Urgent!

The other night I had an interresting dream. I was college-aged and attending some sort of educational conference being hosted by a cruise liner. In addition to classes (on topics I do not recall), there were social events taking place in the evenings. There were hundreds of people on the ship: cruise ship staff of all levels, professors, and students. There was a mix of acedemics and celebration--perhaps just a bit more heavily weighted on the celebration end of things.
At some point in time, it became apparent that there was some sort of malfunction or damage to the vessel, and that sinking was eminent. This is where it gets disturbing...although it seems that most people knew the ship was headed for an unavoidable demise, they carried on as though NOTHING was amiss! Professers taught classes, students attended. Young women were quite concerned with their dresses, pantyhose, shoes and make-up. I recall standing in the midst of a group of young ladies adorning themselves for a formal dance. In a state of extreme dismay, I confronted them,
"Don't you know that the ship is sinking!?!"
"So?" they shrugged.
"How can you just go on being concerned about looking good for a dance when we may at any moment be under water?!?"
"Oh, just leave us alone!" some responded in annoyance.
"I can't believe this!" I shouted incredulously. My heart beat faster and faster. I ran around the ship frantically trying to get through to some one. Shouldn't we be launching life boats? Who cares about classes and social fluff when we are all going to die if we don't do something now!!! Why doesn't anyone else seem concerned? It didn't matter whom I confronted. Even the ship staff seemed unconcerned.
Just as fortold, the ship began to list, and water began to pour in...

In the morning, I awoke with a strange residue of urgency remaining from the dream. As I pondered it's strangeness, looking for some sort of meaning for the "real world", I realized something. This scenario is not unlike the spiritual state of things in our world. Ponder that for a while, and leave coments if you like.

Sick

Well, Russ was sick, then me and Josiah, now Gideon. And I thought when I was better that we were home free. Ah well... It's just hard to see the little guy not feeling good.

Where Does a Mom Call In Sick?

Just what is the most accurate job description for moms who chose that as their sole career?

"Stay-at-home mom"
"Domestic Engineer"
"Household Manager"

No job title is a complete description encompassing all of the tasks a mother performs. No closet is big enough to hold all of the hats a mother wears. We may not make any money as moms in the USA (I hear they do in Canada!), but we ARE important and impossible to replace! Sometimes I see it as job security, but sometimes I see it as "trapped". But, somedays, having your children request you (over dad even) and to see their smiles as they see you enter a room, well, that's priceless!

All that said, what is a mom to do when she's sick?!?!? There are no in-house substitutes. The job can't just be left undone until mom returns. There is no "sick-leave". Some are lucky to have husbands who can take a day off to cover mom's job (thanks Russ for the now and thens), and some are fortunate to have a grandma close by who is retired (thanks mom!). But, in many cases, moms just have to suffer through and work through the pain and misery.

For those of you out there who can give a mom a break--nieghbor, friend, family, stranger--DO IT!

Thanks for all you who have given me a break, whether for illness or just because! You're awesome!

Unfinished Business

Ever have insomnia because of unfinished business? All those things left undone--big and small...the phone call I forgot to make, the items I have repeatedly forgotten to return to Target for over a month now, the dishes in the kitchen, overdue children's video's from the library, that quilt I started over three years ago, the picnic table I meant to paint before the weather got cold, those socks I haven't finished knitting, our basement remodel project, ordering prints of our digital photos for the last three years, putting those photos into an album, keeping some sort of records of my children's developmental milestones and special memories because my memory is already fading...The list goes on.

*sigh*

But, then, I guess tonight's sleep is unfinished business. And I can't hope to finish any business tomorrow without it! So, off I go. And as I pile the covers on and suggle up next to my best friend and husband of 7 plus years, I pray that God would give me wisdom to know--when I need to know--which business is worth finishing.

Mathew 6:33-34
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

G'night Minnesota! Kanga-Posse has logged out!

Dedicated to the Lord

Tomorrow is Sunday, November 12, and we are going to publically dedicate Gideon to the Lord at our church (Hiawatha Church).

Gideon Emmanuel Nelson was born on November 2, 2005, right on his due date! Though it was a somewhat tumultuous birth, we had a very real sense that God was with us and that every detail was in His hands. There are no guarentees when it comes to having kids, except that God will walk along side of us giving us what we need to raise them, as we need it.

Gideon is a Hebrew name meaning "warrior", and his Old Testament name sake was a brave man of faith. Because of his faith in God, he defeated the Midianites though his army was extremely outnumbered. We pray that someday Gideon has such faith in the Lord. Emmanuel means "God is with us" and is one of the names used to refer to the Messiah. Our family was blown away by God's grace shown to us through Gideon's difficult birth--God WAS with us! We wanted to memorialize that by making Emmanuel Gideon's middle name. As long as Gideon is alive, and perhaps as he is remembered after he is gone, his middle name--Emmanuel--will be a powerful testimony to a God who is always with us. He is not some impersonal power that merely set creation in motion. No, the God of the entire universe came to earth as a baby, lived among us and sacrificed His life so that we might be free and have an intimate friendship with Him. That's good news!

So, tomorrow, we will simply reiterate that we as parents take responsibility for raising Gideon in a way that Honors God, but that ultimately he belongs to the Lord and is in His hands.

Gideon, we love you very much! You are a sweet treasure and we look forward to seeing the man God intends you to be unfold before us.

Mom & Dad