dear emily,
hans and i have been walking with the Lord for 40 years and find His
love and grace to be inexhaustible. He continues to surprise us with
His goodness and kindness, especially when life is heartbreaking.
both of our parents are enjoying fulfilling lives. we have, between us,
seven amazing siblings, five precious sisters-in-law, and a significant
other, who we absolutely adore.
hans is still my knight in shining armor, favorite companion, and chief
entertainer. i am careful not to laugh at all his jokes, so he doesn't take
me for granted. he is always kind, gentle, and loving, so i won't break.
this is the best part. we have the five most lovable, intelligent,
respectful, and funny children imaginable plus a prince of a son-in-law
... AND the world's greatest westie!
i was so exhausted with all the pre-Christmas festivities, that i fell back
into bed right before lunch. hans tip-toed in to check on me and said,
"honey, i just wanted to prepare you that i didn't get you a 'big' gift this
year." he says that every year. :)
"oh that's all right." i murmured. "you've given me a wonderful life!"
merry Christmas,
lea
Thursday, December 24, 2009
roller coaster Christmas
dear emily,
man, can you believe this roller coaster Christmas ride? we spent the
day baking, decorating Christmas cookies, last minute shopping,
wrapping, and fussing up the house in anticipation of dinner guests...
a lovely family of 25!
i could not have imagined a more delightful evening. babies crawling
everywhere, toddlers rolling cars under tables, over tables, around
tables, a pretty little princess decorating a gingerbread house, loud
voices, raucous laughter, "white Christmas" playing in the back
ground, and then spontaneous singing of 'sisters, sisters.'
we ordered smoked brisket, turkey, and ribs, but somehow we
received barbecued BOLOGNA! yuck. i overheard a sweet little
voice ask, "mommy, is this chicken fish?"
an adorable two year old asked me for a cookie, and being afraid
it was too big, i tore off a portion of shelby's browned butter,
caramel chocolate chip cookie. he looked at it sadly and said, "that
is not a cookie..." he promptly received the biggest cookie i could
find with a satisfied smile and, "that is a cookie!"
the same little guy deadbolted himself in our guest bathroom. you
should have heard his uncle trying to explain to him how to unlock the
dead bolt. why is the 'undoing' of a thing so hard?
later i found the cookie monster/deadbolt boy turning our globe around
and around, saying under his breath, "africa...africa...africa." he's
bound for the mission field...look out africa!
the young parents took their babies home to bed, but the teenaged
siblings stayed much longer, playing games and retelling funny old
stories like, "remember the time when you were two and you got left in
the gas station on a car trip? your parents didn't notice for an hour!"
which completely spiraled out of control into every 'bad' parent story
imaginable....so i went to bed.
love,
lea
man, can you believe this roller coaster Christmas ride? we spent the
day baking, decorating Christmas cookies, last minute shopping,
wrapping, and fussing up the house in anticipation of dinner guests...
a lovely family of 25!
i could not have imagined a more delightful evening. babies crawling
everywhere, toddlers rolling cars under tables, over tables, around
tables, a pretty little princess decorating a gingerbread house, loud
voices, raucous laughter, "white Christmas" playing in the back
ground, and then spontaneous singing of 'sisters, sisters.'
we ordered smoked brisket, turkey, and ribs, but somehow we
received barbecued BOLOGNA! yuck. i overheard a sweet little
voice ask, "mommy, is this chicken fish?"
an adorable two year old asked me for a cookie, and being afraid
it was too big, i tore off a portion of shelby's browned butter,
caramel chocolate chip cookie. he looked at it sadly and said, "that
is not a cookie..." he promptly received the biggest cookie i could
find with a satisfied smile and, "that is a cookie!"
the same little guy deadbolted himself in our guest bathroom. you
should have heard his uncle trying to explain to him how to unlock the
dead bolt. why is the 'undoing' of a thing so hard?
later i found the cookie monster/deadbolt boy turning our globe around
and around, saying under his breath, "africa...africa...africa." he's
bound for the mission field...look out africa!
the young parents took their babies home to bed, but the teenaged
siblings stayed much longer, playing games and retelling funny old
stories like, "remember the time when you were two and you got left in
the gas station on a car trip? your parents didn't notice for an hour!"
which completely spiraled out of control into every 'bad' parent story
imaginable....so i went to bed.
love,
lea
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
mary's treasure
dear emily,
when looking to older, wiser mothers, we shouldn't neglect the most
famous one of all time. how young she was and how overwhelming it
must have been to be the mother of the 'anointed One'! can you imagine
saying, "no" to Jesus? i'm afraid we do it all the time.
every time i read, "and mary treasured up all these things and pondered
them in her heart," my own heart is pierced. how many treasures am i
tripping over and how many worthless things am i worshipping?
a vital key to becoming an anointed mother is pondering the Pearl of
great price and letting everything else diminish in its value before Him.
if we prize Him above all else, then He has been extended a request to
flood our lives and loves with His spring of everlasting water.
psalm 112: 1, 2 says that if we delight in following His commands, then
our children will be mighty in the land. what mother doesn't want her
children to have great success? i think the crucial word in the verse is
'delight'. to delight in something i must have invested my heart
and soul in it.
just like mary did.
love,
lea
when looking to older, wiser mothers, we shouldn't neglect the most
famous one of all time. how young she was and how overwhelming it
must have been to be the mother of the 'anointed One'! can you imagine
saying, "no" to Jesus? i'm afraid we do it all the time.
every time i read, "and mary treasured up all these things and pondered
them in her heart," my own heart is pierced. how many treasures am i
tripping over and how many worthless things am i worshipping?
a vital key to becoming an anointed mother is pondering the Pearl of
great price and letting everything else diminish in its value before Him.
if we prize Him above all else, then He has been extended a request to
flood our lives and loves with His spring of everlasting water.
psalm 112: 1, 2 says that if we delight in following His commands, then
our children will be mighty in the land. what mother doesn't want her
children to have great success? i think the crucial word in the verse is
'delight'. to delight in something i must have invested my heart
and soul in it.
just like mary did.
love,
lea
Monday, December 21, 2009
wise women
dear emily,
i was thinking about the wise men who followed the star to the baby in
bethlehem. it reminded me of all the wise women i have followed.
they left me signs as obvious as a star's light. in their wake were happy
and confident children, satisfied and successful husbands, and many
grateful hearts. they were the first to bring a meal to a sick family, to
pray for a significant heartache, or to love on a small child.
these wise women taught me to follow the Lord by feasting on His word
and leaning into Him. they led me in studies to understand Him better
and showed me many ways to worship Him.
they inspired me by their humble, persevering service to the younger
women and our children. they invited me into their homes, fed me
delicious meals and encouraged me to respect my husband and raise
my children in a Godly home.
i watched them very carefully and followed along in their footsteps.
it's humbling and a little unsettling to think that there are young
women behind me now.
i have so much to learn still.
titus 2:4 says that "we are to train up the younger women to love their
husbands and children."
i better get busy,
lea
i was thinking about the wise men who followed the star to the baby in
bethlehem. it reminded me of all the wise women i have followed.
they left me signs as obvious as a star's light. in their wake were happy
and confident children, satisfied and successful husbands, and many
grateful hearts. they were the first to bring a meal to a sick family, to
pray for a significant heartache, or to love on a small child.
these wise women taught me to follow the Lord by feasting on His word
and leaning into Him. they led me in studies to understand Him better
and showed me many ways to worship Him.
they inspired me by their humble, persevering service to the younger
women and our children. they invited me into their homes, fed me
delicious meals and encouraged me to respect my husband and raise
my children in a Godly home.
i watched them very carefully and followed along in their footsteps.
it's humbling and a little unsettling to think that there are young
women behind me now.
i have so much to learn still.
titus 2:4 says that "we are to train up the younger women to love their
husbands and children."
i better get busy,
lea
princess samara
dear samara,
when isaac, shelby, max, sunday, and hailey were little, i made up
stories like this for them.
once upon a time in a far away kingdom there lived a precious little
princess named samara. she had beautiful curly hair, twinkly green
eyes, and a cute little pixy nose.
every morning, when the sun first peaked beneath her curtains, she
would jump out of her royal bed to peak out the turret window. then
she would decide if she and her kitten would fish in the bubbling
stream, explore the great forest, or ride her royal pony.
that morning she spied her father, king matt, and brothers, prince asa
and prince phin, mounting their royal horses!
she quickly scooped up her kitten, ran down the hundred stairs, and
pounced out onto the courtyard.
"papa, please let me go with you!"
"she can't go! she's way too small," said prince asa and prince phin.
"they're right, samara. this is a very dangerous hunt, and you are
much too little. i couldn't bear for you to get hurt," said her kind papa,
the king.
off they galloped, leaving princess samara in a trail of dust. she
stomped her royal foot, picked up her kitten, and stormed into the
castle kitchen.
flour was floating in the sunlit doorway, fragrant bread was baking in
the ovens, and chocolate pies were cooling on the window ledges.
"may i help? please let me help you make something!"
"out! out of my kitchen!" said the royal baker. "you are much too tiny
to be of any help here." but she smiled gently and gave princess samara
a delicious bun, still warm from the royal ovens.
sharing the treat with her kitten, princess samara plodded sadly to her
mother's chamber. she found queen emily and all her maidens on their
hands and knees peaking beneath her royal bed.
"oh, samara, you are just in time! we have been counting out coins
from the royal treasury to give to the poor villagers. one of the coins fell
to the ground and prince ilo crawled under the bed with it. we are
terrified that he will plop it into his mouth and choke to death!" queen
emily cried.
princess samara scrambled under the bed and handed her kitten to
prince ilo, who promptly dropped the coin.
"thank heavens you are still small enough to do important things," said
queen emily and gave her the biggest hug in the kingdom...and lots of
kisses, too.
merry Christmas,
miss lea
when isaac, shelby, max, sunday, and hailey were little, i made up
stories like this for them.
once upon a time in a far away kingdom there lived a precious little
princess named samara. she had beautiful curly hair, twinkly green
eyes, and a cute little pixy nose.
every morning, when the sun first peaked beneath her curtains, she
would jump out of her royal bed to peak out the turret window. then
she would decide if she and her kitten would fish in the bubbling
stream, explore the great forest, or ride her royal pony.
that morning she spied her father, king matt, and brothers, prince asa
and prince phin, mounting their royal horses!
she quickly scooped up her kitten, ran down the hundred stairs, and
pounced out onto the courtyard.
"papa, please let me go with you!"
"she can't go! she's way too small," said prince asa and prince phin.
"they're right, samara. this is a very dangerous hunt, and you are
much too little. i couldn't bear for you to get hurt," said her kind papa,
the king.
off they galloped, leaving princess samara in a trail of dust. she
stomped her royal foot, picked up her kitten, and stormed into the
castle kitchen.
flour was floating in the sunlit doorway, fragrant bread was baking in
the ovens, and chocolate pies were cooling on the window ledges.
"may i help? please let me help you make something!"
"out! out of my kitchen!" said the royal baker. "you are much too tiny
to be of any help here." but she smiled gently and gave princess samara
a delicious bun, still warm from the royal ovens.
sharing the treat with her kitten, princess samara plodded sadly to her
mother's chamber. she found queen emily and all her maidens on their
hands and knees peaking beneath her royal bed.
"oh, samara, you are just in time! we have been counting out coins
from the royal treasury to give to the poor villagers. one of the coins fell
to the ground and prince ilo crawled under the bed with it. we are
terrified that he will plop it into his mouth and choke to death!" queen
emily cried.
princess samara scrambled under the bed and handed her kitten to
prince ilo, who promptly dropped the coin.
"thank heavens you are still small enough to do important things," said
queen emily and gave her the biggest hug in the kingdom...and lots of
kisses, too.
merry Christmas,
miss lea
Saturday, December 19, 2009
sleep in heavenly peace
dear emily,
many years ago, a college friend and i were catching up on each others'
families. she had two beautiful children to my motley crew of five and
a very different kind of life.
she said that her average day consisted of getting up at 6:00 to put on
her make-up in the morning. make-up in the morning? i was lucky
to WAKE up in the morning.
then she gathered up the dirty clothes, threw them over the upstairs
rail, awakened the kids, made breakfast, and flew out the door to take
the kids to school around 7:00.
i was astounded, confounded, dumfounded.
at the same time she was towing her children out the door, mine were
tumbling into the kitchen and onto my lap for a morning snuggle. i
would have just started my devotions that never seemed to last longer
than 30 seconds.
one of my favorite things about home-schooling was that i never had to
awaken a baby to take an older sibling to school. i never even had to
awaken the older sibling. they slept as long as their little bodies needed.
isaac was usually the first to rise, and we frequently had math and
reading completed before the others were ready for their breakfast.
it was a totally unorthodox way to do things, but it worked for us. that
is the goal, i think, to figure out what works for your family, not to try
to be like other families.
galatians 6:4 says "don't compare yourselves to others." be your own
sweet family, which you do so brilliantly.
love,
lea
many years ago, a college friend and i were catching up on each others'
families. she had two beautiful children to my motley crew of five and
a very different kind of life.
she said that her average day consisted of getting up at 6:00 to put on
her make-up in the morning. make-up in the morning? i was lucky
to WAKE up in the morning.
then she gathered up the dirty clothes, threw them over the upstairs
rail, awakened the kids, made breakfast, and flew out the door to take
the kids to school around 7:00.
i was astounded, confounded, dumfounded.
at the same time she was towing her children out the door, mine were
tumbling into the kitchen and onto my lap for a morning snuggle. i
would have just started my devotions that never seemed to last longer
than 30 seconds.
one of my favorite things about home-schooling was that i never had to
awaken a baby to take an older sibling to school. i never even had to
awaken the older sibling. they slept as long as their little bodies needed.
isaac was usually the first to rise, and we frequently had math and
reading completed before the others were ready for their breakfast.
it was a totally unorthodox way to do things, but it worked for us. that
is the goal, i think, to figure out what works for your family, not to try
to be like other families.
galatians 6:4 says "don't compare yourselves to others." be your own
sweet family, which you do so brilliantly.
love,
lea
...to hear the angels sing.
dear emily,
one of the most rewarding roles of motherhood is rescuing our children.
unfortunately, we can't always...and shouldn't always, but when we
can, it just doesn't get better than that. here's a special rescue story.
a mom overheard her eight year old son and his friends regretting that
they couldn't sing in the school Christmas program. apparently, they
didn't sing well enough. imagine her outrage!
so she marched them to the piano and had them sing 'it came upon a
midnight clear' from the program. afterward, she sympathized with the
teacher. they not only could not sing the notes, they could not sing any
note. she had to start at the very beginning...
every afternoon after school she spent time teaching them to find a note,
by playing it and having them try to sing it. eventually, they progressed
to linking two notes, three notes, and finally, the entire song. the boys
especially loved the line, "the world in solemn stillness lay to hear the
angels sing."
after watching the boys do a wonderful job in the school program,
though thrilled for them, the mother was feeling a little glum for not
having been a little appreciated for her hard work.
walking home, hand in hand with her son on that still, snowy night,
she heard him say, "mom, i think i heard them."
"heard who, honey?"
"the angels sing..."
thanks received.
love,
lea
one of the most rewarding roles of motherhood is rescuing our children.
unfortunately, we can't always...and shouldn't always, but when we
can, it just doesn't get better than that. here's a special rescue story.
a mom overheard her eight year old son and his friends regretting that
they couldn't sing in the school Christmas program. apparently, they
didn't sing well enough. imagine her outrage!
so she marched them to the piano and had them sing 'it came upon a
midnight clear' from the program. afterward, she sympathized with the
teacher. they not only could not sing the notes, they could not sing any
note. she had to start at the very beginning...
every afternoon after school she spent time teaching them to find a note,
by playing it and having them try to sing it. eventually, they progressed
to linking two notes, three notes, and finally, the entire song. the boys
especially loved the line, "the world in solemn stillness lay to hear the
angels sing."
after watching the boys do a wonderful job in the school program,
though thrilled for them, the mother was feeling a little glum for not
having been a little appreciated for her hard work.
walking home, hand in hand with her son on that still, snowy night,
she heard him say, "mom, i think i heard them."
"heard who, honey?"
"the angels sing..."
thanks received.
love,
lea
Friday, December 18, 2009
Christmas anorexia
dear emily,
when all the kids left to go back to school after thanksgiving, i had two
choices: feel sorry for myself or decorate for their return. so, i threw
myself into the Christmas spirit and worked diligently for days. when i
came up for air, i was pretty pleased with myself. the house had never
looked more festive.
after many days of living with it, though, i walked into the family room
and whined, "i can't see any Christmas anymore."
hans and hailey's jaws dropped open, and hailey said, "mom,
every corner, table, and surface of our entire house has a Christmas
decoration on it. there are lights everywhere, santas everywhere, angels
everywhere, and mangers everywhere! i think you have Christmas
anorexia!"
i hope they don't check me into one of those clinics...
merry Christmas,
lea
when all the kids left to go back to school after thanksgiving, i had two
choices: feel sorry for myself or decorate for their return. so, i threw
myself into the Christmas spirit and worked diligently for days. when i
came up for air, i was pretty pleased with myself. the house had never
looked more festive.
after many days of living with it, though, i walked into the family room
and whined, "i can't see any Christmas anymore."
hans and hailey's jaws dropped open, and hailey said, "mom,
every corner, table, and surface of our entire house has a Christmas
decoration on it. there are lights everywhere, santas everywhere, angels
everywhere, and mangers everywhere! i think you have Christmas
anorexia!"
i hope they don't check me into one of those clinics...
merry Christmas,
lea
saved by the carol
dear emily,
hans and the kids have teased me a lot through the years, because i
don't really understand sports. all i have ever known is music and
literature. imagine my delight at receiving this clandestine phone
call.
"mom?" one of my sons was on the other line and i could barely hear
him.
"honey, are you ok?" i ask worriedly.
"mom, i don't have much time and may have to hang up on you."
"honey, are you in trouble?"
"how do you finish this line, 'angels we have heard...'?" whispered my son.
" 'on high'...but"
"awesome! now how about, 'o little town of bethlehem...'?"
" 'how still we see thee lie! ' what is going on?" beginning to get a
little frustrated.
"sweet! what comes after this? 'angels from the realms of glory'?"
"'wing your flight o'er all the earth'... do you need me to call the
police?"
"oh no, i gotta hang up! stay by the phone!" now i had visions of
kidnappers with my precious baby wrapped up in duct tape.
the phone rang again.
"mom?"
"oh honey, are you hurt? where are you?"
"no worries, mom. mr. mccoy was just walking by and i didn't want
him to see me on the phone."
"what????"
"just fill this line in: 'what child is this?...' "
"'who laid to rest on mary's lap is sleeping' will you please tell me
what is going on?"
"thanks, mom! you're a life saver! i told my buddies that no one
knew more Christmas songs than you!"
dial tone...
turns out his physics teacher gave the class a bonus pre-Christmas
test, that i helped them cheat their way through. a better mom
would have made them 'fess up, but i was just so proud...
...that my superior knowledge of Chrismas carols won the game!
love,
lea
hans and the kids have teased me a lot through the years, because i
don't really understand sports. all i have ever known is music and
literature. imagine my delight at receiving this clandestine phone
call.
"mom?" one of my sons was on the other line and i could barely hear
him.
"honey, are you ok?" i ask worriedly.
"mom, i don't have much time and may have to hang up on you."
"honey, are you in trouble?"
"how do you finish this line, 'angels we have heard...'?" whispered my son.
" 'on high'...but"
"awesome! now how about, 'o little town of bethlehem...'?"
" 'how still we see thee lie! ' what is going on?" beginning to get a
little frustrated.
"sweet! what comes after this? 'angels from the realms of glory'?"
"'wing your flight o'er all the earth'... do you need me to call the
police?"
"oh no, i gotta hang up! stay by the phone!" now i had visions of
kidnappers with my precious baby wrapped up in duct tape.
the phone rang again.
"mom?"
"oh honey, are you hurt? where are you?"
"no worries, mom. mr. mccoy was just walking by and i didn't want
him to see me on the phone."
"what????"
"just fill this line in: 'what child is this?...' "
"'who laid to rest on mary's lap is sleeping' will you please tell me
what is going on?"
"thanks, mom! you're a life saver! i told my buddies that no one
knew more Christmas songs than you!"
dial tone...
turns out his physics teacher gave the class a bonus pre-Christmas
test, that i helped them cheat their way through. a better mom
would have made them 'fess up, but i was just so proud...
...that my superior knowledge of Chrismas carols won the game!
love,
lea
grandma goldie's coming to town!
dear emily,
shelby said that your parents are coming to town, and i can't
imagine how excited asa, phin, samara, and ilo are! well,
actually, i can, because i lived and breathed for my grandma
goldie's visits.
if grandma calhoon was truth, then grandma goldie was grace.
between the two of them, i had a pretty clear picture of Jesus!
one taught me how to read the bible and live uprightly. the
other showed me how to care for the poor and love the down
trodden.
i have lost track of how many abandoned kitties and puppies she
took in or how many old ladies she visited at the nursing home.
it is shameful to me to remember that i never wanted to go with
her to wash and 'set' their hair, because i didn't like how they
smelled.
i did love every other minute with her...sneaking the car out at
5:00 a.m. when i was five years old, eating as much candy as
i wanted, reading as long as i wanted, even helping her clean
the rooms in her little motel. it probably made her work take
longer with me tagging along, but we both enjoyed it so much,
we didn't care.
then, joy of joys, we got to take our coffee break at the motel
restaurant. she let me have real coffee with lots of cream and
sugar . . . heaven!
at Christmas, all my siblings would get so excited to anticipate
what santa might bring them. i was more interested in how
long grandma goldie could stay. when i was only four i sat on
the curb and cried for the longest time because i realized we
only had one more day...
i wish i still had one more day,
lea
shelby said that your parents are coming to town, and i can't
imagine how excited asa, phin, samara, and ilo are! well,
actually, i can, because i lived and breathed for my grandma
goldie's visits.
if grandma calhoon was truth, then grandma goldie was grace.
between the two of them, i had a pretty clear picture of Jesus!
one taught me how to read the bible and live uprightly. the
other showed me how to care for the poor and love the down
trodden.
i have lost track of how many abandoned kitties and puppies she
took in or how many old ladies she visited at the nursing home.
it is shameful to me to remember that i never wanted to go with
her to wash and 'set' their hair, because i didn't like how they
smelled.
i did love every other minute with her...sneaking the car out at
5:00 a.m. when i was five years old, eating as much candy as
i wanted, reading as long as i wanted, even helping her clean
the rooms in her little motel. it probably made her work take
longer with me tagging along, but we both enjoyed it so much,
we didn't care.
then, joy of joys, we got to take our coffee break at the motel
restaurant. she let me have real coffee with lots of cream and
sugar . . . heaven!
at Christmas, all my siblings would get so excited to anticipate
what santa might bring them. i was more interested in how
long grandma goldie could stay. when i was only four i sat on
the curb and cried for the longest time because i realized we
only had one more day...
i wish i still had one more day,
lea
Thursday, December 17, 2009
four year old, beer drinking burglar
dear emily,
i just heard a news report about a 4 year old who was discovered at 1:45
in the morning, drinking beer and lugging packages that he had stolen
from neighborhood homes.
this is disturbing on so many points that i don't even know where to
begin.
how did he open the beer can? i don't think four year old thumbs are
strong or nimble enough to do that.
what was he doing outside, alone, at that time?
how did he break into the homes?
the story proceeded to say that he was trying to get caught so he could
go to jail and see his daddy. so we know where his daddy was, but...
where was his mommy?
poor little guy. it breaks my heart. i pray that some kind soul will cross
his path and lead him to the One who will never leave or forsake him.
love,
lea
i just heard a news report about a 4 year old who was discovered at 1:45
in the morning, drinking beer and lugging packages that he had stolen
from neighborhood homes.
this is disturbing on so many points that i don't even know where to
begin.
how did he open the beer can? i don't think four year old thumbs are
strong or nimble enough to do that.
what was he doing outside, alone, at that time?
how did he break into the homes?
the story proceeded to say that he was trying to get caught so he could
go to jail and see his daddy. so we know where his daddy was, but...
where was his mommy?
poor little guy. it breaks my heart. i pray that some kind soul will cross
his path and lead him to the One who will never leave or forsake him.
love,
lea
"everything seems hopeless...i'm completely depressed."-charlie brown
dear emily,
linus prodded me to do some investigating into the life of his creator,
charles schulz
when your kids suffer failure and humiliation, you can tell them that
the world's most famous cartoonist had more than his share, too.
good grief!
his high school paper turned down every single cartoon he ever sub-
mitted, but he eventually made $30 million a year from 'peanuts.'
his first love, a beautiful red-head, refused his marriage proposal.
charlie brown used to say, "nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter
quite like unrequited love," when referring to his beautiful red-haired
girl.
he was sent to war the day after his mother died of cancer. when
ordered to throw a grenade into a camp, he refused, because he saw
a little dog in it....snoopy!
he flunked countless subjects in school, coming to the realization that
"in the book of life the answers aren't in the back."
"happiness is anyone or anything that loves you,"
lea
linus prodded me to do some investigating into the life of his creator,
charles schulz
when your kids suffer failure and humiliation, you can tell them that
the world's most famous cartoonist had more than his share, too.
good grief!
his high school paper turned down every single cartoon he ever sub-
mitted, but he eventually made $30 million a year from 'peanuts.'
his first love, a beautiful red-head, refused his marriage proposal.
charlie brown used to say, "nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter
quite like unrequited love," when referring to his beautiful red-haired
girl.
he was sent to war the day after his mother died of cancer. when
ordered to throw a grenade into a camp, he refused, because he saw
a little dog in it....snoopy!
he flunked countless subjects in school, coming to the realization that
"in the book of life the answers aren't in the back."
"happiness is anyone or anything that loves you,"
lea
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
keeping pappy, happy!
cdear emily,
another way to keep a rewarding, loving marriage is to have a
consistent date night. my mom gave me this advice not long after
we brought our first baby, isaac, home from the hospital.
she told me to brush my hair, put on some make up and a pretty
dress, and go out to dinner with hans. moms are so bossy! she also
admonished us to not talk the entire time about our beautiful,
wonderful baby. that was the hardest part, because we were so
enthralled with him.
instead, we talked about each other and our dreams for the future.
we kept the coals of our pre-children love burning by investing in
that relationship.
as our covey expanded, it became harder to find the time. basketball
games, ballet and piano recitals, school programs all competed with
our weekly date, but we held fast and firm to it. we had to get very
creative and that made it more valuable and fun.
after 30 years, we still have that standing date.
what you do after the date, is up to you....but we have a saying in our
house, "keep pappy, happy!" 1 corinthians 7:3-5
love,
lea
another way to keep a rewarding, loving marriage is to have a
consistent date night. my mom gave me this advice not long after
we brought our first baby, isaac, home from the hospital.
she told me to brush my hair, put on some make up and a pretty
dress, and go out to dinner with hans. moms are so bossy! she also
admonished us to not talk the entire time about our beautiful,
wonderful baby. that was the hardest part, because we were so
enthralled with him.
instead, we talked about each other and our dreams for the future.
we kept the coals of our pre-children love burning by investing in
that relationship.
as our covey expanded, it became harder to find the time. basketball
games, ballet and piano recitals, school programs all competed with
our weekly date, but we held fast and firm to it. we had to get very
creative and that made it more valuable and fun.
after 30 years, we still have that standing date.
what you do after the date, is up to you....but we have a saying in our
house, "keep pappy, happy!" 1 corinthians 7:3-5
love,
lea
Monday, December 14, 2009
mothers and fathers
dear emily,
it is extremely difficult to parent effectively if our marriages are a wreck.
you know this, because you counseled our precious shelby before her
marriage, and your marriage is an inspiration to her and dan. what a
prince she has for a husband!
the foundation of our families is the relationship we have with our
husbands. if we do not have a loving, fulfilling marriage, the chances
are good that the children will not have a secure, happy childhood.
now that our little ones have left the nest, i can assure you that i am
very grateful that hans and i not only still love each other, but LIKE
each other, too!
we must respect our husbands. we show him respect in many small
ways that add up quickly to make him feel honored. listen to his
stories from work and be attentive to his devotions to our children.
let our children see how much we admire him. we must never, ever
speak in sarcastic tones, roll our eyes, or murmur under our breath.
these are all signs of disrespect that the kids will mimic.
resolve differences in a congenial manner. it is not necessary to yell
or be ugly to offer an opinion. this will teach our children how to
address disagreements in a positive way. we model more than we
teach. when we prefer each other, we are teaching our children to
do that, also.
they need to understand that the core of our family is not them but
their mother and father, yielding to their heavenly Father. the children
are part of that solar system but not its center. (got that from hans)
"...let the wife see that she respects her husband." ephesians 5:3
love,
lea
it is extremely difficult to parent effectively if our marriages are a wreck.
you know this, because you counseled our precious shelby before her
marriage, and your marriage is an inspiration to her and dan. what a
prince she has for a husband!
the foundation of our families is the relationship we have with our
husbands. if we do not have a loving, fulfilling marriage, the chances
are good that the children will not have a secure, happy childhood.
now that our little ones have left the nest, i can assure you that i am
very grateful that hans and i not only still love each other, but LIKE
each other, too!
we must respect our husbands. we show him respect in many small
ways that add up quickly to make him feel honored. listen to his
stories from work and be attentive to his devotions to our children.
let our children see how much we admire him. we must never, ever
speak in sarcastic tones, roll our eyes, or murmur under our breath.
these are all signs of disrespect that the kids will mimic.
resolve differences in a congenial manner. it is not necessary to yell
or be ugly to offer an opinion. this will teach our children how to
address disagreements in a positive way. we model more than we
teach. when we prefer each other, we are teaching our children to
do that, also.
they need to understand that the core of our family is not them but
their mother and father, yielding to their heavenly Father. the children
are part of that solar system but not its center. (got that from hans)
"...let the wife see that she respects her husband." ephesians 5:3
love,
lea
hear no evil, speak no evil
hey emily,
when max was three or four and up to some orneriness, he would say to
me, "mommy, don't see me!"
what a great illustration of how we want to hide the ugliness in
ourselves. unfortunately, the Lord tells us that whatever is done in
secret, will be shouted from the rooftops. not exactly a refrigerator verse...
it has been said that the truest indicator of our hearts' condition is how
we speak to our husbands and children when no one is listening...how
we talk about our friends when they are not around...how we treat
those who are the least in the Kingdom.
gulp,
lea
when max was three or four and up to some orneriness, he would say to
me, "mommy, don't see me!"
what a great illustration of how we want to hide the ugliness in
ourselves. unfortunately, the Lord tells us that whatever is done in
secret, will be shouted from the rooftops. not exactly a refrigerator verse...
it has been said that the truest indicator of our hearts' condition is how
we speak to our husbands and children when no one is listening...how
we talk about our friends when they are not around...how we treat
those who are the least in the Kingdom.
gulp,
lea
'special' friends
dear emily,
my friend brenda just chastised me for neglecting to write you.
you would love her, because she has all the same aspirations and
has succeeded in raising five amazing children. she is also very
'crafty' like you!
we have homeschooled our 10 children together, taken vacations
together, saved each other's lives multiple times, and endured our
husbands' best friend status for over 25 years. when the Lord gave
brenda to paul, He was really handing a special present to me.
so, i guess this is really about friends, again. i don't think it is
possible to raise Godly kids in a vacuum. they begin to tune us out
as they grow up, but continue to listen to wise men and women
who have poured love and fun into their lives.
my girls pay special attention to brenda's wisdom and would
shudder to disappoint her. she has taught them how to cook, put
pills down dogs' throats, be mountain women, and make 'brenda
balls' (delicious peanut butter filled chocolate candies.)
her extremely high standards for purity have made a profound
impression on each of them.
the boys think paul is the coolest dad ever and love to ski and fish
with him. one of my favorite paul stories is of him on the stream,
untangling his hook from a branch, saying casually, "fishing
rod-$300, patagonia vest-$150, waterproof pants and shoes-$200,
....the ability to cast, priceless!"
during those outings, he has taken numerous opportunities to spur
them on to pursue adventures in the Lord.
...some friends are more loyal than 'brothers'. proverbs 18:24
love,
lea
my friend brenda just chastised me for neglecting to write you.
you would love her, because she has all the same aspirations and
has succeeded in raising five amazing children. she is also very
'crafty' like you!
we have homeschooled our 10 children together, taken vacations
together, saved each other's lives multiple times, and endured our
husbands' best friend status for over 25 years. when the Lord gave
brenda to paul, He was really handing a special present to me.
so, i guess this is really about friends, again. i don't think it is
possible to raise Godly kids in a vacuum. they begin to tune us out
as they grow up, but continue to listen to wise men and women
who have poured love and fun into their lives.
my girls pay special attention to brenda's wisdom and would
shudder to disappoint her. she has taught them how to cook, put
pills down dogs' throats, be mountain women, and make 'brenda
balls' (delicious peanut butter filled chocolate candies.)
her extremely high standards for purity have made a profound
impression on each of them.
the boys think paul is the coolest dad ever and love to ski and fish
with him. one of my favorite paul stories is of him on the stream,
untangling his hook from a branch, saying casually, "fishing
rod-$300, patagonia vest-$150, waterproof pants and shoes-$200,
....the ability to cast, priceless!"
during those outings, he has taken numerous opportunities to spur
them on to pursue adventures in the Lord.
...some friends are more loyal than 'brothers'. proverbs 18:24
love,
lea
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
out of the mouth of babes
dear emily,
i have been mentoring a six year old girl named taylor who has stolen my heart. today, i recited luke 2 to her, worrying that all the census taking might be a little above her head. she said, "my mom would have to go all the way to california to register."
she asked me if i could bring mcdonald's for our lunch, and when she saw that i had a happy meal for each of us, said, "oh, you remembered to bring one for my brother!" gulp...i hope he didn't mind drinking iced tea.
when she noticed that there were two happy meal toys, she promptly gave one away to her friend maya, who then gave her toy to taylor. i started to say, "see, if you share..." but she finished, "someone shares with you!"
i thought i was doing a good deed to befriend an impoverished child, but she is much more generous and thoughtful than me.
it's almost as if the Lord is saying,"ok, we really need to get this poor lady a mentor!...how about that sweet, little taylor?"
love,
lea
i have been mentoring a six year old girl named taylor who has stolen my heart. today, i recited luke 2 to her, worrying that all the census taking might be a little above her head. she said, "my mom would have to go all the way to california to register."
she asked me if i could bring mcdonald's for our lunch, and when she saw that i had a happy meal for each of us, said, "oh, you remembered to bring one for my brother!" gulp...i hope he didn't mind drinking iced tea.
when she noticed that there were two happy meal toys, she promptly gave one away to her friend maya, who then gave her toy to taylor. i started to say, "see, if you share..." but she finished, "someone shares with you!"
i thought i was doing a good deed to befriend an impoverished child, but she is much more generous and thoughtful than me.
it's almost as if the Lord is saying,"ok, we really need to get this poor lady a mentor!...how about that sweet, little taylor?"
love,
lea
awesome pastor's wife
dear emily,
our pastor's wife, sandi paschal, is teaching a 12 week class to help young moms train up their children. she is a very inspiring, awesome role model and has raised three precious, spirit-led children. it makes me happy that someone with her authority has such a heart for young women.
so....if you are near tulsa's first methodist church on wednesday nights at 6:30, go!
emily, if you ever want to make the trip over with some friends, we can put you up here and babysit your kids while you go to the class.
merry Christmas,
lea
our pastor's wife, sandi paschal, is teaching a 12 week class to help young moms train up their children. she is a very inspiring, awesome role model and has raised three precious, spirit-led children. it makes me happy that someone with her authority has such a heart for young women.
so....if you are near tulsa's first methodist church on wednesday nights at 6:30, go!
emily, if you ever want to make the trip over with some friends, we can put you up here and babysit your kids while you go to the class.
merry Christmas,
lea
Saturday, December 5, 2009
He's got the whole world in His hands
dear emily,
a few months ago, shelby called to have your adorable, three year old samara sing me a song in her sweet little voice. then i sang 'He's got the whole world...' i could hear her start to giggle, and then shelby laugh hysterically. when she could talk, shelby said, "samara thought you sang 'He's got the whole world in His pants!!!"
this reminded me of max when he was about four, and hans and i were all dressed up for a black tie event. as we were leaving, max looked up to see my fancy dress, and asked, "mommy, are you going to get married?"
what a sweet illustration of misunderstanding. we must be at least that confused when trying to understand the One "whose ways are not our ways." i wonder if He, along with His loving companions, chuckle at our blunders.
i am singing 'i wonder as i wander' on sunday and have been so moved to consider the babe who came to die for us all. to think that He divested Himself of His glory and came to live among us...
ephesians 4:10 tells us that He then ascended higher than the heavens to not only have the whole world in His hands, but to also fill the whole universe!
i'm with samara on that one,
lea
a few months ago, shelby called to have your adorable, three year old samara sing me a song in her sweet little voice. then i sang 'He's got the whole world...' i could hear her start to giggle, and then shelby laugh hysterically. when she could talk, shelby said, "samara thought you sang 'He's got the whole world in His pants!!!"
this reminded me of max when he was about four, and hans and i were all dressed up for a black tie event. as we were leaving, max looked up to see my fancy dress, and asked, "mommy, are you going to get married?"
what a sweet illustration of misunderstanding. we must be at least that confused when trying to understand the One "whose ways are not our ways." i wonder if He, along with His loving companions, chuckle at our blunders.
i am singing 'i wonder as i wander' on sunday and have been so moved to consider the babe who came to die for us all. to think that He divested Himself of His glory and came to live among us...
ephesians 4:10 tells us that He then ascended higher than the heavens to not only have the whole world in His hands, but to also fill the whole universe!
i'm with samara on that one,
lea
Thursday, December 3, 2009
grace
dear emily,
have you ever noticed that some women are just naturally gracious? one of my idols is an 80 year old great grandma, who sings like an angel, looks perfectly beautiful ALL THE TIME, and always has the most gracious and kind words for everyone. it is so tempting to hate her...except she is just too lovable!
today, a man said that she should teach classes to young women, because they don't seem to understand how to be ladies.
here's what i think she would say:
1. love the Lord with all your heart, mind, and strength...and your
neighbor as yourself.
2. take a little time each day to put yourself together (hair, make-up,
clothes that flatter.)
3. if you think kind thoughts about people, your kind words will follow.
4. stand up nice and straight.
5. be well prepared for everything you do.
6. have a sense of humor and don't take yourself too seriously.
7. encourage those who need it and be a friend to the lonely.
i'm going to ask her for some more tips...
have you ever noticed that some women are just naturally gracious? one of my idols is an 80 year old great grandma, who sings like an angel, looks perfectly beautiful ALL THE TIME, and always has the most gracious and kind words for everyone. it is so tempting to hate her...except she is just too lovable!
today, a man said that she should teach classes to young women, because they don't seem to understand how to be ladies.
here's what i think she would say:
1. love the Lord with all your heart, mind, and strength...and your
neighbor as yourself.
2. take a little time each day to put yourself together (hair, make-up,
clothes that flatter.)
3. if you think kind thoughts about people, your kind words will follow.
4. stand up nice and straight.
5. be well prepared for everything you do.
6. have a sense of humor and don't take yourself too seriously.
7. encourage those who need it and be a friend to the lonely.
i'm going to ask her for some more tips...
lonely moms
dear emily,
a sweet, young friend was telling me how lonely it can be as a mom and how much she longs for more encouragement and adult companionship. as much as she adores her little boys, they can't really converse about cultural events, politics, or fashion. her precious husband can only answer so many, "does this make me look fat?" questions.
my friends and i, along with our numerous kiddos, had standing play dates at the park, lunches at mcdonalds, and bible studies at the church. the children enjoyed these outings as much as we did and were motivated to finish chores and school to have some fun.
it's much more rewarding to push the swing for the 100th time, while commiserating with a friend about her marriage, lack of sleep, and Christmas errands. exchanging a glance with someone who understands, helps ease the frustration of untangling another skirmish on the playground.
as women, we have such an intense need for fellowship that we have to feed it...or become lonely. in the olden days, they sewed or canned together. we have to figure out what we can do.
a few things come to mind: take turns helping each other with housework, let the kids watch a movie while we wrap packages together, have baking days, etc. any chore is more fun with a friend.
it is comforting to know that the Lord understands all about our need for companionship and even described Himself as a friend who sticks closer than a brother. He also gently leads those with little ones. how precious is that?
a sweet, young friend was telling me how lonely it can be as a mom and how much she longs for more encouragement and adult companionship. as much as she adores her little boys, they can't really converse about cultural events, politics, or fashion. her precious husband can only answer so many, "does this make me look fat?" questions.
my friends and i, along with our numerous kiddos, had standing play dates at the park, lunches at mcdonalds, and bible studies at the church. the children enjoyed these outings as much as we did and were motivated to finish chores and school to have some fun.
it's much more rewarding to push the swing for the 100th time, while commiserating with a friend about her marriage, lack of sleep, and Christmas errands. exchanging a glance with someone who understands, helps ease the frustration of untangling another skirmish on the playground.
as women, we have such an intense need for fellowship that we have to feed it...or become lonely. in the olden days, they sewed or canned together. we have to figure out what we can do.
a few things come to mind: take turns helping each other with housework, let the kids watch a movie while we wrap packages together, have baking days, etc. any chore is more fun with a friend.
it is comforting to know that the Lord understands all about our need for companionship and even described Himself as a friend who sticks closer than a brother. He also gently leads those with little ones. how precious is that?
deep and wide
dear emily,
a wise woman steered me to the scriptures when praying for my children. i just insert their names and pray, believing He is able to do what He says.
ephesians 3:14-19
"for this reason i kneel before the Father, from whom His whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. i pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen ____ with power through His Spirit in their inner being, so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith.
and i pray that they, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how WIDE and LONG and HIGH and DEEP is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-
that they may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
love,
lea
ps. i include your little ones, too.
a wise woman steered me to the scriptures when praying for my children. i just insert their names and pray, believing He is able to do what He says.
ephesians 3:14-19
"for this reason i kneel before the Father, from whom His whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. i pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen ____ with power through His Spirit in their inner being, so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith.
and i pray that they, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how WIDE and LONG and HIGH and DEEP is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-
that they may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
love,
lea
ps. i include your little ones, too.
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