Leaving Town

Matt is taking us with him to Synod this year in Kansas City, MO. We'll be gone the rest of the week, so no blogging (not that I need such a good excuse to not blog. ) We'll be staying at this cool place, in the one room cabin, found by our friends.

By Request: Pictures!

Aunt Barbara has requested more pictures of the kids, so here are a couple from today.





Titus will stay outside for ever if I let him water the plants with a small stream from the hose.



Katie is pulling weeds in her garden. Why is it that the kids' plants, planted with no regard to the directions on the back of the seed packet, do so much better than mine?

Here are a few pics from Easter I meant to blog about, but I've missed that window. I think they're too precious to keep for myself, though.

Growing Katie's Faith

Katie called me outside to show me something disgusting and frightening. Upon examination I informed her it was a caterpillar that would turn into a butterfly some day. The guts were squished out, however, and the top half was still moving.

"I didn't know, mommy. I thought it was something scary so I stepped on it."

A few minutes later she came bounding into the house and said, "Mom, I asked God to still make that caterpillar into a butterfly." And back she went to play.

Soon she came back in, distressed, "Mom, I didn't know it was a caterpillar."

I was elbow deep in kitchen duties, so I said, "Go tell Daddy, Katie."

I saw Katie on Matt's lap and she was crying, Daddy comforting her, trying to explain God's sovereignty even in this. While this was going on I went out the back door, and when I came in, there was a little green caterpillar climbing up the basement door just at eye level. I took the bug to Katie and said, "Look what God sent for you?"

Her eyes lit up and she bounded out the door to feed the little guy leaves. I think God grew Kate's faith and mine a little bit today.

Arminianism. The Mother of Feminism?

I heard an Arminian Christian woman in an interview today defending her attack against Patriarchal teachings among some Christians. She denied the idea that the man should have the final say in decisions with the woman obligated to obey. Anyone who has read the Bible knows that God uses marriage as a picture of Christ and His church. Because she doesn't believe that God coerces anyone, but allows them to ultimately decide for themselves, determining for themselves good and evil, she envisions a marriage of mutual decision. She actually referenced her belief in how God deals with humanity to explain how she interpreted the relationship of Christ and His church and finally the implications of that to marriage.

Since the Arminian church has rejected Federal Headship (the idea that Adam represented all those in him, and Christ represents all those in Him, with their actions affecting their respective members) this would necessarily impact our view of marriage. An Arminian abhors the idea of coercion, believing it to be a violation of love. While we (Reformed believers) believe coercion to righteousness a great act of love. If a husband, taught by his view of Christ's relationship to the church, believes marriage is two people equal in value and authority, why can't they mutually agree that she makes most the decisions he doesn't care about? Why can't they agree that the wife should lead family worship? Why can't they agree that he's best at work or tuned out in front of a video game instead of meddling in the business of raising the children?

This would play right into his natural desire to abrogate responsibility, and right into her fallen desire to control. Certainly the suffragist (mother to modern Feminism) movements came out of Arminian and liberal churches. Feminism, therefore, is Arminianism worked out practically.

Blessed Again

We received great news yesterday: Matt and I are going to have another baby! Katie is hoping for a girl, but she said it would be just fine if God gave her another brother. Titus doesn't seem to have an opinion on the matter. When I asked him if he wanted a brother or a sister he just made a goofy face and a sound effect like he was punched in the gut. The unofficial due date is Jan. 12. Which, incidentally, is Matt's birthday.

Katie Has A Pet!

I know, I know, you all were right. You all told me I would change my mind about pets when I had kids. As most of you know, Matt and I have been adamantly against pets. My friends have pet stories to give you nightmares. I have enough poop and vomit to clean up without having an animal to add to it. I like my furniture and clothes sans hair, and don't get me started about the wet dog smell. It's been hard to stand against the heart tugs when I watch the kids fawn over some one's adorable puppy, or when I saw how much joy both Titus and Katie had gorging Mom's dog, Fozzy, with his own dog food. And it was too cute to see Titus puffed up with power when he realized he could yell at the cats to get off the furniture. But I stood strong and pushed those feelings deep down.

Even two weeks at my parents' with their two cats and a dog didn't melt this cold, hard heart. But I relented when a friend gave Katie the perfect pet. Katie loves this pet. I overheard her scolding Mary (her pet's name) saying, "How many times do I have to tell you not to run away?" She happily leads her pet by the leash all over the yard. Mary, the best pet ever, is a painted egg carton caterpillar!

Katie holding Mary