Official Birthday Pics-

Okay, so this one is on his actual birthday. We had our Thursday night dinner, since it was Thursday, and Andrew's birthday is the same day. But, I figured this was pretty cute.

p.s. Benjamin was "helping" Andrew blow out his candles, but when there are only two it's kind of hard to split it all up! Anyway, lots of fun was had by all!

Here's some pics from the party yesterday afternoon.

Happy Birthday My Samuel

Dear Samuel,

I remember so well the day you were born, it is filled with immeasurable joy. You didn't want to come out quickly or easily, but you made it. They immediately placed you in my arms and I didn't let go (except for your daddy) for two days. You were perfect. You were beautiful. I never understood how the Father could love us all the best, and yet all of the sudden I loved you and your brother the best. You still are amazing. I look at you today as you are two and I cannot imagine life without you. Your smile is precious, your laugh is contagious and your words are thrilling. You love wholly, you run fully, you sing loudly, and you trust cautiously. You are sensitive, yet strong. What an amazing combination.

You see, you are a testimony of the healing power of the Lord. You got sick and had to stay in the hospital. The Lord healed your brain and your body. He has such plans for you, "plans to prosper you, not to harm you." (Jer. 29:11) You are growing so much and I am amazed at how the Lord is redeeming you, and today you are still a testimony to His complete healing. I will look to Him as your parent, you creator, and your protector. I only get to stand on the sidelines and watch. He has spoken about how you will know the Lord from an early age, how you will be raised in the house of the Lord. How, like the Prophet Samuel, you will hear from the Lord and speak to the nations. How you will lead others to see him as well. You have already shown me the heart of the Father over and over, thank you. I love you with my all and may we grow even more in the days to come.

Mommy



Thank you Father for this one, He is more precious to you than me. So thank you for knowing him. May we only grow in love together as the days pass.

Growing Samuel

Okay, so my last post was about the growing one I call Benjamin and this one is about his brother. Sweet Samuel has really taken to his daddy lately. We all (at least any of you who have been around us at all) know that Samuel has been fully attached to his mother's hip from the time he was born. He has no problem connecting with me. He has however, had a harder time with his daddy. Benjamin and John hit it off from the start. They also spent quite a few days together as I was teaching school. And Samuel definitely loves being with his daddy, but he has lately taken a new affinity for him. It is much fun to watch, and I get to see what it is like for a daddy to woo the affections of a human heart. I know that there is such a thing as "prevenient grace." I learned it in some wonderful "what it means to be a methodist" class growing up- the idea that the Lord is desiring our hearts before we even turn to him. That, as we are still sinners, not even recognizing there is a God, He is wooing us back to Him. We come to him, repent and believe, and spend the next months and years of our lives amazed at his care over us in that time. I have seen it over and over-- the heart of the Father displayed to unbelievers.



¹⁶ God so loved the world that He gave His only…Son that whoever believes… (Jn. 3:16)

⁴⁵ Makes His sun rise on the evil and the good…sends rain on the just and unjust. (Mt. 5:45)



So, I know all this in my heart and I am watching my son. Samuel is being wooed by his father. He used to come to me when he was tired and sad. He wouldn't go to anyone else. He would hold my leg until I (and only I) picked him up. If John tried, he would proceed to voice his discomfort, loudly I might add. This past weekend John was gone to a conference and we missed our favorite day of the week, Saturday, because it's "not a work day." It's a daddy day. Since we missed it we were going to do all kinds of fun things, but one of them included calling daddy. This picture is of Samuel talking to his daddy on the phone. I tell you this, he was ENGAGED. He listened intently to what his daddy was saying so he could respond and interact with the one he longed to talk to. I was amazed. And then today, he was fussing and holding my leg as he does sometimes and daddy came over to get him and rather than turn his head away and cry louder, he actually giggled and went running to his daddy. What an amazing testimony. That after months of playing and laughing together his heart learned who it can turn to in times of hurt. My Samuel has been wooed by his daddy. He runs, plays, talks, and loves him without a second thought. Daddy can kiss the bumps and bangs just as well as mommy. Tonight when I left for a meeting, I got a kiss and hug, but not a tear was shed. (except maybe by daddy, heehee) My baby has grown so much in love for a father that fought for his heart. He won't ever turn away. They trust he has for his daddy will never falter.



What an amazing testimony to the heart of the Father in heaven. He is so good to our hearts, he seeks us out, woos us to him. And when we turn to him in trouble instead of running away, His arms are so much stronger than any other we can find. He will hold us tightly- as long as we will sit still. I pray this over my boys as they are wooed by their heavenly Father, that they would see His heart every day in their daddy's. We are truly children, adopted heirs in the Father's kingdom.

Artwork and impact....by Benjamin Lee

Okay, so I have been asked over and over by a young and growing little boy to use the camera. SO, finally after much discussion about how to use a camera, I decided that he was old enough to have a go at it. Here are some of the wonderful selections that I thought you might appreciate.

The Human Series







The Life of a Spork






From Green Chair to Green Sippy







As you can only imagine, I have literally close to 100 new pics on my camera. Today he told me that he took a picture of each page in his Bernstein Bears book. It's hilarious, but what I find really funny is that while he is roaming around the house taking pictures of things he thinks are important, he is laughing. Not just the little giggling, but belly laughing out loud at himself and what he is doing. I find it so amazing that the human heart has this longing in it to make something valuable. We all show our creativity in different ways, but there is some need to make something that is important. "to make money, to make it right, to make something beautiful, to make someone well, to make someone smarter, to make the world a better place." We all have a desire for impact. My son was simply learning about making pictures that impact people. I suppose in the beginning, we start by making things that impact ourselves. I do know this- that the desire to make an impact is one put in us and created by a heavenly Father. One who knows that we desire to make a difference and he is giving us the tools to do it. The means by which we can make an impact, both now and forever more when he comes to rule and reign. How will our impact today make a difference in eternity?

Snow???

This past week it was in the 60's and beautiful and this morning we got 5 inches of snow. Though we did venture out to IHOP for pancakes as a special mommy weekend treat, we did not make it downtown to Union Station. That would have to wait until Daddy comes home and the snow melts. Nonetheless, it is a beautiful day and the largest snow of the winter. On the last day of March. Candace, when can we come to visit? Isn't it warm there????

Shout out-

Okay, so some really cool people I know do a shout out at regularly planned intervals and all, but I just like to do them when I get the whim. AND, lo and behold I got a whim today. Our dear friends Daniel, Kayla, Bright, Zion, and baby-to-be are in a far-off land, but they are amazing people. She is also a phenomenal blogger. I love to read them and I love her heart. BUT, for all you friends out there who may be in a similiar line of work, or who know someone who is, AND if you have babies or are having some more you have to look at this. (especially you Emily!) It is totally cool.

The AMS Community. . . .and exercise.

Okay, so we all know the Harrigan Family doesn't like to exercise all that much. (at least the big people) Well, lately I've been inspired. My sister has taken to the gym almost daily, which is really cool and makes me jealous. And my friend Candace runs like 100 miles a day (okay, not that many, but it seems like it when you're me and you don't run AT ALL cause you might fall over and die). Of course they are both learning wonderful spiritual lessons from the Lord in the midst of it all and looking wonderful. See Candace's blog (read them all) here and Erin's blog here All that to say we have turned over a new leaf. I have found that I really like to go to zumba class. AND if our friend Kelly is working that night, Samuel will actually stay with her. John on the other hand has started playing floor hockey with the students and some teachers from the Missions School. It's pretty fun and the first time we went to watch. The boys had so much fun they couldn't take it. The fellowship was amazing, new protective gear will be bought for the next time, and they quickly formed a bleeders club. So, here's to exercise, and LOSING a baby belly, and bleeding with the boys when you play hockey. All while learning more and more the heart of the Father. May we grow in love daily.

Videos anyone??

Okay, Okay. I know. I've been gone for like forever. I am truly sorry. And even at this point in the game, I don't have much to say. BUT, have no fear. I have some really funny videos of the kids at my mom and dad's house. You remember, like forever ago when we met the Chaney's in Arkansas and played all weekend long??? Yeah, those kids. Anyway, one is of them running up and down the hallway laughing more than you would think possible. The other one is just the boys, but who ever thought an air mattress could be so much fun????

The Fellowship of Believers, Part 3

So this past weekend we had a reunion with our friends the Chaneys, and all things said it was wonderful. The Lord was good and protected our health (just say no to Chariganitis!). His grace and peace was felt as our kids played so well together. You'll have to look at Candace's post to hear more about that, but I was struck by something else. The act of service with other believers. You see, on Saturday afternoon, we spent time together cleaning up sticks from my parents yard. They had an atrocious ice storm last week, lost power for 6 days, and were left with wreckage equaled only by tornadoes. Praise the Lord their house and health were not effected, but the damage to the yard was crazy. See above. That's my dad standing in their front yard.

The kids helped pick up tons of sticks and we were all basically happy for close to 3 1/2 hours! Even the little ones. I guess that's what started my thinking. I mean really, Samuel and Zeke (both almost 2 yrs old) stayed outside with everyone and played the whole time! And Benjamin and Anna Grace (not known for their 4-year old ability to follow through) stayed outside and worked almost the whole time, excluding a short snack break. :) Why is it that I have to fight to get them to clean up the blocks, and yet they helped in the yard for close to three hours? What is that dynamic that motivated all of us to serve and have loads of fun!?


"Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does," Ephesians 6:7-8
Jesus himself says, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with alll your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than this." Mark 12: 30-31

Doesn't it look like fun? I don't know the dynamics of this, but I do know a couple of things.
I know from my own experience and from the testimony of the bible, that serving others, and putting them before ourselves is very important to the heart of the Father. I know also that he has designed us to live together in love, to be bound to each other as we are bound to him. I also know that doing something together binds our hearts. There's got to be something to it- if it wasn't an important aspect of a believing community of people, then the Lord wouldn't have mentioned it. And I can tell you, this weekend was possibly one of the best we have had. We loved on each other, we loved on my parents, we played together, we ate together, we prayed together, and we served together. We will stand before the Father one day, knowing that we obeyed his heart this time, and that he has used obedience to him to bring us all closer. We know the Father better because of it, and we know each other better because of it. Thank you dear friends! Let us continue to serve Him together, to run the race to which we have been called, and to love wholeheartedly all the days of our lives.

p.s. I totally wish I had a better before and after pic to show you, but the difference was truly amazing!

Shout Out Sunday!

Hello all, there will soon be more photos and posts about the previous weekend, but I would like to make a public shout-out to fantastic people. This weekend we met our friends the Chaneys in Arkansas along with my sister, from Conway. We spent Saturday morning at "Wild Wilderness Drive-Through Safari" in Gentry, Arkansas. It was loads of fun with the kids and then we came home and worked all afternoon in the yard- cleaning up the sticks from the massive ice storm in Fayetteville. Hard work with people you love is always really cool, totally rewarding, and really productive. After a bit of birthday cake and kids dinner, we put the kids to bed early graciously, my mom and dad kept all 4 kids while we went out to dinner. And what a wonderful dinner it was. I came home and said, "That was a really fun day." You know? When all things go well, everyone is basically happy, and you do really cool things with really cool people. I am grateful. For family, for friends, and for the kindness of the Lord to unite hearts together.

More pics to follow soon. . .