January 30, 2013

little of this and that.

1. Monday night, my neighbors(Patty, Cynthia and daughter Libby) and I went to dessert at a fancy restaurant downtown to celebrate Libby's birthday. I am so fortunate to have such amazing neighbors. They are my dear friends and wise mentors.

I have never really been to a fancy restaurant before. When John and I went on our very first date in college, we smuggled Taco Bell into the movie theatre, showing Road to Wellville...which ended up being the most awkward movie to mankind. Well, for a first date. All the bodily functions...need I say more?

Anyhow. John and I would stay up rollerblading til 3 am. On Sundays when the cafeteria was closed, John would make me rice from his rice cooker. And sometimes we had Top Ramen. That is all I knew.

So, yah...no fancy restaurants for this girl. And truth be told, I've kind of snubbed the whole idea anyway.

Until I walked into the fancy restaurant Monday night and was kind of floored. In a good way.

Libby's mom remarked "Libby could get used to this life".

"Um, me too!", I joyfully exclaimed, much to my own surprise. This was FUN! The desserts were crazy and interesting and altogether bizarre. Beet ice cream and sweet potato pie, among others.

I know it sounds kinda icky but dessert turned out fantastic.

While eating our fluffy expensive desserts, Patty and Cynthia started raving about a movie they had recently seen: Les Miserables.

In high school, my parents took me to see Les Mis live at the Pantages Theatre in LA.


I fell in love with the music and played it all the time on the piano. My favorite was "A Little Fall of Rain". Sooooo pretty.


Patty and Cynthia were going on and on and on how incredible this movie was.

I'm like, really?

They said it "encapsulates the grace of God in such a powerful way" and that "I would be talking about it for days". Cynthia retold the whole movie to her kids saturday and it took 2.5 hours. 

"Wow, they listened to you that long?", I asked incredulously.

"I'm a good story teller" Cynthia replied.

Must be.

So Patty and Cynthia decided we all needed to see it together...so we made plans to see it this weekend. Hugh Jackman, Kurt Russell and Anne Hathaway, here I come! I'm really excited.

Have you seen it?

2. Have you ever seen such a miserable little lego in all your life?

Meet Gollum and his "precious"(the ring) from the Hobbit.

Twain accidentally dropped Gollum and the gold ring in the toilet the other day, much to my mortification.

"Get 'Gobblin' he sobbed hysterically.

Gobblin?

I looked in the toilet and saw Gollum and the ring taking a little swim.
I fished them out of the toilet for my boy.
And never felt so defiled in my life.

But how could I say no to this face?


So happily reunited with 'Gobblin' after the thrilling ride down the toilet bowl.


This is why I call Twain "my round faced boy". Could eat those cheeks right up.


Today Twain and I had the best conversation at the park.

Twain: Mommy where is Jesus? I can't see Him.
Me: Jesus lives in our hearts, I said, patting his chest. And Jesus lives up in heaven with God. One day, if you believe in Jesus, you will get to live in heaven too! It's the best place.
Twain: I want to believe in Jesus.
Me: Ok, let's pray: "Dear Jesus, Twain wants to believe in you and go to live in heaven with you one day. Please help him obey. Amen."

Do I think Twain is truly saved and understands the cost of being a disciple?

No, not really. I don't think He has any clue what it entails. However, I am planting seeds and praying that as he grows, he will continue to be receptive toward Jesus. It will be my greatest joy to see each of my boys grow to love Jesus as much as I do.

3. The 2 older boys and I are still very busy with the after school reading program. Once a month, we celebrate the birthdays of that month.

Each month, Christina from my impact group(like a small group...I know, I know the Christian jargon these days is ooc...out of control)bakes cupcakes for the kids and I get to bring them. Christina has been so incredibly faithful to this job and it warms my heart to see her put in such an effort for these poor little kids.


Yummy.

Some of these kids have never had cupcakes before. One time, one of the kids had no idea how to eat one and was trying to eat the paper liner with the cupcake.

Finn dropped the cupcake tower and the flowers got smushed. But everyone loved them anyway.

Our church gives each "impact group" an allowance of money to spend on the community and I think it's the coolest thing on the planet. (A generous person donated money for the impact groups to spend, in hopes that the members would get a taste for giving and be inspired to spend their own money too!). Part of our allowance goes to buying bday gifts for the kids.

Some of these kids don't get any presents from their families.

We ask the kids what they want for their bday and buy it for them. The kids love it. So honored to be part of this reading program. Even when it seems like I am not making any headway.

Seriously my group of boys seemed to be regressing this month with their reading skills. They are in 4th grade and have such trouble pronouncing words. They don't stop at periods and they sound like robots. I work so hard to teach them, but sometimes they just cannot focus.

But.

There is love. And we teach them a bible story at the end of each session. And they might not ever be the readers I want them to be...but they will go home knowing a little more about Jesus and feeling loved and that is what counts to me.

I have so much more I could say to you right now. But I'm soooo sleepy and can't think and am gonna get ready for bed. Just wanted to pop my head in and say hi. 

14 comments:

  1. Les Mis, Lord of the Rings, precious conversations, cupcakes...
    this was the perfect post!
    Thank you for the encouraging, fun blog I can count on for laughs and inspiration.

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  2. What a precious conversation... "Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” - Luke 18:17 That first picture of him is way too cute! Love the pics once again!!!

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  3. I absolutely love what you guys are doing for those kids. Truly wonderful.

    Also, Twain's face is scrumptious. And I really like fancy restaurants.

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  4. Twain's cuteness slays me. I don't know how I'm even typing right now.

    I want to find something like your reading group in my community... sounds like a really neat thing to be involved in.

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  5. So sweet! Love the conversation with your boy... plant those seeds! God is faithful to see them grow and flourish! Mustard seeds!

    So happy you have a church to promote such awesome community involvement! Cupcakes can speak volumes... to hearts and bellies!

    Have a great day!

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  6. Les Mis is great! It is a powerful story. For a 3 hour movie, I was able to stay focused the whole time. I'm not good at the whole "focusing thing" At first, Russel Crowe's singing was not doing it for me (I say this as if I sing wonderfully or something) but as the movie continued I found myself changing my mind.

    Really good movie...really creepy Lego.

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  7. I saw Les Mis for the first time with Stephen a couple weeks ago and I was depressed for DAYS afterwards. We've had the London cast soundtrack for years, but I never really could piece together the whole story. There's just a lot of stuff going on with my extended family though right now and it was totally clouding my experience of the movie though. I think had that not been the case I would have enjoyed it so much more.

    A few thoughts on Twain's ability to reason and faith. Faith is not merely a product of reason but relation. It is a relationship of love and trust, a relationship which is not limited to the mind. Some Scriptures which support the possibility of an "infant faith" are these:

    "Yet Thou art He who didst bring me forth from the womb; Thou didst make me trust when upon my mother's breast." (Psalm 22:9)

    "And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea." (Mark 9:42)

    "For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears [Elizabeth], the baby [John the Baptist] leaped in my womb for joy." (Luke 1:44)

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  8. you already know how much i love les mis...pretty much amazing. can't wait to hear if you like it.

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  9. Twain's chubby little cheeks are TOO MUCH!

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  10. That's the sweetest conversation to ever have! Those seeds will not go unnoticed. It's something I pray for my little nieces and nephew everyday.

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  11. i just adored this post and the cuteness of Twain and his "Gobblin"!! too funny.

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  12. i love all your posts!! i have been meaning to comment on so very many of them.
    i love anne of green gables. my girls and i just watched it this past summer together and they fell in love with it. i usually do books then movies, but i never read these books. it's on my to-do for my girls and me.
    ikea!! i think we go to the same one.... i think i go maybe once a year. maybe just maybe we will see each other there!
    and hair... always causing me drama. my favorite hair cut ever was a shaved head. it was amazing! currently i am trying to grow mine out. i can do it!
    les miserables!! it is sooooo good. seriously so good. i don't get out much to go to movies and i have seen it twice. and i would see it again.

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  13. These photographs are beautiful! And I have seen Les Mis, so beautiful!
    xo TJ

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