Archive for Katey
explaining seattle rain
compliments of Hage CreativeI love this explanation of our rainy weather in Seattle. Having little ones around now, I definitely cherish the sun more because it’s our chance to explore the world outside the confines of our little home. Without the sun I dread taking the boys out- however I have experienced the Woodland Park Zoo in a downpour- that was an experience! Quoted from Go Northwest:
Seattle has a well-deserved wet and rainy reputation, perpetuated not least by the self-depreciating humor of its citizens. It is a pertinent point that the 36 inches of annual rainfall received by Seattle each year is less than the annual rainfall of places like New York. It is just that the rain comes down over a longer period–often precipitating as a slow drizzle, begrudgingly deposited by low lying clouds that seem to hang around far longer than necessary to get the job done.
The waters throughout the Puget landscape can but reflect the gray skies, resulting in somewhat monochromatic views. Mysterious, if that’s your cup of latte, depressing if it’s not. Yet these mists and rain keep Seattle cleaner and greener than most cities of a similar size. It takes only a day of sunshine to shake the winter blues. The city sparkles, the land lies green and beckoning across the bays, rivers and waterways as the landscape is transformed from gray monotones into the glittering hues that earn the “Emerald City” its nickname.
Perhaps those winter months have fostered the production of artifacts by which Seattle has made its presence felt. On the face of it, the cultural icons of grunge-rock, espresso coffee and software may seem an odd combination. Could it be, however that one is the expression of the winter blues, one the antidote to the winter blues, and one the productive use of short, rainy days?
So for all those times, my mom told me to move back to Portland- here’s why I stay…I live in the Emerald City! Still love you mom.
what is worship?
we’ve sang this song together at least 100 times since E sang this song (once) at church 2 weeks ago. I was shocked at how quickly he picked it up, but more importantly it is a reminder to me of how intentional and careful we need to be with what we let him watch and listen to, because…anything can be an influence on a child’s life. What do I want to be his influences?
to be everything, to be one thing
You’ve probably never wished to be a fish. Today, I am wishing to be a fish, for the first time. I’m sitting in a quiet house with 2 boys sleeping and I have a whole hour in front of me to choose my activity. If I were a fish, I wouldn’t have to choose. A fish can just exist. A fish can just be. A fish is designed for one purpose (well in addition to sitting on my kitchen table looking cute), to swim. To survive. I’m sure there is a more ecological answer, but that’s the gist of it. I want to have just one job! And I want to be REALLY good at it!
If I could just be a [wife and] mother. Just play with my children, teach them, love them, serve them. But that would be ignoring a multitude of gifts I believe God has given me with purpose. So how do we juggle them all? Whether it be hospitality & hosting others, being a good listener & friend, doing acts of service for others, having compassion, living out justice and mercy for others, or the ability to teach well, lead well, sing well, play well- I think there is a constant pull and tension on a person’s life. My husband and I have chosen a life for ourselves. One that we have decided should serve others and put others’ needs before our own. We are not perfect, we think of ourselves and our needs/wants/desires often- but we continually strive to live a life that goes beyond our personal agenda and preferences. Our sons have been invited into that. An afternoon at home building a fort is just as important as a trip to deliver food to a friend though.
We have a superhero living in our house. He happens to be three, and very special to me. Sometimes I wish I was a superhero too. If I had one power it would be this: the ability to compartmentalize my life. I think it would be a horrible and freeing power to have. When I want to be mom, I would have the power to be 100% there for my kids. Not distracted by email, facebook, laundry, bills, work. When I want to be wife, I could erase all the day’s experiences that had drained the energy and passion from me, and be 100% available to my husband, attentive and loving. When I go to work, I could be so focused and un-distracted by the little voices replaying the morning toy fight, tantrums over breakfast, or tearful goodbyes as mommy heads off to work. compartmentalization would revolutionize my life.
And yet, my life couldn’t be what it is without the constant ebb and flow, quiet and chaos, sleep deprived and caffeinated conversations. What is most exhausting about life, is also the most exhilarating. What drives me bonkers also inspires the crazy dreams in me. The love and affection from my family that is sporadic and desperate (almost always passionate) throughout the day is my lifeline. The hardest thing about wanting to be everything, to use all my gifts well, is that I can get so caught up in the details and distracted by the hopeful end result rather than soaking in the process. I might never feel like I do everything extremely well (in my own opinion), but I don’t think trading my chaos for the life of a fish would be all that satisfying.
I have come to my conclusion: I would not like to be a fish. No offense fish.
p.s. I suppose the only way I would like to be classified as a fish is if I were to say my one job in life is to love Christ. In that sense, I could be a fish. But that answer wouldn’t have allowed me to process what I did just now, so maybe that is why I didn’t think of it until just now.
superhero sayings
me: you are so fast at that puzzle.
e: you know why? because i’m a super hero. you know why i’m a super hero? because i clean up all my toys. you know why i clean up all my toys? because i love you”
wow- someone knows my love language!
Why I Haven’t Been Blogging
I seem to only have enough words to talk in real life, or to write online. And lately, I have had amazing experiences to share in real life. So every time I go to write on the blog, I get a big fat dose of procrastination. I will be back soon. So many thoughts running through my mind!!!!
Why I Haven’t Been Blogging
I seem to only have enough words to talk in real life, or to write online. And lately, I have had amazing experiences to share in real life. So every time I go to write on the blog, I get a big fat dose of procrastination. I will be back soon. So many thoughts running through my mind!!!!
A great story to share
Most likely many of you who read my blog also read that of my Pastor and friend, Eugene Cho. Seeing as compassion has been on my mind lately, and that this story breaks my heart, watch the story of little Connor and be moved to act in love for those around you.
surrounded by CM people
Yesterday, I spent most of the day with other Covenant Children’s Pastors & Directors, and also had the chance to share a bit of my story with seniors at SPU in a Children’s Ministry class in the afternoon. I hoped to be so inspiring in class that they would all decide to be full-time Children’s Pastors. In my dreams. Alas, I did meet one young lady who was interested in a possible internship with Global Village.
My favorite part about the day was being surrounded by like-minded people. Men and women (MOSTLY women- WHY I ask?) who love kids and love Jesus and have had the opportunity to combine their loves as their profession. I was on an emotional roller coaster…one minute I felt so overwhelmed by the great tasks we have of equipping & motivating parents to become primary spiritual mentors to their kids, while still providing the best children’s ministry we possibly can- though it seems we can never measure up to Disney, Hannah Montana, Star Wars and the likes in the eyes of a child. Such a daunting task! The next minute I felt like even if I spend my entire life time working toward this cause, I will never fully satisfy what I feel God has placed me on the earth to do!
So we are back to the themes of patience and wisdom today. Pray for Patience that God would allow me to rest in knowing that I am capable of doing the best I can with the moments He gives me each day to do His work (for myself, my family, and others). And pray for Wisdom that I would CHOOSE to do the right things with the time I have been given. This leads me to need prayers for Discernment that I would hear the right voices, or the right Voice rather, directing me and leading me where I should go.
Isaiah 30:21
21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
when sympathy isn’t enough
I’ve been wrestling again. I’m not sure which is more exhausting the battling thoughts in my head, or the constant teaching and training required by my 1 1/2 & 3 year olds. A friend said to me the other day, “I can’t get through a single day without praying for wisdom and patience” [parenting was the reference]. Well, I have been praying for patience, but wisdom had slipped my mind. Without wisdom, I have decided that patience is meaningless. What I lack in mental, physical and emotional strength can not be made up simply by being more patient with my children. The patience must be directed toward meaningful engagement of my children when they are fighting over toys, pushing boundaries and demonstrating independence and a very strong will. But that’s not what I really wanted to blog about.
I’ve blogged before about tragedy surrounding me, but never hitting really close to home. I see pain in people around me, and I hurt for them, but there are just some experiences I cannot relate to or empathize with. When I learned of a young woman I work with losing her young mother to a sudden brain aneurysm, I was shocked, saddened and wanted to grieve with her. But I could not empathize that pain. As I visit my little friend with a brain tumor and watch him recover from chemo treatments, crying out in discomfort, or watch his very pregnant mother tenderly cradle her son with clear exhaustion from all the tremendous efforts needed to be taken in a day- my heart and mind reel with sadness & sympathy, but again- no empathy.
I want to do more than just pray, than just attempt an encouraging word. I want to travel to the depths of someone’s pain and be there with them. But at the same time, do I want their pain for my life? So what does it mean to come alongside others in their pain, but to also embrace joyfully the life I have been given. I feel as if my life lens is tainted by other’s stories. I can’t go into my sons’ bedroom without feelings of gratitude that my children are healthy, and sadness that someone’s I love is ill. Is that okay? When should I feel sadness? When should I feel joy? How can those two emotions linger side by side each day? So I continue to wrestle…
What is spiritual parenting, Dr. Anthony?
I’ve discovered this woman who so articulately describes what I want to know for my family, live for my family, and share with the parents around me! So rather than fumble with words, I must share this passage today from a new book coming out called, Spiritual Parenting. I do believe it will be TRANSFORMATIONAL for parents!
In this book we will explore what it means to seek God as our primary audience- to please Him alone with our parenting and seek Him alone for the strength and power to do so. Spiritual parenting is not perfect parenting- it’s parenting from a spiritual perspective. It’s a way of parenting that declares, “I want to parent the child or children that God gave me in such a way that I first honor God and second create the best environment to put my children in the path of the Divine.”
What does it mean to put my child in the path of the Divine? Only God is divine. His divinity is the essence of His holiness, which ultimately transforms each of us. Through Jesus and His work on the cross, God transfers His holiness to me. Wow! What an incredible thought! This transaction takes place by God’s grace and through my faith, of course, but how it actually happens is a mystery.
As spiritual parents, we enlist ourselves as students of our children…to learn about them specifically as the children that God has entrusted to us. Not only do I need to learn how to rely on God (since His Word makes it clear that He alone is the one that changes hearts), but I also need to learn how my children are fearfully and wonderfully made in order to best guide them on the path that God has designed specifically for each one. It’s not about adopting a “parenting style” that works for all my children, because I will need to adapt my parenting to the uniqueness of each child (while still retaining my authority and values).
I can’t wait to learn more!!!! Parents please join me!
