Category Archives: Eucharisteo

7 of 40 – Well, aren’t we adorable

Posted in Eucharisteo, family outings, joy found, laughter, my boy, my girl, my husband, parenting (aint for sissies) by

Day 7 Topic: Funnies. Annalise this time. I’ll be brief.

While we were having brunch at a restaurant, a couple walked by and smiled. The lady leaned over to Matt and whispered, “Just so you know, you have the most adorable children!”

As she walked away, Annalise asked what they said. Matt told her. Annalise asked if it was the man that said it. “No,” Matt replied, “just the lady said it.”

Her response: “Oh. He must not have seen us then!”

Atta girl. I like the confidence.

P.S. A couple of updates…

  1. I will be investing in a pair of long johns/long underwear for the boy. I still say tights work better – because of the feet and all. But all you guys that were concerned for my son, rest easy.
  2. I still have not made it on Annalise’s “Thanks Giving” leaves. Only 19 more chances. Not that I’m counting, or anything…

5 of 40 – And the list goes on…

Posted in Eucharisteo, holidays, my girl by

Really no desire to write tonight. It’s been a day. Let me tell ya, it’s. been. a. DAY. But that would be awfully sad if I set out to do 40 days of posts and could only make it 4. I’ve got to at least make it a quarter of the way, wouldn’t you say?

So… Day 5 of 40 Topic: Funnies? Maybe.

I still haven’t made it on Annalise’s Thanks Giving leaves. She was wondering out loud what she’d write on her leaf for the night. My heart is thankful she is thankful for so many things that she just can’t pick one. We are blessed! Aaaand most of her “thankful” things have been people. The girl values what’s important. Double blessed! But the decision each night is a tough one and takes some pre-planning.

Leesie: Mom, I just don’t know what to write on my leaf tonight. I’m just thankful for so much! (pause) Oh, I know! I’ll be thankful for Izzy!

Me: You already were thankful for Izzy.

L: Oh. (another pause) How about Jacob?

Me: Yep. You were thankful for him, too.

L: Oh. Daddy? (no pause this time)

Me: (disgruntled) Yep. Him, too.

L: Hmm. Well, I can’t decide then.

Me: I can think of someone you could write.

L: (with surprise. As though there couldn’t possibly be another person to write) Who???

Me: (No words. Just raised eyebrows and a knowing look.)

L: (sighing and nearly rolling her eyes.) But I already put you. Remember? I said, “Family.”

Me: Yeah, I remember. But then you said Daddy, Izzy, and Jacob separately. And you were going to say them all again.

L: Yeah. But I don’t really need to do everyone that way. Because when I said “family,” that included everyone. (long pause) I know! I think I’ll write, “My pink Christmas tree!”

Me: (flatly) But it’s not even Christmas. (Ironic I’m the one saying that, having been listening to Christmas music for over a month now.)

L: Yeah, but I can still be thankful for it all year! Right, mom?

I’m getting beat out by a pink tree. 20 days left (not that I’m counting). I could still make the list, but it’s not looking good.

3 of 40 – Human Nature, Humbleness, and Thanks Giving

Posted in Eucharisteo, grace, holidays by

Day 3 Topic: Faith and Family

Do you ever have one of those moments where you think of something that is just so awesome you can’t wait to tell someone? In your mind you build up that moment when you will share it with them, imagining they are so in awe of your awesome idea and your awesomeness in general? No? That’s only happened to me? Hmm. Well, it was kind of me at the beginning of this month. I had this idea that – while not necessarily super awesome or unique – I thought was rather clever. And I was quite proud and excited to share it.

Then I realized a couple things:

  1. I am not so brilliant that this is a brand-new idea. I’m sure thousands of people have done it or something similar. In fact, I know 1,000’s of people have done it before, because I Googled it just now. Lots of people have done it. And way better than I did.
  2. Why is it I want people to think I had such an awesome idea? Am I so proud that I want to be noticed and applauded for an idea or accomplishment? This verse came to mind: “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.” ~ Isaiah 5:21  Ouch.
  3. My “clever” idea was just a fun way to remind my kids (and Matt and I) to be thankful each day for the blessings God has provided, to remind us of HIS providence.  I was proud of my idea that was meant to keep us grateful and humble. Oh, the irony.

Human nature is a funny – and frustrating – thing. It’s always there, ready to poke it’s ugly head up at any second. Even in the moments when our spirit desires to bring Glory to God – No, especially in those moments – the desires of the flesh – the longing to be noticed and applauded, in this case – creep in and can take over if we let it. Paul calls that The Law of Sin.  He writes in Romans 7:21 “So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.” Hmmm…. Sounds like a verse I need to memorize and think about every time I “want to do right.”

Paul goes on (verses 22-24, emphasis my own): For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?

But we can’t stop there. Because the next verse, and the first few verses in chapter 8, are the promises of God, the Hope Jesus gives: Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

I’ve written my favorite analogy for this in my Bible next to those verses. (The analogy is not my own, but one I heard first in a sermon, then later in a Freedom in Christ course): The Law of Sin is like the Law of Gravity. Always there. Always pulling us down. But how do overcome such a law? Through a greater law. For gravity, a greater law is the Law of Aerodynamics. For sin, it is the Law of the Spirit.

Yep. Always there. Always pulling me down. How thankful I am for the hope of Jesus. Who gives life and has set me free from the law of sin and death.

Thankful. Which brings me to my “clever” idea. Which 1,000’s of people have already thought of. And which a famous author (Ann Voskamp) already posted just this morning. Only hers is way better than mine. And so is her blog post about the idea.

This is our family’s Thanks Giving Tree (in a blurry pic): Each night in the month of November, we each say something we’re thankful for, write it on a leaf, and hang it on our tree.

We put 1 Chronicles 16:34 next to the tree so we remember to whom we should direct our thanks. Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! Then after hanging the leaves, we thank the Lord for those things we’ve just written.

Annalise is learning to write, so it has been especially fun watching her excitement (most nights) writing her own letters, and sometimes even Jacob’s. Other times, Jacob “writes” his own, with a translation from Mommy.

These leaves say:

  • “Jacob says, ‘Leesie.'” (Next to Jacob’s own scribbles that mean he is thankful for his sister.)
  • “Family” (Annalise’s writing)
  • “A Good Job” (Matt’s)
  • And in the corner on the red leaf, you can see Annalise’s “E” from “Ellia”

Not that I’m keeping track or anything, but Annalise’s first 7 leaves seem to be missing a certain member of her family. So far, she’s been thankful for: 1. Family, 2. Izzy (the dog), 3. Daddy, 4. Jacob. Then she “couldn’t decide between Ellia and Auntie Kye-Kye.” So she picked Ellia first (#5) and “would do Kye-Kye the next night.” Except the next night she forgot and put “my bed.” At least Kye-Kye was considered. Her #7 thing she is thankful for is “Thanksgiving.” I still have 23 days to make the list… Not that I’m keeping track or anything.

My #7 thankful thing? Freedom in Christ. Not the class (although I’m thankful for that, too), but the actual freedom. I don’t have to be “good enough.” I don’t have to “work hard enough.” I can walk freely, a child of God, drawing closer to Him, without guilt, doubt, and worry that I won’t measure up. I don’t have to win the battle over sin, because Jesus has already done that for me. Thanks be to God.

Oh yes, and since Ann Voskamp did the Thanks Giving Tree much better than I did, here is a link to her blog post about it. I just cut out plain leaves from fall colored and textured paper. She actually has a printout with verses of thanksgiving on the back, and you write what you’re thankful for on the front. Genius.

40 Days of Faith, Family, and Funnies

Posted in blogging, Eucharisteo, family outings, holidays, joy found, my boy, my girl, my husband by

I sorta have a love-hate relationship with October.

Love the rain… hate the rain. Love that my girl has a birthday this month, hate that she’s growing up so quickly. Love the fall colors, hate the mud and muddy wet dog. Love feeling in the groove at school, hate feeling like conferences are too soon… how can it be time to prepare already?

And while one of the things I absolutely love about October is the fun family festivities: (going to the pumpkin patch, carving pumpkins, cozy family nights with hot cocoa, and decorating pumpkin cookies), October ends up being the month I hate the. very. most. for several reasons: the horrific TV previews, creepy disgusting evil things in stores, and political propaganda (which is generally deceitful and/or hateful) everywhere you look. From all the outcry on Facebook posts, I take it I’m not the only one who has had enough.

But ahhhh…. November. The month of thanksgiving. I’m sure thankful this peaceful, filled-with-thanks-and-joy month follows the creepy, filled-with-evil-and-hatred month. It’s certainly refreshing for the soul. And again, from all the Facebook posts of thanks, I take it I’m not the only one who finds the change much needed.

Even so, I decided not to do the “Thirty Days of Thanks” this year. I love reading the posts from others. I did the challenge last year, but I wasn’t good at keeping up at it, and mostly, I’m just not so good at being brief. (Matt just said, “Really? YOU? I never thought of you as someone who has a hard time being brief.” Do you hear his sarcasm even in writing??? Brat.)

But back to the thankful posts. I was inspired by them, and also by a friend who blogged a summary of her day-to-day life each day for 7 days. (She says her life is “average,” but I looked forward to her blog post each and every day.) So I decided to give myself a challenge: Instead of 30 days of Thanks, I will write (or will attempt to write) a brief post each day around the topics that I am most thankful for: Faith, Family, and Funnies (a.k.a. kid antics.) For 40 days. Or until I run out of things to say…

So why 40, you ask? Well, partly because in exactly 40 days, I will be officially on Christmas Break, so the posts will – in a sense – be a count down (or up, rather) to vacation. But honestly, it is mostly because of the alliteration. Yes, I’m that nerdy.

Well… I guess here we go.
Today’s post topic: Family. I was a little behind on my October posts, so this first one is easy.

Pumpkin Carving…

Matt ran to get pizza while the kids and I formed a plan and prepared the pumpkin carving area.

(Super excited kids = not looking at camera and blurry in pic.)

I sliced off the tops while Leesie began to scoop out the innards. She isn’t very thorough, but her hands did get inside each pumpkin (4 large, 5 small). Definitely a good effort.Jacob decided he didn’t like the looks of it and didn’t touch a single pumpkin. (Hmmm. Sounds like another male Priestman I know.) Eventually, I was facing the rest of the family fun task alone. Just me.

Just me and my Christmas music, that is.

Jacob wanted a Mickey Mouse pumpkin (fitting, since he picked out the pumpkin while at the patch with you, Auntie Jill.) The Mickey pattern seemed easy enough. It wasn’t. Or I’m not that good at it. But at least it’s recognizable.

Annalise wanted Rapunzel. A little more detail than Mickey, and the pattern was too large for the pumpkin. She got over the fact that I was cutting length off Rapunzel’s hair, which is really her only identifiable feature in a carving, and settled for the chin-length-hair-generic-princess look. Upon viewing my final product she said with surprise, “Well, it’s better than I thought at least. Thanks, Mom.” Then went back to playing in the other room. I decided against a close-up of this one.

I wasn’t sure what I wanted my pumpkin to be yet, but I had done this with the little pumpkins last year:

I wanted to do something similar this year. I carved out my letters:

By the way, that doesn’t spell HOPET. It is a cross at the end. It was suggested I add some space in between the E and the cross to make it easier to read. Noted.

Two large pumpkins left. I still wasn’t sure what to do with them. The UW logo wasn’t printing for me. The face I drew looked stupid. I decided to do a camera for Matt. The template didn’t work because it made the entire picture come out, leaving a gaping hole. (Don’t they know they have to leave parts connected to the rest of the pumpkin so a picture emerges?) So, I created a masterpiece with the chunk that fell out using my own imagination and about 50 toothpicks to piece it all together. When I was done, I called the family in to look. Matt wasn’t sure what it was. Annalise said, “It’s supposed to be a camera.” Jacob was clearly not impressed. I decided against a close-up of this one, too. And then I decided not to carve the last pumpkin.

The final product was ridiculously awesome, just as long as you squint your eyes and stand at least 20 feet away. But even this close, I think it didn’t turn out too bad, wouldn’t you say? And yes, there is a space between HOPE and the cross.

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Paid in Full

Posted in Eucharisteo, family outings, grace, my husband by

Matt and I have had our fair share of car issues. I’d say more than our fair share, actually. Since I was in college, every single time I got a little extra cash, something went wrong with my car and said cash was used to pay for it. Seriously. Every. Single. Time. The pattern continued into our dating years and – since I believe in sharing everything – I even brought the problem with me into our marriage. (You’re oh-so-welcome, Husband.) One car issue after another, always right when money wasn’t quite as tight but quickly becomes even more so after fixing the car.

I won’t mention any names, but one of us always throws fits when this happens… when the extra cash gets wasted on car problems instead of on bills, or updating furniture, or fun trips, or goals, or going into savings, or… or…anything other than bringing us right back to where we were before the stupid car broke down.

The other one of us looks at the glass half-full and is grateful for the blessing of God’s provision… money in hand right when it was needed.

This may be a dead giveaway as to which one of us is which but… Hmph. Blessing-shmessing.

This year has been no different. Lots of car issues and lots of “extra” funds down the oil-drain. So I know how pumped my wonderful husband must have felt when he came home one night this summer, led me by the hand into the living room, held my hand open and placed a set of van keys in my palm. “I love you,” he said. “It’s ours… paid in full.”

…Silence…

More silence. And staring. Only not the “you are so incredible and I am so amazed at this wonderful gift” kind of staring. It was more like, “You did what? You bought WHAT???” kind of staring.

I am absolutely certain my dear Husband did not expect that kind of reaction. In silence, he led me out to the new van where the kids sat in every leather seat and touched every button as they squealed with excitement. Matt pointed out a few features while watching me and waiting for a reaction, some sign that I wasn’t going to explode. “You ok?” He asked several times, uncertainty in his voice.

I just nodded in silence, not even looking at him.

Husband is no idiot. He knows a silent-nod-without eye-contact means I am absolutely not ok. He just didn’t know why I wasn’t ok. I mean, a new van (because he knew I wanted a mini-van or something similar… potential to grow a family, you know.) Very few miles on it, and car problems no more (because he knew that after 17 years of driving and 17 years of car headaches, I could use a break.) No stress of having to go through the car hunting (because he knew it would totally and completely stress me out.) No tension in the car buying/dickering (because he knew that would stress me out even more.) Purchased at a very good price (because he knows I love a good deal.)

And the best news of all? NO CAR PAYMENTS.  The new van was Paid. In. Full. 

Unfortunately, I have this little problem. Call it stubbornness. Call it pride. Call it whatever you’d like. The fact is, I reacted in a manner that would make you think the only thing he had given me was a headache. Or maybe also a bathroom scale, I was that mad.

Silence on the outside, but loud angry thoughts on the inside: “How DARE he? He didn’t even ask my opinion!! Maybe I like it, but WHAT IF I DIDN’T??? SO WHAT if he saved me tension, stress, and grief?… Maybe I WANT the tension, stress, and grief! SO WHAT if he knows more about this stuff?…I DIDN’T EVEN GET A SAY in it! HOW. DARE. HE???” 

My reaction was saying, “Yes, I want a vehicle. And yes, I’ll take it already paid for. But I want it MY WAY.”

No worries, though. Eventually, I came around. I love the van. I apologized for my reaction. Dear Husband was forgiving and full of grace. And I am so very grateful for the gift – no headaches or tension in the process – and especially that it was paid in full.

That phrase has whirled around in my head for a while now…. paid in full… This isn’t the first time I’ve reacted to a gift like that. To a gift that was paid in full. I have a problem, maybe I’m not the only one who does. It’s an “I didn’t get a say!” problem. An “I could’ve done it better!” problem. Because isn’t that exactly how I’ve reacted to Jesus?

Jesus’ gift of life. His death on the cross. An amazing gift – the most amazing gift – my debt, paid in full. No, I don’t have loud angry thoughts flooding my mind screaming “I DON’T WANT THIS GIFT!” On the contrary, my words and thoughts say how grateful I am, that I accept this gift wholeheartedly and with humility.

It is my behavior that says otherwise. Little choices or big attitudes. Every time I experience a disappointment, a hiccup in my “plan”, or I’m discontent in my circumstances. My discontentment just says, “THIS is what you have for me, God? I think maybe I could’ve done it better! No, I DEFINITELY could’ve done it better.” 

Each time I’m angry or frustrated at what comes my way, I’m saying (without saying it), “YOU DIDN’T EVEN GIVE ME A SAY! You may know more – lots LOTS more – but even so, THANKS, BUT NO THANKS.”

Each time I choose to live with my hands closed, not accepting what He has for me and clinging to what I already have, my actions say it loud and clear… “SO WHAT if you see the bigger picture. I don’t like your way.”

Each time, my reaction is saying, “Yes, I’ll take this gift. Yes, I’d like my debt of sin paid in full. But I think I’ll do it MY WAY, thankyouverymuch.”

But the truth is, God is no idiot. He knows my thoughts from afar and He is familiar with all my ways (Psalm 139:2-3). He knows what I need before I ask Him (Matthew 6:8). He knows the plans He has for me, plans to prosper and not to harm me (Jeremiah 29:11). The truth is, He knows. 

Unfortunately, I still have this problem. Call it stubbornness. Call it pride. Call it human nature. Call it whatever you’d like. The truth is, it is sin. Eventually – hopefully – I come around. Eventually – hopefully – I recognize and then apologize for my reaction. And thankfully, He is always – always – forgiving and full of grace.

And I am so grateful for His gift – this gift for me  – and for you – that was paid in full.