Friday, February 5, 2010

What's new

I know it has been so long since I have updated my blog. I still have Christmas pictures I thought I would like to upload on here of the time we spent with my family over Christmas. We went up to Greer and stayed in a log cabin for three days. It was so much fun. There was snow on the ground, and the girls had a blast playing in it. Grandpa and daddy took them out each morning in it. Charlotte wasn't too sure of it at first, but by the second day she warmed up to it. Of course, it didn't help that I didn't have any snow pants that actually fit her. Her two year body was crammed into a 9 month snowsuit!!! But I guess that's how it is when you live in southern Arizona, and rarely get to see any white stuff on the ground! Snow pants aren't in abundance at our local Target or Walmart! But anyway, someday soon, perhaps I will be motivated to upload those photos. Life has a way of just moving way too fast!



But I actually wanted to blog about what happened to my second child, Alaina this morning. I had been vacuuming the hallway and finished and was coming into the kitchen when I noticed Alaina standing at the table, crying and holding her mouth. I asked her what was wrong, expecting some teeth or a bloody mouth, but instead she gasps out she can't talk. I realize she's choking and so I start pounding her on the back. It's not helping, and she is now crying even harder because something is seriously stuck. So I turn her upside down and just start whacking her on the back. And a marble falls out onto the floor. A little marble. Thankfully that was the only one she had in her mouth. And then she threw up all over the floor. But I was glad to clean up that mess since it meant she was at least able to breath and talk again! I am still kind of surprised that the marble got stuck in her throat. I would have thought it would have just gone straight down and eventually come out the other way. But when she realized it was going down, she must have tensed up and it got stuck. I don't know. But I do know that my children had a very good object lesson about putting foreign objects into their mouths!



But this afternoon as I was laying in bed and trying to find some relief from a majorly bad headache, I was thinking about what happened this morning and what kind of lesson I could glean from this. And I realized that you could look at the marble as a metaphor for sin. Any sin. A sin that seems so small and so unlikely to hurt anyone, or yourself. And as you let it into your life, just kind of playing around with it, one day it gets lodged somewhere, and you suddenly feel choked off and fighting for air. And if you don't get rid of the sin, it could either make you really sick, or even kill you. Doesn't matter how small or insignificant it feels at the beginning, it will eventually take on a life of its own, and will ultimately own you, if you don't get rid of it. Or kill you. Wow. It's amazing the lessons you can learn from a four year old!



In two weeks my baby sister will be coming to visit us. To say I am excited would be a slight understatement. She is stopping here on her way home from Hawaii. My sister is quite the traveler. I am just so glad she is making time out of her vacation to see us. I don't know what all we will do while she is here, but she does want to go down to Bisbee and check it out. So we'll probably be antiquing and looking at some vintage stores. Being out in the middle of nowhere sometimes can feel so isolating. I check my computer for emails and facebook multiple times a day. It's quite sad actually. I am sure there are better things i could be spending my time on. But some days I just yearn for that adult connection. I mean, I am totally connected to my husband, but I think it's that girl connection I need so much. And to know there's other people out there, dealing with the same things I do each day. It's so easy to get into your little bubble world, and not have much fellowship with anyone outside my four acres. Sometimes I wonder how much good I am doing for the kingdom of God in my house with just my children. But then God reminds me, they are not just my children, they are His children. And I am raising them to be God lovers and seekers, and really, there is no more important job. But some days, like today, it still feels small. But that is when one clings to what she knows and not what she feels.

3 comments:

Landis said...

How exciting, a new post!!! Even though I don't live in a secluded area, I can still get stuck in my little bubble (or house if you will) and feel as if I'm not connecting with anyone. Or like you said, how am I building the kingdom when most of my time is spent at work 40 hours a week doing pointless, weirdo projects for my boss? Saying that my weirdo projects are the Lord's weirdo projects just doesn't translate as well. haha.

However, I've learned that it's more about the relationships I've made at work and not so much the projects I do that has made a difference.

Maybe God wants to speak to you about something only you can hear out in AZ. :) A lot of times God revealed Himself to people in seclusion, like Moses in the desert!

I love your food for thought: "one clings to what she knows and not what she feels." Amen!

Jeane` said...

I just visited your blog for the first time, and I am so glad I did!!! This post I'm commenting on is the first one I've read, but it gives me plenty of reason to want to read on and on!!!

Truly, choking is so scary...and it's amazing how quickly you can turn a child upside down to try and dislodge! I am grateful for you that she is just fine, and also grateful you were able to come up with such a useful comparison (all with a horrible headache!!).

Brisbane...Australia??? How cool are you (although, that isolation thing is not to be taken lightly. I can feel that way in my suburban, American home, and I still have plenty of people living around me. I cannot imagine also being 'out in the middle of nowhere'!

I will be back, and look forward to 'following' your journey!!!

Warmly,
Jeane`

Laura said...

jeane`, I am so glad you stopped by! I actually follow your blog as well! :) we have some friends in common. I went to school with Jen Vitto (Phipps), and her sister janelle is very good friends with one of my sisters. It's a small world. I have really enjoyed reading your blog. I don't know what it's like to have twins, but I do know what it's like to have lots of "littles" underfoot. My three girls were all born 17 months apart. I did want to tell you that I am in Arizona, not Australia. although it would be kind of cool to live in Australia! Keep writing, I really enjoy reading it! :) Laura