Monday Musings

Like many other Oklahomans, what's on my mind today is the weather. What's up with overnight freezing temps, earthquakes, tornadoes, and flooding? And all within less than a week? What's up with Oklahoma having earthquakes at all? That's like the one advantage to put up with all the tornadoes is that at least there aren't earthquakes. Not that the earthquakes have been bad around here. We felt a couple of them, but the worst one shook the blinds in our living room. We had no idea what had happened until later.

Monday Musings

Not unlike many other parents, I have Halloween on the mind today. I've participated in a few Facebook discussions over the last few days about Christians and Halloween, and I'm curious what others think. I know many are concerned about the demonic origins of the holiday while others see it as innocent fun where children dress up and get candy. There are stranger-dangers to be aware of and as one good friend pointed out, inappropriate dress from which to guard our children (and ourselves!) On top of the health concerns of too much candy in a society where obesity and even diabetes are more and more common, even elementary school-aged children. I DO NOT like the idea of confusing a small child by telling them not to go to a stranger's house or accept things from strangers 364 days a year and then encouraging it on Halloween.

My compromise is that we got Emma a Halloween costume (avoiding anything demonic or occult like devils and witches or even anything scary) that appropriately covers everything it needs to cover and are taking her trick-or-treating at the houses of a few friends, family, church members, and neighbors that we know and trust. We also took her to our church's Fall Festival over the weekend where she got more than enough candy (even if we weren't going to take her trick-or-treating!) and got to play games and bounce in the bounce house.

I'm curious. What does everyone else do?

Monday Musings

Almost missed my (self-inflicted) deadline again. What's on my mind today? Baby Joshua. This poor kid will be here in 8-ish weeks and still has no middle name and not enough diapers. I have at least sorted and washed clothes and some diapers for him. That's a start. Now I need to find a suitcase to pack some stuff for me (and for him) and start a large diaper bag to take with us. I finally made my baby registries. I'll put some links down at the bottom even ;) I'll go to Ace Hardware here in town and register there too. (I know that sounds totally bizarre to most people reading this, but that's one of the common places for baby gifts here in town!) I don't want to start washing the next round of diapers yet because I am waiting on some in the mail and hoping I win a few more. I need to get the car seat out of storage and wash the removal cloth cover part. So much to do still, and I'm getting anxious because Emma was so early, so it makes me feel like I have much less time.

Monday Musings

Today I have church on my mind. We are mid-revival at my church, and I am loving it! Brother Danny L Moody, president of Arlington Baptist College in Arlington, TX, is preaching for the revival, and I just love him! He was one of the speakers at church camp this summer when Jason & I took our youth group, and he preached a couple of times while we were in-between pastors, so he has gotten to know our little church pretty well, and we are having a blast!

Yesterday morning, one of the school's "Impact Teams" were there also. They did the youth Sunday School class for us and were awesome! They taught the kids a new song and sang some old favorites, did a great skit, and taught an awesome lesson on how no one is insignificant: God can use us all!

Bro. Moody preached both the morning and evening services (with a potuck in between!), and I just love the way he tells it like it is without trying to sugar-coat anything! "If I'm rubbin' the fur the wrong way, turn the cat around!" I've been picking up one of the girls in our youth group and her grandfather for a couple of weeks now. On the way home last night he mentioned that Bro. Moody sure did step on some toes. (Tithe was mentioned in the pm service, and some people apparently don't like being reminded that they're pocketing God's money.) I replied that I figured if he stepped on my toes, then my toes shouldn't have been there and the same goes for anyone else. He laughed but went from looking grumpy to thoughtful.

Anyone else have an awesome weekend?

Monday Musings

I don't understand how people can think it does not matter what music they listen to with their small children in the car. Friday afternoon, as we were driving home from a doctor's appointment, we were listening to a LeCrae CD and the song "Don't Waste Your Life" came on. For those of you not familiar with it, it talks about how a life not lived for Christ is wasted. Emma sat quietly in the backseat (I actually thought she was asleep) listening to the words and said, "Mama, if we waste our life that make Jesus sad." If she can understand so deep a concept at 2 years old, what makes people think their kids don't understand songs about sex, drinking, etc at 5 or 6? I've seen kids about Emma's age singing songs about sex, songs with cussing in them, songs talking about violence and rape. I just don't get it. I'd much rather Emma sing songs like these :)