The Last Supper of 2009

In looking back over this year, many things have changed for me.

In January, God convicted my heart about not reading Scripture on my own. I had to break down the barrier in my head that said I was too busy and that I got enough on Sunday. Thankfully, a professor from the college from which I graduated shared a wonderful system he created when he was a new believer 30 years ago. It opened my eyes to the closeness I was missing with God and am excited to continue.
In February, I found out I was pregnant with our second child.
March 4 was the anniversary of three years with Jeremy.
April contains the celebration of Passover and Easter. We celebrated a Passover Seder on our own this year and enjoyed remembering how God protected Israel despite their sin.
May was the first real year we celebrated Mother's Day... and I got tarps for my garden. Definitely not the most heartwarming gift, but definitely memorable and thoughtful.
In June, we found out that we were having another BOY!! At that time, we had picked out the name Jacob Mark and Rachel Beth-Moriah (if it was a girl). We also started a family tradition on Saturday mornings of riding our bikes together after breakfast (about 8 1/2 miles).
July was a very busy month with family visiting. It was a blessing to have Jeremy's parents for a week. They helped us with house projects and getting Jeremiah's new "big boy" room ready so we could have the nursery for our baby "Jacob", and I was able to get my gardens in order.
August was also very busy with doctor's appointments and dates and a trip to the State Fair. Someone had given us tickets for free... and we left them at home; but God provided us with the money to cover the tickets which we received when we checked the mail after we got home that evening.
September brought in the added busy-ness of library storytime for Jeremiah as well as Kindermusik and doctor's visits every other week.
In October, I turned 30 years old and was worrying about our baby arriving too early because of pre-term labor. I stopped riding my bike on doctor's orders.
November was Jeremy's birthday and hoping for a birthday baby. On the 16th, our son, JONAH MARK was born after a very short and easy labor.
December brings about the holiday season during which we were going to stay home and celebrate it on our own for lack of money for traveling to Pennsylvania like we normally do. The weekend before Christmas, though, we received two separate gifts of $200 each and we decided to make the trip after all. We were able to surprise Jeremy's family by landing on their doorstep Christmas Eve... and had a wonderful time!

God is faithful and God is good. It was a wonderful year... and I'm looking forward to what 2010 brings my family and me.

Family Photo Op

This last Saturday, we had family photos taken. It was a loooong process, but we got some good ones. Enjoy!

Turtle Pumpkin Pie

This pie is so decadent and lovely. It was shared by Linda Sey, master chef... not really. She found this recipe in Taste of Home magazine. It is so simple, it's ridiculous that it tastes so wonderful. Enjoy!

1/4 cup plus 2 TBSP Caramel Ice Cream Topping

1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust

1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP Pecan Pieces

1 cup cold milk

2 pkg (3.4 oz each) instant vanilla pudding

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tub (8 oz) cool whip, thawed and divided

Pour 1/4 cup caramel sauce into crust, spread evenly, then sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans. In separate bowl, mix milk, pudding mixes, pumpkin and spices until blended. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cool whip. Spread into crust. Top with remaining cool whip, drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkled pecans. Chill and serve.

A New Chapter

This last weekend has been quite momentous for several different reasons. First, Jeremy got sick. That is "momentous" because Jeremy NEVER gets sick. He had a fever for two days and then got something akin to food poisoning on Saturday and even skipped work on Monday in order to fully recover.

Second, we had a date! I'm sure that's momentous for obvious reasons. We had a really nice time. Jeremiah had a "date" with Miss Lori from the church and it was Jonah-free. He needs a break just as much as we do. So, during our date, we went shopping for food and for underwear (trust me, you'll see the link soon), had lunch at Olive Garden and then went home to decorate our tree and surprise Jeremiah with it when he came home. All in all, a great day!

Third, our little boy started being potty-trained. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Jeremiah is now going potty on the toilet... some of the time. The underwear was for him (just in case you needed help with creating that link I talked about earlier). We started on Sunday and it was a terrible beginning. We found out that our son has no problem being nasty and dirty... he'll be dripping down his pants and when I ask "Are you wet?" he'll perkily say, "Nope!" And that obviously brings up other issues, such as lying and deceit. Several times, we'd find a trail of pee on the carpet... it definitely wasn't from the dogs as they were trying to track the scent. It would inevitably lead to an oblivious and ambivalent Jeremiah. He did go on the toilet twice on Sunday... but Monday was a much better training day.

We had Kindermusik in the morning like we normally do on Mondays... but since we had Daddy home, we decided to make a special stop at McDonald's to play on the slides and get ice cream. While we were there, I decided it was time for Jeremiah to try, try again. They have child-sized toilets in the play area bathroom, so while Jeremiah was "trying" I left briefly to get another pull-up (since he had gotten the other one dirty). When I came back, Jeremiah was hunched over himself looking at his "Peepee" marveling over the little drop that seemed to be hanging on with all its might.

As mothers ought, I got very excited and clapped my hands and said "Let it go in the potty!" Jeremiah tried to help it into the toilet by touching it, but I said "Noooo! Just let it drop in." So, he started furiously blowing on it to try and help get in the toilet faster. He had three more drips and ran outside to tell Daddy about his "drops in the potty."

We've had two days with successes in both of them. Jeremiah went potty three times on Monday and even told me (belatedly) when he had to go, so at least he's getting the idea and progressing positively.

This morning, he already woke up with a wet pull-up, but we'll just keep trying. He sat on the toilet for 5 minutes with no complaining.

I've realized that potty-time is a great time to just listen to my son talk about whatever he wants. Jonah has been a real distraction to all of us and now that we are working on a "no diaper" goal with Jeremiah, it is in my schedule to just sit down with him for 5 minutes while he is on the toilet. Don't get me wrong, I was spending time with Jeremiah before, but Jonah was still there. Jeremiah has been including Jonah in as many activities as he can. I think, though, that Jeremiah needs to know that it is okay to just be with Mama by himself. Since Jonah doesn't go in the bathroom with us, it has become part of our time together and Jeremiah is seeing that I don't always put Jonah first. Just as Jeremiah sometimes needs to wait for what he wants, so does his little brother. It's good practice for me to make good decisions on what my priority should be at any given moment. I'm sure this is part of what God is trying to teach me during this parenting time of life.

My Embarassing Moment

As the mother of a newborn, I am doing the BEST THING (as so many other mothers like to proclaim) and breastfeeding my child. Jeremiah was unable to latch when he was first born, so I took to pumping... every feeding for 8 long, milk-challenged months. When Jonah was born, I was pleased to find that he latched very easily and very well... however, I found that I am just not a "breastfeeder." I dislike the act of breastfeeding. It hurts. Yes, I have been told numerous times that the pain goes away, but apparently not quick enough to suit me... so I am back to pumping.

That's not the embarassing part... just wait. It's coming.

Since I am pumping again, obviously there are times when I am away from home for longer periods of time... such as Sundays, at church. Rather than suffering engorgement and the pain that comes with that, I opted for taking my pump with me. Our church prepared for having a newborn again by emptying out a room and making it a nursery with a partition for extra privacy. Well, yesterday (Sunday), I took use of this room in order to pump. All was well. All was calm and peaceful. Until....

a very zealous head-counting usher decided to see if anyone occupied the nursery. Never fear! I was behind the partition. That was the whole point of having it... extra privacy for those modesty moments. I heard a knock.. the door opened. "Is anyone here?" Now, the speakers from the auditorium were on so I could hear the service and it was pretty loud... and I barely heard his question. But I quickly answered... "Yes. I'm here. Just one" (hoping he would hear take my accurate number and leave). But, he didn't. He moved to cross the partition and I repeated "Just one! Just one!" and he appeared.

The shock on my face must have helped him more quickly register what he saw... a woman with her shirt pulled up around her neck completely exposing herself. What a lovely view!

Needless to say, he backed up pretty quick and I heard three quick "I'm sorry" 's before the door closed shut.

Mortification reigns!

Then I couldn't help but laugh... the irony of it all: I don't even allow my husband in the room while I'm pumping. I'm hoping that usher will pass along the wisdom of: "If you see the partition in the nursery pulled out... RUN AWAY!"

Hunting Tiger Woods by C.J. Mahaney

Tiger Woods wants his privacy back.

He wants the media entourage to disappear from his life.

He wants to be left alone so he can manage his personal problems in private.

Not a chance.

The story began unfolding in the early hours of last Friday when he crashed his Cadillac Escalade into a tree and a fire hydrant near his Florida home. He refused to speak with the police about the incident, raising curiosity about the circumstances. The story has now escalated into allegations of marital infidelity, and that generated a blog post from Tiger that stated, “I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart.” This statement by Tiger has led most to believe that the allegations of infidelity are true.

Hunted by the Media

As expected, the allegations of adultery involving a public figure are attracting a media pile-on. This is a big story with a big audience and it’s a story that will not disappear soon. Tiger Woods is being hunted by the media.

But let us make sure we do not join the hunt. A Christian’s response to this story should be distinctly different. We should not be entertained by the news. We should not have a morbid interest in all the details. We should be saddened and sobered. We should pray for this man and even more for his wife.

And we can be sure that in the coming days we will be in conversations with friends and family where this topic will emerge. And when it does, we can avoid simply listening to the latest details and speculations, and avoid speaking self-righteously, but instead we can humbly draw attention to the grace of God in the gospel.

Hunted by Sin

But Tiger is being hunted by something more menacing than journalists. Tiger’s real enemy is his sin, and that’s an enemy much more difficult to discern and one that can’t be managed in our own strength. It’s an enemy that never sleeps.

Let me explain.

Sin Lies

The Bible in general, and the book of Proverbs in particular, reveals an unbreakable connection between our character, our conduct, and the consequences of our actions. These three are inseparable and woven by God into His created order.

Deception is part of sin’s DNA. Sin lies to us. It seeks to convince us that sin brings only pleasure, that it carries no consequences, and that no one will discover it. Sin works hard to make us forget that character, conduct, and consequences are interconnected. And when we neglect this relationship—when we think our sins will not be discovered—we ultimately mock God.

Sin Hunts

We’ve all experienced it: Sin lies to us. We take the bait. And then sin begins to hunt us.

One commentator on Proverbs articulated this truth like this: “The irony of a life of rebellion is that we begin by pursuing sin…and end up being pursued by it!….You can ‘be sure your sin will find you out’ (Num. 32:23…).”* In other words, sin comes back to hunt us.

In light of this fact, sin is an enemy Tiger can’t manage. He can’t shape this story like he does a long iron on a par 5. Tiger doesn’t need a publicity facelift; Tiger needs a Savior. Just like me. And just like you. And if by God’s grace he repents and trusts in the person and work of Christ, Tiger will experience the fruit of God’s promise that “whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

Conclusion

Tiger cannot intimidate this enemy like he can Pebble Beach or any of the field of professional golfers. And there is no privacy he can claim from this enemy, regardless of his resolve, his silence, or the name painted on his yacht. It’s likely Tiger only perceives the press hunting him out of a vain “curiosity about public figures.” But Tiger is being hunted and hounded by a far greater foe: the consequences of his sin.

And this story should humble and sober us. It should make us ask: Are there any so-called “secret sins” in my life? Is there anything I have done that I hope nobody discovers? Is there anything right now in my life that I should confess to God and the appropriate individuals?

And this should leave us more amazed by grace because there, but for the grace of God, go I.

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*John A. Kitchen, Proverbs (Fearn, Scotland: Mentor, 2006), 294–295.

Borrowed from C.J. Mahaney