Often Gene, Eden and I will play American Idol (we're avid watchers of the show). Eden will get her little microphone and sing, I pretend to be Ryan Seacrest, and Gene impersonates Randy, Paula and Simon (I will shoot video of this soon and post, as it is a sight to behold).
Well, last night I heard Eden down the hall saying she wanted to play. Neither Gene or I were paying much attention. Then, through the echo of the hot pink microphone I hear Eden in her southern accent say, "Yo, yo dawg, that was pitchy."
So, the Mason home was roaring with laughter last night. Hope yours is too on a daily basis.
Love you all!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Recklessness
I read this quote on a blog yesterday and it punched me in the gut...so I thought I'd share. We all need a good gut-punching on a regular basis, don't you think? At least I do. I so easily grow weary and even apathetic to the truths of social injustice that I cannot see (or choose not to) on a daily basis. Just because I can't see it in suburban Birmingham doesn't absolve me from my responsibility to love and serve Christ and those He so desperately loves. Here's the quote:
"What, therefore, is our task today? Should I answer: "Faith, hope and love?" That sounds beautiful. But I would say - courage. No, even that is not challenging enough to be the whole truth. Our task today is recklessness. For what we Christians lack is not psychology or literature... we lack a holy rage - the recklessness which comes from the knowledge of God and humanity. The ability to rage when justice lies prostrate on the streets, and when the lie rages across the face of the earth... a holy anger about the things that are wrong in the world. To rage against the ravaging of God's earth and the destruction of God's people. To rage when little children must die of hunger, while the tables of the rich are sagging with food. To rage at the senseless killing of so many, and the madness of militaries. To rage against the lie that calls the threat of death and the strategy of destruction peace. To rage against COMPLACENCY. To restlessly seek that recklessness that will challenge and seek to change human history until it conforms to the norms of the Kingdom of God."
-Father Kaj Munk, 1944
I must admit I don't have a clue who Father Kay Munk is, okay? I just love the word "reckless." Most of the time this word conjures up negative thoughts and ideas to me. But when applied to attacking social injustice and loving the weak, poor and oppressed, it sends shivers down my spine. Don't over-think, don't take time to come up with silly excuses, just get busy chasing after Christ and loving people all along the way. Reckless abandon...I like it. Lord, help me live it.
My mom sent me this photo of Eden and her 2 cousins, Savannah and Camp.
What precious blessings from the Lord our children are. Daily I am reminded that every life God creates is equally precious to Him and created to glorify Him...regardless of race, social status, lifestyle, etc. Every barrier that divides us in the world, the Gospel shatters. We are all poor, helpless orphans until the Lord saves us by His grace.
If it was our child starving or dying of AIDS we would be more reckless, wouldn't we? Let us who have been blessed far beyond what we need begin to give like we have never considered before. That is my prayer for our family, and for the whole family of God.
"What, therefore, is our task today? Should I answer: "Faith, hope and love?" That sounds beautiful. But I would say - courage. No, even that is not challenging enough to be the whole truth. Our task today is recklessness. For what we Christians lack is not psychology or literature... we lack a holy rage - the recklessness which comes from the knowledge of God and humanity. The ability to rage when justice lies prostrate on the streets, and when the lie rages across the face of the earth... a holy anger about the things that are wrong in the world. To rage against the ravaging of God's earth and the destruction of God's people. To rage when little children must die of hunger, while the tables of the rich are sagging with food. To rage at the senseless killing of so many, and the madness of militaries. To rage against the lie that calls the threat of death and the strategy of destruction peace. To rage against COMPLACENCY. To restlessly seek that recklessness that will challenge and seek to change human history until it conforms to the norms of the Kingdom of God."
-Father Kaj Munk, 1944
I must admit I don't have a clue who Father Kay Munk is, okay? I just love the word "reckless." Most of the time this word conjures up negative thoughts and ideas to me. But when applied to attacking social injustice and loving the weak, poor and oppressed, it sends shivers down my spine. Don't over-think, don't take time to come up with silly excuses, just get busy chasing after Christ and loving people all along the way. Reckless abandon...I like it. Lord, help me live it.
My mom sent me this photo of Eden and her 2 cousins, Savannah and Camp.
What precious blessings from the Lord our children are. Daily I am reminded that every life God creates is equally precious to Him and created to glorify Him...regardless of race, social status, lifestyle, etc. Every barrier that divides us in the world, the Gospel shatters. We are all poor, helpless orphans until the Lord saves us by His grace.
If it was our child starving or dying of AIDS we would be more reckless, wouldn't we? Let us who have been blessed far beyond what we need begin to give like we have never considered before. That is my prayer for our family, and for the whole family of God.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Daily Life
Hey everyone! I haven't posted in a while. We've been so busy getting the house ready to sell. Lots of little projects to do here and there...and some big ones, too. Time seems to be flying by and I can't believe Eden is almost 3 1/2! In July we will celebrate 2 years home with her. Where does the time go?
I've been struggling a lot lately with my thoughts. Do you ever feel like time is slipping by unnoticed, or un-cherished? I've been feeling that way lately. I'm struggling daily to find the balance between my to-do list and making the most of every moment I'm granted with those I love. It's so easy to take people, and life-stages, for granted. I want my life to count, I mean really count, for eternity. I don't just want to raise good kids, go to church, read my Bible, etc. A "safe and happy" life appeals less and less to me lately. The "American Dream" sometimes feels more like a big joke. Why are we here, really? Why did God pour such grace into our lives? To live in nice houses, drive nice cars, gather in multi-million dollar church buildings each week while so many around the world don't even have food to eat? I seriously doubt it.
Eden brings such joy to our lives, but at the same time she is like the face and voice of those who can't help themselves in my life every minute of every day. It's like God won't let me forget, or ignore, the needs of the world anymore. Before we adopted her they were just statistics. But now, I've seen and tasted first-hand that I CAN make a difference...Eden is living proof of what God can do if we just offer ourselves to Him in faith and obey His command to help those who can't help themselves. When I see her life, her personality, her heart, where she came from and what she has become, I am humbled, overjoyed, and maybe most of all - convicted.
What am I spending my time, energy and resources on? These are gifts that God has entrusted to me...all I have is His. He is Lord over all. Is He pleased with my to-do list? There are practical choices to make each and every day. The house has to be cleaned, dishes washed, laundry done, food prepared, etc. This takes a lot of time and energy. BUT, is that an excuse to ignore my calling and chief purpose in life, the reason for which I exist...to make disciples of ALL nations? No, I don't think so. Obviously this looks different in our lives at different stages, but I just don't want to become so focused on my family that I ignore the needs of those who so desperately need what Christ has given to me. In the end, I think it is so important that I model for Eden what it looks like to serve others, even if it takes time or resources away from her sometimes. This balance is what I am struggling with. The Lord is teaching me so much.
Eden has such an awareness of the needs of the world I think because of her adoption. She knows that she did not always have a mommy and daddy, so to her the concept of needing is not so foreign an idea. I want to foster this awareness in her, not numb her to it by complacency and apathy. That is one of the main reasons we are adopting again so soon, and why I am leaving her for 10 days this summer to go to South Africa to minister to those dying of AIDS. We hope to start a home study later this year to adopt from Uganda, and I will be going to South Africa in July. I pray that Christ will receive glory from my life, both in the little things, and the big.
Laundry and Africa...who says we have to choose? Mommies can change the world...not just in their homes, but outside them as well. And as we make these tough choices and find this balance between family and the neediest, perhaps we will teach our children to love more deeply, live more sacrificially, be more grateful, be kinder, and discover the purpose for which they were created and loved by God. Maybe God didn't just give us children so we could love them, but so we could show them how to love others.
So now you know how my world is being rocked, right?
In closing, my sweet sister Kelly and her husband Matt were blessed with their own little disciple on Feb. 25th. My nephew, Camp Matthew, is so precious! Here are a couple of pictures of him! Love you all.
I've been struggling a lot lately with my thoughts. Do you ever feel like time is slipping by unnoticed, or un-cherished? I've been feeling that way lately. I'm struggling daily to find the balance between my to-do list and making the most of every moment I'm granted with those I love. It's so easy to take people, and life-stages, for granted. I want my life to count, I mean really count, for eternity. I don't just want to raise good kids, go to church, read my Bible, etc. A "safe and happy" life appeals less and less to me lately. The "American Dream" sometimes feels more like a big joke. Why are we here, really? Why did God pour such grace into our lives? To live in nice houses, drive nice cars, gather in multi-million dollar church buildings each week while so many around the world don't even have food to eat? I seriously doubt it.
Eden brings such joy to our lives, but at the same time she is like the face and voice of those who can't help themselves in my life every minute of every day. It's like God won't let me forget, or ignore, the needs of the world anymore. Before we adopted her they were just statistics. But now, I've seen and tasted first-hand that I CAN make a difference...Eden is living proof of what God can do if we just offer ourselves to Him in faith and obey His command to help those who can't help themselves. When I see her life, her personality, her heart, where she came from and what she has become, I am humbled, overjoyed, and maybe most of all - convicted.
What am I spending my time, energy and resources on? These are gifts that God has entrusted to me...all I have is His. He is Lord over all. Is He pleased with my to-do list? There are practical choices to make each and every day. The house has to be cleaned, dishes washed, laundry done, food prepared, etc. This takes a lot of time and energy. BUT, is that an excuse to ignore my calling and chief purpose in life, the reason for which I exist...to make disciples of ALL nations? No, I don't think so. Obviously this looks different in our lives at different stages, but I just don't want to become so focused on my family that I ignore the needs of those who so desperately need what Christ has given to me. In the end, I think it is so important that I model for Eden what it looks like to serve others, even if it takes time or resources away from her sometimes. This balance is what I am struggling with. The Lord is teaching me so much.
Eden has such an awareness of the needs of the world I think because of her adoption. She knows that she did not always have a mommy and daddy, so to her the concept of needing is not so foreign an idea. I want to foster this awareness in her, not numb her to it by complacency and apathy. That is one of the main reasons we are adopting again so soon, and why I am leaving her for 10 days this summer to go to South Africa to minister to those dying of AIDS. We hope to start a home study later this year to adopt from Uganda, and I will be going to South Africa in July. I pray that Christ will receive glory from my life, both in the little things, and the big.
Laundry and Africa...who says we have to choose? Mommies can change the world...not just in their homes, but outside them as well. And as we make these tough choices and find this balance between family and the neediest, perhaps we will teach our children to love more deeply, live more sacrificially, be more grateful, be kinder, and discover the purpose for which they were created and loved by God. Maybe God didn't just give us children so we could love them, but so we could show them how to love others.
So now you know how my world is being rocked, right?
In closing, my sweet sister Kelly and her husband Matt were blessed with their own little disciple on Feb. 25th. My nephew, Camp Matthew, is so precious! Here are a couple of pictures of him! Love you all.
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