the kids

Sam can be especially helpful with a tool and something to fix.

And this is Priya. With a typical smile.

Anneka did take a few steps a couple days ago, but she reverts to crawling mostly because she can get to things fast. Like catching and torturing cats.

voting

I am most nearly convinced that God's heart is about people. Why else would He spend so much effort and exert so much patience with us? He disrupted a perfect universe by creating us, then when we messed up, He scheduled all the rest of history with our redemption in mind.

So if, God's heart is most concerned for people and if I want to know God's heart as a follower of Jesus Christ, then it might be wise for me to be concerned for other humans. The most vulnerable need a lot of attention and care and protection: those unborn and those not grown up yet. And it seems that not a day goes by but I read about some child being violated by those whom God designed to protect them.

Right now, I have three that need lots of help and that are under MY care. I'm in charge of making sure they eat good things to help them grow, wrestling them down to sleep and keeping their minds focused on what bring the most glory to their and my Heavenly Father.

That's my primary responsibility, but not my only one, I don't think. My whole life, which is mostly at home, needs to be centered on bringing glory to the Father (which is immensely difficult a lot of times) as well as being a light to a world who desperately needs THE Saviour, not A saviour. The world is chock full of "saviours".

Mostly, for me, that conjurs thoughts of politicians at this time of year who realize how necessary it is to convince us how bad things are and how good they would be at bringing hope and restoration to everything slighted. They are vying for the job of running and making decisions for still the most influential nation in the world.

But do I bring glory to my Father if I support and cast my vote for any politician who does not honor and respect God by honoring and respecting the human life God made in His image? After all, they are asking for the privilege to make decisions for that human life in their district, their state, their country. How can I be sure that a politician who holds that a baby at 4 or 16 or 28 or 37 weeks of gestation can be inconvenient and disposed of, will value my existence. I'm not defending law in the courtroom. I'm not building boats at the factory. I'm not performing complicated and life-saving surgeries. I'm just trying to keep my three kids fed, clothed and preparing them to be God-honoring profitable members of society. Would that politician also argue that someone much more qualified could do a better job of raising my kids if he or she didn't agree with my philosophy?

I guess that makes me the single-issue voter I have been accused of. It's the most basic right - the right to live. I don't think I read in Genesis that God only made some humans in His image. One image, lots of appearance variations. We don't gain more value in God's eyes as our list of accomplishments grow.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it...

napping

Although it will be several decades before he'd fit in with the south-for-the-winter crowd, Sam appeared to be headed in that direction this afternoon while he was napping. I dressed him in the flowing parrot shirt and the elastic-waisted pants, but he donned the hat just before he fell asleep.

In a year when it looks like rhetoric and style will trump substance, McCain has got his work cut out. He might consider a weekend off with a Bible, a copy of the Constitution, and some old Ronald Reagan speeches.

- Star Parker

Oh what simple, but nearly impossible advice not just for McCain, but both candidates who hope to talk Americans into putting them in charge next year. Sadly, I'm not convinced either is very interested in Parker's prescription.

generosity

Volunteering is good for everyone, especially those of us living in the U.S. where even the most poverty-striken are rather well-taken care of compared to a great deal of the rest of the world. For one it makes one realize how well-blessed he or she is. Secondly, it gives one a good perspective on being generous versus just giving away what one doesn't want.

Mark, Anneka and I took four of our youth kids to Minneapolis for a Friday evening prayer retreat and a Saturday of doing random jobs around the Marie Sandvik Center. I guess it's most like the Salvation Army because they serve food, give clothes away and offer chapel to get the most important things in life settled.

While the boys did manly repairing jobs like fixing the doorbell that lets staff know somebody needs help at the door and waterproofing the outside of the building, we girls unpacked nearly an entire room of clothing donations. Bless those dear sweet little ladies from several Lutheran churches in rural Minnesota for doing some serious spring cleaning in their closets this year. After undoing at least a couple dozen neatly packed banana boxes of what I would call "grandma" clothes, our pile of "winter womens clothes" stretched up no less than five feet. For the right person, the plethora of coordinates would be exciting and I'm sure there will be several "right" people.

Then there were some other donations. Hmmm. Here's a tip for donaters: if it didn't work for you because it was stained around the collar and the zipper was busted, chances are even less that clothing item will work for a homeless person or somebody who's having a hard time making ends meet. I understand. I used to think there was something wrong about throwing a piece of clothing in the burn pile too. But if you think about it, a winter coat that doesn't zip up is really more of a hindrance than a help. And to the generous folks who donated an entire box of sagged out swimwear and yellowed undergarments, some things are just better taken out of commission. Kind of like stray cats, the world is already full of old rags and there will be more where those came from. THROW THEM AWAY. Let the garbage man have the satisfaction of carrying away three or four bags from your curb instead of the usual one or two. Watch the flames lick those old worn out duds. They served you well, let them go.

By the end of the day, my youth girls were probably dreaming of floating in the pool or even thinking about cleaning their own rooms just to be done there. Anneka passed her day sitting and mostly standing in empty banana donation boxes and avoiding taking a nap.

parade

They were having a parade, I was informed. Of course being the big conscientious sister that she is, Priya hopped on her bike and instructed Sam to pull the heavy sled of junk from the garage,( "candy to throw out at the parade").

small hard things

Here's what I found the other day in Alex and Brett Harris' book Do Hard Things: their top five list of why small hard things are so difficult:

1. They don't usually go away after you do them.

2. They don't seem very important.

3. They don't seem to make any difference.

4. They don't seem very glamorous.

5. No one is watching.

Then the five ways "we fail to do small hard things":

1. Procrastination

2. Inconsistency

3. Compromise

4. Begrudging

5. Cheating

While it's written for adolescents and youth adults, the principles are universal for all ages. It's the small hard things that get me almost every time. Washing another sink (and the counter and the other counter and the stove) of dirty pans and dishes. Finding a place for all those little odds and ends laying around the edges of almost every room of the house. Trying to exert patience at another round of insistent pestering by a small child about a treat or doing a project or reading a book while the dishes pile up, the clutter piles up or the unfolded clothes pile up.

But on my mind is the quote by Mother Teresa: "We can do no great things. Only small things with great love." And another: "We are not called to be successful, but faithful." She said lots of great things and backed them up with what she spent her time doing: things certainly less glamorous than my duties entail.