The Adventure of the Crawling Shirt

My son is diagnosed with OCD. Not the OCD your overly type-A friend proudly proclaims to have when she hands you a white glove and dares you to find dirt in her perfectly coiffed museum worthy surgically sterile home.

No, this is the FOR REAL OCD. The type that causes you to wash your hands sixty times every single instance you open your door and only after you have alternated locking and unlocking said door sixteen times in flawless repetition.

My son, whom I love more than myself, has an incredible desire to wear the same outfit, everyday, all the time. It used to toss between three shirts and two pairs of jean shorts which was manageable between laundry loads but constant wear caused one shirt to bear holes in the elbows and the other just got too small for him to keep on wearing. Of course, the eighties are back in style, so I could technically allow my son to wear an overly tight midriff even though it isn't net and he MIGHT get away with it.

...NAH...

Well, he has a Wall-E shirt that was given to him by his cousin. This is the last shirt standing. Everyday he wears this thing...even to bed! It has stains all over it and I try, boy do I ever, to get him to take it off even for just an hour so I can wash it but he has perfected the art of not acknowledging my existence during times such as these.

Today is a new day. Today I took him to the store and bought him a Bumblebee costume for his cousins birthday party. This little boy was so elated you couldn't get him to take that Wall-E shirt off fast enough.

Now, he is running around in his Bumblebee outfit and I am left with the task of washing the Wall-E shirt in a much needed bath. This shirt was so dirty I watched it crawl pitifully to my washer, open the lid and tumble right inside. Puffs of dirt escaped the neck collar as it loudly proclaimed for me to close the lid and add the soap, "Do it Now for the Love off all things clean and holy!"

So, I listened to the exhausted pleas of a dying dirty shirt. The Bumblebee costume has no idea what it has gotten itself into.

Potty humor

Urgh...day number four without sleep. It begins. The Back Family Phoenix Adventure: Take 100, or 60, or just a break! I just got done reading a friends blog post about her kids screaming for her while she was using the bathroom and I laughed. How many times does this happen to you? Honestly. I can't remember the last time I used the bathroom without four smiling faces staring at me.

"Mom, whatcha doing" they say
"Do you really want to know?" I retort back

Today I stood squished in the corner of my shower, cold, clutching to any remnant of warm water that fell against my shoulders and tightly wound hands, and I tried to remember the last time I actually took a shower by myself. I couldn't remember. It reminded me of my friend, full in the belly pregnant, telling me how much she enjoyed her showers. "That's my me time." she said

I laughed then. I wonder what she thought when I did that. She probably thought I was an insensitive jerk, and she'd be right. I told her to enjoy it while she could.

I think about her everytime I try to sneak away and snag some "me time" in the shower. It's quickly short lived. I think the sound of running water is like some sort of dog whistle for kids. My toddlers normally are first in line stripped naked and opening the frosted glass door.

"Mommy, can we take a shower with you?"

Then the almost 13 month old baby climbs into the shower next, diaper and clothes and all.

He could care less.

Finally followed by my big girl. She never asks. Just looks at me longingly wanting to be included in the fun. At this point, why not, I say?

Another friend of mine has teenagers. She says it doesn't change when they get older. They just call to you through the door to refrain from the site of your hideous nakedness... or bang on it profusely until you get out.

Kids rock.

Petrified Marshmallow Brick

Michael located a bag of really old marshmallows in the pantry. He unwrapped his secret treasure and started devouring it with great pleasure. By the way, the marshmallows were so old they fused together. Evidence that kids will eat most anything if an abundance of sugar is involved. Michael chewing on his petrified find. He giggled profusely, "This is my sandwich!" He said with great enthusiasm. Nice dream buddy...
"No really Mom, I like it."

Sarah wanting to take a bite. Michael relents after some prodding, "Fine Fifi, only one bite." he says with great exasperation.

Sarah is sad, "Hey! I didn't even get a piece!"

The petrified marshmallow brick has now been confiscated by the baby

Chew. Chomp. Gurgle. Mmmm.... "This tastes better than stinky organic vegetables mama!"

Michael has eyed his brother chomping on his puffy treasure and snags it! "Wah!" Joshy proclaims.

The brick is carried off by big brother and only remnants of its disgusting carcass are left on my office mat.The sad thing is even the dog won't eat it. That says something right there...

A Tornado Did It!

If the days behind are symbolic to what lies ahead, my life is chaos. My husband, bless him, has been bussling with work: after hours, weekends and even on his vacation his bluetooth has been attached to his ear with his laptop nestled comfortably in his lap.

God has blessed me with an astounding provider. This much is true. And I stand here laughing before you in an office UPSIDE down in shredded paper, a garbage can stomped on by my four year old son and papers amiss everywhere. Then let me take you to my foyer where more shredded paper awaits you. Here is where my children decided to bounce on the bags of paper like they were piles of freshly raked fall leaves. Chaos.

Boxes that hold the things from my husbands old office awaiting arrival to his new are placed along my steps. My floors and my couches are ridden with folded fresh clean clothes and clothes awaiting to be folded. Chaos.

My life is chaos. Yet, I laugh.

Yesterday my kids danced themselves around empty houses needing renters proudly proclaiming, "I like this house I like this house!" Before running into a car packed to the gills with toys, travel games and Trader Joes paper bags riddled with snacks and drinks.

My kids are thoroughly enjoying themselves. I am thoroughly enjoying myself. My husband cannot wait to finish the last of his meetings so he can actually enjoy himself. Life is good.

Therefore, I proudly proclaim against the calamity of this horribly misshapen house that a tornado did it! A whirlwind came right in and mixed my house around to be in the wretched shape it is!

And my family, the beauty that is, stands before you hair tossled but spirits high anxiously awaiting our next adventure.

The Government Can

Hey Everybody! Do you want free Health Care? College? Mortgages?

This is a hilarious video by a hilarious Christian comedian and seriously folks with what is happening in our government and what our government is getting away with is laughable. At least laughing is a lot less painful then crying.

Take the three minutes to watch this. Enjoy your laugh. I look forward to seeing you soon.

Celi

Moving

Many of you are already aware that my God has given a tremendous opportunity to my husband. Instead of the demotion and possible lay off he and I were preparing ourselves for, my blessed husband has in a sense been promoted. He will be working for the corporate office as an IT manager for both Phoenix and Tucson staff.

I feel like I have just gotten off a roller coaster ride and I am stumbling to catch my stance before I have to hop onto the next one. To watch God move as we prayed is astounding. Before James accepted this position we both prayed that the Lord would reveal His will with this. Do we stay? Do we go?

Well doors are flying open and James and I are grasping tightly to each other against the wind. Now it is time to prepare the home for a renter. This is our next greatest obstacle. However, there aren't any worries. If we are in the will of God He will provide what we need to leave. Hands down.

Yet we all know that the prayers of even ONE righteous man will avail much. So please pray on our behalf to our Father. Not because we are anxious but because our God commands us to do it.

With great love,
Celi

Preparing for Rain

Have you ever peered into the eye of a hurricane? I saw a picture of it. A boat lay in the middle of calm waters. The sun shining golden rays against the mast. Tranquil waters lapping around the base of it. Yet, around the stillness of this gorgeous day lay chaos in the form of walled dark clouds. Lightening boar momentary holes in parts of them.

It was beautiful.

I am sure the occupants of this boat stared at what surrounded them and at some point they HAD to admire it; however, their admiration for the power that walled itself around them had to be temporary knowing that in a moments notice they too would be engulfed in calamity.

I had a moment this morning where I felt like those boaters. Standing across from my husband I watched him sipping his morning coffee solemnly; bearing the weight of the world on the breadth of his shoulders and my heart ached for him. To be him, a man of God, knowing that the next two weeks may bring a storm we have yet to prepare for. Knowing that the welfare of this family is his responsibility...to make the hard choices, to have them lie at his feet, to be picked up by his hands and to wear them against his shoulders. This is something I have yet to bear. However, I know not a woman alive, who loves her husband, can watch him bear a yoke of this great nature and not ache for him.

There are many men in the bible who had to make the "tough decisions." I think of Hosea marrying a harlot for the sake of prophesy (Hosea 1:2-3) Or Jeremiah who prophesied for God countless times and was abused for it, lying in the stocks bound in an excruciating pain yet not relenting in his ministry (Jer. 20: 2) or Ezekial being foretold of his wife's death as a sign to Israel. His wife was the "delight of his eyes," yet he submitted to God's will for the sake of a nation. (Eze 24:15-27)

Today, I implore you to pray for God's wisdom for your husbands. Pray for Him to grant your spouse discernment in caring out His will. I pray for all of the good God-fearing husbands out there, strong in their love for Jesus, may they carry out His will for themselves and their families.

Go today and love your life partner with an undying, everlasting, agape love. Know that God knit him to you in a powerful way and with God as your lead you will not fail.

With great love,
Celi

The Foolishness of the Proverbs 31 Woman

" But Ruth said: Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people , and your God, my God."

Ruth 1:16

This is the woman I aspire to be. She is one of many exemplary examples of great godly women in our blessed bible. Ruth exudes many characteristics similar to the ones King Lemuel's mother describes in Proverbs 31:10-31, which is our classic example of the perfect godly woman. In fact, she has eight characteristics which are similar to the Proverbs 31 woman (all of these were taken from my readings of John MacArthur's bible study on Ruth):

1. Devoted to her family (Ruth 1:15-18 and Prov. 31:10-12, 23)
2. Delighted in her work (Ruth 2:2 and Prov 31:13)
3. Diligent in her labor (Ruth 2: 7, 17, 23 and Proverbs 31:14-18, 19-21, 24 and 27)
4. Dedicated to godly speech (Ruth 2:10, 13 and Prov. 13:26)
5. Dependent on God (Ruth 2:12 and Prov 31:25b, 30)
6. Dressed with care (Ruth 3:3 and Prov. 31:22, 25a)
7. Discreet with men (Ruth 3:6-13, and Prov.31:11,12,23)
8. Deliver blessings (Ruth 4:14, 15 and Proverbs 31:28, 29, 31)

John MacArthur says the word "virtuous" in Proverbs 31:10 is the same Hebrew word used of Ruth in Ruth 3:11. It is also theorized that King Lemuel's mother is actually Bathsheba which would make Ruth, King Lemuel's great-grandmother. Therefore, Bathsheba would have verbally passed Ruth's spotless reputation along to David's son Solomon. MacArthur further theorizes that "Lemuel" means "Devoted to God" and that this could have been a nickname for Solomon. He refers to Jedediah in 2 Samuel 12:25 in order to back up his theory.

Take this as you deem fit. I, personally, like it.

This intrigues me because accomplishing the traits of the Proverbs 31 woman is an impossible feat, but to be given an example in human form, Ruth, makes this gigantic pill easier to swallow.
Furthermore, Ruth is not as perfect as the portrayal of the Proverbs 31 woman. She is a Moabitess by birth. The Moabites were infamous for child sacrifice, pagan and idol worship amongst other dastardly deeds that caused our Lord to weep. Ruth, of course, marries a Jewish man who then leaves her widowed. This woman abandons all worldly security and any means of survival to follow her also widowed mother-in-law, Naomi. This is all common knowledge and what else is common knowledge is that during these days widowed women often became destitute and died. They couldn't work, would probably have a hard time remarrying. Through the glasses of the natural man it seemed certain Ruth and Naomi were going to die and Orpah was the wiser of the daughter-in-laws because she remained in Moab.

The passage in Ruth 1:16 reminds me of what many believers go through when we choose to abandon our worldy securities and our lifestyle in order to pursue our calling in Christ Jesus. One filled with comforts in the Spirit, of faith and of the unseen (Hebrews 11:1. )

My loved of this world call me a fool. The decisions I make as a wife, as a mother, as a woman, and as a child of God are mocked by those I love - by my own flesh and blood. Yet, I believe they are right. I am a fool but PRAISE GOD He finds great use for this foolish vessel. Please do not take this rant as a stepping stool for victims. We are not. We are chosen. I encourage you to take your role as a woman of God seriously. Let others mock you and PRAY FOR THEM. Paul says our battles in this world are not with the flesh but with the spiritual and he is right. (Eph. 6:12 also 2 Cor. 10:3-5 for further reference) People are people. The world is the world. What makes one fool different from another is Christ Jesus. Pure and Simple.

I am a young wife, a young mother, and a young believer. I have struggled with my own decisions and my own sins. I have become a woman I never thought I would be. I have taken up the Sword of the Spirit and I fight in a battle I had no intention of fighting. And I find peace. All because of Christ.

Case in point: Ruth is a woman of diligence, delighted in her work and devoted to her family. I pray for these characteristics. When I worked in the world, I took delight in my work and I worked well. When I left that work behind and became a homemaker I was astounded with the tasks at hand. Yes the housework (i.e. mopping, dishes, dusting) are qualifying tasks for even the most intellectually challenged lab monkey but there is so much more to this job than anyone who has yet to undertake it can imagine. To manage an entire household, to rear children in the admonition of the Lord (1 Tim 2:15, Eph 6:4 - word "father" is the same greek word as parent BTW) If all of this is monkey work than I am much more dim-witted than this monkey.

Through constant prayer our gracious redeemer has helped many in our chosen role. We find great joy in tasks others deem "mundane" and "lowly". We find immense love in the blessings of our children others may call "burdens", and finally we find great love under the headship of our husbands, which others may look at as "weak" and "pathetic."

Embrace your role. Become your Ruth and wear your glory for God in this high calling. Understand that the world is the world and as fools they make themselves wise (Romans 1:22)but understand that this is the NATURAL man or woman.

Without Christ we are all fools which slip away beneath the crevices of His mighty fingers, lost and without purpose.

"according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death."

Phillippians 1:20

Dating Vs. Courtship

My eight year old daughter...YES EIGHT YEAR OLD DAUGHTER just asked me what it means to court. I believe she overheard my husband and I talking about dating vs courting and was honestly wondering what it was her parents had in store for her future. I hemmed and hawed for a bit. I had an idea what I wanted to say but wasn't quite sure if it would come out the way her father would prefer it to. Then I found this video clip of Joshua and Anna Duggar talking about Dating Vs. Courting. If you would like to see it check it out following this link:

http://health.discovery.com/videos/17-kids-and-counting-webisodes-dating-vs-courtship.html

Bella watched it and seemed content with the results. She still doesn't quite understand what the big deal is. All of her male buddies are just that...her buddies. But that's great! That's what we want! Especially at eight!

Top 10 Reasons to Love Summer in Arizona

Yes, we live in a desert and summers in the desert can be a great test to someone's endurance. The other day, my husband and I were discussing air conditioning. Ours went out on Sunday and I found myself seeking the solace under the shade of my ceiling fan while my kids doused themselves with the garden hose outside. I should have joined them. Our air conditioning was out for maybe half a day and I was contemplating several unexplainable things in order to find comfort in some way during this long hot summer. One half day, and my world was over.

However, God answered my prayer through my very wonderful brother-in-law. Thank you Rusty. Then again the A/C went out only this time at church. It was hot but God sustained me and my family with the strength to endure it.

Normally around this time everyone sends out funny reasons why Arizona in the summertime is quite literally hell on earth I would like to turn it around a bit and recount 10 reasons why summertime in Arizona can be quite enjoyable. So here we go...

1. Monsoons - nothing brings down three digit temperatures like a great rain. And the smell of it afterward is amazing. The best air we can breathe. Purely made by the hands of God. Perfect.

2. Red sunsets after the Monsoons - take your camera out after a good rain and go for a walk. You can't take a bad picture of the sunset here. I have yet to see one. In fact, the cover picture for this site was taken after a monsoon rain. Bella and I enjoyed that walk. God makes great sunsets here. Just Beautiful.

3. Desert creatures - you can encounter several desert creatures during the monsoon season that normally don't come out otherwise. My flowerbed has become home to some frogs that only seem to make an appearance for two months out of the year and the kids are fascinated by the fancy webs of the Orb weaver as well as the spiders own zebra like pattern. The kids and I have seen a very large tortoise, a moth the size of a red cardinal, and a three inch grasshopper to name a few of our desert friends who pay us a visit. The black widow, not so much.

4. Raspados - where else in this country (besides Texas, maybe?) can you find a great thirst quencher like this. Normally found on the south side of town this little Mexican treat tastes great on a hot day. Follow it up with a genuine shredded beef taco with some limes. You won't regret it. Mexican food is to die for here.

5. Night walks - One of my favorite memories as a kid was taking a walk at night through Sabino Canyon. Watch for snakes and mountain lions! Wait - those are bad things - but the smell of the air (thanks to the monsoons) and the cool crisp weather make these a wonderful treat only to be treasured after a hot summer day.

6. Boiling water straight out of the faucet - now I have to be sassy. This is the only place I know where you truly have to be careful running "cold" tap right out of your sink; however, the plus is you don't have to spend a long amount of time boiling water on your stove top. A great way to "keep the heat out". LOL

7. BBQs - Do you ever smell your neighbor cooking barbecue and you secretly wish they would invite you over? Or show up on your doorstep with some carne seca or tri-tip and proclaim they made "way to much and would surely appreciate if you take this" of their hands? Well, here barbecues can happen throughout the year. (I love the smell of burning mesquite in the winter) But the summertime a BBQ is a great excuse to keep the heat outside your home and dinner you know is going to be good!

8. Swim parties - If you have a pool, more than likely you are one of the most popular people in Arizona at least one season of the year. Swimming is great exercise and so much more fun if you are at a friends house enjoying their company. Pack sunscreen though and lots of it! My kids don't burn, they tan if they even think about going outside. I have to admit I love kissing those little brown feet in the summer and especially love tickling the underside of their feet where their once pink skin still resides.

9. Dry clothes in five minutes - if you are one of the "primitive people" who choose not to run a dryer your clothesline will give you dry clothes in no time here. And if you happen to throw yourself in a pool solely for the purposes of cooling off just sit in a beach chair and relax. You will be dry in no time at all. That's the nice thing about Arizona. No humidity. Well, unless it rains but it still isn't as bad as Georgia or Ohio or even Florida.


10. No school or school - This one Bella chose. I have to agree. The summer breaks are a welcome treat for both teacher and student alike; however, since we are talking about summer times in Arizona I am going to have to say that most families here actually do school through the summer to keep the kids inside then take their three month vacation during the winter. Not a bad idea at all since family comes in to visit during the holidays and winters here are normally a crisp seventy degrees.

Can a Greased Frog be Given to Christ?

" Answer me speedily of YHWH; My spirit fails! Do not hide Your face from me, lest I be like those who go down into the pit. Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning. For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You."
Psalm 143:7-8

Do you ever have these feelings of being overburdened? Like a tremendous weight is sitting on the nape of your neck and across your shoulders. Like somehow you have become the fabled Atlas, full of your own ego and forced to carry the weight of the world as cause for your own actions?

Imagine those cares that reside on your shoulders as frogs covered in Crisco. Now try to catch them. Can you? For days, months, maybe even years now I have tried to catch these blessed frogs. I get close enough to grab them; however, no sooner do my fingers clasp around them that they slip out and hop away. So off I go snapping my hands in a hurried attempt to harness these frogs; to conquer them for good but to no avail.

These frogs can represent anything but for me they come in the form of my marriage, my finances, my ability to raise my kids and my relationship with God.
This is me, Celi, taking of my perfect plastic mask and revealing the wretched, ugly and scared creature that lies beneath.

How do you harness these cares before they become trials? And even after that?
"Simple!" any good-natured Christian would say, "Cast them to Christ! His burden is light, his yoke is easy."
For to those I quote my former pastor, "Easy preaching but hard living."
This is like handing me a map without a destination then saying, "See you there!" before taking off in your car.
"See me where?" I ask scratching my head.

What I am talking about is dying to self. Giving everything I own, everything I care about and everything I am to God. How do you do this? Honestly?

For several nights James and I have prayed to God to help us catch these frogs. Then the next day I walk around with this hope in the back of my brain that maybe, just maybe, my conquered frog will come in the form of a check from a long lost student grant with just enough money on it to pay to have the power in the back of the 4-runner fixed so sweet Mikey doesn't become sweaty Mikey during carrides. Or maybe my conquered frog might be a revelation to shut my mouth and quench my heart of my own selfish desires and seek those of my husband first.
Can my conquered frog even be the form of added patience and wisdom when my son asks me the same question for the upteenth time since the other forty answers I gave him were not suitable for his undying curiosity?
Yet finally, I hope, I pray that the frog God will catch for me, my biggest and greasiest frog, be the frog that possesses all my desires to serve and honor Him with more than all that I am. The frog that leads me to a closer relationship with my Father. The frog that will give me a deep desire to study and learn His God-breathed Scriptures.

Only then will all my other frogs be caught and harnessed within the mighty grasp of my King. In this segment I will appropriately title "Giving Your Greased Frog to God." I have no answer. No bright words of encouragement. Only a hope and a prayer that someday the solution for this dilemma will be revealed... before it is too late.

Maiden Voyage

Blog 1: Introduction of the Fool

If you are reading this most likely you are a friend, a relative, a brother or sister in Christ who has someone stumbled across my page via a blatant email or Facebook Note informing you to do so. If by chance, this is you, I need no introduction because you already know me. For all others, allow me to introduce myself:

First and foremost I am a lover of Jesus Christ, my Saviour and Redeemer. Saved by His grace and washed by His blood the day He hung on the cross for my MANY transgressions. I am a woman in her thirties. The new bride of a wonderful man and the mother of his five babies all ranging from the ages of eight to still incubating.

I am a homeschooler. A conservative Christian. A struggling mother and wife and believer. I am a weaver of my home and although many times I find my job as a homemaker the most difficult job I have taken possession of to date, I refuse to accept a different vocation. Paul says that in our weaknesses God shows His strength 2 Corinthians 12:10 And I pray His glory alone be shown in mine. I am a fool and these are my ramblings....