So a couple new things - Addy has learned a new trick! She did it for the first time yesterday. She can now lift her legs and bottom, and tries to reach her toes. Check it out! It's adorable.
Secondly, yesterday we picked up the newest addition to our family. She's a 5 month old pit mix that we adopted from the shelter. Cole has named her Charlotte... just because he thinks it's funny to call her Charlotte the Harlot...
When we brought her home last night, Jujubee knew something was up. We've had lots of other dogs over before, but Jujubee somehow knew this wasn't just a visitor. She's feeling the need to dominate! But I'm sure they will be best friends in no time.
At Bible study last Tuesday, one of the mothers said her kids were asking about why God allows evil if he is all-powerful. I wanted to share Nancy's thoughts, as I think she simply and clearly addresses this common question.
I didn't get a chance to address your thoughts concerning your kids' questions about evil and why God made and allows it. They are really important questions to talk about because every thinking person will eventually ask them; and how you answer them forms the basis for believing if God is "good" or not.
If God created the capacity for evil and then deliberately did not prevent evil from harming us - it is easy to perceive that as "not good." So the question is, why is it SO important for us to have the right to choose - even if it means we might choose evil?
If you say to [your child], "Come and give me a kiss." You are giving her the opportunity to express her love to you by kissing you. If she says, "I don't really want to right now." She is expressing her ability to choose how and when to express her love to you. If you catch her and hold her really tight, and force her to give you a kiss, you have removed her ability to love you through giving you a kiss.
If Satan couldn't choose to serve and worship God; he would have been a slave and not an angel.
If we can't choose our own way, we also can't prove our love to God by choosing His way.
What we really want, is to be able to say that when it comes to my choices, God has to let me choose. But when sinful choices negatively affect people and even the earth, I want it to be God's fault! So we want to be the decider of when God should intervene and not let choice and consequence happen, and when he should not intervene and let choice and consequence happen.
We want to be the boss of God.
The other important thing to remember is that God consistently warns us that one day He will judge all evil. At that time, all evil that is not erased by Jesus' sacrifice, will be fully punished!
I also want to share something God was teaching me regarding His great mercy.
What God was teaching me was based primarily on Genesis 3:16, the woman's sentence after the fall of man.
"To the woman he said, 'I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.'"
What God opened my eyes to was how merciful He is, even when handing out these sentences. The woman shall have pain... but it will be in bearing children. Then the pain is forgotten immediately (John 16:21) and is replaced with unbelievable joy. In the same way, the second sentence for the woman is that she will be subject to her husband. How good is God that He does not make us subject to all men, or subject to a stranger... but subject only to our own husband who is then called to love us.
Just a reminder of God's great love and mercy.
Lasty, another reminder of God's great love and mercy - our precious Adeline, trying to roll :)
This morning, I went to a Bible study that Aunt Nance is leading. These women met last year as well, and this is the second half that I'm joining in on. Some things we discussed were 1) one thing you learned the last 4 weeks, 2) one way you saw God the last 4 weeks, and 3) a Bible verse you want God to make real in your life this next year. I wanted to share what those were for me.
One of the things that I've learned, or at least that God has proven over and over again, is how God blesses us with "family" wherever we are, and not just blood-related family. It is a gift of being a part of God's kingdom, and one Cole and I are so grateful for. God first showed us this in Taiwan, and has proven faithful in Tucson as well.
I have seen God as Provider in the last 4 weeks. I am constantly blown away with how much He blesses us. Here is just one of the many ways. The school Cole works for doesn't provide insurance for spouse/kids, and since I'm now a stay-at-home mom, I no longer have insurance through work. I have been stressing about this ever since Addy was born, and trying to figure out what to do, since we can't afford much for insurance each month, and we don't qualify for state health insurance. How would we afford her monthly check ups plus expensive vaccinations?
Enter God. We went to the Christmas program of Veritas, the elementary school Cole taught at last year, and were talking with Brice and Becca Kopas, one of the founding families of Veritas. Brice is a wonderful pediatrician, and offered his services to us... check ups, vaccinations, etc... all free. Oh thank you, thank you, Lord, for Your perfect timing and Your provision! We are so grateful for Brice. And so grateful for a pediatrician who prays for his patients. Now THAT'S quality healthcare!
So we just got back from Addy's 2 month checkup (2 weeks late... oops!) and here are the current stats as compared to her previous stats:
Weight
Birth = 7 lb 9 oz
1 month = 9 lb 11 oz
2 month = 11 lb 4 oz
Height
Birth = 20 in
1 month = 22 in
2 month = 23.5 in
Growing, healthy baby!
She also got 5... yes, FIVE... vaccination shots! (Ok, so I know all moms are rolling their eyes because that's normal... and I even knew beforehand that it would be a lot... but watching it happen makes 5 seem like a million). The nurse was wonderful and fast, but nothing makes this momma tear up like hearing her baby screaming in pain! She calmed down pretty fast, thankfully.
Lastly, I wanted to share the scripture that I want God to make real in my life this year:
"that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.
Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude."
- Colossians 2: 2-7
A video of how high Addy can lift herself while on her tummy :)
It is absolutely amazing how fast Addy is growing. This has prompted me to start this blog to document our quickly changing family.
Just a quick list of some of Addy's developments and milestones over her short 2 months of life so far:
She was born at 7 lbs 9 oz, 20 inches long
By 4 weeks she was gaining neck control and was able to hold her head up for a couple minutes during tummy time
At her 1 month checkup she was 9 lbs 11 oz, 22 inches long
By 6 weeks she started sleeping a solid 6 hours at night
At 7 weeks she took her first plane rides for the holidays! And slept through them all like a champ
By 8 weeks she was starting to sleep closer to 8 hours at night, starting to smile (especially when she first wakes up), and has lost most of her "startle" reflex
At 2 months now she is able to lift her chest and roll a little onto her side during tummy time. She bats and grabs at toys on her play mat, and once she gets ahold of one, she tries to bring them to her mouth. She is also much more vocal now with lots of cooing, and has found her fists are fun to suck on.
Enjoy the video of Addy trying to grab her toys, plus her sneezing is so dang cute!
(Thank you, Aunt Joline, for the package of new clothes all the way from Taiwan! She's wearing one of them in the video)
