Reaching Rogers

Cities have this magical way of making you feel very very small and insignificant. The throngs of people, the skyscrapers and tall apartment buildings, the busy streets- many factors add up to the feeling that you are a tiny grain of sand on a Lake Michigan beach.

I must admit that, being a stay at home mom now, the feelings of insignificance have multiplied. If I leave the house, I head to the park or the grocery store. I always try to strike up conversations with people. I try to look for ways to encourage others through the truths of God's Word. But I have to admit that a scope of influence in my neighborhood is lacking.

This is one reason why I love my church. My husband and I found a great fellowship in New Life Community Church. I love our church's diversity. I love that, monthly, they are baptizing new believers and 'adding to our numbers' not via church-hoppers, but by people coming to a saving faith. I love that they don't just leave a person to flounder in their new-found faith, but have mentors/disciplers, and an emphasis on small groups to help people get plugged into smaller communities.

My husband and I live in a great neighborhood on the Northwest side of the city. We live about 6 blocks from the current location where we attend church. However, we have always said that 'if and when New Life Community Church begins a Rogers Park location, we would be a part of that team.' It looked like it was going to happen about a year and a half ago. The timing wasn't great, I had just given birth to our son Daniel. But we signed up and prepared to GO in obedience. You can read more of the back story here at my Pastor's blog.

God had other plans, big beautiful plans and it was great to be a part of it.

Things were getting comfortable. We love living so close to church. I serve in the children's ministry on occasion, and on the worship team, and my husband recently got a new health ministry off the ground. Then our Pastor announced that it was time. A team is now forming to begin a church in Rogers Park. The timing, for me, is still not ideal. But I've come to realize that, if I am to be an open/willing vessel, it's God's timing, not my own, that matters! Here's a video I found on YouTube that will give you an idea of what we're walking in to:

And here's if you'd like to learn some more specific details on the neighborhood:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Chicago/Rogers_Park

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_Park,_Chicago

We covet your prayers! This neighborhood has the potential to swallow, chew up, and spit out a young church. It's a good thing we're coming at this with the Lord's leading, and the knowledge that He's already at the end having paved the way for us. We're talking about one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the nation. We sang and prayed 'ask and I'll give the nations to you, O Lord, that's the cry of my heart.'

He answered.

"Look at the nations and watch-

and be utterly amazed.

For I am going to do something in your days

that you would not believe,

even if you were told."

-Habakkuk 1:5

Christmas Miracles

My friends have been on a long journey.

I first met Sara while employed at Moody Bible Institute while her husband was in school here in Chicago. She worked for Guest Services, and her bright smiling face greeted me every morning as I came into work. She's the real deal. Her joy for the Lord permeates her life. She also taught me to make a mean chicken tortilla soup, and some really easy marinated salmon. We enjoy those two recipes several times a month and I always think of her. Too bad this isn't a food blog!

Please join with me in prayer as they have a court date in Africa this Wednesday the 14th. Pray with me that they can bring their little girl home for Christmas.

I have a BIG heart for adoption. I hope to add to our family through adoption one day, and pray often that God will move in my husbands heart to feel the same. It is certainly a decision I believe our whole family would have to be on board with (immediate family that is.) Until that door opens, I enjoy adoption blogs, (living my passion out vicariously through these other great moms) especially the Ribbens, the Whipples, and Ashley at Under the Sycamore.

Next year, when the littlest are a little more aware of what's going on, I hope to sponsor a child through Compassion International.

This year we picked out a gift for the Angel Tree project at our church. Angel Tree gives gifts to children who are without a parent during the holidays, not orphans necessarily, but children who's parents are imprisoned. I must admit that before I found out about this organization, I gave little thought to these children of criminals, also victims of crime. I was able to choose the recipient of our gift, and zeroed in on a little girl close to Abby's age that was requesting something my daughter also loves (a Disney Princess Barbie.) She and I had a good talk about giving with an open heart. I was proud of Abby handing over the gift to the lady collecting them at church without a moment of hesitation.

I love all the opportunities we have to encourage those around us during the Christmas season!

...'You can't beat home sweet home."

My family and I are gearing up for the Christmas season. This is the first year in awhile that we're not going to make the trip to Ohio for Christmas. We've worked it out to alternate years and let that person choose. It's Joseph's year, and he chose to stay home in Chicago. We're near his family and will celebrate with them, then head to Ohio for NYE.

I must admit that, while it is bittersweet, I am growing in excitement about waking up in my own home on Christmas morning. There's something to be said for carving out your own (immediate) family traditions. A lot of the responsibility will certainly fall on these rather flawed shoulders, but I'm trying to do a bit at a time and get the kids excited about celebrating our Savior's birth!

So far, we put up a VERY special Nativity scene- this is the one we've had in our family since I was a little girl!

we've trimmed the tree

Hung the stockings by the (faux) fireplace with care- I was going to make some this year out of old sweaters, then found these at the thrift store for $1 each!

& ate a ton of candy decorated a gingerbread house.

(This is the year a half-eaten peppermint made it on the house!)

A dear friend gave me a neat ornament decorating kit with little wooden reindeer/snowmen/etc., and GLITTER GLUE! Believe it or not, Daniel is a budding artist, and made that tree ornament all on his own. The kid will sit still for hours if crayons or markers are involved!

And lastly we watched a couple Christmas specials. I've ordered one gift for them online so far...I'm always a slacker in that department. I did get them some new toothbrushes for their stocking and ended up using them when Danny dropped his old one in the toilet the other night.

Is it odd that all my 3 year old daughter keeps asking for is a new dress? What 3 year old doesn't want toys?! What are you getting your kids for Christmas this year? What are some of your favorite traditions?

Snow white and her dwarves...

A long overdue post about our Halloween. Abby wanted to wear her Snow White costume from grandpa. I decided to dress Danny up like a dwarf. I didn't know which one exactly, but I made him a cool belt, found a big brown sweater and some orange pants in big sister's closet...and, well, he ended up being more than one dwarf throughout the night!

HAPPY...

BASHFUL, then GRUMPY.

And...HUNGRY!

We didn't do much- my husband is not 100% on board with the whole going to strangers homes and getting candy routine. We hit up a couple of church member's homes, then headed to grandma's house. It was a fun night, worthy at least of a blog post!

A Different Kind of Autumn

The other day, we were out for a slow afternoon drive in my father's golf cart, and Abby leaned over and said "momma, that tree looks sad! all the trees look sad!" I gave her a toddlerized summary of the change of seasons, and how, by Spring, the tree will look happy again.

I, like my daughter, made a somewhat painful observation recently that my mother, who died October 1995, has (as of this year) been gone from my life longer than she was in it. Don't get me wrong, she's in my life every day- her music, her photos, her 'motherly advice' that she imparted to me the 15 years we had together...but I can't help but think how different my life would be if she had been shaping/molding/teaching me these last 15 years.

I know and am often reminded that God is not finished with me, and He ultimately is the Potter of this this mostly uncooperative lump of clay. And for all the times when I'm not agood daughter (or daughter-in-law), mother, sister (or sister-in-law, ahem, Sonny), or wife, I can be thankful for another day- another season to grow and learn and change.

And I also can't help but think 'what if?' What if I, like my own mom, can't see these kids through to the next chapter of their lives? What if God takes me home before I see them off to college, or meet my grandbabies? James 4:14 says our lives are like a vapor- 2 Corinthians 4 reminds us to fix our eyes on what is unseen and eternal. I need to daily model for my children what dependence on God ALONE looks like. I'm really failing at this.

But most of all, today I want to choose life ABUNDANT. A different kind of Autumn. Not dreading the Winter ahead, but looking forward to making the most of each day- to taking the time to sit and teach my children the biblical truths from which they can build their lives. Not counting the days till Spring, but making EACH DAY count for His glory and joy.

Tomorrow, when I hear the sound of the leaves crunching under my toes as I race from the post office to preschool, to the bank and the grocery store, and I am tempted to dread errands with three little ones, I will stop. I will give thanks. I will empty of 'self' and ask God to fill me with His love and grace and peace. Because, as cliche as it sounds, each day really is a gift.

Why I'm an Aldi Convert...

Growing up in small-town America, the Aldi grocery store was a place to be avoided. They didn't have the name brands I was used to seeing, and my family never shopped there. Even while living in Charleston, WV, and living paycheck to paycheck as a single gal, I don't think I ever stepped foot in our local Aldi.

Fast-forward to October 2011, three kids, one income, expensive city living and, voila! I'm officially an Aldi convert!

I've never cut coupons- I will never be that organized. My intentions are all good, but when it comes down to it, I keep them, they expire, they get thrown away. The beauty of Aldi is that I don't HAVE to clip coupons. The savings are automatic.

The quality of the Aldi stores around here are incredible. The newer ones have (BONUS!) double seater carts. So, our monthly shopping includes 2 or 3 trips to Aldi, and 1 trip to the large international food grocery store- primarily for our Indian recipe ingredients. Some of my favorite Aldi buys include: (click on item to link to store page)

Baker's Mix

Three Cheese Marinara Sauce

Chicken Broth

String Cheese (for Danny)

Fresh Salsa

Hummous

Some other favorites:

Whipped Cream Cheese (I can't taste the difference)

Breakfast Blend Coffee (the one in the package that looks like it could be a DD bag)

Flavored Creamer

We get really lucky on seasonal produce, enjoy all our meat/fish, dairy & bread products (the bagged mini whole wheat bagels are a favorite) and occasionally get really happy when we find things like 100% juice pouches or tyson chicken appetizers.

The purpose of this post is just to dispel the myth that you can't buy 90% of your groceries at Aldi- while you can't expect the Oreo-looking cookies to taste just like the real deal, or to turn the corner and grab a jar of JIF peanut butter, the savings outweigh the drawbacks for sure.

This is a HELPFUL GUIDE for first-time Aldi shoppers:

And if you're feeling particularly hard-core, I found this great Fall/Winter menu planner, if you don't have picky eaters!

I feel great, knowing I am saving my family money and making a smarter, yet somewhat effortless (unless you count the self-grocery bagging at the end of your trip) shopping choice. I'm also much more inclined to bring my own reusable bags so I don't have to pay a nickel for them!

Days like today.

I confess. Some days I wake up and decide I don't want to be a mom of three very needy children. I feel easily annoyed, easily angered, my patience wears thin. I don't want to change diapers and dump out potties. I don't want to make toddler friendly meals or change clothes or pick up toys. I don't want to watch PBS kids.

Most importantly, I want to tune out. I don't want to listen to squeals and screams, to "MINE!" or "NO!". I don't want to hear feet running or listen to excuses for not obeying, or entertain protests from the daily routine.

Today is one of those days. And right now I have everyone in their beds, restless, fighting nap time, and I have retreated to my room to write this post, to have a little bit of quiet/solitude. And it usually does the trick. I know that my Lord is just as real in the chaos, but here in these minutes of peace He meets me. He reminds me that these children, this way, this life, it was all planned out before the beginning. He has entrusted these little lives to my earthly keeping. He has prepared me for this high calling of motherhood. He has me right where I am supposed to be.

And I may not be all that good at it, but at the end of the day, when bellies are full and bath tubs are drained, when nails are clipped and hair is combed, and everyone is tucked in with prayer songs sung ( yes we sing our bedtime prayer) I can whisper in each of their ears that I am sorry. That I will be a better mommy tomorrow than I was today.

Forgive me, merciful God, for days like today.

I was run-ning

I've never been physically active in my life. I have always secretly considered taking up jogging/running.

Some friends here in Chicago decided to start up a couch-to-5k program together. I signed up. We started off in theory as a group of 6. The first day 4 people showed up, the second day 2 people- counting me- (we're meeting at 5am, and everyone had legitimate reasons.) Then, yesterday I was planning to meet friends and run at 8am, but my husband picked up an extra work shift. Saturday evening we ended up at my in-law's, and this morning (Sunday) it was hard enough to wake up and get everyone out the door for church! I figured I would run in the afternoon, but my husband again had to go to my in-laws (he's doing some work there) and I had the two littlest with me (he took Abby along.)

Welp, we had our Sunday nap ritual, and the three of us woke up at dusk. I called my husband to see how much longer he'd be gone, and he told me another couple hours.

The program is dependent upon running 3 days a week.

I did not want to fall behind, for fear that I would fall off the wagon completely.

So, I did what every normal person would do- I got us all ready, got out the stroller (thankfully I have one I can jog behind) and hit the pavement.

I jogged up to the playground, and let Danny run around and climb for a bit- then I picked him up some nuggets and apples from McDonalds (I only got a water!) and we made the trek home- with jogging/walking intervals again.

At some point on the way home, Daniel looked up and me with a huge grin. I think he enjoyed riding at my top speed. I realized a couple things:

(1) I feel a lot more confident running while pushing a stroller- at least everyone can see my reason for being overweight!
(2) I am not running for myself. I wanted to carve out some 'me-time' by jogging at five am, but let's face it, I'm not running for me.

I'm running for them.

And it's a good thing- because I'm not motivated enough to do it for me!

My momma died @ age 40, that's just about 8 years ahead of where I am. We were NOT a healthy family. I'm so thankful I married a man that cares about my health/well-being. My pastor often preaches about building our families with 'new bricks.' We can take the 'good bricks' from our up-bringing, and believe me there are many. But we must toss out the bad bricks and replace them with new, good bricks to have a strong foundation. I am tossing out over-eating, inactivity, and disregard for my health. Bye-bye bad bricks.

...More to come on this topic- stay tuned!

Happy Anniversary, Joseph!

Celebrating Four Years!

Weight of Words

Tonight, my dear friend was here at our place, spoon feeding her 9 month old from a jar. Abby got upset when I offered her some of OUR yogurt to feed her son. I told her "Abby, we share our food, just like Krista would share her food if you were at her house!" Abby replied: I don't WANT Krista's food. It's 'chee-chee!' (Hindi for dirty.) I promptly confronted her rudeness and told her to apologize to Krista for calling her food dirty. Abby refused. I had to give her a spanking (which I rarely have to do) and she still didn't say she was sorry, so she had to sit in time out. Krista had to get going, and eventually Abby relented and apologized over the phone. Later on I had a chat with Abby before bedtime:

Me: Abby, I want you to know that I am really happy you apologized to Krista and said sorry. God is happy too.
Abby: Okay momma.
Me: Abby, can I ask you why you said her food was chee chee?
Abby: I don't know.
Me: Our words are really important and they can hurt people.
You know how you always like to look at your 1st birthday party pictures?
Abby: yeah
Me: You know that big elmo cake in the pictures?
Abby: yes momma
Me: Do you know who MADE that cool cake?
Abby: you mamma?
Me: Noo
Abby: Auntie Krista?
Me: YES!
Abby: She made me that chee chee cake?
Me: ABBY! That cake was NOT chee chee!
Abby: Yes momma, Abby's face was all messy-up from the chee chee cake!
Like baby Andrew's face from auntie Krista's chee chee food!

Poor Abby. We had a little chat then about how the FOOD isn't chee chee, its the way babies EAT the food that makes it chee chee. So glad that this all came out now, after I drove her to hysterics, and spanked her bare buttocks. I guess we are both learning the weight of our words (and actions.)