Spice of Life

Galatians 5:19-25 “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.  I warn you as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” I just started doing a devotional that I found for Amazon Kindle that was free and it’s actually pretty awesome.  Lately I have been realizing I have really missed my time with the Lord, in the Word.  The author of this devoti...

The way that our society (in America) defines and portrays beauty is really jacked up...in my opinion at least.  This has been on my mind a lot lately.  This is not a new revelation and I'm sure it's not news to you...it's just hard to ignore.  The first time I really saw how far American ideals of beauty reach was in Thailand, my first trip there.  We were in one of their major stores (like a Wal Mart or something here) and I saw "facial whitening cream".  WTF?  Here in America there are tanning salons on every corner, just like Starbucks.  Having golden skin is what you want.  Granted actresses like Nicole Kidman have helped people see that pale skin can be beautiful too...but for the most part, we like to be tan here in the USA.  In Thailand though, where they have beautiful dark skin from working rice fields, that is not ideal...for exactly that reason, it shows your trade.  To be fair skinned is to be royal or high class.  Was ...

Before you get a job you should have a college degree.  Before you get married you should have a good job and a house, maybe a condo.  Before you have kids you should have stock options, money saved, own a home.... These are all things the world tells us we "should" do.  You should have all your ducks in a row before you make any life changing decisions.  Norm and I laugh in the face of what the world tells us we "should" do.  Now I'm not saying you shouldn't try to be prepared or that you should be irresponsible in making major life choices.  I'm just saying that we've never done life quite the way society thinks we should and we certainly have never had "ideal timing". We met in college and got married before we were done, our honeymoon was only 3 days in Vegas because we had to get back in time to start the new semester.  When Kieren was born Norm was in Seminary and we were renting an apartment but after a little while we couldn...

Our son is in 1st grade.  Last year he had an amazing Kindergarten teacher, "the best" in his school.  At the beginning of this year we were apprehensive about who his 1st grade teacher might be.  He had been struggling with reading and confidence (even with an amazing teacher), so we were very relieved when we met his new teacher and learned of her experience and very calm and kind spirit.  About a week or two ago, she told me that he had asked to read in front of his class (albeit a very simple book but still...) and we have noticed a change in his confidence level and he doesn't get nearly as frustrated as he used to.  We have been THRILLED with his teacher and how she has helped him and also, how she has dealt with some bullying situations that have occurred.  Well, he is one month into school and all that might change now.  This Fall the district re-opened Fairmont, another elementary school nearby and what I see to be poor planning is now affecti...

As women we tend to compare ourselves to other women...not a good habit but it is what it is.  It doesn't help that we have tons of impossible "examples" all around us of what a woman "should" be.  I really appreciated Colbie Caillat's latest video "Try"...just watch it if you haven't, it's awesome.  Sometimes I think it's harder as a Mom to have all these examples of women around us, of what we're expected to be.  I'm not saying we shouldn't care for our bodies and exercise and eat well, but I mean if we have a little "muffin top" left over from when our bellies stretched out full of a 10 lb baby, I mean c'mon, give yourself a break.  We can't all be like Gwenyth Paltrow with a personal chef, nanny, personal yoga instructor, personal fitness trainer, yada yada yada.  Unless you have all that help (and can afford it in the first place) it's freaking hard to care for little people and give your own body ...

I guess the title should be "What is the Church meant to be?"  Maybe I'm just being optimistic here but anyway... You could say I have "grown up" in church, I started going around age 4 or 5.  The first couple churches I went to I admit, were NOT a good influence on me.  As a child I would say things like "I'm not friends with non-Christians" or slap a girl in the face because she said "there is no God".  Yeah.  I grew up as a very closed minded, conservative, up-tight, judgmental...(you name it) sort of "Christian".  Thank God for forgiveness and friends and experiences that helped me learn, grow and change.   When I was in high school I was in a good youth group, in a nice church but I have to say it wasn’t until recently that I have truly seen what the Church is meant to be. Before we moved to Seattle we came up to look for a place to live.   We were having a really hard time finding a place that wo...

                Parenting is absolutely one of the hardest jobs, in my opinion at least.  Thing is, it’s not really a “job”…it’s more of a lifestyle choice.  I know that sounds weird but I can’t think of another way to describe it right now.  When you become a parent, it is your life.  There is no “off” time, no “vacation” time because even when you’re away from your kids physically, you still worry about them/think about them/miss them etc. etc.  Whenever I write a blog it’s because I was inspired in some way, this time unfortunately my “inspiration” was not a good one, more of a disappointment actually.  I have found that one major thing parenting does is shine a light, through a microscope on who I really am.  Sometimes it magnifies parts of me that are awesome, other times…not so much.  Today is the latter.               ...

Making friends as an adult is NOT easy, especially if you've had the experience of college.  I stay in touch with some friends from my childhood and I definitely had some great friends as a kid, but quite honestly none compare to the one's I made in college.  Since we moved here five years ago it has been extremely hard to connect with people in a real meaningful way.  Don't get me wrong, we have met some amazing people and I look forward to getting to know them even better, but it has been hard.  In the setting of a small (seriously small) Christian college I was smack dab in the perfect place to develop friendships.  We saw each other every day, studied the Bible together, went to chapel, lived together...and even if we didn't all live on campus, we were still spending a majority of our time together.  Some of these truly gold people I met were in my first year, straight out of high school and some were towards the end of my 4.5 years there but regardles...

It's almost Mothers Day so of course I'm reminiscing about my children's births and looking at them thinking how in the world did they get so big ?  Everyday Zoe and I walk to Kieren's school to pick him up.  If it's a sunny day (or really anything except for raining) they of course ask to play outside.  This afternoon I was enjoying some sun on my ghostly white legs and the kids were riding their bikes/scooters around the back yard.  Zoe talks non-stop these days.  I think it's adorable.  Kieren was riding her small bike that we can't put training wheels on (so it's more of a Skoot with pedals to them) and she says in a soft and serious voice, "If Kieren puts his feet on the pedals he will fall and get a big owie."  She just stands there and I'm staring at her wondering when she got so tall, she looks back at me, gives me a wink and goes on her way. Patience has been a tough thing for me.  I don't know if it's her attitude changi...

Yesterday Kieren was home sick and he was sitting on my lap coloring.  I was smothering him with kisses and hugs and loving it.  Suddenly I started thinking about his future wife for some reason.  I started thinking, man I hope I can love her like a daughter and let my baby boy go. I don't have a relationship with my mother in law.  It's sad but it's something I was made aware of before we got married, that it just wasn't going to be the "typical" mother in law/daughter in law relationship.  However I know that an aspect of the tension that lies there is in the fact that she had to "let go" of her baby boy.  That he would take the "side" of his wife and defend her in an argument and so on.  As a mom I can see how that would be difficult but I pray that being aware of that and beginning to think about it now, when my baby is only 6 will prepare me for it.  I want my future daughter in law to be welcomed, accepted and loved as our own.  The...

Let's be real here, parenthood is not easy.  In fact it's probably the hardest thing ever.  What amazes me though is how it can be the hardest thing and most rewarding thing simultaneously.  I always had a desire to have kids.  The summer before I started high school I spent a week with my cousins and their new baby.  I loved helping out and he was so cute!  I always saw little kids and thought, awe I want one!  I knew being a parent was hard, but of course you don't REALLY know until you are one.  Some people might think, "Oh my kid will never run through the aisles of the store screaming bloody murder...my kid will never throw themselves down on the sidewalk screaming and kicking because they just "can't walk anymore"...yada yada yada.  Then you have one.  All those preconceptions go right out the window.  You try different disciplining methods like taking away toys or time outs.  It seems like nothing works on this kid....

My boy is so sweet and gentle and loving.  Sure, I'm biased and I admit it!  Seriously though.  Here's an example... A few weeks ago we were talking at bedtime (I forget what about) and I explained to Kieren the concept of "happy tears".  I told him that we don't just cry when we're sad but when we're happy too.  "When you and Zoe were born" I said "I cried because I was so happy and loved you so much!"  I think at the time it was a little tough to understand but clearly he got it because just the other morning we were all snuggling in bed and having a discussion about friends.  He was talking about how some kids don't want to play with him or be his friend.  We acknowledged that that can be hard but that it's okay to have a few close friends and we don't have to be friends with everyone.  I said, "some kids might not want to be your friend but it's still good to try and be nice to everyone and do you know what yo...

Recently Norm and I have been going through a study guide that our dear friend and mentor Carlo wrote.  It's called The Surrendering Guide and it's purpose is to help Christians to "encounter Christ in formation friendship".  Carlo created the acronym SHAWL which stands for Surrendering, Humbling, Abiding, Waiting and Listening.  He is greatly influenced by Andrew Murray and his book Abiding in Christ and I think it's okay for me to say he has sort of made it his mission to help young and old followers of Christ learn and grow in their friendship with Him.  So we have been going through the guide he wrote and occasionally talking with him over Skype.  Last Friday night I was finishing the section we were on and quite honestly found myself getting frustrated.  One of the points in the section was on the importance of meeting with the Lord daily in a time of "encounter practice".  Having grown up in church, this is what we would call "daily devotion t...