Finding Pleasure

“If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
C.S. Lewis

I ran across this quote tonight while doing a Bible study. It really struck me. The world makes it so easy to find fulfillment. C.S. Lewis offered sex, ambition, and drinking. Those are still true today but I would add, entertainment, sports, shopping, food, etc, etc. THINGS are so easy to come by. They might offer fulfillment for a while, until they're gone and we're longing for more. I don't want to be easily pleased. I want God to increase my desire for pleasure. Real pleasure that is eternal and won't fade. Real pleasure that offers TOTAL SATISFACTION. Jesus Christ is the only one that guarantees.

John 6:35 I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

Gotta love October

Fall is here. I love it. One day it's warm and sunny, still feeling like summer won't ever leave. The next day we're pulling out the long sleeves and coats.

This is one of those nice sunny days. Really not warm enough for swim trunks and water balloons, but of course my boys thought so.

Ready for launching.
After getting wet, I think Cole agrees with Mom. It's not so warm and this isn't so fun anymore.

And here's one of those cooler days. The boys were excited to rake leaves from our tree in the backyard.

They convince Jada that it's fun to get in the leaf pile and play while they throw leaves.

Up they go and down they come.....
...all on Jada's head! She doesn't like this game anymore.

And I don't either. Do you know how long it took me to get all those little pieces of leaves out of her hair? Quinn's trying to "dust" her off, but those leaves are going nowhere. Those darling little curls hold everything!

Happy October!

Girls are fun...and a challenge

This little girl loves her some accessories. Everyone asks how she gets along with four older brothers. I always say she is perfect! (Almost like God knew or something.) She can definitely hold her own, she is loud and roudy, loves balls and trucks, and wrestling on the floor. But, I've been noticing more and more her little girl side. And I'm lovin' it!

Shoes!

Bracelets! (And yes, she's learned how to "say cheese")


Necklaces!

What I love is that she doesn't just put them on to play. She puts them on to wear like part of her outfit. She goes about her day being the little diva with jewels.

Oh, and if she can't find a necklace, don't worry she just makes one. This is a slinky wrapped around her neck! Yes, I left it on long enough to get a picture and then quickly removed it. Safe, no. Cute, yes.

And hairbows. She can now say "bow" and tries to put them in herself.


Yesterday she said her first two word sentence. "Mommy's car". Very appropriate for a car dealer's daughter, don't ya think?

So fun, so full of life, and so ornery!!! She is into everything, but we won't talk about that right now. :) On to something more important.

Orphan Sunday is one month away. Have you heard of it? It's a day dedicated to raise awareness for the 147 million orphans worldwide. Please click here to read/learn more about it. Will you please say a prayer and spread the word on November 7th?

I'm going to step out of my comfort zone here and probably step on some toes. I want to challenge everyone who reads this to pray about adoption. Committ to praying for a week or a month, whatever. Ask God if He can use you in an orphan's life. James 1:27 and several other passages all throughout the old and new testament talk about caring for the fatherless. I don't think that just means adoption, and I don't think you have to adopt to be obedient to those passages! I'm just reflecting on my own life a little and thinking about Orphan Sunday and orphan awareness. I did not understand God's heart for the orphan or see it as something important in my own life until God revealed it. I wish I had learned sooner. I don't know who all reads this but I do know a lot of friends have already asked this question and God has been faithful. Some have adopted and some have not. You all were way ahead of me. :)

Not sure how to close, other than thanks for still reading. :) My desire is not to turn this blog into an adoption soapbox, but more a place where I share the change God has brought in my life because of adoption.

The ripple effect

A couple weeks ago my boys and the neighbor girls wanted to have a garage sale. They were scrounging around the house trying to find something, anything to sell.

They finally decided on some carmels (that I was saving to make carmel apples), parade candy from our local festival, and some rocks from their rock collection. Highly valued stuff here! And the prices were good.

All set up, just waiting on that first customer.

Stalking anyone who walked, drove, or bicycled by.

And would you believe they made $11?!

I was shaking my head at the irony of it all. My kids in America can make 11 dollars in a short time off left over candy so they can go buy something they don't need at Walmart. Meanwhile, people in third world countries are living on the streets starving to death, begging for scraps, and digging through the city dump just trying to survive.

I was sad and disgusted really. Life just isn't fair. But all glory goes to God! As my boys brought their money in, they asked me to send it to Ethiopia! I asked about the neighbor girls and said maybe we should give them 1/2 of the money first. But, they said they already talked to the girls and they wanted to help too.

One adoption, but numerous lives changed! Our four little boys are taking the message and living it out. Praise God.

And this is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God!
Philippians 1