Luke

A New Year, A New You

I will admittedly say that 2010 has started a bit chaotically. We listed our house, and feel the pressure to keep it clean all of the time. I started Luke on solid food, so frequently I find myself running late because I forgot to add the extra time it takes to feed him. Thankfully, I have found a few minutes almost everyday to pull away and read my new devotional- "The Wonder of the Cross," and have felt more renewed by the Word than I have for some time. I love the application points that they offer each day!

Chad has been running more regularly (praise the Lord for more smelly clothes to wash) and trying to eat healthier as he travels. He just finished reading Ginger Plowman's "Don't Make Me Count to Three." I will get there one day. I hope.

We had a wonderful weekend participating in a Spiritual Life Conference that was led by Kent and Barbara Hughes (writers of "Disciplines of Godly Families"). I won't go into details here because you can listen to the same things we heard on our church's website. Here is the link...http://www.firstprescolumbia.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=43244&PID=755302. Those of you in full-time ministry HAVE to listen to the ones called A Personal Pilgrimage and Back to First Priorities. As we listened to the Hughes share, thoughts of many of you popped in my head. I pray that you will know the Father's pleasure as you minister. By the way, I have always wanted to know what the Men's Talks are all about- now I can listen! Ha Ha! In my free time, right.

4 Months

After Christmas, Luke had his 4 month check-up and here are his stats:

Height: 27"

Weight: 18 lbs.

Head Circumference: 16 1/4"

This has been a big month of transition for him...

-sleeping through the night

-solid food

-rolling and scooting around

-chewing on toys and mostly his hands

-loving the jumperoo!

It has also been a huge change for me! Did I mention that he is sleeping through the night? Also, I just got brave enough to leave him in the church nursery. This weekend we had a conference, so I got lots of practice! I am in love with this little boy! There is such joy in seeing a baby that is content and happy after many months of green diapers. I'll post a picture one of these days. :) I got a MacBook after Christmas, and I am still trying to organize all of my pictures.

Mvelopes Update

In October I wrote about our deep affection for a budgeting software from Crown Ministries called Mvelopes. They have a special promotion now through the end of the month that offers a 25% discount for friends of members. I can send you an e-mail with all of the details if you are interested. If you are trying to do a better job of keeping to a budget and managing your finances in 2010, this program is for you! Just send me an e-mail or post a comment, and I will send you the information you need to sign-up.

What I will be eating on Thanksgiving

Here is a post for all of my dairy-free friends! Here is a recipe I will be contributing to my family's Thanksgiving dinner. I hope this helps you and your family enjoy the holiday more!

Pumpkin Pecan Pie (I am piecing together two recipes)

Gingersnap Crust:

2 T. butter (I am substituting Earth Balance Vegan Spread)
1 1/4 c. gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 30 cookies, Nabisco appears to be dairy free)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in microwave and mix with cookie crumbs and vanilla. Press into the bottom and sides of a 8-inch pie plate. Bake 10 minutes and cool.

Filling: (Calls for 9-inch deep dish pie crust, so I may have to make some changes to the crust or not use all of the filling)

1 c. pumpkin
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. allspice (or you can use pumpkin pie spice)

Combine and spread over bottom of pie crust.

2/3 c. light corn syrup
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 T. butter (or subsititute)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. pecan halves

Combine corn syrup, sugar, eggs, butter, and vanilla in a bowl; stir in nuts. Spoon over pumpkin layer. Bake for 50 minutes until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Two Month Stats

Luke had his two-month check-up today. Here are his stats...

Height- 25 inches
Weight- 14 lbs., 13 oz.
Head-16 inches

Our doctor asked if he planned on being a linebacker. :) He is a very happy guy these days since Mommy gave up dairy. His hair is still very thick, and always stands up at the crown. If there are pictures that show it flat, it wouldn't be because Mommy has put gel in it. Never! He loves kicking his legs in his bouncer to get the rattles to make sounds. He hates it when his big sister puts her hair in his face. He loves to giggle and talk when he gets Mommy or Daddy alone. Precious times!

Legacy of Faith

Aunt Vic holding Baby Greer

Last week one of my favorite people met our Lord! The exclamation point is a reminder that it was a time of joy for her and that is exactly why she is one of my favorite people. To be correct, she is one of eight of my favorite people. She came as a package...let me explain.

My granddaddy was one of eight children, and they are ALL some of my favorite people!

My Aunt Vic went to heaven last week. She was the "mother hen" and oldest child. She was a hard worker (as they all were), but most visibly seen in the fact that she refused to retire until she was physically unable to work. She was wonderfully encouraging when Chad and I joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ, and even continued supporting the ministry when we pursued other directions with our careers. She loved God, read and studied His Word, and never spoke an unkind word about another person. As I think about all her wonderful qualities, the thing I find most surprising is how her memory "melts" into the siblings that she loved.

You see, each of them fit together. It is strange in our current society. How is it that they loved each other that much? That they were able to keep their brother's (Uncle Clyde) memory alive through 2 generations that never met him? How is it that they cared more for each other than they ever did for themselves? How is it that 8 children learn to walk with God and teach their children and their children's children? You may be surprised that there is an answer.

Today I was reading a book for a parenting Bible Study I attend, and found an answer. (By the way, the book is "Disciplines of a Godly Family" by Kent and Barbara Hughes.) They attribute "family affection" to three disciplines: loving God, loving each other, and communicating. I could spend a lot of time expounding, but I want you to buy the book and hear it from the Hughes'. Let me just paint the disciplines the way that I have seen them in my family.

Loving God...singing hymns with a room full of tone deaf people! (and trusting the Lord hears our heart), faithfulness to being a part of the body of Christ by attending church, reading God's Word and listening to godly teachers, praying for God to work in the lives of people you know and love. I have to admit that I have long-thought of my salvation as the fruit of prayers that were uttered by my family and specifically by my Great-Grandmother (mother of these 8). I only know what I have been told about her, and everyone has always told me how much she prayed. It is amazing to think of how she must have prayed for my granddaddy, then later my dad, and the children that he would one day have. Wow! What a legacy!

Loving each other...generosity, laughing together, caring for one another's health, feeding each other, knowing each other. My Great Uncle Clyde died in the Korean War. My dad was named after him, which in itself demonstrates love, but every time he is brought up in the midst of his siblings they say the same things...brilliant pianist, studying to be an architect (at Clemson), and a beam of pride comes over their faces. I could listen for hours as my family laughs and recalls all of the fun times they had growing up together. Such a picture of love!

Communicating...well, I will be convicted by this one for sure. I think that the reason that they know and love each other so much is that they shared undistracted time with each other. How often do I need to quiet my life to love the people around me! Ephesians 5:18-19 is true for their relationships, "addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all of your heart." I can just imagine the camaraderie that was built around the kitchen and playing baseball in the yard together.

Lots of thoughts, very jumbled in my mind, but I hope you get the jest of my heart. I hope that one day years from now, the things that I have observed about my family will be true of the generations that come after me. I am so blessed to have seen such godly examples, and I hope that I can be an example to others as well. Thank you, God, for a beautiful, joyful legacy of faith to follow.