Reminders

Sometimes I get too comfortable in my life.  I forget the blessings.  I forget gratitude.

This week I was reminded how ridiculously blessed I am.  I experienced first hand how a matter of inches and seconds can change everything.  Ever. Y. Thing. 

Thursday morning I prayed that the Lord would equip me for the day.  That He would give me what I need specifically to mother each of these very different boys.  That He would keep me mindful of Him all day.

Around 4 o'clock John and Daniel were playing in the basement.  Around 4:15 there was a large, loud crash and a scream for help.  A desperate, scared scream.  I was unprepared for what I saw at the bottom of the stairs.

A bank of lockers we had put in were laying on top of my darling blue eyed boy.  Heavy metal lockers.  Lifting them and trying to get John out I cried out. "Oh Lord!"  It was all I could muster. 

A few inches.  A head instead of a leg.  His arm instead of the fleshy part of his femur.

Around 5 o'clock I started getting ready to grill dinner.  Around 5:15 there was a fire and a cry for help.  A desperate, scared cry.  I was unprepared to fight the fire.

A new propane tank was leaking and as I reached to turn it off it burst into flames.  Rescuing John and Micah from the deck and getting Daniel out of the backyard happened quickly but then things started to slow down.  I had the fire extinguisher but I could not remember how to use it.  I called for the neighbor while another neighbor ran to the rescue.  As he grabbed the fire extinquisher the tank made a loud sound and fire burst everywhere. 

A few more seconds.  Our house instead of the grill. 

I live a ridiculously blessed life because He allows me to.  To take that for granted is selfish and so ungrateful.

I cried Thursday night.  I cried for what could have been.  I cried for His great mercy on our family.  I cried in repentance of my sinful heart.

Mist

"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:14

A mist, here and gone in a moment.  This was a week of mourning.  Three lives lost, three mists vanished.

Tuesday I found out a boy I had attended high school had passed away.  While not close with him now, back in the day we had been close friends.  He even took me to my senior prom when no one else would.  He left behind a wife and four children and countless friends.  I was troubled all week about how it happened and why.  Then the Spirit led me to realize it wasn't really about how or why.  What really bothered me was the thought that 36 years was not enough and how unfair it was to his wife, his children, his parents, his sister.  While I prayed and sought comfort, I remained uncomfortable because in truth I cling too tightly to this life.  To my life. 

Wednesday I cried with my dearest friend at the news that her father had passed away.  Resting in Heaven, free from the work it took him to breath, were not much comfort to a friend who was heartbroken.  Able to have a great spiritual conversation with him a few months back she is thankful he knew the Lord, but her heart still hurt.  My heart hurts for her, I know the sting of loosing a parent.  A mist here for 70 some years and now vanished. 

Thursday I tried to pull the covers over my head and avoid the day.  Twelve years ago my mom, a mist for 47 years, vanished.  God grew me a lot after her death; in hard ways He revealed himself to me.  And as I celebrate those years of growth I still dread July 10.  I hate the memory of Chris coming to talk to me at the Black Hills State library where I was studying.  I remember thinking he was so sweet for coming to surprise me.  I remember the realization of what the visit was really about.  In the days before everyone had a cell phone he had received the news from my beautiful sister and was the one to bring it to me.  I hate the feeling it brings to my heart.

I am a mist who clings too tightly to this life.  

Who works daily on letting go of my selfishness.  

Who is counting blessings to grow more grateful, more beautiful in the sight of God.   

Who is "counting it all joy" to be in a season of testing because I want more than anything to develop perseverance so that I "may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." {James 1:2}

Yikes

While spending time at my in-laws Chris dug out a very old, small motorcycle.  Yikes!

While I said no Chris explained how he had ridden such a bike at Elijah's very same age.  Yikes!

I have to admit I am proud of my careful-kid for trying something so daring.

Growing in Faith

Three year and two days ago Elijah prayed to accept Jesus as his Savior.  He had been asking good questions and actually prayed, unprompted, while showering.

Yesterday, Elijah proclaimed his faith to a small bunch of friends in Spearfish.  Chris baptized him in the Spearfish Creek.  It was shockingly cold from all of the rain but so meaningful.  In fact, God cleared the weather just long enough for us to baptize him.  Literally, it was down pouring moments before and it was down pouring just after we got back in the car.

Being baptized at camp will be a great memory for years to come.  We did it in a little pool right over the foot bridge we have to walk across to get to Team Meetings and Pep Talks.  Elijah has been attending camp for 7 years at it is a highlight of our year.

A Matched Set

People are forever commenting on how the Anderson boys are a matched set.  Sometimes I see it.  Like in the picture below, it could be Daniel instead of Elijah.  Sometimes I don't.  John stands out because he has darling blue eyes.

Elijah could be Daniel in this one.  Aren't they just so sweet?

John at 5 months

Micah just hit the 6 month mark of life so off we went to the doctor.  I knew Micah was a big boy, just lift him and you can tell he is, let's say, solid.  I could not, however, remember how big the other boys were so I dug through the closet to find out how they stacked up.

They truly are a matched set.  Solid would describe them all.  All four were at or around 19 pounds.  Most were about 27 inches long.  John was the exception here.  I could not figure out why my memory of him did not contain rolls on his thighs.  Well, it's because he was 29 inches long at 6 months.

Daniel at 6 months, the mischievousness is already in that smile.

And while they are a matched set on the outside, this week has again shown me how miraculously created they all are on the inside.  John is my procrastinator, let me charm my way out of it man.  Elijah is my leader, let's get it done man.  Daniel is my two year old who entered the terribles this week.  Micah is my people person.

Teachers have told us they would request or love to have John after having Elijah but you don't get another Elijah with John.  You get a John, who loves God and works to reconcile his desires to do the right thing with his desire to entertain.  He told me the other day that he prayed that God would help so picking weeds would go faster and it did.  And I am certain Daniel and Micah will be different too. Daniel shows a tendency for learning quickly and a tendency to try to get a laugh out of the crowd.

Micah at nearly 5 months

So, they may all look alike but the only matched set I am hoping for is a set of hearts that follow the Lord all their days.









Here are a couple of other pictures I couldn't resist.  

Baby John.  Oh, that hair.  How I loved that hair.

Matching jammies from Mrs. Jill.  John could be Micah in this one.