God has a sense of Humor

Today Clayton had an appointment with a nautropathic doctor in Seaside, so that we can try and figure out what is causing his rash. He's had an itchy rash since right before Christmas and we've tried many things to get rid of it, and some things help but nothing has cleared it up all of the way. We think it's a food allergy. But...this morning I was reading in 2 Kings 15 and there was a verse that said, "And the LORD afflicted the king with leprosy* until the day he died,..." And of course there was the note that said *The Hebrew word was used for various diseases affecting the skin-not necessarily leprosy. I think my response was to roll my eyes and say,"I'm not sure that's very funny." Of all things to read this morning, not yesterday, not tomorrow, but today. You just have to laugh.

Hannah Art

Last night Hannah tripped in the kitchen while taking her dinner plate to the sink. The plate broke but she wasn't too hurt. She cried for a minute, but no blood or bruises. I think she might be an artist; within 10 minutes she was asking to color, because "I need to color Hannah in the kitchen crying and my plate." So here is her work of art. (By the way, the plate was orange, if that helps you see her artwork better.) : )

God IS Faithful

For historically not being a very emotional person, today was a bit of a shocker. I think that today I have hit most all levels of emotions. Exhausted despair to calm peace and the gamut of emotions in between. And yes, I did cry. A few times. But in it all, God is faithful. Here I pause. God is faithful, what does that mean? I've sat here and reread that phrase about 6 times and I wonder...is that just a phrase I've heard so many times that it seems fitting to throw it out there on such occasions as this, or does he continue to prove that He is able and that He will act on your behalf, that He will come through for you. He is faithful in His character to be what He has always been.
I've come to realize that as much as I know what I've been taught, I don't really know God. Sure I can spout off some of the attributes of God, but why is that? Because I have been taught them? Because I've seen the cool lists done in fancy writing on someone's wall? I'm tired of believing blindly in what other's have said and yet I'm scared. As much as I say that God is faithful, and as much as He has answered my prayers, even the times when I've heard His voice there still remains in me fear that He will not come through for me in the future. I am afraid to delve deeper into who He is. I'm afraid to know Him because I don't know what that would require of me and I know already that I will not be enough...but isn't that the whole idea behind salvation through Jesus Christ? We are not enough on our own that's why we need Jesus.
Today I needed Jesus, today I needed the comfort of His Spirit and today I needed Him to come through in a tangible way and today He answered. He answered in the form of a friend coming to keep an eye on the kiddos so I could get out and run quick errands. Not that the errands where important in and of themselves, but the space to breathe a minute by myself was important. Fresh air can do wonders for breathing hope back into a tired spirit. God answered my prayer for help and knowing that He arranged that for me was amazing.
So yes, God is faithful and He wants to come through for you, you just have to ask Him. As Steven Curtis Chapman sings, "I'm diving in, I'm going deep in over my head, I want to be caught in the rush , lost in the flow, in over my head I want to go. The river is deep, the river is wide, the river's water is alive, so sink or swim, I'm diving in."

What Did I Get Myself Into?

I don't know if I'm becoming more computer literate because I want to or because I've fallen victim to keeping up with the Joneses (or Griffiths and MacInnises etc.) But I've so enjoyed reading the thoughts that come out of the heads of my friends that I am hoping that someone out there might enjoy some of mine. Or at least tolerate them enough to read through them once to see what is happening in the Dante household. Most days my thoughts don't reach a level above what's for dinner but some days when my kiddos are being exceptionally curious I find times to think about interesting things. The other day on the swings Hannah said, "Look at me and Ivan, we are going high in the sky and we are going to fly and I'm going to be an angel and Ivan will be God." As much as I love her pretending... we had a talk about humans not becoming God. That's not a thought I want her ever to entertain. I explained that there is only one God and that He created everything and He created us, so because we are created we can never become a god or God. She looked at me with her head tilted to one side and asked, "So there is only one God?" And I said, "yes" and she said, "oh." and went back to swinging "way up high". Oh for precious moments of truth.
So on days of exceptional thought or on days of needing to vent you may find my ramblings. It might keep me from spending money on Craigslist.