Tuesday, March 16, 2010

There's an App for That

It's funny how being a mom to my little munchkin is different than my expectations. I had all these ideas before she was born about using cloth diapers (kuddos to those of you who do), not giving her sugar, making my own baby food, etc.

Turns out, I still hate doing laundry, and the occasional blow-out is enough washing poo out of cloth for me. Rachel hates just about every kind of homemade baby food she's tried (even if it's the same flavor as the packaged stuff). She got to try some gelato a couple weekends ago, which she loved. And there have been at least a couple of times where we've gotten in the wrong line at the grocery store too close to nap time, and she has been enthralled with "Peek-a-Boo Barn" on my iPhone.

At the same time though, I never expected to have such an easy-going, happy baby. I'd been around enough friends' babies and kids at work (plus all my parents' stories of how colicky I was) to expect a lot of crying for no apparent reason, which we really haven't experienced at all. She adjusts to having her routing, or lack of routine, messed with. She's just an all-around fun kid.

I guess it all falls in line with "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:34), which I've been thinking about a lot lately. I like to have a plan for the future and know what to expect. I think there is some validity in that. It seems foolish to not think about the future at all and just drift through life from day to day. But, Jesus does tell us not to worry about it - he's got it covered. And if all of my expectations for tomorrow fall apart, he knew it was coming and is in control.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Cleaning Bathrooms to the Glory of God

I feel like I need to learn how to do the things I really don't enjoy doing to the glory of God. Colossians 3:23 says "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men," and 1 Corinthians 10:31 says "whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

It's fairly easy for me to think about doing things I enjoy as acts of worship - a walk outside on a beautiful day, playing with my daughter, or even making dinner since I enjoy cooking. But it's so much harder to do things like cleaning bathrooms (or any part of my house for that matter) and doing laundry, and to think of them as acts of worship. I find it hard to do something I dread and just do because it has to be done to the glory of God.

Right before Paul tells the Colossians to "work heartily, as for the Lord," he is talking to slaves, and telling them to obey their masters and work with sincerity of heart. I seriously doubt that the slaves were enjoying being slaves, or finding it easy to praise God for their circumstances. Yet, this is who Paul tells to work as for the Lord. Cleaning my bathrooms is really nothing compared to being a slave, right? So, why is it so hard?

I suppose that's where Jesus, grace, and not just muscling through things on my own comes in. I need a redeemed heart in cleaning my house. I don't expect Jesus to make me love cleaning my house, but I can pray for a heart that cleans as if I was cleaning for Jesus. And one that sees the chores and mundane tasks of my life as things that serve the Lord through serving my husband and the people we invite into our home.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Kumquat's 7 months old!


Rachel is 7 months old today ..... crazy. I can't imagine life without her, and giving birth seems like a bit of a distant memory, but I still can't believe my "little" baby is that old already. She is still a very happy baby who loves to sleep, laugh and "talk" to just about anyone or anything.

In the last month, she's started crawling (in search of electrical cords and paper to chew on mostly), sitting herself up, and eating mushified "solid" food. She makes all sorts of unpleasant faces at sweet potatoes, but loves peas and avocados.


Monday, January 18, 2010

Time to Babyproof

This little girl just grows like crazy! In the last week, she's started creeping across the floor in search of stray computer cords and pieces of paper (both of which she is excellent at finding). Of course, with the increase in independent mobility is also the beginning of "no," and frustrated fussing when she can't quite get what she wants. She really is a joy though, and an amazingly happy baby.

Not sure how this blog thing is going to go ... I have a feeling it's going to be spurts of posts, and then forget about it for a couple of months, but we shall see.