The Miracles in My Livingroom

Once a week for almost two years a group of women has gathered in my living room to pray.  It wasn't my idea.  I had been meeting in a friend's home to pray with ladies until those ladies took pity on me for having to haul out  my four babies to get there.  So, Kristin placed this precious gift of being the hostess in my lap, my livingroom.

These sisters have prayed my family through major junk.  I attribute Christ's healing of my arthritis largely to their faithful prayers.  My children have been healed, my marriage has been healed, my heart has been healed as they have lain the burdens down with me before Christ's feet.  These sisters have cared for my children, done my laundry, washed my dishes, cooked us meals, painted my walls and literally redecorated my living room.  Because they love.

Over the past two years, the group has grown both in size and intimacy.  I am pretty much a homebody due to the season of life I am in so they bring their lives in to me at least once a week.  They also come to me sweetly and pick up my own struggles, burdens, failures, and worries.  Every week we sit around, some on the floor, others in and out checking on the kids, sorting through how mighty God is and how mightily we need Christ.  We pray..sometimes chaotic with screaming kids in the background..sometimes with tears..sometimes with anger.  Some weeks we've wrestled with God.  Some weeks we've sinned by saying too much or not saying enough.  In the midst of all of that, God answered.  Every single time.  Every time.  His answers weren't always what we wanted or expected, but His hand always so deftly extended blessings and loving discipline.

God has answered so specifically and quickly sometimes that we were caught off guard. Why wouldn't He?

I am sitting here typing as God is working out another miracle in merciful response to the requests we sent up.  Lives are being changed..right now, this minute.  The Holy Spirit is rising up and molding hearts just as we begged Him to do. 

I am so humbled by His attentiveness.  Why would He deign to turn His ear to us?

Because He loves.

Sometimes, you get what you need.

Father's Day.

My daddy was always full of advice.  Not much of it was serious, but he had a way of talking that left people wondering if he was being serious.  I've been thinking about him and his advice today.  He would smile to know that years after he left us I was still mulling over how much of what he said ended up being wise.  Here are some nuggets of truth from W. J. (and translations, if necessary).

"Don't take any wooden nickels."  -- Don't suffer fools gladly.

"A whistlin' woman and a crowin' hen ain't no good to anyone."  --Still trying to figure this one out.  I think my whistling stage during childhood must have wearied him.

"Don't let your gas tank get under a quarter of a tank."  --  (Whatever, Daddy...still not heeding that word.)

"A little "girls of the night" water cures anything."  -- Don't even ask...it involves a spring in the hills of Cannon County that he swore had a special anointing because of the ladies living on the property.  I never drank it as it was usually teeming with tadpoles.

"Don't trust anyone who can't look you in the eyes."  Well said.

 Early on as a father during the most trying of the toddler years for Flannery and Percy-Kate, Andy tried impressing upon them a great truth.  His advice to our 2 and 3 year old daughters?  "You can't always get what you want, but if you try, sometimes you might find you get what you need."  They would think on this sage advice for about 15 seconds before discontentment would overtake them yet again.  A couple of years after Andy had given up on instilling this wisdom in our babies, they heard his words being sung on the radio.  "Daddy!  Listen to what they are singing!"  I wonder if Mick Jagger every sang those words to his own kids.

If Daddy had listened to rock music, he would have used that line on me at some point I'm sure. 

Potty-less Training 101

Ruby, Ruby, Ruby....sigh.

STEP 1:  Remove heavy, wet diaper that mommy didn't change an hour ago because she got distracted by someone else's immediate need.

STEP 2:  Dangerously scale the side of the dresser to get down the name brand pull-up diaper mommy bought thinking you were moving on to panties soon.

STEP 3:  Apply diaper to bum.

STEP 4:   Check the fit and make sure nothing is hanging out.

Flannery Turns 9!

I went into pre-term labor with Flannery 29 weeks into the pregnancy.  I was working a stressful job as a bank manager.  I had some cramping off and on for a few days and finally called the doctor.  They dismissed it as Braxton-Hicks, as did I.  I didn't know what contractions felt like since she was my first baby.  I went to bed one night with a backache and tossed and turned all night.  I thought I was just nervous because I was firing someone the next day.  I got up the next morning, went to work, fired my assistant manager, then went to see my doctor.  They promptly admitted me to the hospital because I had already dilated a centimeter.  Six weeks of bed rest, horrid drugs, and bad t.v. followed.  After six weeks, nearing the 36 week mark, I stopped the drugs and returned to work, still having contractions.  One evening, about a week later, I was at a restaurant near my home for a bank employee dinner.  My water broke...in the chair...at the restaurant...I was mortified.  This was before cell phones were in everyone's purse, so I didn't call Andy until I got home.  He hurried home from work to find me in the shower shaving my legs.  In labor, shaving my legs.  What was I thinking?  So vain.  Anyway, a long night in the hospital followed.  Flannery finally made her debut around 5:30 a.m. on the 27th.  I still remember the look on Andy's face as he held her.  For such a reluctant father-to-be, he was sure smitten with her without any hesitation.  He disappeared with her down the hall taking her to the nursery.  I was left behind in the bed, puking, but in awe of the miracle that had just taken place.  Flannery, you changed us forever.  

Here are some pics of this year's birthday celebration.  It was low key as the babies were in the throes of a some viral infection.  We surprised Flannery with a pair of in-line skates.  She has been rolling around the house practicing ever since.

Flannery Evelyn Moore
Flannery ~ for Mary Flannery O'Connor
Evelyn ~ Evelyn Geraldine Page (great grandmother)

Whenever someone in our house has a birthday, they get a "special day".  On their special day they get to choose what we do.  Flannery wanted to make breakfast by herself for all of us as part of her special day.  The pancakes were delicious! 

 

I love this picture of Andy holding her up until she can stand on her own without falling.  The essence of parenting.

Ruby is watching Flannery balancing on her skates and is mimicking her.