Amaliaisms

1). When Adrian calls, I answer my phone, "Hey babe . . . " so after I got off the phone with him the other day, Amalia asks, "Was that babe?"

2). She LOVES the song "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt." She likes to sing it with me every night before bed.

3). I was teaching Amalia a 3 part song in which one of the parts goes, "one bottle of pop, two bottles of pop, three bottles of pop . . . " I sang it and then asked Amalia is sing it back to me. She piped in, "one lollipop, two lollipops, three lollipops . . . "

4). She loves to "help" bake cookies and do laundry

5). Amalia is a bit of a drama queen when it comes to bumps and bruises so when she hurts herself, I pick her up, dust her off, give her a hug and tell her, "You'll be ok. See, there's no blood." So the other day we were swimming and I was trying to show her how to do a back flip under the water and I smacked my face on the bottom of the pool. Amalia comes over and puts her arm around me and says, "You'll be ok. There's no blood."

6). The last two consecutive mornings the very first words out of her mouth were, "Mommy, I want to play Candyland." She LOVES this game right now. There is a character called "Gramma Nutt" but she calls her "Peanut Gramnut."

7). Amalia just told me this morning that she likes freckles and wants to someday have freckles like me.

8). While driving around doing errands yesterday, Amalia proclaims (out of the blue) from the back seat, "Mommy, the park makes me happy." I was wondering if this was a hint . . .

9). She loves broccoli right now. Everytime we're in the store, she wants to pick out her own broccoli. She also likes to help me wash it when I'm making it for dinner and later I notice little nibbles out of the top.

10). Yesterday, Luci and I were going over our grocery list of what we need at Costco. Amalia pipes in from the backseat, "And toys! They have a lot of toys."

Rain

I love this little video by Rob Bell. Rain always comes . . . in our lives. It just does. Its a fact. But atleast we know the Lord is near and that He can see the end and knows the way out.

This Is All That I Have

I was having coffee with a friend just recently. She was looking for some answers to relationship issues she is having. So I was thinking of what I could say to encourage her. I am not in the least bit an expert on this. Maybe I could suggest one of those self help books. I have read my fair share of them, mostly christian ones. You know, the ones that have a seven step process to wedded bliss and the ones that tell you ___ + ___ = the perfect life (you can fill in the blanks). The formula ones. Or the ones that give you a list of rules to follow and then everything will turn out alright. To be honest, I have met people who are quite good at following rules, lists and formulas and some of them are jerks. And those books usually just frustrate me more than anything. I finish the book determined to "get it right this time" and then mess up big time soon after and I am back to square one. And on top of that, I eventually forget what I have read and must continually relearn things. Maybe a marriage seminar or retreat? I come away from them so encouraged, but to tell you the truth, as soon as I get home and into the schedule, I slip right back into former ways. Plus, they are really expensive! Maybe I could tell her that she needs to go to church more, listen to hymn cds in the car and find more Christian friends who also listen to hymn cds in the car . . . no, not that either because I don't even listen to hymn cds in the car. So where can she find answers? Are there any answers or are we all just swirling around in confusion only achieving success by pure luck?

The only thing I could come up with worth telling her about is the only thing that has ever brought any transformation in my life . . . that being my relationship with the living God and Creator of all things including me (a.k.a Jesus Christ). The one who came to heal the broken hearted and set the captives free (Isa. 61:1). I'm not talking about going to church and reading the Bible. That would be like saying I'm best buds with Abe Lincoln because I visited his house and read his biography. No, I'm talking about an actual day-to-day relationship with Jesus Christ. He talks to me, I talk to him. Sounds crazy, I know. But when he speaks truth into my life, all of the sudden a light goes on and I am forever set free from that struggle.

I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life. ~Jesus (John 8:12 NLT)

I don't know of anyone else who can do that, so just maybe the answers aren't in a formula or in a set of rules or "religion" and God actually created us to be relational to have our needs met by closeness with him. Just maybe this Jesus is a whole lot bigger than we think and just maybe we can depend him to get us through life.

Pink Umbrella - Part 2

I went to pick up Amalia at Nana's yesterday and guess what she came home with from Wal-Mart . . . yes, you guessed it, a new umbrella complete with princesses and ruffles (Grandparents are such softies!) Later that night when I was putting Amalia to bed and she wanted to pray, I said, "Why don't you thank Jesus for your new umbrella." So she starts praying, "Dear God, thank you for . . . thank you for . . . " and then turns to me and whispers, "I forgot." I whispered back, "umbrella" and then she continued praying, "Thank you God for french fries and my umbrella."

Happy Birthday Mi Amor

This is to you, mi amor. I love you. Thanks for making my life so great! Thanks for providing for Amalia and me and thanks for being the best ever papi to Amalia and husband to me!!!! You are my best friend, a true man of God and the one whom I respect and look up to more than anybody else on this earth! I always think of you first when I need advice, encouragement or a shoulder to cry on. On top of all that, you have an amazing vision and dream that you are couragious enough to follow. I am so blessed.

Faith and Green Onions

Laura is one of my best friends in the world and also my hero at present. She and her husband have left their comfortable, secure lives in New Mexico and have moved to a whole new part of the country to Washington State to plant a church. It is so awesome to see their faith and hear how God is providing. I was cracking up when she wrote me this story. With her permission, I wanted to share it with you:

. . . I am searching for recipes on the internet. We are trying everything we can to save money. I am so not susie homemaker, but you would laugh at the lengths to which we are going. We are planting a garden, baking our own bread, making home made cleaning products. Oh, and the best story is when a few weeks ago I went to make some potato soup. The recipe calls for green onions. I went outside and saw where a previous tenant had planted a million green onions. I was ecstatic. I said "Craig, look, we will save so much money with all these green onions!" I cut them up and put them in our soup. It tasted a little different that night. We described it as "earthy" and "organic" but we were so proud that I had found them outside and not spent money on them. Our neighbor came over the next day and I offered her some since we have so many. Her name is Anna too. She says, "Green onion? Are you sure? You better show me what you ate." She pulled some up and we all died laughing when she let me know that I had picked and cut up garlic bulbs that hadn't matured, and wouldn't mature until July. Um, yeah. I won't be throwing random vegetables from our yard into our food without confirmation of what they are anymore. Hope that makes you smile. . .

Thanks Coach!!

I was recently reminded in 1 Thess. that I should remember to thank those in my life past or present who have encouraged and influenced me for Christ. Then I was given the opportunity when I heard my college soccer coach was being inducted into the National Christian College Athletic Association Hall of Fame. Here is what I wrote to be included in a book given to him at the ceremony:

When I heard you were being inducted into the NCCAA Hall of Fame, I could not think of a more deserving person. Having you as a coach during my 4 years of college soccer as well as working at summer soccer camps at BBC were some of the best times and my most cherished memories. I do not even know how to begin to thank you. Above all, thank you for being faithful to Jesus Christ in everything because through you, I learned more about Him. You always kept our team focused on glorifying God with our lives and through soccer, taught us the essential life lessons of perseverance, endurance, joy, the value of teamwork, etc. I have fond memories of summer soccer camp, pre-season team-building trips (remember the white water rapids trip that turned out to be more like the brown water floating trip in 1998?), bus rides (at times, keeping you awake and praying the bus would make it and driving past the thriving metropolis of Turbotville), championship games and indoor soccer in the winter. I have fond memories of all the wonderfully grueling morning runs (rain or shine . . . or snow!) always in your excessively chipper morning fashion. I came to love those morning runs, and I still jog in the mornings, but it is not nearly as fun without you and the rest of the team. You were somehow always able to work us extremely hard and yet we would have a blast doing it. Actually, I had so much fun that I kept on playing and coaching and I now direct a girls’ soccer program at a soccer club in my area.
Also, I could not thank you without also thanking Mrs. Davis for all the sacrifice, love and support she gave which enabled you to be so great. As time passes, I realize more and more what an amazing blessing and honor it was to be part of your team. I also realize that I am just one of many who could say the same. You have made a huge impact and have left quite a legacy. Thanks Coach and congratulations!!!