Jonathan has a new found passion...talking on the telephone. I guess it's not new found...it probably started back in Arizona when he placed his first call all by himself...to 911!! You can imagine my surprise when the police showed up at the door, and wanted to search the house, to make sure everything was OK. Anyway, he loves to talk on the phone. He'll talk to whoever calls...Nani and Papa are his regulars. Uncle David brought home a box of toys that his boss's wife gave him that her children had outgrown. Many of the toys were for girls, but Jonathan selected a pink and blue Cinderella cell phone, and uses it daily. The other day, while I was reading at the kitchen table, he took my hairbrush, hopped onto a chair next to me, and proceeded to brush my hair, while holding a very interesting conversation with someone on his Cindy cell phone...he went on for a few minutes, and was completely serious as he was talking. I had all I could do to hold back the laughter! He really has a good imagination. Today, I asked him why he wasn't talking on his phone. He informed me that it hadn't rang yet. Silly me...

Yesterday was Josh's first soccer practice of the season. Jonathan BEGGED me to go...not because he loves to watch his brother practice, or can't bear the thought of an hour without Mama...no, it's because the school where Josh practices has a cool playground!

Game Boys

We are a game family. The boys love it when I say, "who wants to play a game?" just like my Mom used to say to me. They squeal with joy and run to the game cabinet and rummage through the many games that we have to find just the right one. They have several favorites...Sorry, Guess Who (Josh's recent birthday gift from Papa and Nani) and Perfection (from Aunt MB and Uncle Robbie). They also like Candyland, Trouble, and Yahtzee. Most of those I had as a child, and it gives me great pleasure to see the boys enjoy them as much as I did. Mom and I usually played Scrabble, which Mom always won, and probably still would today. Some of my other childhood favorites were Mousetrap, Life, Operation and Trivial Pursuit. Gramma "D" would often play card games with us like Gin, Spit, War and Spite and Malice (nice names)...it was fun playing until we were old enough to realize that Gram cheated. Anyway, we somehow managed to have lots of fun in the pre-Nintendo/xbox/PlayStation era!

The joy of giving

Josh received some birthday money this past week, and he has been walking around with it ever since. It's probably the most money he's ever called "his own", albeit, not a very large quantity to you or me. Nevertheless, he has been so excited, thinking about what he might buy with his money. Well, today at church, he leaned over to me and told me he wanted to put a third of what he got in the offering. I told him that it was his money, and it was up to him how he used it (within reason, of course). I could tell during the prayer he was going back and forth in his mind as to what he should do about the offering. As the usher approached our row, I saw Josh move to the edge of our pew, and place his money inside the plate. Then he came back down and sat next to me. He leaned over and said, "I really wanted to keep that money". I told him how when God tells us to give, it is a good thing, and we need to ask God to help us to give with a happiness, not with regret. About five minutes later, Josh leaned over to me and said with a smile from ear to ear, "My heart feels really good inside". After service in the car, I told Luis, in front of Josh, what had happened. Luis asked Josh to tell him how it made him feel to give to the Lord out of his own money. Josh told him, "My tummy feels like it is full of good, and not bad anymore".

Isn't it funny how kids can simplify the issues that we as adults can really confuse? Josh learned a good lesson today, about sowing and reaping. I learned once again that God is always after anything in our heart that might come before Him, and to never underestimate the ability for God to talk to and teach anyone, even the littlest of his creation. What an awesome thing that the God of the universe cares so much for each one of us.

Wise in our own eyes

Is has been so chilly down here...unusually so for the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Back in December, we had such mild weather, that our peach and pear trees had blossomed. While they looked absolutely beautiful, loaded with soft pink and white flowers, we hated to see them come out so soon, since it was only December. This past week, we have had low temperatures down into the teens, and I am afraid that we will not have any peaches or pears this year because of the frost.

In Josh's Bible class last week, we read the story of Joshua and the Hivites from the city of Gibeon. They were a group of people, disguised as distant travelers, to take advantage of Joshua's integrity and his good word. They had heard that the Israelites were overpowering all of the cities in the Jordan, and the Hivites became afraid. So, they played on the pity of Joshua and his men, and asked that Joshua would swear an oath that he would leave them in peace and not attack their [deceitful] group. Joshua, without even consulting with God, relied on his own senses and emotions, and made the pact. When he realized he had been taken advantage of, there was no one to blame but himself, and because he gave his word, he was bound to the treaty. Had he taken the time to simply ask God for wisdom in that situation, surely God would have revealed the truth, just as He had done so many times for Joshua in the past. The outcome would have been very different had he listened to the spirit rather than his own feelings and what seemed right to his human eyes. So many times, we too, are quick to jump on a bandwagon without seeking God for direction. Often, we are faced with a need, a crisis, or even a ministry, and we leap before we seek. Then we are forced to carry out this plan in our own strength, often leaving us with anger, bitterness, and resentment against the very people we thought we were supposed to help. I am thankful that the Lord, in His great mercy, can bring good out of any situation, eventually, but how much better would the outcome be if we would just take time to pray, and ask God how He fells about it. Then, we stand still until we hear from God. After all, He sees the beginning from the end in all things, and He knows the best route to take, always. I have, in the past, experienced the results of poor timing, and relying on what "seemed" right at the time, failing to really hear from God. I have also been witness to people stepping into things out of a feeling of obligation, or even sheer emotion, only to see disaster befall them, and those around them, because of it. There are always going to be needs, problems, and even opportunities to minister to other people. If we are wise, we will learn to seek God in all things, before we step out blindly into something that may never have been ours to begin with.

If our beautiful trees had just waited a few more weeks, it's possible that they could have given a harvest beyond our wildest imaginations! But now, with their frost bitten leaves and blossoms, and their tired branches that have been forced to bear a load of vegetation weighted down with ice, the best we can hope for is some fruit, however few it may be. As for me, I can take away a lesson learned. Trusting in the Lord enough to wait on Him, for His guidance and perfect timing, so that my fruit will not only be satisfying to my own soul, but a blessing to those around me as well.