John Piper article on suffering

I ran across an article on suffering…specifically through the disability of a child or even loss of a child. I have not experienced the loss of a child nor have I experienced any of my children having a life threatening/altering illness.  However, I have walked WITH those dearest to me who have suffered great losses.  I also have two precious friends who POUR every ounce of themselves into their children who were born with disabilities.  What I have seen in the lives of all these close to me, is a resolve to trust God with their children (even in death) throughout the tears, pain, frustration, and even uncertainty of their children's futures in addition to also seeing the great victories their children overcome despite what was "expected" of them.  

All of us have asked God, "why?" when we think about these people in our lives.  Of course no one knows the answers to these hard questions on this side of heaven, but this article by John Piper address some reasons for these sufferings not based on his opinion as much as it is based on what Jesus says about it. (It's from 2011, but I'm just now reading it.) 

Just wanted to pass along…

John Piper on suffering.

He did it.

Our school had an open house last night.  In the lower school, there is an emphasis on recitation and speaking.  They do speech meet starting in first grade, and each child has to learn to speak in a group at a young age.

This is my WORST nightmare!  I hate public speaking, and this would have been the best thing for me…to start young.

Garrett was asked to introduce the kindergarten.  He had a nightmare the night before that he was walking around the school "lost" while he was trying to find the gym to speak.

Yesterday afternoon, he just walked around kind of whimpering!  He kept saying, "there will be too many people there." 

There were a lot of parents and students, but when it came down to it, he was able to do it.  I LOVE the thumbs up he gave his teacher before he started!!!!  

Garrett…I want to be just like you when I grow up:)

This and that

January is almost over!  

Mary's "Eight" year old pic.  Sigh…We've got a long ways to go yet, but it sure seems like all of the kids are getting big so quickly.  

Allie and her friend acting crazy before cotillion.  This was the third week, and they are really having fun!

Mary bought some more Legos with her birthday money.  The key is hiding it from these guys….

So she lays with them in the closet.:)   

We had a full house this weekend.  The cousins were here all weekend, and they had a great time.  

It's been so hectic that we sort of forgot Garrett's 100th day stuff was due.  We grabbed the first t-shirt we came too, and I gave him five colors to add 20 thumbprints to the shirt.  

Done!  Ha. The third time around is much simpler.  I remember us spending lots of time on the girls' shirts.  Poor David..I hope he has a shirt when it comes to it!

Number 8

Mary turned 8 yesterday!

Mary is a very shy kid, and doesn't get overly excited about much. But when she does get excited, she walks around with a little grin/smirk.  (EXACTLY like her dad)  

So when she woke up yesterday morning, she walked through and looked at the floor, but grinning.  I said, "Happy birthday Mary!!!!!! while poking her in the ribs.

And she said, "Stop, I am so tired from turning 8 in my sleep:)"  I had told her she was born at 12:13 am, so she knew that little detail.

So what does one ask for her birthday four weeks after Christmas? YES.  She did.  She asked for a "box of rocks" among a few other things.  And leave it to Amazon to actually sell rocks.  

Two peas in a pod for sure.

Mary you are kind and considerate.  You take it all in and observe the world around you without feeling the need to give away every thought that crosses our mind.  You are a thinker.  You love your legos and your rainbow loom because they allow you to play without a lot of words.  

Of course that makes things easier in a family full of talkers, however, I am thankful that God made you this way because it is an enviable trait not to crave attention.  

On a side note.  For months and months Mary has been asking us about being baptized to show others she believes and wants to follow Christ the rest of her life.  In February, she is going to be baptized, and she is so excited.  That's something to look forward to!

Skate party

The girls doubled up for their birthdays.  Don't know why we haven't done this more because it was a blast!  Their school is small and all the kids know each other anyway, so they were both happy about it.

Allie asked that her friends bring money to donate to "Daughters of Cambodia" mission if you want to check it out.  She raised $250 and our friend who lives there said it will pay for a month's supply of medicine and translation costs.  That was pretty awesome too!

Oh where oh where has my little girl gone?

My biggest little girl turned 11 yesterday.  I re-do the old blog yearly, (and who knows if I'll get around to posting more), but in thinking about the verse for the year, I was reminded of what Allie wrote not too long ago.  

She wrote this in her journal at the beginning of the school year.  I just love it.  Yes, being 11, she's already starting to lose her mind at times, but there are some things she truly "gets."  I am so proud of her.  I love this verse too.  

Allie you have matured a lot this year.  You are sensitive to the needs of others, and you are kind and caring.  You like to tell the rest of the kiddos what to do, no doubt, but you are learning when to just let it go…well sometimes.  

Monday was the first night of cotillion.  She wasn't crazy about the idea at first, but she had a great time with her friend, EC.

They go way back..

Way back!  They were two in this pic.  

Happy birthday to my sweet Allie! We love you!

Might as well - Christmas 2013

Merry Christmas!

Shew what a month.  I thought since I posted a Thanksgiving post that I might as well finish it out with a Christmas one!  

We had a great day celebrating at home.  The kids were beyond excited this year.  It was loud and crazy and a little wild at times, but that's just become our normal!