wrong, but it was definitely cheesy, to imagine my story of saving my school with my computer clickety-clacking skills being made into a movie…and having the credits at the end of the movie rolling over a picture of me, holding out my amazing, swift typing hands. The girl who would play me in the movie would have pretty hands...because mine look like a short granny's hands.
One time, on a college paper, I wrote at the top:
I should get extra credit because not only is this a great paper, I also typed it very fast. The professor added a point. No joke.
So what’s your unsung talent? Sing it now, or forever hold your peace…or you know…keep daydreaming that a Lifetime movie is going to be made about you.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
New Favorite Things
I am forever on a quest for creative, non-tv, non-computer type activities for our boys.
One of my favorite new finds are these books:
The Boys' Doodle Book
I will be using this book next year, during school for our creative writing prompts. How fun to draw the picture, and then write a story about it!
They also make a girl version for those of you who are raising one of those strange creatures.
To use now, the boys bought some of the books below with their birthday money. I've been thrilled to see all of our little guys, busy drawing and creating. It's not often I'm this impressed with something we buy at the store! They have literally spent hours with these books this week.
Hayden loves this one...
Ashton loves this one....
They all love this one...(Kirby got Hayden this book for his birthday. Boy does she know him. I think he slept with it in his bed this week.)
Another treasure was this book:
Remember Highlights...where you look for pictures in the drawings? Well...this book is like Highlights on steroids. It is super fat, has a bajillion colorful pages in it, and each page takes all three of my boys, working together about an HOUR to finish. This book now has a special place in this mom's heart. There is a two page picture, then a checklist on one side, of all the things you have to find in each picture.
I really can't recommend these books enough.
One of my favorite new finds are these books:
The Boys' Doodle Book
a peek inside
I will be using this book next year, during school for our creative writing prompts. How fun to draw the picture, and then write a story about it!They also make a girl version for those of you who are raising one of those strange creatures.
To use now, the boys bought some of the books below with their birthday money. I've been thrilled to see all of our little guys, busy drawing and creating. It's not often I'm this impressed with something we buy at the store! They have literally spent hours with these books this week.
Hayden loves this one...
Ashton loves this one....
They all love this one...(Kirby got Hayden this book for his birthday. Boy does she know him. I think he slept with it in his bed this week.)
Another treasure was this book:
Remember Highlights...where you look for pictures in the drawings? Well...this book is like Highlights on steroids. It is super fat, has a bajillion colorful pages in it, and each page takes all three of my boys, working together about an HOUR to finish. This book now has a special place in this mom's heart. There is a two page picture, then a checklist on one side, of all the things you have to find in each picture.
I really can't recommend these books enough.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
What Do You Do Wednesday
New to "What do you do Wednesday?"
Here's how it started.
So far we've covered Favorite Breakfast Ideas, Family Worship, What to do with your kids instead of letting them watch TV, Favorite Internet Sites, How to inspire creativity in kids, Laundry Solutions, favorite recipes to cook when having people over, sleepovers, fevers, an entire series on efficiently running a house, and a whole week of ideas for being frugal.
Here's how it started.
So far we've covered Favorite Breakfast Ideas, Family Worship, What to do with your kids instead of letting them watch TV, Favorite Internet Sites, How to inspire creativity in kids, Laundry Solutions, favorite recipes to cook when having people over, sleepovers, fevers, an entire series on efficiently running a house, and a whole week of ideas for being frugal.
As promised, the next several What Would You Do Wednesdays are going to be a place to share your favorite recipes.
These posts will only be helpful if lots of people contribute. How yum would it be if all of us gave ONE of our favorites for each category. We'd be overflowing with delicious, proven recipes to try this summer.
I'm going to put these posts under the link, "recipes" on this blog. To easily access it, every time you want to try a new recipe, or just keep from having to write one down yourself, scroll down to the section on this blog called "What We've Said About" and then click on "recipes." Easy!
This week...
What are your favorite soup recipes?
We are a soup eating family. I can't wait to try these.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
It Has Been Added to Our Dictionary
Because of my niece, we erased the word, "wedgie" from our family's vocabulary and instead call the unfortunate incidence when your undergarments are traveling to uninvited parts of your behind...a "washie."
Because of Ashton, we no longer say someone tooted.
Instead, when smelly air makes its way out of your behind we Hendricks now call that offense "pooting the cheese."
"Did you poot the cheese?"
I laugh every time I hear one of my boys ask someone that question.
As of last week we no longer say "sunscreen."
The other day, Ashton said, "Mom, don't forget to put on my summer screen."
summer screen
How cute is that?
Now, that white stuff you put on your skin to keep from getting cancer will forever be referred to as summer screen.
______________________________________
This just in....Charlie reminded me of another Hendrickism.
Neck Chunks
That one makes me laugh every time.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Total Church
This book is blowing my mind.
Our friend, Allen Duty has asked New Life, the new church he's pastoring to read this book.
Aaron and I are reading it with them.
Allen's talking about each chapter on New Life's blog.
You can also check out a lecture series, by the author (Timmis) at the Resurgence Blog (Mark Driscoll's).
Timmis is from the UK...he has an accent. I hate to admit it, but his accent was just as much the reason behind me watching all the sessions, as the content.
Aaron...I want an accent for my birthday. Will you get me one?
Love thinking through church stuff?
Questioning why the church exists...what its job is?
Frustrated with the church? So far, I'm encouraged by Timmis' love for the church. I've also enjoyed his honesty about some of the church's shortcommings. I also love that he gives simple ways to apply God's heart for the church even if you're in an unhealthy body of believers. God can use just one person to inspire others to begin living out authentic community and bring healing to a hurting, dead, or distracted church.
Already love the church? I still think Total Church will challenge you.
I've never thought more about community and how it affects our ability to share the gospel.
This book will make your head spin.
Are you a small group leader?
In the least, watch the three sessions. So amazing!
Do you attend New Life? Then make sure to check out Allen's blog, and check New Life's website often. I think it would bless Allen to know that you are reading the book with him. This will make his job as shepherd a little lighter...so please get the book, and read your pastor's thoughts on each chapter. I think they have Total Church for sale, through New Life for ten bucks.
I can only think of a handful of books that have completely shaken me. Every night, before I fall asleep I say to Aaron..."This book scares the crap out of me."
But it's also weird to look back at what the Lord has been teaching Aaron and I over the past two years about community, then we read this book...and finally, I feel like some of these pieces are coming together.
My honest take on this book so far...
It's good. It's right. It makes me nauseous.
_____________________________________________
Timmis teaching three sessions on Total Church
New Life's website
New Life's blog (with Allen's thoughts on each chapter of Total Church).
Our Soccer Stud
Anson played soccer again this season.
We have LOVED watching our boy learn to play soccer, and make sweet friends.
The families on our soccer team are precious...and watching those boys play as a team, and laugh, and enjoy one another is so great!
Our coach is incredible, and we are terribly grateful for how he teaches the boys, challenges them, and yet cares for each of them.
Saturday, we played our end of the year tournament.
Three games in one Saturday!
Our hearts literally BROKE as the other team finally scored on us during overtime.
Our boys worked so hard, but ended up losing the game for the championship 0-1. Ugh!
I loved seeing them comfort one another after such a disappointing game.
I got choked up watching boys, who a few moments before were so aggressive...so passionate...turn around, a few moments later, and hug one another, pat each other on the back...
Have I mentioned in a while how much I LOVE BOYS? Maybe that's why God gave me four.
Anson played harder this Saturday than we've ever seen him play.He scored a goal.
He was on fire!
We're so proud of you, Bud!
Go Anson!
Go Lightning!!
and he's just so stinkin' handsomeSaturday, May 09, 2009
The Mothers No One Will Be Talking About This Weekend
I can't stop thinking about Hudson's birth mom this week.
After adopting, some things in your soul just never go back to the way they were.
I realized this week that Mother's Day will no longer be all about me.
It will be about us...
And that's okay, because there's no one I'd rather share a holiday weekend with than Hudson's birth mom.
It's a weird thing...adoption.
Most of the time, when I look at Hudson, adoption does not cross my mind.
He's my son.
I don't see him through the lens of adoption.
I just see my baby...my sweet baby boy.
But there are also lots of times that I look at Hudson and think of "J."
It's such a weird mix of emotions...love, respect...but most of all thankfulness.
I think of how easy it would have been for her to kill Hudson in her womb.
That would have been a lot more convenient than carrying him for nine months, losing friends over her pregnancy, having teachers look at her with ugly expressions on their faces, and enduring a very long, painful delivery.
But she chose life for our son.
They don't make cards at Hallmark to thank someone for that.
I think of how easy it would have been for her to take a stab at raising Hudson as a young, single, teenage mother.
Is it safe to say that what every kid wants is a family? I know this world, and Sesame Street try to make us think that what kids really want is just someone's love. That's true, and I'm thankful for homes, that for whatever reason, don't have a mom and a dad in them, but nonetheless, the children within are loved and cherished. But I think we're lying if we don't just come right out and say, that there is something in us...this deep desire to have an intact family. Every little boy wants a dad who lives at home, who wrestles with him in the living room floor, tickles him, and loves his mommy.
They don't make cards at Hallmark that say that either..."Thanks for giving me a dad who loves me and loves my mom."
They also don't make cards that put into words what Anson, Hayden and Ashton feel when they think of Hudson. "Thanks for giving us a brother...a soul mate...a forever friend."
They don't make cards that say, "Thanks for giving me a family...the one I live with, and the one I go to church with. Thanks for giving me a whole group of people who fight over who gets to hold me when they are over at my house, and we're all sitting in God's house."
So today we celebrate our birth mom. We thank her for things so deep, so magnificent, no matter how much Hallmark pays people to think and write, those writers could never put into words what "J" has done for us and for Hudson.
We love our birth mom. We are so thankful she has given us the job of loving and raising Hudson, and we're extremely grateful that we get to be the ones who will tell Hudson, all his life, how much his birth mom loves him.
But the thing I can't thank "J" for the most is how she's given Hudson the gift of the gospel.
He hears it told to him from his daddy all the time.
And he sees it in the way his daddy loves his mommy, and protects all of us, provides for us, serves us, sacrifices for us, hurts for us, prays for us and patiently and gently reminds us to love the Lord with all our hearts.
Hallmark just doesn't know how to say those things...and I barely do either.
Thankfully, God knows how to say it...
"Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."
Friday, May 08, 2009
Flashback Friday
Originally posted September 28, 2007
Wow. I wish not so many of my posts had to do with some sort of bodily function.
Oh well...I guess that's life with boys, huh?
I was rereading this post this morning and thought it was interesting that this kid was born funny.
Wow. I wish not so many of my posts had to do with some sort of bodily function.
Oh well...I guess that's life with boys, huh?
I was rereading this post this morning and thought it was interesting that this kid was born funny.
______________________________________
Minutes ago, I walked into the bathroom and was greeted by a foul smell.
I screamed, "What DIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEd in here?"
That one phrase, yelled in dramatic fashion ALWAYS makes giggles erupt from every boy-filled crevice in this house.
"It was me!" Hayden said PROUDLY...giggling all the way to the bathroom. Seeing me standing in the bathroom waving my hand in front of my face, acting like I'm dying makes their day.
Boys and their behinds.
As if that wasn't bad enough...
Hayden holds his hand up and it looks like this:
Next, the most awful words came out of Hayden's mouth...
"And...guess what mom, I wiped my boody with my hand!"
He was so excited.
I just stood there. My mouth wide open...not believing my eyes.
Dear Jesus...take hold of me.
This is so normal with Hayden. He is my only child that does such odd, horrible things that I assume this stance regularly...I just stand looking at him, in SHOCK, trying to figure out where to even begin.
What am I supposed to do right now?
I've never told Hayden not to wipe his rear with his palm.
Should I have to say that?
Seriously!
Should I REALLY have to say that?
How can I be expected to think of all these things?
I had no words.
All the parenting books I had ever read were FAILING me as always when it comes to this child. I've often times wanted to mail Hayden to James Dobson or Tedd Tripp with a little note attached to his shirt that says, "You can have him for one week. After that, you'll have plenty to write about for the rest of your life and you'll change your book titles to The Strong Willed Child (excluding Hayden), Shepherding a Child's Heart (no guarantees if you are parenting Hayden) and Bringing up Boys (subtitled, I'm terribly sorry Mrs. Hendrick, I can't help you with Hayden)."
My eyes watered up. I started moving towards him, to grab that hand and then after that...well I couldn't even think that far...I was shaking, I was so upset.
That's when this little lunatic starts laughing so hard and says...."It's just marker mom...I tricked you."
I was totally punked!
I screamed with delight...HAYDEN HENDRICK!!!
He matched my squeals with "I tricked you mom, I tricked you!"
Then I laughed and laughed...he fell on the floor laughing....
While I was washing the MARKER off his hand I thought of how genius this was...
Just when I want to pull my hair out because the kid can't remember that roots grow in SOIL...even though I've had him repeat it 9,000 times...I get to see that he really is brilliant!
His gift is humor...
And he uses it well.
Five years old and pulling elaborate, well thought out pranks on his mother...
Will I survive?
Will he?
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Speaking of Animals
Aaron took us to see Disney's Planet Earth the other night.
When the movie was over, he was pumped.
The boys and I were quiet.
Aaron says, "Did you like the movie?"
The boys all mumble..."no."
Aaron is shocked.
What?
Why?
Wife says, "Our planet is terrifying. It scares me to death."
Hayden said, "I didn't like it when the elephant died."
Ashton chimes in...sadly..."All the animals kept dying."
Seriously....our kids break down in a normal Disney movie where one animal dies at the end. This movie had an animal die every five minutes. What were we thinking? After about the third break down, I thought, "We just paid good money to torture our children. Pass us the Parents of the Month award."
We own the Planet Earth series. We're big fans. But every time I watch these movies the weirdest things go through my mind.
Our planet is vast.
While I'm snoozing away in my comfortable bed in my tame, clean, concrete decorated neighborhood, lions are eating elephants on the other side of the world. It's hard to believe. It almost feels like my life is real life...and that wild life....it's made up. It's not real. It's a movie.
While I'm walking around Kroger, coupons in hand, buying a basket filled with yum, children are starving to death on the other side of the world.
People are dying of aids.
Precious kids are sitting in orphanages...abandoned...unloved.
My brothers and sisters in Christ are being persecuted, killed...tortured because they love God.
Little girl's bodies are being sold to sick, perverted men.
I love and hate the Planet Earth series, because when I watch them I can't shake this thought...this sadness...this sudden awareness that living here, in the United States, in my sweet town, in my cute neighborhood...I'm sheltered.
Unless I work at it, I can easily become convinced that this is all there is. That what I see with my own eyes is the only earth that exists.
Unless I work at it, I can easily become convinced that everyone lives like me.
That everyone values the same things I do.
That everyone's struggles are the same.
I love and hate the Planet Earth series, because when the narrator says things like, "Polar Bears are dying in the arctic because of the things we're doing far from the arctic to ruin our planet" I have to carry around the thought that my actions right now, right here, affect things far, far away from here. And of course, that makes my mind jump to how my actions here must affect more things than the polar bears...like maybe the people living on the other side of the world.
Planet Earth makes me think...and most of the time I like thinking.
I like thinking how grand our planet is...how incredible, and know that God made this place. Does He deserve worship? Watch Planet Earth. If those images, and the realization that our planet is incredibly complex does not inspire worship, I don't know what will.
But watching Planet Earth also reminds me that America's suburbs have a way of making a girl forget that a lot of life exists in places I can't see. A lot of life...and a lot of pain...a lot of hunger...a lot of poverty...a lot of children, suffering...a lot of people who need to know the Lord and need some good news. A lot of life exists in places I can't see, and a lot of that life is nothing like mine.
Bottom line...I'm going to have to be intentional about knowing about my world. It's going to take work. I'm going to have to care.
Needless to say, the wife Hendrick was extremely quiet as we walked out of the movie to our vehicle. I'm sure Aaron was thinking, "Why can't my wife just watch a movie for goodness sake. Why am I married to such a weirdo?" I assure Aaron I try to be normal. He knows I do.
In the car, Aaron tried to lift the sad, solemn spirits sitting in the seats. He said..."Ashton, what part of the movie DID you like?"
Ashton sighed and said in his sweet voice...
"I hated all the parts."
Poor Aaron.
I couldn't think of any parts I liked either.
I felt sorry for Aaron. What a sweet daddy to take us to see a movie. Now his sons were sad, and his wife was in her head, thinking through the aids crisis.
Trying my hardest to be positive, I said, "Well...instead of being super sad for the elephant because it died, maybe we could be happy for the lions. They were hungry. They would have died if they didn't eat the elephant."
This did not help Ashton and Hayden. It didn't really help me either.
Seeing one animal kill another animal is just sad.
All the way home, we tried to solve the problem of animals eating each other. It just seems so rude. I wish they would quit that.
We came up with the idea that everything would just be so much better and far less traumatic if all the animals would start eating salads.
"With ranch" Ashton added.
I love my family. Aaron and Anson are so logical...so practical...so black and white. Hayden, Ashton and I...well...we're not those things.
Anson said he was NOT going to eat salads all the time, and didn't think the other animals would want to either. Aaron and Anson didn't seem to think there was any reason for the rest of us to get our hopes up about starting a salad campaign trying to convince all the animals on earth to buy in. Ranch or no Ranch, it just wasn't going to happen.
Sadness filled the car again...just when our hopes were up.
Then Ashton mentioned...
"They could eat a baked potato."
I went to bed with scenes from Planet Earth in my head, thinking about how soft my children's hearts are...how they hate death. I thought of all the things broken...hard...painful...too big, too complex...
And I fell asleep longing for home...for heaven where one day...the God who created this place, will do what He does best...fix everything we've broken.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
What Do you Do Wednesday
New to "What do you do Wednesday?"
Here's how it started.
So far we've covered Family Worship, What to do with your kids instead of letting them watch TV, Favorite Internet Sites, How to inspire creativity in kids, Laundry Solutions, favorite recipes to cook when having people over, sleepovers, fevers, an entire series on efficiently running a house, and a whole week of ideas for being frugal.
So far we've covered Family Worship, What to do with your kids instead of letting them watch TV, Favorite Internet Sites, How to inspire creativity in kids, Laundry Solutions, favorite recipes to cook when having people over, sleepovers, fevers, an entire series on efficiently running a house, and a whole week of ideas for being frugal.
The next four What Would You Do Wednesdays are going to be a place to share your favorite recipes.
We all need new things to cook, right?
This week...breakfast dishes.
What's YOUR favorite breakfast dish recipe?
With summer coming, I'm looking forward to things slowing down a bit.
One of the things I'm going to do this summer is try some new recipes.
What an easy way to help each other out!
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Dumb Dog, Why Am I Carrying Your Poo?
True story.
Driving down the road, listening to Ashton sing, word for rappy word, a Tru-Dog remix
Slowly driving through a nearby neighborhood
Admiring all the pretty landscaping
See a runner
Then a walker
Thinking about how some neighborhoods are just "more active" than others.
See a man.
An older man.
Walking a dog.
A wienie dog.
Look in man's hand.
He's carrying something.
Oh yes...
A baggy.
With his dog's poo in it.
I'm just going to go over that scene one more time...
A man
was strolling down the sidewalk
carrying
a bag of dog poo.
It's moments like this that make me think...
"Dogs make humans stupid."
Dogs make a perfectly smart human, who makes perfectly great money and probably even perfectly great choices for the most part do something as odd as carry a sack of dookie down the sidewalk in their neighborhood.
Does anyone else think this is strange?
Dogs make humans who normally value hygiene not mind in the least that a dog's ever exposed hiney hole is touching their couch cushion.
Try as I may, I can't get past this.
And it's moments like this when I see a man...probably a retired, wealthy man carrying a baggie of dog droppings down the road that make me think...
"Do we value dogs more than humans...like...say...children...and the elderly?"
I know.
It's a dog.
It's a man.
It's just poo in the hand of a man.
Maybe jumping from "loving dogs so much we spend a lot of money on them, dress them up in clothes and carry around their feces" to "why don't we love children enough to foster, adopt, pay for adoptions or sponsor children," is a crazy jump to make.
Perhaps it is.
But this is me.
That's my mind and that's where my mind went when I saw
man
dog
doo doo bag
walking down the sidewalk.
Does our country value dogs over children or the elderly?
Now it can go through your mind as well.
Wish I could get all the idealists and the realists in one room and talk about this one subject for hours. Oh what fun we would have.
No matter what's going through your mind now, I think we can all admit...
I just proved that a bag of doggy doo is inspiring.
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