Two

Anderson is TWO!

Didn't I just write the One post? Here I am writing Two. What a blessing!

I'm amazed at how much he has changed, grown, learned this year. It is truly astounding to watch God's design for the human body literally take shape. He has gotten so much taller & has become so much more verbal.

Some highlights from the year:

He took swimming lessons this spring & absolutely hated it but thankfully this summer he LOVED swimming in the pool. I give all the credit to the puddle jumper!

We went on a long road trip & saw some new states he hadn't been to yet!

I weaned him this fall which was bittersweet for sure. And NOT easy.

He moved off of the baby hall at the church nursery to the sunday school hall. *tear*

He got some new cousins this year (Noah, Ava Jaymes, and Millie)!

Some of my favorite Anderson words/pharses are:

"Crackees" - crackers
"Oh cold me!" - I'm cold
"Pocko" - cup (sadly, he's learned the word cup now)
"Moush, Noshe, Cheen" - mouth, nose, chin
"Nice" - he says this after he makes a good football throw, after we do "cheers" at the table, pretty much anytime he's pleased with what's just happened. It's hilarious!
"Oh Waining?" - due to the yucky weather lately everytime I open the door he asks if it's raining.
"I dub oo" - just this week he's starting saying I love you! It's been breaking my heart that he wouldn't say it & it's still few & far between but when he does I melt on the inside!

Favorite Colors:

Pink
Green {with the exception of pink all colors are "Geen or "Not Geen" but he is quickly improving his color-recognizing skills, many thanks to Play-Doh!}

Favorite Things:

Balls {especially footballs}

His tennis shoes - seriously, he's slept in them. He LOVES them!

Kitty-Kitty - he's so obsessed with the cat. If he knows the cat is inside he'll yell, "Kitty-Kitty! Kitty-Kitty!" Also, I've recently told him, "Don't put money on the cat" {I have no idea why but he loves putting coins all over him}, "You can't sit on the cat", "Be sweet to the cat", "Don't throw the ball at the cat", "No no touch the cat food" {he loves to pick up one tiny piece of cat food & try to feed it to him}. Surprisingly, the cat has become more tolerant of him recently, maybe it's just because he's tired of running so much ;-)

Trains - anytime he sees a train or we talk about a train he says, "All Aboud {no "r" sound}" while he does his arm up & down "Choo-Choo"! It's so adorable!

Hats

2 of anything {especially 2 hats}

Mickey Mouse - he LOVES to watch Mickey Mouse clubhouse! "Watch Mickin, Mama!" He knows almost all of the characters: "Geefy" {Goofy}, "Donal" {Donald}, "Meenee", "Mickin" {Mickey}. He dances to the songs & says, "Hotdog!" I love watching him watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse!

Cheers - this is a fairly new favorite thing & I'm not sure how long it will last but right now he loves to do "cheers" with our cups when we are sitting at the table. I'm not sure where he learned this or if he has just seen us do it with wine glasses before & is just now able to express that he knows what it is but he really loves to do cheers. We eventually have to say, "Ok, no more cheers, it's time to eat."

Praying - this one is the most meaningful & the sweetest. He loves to pray & whenever I say, "Anderson, we need to pray." He immediately runs over, bows his head, closes his eyes & puts his little hands together. Sometimes he evens prays out loud with me & it usually goes something like this, "Nonnie, Poppa, Ganma, Anna, Uncle Aimee. AMEEN!" Also, when he lays down for a nap we pray and when he lays down for bedtime we pray & it's just a very sweet time. We kept him in the church service with us last week & when we would whisper, "It's time to pray" he would bow his head, close his eyes & put his hands together. I could feel his little eyes watch me after a few moments since he wasn't sure if we were still praying & I would show him that we were & he would assume the position again. It was so sweet & I nearly cried. The Lord shows me, through my sweet son, His faithfulness & how little moments of discipline (easy & hard) are fruitful! What a blessing!

Anderson, we couldn't love you more. You bring joy, fun & laughter to our family. Everyday is something new and learning right along with you is the best adventure! I love you, son and I'm grateful for every moment we share with you! 
XoXo,
Mama

In All Circumstances

"...give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 

 I Thessalonians 5:18

It's Thanksgiving day. My brother is deployed. My toddler & I have the flu. We're missing out on family traditions and togetherness.
SEPARATION & SICKNESS...Give Thanks?

My mother-in-law fell down all 12 of her basement stairs and landed on her concrete floor. She's been in the TBICU at UAB.
BROKENESS...Give Thanks?

Dear family friends lost their only son in a hunting accident.
LOSS...Give Thanks?

A dear friend has a young son not much older than my son. He was just diagnosed with leukemia.
SICKNESS...Give Thanks?

The first time I read The Hiding Place I was about 9 years old. I don't remember everything I thought about the story, I just remember being impacted by it.

A few years ago I bought my own copy and re-read it. I got to the chapter where Corrie Ten Boom and her sister, Betsie, are leading a secret Bible study in their barracks but their barracks become infested with fleas. Corrie is so frustrated and Betsie reminds her what 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says. As Betsie is praying, giving thanks to God for the fleas Corrie says, "Betsie, there's no way even God can make me grateful for a flea." Betsie replied, " 'Give thanks in all circumstances. It doesn't say, 'in pleasant circumstances.' Fleas are part of this place where God has put us."

Come to find out the fleas were Divine Protection. Because the barracks were flea-infested the guards did not want to go in, therefore allowing their Bible study to continue. Corrie writes, "My mind rushed back to our fist hour in this place. I remembered Betsie's bowed head, remembered her thanks to God for creatures I could see no use for."

Am I to give thanks for these things, God?! It's not easy. It doesn't feel right. Words of thanks feel like sand filling my cheeks. It feels like my heart is being ripped out. 

But maybe that's just it. Maybe my heart of stone is being ripped out and a heart of flesh is going in.

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.  And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 36:25-26

Sanctification.

Ann Voskamp recently tweeted: "We will give thanks to God not because of how we feel, but because of who He is."

Who is He?

-"God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth." (Westminster Larger Catechism Q.7)

"...unchangeable in His goodness."

This doesn't feel good. But we don't give thanks because of how we feel...

God is good.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1

For the Lord is good, his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 100:5

Romans 8:28 tells us, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good , for those who are called according to his purpose."

What is "good"? These things don't feel good.

What is their purpose?

What is my purpose?

-"To glorify God and enjoy him forever." (WLC Q.1)

If these things bring glory to God then dare I classify them as anything less than good?

So, despite how I feel, I give thanks. 

In all circumstances.