My Itty Bitty Missionary

Tomorrow is a big day around here.  Lots of kids are going back to school and many others are just beginning school for the first time.

I have one of those!

I started this blog when our family left the military and committed to a year in missions. I never changed the words “missionary life” at top because when we returned I became convicted that I was still a missionary.  In every season, every place, every situation, God has a plan and his top priority is for me to tell others about his goodness and love.  That makes me – and my kids, and my friends, and you – missionaries every day. 

We try to teach our children that, too.  God first.  Truly.  Not just in theory or when its popular or when its easy, but always.  Even when it’s hard.  Actually, especially when its hard.

These boys are very fortunate in all they have seen and heard in their short lives.  It has given them a deeper understanding of the whole world that our Creator made.  They have seen how little others have and appreciate how much we have.  Of course, all of us want more.  More toys, more books, more vacations, more “stuff.” The difference in our family is, all one of us has to do is remind the others of the things we have seen – the people who have true needs, not silly wants – and we all change our way of thinking again. Sometimes its me who reminds us, or Stephen, or Jack, but lots of times its seven year old Parker.

Parker has such a big heart.  I have no idea what the Lord has planned for this little boy’s future, but he’s got enough kindness and compassion for the whole world.  I mean, he’s a little boy, and he’s human, so sometimes he thinks about himself first, but he’s also very much in tune to the needs of those around him.

And that’s what we hope others see as he starts school for the first time outside our home.  We hope God uses him greatly to spread his love to the whole second grade and well beyond that, too. 

It’s hard to let him go.  It’s hard to think about what his day will be like without me teaching him and watching him and learning with him.  I feel God gently reminding me though, day after day, that Parker belongs first to Him, and He loves him more than I could ever imagine.  He knew him eons before I existed and has been waiting for eternity for Parker to be here on this earth.  He has superhero sized plans for this boy, and if He’s ready for him to be the missionary He calls us all to be, then I’m ready.

I love this kid.  

My itty bitty missionary.

• Please pray for him and everyone he meets to know and follow our incredibly awesome God. Pray for us, as his parents, to help guide him and support him as he does so.

• I'll be praying many other children join him and rise up to change the world as a new generation - a generation who loves Jesus and isn't afraid to show it.  
• I'm praying now that families would make sacrifices that those of the world might first see as crazy, or radical, or strange, but that would later become a living testimony of our God's love for us.  
• I pray YOU will join us in throwing out the American Dream and striving to live the life God desires for us.  It's so much better anyway!  Let's share and support each other as we do so.
• And I'm thanking God for giving us a place to live where we can freely and rightfully do all these things.  

But for now I'm going to go snuggle with my little ones before school starts tomorrow!

Oh, Baby!

Oh, right, I have a blog.

I forgot for a while.  Honestly forgot.

But here’s why I’ve been a little out of it lately:

 Yep, that’s right, (hopefully you figured it out) Baby #3 is on the way!  Stephen and I are really excited, but sweet Parker is the most excited of all. We all went out to eat for my birthday (a while back) at The Cheesecake Factory. They hadn't been there before so they were already excited. Then I pulled out presents for each of them. They opened the bags to find big brother shirts. Parker said, “But wait, why does Jack have one? Oh, right, because of Krypto.” By the way, Krypto is the dog. We smiled and told him, that nope, it wasn’t because of Krypto. He was confused for a few minutes and then broke into a grin and said “Unless... is there a baby in your tummy?!?!?” 

We told them the news and he responded with “I’ve been praying for this since I was five!” (he was six at the time).

So sweet. 

We went on to talk about how they would both make great brothers and asked if they wanted a sister or brother, though we did make it clear that it was up to God, not them, what we would get. 

Jack said he wanted a brother.  Parker said “Well, I want it to be a girl because that’s my lifelong dream, but a boy would be okay too, because three of us could wrestle Daddy faster than two of us can.” He was adorable.  And he's been doing push-ups ever since in hopes of being stronger to hold the baby all the time.

We have since spent time every day talking about names. That always leads to me shouting “Veto!” after every superhero name they mention. Now the name Veto is growing on us all, haha! No, really, Parker insists that he likes Frederika for a girl (oh my goodness, I can’t imagine calling a baby that...) and they all like Nick Fury Schiffman for a boy.  Needless to say, I will likely disappoint two little boys with almost any name we choose unless its a superhero!

But that’s ok. He or She will be adorable and sweet, and totally loved, no matter what name we choose.

After all, look at that sweet baby!  (if you can see anything on this thing...)

And thus, the craziness of life continues! 

Baby Boy or Baby Girl (we are waiting to find out!) will be here in December.