Slow Down Momma!

We joke that Eliaya has hit the "tornado" phase. Anyone with recent toddler experience probably doesn't need me to expound upon this - essentially E has two speeds, off and 110% go. She can tip apart a clean room in a matter of seconds. Nothing holds her in one place for very long. And her path is chaotic. Try as we may to curb her in one direction, she veers off onto an unexpected path. 

So I have tried to adjust and keep her busy busy busy, not staying in any one place too long and always changing up the venue for our adventures. It's exhausting! I was reminded today of the common reaction to Jesus' words in the Gospels. People were amazed. They stopped what they were doing, even if it was really important and came to see this Man who spoke with great authority. When He commanded the evil spirits out of a man the people replied "And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority!" (Mark 1:27). Upon forgiving the sins and healing the lame man, Scripture says "that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” (Mark 2:12). Even His disciples, those who were with Him all the time are shown as being amazed by His words. (Mark 10:24). 

While at the zoo with friends this morning, E would run full-speed ahead to what ever exhibit caught her little eye. But once she found something, be it a fish, giraffe, or just the flowers along the sidewalk. She stopped. I would call her along, trying to keep the busy-beaver pace so she wouldn't get bored, but she marveled, stood amazed, by the flower. I could see The little wheels in her brain going, taking in the beauty of God's creation. Though her understanding of God is very basic, she is amazed by Him. She takes time to take in the little details revealing His beauty and majesty. 

The Lord often uses E to show me how to be genuine. I'm thankful my God is amazing. I

want to take more time to let myself be amazed by Him. Though life seems to be going 100 miles an hour all the time, I need to slow down. To stop what, though it's important, prevents me from just standing amazed before Him. Mommas, take time to slow down!

Oh, the Discoveries

The mind of a toddler is a curious thing. Or perhaps it's better said to be a mysterious thing... you never know what's about to pop out of the mouth at you!

E has been been very busy these past few months making discoveries, venturing to new heights... literally and figuratively, and becoming a little leader... or revolutionary, depending on who you ask.

rocking on the horse at San Marco park

While friends were in town we ventured to a new park, close to the river. So fun! The kiddos loves watching the people fishing on the side of the road and we must have been good luck because in the 10 minutes we were there they caught 5 fish! E has figured out how to clamor up small slides and discovered the joy not only of going down the slide, but of riding down head first....Eeek! Took me a while, but I'm letting go of my neurotic 1st time mom fears and letting her find boundaries a little more on her own now (applause... thank you thank you...)

A frequent field trip for us now is to feed the ducks. Not sure what it is, but we seem to have the Dr. Dolittle attraction with smelly, gross-stuff eating aquatic birds, geese in particular. This day though, we were lucky and not mobbed by geese and able to feed the resident ducks. Jarrod will tear up the bread, some of the birds will even eat out of his hands! We give a piece to E, and well.. she smashes it in her hands for a while then eventually drops it. Anticlimactic. But she quacks right along with the critters with excitement.


Another discovery, and I'm sure all kids go through this at some point, has been the belly button. I think God made belly buttons mostly for the entertainment of toddlers. Whether we're changing diapers, in the bathtub, or simply happen to run a hand over our belly, we can't help but stick a finger in that little crevice and giggle! She calls it "Bey But". Gotta jot that in the baby book. Speaking of which, any other mom's completely lose the baby book by this time? I'm sure I can sift through and find it, and I've been piling on the guilt... her scrap book of the first year, still have months 10-12 left to do. Goal: finish before Dec and arrival of #2! I'm totally okay with making #2's scrapbook on snapfish. I want to be a scrapbooker... I really do. I want to be a crafty mom. (see earlier post about squares and figure eights) But scrapbooks just aren't it. My new endeavor is painting... don't get your hopes up. We're not talking scenery or portraits, but geometric patterns. This square's gotta have lines to follow!

playing with Silas. Perhaps arranged marriage isn't a bad idea.....

The little leader. Whether it be in church nursery, at a friend's house, the zoo, or target. E likes to climb. EVERYTHING. We've gotten used to this, and there are a few rules we've set that seem to prevent most would-be-lip-splitting-falls, but trying to stop her from climbing up everything is about as likely as keeping ice cream frozen all the way home while driving in rush hour. Don't plan on it. There are a few things E was doomed to inherit from her parents, one being a competitive streak a mile long. So in nursery, she'll climb to the very top of something, then looks down at the other kids (all younger) and suggest they follow her asap. At the zoo, she kept talking to this little boy till her started trying to follow up the play alligator, then she smirked as he couldn't get to with her. This power could be used for good: she takes toys to crying babies to cheer them up, or for evil: I foresee E convincing #2 to partake in some devious activity ....

Hey! We match! Love seeing giraffes at the zoo

In other news, Jarrod has started the fall semester, it'll be really busy through mid-October, but then should slow to a manageable pace. We're stoked after this semester, there are just 7 classes left! That's right, count 'em, 7!!We might survive this M Div after-all :) After that, we still have no clue, but are fully confident that the Lord will lead. I've started working on a catechism with E.  It's super basic, but seeing as how she's just 1.5 years old, it fits. It's great accountability to me: teaching her biblical truths like God created everything and singing songs like 'this little light of mine' spurs me to stay in the Word, to pray hard, and to keep studying. I've been meditation on 1 John the past week, especially chapters 1-2. John makes it clear that there is a firm line between those who know, love and follow God and those who don't. I think in our pseudo-include-everyone-make-no-distinctions mentality we gloss over the fact that there are sheep, and there are goats. You can't be half sheep-half goat. 

And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. (1 John 2:3-6, ESV)

The grace we receive from the Lord through Jesus Christ, that saves us. This grace (through the Word, prayer, accountability with other believers, etc) reaches to the deepest crevices of our hearts and changes everything. We cannot stay the same. We are driven to love what God loves, calling evil what God calls evil, living as He calls us to live. We can't claim our hope is in Christ when our lot is obviously thrown elsewhere. It should be clear to all those watching our lives and listening to our speech that we are followers of Christ. Not because those works save us, but because when we realize who has saved us, from what and to what great lengths He went to do so... we can't help but respond with praise and an obedient life. 

Time for mom duties to resume... but I hope this encouraged you.

Till the next edition,

-the Reeds

  

Beauty of a Daddy's Girl

I used to think the "daddy's girl" concept was just a pretty euphemism more referencing a dad's ability to become totally twitter-pated with their daughters. Dad's want to protect their daughters, be it from scraped knees, reckless drivers, or the end-it-be-all... boys. Dad's see their daughters as precious treasure in need of guarding. It hasn't been until now, with E's personality in full bloom, that I see the relationship goes both ways.
We have lots of fun throughout the day - swimming, reading, climbing everything. Around 5:00, I'll start making dinner and Eliaya goes around collecting bracelets, hats, shoes.... when daddy calls to say he's almost home, she begs me to help her put on the dress up accessories and makes a bee-line to the gate next to the front door. The most excited squeal, most rapid feet-stomping, biggest smile, all come the instant daddy walks in the door. You can see it written on her face, "yes! daddy's home to play, I've waited for this all day! He is my daddy and I love him!".

Scripture tells us that God made humans male and female, both in His image (Gen 1:26-27). Different in form, different in roles but entirely equal in worth. I used to be so convinced that I could do anything a man could do, we should be entirely "equal", and by that I meant the same, in all things. The feminist movement rooted home plate in my world-view. Even after becoming a Christian I struggled with wanting to be whom ever I wanted to be, without boundaries. I had no desire to be a pastor or to teach the men of the church, but I wanted that door to be open to me.
We live in a competitive world, we seek to rank everything. Have you noticed this? Movies are rated in the box office by which makes the most money, careers are ranked not by job satisfaction but by which one will make the most money, neighborhoods are ranked by highest average home value. Goodness me even grocery items are ranked by most frequently purchased! God did not create man then create woman with inherently less value. We're both heirs in Christ, both given the mission in the garden to be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it (Gen 1:28), both called to turn from our rebellion against God and be rescued by Him, both called part of the body (the church), and both given the commission to go out and tell others how great and deserving of worship the Lord is. Equal worth. But the Bible is also clear that there are different roles to be filled by men and women (1 Corinthians, Ephesians, Colossians, and Titus all speak to this issue directly) *I wont go into all the details of that now, perhaps Jarrod and I will work on a post together later to talk about this specifically and how it should play out in the home and in life.*
What we don't hear from the media and common world-view is that both roles are equally needed. Through much prayer and unpacking of emotional baggage, I see that the reason I wanted to be "the same" with men was I wanted to be valued, I wanted to be needed, and I wanted to be in control. The first two are (in proper place) desires rightly fulfilled through taking on the role God says is mine to fill! The last is a product of sin, part of the curse that I, in Christ, need to do battle with daily. There is great joy in fulfilling my role as a Christian woman. Learning to value what God says is valuable and be who He says I am... that's where I find freedom. My role is not the same as Jarrod's, and that's a wonderful thing. Our roles, working together, are teaching E and those around us about God and His relationship with man. If we were both the same, it wouldn't be the beautiful picture of Christ and the church. Us being equal worth and different roles is vital.

So, when Eliaya runs to her daddy and he embraces her after a long day's work, I smile. She's learning what the Bible says men are to be and what she is to become as a woman. She's learning that both are of greatest value to Jesus. And perhaps most of all, Jarrod's love to her is modeling the love of the heavenly Father, whom we hope one day, she will know.