Madi's first school field trip: Country Pumpkins

Friday Madi had her first school field trip. The 4's class was going to Country Pumpkins in Zionsville from 9-1p. We started the day with doughnuts at home then went to school to drop Rawley off and meet up with Aunt DeeDee.

 I was supposed to drive another boy from her class but his Mom decided to drive so it was just Madi, Aunt DeeDee and me. After talking with Miss Stacey she said they didn't plan to get to the pumpkin patch until close to 10a. It was 8:30 so Aunt DeeDee, Madi and I took off for "adult coffee" (Madi's choice).

 At Starbucks I had a migraine hit (getting those a lot lately) so instead of driving separately we left my car at Starbucks. I fired up the GPS so Donell would know where to go and sat in the passenger's seat with my eyes closed waiting for the fuzzy vision to stop. We got to the pumpkin patch, parked by everyone else and made our way to the tent for orientation. There was a little presentation about what grows on the farm, what's friendly and what to expect during our trip. Then we made our way to the animals. Madi wasn't into touching the animals. We saw chickens, rabbits, turkeys, goats, pigs, sheep and ponies. 

Next stop was the play zone. There was a corn kernel "sand" box and swing set but Madi spent pretty much all her time roping cows or running bales of hay. Look at this cow girl!

Our third stop was a hay ride...yay!! All the kids loaded up towards the back (side) and the adults sat in the "loading" area. It was a well thought out process to put the kids in the safest spot of the wagon. We went around the farm and stopped at the honey bee station. The kids learned that bees are more scared of us, fly close to us looking for things that are sweet and if we see a bee by us we're to Freeze! As one who's allergic, definitely agree with the Freeze! concept. 

Next up was the corn maze. Had we known what it entailed I think the adults would've chose to skip it. There was straw down the first 1/3 of the maze but then it went to straight mud. Kids were slipping, parents were slipping. It seemed the end would never come...but it did! Here's some shots of "children of the corn." Ha! I crack myself up!! 

Madi & Raphy. Best friends since the 2's class. Raphy's Mom is 6-mos pregnant with a girl. Raphy's Dad was telling us that Raphy's decided the baby's name is going to be Madi. Donell sat near Raphy on the hayride and was asking about him becoming a big brother and whether he knew if it was a boy or girl. After he said it was a girl she asked what her name should be and he said "Her name's Madi." Dad was right!!

After the maze we had our picnic lunches, picked out a little pumpkin to bring home and then said our goodbyes. Madi, Aunt DeeDee and I went up to the general store to search for gourds and pumpkins. Ever since the kids and I painted pumpkins Madi's wanted pumpkins for Daddy's house. Since he didn't have any yet she picked out three little pumpkins/gourds to bring that afternoon. One for her, Daddy & Rawley. It was very sweet.

...and that's the story of Madi's first school field trip.

sermon notes - Where is God When it Hurts?

Genesis 32:22-32 & Psalm 13


hopeheals.com
We have been very blessed to suffer greatly at a young age because it informs the way we live the rest of our life.  - Katherine Wolf
     Katherine suffered a brain stem stroke and lost the ability to care for their young son for a long while. She wasn't supposed to survive the stroke but did.

None of us are immune to misery or forces beyond our ability to manage.

There is intimacy involved in wrestling. Physical manifestation of desperate prayer. God's answer is I'm here. I'm engaged with you. You matter to me.

God could've won with Jacob yet He blessed Jacob.

Our authenticity with God comes from our moments of strife.
Imagine you meet up with a good friend who asks how you're doing. You reply that things are good. In actuality your dog ran away, your car broke down, you might lose your job, your Mother is very ill. Your friend later hears all these struggles and confronts you about your "I'm good" reply. Why didn't you tell me about the tough things in your life right now? Do you not trust me?

Reject or refuse to wrestle with God is unhealthy dynamic of your relationship. We're careful in how we speak to others, restraint with our words to be respectful and pc. But we need to be truthful with God. Be bold for He already knows. Honesty draws us towards God.

Wrestling words, bold prayer define your relationship, trustworthiness with the Lord.

Psalms are stories of how to know God. 70% are laments ("wrestling")


Magnify God - not your challenges.


What does it look like for you to wrestle with God?

weekend update

Even though the weather was a little chilly this weekend we had a great time. I miss the 80's from last weekend but Fall is coming, might argue that it's already here, so it's time to switch gears and enjoy the sunny weekends we're given before snow hits the ground. So you have to wear long sleeves and a jacket/sweatshirt. That's better than a snow suit! Here's a quick summary of our weekend and a bunch of pictures.

Pete & Bruiser spent the weekend with us and Friday night they both snuggled into the bed. It was cute but didn't last as they make a lot of noise in their sleep so they got booted.

Saturday we were up and at 'em at the usual time. The kids don't know that weekends are made for sleeping in but that's alright, keeps us on a schedule. After breakfast we played around for a while spending time on the back porch. All morning it was the cutest thing as Rawley wanted to do what Madi did and play what she was playing. Unfortunately she wasn't as excited about having a shadow but for the most part did a great job engaging him in what she was doing. I had a great time watching them play. This one cracked me up as the box was a space ship but it had a ski handle steering wheel!

We got dressed and headed to pick out pumpkins for painting. I'd told Madi we could paint pumpkins for the front porch and this seemed like a good weekend for an inside activity. We got two big pumpkins and two little ones for Madi & Rawley. Then the painting began!

Saturday after naps we played dress up. Rawley's was short lived as he wasn't really into it but enjoyed pulling just about everything from my bathroom cabinets. To each his own! Madi on the other hand was Doc McStuffins all afternoon. I have the glitter everywhere to prove it. It's in the laundry room, in my bed, in her bed, on the couch, on the dogs, all over our socks - everywhere. Mental note to NEVER wash that outfit with anything else. To those that find glitter in their hair, I'm sorry but that stuff just doesn't wash out.

After church Sunday we went through the car wash, grabbed some lunch and then came home to play in the back yard. It was such a sunny afternoon. We cleaned off the deck of the leaves and swept them into a pile just past the stairs. Madi & Rawley both enjoyed jumping into the leaves and then throwing them into the air. Madi's been asking to play soccer at school so we kicked the balls around in the back yard and then the kids started exploring and playing with the trees. We talked about smooth leaves and rough bark, little sticks and big branches, short and tall trees. Madi explained photosynthesis to me:  the leaves don't get fed enough so they change colors and then fall off the tree. I wish I could type out how she said photosynthesis but trust me, it was adorable. Madi was jumping up trying to reach some of the lower branches of the cottonwood. Then she figured out all on her own that if she climbed up the pile at the base of the tree and jumped from there she'd be that much higher to start with. Madi wanted to touch the pine trees in the very back so we went to the prickly one first and then the soft one. She was Miss Drama throwing the branches off to the side, stepping through and saying "Ta Da!" Cracked me up. This spring at her parent-teacher conference I remember Mrs. Reed saying that she could tell what kids had early birthdays because they didn't get into the imaginative play like the other kids. Ha! I think Madi's conquered the imaginative play just fine!! Both she and Rawley were weaving in and out of the soft branches.

Crafts, exploring in the back yard and then meeting up with some friends at the park to explore, make new friends and play made this a spectacular weekend.

sermon notes - Why Did Jesus Come?

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Matthew 5:17

 

How determined are you to win your race? Video clip of Heather Dorniden shown. Runner who fell down flat during race but got up and managed to win.

 

The New Testament – God shows up. Not about religion or ritual, temple or sacrifice. It’s not an analogy or a metaphor. The pivot point of all human history. The birth, the life, the death, resurrection then ascension of the one called Jesus.

 

We don’t generate hope – hope comes to us. It’s not originally internal, we generate on our own, or us trying harder. Hope is God coming to us, loving us, comforting us. Loving us far too much to leave us there. He comes alongside his people, picks us up from the ground when we’re face down, brushes us off, puts us back on our feet and sets us on our race. Hope is planted deep within, nurtured and grows unseen to others. Is only possible because God has come, has shown up.

 

When God comes, when He shows up, He surprises the world. While the  whole world is climbing the ladder, stepping on others to ascend. God reaches down the ladder.

 

Read the 4 gospels and discover hope. Hope on every page! Allow Jesus to whisper to you in your life and in your soul. Personally, honestly, intimately – Do you know Jesus?

 

Matthew was a tax collector and therefore meticulous with records. His recording of Jesus’ actions, words in Matthew is to be trusted.

 

Jesus does not treat you as your sins deserve. Loves you as a parent loves a lost child, for we all were/maybe still are. Nothing you can do for Him to love you less. He loves you completely. Also nothing you can do for Him to love you more. His is absolutely unconditional love. He searching. Searching for you. He’ll always be searching for you, calling you by name until you’re found. He’ll save you every hour of every day. God never comes to visit; He comes to stay.

 

Why did Jesus come? He came to set all things right, to mend this broken world, establish the kingdom of God, to reconcile the whole world back to God, to bring a sword to draw a line between good and bad, not to be served but to serve, to seek and to save what was lost.

 

My hope & anchor, lover of my soul. Abiding presence and power the world can never take away. Jesus loves me and will always love me. Jesus sends me and will always send me so that we may, in His name, go love.

Can have a knowledge of what is right and wrong. Can come from a very moral family but have absolutely no connection to the gospel.

 

Regardless of the world’s chaos – God wins!