That time already?

So, as usual, we watched a blog post from the Chaneys, and realized that Samuel might enjoy practicing the same skill. I didn't thiunk about it, nor did I realize that he could do it, but lo and behold, the boy will walk soon! Thanks big brother for your help, gentleness and compassion, how sweet. Time flies- thank you Jesus for all that you do and for bringing us this far. Enjoy!

My sweet friend. . .

Candace and I have been friends sice we moved to seminary. It's going on 5 years now (can you believe that?) We have had our babies together, come into parenting together, not slept through the night together, and then eventually slept through the night together. (Go Anna Grace!) We have laughed and cried and sought the Lord together and for this I am forever blessed. She blogged (is that a word?) recently and as I read it I was weeping. The Holy Spirit spoke so powerfully that I all think you should read it. Go down and on the left of our blog is our friends, click on the Chaney Family link. Look for the entry titled "Waiting Patiently" May the Lord use my friend Candace's heart to touch yours too.

Grandparents. . .

We had a visit from our grandparents this weekend! It is always one of the highlights of the month to get to see NaeNae and Papa on our own turf. Benjamin cannot get over showing off all his toys and for the first time, Samuel enjoyed someone besides Mommy! That's a bit dramatic, but for those of you who know my youngest, you will understand. Samuel had much fun with NaeNae and very little screaming was involved. I was proud (and asleep at the time). Nonetheless, it has of course gotten me to thinking. I have long treasured being raised in a believing home. I know that for many years, my parents prayed over me, my life, my husband, my, family, and most of all, my heart in the Lord. They sought to teach and guide me in kingdom principles, showing me that there is more to life than what I can see. That God is true in all circumstances, my own and ones far away and very different from my own. That worship is central to the heart of God and we encounter him with our hearts and voices on Sunday mornings, whether we always want to be there or not. I am so grateful for all of these. But as I sat and watched my children watch their Papa play and sing "Joy to the World" with them, all the lessons took on new meanings. When the Lord established families, he did so with more than one generation in mind. Though we laugh at it, NaeNae and Papa do more than spoil their grandsons. They impart to them and pray over them the realities of a God who loves them and wants to see them. They teach my sons about the light of the world. What more can a mother want?

To business or not to business-

I recently have been going through a bit of a dilemna with the Lord. I posted earlier about Lydia in Acts 16:14. She was a seller of purple, a worshipper of the Lord, and an insistent hostess who took care of people who preached the word. Anyway, as I have been seeking the Lord lately and his direction I have felt him calling my into a new kind of business. Now you must know, I am not a saleswoman. My brother, wonderful as he is, could sell a cross to an atheist. He's amazing a convincing people of things. I however, somehow missed that gift and for most of my life have been okay without it. This month things have changed. I have all of the sudden felt a push from the Lord to begin not one, but TWO network marketing businesses. You know the ones, where you have your friends over, guilt them into buying something that they really don't want and don't think they need, but feel obligated to buy since they came to the party and you are working so hard. Anyway, you can tell I haven't had such a great experience with it in my life.

"Lord, really? Are you sure that this is from you? It seems a bit crazy."

"Yes, my child. I want to give to my work on earth through you."

"Really?"

"Really. And if you are faithful in blessing those around you, I will bless you."

SO, here we are. This month I begin a quest to sell cosmetics (really good ones) and family tradition builders. I will bless the orphanage, the missionaries in east asia, the missionaries in Kansas City, and the poor all around me. Lord, help us all! Here we go. . . . .

Marriage?

This weekend we had a blast with our friends the Chaneys, as previously mentioned. Anna Grace is three months younger than Benjamin, but every time we get together I love to see her grow and change. As a young "woman", she loves to talk. And in true fashion, she loves to talk about relationships, marriages, families, etc. She has decided that Benjamin will someday be her groom and they will have a family together. This weekend she already had a baby in her belly (as any three year old who has a baby sibling does). Benjamin is loving someone to play with and doesn't mind playing whatever Anna Grace wants, after all, it's someone his age to play with and she's way more fun than any one else!

What got me thinking about this further is the design of the Lord. It amazes me that we are so intricately and purposefully made for relationship. The trinity God functions in relationship for eternity and he knit us together in order that we may know Him and be known by Him. How great it is to be around friends who know us well, and despite that, still love us. Even at three, Anna Grace knows that people are designed to be with God and with other people. Isn't that the greatest commandment, love God and love one another? Well, if Anna Grace and Benjamin ever walk down the aisle, the mothers will be delighted, but if not, we know that the Lord has intentionally put a knowledge of himself in us that we may know him better from even the start of life.

What friends. . . .

So, in the last several weeks we have seen two of our dearest friends. Long lost from the seminary years, our hearts were forever knit together in the womb of Wilmore, KY. We struggled throught the trials of seminary, we laughed AND cried through the attempts at getting pregnant, and we loved and wept at the arrival of our first children. Something in those three years created a bond that won't be quickly broken. To the Rupps, you remind us that there is a world out there longing for Jesus and you inspire us to tell the message. And to the Chaneys, you inspire us to reach the world we are now in. And to you both, you make us laugh through it all. Thank you and may the Lord continue to unite our hearts and show himself in our time together!

To the Harpers, we miss you and love you all!

So, since I haven't yet attempted the slideshow, here's the best I can do. Enjoy!

On the way to grandmother's house. . .

Okay, so I am trying to get as many posts done as possible, and though I recognize there is very little depth to my thoughts- I am in high speed blogging motion. We just thought this was hilarious as John and I were in the front seat. Erin, my younger sister, had spent the last 4 days with us and we had a fabulous time! (We can't wait for you to come back, sister!) Anyway, as we hurriedly left Kansas City for Arkansas, all were worn out and daddy and I had a great conversation! Thank you for movies in vans, and thank you for wonderful aunts to sit by us!

How fun is daddy? SOOOOO Fun!

So here is daddy after the boys and I had finished a long afternoon of crying, whining, and basic toddler behaviors. We were, needless to say, tired of eachother. Somehow, with the return of daddy, life returns to normal and we are all okay. Thank you Lord for daddies!

Here it goes. . .

So, I recognize that I am not the best blogger in the world. I have all kinds of thoughts and what-not going on in my head and for some reason I can never get them down. Oh well, tonight I will share a few. It has been an amazing Christmas season for us here. We ventured down to Fayetteville, AR (home of the Razorbacks) and had a wonderful time with my family. It was a year of changes for us. We spent our last year away from Kansas City. We have decided that in future years we will stay at home for Christmas. It was heart-breaking and exciting at the same time. We are excited about starting new traditions with our children, we are mourning the loss of older traditions. However, we thoroughly enjoyed some for the last time, and made to sure to make the most of them. My grandfather who died 9 years ago used to always "cook" on Christmas morning by taking us to IHOP for pancakes (not prayer :0) This last year we went in his memory and here is a great pic of my youngest having a ball after mass amounts of sugar had been consumed and no nap had been had! Enjoy-

Has it been that long?

Okay, so naturally I have very little time to write anything tonight. In the last week, we have painted almost every surface in our home. Not really, just the trim and all the walls, but still. It's a lot and I am about ready to be done. In the off moments, I have been intentionally seeking the Lord about this new found deisre that I have. I have been at church the last several weeks and left with an intense desire to be a part of funding the kingdom. Giving away more money that we have ever seen to empower people around the world to minister in the name of Christ. To do what they have been called to do. It's a powerful and very new desire for me. I have always figured that I would be the poor one, receiving what the Lord was giving to everyone else. All of the sudden the tables have changed. I am now spending this month praying over two passages, the wife of noble character in proverbs 31 and the two verses about the new testament lydia, acts 16: 14-16. Both are really very interesting. In proverbs it talks at length about the wife taking care of the people around her, feeding them, clothing them, making sure that physical needs are met to insure that her husband and children, and even servants, could do what it was the Lord had called them to do. Well, that's pretty cool. Then as I was sitting in BSF (bible study fellowship, really cool by the way) this week, surrounded by recent and new friends, I began reading about "lydia" (okay, so i wasn't totally paying attention to the lecture, but it was good, i clued in later). Anyway, it basically says three things about her. She was a seller of purple cloth (i.e. she made enough money to provide for her family as purple was the color of royalty). Secondly, she was a worshipper of God. (I am trying out to sing on a worship team Monday at 2:00) And finally, she invited people into her home in support them and show them the love of God. She was even persuasive in convincing them to stay with her. I don't know how that sounds to you, but to me, these are the three things the Lord is doing right now in my life. He is opening the doors of business, or at least working in my heart about it. He is put in my heart a desire to worship him, and soon in a place of leadership. And he is using my home, even now more than ever as a testimony to His love and His heart for us. He is bringing people to my doorstep that want an encounter with the Lord as much as I do. He is encouraging them in my home. What an amazing God we serve! So, all that to say, 2008 is a new year, one of new beginnings, let's see what the Lord has in store for the Harrigans!