on to the thrilling three’s!

Our dear Elianna turned three last Saturday.

So, without further ado, here are the top ten things of year two, for our darling third born:

1) Spunk and personality.  Girl, you’ve got it in spades.  It’s my favorite thing about you.  It’s also the most challenging thing.

2) A love of all things girly.  You outdo me and your older sister in your love of girly things: flouncy dresses, make-up, nail polish, running with a certain bounce in your step that is unmistakably girly.

3) Speaking of girly, you add an extra syllable -ee (sounds like a long e) on to every and any word.  Cold(ee), light(ee), book(ee), telephone(ee), color(ee).  How to properly spell those words with the add-on, I don’t know, but you get the idea.

4) You love to sing and to be sung to.  At night you request as many songs as you can get away with in this order: The B-I-B-L-E, Jesus Loves Me, Nothing But the Blood of Jesus, Amazing Grace (*all* the verses) and Deep and Wide.

5) You can ride the small bike with training wheels.  You’re thrilled to be able to do this because Linnaea, your cousin, has been able to for some time.

6) Speaking of Linnaea, you two are a hoot.  As different as can be, but both quite strong-willed.  It’s such fun to watch you two play and order each other around.

7) You love animals.  Particularly chickens.  This is a result of your cousin Blaine’s love of chickens.  The last couple months you’ve been sleeping with our book called Chicks and Eggs.  Fortunately you like most any animals and play the part of farm girl very well.

8) Sleep is overrated in your world.  Amazingly, you are often the last to sleep at night and the first awake in the morning.  Ug.  But you still take a nap in the afternoon, so that helps a bit.

9) The last 6 months or so you and Seth have become good playmates.  You get along well.  You’re  a good helper to him as he constructs tracks, parking lots and the like.  Nothing is better to me than watching my kids enjoy playing with each other.

10) You’ve started a little homeschool preschool this year.  You practice letters and drawing and memorizing a few things.  I think you like being in on the action with the older kids.  You’re fun to have around, when you want to be.

To our sweet and spicy Elianna, you’ve got a sparkle in your eye and I’m glad the Lord put it there.  I have so many prayers for you and I bring them to the Lord with great hope and expectation.  He dealt kindly with us when He gave you to us and I pray He will continue to answer us in His great mercy and draw you to Himself as a humble and beautiful daughter of the King.

We love you Ya-ya, Elly-bell, Elianna Faith!!!

to serve is to suffer

“..people like John Calvin and Martin Luther had a dizzying variety of responsibilities, so that they could only use their gifts in the fog of fatigue. Yet the fruits of their labor as leaders and writers still bless the church.”

-Ajith Fernando writing for CT in his article, To Serve is to Suffer

This is true even for lowly stay-home moms.  With schooling at home fast approaching, sleepless nights due to an almost three year old (the newborn sleeps just fine:), and life pressing in with aching bodies and crazy schedules, my “gifts” are often, if not always, used in the fog of fatigue.

I pray there will be enough of Christ’s grace over my daily work that some of it will survive the testing fires and be useful for the church: my family, my small group, my friends, etc.

He goes one to say:

“The New Testament is clear that those who work for Christ will suffer because of their work. Tiredness, stress, and strain may be the cross God calls us to. Paul often spoke about the physical hardships his ministry brought him, including emotional strain (Gal. 4:19; 2 Cor. 11:28), anger (2 Cor. 11:29), sleepless nights and hunger (2 Cor. 6:5), affliction and perplexity (2 Cor. 4:8), and toiling—working to the point of weariness (Col. 1:29). In statements radically countercultural in today’s “body conscious” society, he said, “Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16)”

Paul’s sacrifice puts my miniscule one into perspective.  I need to get up, be thankful for sleepless nights with children (it means I’m enjoying the gift of having children), put my arms to cheerful action, teach, clean, instruct, love, work, serve.  Expect difficulty and persevere.

Preaching to myself this morning, folks.