Thank God for Spring

While we know that this is probably just a teaser and we will have at least one or two more snow storms, we are all very thankful to God for the gift of spring weather that He's given us this week.  Upper to mid-70's!  Eat your hearts out Florida and California!

Read Alouds--Strawberry Girl

We just finished another great read aloud entitled, Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski.  It is the story of two feuding families in the pioneering days of Florida.  This was a great book to read while we were in Florida on vacation.  It is filled with a lot southern dialect which was a real treat for me to read each night.  I found myself going up stairs after reading and still talking like that.  It was a quick read but both the boys and I really liked it and would recommend it.

Florida Trip Recap

Last week we took a trip to see my mom and my brother's family in Florida.  It was great to see them all.  The boys especially loved hanging out with their cousins.  Another highlight for me (and I think the boys) was seeing the Twins in a spring training game.  It was a ton of fun and a great day for a ball game.  The weather was super and we were able to be in the pool and at the beach a lot.  Thanks Mom and Joe and Carrie for hosting us.

What you talkin' about Willis?

Read Alouds--Ginger Pye

I have not written about any read alouds for a long time because we had been engrossed in this book for months.  I have saved a few of the longer books to the end of this year, hoping that the boys comprehension and attention spans grew with them. (It was over 300 pages.) That has happened and this book was definitely a success.  The boys all loved it. 

Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes is a mystery about when a boy and his sister lose their little fox terrier.  Apparently Estes is a renowned author, but this book was my first exposure to her.  It is well written and like I said the boys loved it.  They talked about it all the time.  "Remember how Uncle Benny said . . ."  Uncle Benny was their favorite.  He is a three year old who happens to be the kids uncle because their mother was so young when she married their father.  They thought that was great.  This was not my favorite book, but I think I will check out more of Estes work.  If your kids are into mysteries and are okay with a longer book, then give it a try.

This do in rememberance of me . . .

Photo originally posted by pastorbuhro
 
This past week, our church experimented with how they deliver the elements of communion.  They set the juice cup inside a cup with a wafer in it and you got both at one time.  Pastor Sam asked, so here are my comments.

I long to celebrate communion more often and in a more central way.  Because the death, burial and resurrection of  Jesus is the central point of our faith, it seems that communion, the celebration of those events, should be central to our worship.  The celebration of the new covenant should not necessarily be simply a once-a-month practice that we tag onto an otherwise normal worship service.  Is there a way that we can make this a more integral or monumental act in our worship?  Maybe that is dedicating more time to it.  Maybe it is doing it more often.  Maybe it is preaching about communion more.  Maybe it is understanding the new covenant and how Christ fulfilled all of the old covenant and ushered us into His kingdom by his death and resurrection.

As to method, I'm much less particular.  I do love to have someone say to me, "the body of Christ, broken for you" or "the blood of Christ, shed of you" as they offer me the bread and cup.  I feel like I am being served and offered something, rather than simply being passed a wafer and cup.  This is a detail, but one that has been meaningful to me.  If I had to choose, I would have a large communal loaf and a large communal cup.  Again, the symbolism of one body, one loaf and cup are meaningful.  I know that this complicates a lot of things, but I like it.

How about you?  I know many of you come from different traditions, some where you had communion weekly, some where you don't do communion at all.  What thoughts do you have about the Lord's supper?

Lucy Smiles

A little dark, but I love her smile.

Give me back my filet of fish

Matthew is one of the funniest members of our family.  Unfortunately, over the past year his brothers have not been the most supportive lot in his humor pursuits.  Being the youngest (he has lots of youngest traits as the youngest boy) isn't always easy.  We are working to protect his heart and to encourage him to be himself.  If you get to know Matthew, you'll love him like we do.

Here's an inside look.  Last year at Lent, McDonald's came out with a commercial of a singing fish.  Matt loved it and we loved him singing it.  It took a candy bribe, but we got it done.  The video is just a shadow of his best work.

Our Conundrum with God

Our struggle with God is that He is majestic, perfect, infinite and our judge on one hand and other other we need him for salvation.  HT to Michael Horton who referenced this quote from The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis that explains this difficulty well.

"Are you not thirsty?" said the lion.
     "I'm dying of thirst," said Jill.
     "Then drink," said the lion.
     "May I – could I – would you mind going away while I do?" said Jill.
     The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience.
     The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.
     "Will you promise not to – do anything to me, if I do come?" said Jill.
     "I make no promise," said the Lion.
     Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.
     "Do you eat girls?" she said.
     "I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms," said the Lion. It didn't say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.

Thanks be to God that we have a mediator, a high priest that intercedes between God and us.  Jesus Christ is the one that Job sought and in whom we must find God.