Samuel's Dance

I have been seeking this season the meaning of Christmas in a different way. I talked about it once before, but I have been asking the Lord to show me His heart and emotions during this season, the emotions of the angels who spoke so frequently to men (and women) as the Christ was coming. My friend Candace posted a wonderful look at joy in this season and it reminded me of my little one, Samuel. And yes, I do think there was dancing in heaven when God became a man.

More snow fun!

Well, as in classic KC fashion, it snowed twice in the week before Christmas and is looking for another snow later today. We love it here, but my heart is growing in love for the weather. Not that I don't like snow- it's very fun. However, with the snow comes cold temps, and usually it gets colder and stays longer than we ever knew in Northwest Arkansas. In my nerdy kind of way, I was attempting to learn why this is so different, only 3 1/2 hours apart and this is the quote I was told, "There is nothing between Canada air and Kansas City except fenceposts." So for those of you down south, be grateful for those beautiful mountains and the wind that they stop! (Sorry Papa, as I know you long for the snow!)

All that to say, we do have fun in it!

Christmas Cookie Fun

We had our friends the Willis' over one afternoon to decorate cookies and what a ball we had! Benjamin and Seth (above) did a pretty good job, though Lyne and I had to decorate the ones that were to be presentable! Benjamin and Seth wanted to eat ALL they put icing on, so needless to say, the work was limited to one cookie each. Benjamin, in his unlimited resourcefulness, made a gingerbread man sandwich- thus allowing himself to still follow the rules AND get two cookies. hmmmmm....... Samuel enjoyed eating the green icing, if you can tell.



The other two Willis children, Dasya and Selah, also had a wonderful time. (though I am pretty sure we wore that baby out, all of us!) A little belated, but Merry Christmas!

the life and times of my samuel

I thought this was an absolutely hilarious picture. For those of you who read and are far away, I felt it was an appropriate view of the personality that is coming out in my little one. He spent much of his first year sad, but we have moved into a much larger range of emotions. I'm not even sure what this one is, but he had squished himself into a pplastic container that had once held spinach. How funny is that! You can see his brother behind him trying to work it out, and though he did eventually make it, Samuel was the originator.

Gingerbread houses anyone??

Okay, so this is loads of fun. We had our friends over one afternoon and decided to make Grahm Cracker houses. (not quite the same as gingerbread of course, but much better for our little attention spans!) Nonetheless, we had fun with our friends- Aiden is sitting on the left, but his house is on the far right. Ben's house is in the middle, and our friend Kinsey (and her mom Katrina's) house is on the left. Fun was had by all!

Was this fun times or what?

Okay so Thursday night a week and a half ago we had a pseudo Christmas Party. It was loads of fun, complete with a rousing White Elephant Gift exchange, complete with pickles that were a year and a half old. These are pics of the cookies we decorated. Everyone draws a name from the hat and has to decorate the face of a cookie to look like that person. We had a blast and it was a really fun idea! You can't see our completed cookies very well, but the only one that doesn't look much like it's namesake is the one Samuel decorated. We all had a good laugh! I would highly recommend it as Christmas Party fun activities-

A New Read

This week I was in the christian book store reading childrens' books about Christmas. I am a sucker when it comes to the story of Christmas. I want it in 10 different books with 10 different perspectives, and 10 different views (thought biblically correct is a must). We even have a WONDERFUL one from the perspective of Humphrey the Camel who brought the WiseMen. Anyway, I looked over and saw a "Value-Priced" sticker on a short little adult book by Max Lucado. And though I can't say he's the best ever, he does really well at presenting truth. I have never read anything by him that I think is misleading or false. So, I thought why not? I'll pick it up for a moment.

Now, let's back track. I have spent the last two weeks seeking the Lord about the meaning of Christmas. I want an internal view of what happened. I have been praying that through ALL the words spoken by angels in such a short time, by Mary's prayer, or Zechariah's muteness, that the Lord would show me the emotion of heaven. The view from his heart about this massive part of the plan- the sending of God as a baby. Sometimes I think he must have lost his marbles- a baby???? But of course, I remember. He knows the whole plan. He knows the baby, he knows the adolescent, he knows the cross, he knows life, and he knows the return. He knows the judgement. He knows it all. SO, that being said, I wanted a glance into how he was feeling when this part started.

Back to the bookstore- I pick up this book because it's called "An Angel's Story, the First Christmas from Heaven's View." I couldn't believe it. Well, let me assure you. I started it in the store and had to put it down so my mascara wouldn't run. Really. I almost started weeping on the spot. Just to know the heart of heaven over the plan is so amazing. When God the Father is speaking to Gabriel he says the following, "The time has come for the second gift." As if he has been sitting up there waiting for the perfect time, knowing exactly when it would have to come, wanting to send it as soon as possible, but waiting until everything was exactly as it should be. And then, moments later Satan comes into the throne room and has a discussion with God the Father. After he leaves, God reminds Gabriel, "Satan desires to destroy the seed as much as you seek to deliver it. But fear not, I am with you." What a concept! We think of God coming to Earth as a baby, and all was a quiet, "Silent Night." And yet, there was probably real battle, real struggle. If the devil doesn't want my heart committed to the Lord, how much more does he not want the Son of God to dwell with men- SO that he can die for our sins and be raised from the dead that we would never die. What an amazing battle!

Nonetheless, this post has been a bit long, but I will come back to it sooner or later. Read the book, and pray with me that the Lord would show you in a new way the message of Christmas.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

It was about this time two years ago when we got the first real snow of the season too. I remember it clearly because there was much debate about whether or not our dear friends, the Rupps, would make it up to see us. Daniel, being the man that he is, braved the icy roads and made it up for a visit. We had a blast and here is a little proof. . . (look how little those boys are!)



Nonetheless, we had the first snow of the year this weekend and it was once again a blast. We are sad that our friends are not here to join in the fun, but there was a lot of love sent out across the oceans and we had a blast. I didn't get a pic of the snowman, he was too small. And as fun as the snowball fight was, Samuel wouldn't let me get a video of it. Katrina has pics of the sledding, but here's a little view of our day yesterday and today!

Adoption

Okay, so most of you know that at some point in time we are going to invite another little one or two into our home- most probably from someone else's uterus. :) We have fallen head over heals for little ones who have no mommy or daddy and we are convinced that some of them will/are a part of our family. What leads me to these thoughts are the ones I read recently on a blog- I thought I would share them with you. The first two entries are particularly interesting- the heart of God for Adopotion- from a Max Lucado book and the available babies as of right now. Let me know what your thoughts are. . .

A Full Blown Horse Parade!

Today we met John's mom and sister (Memaw and Grace) in Lawrence where Grace goes to KU. They have a yearly Christmas parade that is completely horse-drawn. Though it wasn't as entertaining for as long as we had hoped, it was well worth the time. We had loads of fun, for the time and then we went to a local methodist church that collects Nativity scenes from around the world and calls it the "Festival of the Nativities." I couldn't even tell you how many there were in that room, but it was really cool. What a ball seeing how the nations of the world interpret the birth of the Savior. Some of them were amazingly cool-like the one made in the west bank out of olive wood or the one from South Africa. Then there were some "interesting" ones, like the one made completely of dog creatures. Yes people, even the "baby jesus" was a dog. I didn't quite know where to go with that one. Nonetheless, we ended the day with fun at Union Station and Crown Center where they have the largest display of electric trains that I have ever seen. My children could spend HOURS watching. What fun to be a little boy. :)


And at the trains. . . .

Repentance. . . for my lamenting.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it seems I have become a bit of a sourpuss. As I read the last two entries on the blog, I appear to have some attitudes of ungratefulness in my heart. I sat in church this morning, seeking the Lord's heart and working to recognize all the junk in my own heart so that the Lord could get it out. As I was singing, a worship leader here at IHOP came and sat down right next to me-one of the big ones (haha)! As all hearts go (and with a history of failed auditions), I began to worry that he was listening to my singing and I should sound really good (forgetting also of course, that he was simply at church seeking to worship the Lord himself). Anyway, as I felt my heart turn in the wrong direction, I was reminded that it is for an audience of ONE that I use my voice. It is for the heart of the Father alone, no other, that I sing. I was reminded of my dear friend Candace, and the word that she has spoken over me so many times, "You are a songbird. One made to sing for your maker." As I was continuing along, the words of the song changed and the leader began to sing about the alabaster jar of perfume that Mary of Bethany poured over Jesus. The one thing that was hers. As I began to weep, as the Lord was moving my heart, he spoke so clearly. I am in this stage of life, where nothing seems to be mine and my children are everywhere and everything, I have this little thing called my voice. If I will pour it over him, the heart of the Father will come to me. He will love me to the ends of the earth, he will defend my actions before all that may criticize. It is a heart broken before him, offering up this thing that I have. What warmth flows through my heart. Not because I have to give it up to him. He doesn't require it to be saved. It is from a place deep in my heart that I long to give it to him. I want him to have all of me, that I may become less and He may become more. (John 3:30)
This pic came from this website-
www.csabaosvath.com/p_0406_03.html

Really???

To top it all off, the temp this morning is 17 degrees!!!!

The woes of parenting. . .

Okay, so this morning I am loathing the morning sun, longing for my coffee to kick in and trying desperately to not harbor bitterness in my heart about it. My children, who usually sleep very well and were exceedingly tired last night were up over and over and over and over. . . . .(you get it.) My sweet Samuel was awakened by his brother nearly screaming "I want it back" in his sleep, and he really thought his nap was over. I tried to rock him back to calm three times, he ended up screaming in his bed (and we all know that doesn't lead to sleep for Samuel), and eventually I just put him in bed with me. Poor little boy, his body wiggled around beside me for quite some time before he could go back to sleep. At 3:30 John took him back to his bed.


So, here's to caffeine (and hopefully a nap!) Have a great one everyone and may we see the Lord in even the most mundane. (see my friend Candace's post on just that)

It's time for a shout out-

Okay, so I swiped this idea from my friend Candace, who I suppose is getting an unintentional shout-out by the mention of her name and totally cool bog. Either way, I have to decided to mention two very similiar friends, but from two different eras in my life.

(sorry Blair, it's the only pic I could find that wasn't really old!) This was like 15 hours after she had her second child. Doesn't she look amazing?? The first goes to my dear friend Blair Luper Wood. She and I met when we were 16. She had just moved to Fayetteville, AR and we met on a youth trip (that was like 15 years ago this past fall)! We sat in the back seat of JD Walt's car on the way to Kanakuk camp and found out that we both had a secret love for candy corn. After many years, laughs, tears, and babies I am eternally grateful that the Lord brought this precious woman into my life. She has challenged me in heart and spirit and I will forever put candy corn out in the fall to remind me of all the Lord has done in our lives. Thank you friend!

The second is to a new and equally challenging friend, Gracie/Mary Grace Welch. Mary Grace has the amazing talent of making me laugh. Often. I so appreciate someone who is genuine and honest and open with her life. Someone who is really funny is also really cool. I am challeneged by her because we are going to lead a small group together and it is something I haven't done is several years. Thanks my friend. I am getting deeper into the heart of the Lord by watching him at work in your life- you are a precious one before him and he is ever seeking to bless others through you. Let it begin!!

Some videos that I have yet to get out!

Okay, so for some reason I can't get videos to do as they should on blogger and I have figured out how to do them on youtube. So, here's some fun you've been missing around the Harrigan house-

This one was also really funny of the boys at NaeNae's house. It never ceases to amaze me what they come up with to do. I think you put them in a different place without their normal activities and this is what happens. . .sorry about your glass NaeNae.

Candlelight Dinner. . .

Last night we had a candlelight dinner a la Benjamin. He was wanting to so we thought, why not? Turn all the lights off, light the candles, and enjoy some soup. Samuel had the most fun, I think.

The Lord's Heart. . .

So, I have something to confess. John and I have a strong heart for the orphans of the world. When Benjamin was born the Lord spoke something very clear and very powerful to me: "There are babies in the world who don't have mommies and daddies. You are a mommy and he is a daddy. Make the connection." I know that doesn't sound very god-like, but I realize today that it was the beginning impartation from his heart for the heart of the abandoned. Since then much has happened, but one of the most important things has been a newly established connection with an orphanage in Shell, Ecuador. Patti Sue Arnold runs the place and is now up to 56 kids! Wow, is that an intense day. In her newsletter that we got last month, she introduced us to newborn twins that had been brought to her. The family could no longer keep them, so they brought them to the orphanage. Through several weeks and more events, we felt like the Lord was growing our hearts in love for these two. SO, we really decided to start the process. After a few calls and a lot more praying, we heard that these two had gone back home and another family member had come into the home to offer extra help and support. Despite the fact the my heart had become connected somehow, I am beginning to understand the way the Lord works. He wants us to grow in love for all those abandoned, that when the timing is exactly right we will be completely ready to obey. No questions asked, no deliberations, just ready. Until that day I continue to pray over these particular children, that the Lord would grow them in health and heart, that they would know Him from a young age and speak His truth to a lost world.
Romans 9 talks about the inheritance as sons that is due the Hebrew people because God has chosen them, and he continues to explain how we are grafted into that nation, how we become adopted sons of the Father. Oh that we would get a taste of the Spirit of Adoption, that we would better understand what it means to be a son of God-

"Theirs is the adoption as sons" Romans 9:4

"Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." Romans 8:23

"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will" Ephesians 1:4-5

Pic of the day

How funny is this. It was a matter of upmost urgency. Benjamin is skillfully holding the flashlight for his father, while John is wielding a small metal grabber tool that can miraculously retrieve small cars from under the stove. Samuel just had to be up and in the work. Yeah daddy!

Fun times at the Farm. . .

(that's John on the tractor!) Okay, so last Friday we talked as many people as we could into coming and helping do some farm labor. Though it wasn't pretty, it was really helpful and loads of fun! We had to spread 4 dump truck loads of manure over the garden that we had gotten for free! And we had to split all the monkey grass in the front flower beds, move a huge batch of hostas to a non-sunny place, divide a mass of ornamental grass into 5 smaller plants, level off the garden, weed the raspberries, spray the fruit trees, etc, etc, etc. Needless to say, we didn't get it all done, but we got a lot finished! The guys had a ton of fun in the manure all day and the ladies worked on all the other odd jobs. It was fun times together and we are eternally grateful for all the help. Thanks so much friends! Once again I was reminded of how blesssed we are to live in KC and be around others who inspire us to live better and love more. Thank you dear friends. . .

An Animal Madness. . .

Have fun everyone!

Fall Fun

Okay, so I went to bible study this past week, and Benjamin and Samuel stayed home with our friends Andrew and Chad. I came home and found them engaging in such fun. Oh the joys of fall. . .

Working on the videos. . . .

Voting. . .

So, I did get the vote out this morning, made a new friend in the line, and stood there for over 2 hours! I feel like I accomplished something. Anyway, hopefully it will all be over soon and we can get back to looking for the real redeemer, the ultimate king who will actually solve all our problems and rid the earth of actual suffering. May He come soon. . .

Quick thoughts. . .

Okay, so I am a fairly intelligent person. I have been keeping up with the election what-nots, learning about issues and arguments, attempting to make an educated vote come tomorrow. I turned on the TV tonight to watch the SNL skits that come on prime time and was thoroughly entertained. Afterwards we switched to Boston Legal and my mother-in-law who was watching with me commented that all the SNL stuff disgusts her because it appears that they are not taking the election seriously enough. It got me to thinking- what do you think? Is the SNL stuff so entertaining because we don't care enough, or because we simply can't stop thinking about it? Why is she so dang funny????

So, this has been a great weekend! We carved a lovely "Happy Pumpkin" and couldn't wait to see Aunt Erin and Aunt Kelly when they came to visit. We went to a Fall Festival on Friday night, ate chili dogs, and played games for candy. Daddy and Benjamin have spent yesterday and today in the garden, leveling off the land with the tiller and tractor. What fun! This week we will get some "horse poo" to hopefully turn the clay into dirt over the winter. :) Anyway, we also couldn't stop talking about how the zebra has to run away from the lion and the lion chases the zebra! We'll post more soon, but have a great week!

Again. . . my heart is overwhelmed.

My dear friend Katrina, knowing my woes today, brought me a beautiful present for my front door. I couldn't help but show it off-- thanks to Katrina for the wreath and placement of everything, thanks to GiGi and Aunt Bobbye for the beautiful bow!

He gives and he takes away. . .

I stole this blog title from my friend Kayla, and though her heart is much more understanding of this idea, I am learning it in my own little way. You see, over the last couple of months John and I have made some really good couple friends. I don't know about you all, but sometimes it is really hard to find friends where both sides of the couple REALLY get along. We have lots of people we love to be with individually, and some that may become couple friends. But the ones we had come to know recently have been called away. They are going to spend three months in North Carolina and then go to Egypt. There is a very real possibility that we will see them in the summer of 2010 when we head there ourselves, but until then . . . we pass them on knowing the Lord will love them more than we can, laugh with them just as much as we did, and care for them in all ways that we ever could have. Thank you Lord for your speaking and working in our lives. We know that you know so much more than we do and for that reason, we trust your call on all of our lives. Thanks for the journey . . . .

Once again. . . . the land of boys.

I know, I know. You are tired of hearing about boyland. But I can't help myself. I came home from exercising last night and this is the video that I found. It never ceases to amaze me. The games that daddy comes up with and that the boys THOROUGHLY enjoy are so different from the ones that I create. We do all kinds of fun stuff during the day. Even the romping and rough kind. But never like daddy's. . . .

Moses and the heart of the Lord

So, here I am, it's 10:20 at night. I long to go to sleep, but my heart is longing to process the emotions of the Father. So here I am. You get to help me through it. I am (always) distressing about finances. The Lord has called us here to this place, he has guided us clearly, and yet I forget that he will also provide. You see, I am the bill payer. So this month, it looks a little more rough than others. I am contemplating all kinds of things that we should or should not do that are probably not the answers the Lord is looking for. AND, though I am not enslaved as the Israelites were, I find myself crying out, groaning for an end to this kind of strife. Fickle as the human heart is, I am quickly and patiently reminded of my study this week. . .

"God heard their cries and remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He looked down and felt deep concern for their welfare." Exodus 2:24-25

You see what happened here? First God heard. We sometimes have a hard time believing that he even hears the cries of our hearts. But rest assured beloved, he does. Because listen to what else he does, He remembered. The Father has made all kinds of promises to our family here in KC and he remembers those. He doesn't lead us somewhere only to abandon us kicking and screaming. HE remembers. Thirdly, he looked. I don't know about you, but to know that the face of the God of heaven and earth LOOKS at me is quite unbelievable. In my feeble and unsteady heart, when I cry out to him he looks at me. What a better way to communicate that he is listening, and that he longs for my heart to be at rest and content in him than to turn his FACE in my direction. Lastly, he felt deep concern for his people. He is not always going to answer our cries the way and the time that we propose. He will however BE there in the midst of the struggle. He will feel deep concern, enough to cause action on his part. I am reminded that after the Israelites cried out to him, he sent the redeemer Moses. He has sent the Redeemer Jesus to show his deep concern for me. And you know what?? To make it even better, notice what the Israelites do when they first hear of Moses' return and God's desire to bring freedom . . .

"The leaders were soon convinced that the Lord had sent Moses and Aaron. And WHEN they realized that the Lord had SEEN their misery and was DEEPLY CONCERNED for them, they all bowed their heads and worshiped." Exodus 4:31

May we all be in the place where after encounter with the heart of the Father, we will bow our heads and worship the God of the universe.

Okay, so you should all see this. . .

Everyone must look at the hilarious-ness that came this past weekend. I have more to share, but this is only a taste from my friend Candace! We had more fun than you can imagine-

P.S. I figure if she's going to post a funny video of me, then you all needed to see her at her finest! Playing dress-up with the one she loves- a mermaid named "Ariel" Anna Grace!

Changes. . . . again!

Okay, so for some reason I am being indecisive about my blog. Maybe it's because we are in a season where I can't make other decisions. I am waiting on the Lord, so when it comes to changin my blog, it's under my control. Nonetheless, I'll work on sticking with something and letting God control the things that are under his control. I suppose more appropriately, I should say believing that God has control over everything and will work them for my good "and the good of those who love him." Romans 8:28

Just for Gigi. . . .

I don't know if you can see them very well, but we looked out the back window at dinner the other night and caught these two sitting on our now not-so-alive (i.e. dead) tomato plant. I was thinking about my dear Grandmother and her love for most things natural. She often points out to me and my sons the birds that make their various appearances around this place. I am also so grateful for her knowledge and experience in all things plant-like. She has taken the time to teach me about flowers and vegetables alike. Her experience in such things is a lost art and I only hope to continue in such things as the Lord is willing and Gigi is able. It's an honor to have such amazing grandparents and great-grands in our family. What a heritage of love for Jesus that cannot be falsified or quantified. It is wonderful and I am humbled to be but a part of it.

p.s. I will also give a valuable shout-out to the wonderful art of quilting that my great aunt, Gigi's twin sister, has so amazingly mastered. Though I have yet to even attempt such greatness, it is another of the skills that the generations are losing if we aren't intentional about learning them. Aunt Bobbye, are you ready to start giving lessons? I better start now, it will take me a LONG time to catch up.

Saturdays without Daddy

Last Saturday, John and some other guys from FSM and AMS all went to this thing in St. Louis involving new, really cool software. Since Saturday is "not a work day" it was pretty disappointing all around for us, so instead we had "really cool mommy and boys day." We started with a breakfast at IHOP (pancakes, not prayer!) Then we came home and played games, pillow fights, and lunch/rest time. After all that we went to our friend Elise's birthday party where we had punch and cupcakes and played with all our favorite friends. Finally, after the party we came home and our other friends Emily, Faith, and Haven (whose daddy was with ours coincidentally) ate pizza on the living room floor and watched "Cars." What a day of really cool mommy and boy fun! Oh the lives we live. . . .