Just as I am.

Today was a typical Sunday morning - slept in too late, fought with a two year old to pee on the potty and put on a dress shirt and an itchy sweater, pulled out some less than favourite clothes from the dark dusty corners of my closet because my good stuff was buried in the mountains of dirty stuff, skipped breakfast (due to my resistance in using an alarm clock), just managed to avoid the puppy messing on my floor, answered 2 phone calls, gathered up a baggie of Lego and tossed it in Jonah's backpack, and flew out the door only to arrive at church, late.

I had tried to convince myself to write off church today - we had woke up too late and there wouldn't be time to get ready, I thought that maybe Jonah had a wee bit of a cough and we wouldn't want to infect the other kiddies, I didn't have any nice clothes that were clean, I wouldn't have time for breakfast and surely my tummy would be growling throughout the entire sermon, and besides all that, I don't really like sitting in church by myself for fear of looking like a church widow (Josh's shift work means Jonah and I do church on our own most Sundays it seems).

But, the Lord got us there.  He just kept prodding, pushing me out the door.  When the Lord wants us to enter in, late is never too late.  Come as your are, ragged clothes and all - He will clothe you in His love and His mercy.  Come hungry and thirsty - He will feed you with His word and fill your cup to overflowing.  Come tired and He will awaken you to the plans He has for you.  Come alone, and realize that having a church family and a Heavenly Father, means that you are never alone.


Just As I Am - You Tube Video

Just as I am, without one plea
But that thy blood was shed for me
And that thou bidd’st me come to thee
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need, in thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am; thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down;
Now to be thine, yea, thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Today I had one of those "I-really-can't-believe-I'm-actually-doing-this!" parenting moments.  Of all the struggles I imagined I'd have as a parent, the thought of having a picky eater never even crossed my mind.  Neither Josh, nor I, are really that picky, we're simple, but not picky.  Just avoid mushrooms and bizarre international fare, and we'll pretty much eat anything.  Anyway, Jonah, despite looking and acting in every way just like his mommy and daddy, WILL NOT eat vegetables.  Period.  Unless you gave him pureed baby food, but I'm sorry, you're going to be 3 buddy, you're just a little past the pureed stuff.  So, today, in a desperate attempt to get him to eat a couple cucumber slices, I bargained.  And I bargained.  I made the most elaborate ice cream sundae with chocolate chip cookies and chocolate sauce - and I ate it in front of him (after I ate my vegetables, of course).

My attempts were futile.  He would prefer to just get down and skip supper.  Not wanting to send him to bed hungry, I came up with a last ditch attempt to get him to eat.  A bite for bite trade.  One bite of cucumbers, for one chocolate chip (he was going to get them on his ice cream once he was done anyway, so what difference did it make if he ate them on an installment plan?)  You have to understand, I can't even get him to put a vegetable in his mouth to even try them!  So, if incentive is what he needed, incentive is what I would give him.  He quickly shoved a piece of cucumber in his mouth and swallowed it as fast as he could - he was not going to chew it, no way, no how.  Well, I guess he learned that the good Lord gave him a set of chompers for a reason.  He choked until he almost puked.  Don't worry, the Heimlich wasn't necessary, but I was out of my chair and at the ready!

I handed over a chocolate chip.

I could now see that there was no way he was going to chew the cucumbers even if he was willing to put them in his mouth.  So, I proceeded to slather them in salad dressing and chop them into tiny pieces, essentially do the chewing step for him, so he could just swallow the mouthful.  It worked beautifully!  A bite of cucumbers for a chocolate chip and before we knew it the cucumbers were gone! 

Now, by no means, would I ever consider this as an actual strategy for getting picky eaters to eat, 1) because it's horribly pathetic, and 2) because I know I've just set myself up for problems.  But, as unconvential as it was, it was a small victory for us and it made us both quite happy!

Sometimes, we don't even want to bother trying something in life that requires stepping out of our comfort zones because it's easier to just skip the "ice cream sundae".  But, sometimes, just a little taste of what's to come can be all the encouragement we need.  And so worth it in the end!

He practically licked his sundae bowl clean!

"It's the most, wonderful, time . . . of the year!"

My blog is the evidence that it's "that time of year", again.  No post for almost a month.  Life is starting to get hectic - must mean Christmas is on it's way.  Now don't get me wrong, I just LOVE Christmas.  I'm a "warm fuzzy" junkie and proud of it and the Christmas season does it's fair share of supplying my habit.  It's just that the busyness accompanying the joyous Christmas season can be just a little stressful at times (requiring extra doses of warm fuzzies from my son and my puppy to compensate).

So this year, I'd like to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show . . . in theory anyway.  I phrased it "I'd like to" because I know it'll never happen.  I have, however, managed to cut back on a few things this year, though, not necessarily by choice.  I've so enjoyed working with the children's choir at our former church for their Christmas presentation the last few years.  But, of couse with the move, we've had to find a new chuch closer to home.  (Side note for those of you who have been wondering - it took us a year of prayer and consideration, but, we've finally found a new chuch, Midland Alliance Church, and we are so thankful to be able to get up Sunday mornings and know where we are going.)  So this year, I will certainly miss being a part of the kids Christmas production at HiWay, but I plan on enjoying those children's smiling little faces, from the audience.  And I will sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!  You'll do great, kids!

So, I managed to take one thing off my plate this year, only to seemingly go out of my way to fill it up again - quilting projects, cookie exchanges, joining a gym, hosting Christmas (for the first time!), starting a new business venture, and of course lots of festive events!  All good things, of course!  I guess, being busy this time of year is just part and parcel (pardon the pun) of the season.  And, in it's craziness, I am reminded of just how blessed we are to have loads of family and friends that love us and accept us for who we are, and just enjoy spending time with us.  Even if we don't get to see you over the holidays, we want you to know that we love you all and are so thankful for each and every one of you!  Thank you for being a part of our lives!

Now, if only we had a jet and an airport in Penetanguishene!