OWU represent
Wow, what a cake!
She's beautiful!
Khadija and Landon
Monday, April 4, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Time for some more pics
I love this picture of Zeke asleep. So, tired from double ear infection. Fell asleep while grocery shopping.
All dressed up!
Rock Out!
Monday, December 6, 2010
Santa Claus Day???
Today is my daughter's birthday, and it is also St. Nicholas' Day!
I have two brief thoughts that I want to share this Advent season, on the subject of Santa Claus. And they are both anectdotes about my, now, four-year-old daughter. :)
1) Last night, we had a birthday party for Ana. It was a great time, and at the end, my wife started to give out little gift bags for the children who came. Ana saw this happening and excitedly asked, "What else can we give away?" I praise God that, while she was very enthusiastic about receiving her gifts -- thanks everyone! -- she was also very interested in giving gifts! Luke writes, that Paul said, that Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). Amen! Beware greed!
Segue: We do not want to deceive our children into "believing in" Santa Clause. I have too many thoughts on this to attempt to explain here. Here are three brief scripture which I think support my case, but even moreso, I hope this anectdote will suffice to illustrate.
2) The weekend before Thanksgiving was Light-Up Night in downtown Pittsburgh. We went into one building which was all decked out. Ana looked across the crowd from where we were, and exclaimed, "Look! There's a man all dressed up as Santa Claus!" That was one of my most proud moments, I think.
Some obvservations: she clearly recognized the jolly, old character. She was even excited about him! BUT she was not deceived into thinking that this was Santa Claus himself. I don't know about your kids, but my kids "make believe" all the time: various stories come to life in our household, with all of us playing different parts. And while in the game, we are strictly in character, we all know who we are in reality.
Kids know how to pretend! Children need not be lied to to enjoy Santa Claus. That statement stands by itself. But, more importantly, nothing should overshadow the reason we celebrate Christmas (i.e. the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (John 1:14)) or the Season of Advent (i.e. remembering Jesus' first coming even as we anticipate his return). Doing so is distracting, at best. But, it seems to me, sadly, that Santa and gifts are typically far more than a mere distration...
I shall now step down from my soap box, for the time being, and direct you to: Wikipedia info on Santa origins. :)
Happy Advent, and enjoy the Christ's Mass!
I have two brief thoughts that I want to share this Advent season, on the subject of Santa Claus. And they are both anectdotes about my, now, four-year-old daughter. :)
1) Last night, we had a birthday party for Ana. It was a great time, and at the end, my wife started to give out little gift bags for the children who came. Ana saw this happening and excitedly asked, "What else can we give away?" I praise God that, while she was very enthusiastic about receiving her gifts -- thanks everyone! -- she was also very interested in giving gifts! Luke writes, that Paul said, that Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). Amen! Beware greed!
Segue: We do not want to deceive our children into "believing in" Santa Clause. I have too many thoughts on this to attempt to explain here. Here are three brief scripture which I think support my case, but even moreso, I hope this anectdote will suffice to illustrate.
2) The weekend before Thanksgiving was Light-Up Night in downtown Pittsburgh. We went into one building which was all decked out. Ana looked across the crowd from where we were, and exclaimed, "Look! There's a man all dressed up as Santa Claus!" That was one of my most proud moments, I think.
Some obvservations: she clearly recognized the jolly, old character. She was even excited about him! BUT she was not deceived into thinking that this was Santa Claus himself. I don't know about your kids, but my kids "make believe" all the time: various stories come to life in our household, with all of us playing different parts. And while in the game, we are strictly in character, we all know who we are in reality.
Kids know how to pretend! Children need not be lied to to enjoy Santa Claus. That statement stands by itself. But, more importantly, nothing should overshadow the reason we celebrate Christmas (i.e. the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (John 1:14)) or the Season of Advent (i.e. remembering Jesus' first coming even as we anticipate his return). Doing so is distracting, at best. But, it seems to me, sadly, that Santa and gifts are typically far more than a mere distration...
I shall now step down from my soap box, for the time being, and direct you to: Wikipedia info on Santa origins. :)
Happy Advent, and enjoy the Christ's Mass!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
On Loving God
I read this last night for Church History:
"Who would dream of offering a man a reward for doing something he wants to do?...How much more the soul that loves God seeks no other reward than that God whom it loves. Were the soul to demand anything else, then it would certainly love that other thing and not God....[Jesus] gave himself to merit for us; he keeps himself to be our reward; he serves himself as food for holy souls; he sold himself in ransom for captive souls. O Lord, you are so good to the soul who seeks you, what must you be to the one who finds you?...Who confesses the Lord, not because he is good to him but because the Lord is good, truly loves God for God's sake and not for his own benefit." - 12th century abbot, Bernard of Clairvaux, excerpted from his treatise, "On Loving God."
I wanted to share this quote today because 1) it's incredible and I need to think it through, and 2) I think it applies to how I am called by Jesus to live...and vote.
"Who would dream of offering a man a reward for doing something he wants to do?...How much more the soul that loves God seeks no other reward than that God whom it loves. Were the soul to demand anything else, then it would certainly love that other thing and not God....[Jesus] gave himself to merit for us; he keeps himself to be our reward; he serves himself as food for holy souls; he sold himself in ransom for captive souls. O Lord, you are so good to the soul who seeks you, what must you be to the one who finds you?...Who confesses the Lord, not because he is good to him but because the Lord is good, truly loves God for God's sake and not for his own benefit." - 12th century abbot, Bernard of Clairvaux, excerpted from his treatise, "On Loving God."
I wanted to share this quote today because 1) it's incredible and I need to think it through, and 2) I think it applies to how I am called by Jesus to live...and vote.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
