2014: Who's in the driver's seat?

Peter calls to me from the back seat, "Mama, this isn't the right way home. Are we getting lost?" Or "Where are we going? Why are we going here?" He does this almost every day.

It kind of drives me nuts! I don't think I've ever actually gotten lost, at least not in the last 16 years. So not in his lifetime. I'm good with directions. I understand maps and I plan ahead to make sure I know how to efficiently get where I'm going. I do enjoy taking a different route once in a while, or just because of the series of errands we have to do we end up taking different roads than normal. Occasionally I miss a turn and we have to turn around, or a detour catches me off-guard in an area of town that I don't know very well.

But, lost? Not really!

So while it's an innocent question from his limited perspective and it's fairly humorous, it also insults me just a little when he asks me if I know how to get where we are going! I feel accused and mistrusted! I understand that from his vantage point he recognizes the familiar things on the roads that we typically drive. Perhaps he gets a little nervous when we go on unfamiliar roads. But he has no reason to doubt me! I'm his Mom! I only ever plan good things for him! I know where we're going! I have a plan!

One day in the van when I was felling more annoyed than humored about having to constantly reassure him that we're doing just fine and re-explain to him why we're going the way we're going, a little voice (Holy Spirit whisper maybe?) said, "Isn't this like you and God? Aren't you wondering if God has a plan, and knows the way? Aren't you sometimes wondering or worrying about the different route, the unknown roads, that God is bringing you down?"

Ouch. Oh me of little faith.

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Update: I wrote that portion of the post about 2 months ago - early November. That "plan" and "unknown roads" I was referring to was the unknown future that lies ahead for us in June. When Brad finishes seminary, we have no plan other than to take a call to a church. That in itself comes with many unknowns. Our only guarantee is that we have major change coming. Sometimes a scary thought. Since this reminder that God is my loving parent in the driver seat, and I'm the one in the booster seat in the back I've been washed over with a renewed peace in regards to our future.

And Peter doesn't ask as often if I know how to get where I'm going.

2014 will be a year of change, no doubt for all of us in some way. May the God of Peace comfort you, too, as you encounter the unknown and the new.

Things that go bump and the prayers of a child

Peter has been suffering from bad dreams for a quite few weeks now. Almost every night he wakes up screaming in terror or comes running into our room, terrified. It's very sad to see him so tormented. But is has been getting better recently, thankfully. He has started praying at his bedtime "Dear Lord, please keep the bad dreams out of me, and give me good angels."  It's touching to hear him adopt his own version of the prayers that we say with him in the middle of the night after a bad dream as his own. 

He also has been very excited about praying before our meals. He often says his prayers like this: "Dear God, thank you for our food. I really bless you for..." followed by whatever toy, friend or fun event he's thankful for and also for someone he's asking God to help, which lately is his recently injured uncle.

Cora also takes her turn praying. She starts with the memorized "God is Great" prayer and then follows it up with thanking God for her family and friends, and asking him to help the people in, (Where is the place with the really bad storm? she always asks), the Philippines.

Addie is cluing in to the prayer time, too. She folds her hands sometimes and mimics the sing-song tune of God is Great. It's very sweet. But most of the time she just wants her food-now!

May these family prayer times penetrate their spirits, so that Philippians 4:6-7 is a daily reality for them and they choose to turn to God in prayer in every situation: 

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God,which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Merry Christmas 2012

 Merry Christmas! We spent a wonderful Christmas Eve with my parents and my sister and her family in Holland. We climbed up "Mount Pisgah", a local sand dune, and around a few trails. It was refreshing to get some fresh air and beautiful, as always, to see Lake Michigan.

We spent the rest of the day together at Mom and Dad's house, eating, playing games, and laughing.

 Christmas morning we had a beautiful church service at Lee St. CRC. A special Christmas choir sang "Angels We Have Heard On High" which is one of the kids' favorite songs this year. Peter was next to me and I heard him join in on the "Gloooooooooooooo-ria" part of the song. While it's sometimes stressful, I absolutely love having our kids in church with us, participating in worship together. The choir sang beautifully and for a moment during the song I closed my eyes and imagined being one of the shepherds, hearing the angels giving glory to God for Christ's birth. 

 My Grandma is the sweetest, dearest woman. It gives her such joy just to see us and our kids and she is always encouraging. I'm so thankful that she is healthy this year and able to celebrate Christmas with us!

 Addie's first Christmas!

My parents: I love you both!

We enjoyed spending Christmas day with both of our extended families: the Van Drunens and the Buteyns. We feel blessed to be able to enjoy time with so many of our extended family members. 

I hope you enjoyed peace that passes understanding as you celebrated Christ's birth this Christmas!

Seasonal programs

Parents were invited to attend the Thanksgiving Chapel and Christmas Chapel at Cora's school. It was so nice to be a part of her school day and see the kids and teachers she spends her day with. They put a lot of work into the Thanksgiving chapel (I couldn't make it to the Christmas chapel) with all the different grade levels participating in a unique way. They incorporated a lot of Spanish, also, with some of the older SI (spanish immersion) students reciting bible passages and Cora's kindergarten class sang a praise song in Spanish. 

Cora and Peter both were able to participate in the Children's Christmas program at our church this year. We listened to the music CD almost non-stop for at least a month before the program and we all knew the songs very well! The kids practiced motions to all the songs for weeks, also. It was a big production and a very nice presentation of celebrating Christ at Christmas-time. 

Tonight at dinner Cora and Peter started reciting part of Luke 2 and got most of it correct. The only thing we can think of where they both learned it so well is from listening to the CD of the program! It included all the dialogue for the program in addition to the music, so they heard Luke 2 over and over again and apparently it stuck in their heads. I love it! Kids' memories are amazing!