"Ba Ba"

I want to praise God for a little thing that happened recently. I was putting pjs on my fourteen month old who is constantly on the go so this can turn into a wrestling match/training ground. Exhausted I had handed him a phone toy to play with hoping to avoid any "work" this time. He would babble pretending on the phone and then say "bye". He doesn't say, "ba ba" for "bye bye", but says "bye" in one slow syllable... almost with a Southern accent. He lost interest in the phone and laid STILL (!). Looking up at me, he began saying "ba ba." I handed him back the phone and tried hard to figure out what he was saying - our little game recently. As the last snap popped on the pjs, a light went off in my mind.

"BIBLE! Do you want your Bible?" I asked since he recently started saying this word.

Gabriel grinned and giggled. I handed him his little Bible, and he repeatedly said "ba ba" as his little fingers clumsy flipped through the pages. It has just been a month since he completely weaned from nursing, and I added Bible reading before bed. Sometimes this last all of 30 seconds, but I have been trying to give him a taste of this goodness. I tend to worry because he isn't interested in books in the same way Charis was. He won't sit long, and it is harder for me to find time to read to him like I did with Charis... so I pile on a little guilt here and there on myself.

When this happened the other night, a conversation about raising children came to mind where a friend shared wise advice she had heard - "Do what you can when you can." She was talking about being faithful when you can and trusting God for the rest. I may be making too much of this, but I felt encouraged by God as a parent and filled with hope for Gabriel. How I hope this is the beginning of him falling in love with God's word and of the Holy Spirit working in his little heart.

Cyprus Wildflowers

In the midst of the hard and rocky soil of Cyprus, up spring wildflowers like these. Their beauty bringing glory to their Creator. People come from far off places this time of year to see their colors and marvel at their unique beauty. As they sway in the wind they seem to be bidding adieu to rainy cold winter and to have forgotten of the hot dry summer.

Lord, may I be like these wildflowers, sprouting where it is unexpected, bringing You glory, pointing people from far off places to You and forgetting what is behind while straining for what is ahead.

May this be true for you too...

"Χριστός ἀνέστη!" - Christ Has Risen

Since we celebrated Easter for over two weeks here, I had two Resurrection Sundays to try to capture my little ones...

Joshua and I both concluded we liked having a longer celebration of Jesus' death and resurrection. It felt more like Christmas. In Cyprus, "Pascha" is a bigger celebration than Christmas with multiple church services, prayer vigils, lots of church bells, fireworks, bonfire to burn Judas, family gatherings and everyone greeting each other with "Christos Anestis"..."Christ has risen"!

Good Friday

The church bells chime painstakingly slow today ... each one ringing in my heart a reminder of the cost Jesus paid the day he died. Throughout the day the sounds make their way from the village church to my heart. Their echo hurts when the bitter taste of my sins is too fresh.

It may not be my Good Friday but quickly it becomes mine as the clangs come amid the ordinary...

...as I take down and fold my laundry, I remember that He was bruised for my transgressions.

...as Gabriel laughs and plays with a stray dog, I think about those who didn't know the significance of the day The God Man died.

...as Charis (Grace) notices the bells, I explain that today some people are remembering Jesus' suffering and death.

...while I snuggle my freshly bathed baby, I am grateful.

...while I sit at the computer, I must stop to pray.

I am compelled to pause each time the bells begin. At times tears swell. Every time gratitude overwhelms my soul...

In Christ alone, who took on flesh

Fullness of God in helpless babe

This gift of love and righteousness

Scorned by the ones He came to save

'Til on that cross as Jesus died

The wrath of God was satisfied

For every sin on Him was laid

Here in the death of Christ I live

Through the eyes of a child

I don't think Easter will ever be the same for me... since Charis recently accepted Jesus in her heart, her passion for Christ and the Easter story comes out throughout our day.

She has us read her the new storybook about the Easter story from a sweet family friend over and over. She carries the book around pointing to different parts of the story.

"This is the sad part..." Jesus' death.

"This is the happy part..." Jesus' resurrection

She tells me she is angry with those that killed Jesus. We talk about Jesus teaching us to forgive even on the cross.

Coming down the steps one morning she tells us... "I love Jesus. I was praying to him in my bed."

Finding a weed at the park she runs to me ... "Mama, mama, I found a palm. LOOK!"

She waves it. I see her mind churning like she is imagining Jesus entering Jerusalem "yaaay, Jesus"

Looking at me intently she explains it with such passion that I am reminded of an important truth "He is a KING!"

The Tower of Babel

We have made International Christian Fellowship our church body here. It is church in downtown Limassol that is lead in English. The church truly lives up to its name "International" as it has people from all over the world. English is not the first language of most of the people that attend. A few Sundays ago, I was asked to teach in our church's Creche (Nursery & 2-3 year olds due to our churches small facilities). So while the youngest children play, the Creche leader gives a lesson and craft.

The lesson I was to lead was on the Tower of Babel. Making it more interesting the children are so young that most haven't learned English yet. As I began preparing for the lesson, I found suggestions online to tell the children "imagine not being able to understand what is being said" or "think of not being able to talk to the other children so they understand." I chuckled. These children don't have to imagine. They are living it. Sure enough that Sunday there were 4 different languages represented in the sweet faces looking up at me. I smiled. I think God had me experiencing the lesson of the Tower of Babel.

Even deeper I was struck with the bigger issue at the Tower of Babel than pride in the heart of man to build a tower to reach heaven which is the focus of most children's Bible stories was disobedience to God's command after the flood in Gen. 9 - to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.

Isn't that like our human hearts to disobey a direct command?

And even take pride in our "better" plan?

How grateful I am that God didn't leave me there!!!

"But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:22-23