My experiment

For the past four weeks I have been covertly [read: unintentionally] conducting an experiment. Hopefully today was the last day of the experiment for a while. In four weeks, Aiden and I have taken 3 trips to his pediatrician in Edina. Edina is a pretty affluent suburb of Minneapolis and therefore was the perfect site for this experiment. On each of the visits I have been observing the way cars are parked in the parking lot.

Hypothesis:
I left our first visit with my hypothesis, "The richer you are (or the more expensive car you drive), the worse you are at parking." Aiden left with a diagnosis of walking pneumonia.
Data:
Trip #2 confirmed my suspicions as Aiden and I attempted to walk between two cars that were parked completely crooked, one was a Range Rover and one was a Saab. That trip Aiden came home with a bill of good health and a few "owwies" from shots. Today was (again, I say hopefully) the culmination of my extensive scientific work on the subject of poor parking. I parked in front of a Cadillac that was over the line and crooked. Next to the Cadillac was a brand-new shiny Jeep, parked crooked. Now, don't get me wrong, when I say crooked I don't mean just a little bit, I mean "have you been drinking?"-crooked. Aiden departed this time with a diagnosis of an ear infection.
Conclusion:
Needless to say I think my hypothesis has been proven. Now the question remains, are they bad at parking because they truly lack the ability/eyesight to park straight or is it just that they don't think they have to park within the lines?

Missions

"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under Heaven."

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Sunday's sermon marked the end of another Missions Focus at Bethlehem. Again I sat in the pews aching to stand up and walk down to the front when Paster John asked for anyone who feels called to do long-term missions to step forward. I have known for almost two years that I want to do missions on a long term basis and I feel confident that this desire is from God. I also feel confident that now is not that time for me. But on Sunday as I walked out of church I couldn't help but wonder if it was my flesh or God that kept me in my seat. Even now, three days later, I am unsure but I know that if it is God's will for me to serve Him in that way it will happen exactly when He intends it to. Just last week, Sean brought up the topic of missions and told me that he also feels that God is calling him to do it long-term at some point. How amazing to know that God is slowly pulling up our roots and possibly preparing us for such an amazing calling! For now, I wait contently on our Lord!

Love, E.K.

Two years ago, already.

How quickly time passes. It seems as though it was just moments ago that I held my baby for the first time. The pain and exhaustion of childbirth forgotten for those few first precious seconds. He truly is a gift from God and I am thankful for him each and every day. Below are the notes my mother took in the hospital.

Friday Oct. 20, 2006
7:00 a.m. Check in-1 cm
8:00 a.m. Begin Pictocin
9:36 a.m. 1st Contraction
10:00 a.m Dr. Maydew broke water-1.5 cm
light contractions
10:17 a.m. Contractions begin coming close together
2:00 p.m. 2 cm
3:00 p.m. Pain killer given
6:00 p.m. Epidural









6:30 p.m. Catheter
10:45 p.m. Fever of 106.9, vomiting
Saturday Oct. 21, 2006
1:00 a.m. Started pushing
3:00 a.m. Dr. Bonpain comes with vacuum
3:46 a.m. Aiden is born









4:55 a.m. 1st feeding

Aiden's life verse:
"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding." Colossians 1:9

more than words

Last night my heart was broken into a million sweet, joyous little pieces.

Sean, Aiden and I went out for dinner at Olive Garden. While we were eating dinner a hostess came over to our table to talk to Aiden. Sean had just told Aiden that he had to eat the food on his plate before he could have anything more. The hostess asked Aiden, "Are you and your daddy having a discussion?" That one word filled my heart with an incredible amount of joy. My son has never had a daddy and I have never heard anyone ask him/talk to him about his daddy. Everyone around us knows the circumstances of our lives and is therefore very cautious and respectful, meaning that word does not come up. But God is changing our lives. I know that God is telling me that He has chosen Sean to be Aiden's daddy and to hear that dream put into words (even by a complete stranger) for the first time was amazing. It makes the waiting that much more sweet.

That is not the end of the story. When we got home it was time for Aiden to go to bed. On our Bible study nights Sean helps with the regular "going to bed routine" by reading Aiden his Bible story and praying with us. As we turned out the lights I heard my son say for the first time, "Love you Sean, love you!" It was at that moment that my heart broke, overfilled with joy and no longer able to hold it all in. Our God is so good! Aiden will tell me he loves me as long as I say it first which is fine with me. He has never said it to anyone without someone's encouragement ("Tell [insert name here] you love him/her."). Last night no encouragement was necessary.

How great is our God?

3 secular songs...

...that I think have meanings that apply to my Christian life:

1. "Would You Go With Me" Josh Turner. This reminds me of what a woman is called to do in marriage-submit to your husband knowing that God is leading him.
2. "The Reason" Hoobastank. To me this song is about my relationship with Christ and the change it brought about in me.
3. "Learning How to Bend" Gary Allan. Lyrics like "There's always been a bigger plan/But I don't need to understand" echo the truths of following after Christ.

I realize that there are many different opinions on whether or not we as Christians should listen to any secular music. Personally, I think Christ can and does speak through seemingly secular avenues. He is in all things and His purpose overrides that of the singer, author, speaker, etc.

If only we all did this more...

"What I tell you in to dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the rooftops!" Matt. 10:27

...now I'm off to find the access door to the roof.

See Fireproof!

I can't convey how great the movie Fireproof is. Sean and I went to see it last night and both really liked it! I was concerned they may "water down" the Gospel to appeal to mainstream audiences but they boldly proclaimed the Gospel in an awesome story about marriage. At the end of the movie, Romans 5:8 was displayed across the screen.

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

For me that was a surreal moment. The truth of Christ's love for us all proclaimed to packed theaters across the nation. Wow!