Bump to Baby

This week I have been thinking about Daisy being born- how in a matter of hours she will go from a belly bump to a baby. What a wild transition from being pregnant to actually having a child! Maybe that's why God made pregnancy take 9 months, so that parents could prepare.

This morning I read in 31 Days on the Life of Christ by J. Oswald Sanders about the miracle of the virgin birth. It made me think about how Mary felt for those 9 months. Not only was she about to have a child, but she knew this Child was who her people had waited for! How do you prepare yourself for that, even in 40 weeks?! Even if she had experience with babies, all bets were off as to how this baby would act.

Talk about trusting the Lord! I would have been a wreck!

To those who have experienced this transition (not birthing the Messiah, just a regular baby), was there a moment when it all hit you hard? How did you react?

Shower Singing

I used to be an avid shower singer. For that matter, I used to be an avid alone singer. I was really into music in high school (who isn't?) and I super enjoyed belting out the lyrics! I was privileged for a few years to have my own spacious shower with great acoustics. 

When choosing a shower song, the most important thing is that you know the lyrics. You don't want to end up in a vicious cycle, or have to do some "bum ba bum"s in the middle of your anthem. I always try to choose songs which I consider in my range (which is very limited). It's also great if there is a dramatic belting or yell at some point in the song. The most perfect example: Scream from High School Musical 3. 

That's right. 

Ballads are good too. American Pie is great to show off your memory skills, or challenge them. 

And it you're really brave, you can take your talent outside the tiled walls, in front of a mirror, and add some dance moves! Or if you're a gymnast, a warehouse might be a good place to blow off some steam. 

Whatever the case, singing out loud is a great way to forget the day! 

Participate responsibly. 

What's your favorite shower song?

Fatherhood

The subject of fatherhood has come up a lot around me lately. The first instance was while I was reading Jeremiah and considering the attributes of God. I think our culture today focuses on a loving God, but the God I was reading in Jeremiah was a wrathful God. Yes, Jesus's death covered the wrath and allowed the love, but does that mean that attribute of God just disappeared? I don't think so. Therefore, I was considering how to view God not just one attribute at a time, but all together. I also considered why our culture might zoom in on only one side and that's when I came to the issue of fatherhood.

I noted that the father figure has lost a lot of respect in our culture. Generally, he is either absent by one reason or another, or he is spun around a little finger. (Obviously, these are not all the options.) So many people have a hard time thinking of God as their father because the title holds little or negative weight to them. My pastor pointed this out in reference to the Lord's prayer in which Jesus teaches how to pray beginning with "Our Father."

Shortly after I was considering these thoughts, I watched the movie Courageous which is fully devoted to the subject of fatherhood. They emphasize the importance of a father's role, and the importance of a father's relation with the Lord in that role.

I have been struck many time in the past week how lightly our culture takes parenting. Both sexes carry this fault, yet women more often tend to have an innate motherly instinct. And there are a lifetime of repercussions.

I have also been thinking of this issue from the other side. How even those who decide and plan to become fathers struggle with the role once the enter it. Or how when your child becomes a teenager, there are all new requirements. There is no formula to being a good father; it depends so much on your child. And it seems to me as thought fathers of sons have an even greater challenge in breaking the barrier that intimacy is not masculine.

Fatherhood should not be taken lightly. There is a generation being raised up that may not even know what a father should be, and what kind of father's will they be?

Kudos to the fathers out there who are on their knees and putting all they have into this weighty task!
Keep it up!

Nook

Yesterday I wrote about creating this nook cover. Today I am thinking about the word "nook." Or rather, the thing. "Nook" just sounds so darn cozy to me! And I have to say, if I was going to purchase an e-reader, I would go with the Nook just because they picked the better name. "Kindle" is not bad, and it's used a lot in Jeremiah (I noticed that as I read it this week). But if you're gonna sit down and delve into a written world, where would you want to do it?

In preparing for my future reading hours, I have considered specifications of what I would want in my nook. For me, the most important thing is comfort- you could be there for hours. I would like some kind of cushioned back rest, like a husband pillow. Also, lighting is super important. My eyes often start hurting if my lighting is too artificial and yellowy; solution- windows, big ones. Or just one big one.

I've done a little browsing and a little pinning, and here are my starter examples:

This one is great because it is super cozy, has lots of pillows, and seems to have an overhead window to let light in! Also, its looks like there's a shelf to place your cup, phone or other things you need nearby. 

I like this window, but it does not allow for much back support. Still a work in progress, I say. 

I also like the idea of your book shelves surrounding it, or of it being almost literally a whole in your wall. There's a really great reading area in the movie Inkheart. I wouldn't mind having that library! 

2s Day

I don't know quite what the mental connection is, but to me it just makes sense that I often charade the number "2" with my middle and index finger when I talk about Tuesday. It follows simply that Wednesday's visual would be three fingers, conveniently creating a "W". You can continue this pattern throughout the week if you like. Friday's connection with 5 is just natural. It works best when referring to work weeks.

Feel free to try this method the next time you need a day-of-the-week code.