Much Better Day Today

Well, Praise the Lord, and thank you for your prayers...we had a lovely day today!

Soren is as good as new. We're still going to take him to the vet this next week, for good measure.

The guys took the Odyssey into Honda and got a new tire, then drove to Exxon to have it put on since the wait at the dealership was four hours. (It's a special tire that we had to buy from the dealership....) They were able to get it done relatively quickly and inexpensively!!:)

The girls and I had a successful and fun morning cleaning the house to prepare for Sabbath and company.

We had a photographer from Cooksey Keepsakes come to the house today around 12:00 to take family pictures. We also had five other families come over to have their pictures taken. It was so much fun! I did this about a month ago at my friend Meredith's house. I just had pictures of the girls. They were so fantastic that I decided to host a "party" and have pictures of our family taken. It's a great, laid back environment, and kids do so much better in a home than a studio.

The pictures I got of the girls a month ago were the best pictures I've ever gotten of them. I am so pleased. I'm excited to see the results of the family pics. Plus, having my friends over to get pictures of their children was so much fun. The mom's and I hung out in the kitchen eating some munchies, while the photographer worked her magic.

In two weeks we'll all get back together, without children, sip some wine, and look over the proofs together. It's really fun! This is a growing company so, if you're interested, you should google them for the Cooksey Keepsake photographer near you:)

The last of our company left by around 4:30, and I snuck upstairs while Gavin had the girls, for a little down time. I put on my Rachel Portman playlist on repeat and read a little out of the book I'm into right now: The Shack. (It's so good and thought-provoking. I'm sure I'll have a whole blog about it once I'm finished.)

I was ready to rejoin my wonderful family after a few minutes of solitude.

Opening Sabbath was wonderful, as usual. Nick made his super-yummy-sweet-Marsala Chicken, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, from scratch, caramelized carrots and made-from-scratch Key Lime Pie!!! YUM!

What a blessed day!

Crazy night....going straight to bed

Our evening started out lovely. Gavin and I were having a little date with Reece. We ate dinner at IHOP, which is always fun. Then we headed over to the "Perils of the Jungle" put-put. Reece has never played put-put before....it was very funny.

We had a great time and lots of laughs. Reece is a bundle of joy.

....then we came home....

Pulling into the garage we noticed Raegan's bike was sticking out a little bit. I also saw that Soren's lead was wrapped around the bike. I thought I had enough room to get by, but I didn't. The right tire ran over the edge of the bike and blew the tire out immediately. I started to back up (unaware of the blown tire) and trapped Soren's leg under the back tire. He began crying out for help immediately. I didn't know where he was so Gavin jumped out and was able to tell me to pull forward slightly.

Soren was limping a little, but after much love and attention he is back to his playful self and LOVING all the attention. We're going to keep a close eye on him over the next few weeks. Praise the Lord, he isn't even limping anymore (only 30min. after the mishap).

Several other "unfortunate events" happened within the next hour, but none really worth mentioning. Any prayers for Soren would be appreciated.

We've all decided that we're heading straight to bed right now to end this as soon as we possibly can.......after some time of prayer for protection over our home and each member of our family, including our little man, Soren.

Tea Party

Yesterday Raegan invited her daddy and sisters to a tea party. I helped her get everything ready. She wanted chamomile tea and some kind of treat. It was her idea to have cinnamon graham crackers and some strawberries.

Gavin was very happy to participate in the tea time. He read a few passages from W.B. Yeats. The girls were attentive.

Some of the pictures are outside, where the tea party began. When it started to rain they moved the party indoors.

I love these times! The girls adore their daddy. It is a precious gift to be a daddy's girl, and to have a daddy that adores you right back!

Wow!

A Few Pictures

I ended up not getting very good pictures of Jenny's homecoming, which is such a bummer. But here are the few that turned out alright. Background: Jenny thought that just mom was meeting her at the airport. Instead there were about 20 of us waiting at the bottom of the escalator! Needless to say, she was very surprised!

The last picture I just HAD to throw in there, because it is of me standing next to Trish's book, "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not", at the local Barnes and Noble!! Though the picture is not a flattering one of me I still had to add it! I'm so proud of Trish and all the work she's put into this great memoir. I also couldn't help myself as I grabbed a copy off the shelves and put it on one of the front tables, up by the door....I have NO self control...I know this. Feel free to pray for me.:)

Abide in Me

These are words that I have recently felt spoken deep in my spirit. "Abide in Me". At a moment when I was calling out for understanding, these are the words He spoke to me. And as I think, wonder, pray over what those words mean to me right now, in this present season, a new chapter of faith is unfolding before me.

My times of prayer have, in great measure, been spent asking "what does that look like right now?". Certainly this phrase is not a new concept to me. However, as each new season, trial, etc. presents itself the meaning of that phrase is not so easy to define. Sure, I could offer up the definition of Abide:

"continue, remain, survive, last, persist, stay, live on; obey, observe, follow, keep to, hold to, conform to, adhere to, stick to, stand by, act in accordance with, uphold, heed, accept, go along with, acknowledge, respect, defer to"

...but those are just words. I love them - lots of great words there, but what do they mean to me, living out this life of faith, day to day? This is where the beauty of the living, Holy Triune - three in One, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit speak into my life; speak to my spirit. This moment of questioning is where I surrender my understanding of these words "Abide in Me".

I come before my Holy, Holy, Holy God and ask for wisdom and insight. ...and He meets me there.

Brilliant!

Suddenly my eyes are opened and I see wounds that have not been forgiven - never even dawned on me there was a need to forgive this person. This woman who the enemy has used, and my dad allowed, to tear our family apart by having an ongoing affair with him for the last 10 years - I'm supposed to stop hating her (I've HATED her for 10 years) - even more, I'm supposed to forgive her.... I can't believe I was so blinded by my hatred that I couldn't see this no-brainer!! I thought forgiving my dad was enough, and am still walking down that road with minor set backs from time to time.

And yet, here I am again....."what does that mean, Lord?", "forgive her?!", "what does that look like?".


"Abide in Me"

I trust You, Lord. Forgive me. Change me.

Happy Mother's Day!

This is a little over the top, but it makes me smile thinking more about my mom than any experiences I've actually had as a mother yet. Enjoy:)

Happy Mother's day!

Great Friends

Our dear friends, Trish and Steve, came down this past week for a few days, on business. I've mentioned before that Trish is a recently published author. Her book, He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, is a funny, revealing, honest, inspiring (among other adjectives) memoir of her journey through faith and love. It's hilarious! I LOVE it! GO PICK UP A COPY AT YOUR LOCAL BARNES AND NOBLE OR BORDERS!!!! SERIOUSLY, you will NOT be disapointed!!!

She is currently on a book tour, and D.C./NoVa was one of her stops. We were honored to spend any available time they had, with them:) We met this couple when we lived in Cambridge four years ago. We were attending the Cambridge Vineyard and were looking to get involved in a small group. There were only two that we were interested in because they were specifically for married couples and we knew that was what we needed. After a series of events we ended up at a prayer/worship meeting of one of them. Steve and Trish were one of the couples we met that night.

The evening was a powerful one, as they usually are when "Vineyardites" are involved! Trish had a vision for me (the first of many throughout the years) that ushered me into a season of healing some deep hurts. The Lord has given Steve and Trish a ministry for Gavin and myself like no other, since that night. We have been connected ever since!

I always feel so loved when they are with us, and accepted. Steve is a Truth-speaker, and functions in that gift well!! He doesn't get Gavin's "theology talk" but loves him and humors him anyway.:) That's real love! He has a simple, yet profound way of understanding how to walk in faith and persevere on this journey we're on. He calls out men of God to be better than they are.

We LOVE this couple, and we're thankful for their friendship.

Gavin and I were just discussing today how incredibly blessed we are to have such amazing friends in each of you. The Lord has continued to blow us away with the friendships He consistently brings us. We are a better couple because of you all, you know who you are. Thank you for your love and friendship. ...from our friends from college who have loved us through the good and the bad, to our recent friends that choose to walk along beside us on this journey of faith.

Our cup overflows...

(By the way, so cool! I went to my first ever book reading/signing to hear my new favorite author, Trish Ryan, read several excerpts from her book "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not" and it was so much fun!!! She's so cool and down to earth! You would never have believed she was this accomplished new author! She signed my copy of her book.....it was SO cool. If you haven't already, you should pick up one of her books! It's a great read!....just in case I haven't already said that...)

Jenny's Back!!

Yay!! Jenny is back and is finally home! (I'll post pictures soon)

We drove down last week to surprise Jenny at the airport. It was SO hard for me to try to viably convince Jenny that we wouldn't be coming down to see her until Friday, in time for the party on Saturday. I really don't know how I was able to do it. (This proves that I completely missed my calling as a multi-million dollar actor...I'm just sayin'.)

The party on Saturday was great fun. Mom and I had the idea to have a party that would represent all the different holidays that Jenny missed, with food of the season and decorations, etc. So we had a Christmas section with a Christmas tree and wreaths; a Thanksgiving section with turkeys and harvest baskets; the New Year's table was the drink table; we had a Valentine's table with chocolates and lasagna; the birthday table had a birthday cake with her face on it....funny:) and noise makers, etc.; there was a 4th of July table and a Halloween table. We had a great time - lots of fun.

We all arrived back here around 1am Sunday night - technically Monday morning. Life is slowly getting back to normal for Jen. She is adjusting beautifully! She lost so much weight on the trip that we took five bags of clothes she could no longer wear to Goodwill today!! Isn't that great?! She's determined to continue progressing to a healthy size, so please keep her in your prayers.

We're SO happy to have our dear "aunt Jenny" home!! She has easily become more than a sister and more like a friend, and I am thrilled to have her back in hugging distance. She has learned so much throughout this year abroad. I am gleaning as much as I can.

We're all praying for direction and clarity as this new season is approaching. Our house in Cambridge is on the market for the fifth time. Though our new Realtor is really great and is bringing a lot of traffic through, nothing is moving as of today. If it doesn't sell then we really don't have much of a choice but to move back there. We LOVE Boston. We LOVE NC. We really like it a lot here. But that really has nothing to do with it. We just want to be where God wants us to be - His best! So please join us in praying for clarity. I'm praying that He will close any doors that would be a distraction, and swing wide open the door that holds His blessing. I'm at the point where I'm finally neutral about location. I just want to be right in the center of His will for our family, whether that means staying here, moving back to Cambridge or moving to NC, or anywhere else, for that matter. I want His best! I want to be obedient and am ready to serve more actively.

This time in D.C./Northern Virginia has been an amazing time of rest. What an unexpected and needed blessing!! I'm so thankful that the Lord knows what we need so much more than we do. He is so good. I can only choose to bless His name! He gives and takes away but my heart will choose to say, Lord, Blessed be Your name!

much love dear friends,
em

Update

Hi Everyone!

I've been keeping up with all my friend's blogs but have just not felt like blogging these past few weeks. Do you ever get like that? I get on....check to see if I have any new comments (always very exciting when there is one!)...and then the moment to write a new entry just...passes....right...by, to my delight at times.

We've been very busy. Two weekends ago we had several friends (21, including children) over for a full Seder meal and to dedicate Elle to the Lord. Mom surprised us by coming up and bringing my nieces, Macy and Abbi. It was a great time! Elle did amazingly well. John Hazlett, Nick and Mike Blake had special parts in the dedication, and our dear friend, Father Sam (Sammy), led the dedication. (Isn't that so cool!! Father Sam!!)

The dedication was so special. Gavin incorporated a prayer that I pray for the girls every morning, and other specific children in our lives, into the liturgy: that their hearts would long for and seek after His heart; their minds would long for and seek after His mind; and their spirits would long for and seek after His Spirit. Elle very sweetly took the salt of wisdom...and wanted more (that's a good sign, right?!:)) from Nick, the kiss of justice and compassion from Mike, and the oil of God's love from John.

This past weekend we had my dear cousin, Jason, his wife, Janet, and their two little ones, Anna and Ben with us for the weekend. We so enjoyed having them with us. Gavin and Jason are kindred spirits and I love Janet. It's a wonderful blessing being friends with my cousins in adulthood! We had a sweet time of hanging out, laughing a lot, enjoying the children playing together, Mojito's, wine, great food. We love slumber parties!!:) It's fun being able to put the kids down and stay up a few more hours hanging out.

We're off to NC this weekend to welcome Jenny home from her 11-month trip abroad!! I can't believe it's already been a year! We're SO excited to have Jenny back home with us! Yay!! We're throwing a big welcome home party for her on Saturday then bringing her back home with us on Sunday. I'll be sure to post some pics of her homecoming.

Lastly, I'm SO excited to tell you that my dear friend, Trish's book is out in store's tomorrow: He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not. I got my copy last week (advance order) and couldn't put it down. It's a great story about her journey and mishaps through love and faith. Whether you're single or married, you'll love this book. She's an amazing woman of faith, blessed with a husband that is equally amazing! Gavin and I love this couple and have been challenged and blessed by them for several years. It's funny, witty, insightful and a pure joy to read. I highly recommend this book for you and any girlfriends you know.

all my love, dear friends. I appreciate your friendship more than you know.

Dr. Soren Alexander

Introducing the newest member of the Long family! Here are some pictures from his fourth week of life, to his first days home, to time with Elle today.

He is a very sweet boy. We're having to work on the training...as with all puppies. The puppy stage is SUPER cute, but not super fun. I just walked around the front yard picking up all the poop (with a bag) and throwing it into the woods. I'm trying to train him to use the potty in the wooded area, not where we like to have picnics...:)

Right now he is an inside and outside dog. We have a little bed for him in the mudroom and a dog house outside...which he has yet to step paw in. He loves being outside but is getting more and more comfortable with being inside.

He loves the girls and they really love him, too. Eliot even cries for him whenever he goes out of her sight. Today he went with us to take Reece to dance, so on the way home he sat in her booster seat, right beside Elle. She kept wining randomly. I finally watched her in the rear view mirror and she would wimper anytime her hand was NOT in his mouth. She was fine as long as her hand was in his mouth, but the moment he turned his head she was not happy.

funny! I have always been a huge animal lover. There is a picture of me, around Elle's age, with my blanket (slept with it every night, walked around with it all day, kind of blanket) draped over our Golden Retriever at the time, Boone.

I'm very thankful for this little man! Though it may have been a little early to add another "toddler" to the mix, we're very thankful to have him.

Funny Conversation

The Pope visited D.C. yesterday. There was a big parade downtown which I believe 46,000 people attended....I just heard that from Nick. Anyway, this a hilarious conversation our friend, Renee, had with her two children as they prepared to go. Ellie is 5, Patrick is 3,and Flannery, our god-daughter, is two months old TODAY - but she didn't have much to say about the excursion, understandably:)

"My kids' perspective on the Pope's visit to DC 4/16/08

Me: Get your coats.
Ellie (5): Where are we going?
Me: We're going to the Pope's parade.
Patrick (3): The Poke?
Me: The Pope.
Patrick: The Pote.
Me: The Pope, with a P.
Ellie: The Pope has to pee!

giggles

Ellie: Mom
Me: Yes.
Ellie: Who is the Pope?
Me: He's the head of the Roman Catholic Church.

Silence

Ellie: He doesn't have a body?
Me: Of course he does honey.
Patrick: I'm going to catch some candy!
Me: It's not that type of parade, Buddy. The Pope doesn't throw candy.
Patrick: Because he doesn't have any arms?
Me: He has arms.
Ellie: Why are we going to see the Poke?
Me: Because the Pope is a very holy man.
Patrick: Oh, I'm a holy man!

Silence

Me: It'll be fun. The Pope rides in a funny car called the popemobile.
Patrick: The poopmobile!

more giggles

Me: The popemobile has an open seat in the back so we can see the Pope when he passes by.
Patrick: Mom?
Me: Yes
Patrick: The Pote has to ride in a car seat?
Me: Sort of. It's surrounded by a special glass that protects him.
Ellie: That's why he doesn't throw candy, Patrick. Because it would hit the glass!

You can't make this stuff up.
Renee"

Isn't that just awesome!! Here is the link for Sammy's blog, where he has a picture of the popemobile passing by.

More Soccer!

Reece had her first practice last week. I'm just now getting up pictures because it's been a crazy week. Gavin and Nick were gone all week, in LA, and we added a new family member: Dr. Soren Alexander! That's right! It's a boy!!! ....a boy puppy, that is:)

Reece did great at her practice. She loved going after the ball. They are not playing games, but learning how to play the game instead. It's great fun! We take our blanket and some snacks and hang out in the beautiful outdoors for an hour or so. Raegan and Reece both have practice on Monday's, so we'll be out for a few hours today - which will be great fun.

I'll post pics of Soren Alex soon. (Soren is from Soren Keirkegard - Gavin and I always wanted a golden by this name. Alexander is from Reece because he was her birthday present....Gavin added the Dr. part, of course!!:))

Soccer!

Raegan and Reece are playing soccer this spring. Neither of them have ever played before. We toss the ball around in the backyard, but Gavin nor I even know the rules, really - other than get the ball in the other guy's goal, don't touch the ball with your hands, stay in between the white lines....that's pretty much the extent of our soccer knowledge. (unlike our best friend's in NC - Scott's pretty much a superstar, and their beautiful children soon will be, as well!!:))

So, our first game was Saturday, also the first time Raegan would be on the field! (the first practice was rained out on Monday). I wasn't sure how she would handle it. We talked about it a lot in the days leading up to Saturday, and talked more on our way to the field. "This is just a time to have fun and kick the ball around. It doesn't matter who wins, or that you don't really know the rules, yet. Just get out there and have lots of fun!!" ...I hoped it would work.

You can see in the pictures she was a little shy at first (fingers in her mouth), but then shook it off, got out there and did a GREAT job! It was so much fun, all being there together, cheering her on. Yay! Raegan!

Reece starts today. She has practice on Monday's and Wednesday's - no games, just fun learning of the game of soccer. I'm so happy to be doing this and sharing it all together as a family. Our next few months of Saturday's are going to be occupied at soccer games (only one hour long), and I can't think of a better way to spend part of our weekend!

The Anti-Christ?!!

1 John 2:18
18 Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come. 19 These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.

20 But you are not like that, for the Holy One has given you his Spirit, and all of you know the truth. 21 So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies. 22 And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist. 23 Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either. But anyone who confesses the Son has the Father also.

--------------------------------------
So the latest trash that is being circulated over the internet suggests that Obama could be the anti-Christ. .....okay, people! Because the identity of the anti-Christ is still a mystery to us, it is an easy target to stir up fear among evangelicals. Fear mongering is the opposite of what the Gospel does. Don't get me wrong. It's not that I think we shouldn't be asking these questions? I think there is always room, and it is healthy and necessary, to question! Sadly, many are not even stopping to question when they get these pieces of trash in their inbox. We MUST be educated. We must check facts; check sources; check policies. Don't take anything at face value!

I'll be brief....because I can be.

"Whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also". NIV says "Who is the liar", referring to the anti-Christ, "It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ."
Barack Obama has spoken openly and often about the moment he gave his life over to Jesus, asking him to be his Lord and Savior. He has "confessed the Son" and therefore, "has the Father also" - making it impossible for him to be the anti-Christ.

Here is a link to one of the many times he has professed Jesus as his Savior and Lord. (a primary source)

Also, again, the link for the Ekklesia article, an evangelical Christian think-tank out of Cambridge, England, which also speaks to the validity of his Christian faith. (a secondary source)

Lastly, here is a link to CNN Election center which highlights each candidates proposals on various issues. It also gives you excerpts of speeches from the candidates speaking about each issue.

Here's to being educated voters!!!!
much love,
em

Obama: Muslim or Christian?

Throughout this campaign much has been done to try to slander Barack Obama, including accusing him of really being a Muslim instead of a Christian, as he has said in many occasions. Though the Rev. Wright controversy kind of put his "choice of faith" to rest (proving he was actively involved in a Christian church for 20+ years), I was still really encouraged by the following article. I know this "Muslim vs. Christian" issue will most likely come up again in the general election - especially from shady news organizations like Fox news.

Ekklesia is a Christian think-tank out Cambridge, England (interesting that they are writing about Obama in England). This is an excerpt of a recent article they published. You can go here to check out the full article.


"...Obama is also clear about the practical difference that his faith makes. “I believe in the example that Jesus set by feeding the hungry and healing the sick and always prioritizing the least of these over the powerful….Accepting Jesus Christ in my life has been a powerful guide for my conduct and my values and my ideals.”

Whether or not we would agree with all the conclusions Obama reaches as he applies his faith to his life, it seems certain that the man has an authentic relationship with Jesus. Of course, we could be cynical about all this, thinking that his protestations of faith are merely to win over the electorate. However, the Rev Jim Wallis, a leading US evangelical, writes “I have known Barack Obama for more than 10 years, and we have been talking about his Christian faith for a decade.”

Whatever we think of him as a possible future President, we should always stand against lies that are spread about any candidate. So, despite the reports, Obama is not a Muslim. He is a follower of Jesus, and one that makes clear that faith must make a difference to life. Amen to that!"

Organizing Fellowship

Emily --

I want to tell you about one of the most exciting projects of this campaign. It's called the Obama Organizing Fellowship.

When I was a young man, I was inspired by the Civil Rights Movement and the idea of people working at a grassroots level to bring about change.

I got my chance on the South Side of Chicago, as a community organizer, and it was the transformative experience of my career.

It allowed me to put my values to work and to see that real change comes not from the top-down, but from the bottom-up, when ordinary people come together around a common purpose.

The experience changed the course of my life -- and I want to share that kind of opportunity with you.

That's why we're introducing a program that's going to train a new generation of leaders -- not only to help us win this election, but to help strengthen our democracy in communities across the country.

If you apply and are selected, you'll be trained in the basic organizing principles that this campaign and our movement for change are built on. You will be assigned to a community where you'll organize supporters. Assignments will begin in June, and you'll be required to work a minimum of six weeks over the summer.

This program is designed to give you real world organizing experience that will have a concrete impact on this election.

Apply to be an Obama Organizing Fellow and put progressive values to work in the real world:

http://my.barackobama.com/fellows

If you can't take the time away from work or your family that's required for the fellowship program, you can still get involved.

*Reach out to someone you know who may be interested in this program, and let them know we could use their help:
http://my.barackobama.com/fellowsinvite

*House an Organizing Fellow -- If you have a spare room, you can help by offering housing to an Organizing Fellow near their training or near their eventual assignment. We haven't set locations for all of the trainings and assignments, but if you sign up, our staff will be in touch as the campaign grows:
http://my.barackobama.com/fellowshousing

*Support this program by making a donation to this campaign:
https://donate.barackobama.com/fellowsdonate

Being a community organizer wasn't easy, but it was the most valuable education I ever received. It taught me that together, ordinary people can do extraordinary things.

Organizing changed my life, and I hope it changes yours.

Thanks,

Barack Obama
-----------------
We've signed up to offer housing to any fellows that need it. I thought many of you might like the opportunity to help out, also.

This is the kind of leadership I look forward to when Obama becomes President. It's completely different than what we've always known and it is causing real action and real results, from real people....the fruit of these efforts remains to be seen, but I'm looking forward to seeing it!!:)

Easter!

We had a wonderful Easter! I hope you all did. Easter is my favorite holiday, next to Christmas. It's such a powerful time in history and for our faith. This year was especially wonderful. We had all the usual things: decorating Easter eggs, Easter egg hunts, a little bit of chocolate, new Easter dresses, etc. But this year we had an extra special blessing of becoming God-parents to our sweet Flannery Agnus Wood!

I loved going to mass (Episcopal) on the Saturday night before Easter . We started outside in the dark, representing the darkness of the tomb and of the womb. Once the Paschal candle was lit, everyone passed the light to each other before entering the sanctuary. The entire first half of the mass is in darkness only lit by the candles you're holding in your hands. During this time, among other things, we are led to renew our baptism (which is so cool, by the way!) This is also the time when new baptisms take place.

We had the great honor of standing next to Renee as Sammy baptized his daughter, Flannery, for his first baptism! (He was ordained as a priest in the Anglican church this past December) He was filled with emotion, as were we all, as he poured the water over her sweet little head. It was such a blessing, and honor, to be apart of this sacred ceremony.

(I'm leaving out a lot of really good stuff - this is just the reader's digest version:))

The second half (which looks like a normal mass) begins with a jolting, loud, and ominous sound from the organ - signifying the resurrection!! The lights come up and celebration begins! (this is where I think the charismatic choir should enter from the back, with tambourines and dancing in the isles, making their way up to the front and lead us all in a big sing along, celebrating and worshiping our risen Lord!!....but that's just me:))

It was so incredibly meaningful! I really enjoyed it! I hope we'll be able to do this every Easter.

By the way, Easter Saturday is the ONLY Saturday that we don't celebrate Sabbath - there is no rest, but sorrow and mourning. On Sunday, however, we celebrate Jesus as the Great Victor who conquered death! We make it a really big celebration!!! It's lots of fun! This is usually when we do our Seder meal, but because Easter is so much earlier this year (a month between Easter and Passover...?) we're going to have our Seder meal on Passover weekend. So we kind of get two Easters this year:)

He is risen! He is risen, indeed! He is risen! Hallelujah!!

Eliot turned 1!

Eliot Katherine turned one on March 7th. We had a great time celebrating this little one.

Words that describe Eliot:

Feisty
Compassionate
Strong
Mischievous
Fearless
Determined
Precious
Great smile
Smarty Pants!!
Intuitive
Musical
Animated
Un-intimidated
"Elle's bells" (coined by her aunt Jenny)

.....and completely charming!

Eliot's personality has continued to amaze Gavin and me, with each new milestone. She is signing regularly; she loves to write...doodle, really; she loves music and dances every time she hears a beat; she tries to strum on the guitar; she love to "read" and be read to; she loves dancing with her daddy and me; she adores her sisters; she prefers to eat off of a plate and hold a fork; she babbles ALL the time and says things that resemble "I want that", "Thank you", while pointing to an object and then pointing to herself...She truly amazes us.

Elle is a great combination of Raegan and Reece. She has the curiosity and intelligence of Raegan, but the compassion and intuitiveness of Reece. She's very perceptive and can figure out something that puzzles her, like Reece, but understands the "rules" of her environment, like Rae.

I know I'm just a mom gushing over her child, but really, I have babysat and known a lot of children throughout my years and I have NEVER known a baby like this one. She is so tenacious and really sweet at the same time. She really does amaze and bless us so greatly. She brings us lots of laughter. She loves her sisters and always seeks to comfort them when they're upset; she also looks for any opportunity to pull their hair or take their baby....we've got our work cut out for us on this one.

Gavin says we've switched roles in the discipline arena. He accuses me of being a softy with her. I always promised myself that I wouldn't have the typical, spoiled last child (no offense to you last born's out there:)), but she is testing me on that... I feel like I'm still being pretty consistent with Elle, but I must admit that she has charmed me... Have no fear!! I know that loving and healthy parenting offers a balance between affection and discipline. I'm having no problem with the affection part, and will continue to try my best to be the disciplinarian she needs me to be.

...............pray for me:)

Response to Kim:)

Kim, I don't think it's at all silly to wonder about such things. In fact, I appreciate your care. I'm always glad for your comments and input.

As you said, Obama has been working, writing and speaking to bring about One America and a United America for years. He has yielded much fruit in the pursuit of unity. I think one of the reasons he understands the need for unity is because of his spiritual training background.

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Wikipedia describes Liberation theology as follows:

"Liberation theology focuses on Jesus Christ as not only the Redeemer but also the Liberator of the oppressed. It emphasizes the Christian mission to bring justice to the poor and oppressed, particularly through political activism."

And Black Liberation theology as:

Black theology or Black liberation theology is a Christian theology of liberation. The field of black liberation theology received its name in the 1960s and includes in its history Pan Africanists from earlier centuries who used the teachings of Christianity and/or the vehicle of the black church as foundational to their efforts for securing a self-determining existence for Africans.

Black liberation theology is theology from the perspective of oppressed people. It seeks to interpret the gospel of Jesus against the backdrop of historical and contemporary racism. The message of black theology is that the African American struggle for liberation is consistent with the gospel--every theological statement must be consistent with, and perpetuate, the goals of liberation.

This theology maintains that African Americans must be liberated from multiple forms of bondage—social, political, economic and religious. This liberation involves empowerment and seeks the right of self-definition, self-affirmation and self-determination."

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I think his speech really explained well that the national reaction to Rev. Wright's sermons prove that the "most segregated hour in America is on Sunday mornings". It seems to me that what has been revealed in this, is that this is a very common theme in black churches across America, and we still have a long way to go in healing the hurts caused by the great sin of racism.

While Rev. Wright's convictions are shocking to anyone outside of the black church, I think it is very important for us to have understanding and grace for where the leaders of the black churches have come from, and through. The fact that Obama attended a church which promotes liberation theology (which is part of the gospel: to feed the poor, clothe the naked, care for orphans and widowed, etc.) and yet, comes out from under it with a revolutionary vision for unity and equality for ALL people, speaks to his integrity and character even more so.

He has proven that he has a unified perspective and vision for America - like you mentioned, and he has worked toward "perfecting our union" for so long. He understands that the injustices of this world are not a "black" problem. They are a problem for every American.

I think understanding liberation theology and promoting it are two different things. It would be one thing if he weren't standing up and raising his very influential voice to make a difference in this area to bring unity. Remember, too, that he got the title of his book, Audacity of Hope, from Rev. Wright. Wright did consistently speak about hope for a better future. It's a shame that he's being defined by these few damaging rants after 30 years of being respected.

I don't know if I'm addressing your disappointment, or not. Feel free to clarify if I've completely missed the point.:)

much love, dear friend.