I'm loving this!

The English supporting Fair Trade 

http://step.fairtrade.org.uk/

In America

http://www.fairtradetownsusa.org/

One Thousand Gifts Continued

In January and March, I posted lists of little things I am thankful for as Ann Voskamp did in her best selling book, "One Thousand Gifts." http://heatherpaiges.blogspot.com/search?q=one+thousand+gifts

Mrs. Masalin's list:
A double yolk
Popcorn popping on stove top
Heavy branches of snowy evergreens
Smell of rain on hot tar street

More from me:
29. Porch-grown tomato
30. Old men with British accents
31. Narrow cobblestone lanes
32. Watermelon seeds
33. Raining while sunny
34. Stolen sip of crisp Riesling
35. Manhattan in spring
36. Boston in fall
37. White monuments pink in sunset
38. Dandelions growing stubborn in schoolyard
39. Flying low over downtown at night
40. Pride and Prejudice
41. Gruene Hall

"Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers"

Day 8 of the 40 Day Prayer Guide for Orphan Care www.pearpod.com/oc/downloads/40DaysofPrayer.pdf: "Today, pray for the Lord to raise up workers for the harvest from your church and community.  Ask Him to call Christians to go to the 'fields of the fatherless' to experience the joy of caring for orphans as we were commanded in Isaiah 1:16-17."

"Give up your wicked ways.
Learn to do good. 
Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
Defend the orphan.
Fight for the rights of widows."

Matthew 9:37 says, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask, therefore, for the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into the harvest field."  I think of a field of strawberries all beautiful, sweet, fragile, hidden and needing to be picked carefully so as not to bruise them.  These children need to see faith, hope and love and we need to let the Lord use us to show it to them.   

Song by Tim Hughes: "We must go live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken. We must go. 
Stepping forward keep us from just singing
Move us into action.  We must go. 
Fill us up and send us out!"

http://www.christianalliancefororphans.org/

A Little Fall of Rain

Rain drops falling few, fat and loud. 
Circles growing on the puddles.
Afternoon sun shining yellow. 
May-green leaves like stained glass wet glow. 
Their shadows on wood floor dance. 
White walls yellow from floor's sun's reflection. 
All bright.  All shimmering. 
Tranquil.  Beautiful.

May 19th Screening of Nefarious

Exodus Cry, a division of the International House of Prayer, presented the film, Nefarious: Merchant of Souls as a part of their Incurable Fanatics Tour in North Brunswick, New Jersey on Saturday, May 19, 2012 at 6:00 p.m.. The Point Community Church combined with The Reformed Church of North Brunswick hosted the public event, which focused on educating fifty viewers about the global issue of sex trafficking, informing them about anti-trafficking efforts in the state of New Jersey and teaching them ways to join the movement.In addition to the film, guest speakers, Patricia Devine Harms (Chair of the Junior Leagues f New Jersey State Public Affairs Committee) and Amy Vincent (Chair of the Human Trafficking Advocacy and Awareness Committee) spoke about their work toward stricter anti-trafficking legislation in New Jersey and Heather Hunt (Assistant Director of Love True) introduced about Love True’s restoration efforts for victims rescued locally.

click to view on Love True blog: http://www.love-true.org/?p=137

From Left to Right: Heather Hunt (Assistant Director of Love True), Caroline Moore (Team Leader of Incurable Fanatics Tour), Amy Vincent (Chair of Human Trafficking Advocacy and Awareness Committee) and Patricia Devine Harms (Chair of Junior Leagues of New Jersey State Public Affairs Committee)

A coalition of churches and community members in Central New Jersey are joining together to see sex slavery eradicated in their area and victims restored. Methods may include: supporting anti-trafficking legislation, reporting cases of human trafficking, partnering with anti-trafficking organizations financially, running for Team Love True, raising awareness about the issue, writing letters to encourage recovering victims and challenging sexual culture. Activists also seek to prevent trafficking by protecting the vulnerable by volunteering with programs like Court Apppointed Special Advocates, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of New Jersey, opening their homes to foster children and orphans and urging men to not support the sex industry.

Hosting Incurable Fanatics Tour

If you are reading from New Jersey, come to this weekend's screening of Nefarious: Merchant of Souls in North Brunswick.  Learn more about the film at http://nefariousdocumentary.com/. 

6 P.M. Saturday, May 19th

The Reformed Church of North Brunswick

17 Laurel Place (by Babbage Park)

View the trailer here:

If you'd rather listen than read,

then click on this sermon series from Mana Church in NC.  The sermons on slavery and sex trafficking are very informative.  If you are short on time, you can do what I did and pull it up on your phone to listen while you drive. http://www.mannachurch.com/series_stop.php,
http://www.mannachurch.com/series_stop2.php

Mugshots of Prostituted Women

I first saw this poster in the documentary, Sex and Money: A National Search for Human Worth.  In the film, New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney uses these series of mugshots to explain why she believes prostitution should not be legalized in the United States.  Look at the transformation of each girl from her first arrest to her eighth. 

"The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that over 100,000 children are currently involved in prostitution in the United States... Nationwide statistics indicate that 85 percent of [adults] involved in prostitution were sexually abused as children... The abuse they suffered as children makes them exceedingly vulnerable to predatory pimps, who feed on the abuse victim’s sense of guilt and worthlessness in order to coerce and manipulate her," writes researcher, Laura Coulter.  To read the rest of Coulter's brief article click here: www.huntalternatives.org/download/1646_portrait_of_exploitation_prism_magazine_photos.pdf

A Few More Things I've Learned Mo. 6

1.  It is best to keep your mouth closed when playing horsey with him on my knees... he drools.
2. Just because he is usually quiet and content in the mid afternoon does not mean he will be during a diplomat's presentation.
3. Necklaces, glasses, and hair must look like finger food.
4. If toys are absent, toes will do.
5. There is a reason for board books. No more sitting in my lap while I read my Bible.
6. If you forgot to pack an extra outfit in the diaper bag, he'll probably have blow out.
7. Don't lick your fingers when the food that is on them is pureed squash. 

http://heatherpaiges.blogspot.com/2011/11/few-things-ive-learned.html for Mo. 1

The Whistle Blower

Watch the Whistle Blower, but not for entertainment purposes. 

Check out demandabolition.org- this one is about ending prostitution from the demand side.  Help change the fact that trafficking awareness meetings are full of women.  Practicality says talk to the johns. 

Panicking like a Hebrew

Sometimes when I prepare to feed my 6-month-old son, he loses patience and panics- he throws his head back dramatically and screams all while wriggling and making himself hard to hold onto and harder to convince that "the food is right here, buddy.  Open your eyes."  I sometimes tell him, "Son, I know your needs.  I will feed you and clean you and keep you warm and give you love.  I have provided for you thus far, why would I stop now? I am going to take care of you." 

Today I added to my lecture, "You are acting like the Hebrews.  At the Red Sea, when they saw Pharaoh's army pursuing them, they flew into a needless panic.  Had God not shown His compassion for them when He brought them out of Egypt, had He not proven his power through 10 wondrous plagues, had He not provided for them a pillar of cloud (guidance, shade, cool) and a pillar of fire (guidance, light, warmth) in the desert.  Later, He would even give them manna from the sky and water from a rock.  Did they think He would abandon them at the sea?  Well, Son, God parted the sea and they walked through on dry land and THEN He wiped out their enemy.  Exodus 14.  Baby Boy, I have not failed you yet.  Why are you panicking like a Hebrew?" 

Then I realized that God has reason to ask me the very same question.  Wham!  Humbled.  "Heather, why do you worry about your life?  Look at the birds of the air...your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you  not much more valuable than they?  If God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  Matthew 6.  I have provided for you thus far, why would I stop now?  I am going to take care of you."  Oh. 

Coercion.

"The Making of a Girl" by GEMS http://www.gems-girls.org/

If you don't think "teen prostitute" and "commercial sex slave" are synonymous, please look further.  http://www.polarisproject.org/human-trafficking/overview?gclid=CIyahdSwlq8CFUXc4AodTSv0zA

A Tree in the House and an Egg in the Bush

Have you thought about how odd American traditions must seem to foreigners?  I recall an Indian student at Texas A&M inquiring of me about Christmas.  "You cut down trees and put them inside your houses... then you hang things on them and store presents underneath?" 
I can imagine his confusion regarding Easter as well.  We have invented plastic eggs so that we can stick candy inside them then hide them in random places for children to find.  Why eggs?  And whats up with the rabbit?  I like our traditions, but when you look at it from the outside, it does appear quite silly. 

Steroid use in South Asian Brothels

http://news.yahoo.com/bangladeshs-teenage-brothels-hold-dark-steroid-secret-024639562.html
Yesterday I decided between wearing blue or green. Why is it that some women deliberate over what color to wear while others over whether to take a livestock-fattening tablet or be beaten and starved?

Think twice about what you think about.  Thanks Laura Joost for sending me this article.

One Thousand Gifts

In January, I posted a list of little things I am thankful for as Ann Voskamp did in her best selling book, "One Thousand Gifts" http://heatherpaiges.blogspot.com/search?q=one+thousand+gifts.

I promised to add to my list:
14. Stained cookbook pages
15. Salon hair washes
16. Sweatshirt just out of dryer
17. Snow on beach
18. Popping packing bubbles
19. Geese high overhead and loud
20. New England in autumn
21. 18th-century stone fences in Connecticut
22. Rooster strutting free
23. First footprints in snowy field
22. Paper snowflakes taped in neighborhood windows
24. Homemade winter hats
25. Fast, clear-toned fiddle
26. Andes chocolate mint on hotel room pillow
27. San Antonio's River Walk on December night
28. Sara Groves and Jars of Clay lyrics

An Announcement

2012 has been a busy year so far, hence the posting gap. Let me tell you why. 

You may have noticed from my posts that I feel strongly about the injustice of child sex trafficking (read these http://abolitioninternational.org/what-we-fight/ quick stats to learn more). To end this heinous crime, pimps must stop selling children for sex, men must stop buying children for sex, men must fight addiction to pornography so that they are less inclined to become abusers, parents must love their children to make them less inclined to run away, and the hearts of already broken girls must be repaired. 

To learn more, watch documentaries:
Sex + Money http://sexandmoneyfilm.com/
Nefarious: Merchant of Souls http://nefariousdocumentary.com/
Very Young Girls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fX6EaHuRCg

To find ways to help, check any of these sites and/or request their newsletters:
http://www.ijm.org/
http://www.sharedhope.org/Home.aspx
http://streetlightusa.org/
http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/
http://love146.org/

ANNOUNCEMENT:

I am called to repair women's hearts, so I have signed on to be the Assistant Director for New Jersey's first restoration home, Love True. I cannot wait to tell you about Love True's developments, so check here for updates and keep us in your prayers! 

Thank you.

Blue Eyes

My adorable little boy is growing up!  He's rolling from belly to back and bouncing in a jumperoo and eating mushy stuff and is very talkative.  I try to post videos from my computer and it doesn't work.  Does any one know the trick? 

More

More Fair Trade Chocolate: http://www.serrv.org/category/s?keyword=chocolate

And shop the Fair Trade store at http://www.serrv.org/

Slave Free Chocolate for Valentine$ Day

I welcome The Hershey Company's new commitment to improve supply chains, but it's not enough.  http://slavefreechocolate.org/2012/02/on-hersheys-pr-release-of-january-30th-2012/ 

Yes, I understand how capitalism works; yes, I am a capitalist, but no company should stoup to supporting child labor in order to make a buck.  Consumers, if we choose to support fair trade lines, we can drive the corporate giants toward just decision making.  So, if you are going to buy Hersheys this Valentines Day, buy "Bliss," but consider buying from a fair trade brand.  Download the new freetowork barcode app at http://free2work.org/ and look at these http://www.serrv.org/category/s?keyword=chocolate.

And maybe even sign a petition to tell Hershey's to "Stop Exploiting Children to Grow Cocoa Beans."  http://www.change.org/petitions/hersheys-trust-stop-exploiting-children-to-grow-cocoa-beans.  I do not agree with every petition this website offers, but I do agree with this one.

What a Stud

Sex Slavery Abolition Movement

And click Exoduscry.com

Reasons for Inquiry

Jeremiah 10:21 says, "The shepherds are senseless and do not inquire of the Lord; so they do not prosper and all their flocks are scattered."  Several proverbs warn about such consequences, but Jeremiah gives a specific example. 
If we do not inquire of the Lord, we are considered "senseless."  Rom 9:16 and a proverb (that I can't find right now) says that it is not by man's efforts but by God's mercy that a man prospers.  If we try to do it on our own, "our flocks will scatter" aka our purpose will not be fulfilled.
Proverbs also says again and again not to be discouraged when the wicked prosper.  I never really understood why God would let them prosper, but you know, they may be prospering in the world's eyes but not in the Lord's eyes.  For instance, if Jeremiah's shepherds are sitting there picking their toenails while their sheep are scattering, they may get really good and toenail picking, but not good at shepherding. 
Now I am afraid not only that I wont prosper, but that I will think I am prospering when I am not.  (I am not talking about accumulation of wealth= prosperity.  That is not biblical.  I am talking about giving love and justice to as many people as possible so that "His will be done on earth as it is in heaven."  Lord, teach us how to pray.  Matthew 6 and A Praying Life.

Read this little illustration.  So well put: http://devotional.upperroom.org/devotionals/2012-02-01.

"One Thousand Gifts"

is a suiting title for Ann Voskamp’s biographical book.  She recounts her struggle with viewing God as ungracious and her mission to change her perception by listing one thousand things she is thankful for.  According to the back cover, she "beckons you to leave the parched ground of pride, fear, and white-knuckle control and abandon yourself to God who overflows your cup."  She "turns pain into poetry" and "gently teaches you how to biblically lament loss."  Her list has reminded me that God’s love for us is obvious even in the smallest “gifts.”

Some of my favorites from her list are:

Clean sheets smelling like wind

Bare toes in early light

Jam piled high on toast

Moonlight on pillows

Kisses in the dark

Frost’s first crunch

Kettle whistling for tea on a cold afternoon

Crackle in the fireplace

Wool sweaters with turtle neck collars

Toothless smiles
Suds all colors in the sun

I began making my own list, which I will add to periodically here on this blog:

1. Old leather boots resoled

2. Live jug band

3. A father’s happy tears  

4. Homemade pie crust with butter-- shameless

5. Snapping uncooked asparagus

6. High pressure warm shower in small, steam-trapping bathroom

7. Blowing bubbles in facial cleanser

8. Babies’ toes

9. Yellow light on white sheets

10. Winter-cool wood floors under quick bare feet in morning

11. Coffee aroma in 7am kitchen

12. Undercooked chocolate chip cookies

13. Cherry blossoms falling like snow

"What is that?"

I’m looking forward to the “What is that?” questions.  Mom, what is that?  This is butter.  We can make some out of heavy cream sometime.  Where does cream come from?  From cows that go "Moo Moo."  I’m using the butter to grease my skillet so that my eggs don’t stick.  What’s an egg?  This is an egg; it comes out of a chicken.  What is a chicken?  Chickens are fat birds that can’t fly and go “Clucka!”  Here’s how you crack an egg.  You try the next one.  Look at all the ooze ooze out.  Doesn’t it look like snot?!  Watch it slosh in the skillet.  Now we can watch how the fire cooks the egg.  Mom, why do we have snot? 

Right now we are still at questioning eyes, “Mom, why can’t I roll over?!”

"Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus"

He Rolled Over

Our little man rolled over for the first time today.  :)  He was tummy timing (I didn't catch the roll on video, but I will try) when I saw that he was trying to throw his right leg and hip.  But alas he was too close to the edge of the mat and I knew his head would hit the wood if he rolled.  He achieved his goal sooner than I could move him and hit his head he did.  I picked him up and rejoiced for him even though the poor little guy was crying.  "That was you're first time to hurt yourself, Blue Eyes!  You have never caused yourself to get hurt before.  Good job!"  Haha. 

What do you think?

http://www.savesara.com/SarasStory.php

Cloth Diapers vs. Disposables

I did some math on diapering costs and thought I'd share my findings with you.

Disposable Diapers from the store cost about $.20 each give or take. The average parent spends $72/mo on diapers. That's more than $850 in the first year. Plus you'll need a diaper pale- prices vary.

Cloth Diapers cost me about $150 + utilities for Nate's first year. If you have a washer/dryer, free water/electric/gas, then that is all it will cost you. If not, factor in the cost of one load every two days (it likely costs less than $700/yr.) I really like the brand that I chose. They are size-adjustable, so they will fit your baby from birth to 18lbs (10-14 mos.) They do not leak, are not too bulky, and are really cute. Plus washing diapers is not as tedious as I had anticipated- you can purchase more diapers to wash less often. Here's my cost breakdown:

-$60 on five Thirsties DuoWraps at $12 each. http://www.amazon.com/Thirsties-Wrap-Meadow-Size-6-18/dp/B002FB7FBO/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1326144232&sr=1-1.

-$64 on 16 Thirsties Hemp Inserts at $4 each. http://www.amazon.com/Thirsties-Hemp-Inserts-Pack-Small/dp/B002FB7FLE/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1326144437&sr=1-1. These are soft and wonderfully absorbant. You can also simply buy prefolds at Walmart for approx $1 each.

-$18.50 on one zip up wetbag http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Wise-Washable-Reusable-Swimwear/dp/B006G1MXOS/ref=sr_1_10?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1326144602&sr=1-10. This is big enough to hold all of my diapers at once. It does not leak at all and it seals in the smell completely. Plus it comes in lots of fun color options. I just empty the diapers into the washer and turn the bag wrong-side-out to wash them. (Once your baby starts eating solid foods, you will have to rinse the poop off, but that's not as bad as it sounds and should be done even with disposables for the environmenment's sake).

-$12.50 will buy you a mini wetbag for your diaper bag. http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Wise-MINI-Wet-Dry/dp/B003II923M/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1326144817&sr=1-1. I just ordered mine; I have been using ziplock bags.

Remember there is no reason to polarize your choice. I keep a stash of disposable diapers too. Here's a helpful cost calculator website that you might find worth using: http://www.babycenter.com/baby-cost-calculator.

It is hard to eat when you're crying and hard to not cry when you're too tired to eat. 
Poor little guy.  He is sleeping soundly now and I am unpacking from our 2.3 week Texas trip.  Hello New Jersey= Hello cold.

"Transformed"

Yesterday, I passed a flashy billboard with triple x printed across the sign.  I pictured those x's being pushed on their sides and transformed ino the three crosses.   Such a transformation is not only theoretical but literal.  Jesus literally transforms us from our XXX state into a new creation 2Cor5:17 by what he did on the cross.

The world has fallen away from God and we are all tempted to live self-indulgent lives. Many are dragged away and enticed by their own desires James1:14-15 and so become slaves to sin Rom6.   Even though we sin, God offers grace. He washes us clean (as I described in the Diaper Change Analogy post) if we let Him because He loves us and wants to reconcile us to Himself. 

Thank God for grace!  So, "should we sin all the more that grace may abound? By no means! How can he who died to sin still live in it?" Rom6:1-2.  Rather He calls us to obedience.  Jesus explains in John14:23-24 that if we love Him, we will obey Him and that if we do not obey Him, we do not love Him.  In other words, if we do not love Him through our actions, we prove that we were not truly transformed.  No we never becme perfect or righteous on out own- we are still human, we are still tempted and we still screw up.  But he calls us to try.  "If we walk in the light as He is in the light...the blood of Christ purifies us from all sin" but "if we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth" 1John1:6-7.   When God changes us, our lives should change.  For "His kindness is intended to lead us to repentance" Rom2:4 and "consider the kindness and the sterness of God...kindness to you provided that you continue in His kindness" Rom11:22.   

Therefore "Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."  Rom12:2

Diaper Change Analogy

The average baby does not like being naked and hates diaper changes.  He does not kow how important it is that he be cleaned, but his mother does.  She lovingly cleans him even in the unpleasant and hard to reach places.  Also, if he has a rash, she dabs on ointment to heal him then dresses him in a clean garment.  He fights and struggles and screams, but when the experience is over, he is healthier and happier for both the short and long term. 

Are we not the same way?  When we make ungodly decisions, we sit in a hot mess of sin- poisoning our spirits and sometimes our bodies.  God, like a loving parent, wants to clean us up and restore us to spiritual health.  But the experience is often painful and humiliating.  So, eventhough we know that we need to be changed, pride and selfishness hold us back from letting him take care of us; we fight him.  This experience is well documented in the song, "Let It All Out," by Relient K: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD14sIrLiI8
[Chorus:]
And you said I know that this will hurt
But if I don't break your heart then things will just get worse
If the burden seems too much to bear
Remember the end will justify the pain it took to get us there

And I know you know
You touched my life
When you touched my heavy heart and made it light



I wrote a similar analogy a year or so ago: http://heatherpaiges.blogspot.com/2010/08/analogy.html

More "a little late" pictures from Week 1

Birth Story Photos (a little late)

Our new little family has come home to Texas to see the grandparents for Christmas.  I found these pictures here on my mom's computer.  Click for the birth story and here for the story behind the flag. 

I'm in Texas

I had Dublin Dr. Pepper and BBQ for lunch then chili cooked in Shiner Bock beer for dinner.  Today was a good day. 

List of Truths

Here is an abridged list of descriptions of God's people from scripture.  Scripture is true; these words are true for people who belong to God; you belong to God; these words are true for you.  Click on the word for a Bible verse or a song.  YOU ARE: His child, worth more than many sparrows, known, one who longs, not abandoned, a conqueror, protected, unafraid, courageous, armed, sustained, forgiven, saved, loved, healed, a new creation, a dancer, undignified, His delight, spotless, unashamed, not accused, not sorrowful, free, heard, comforted, renewed, strong, not troubled, joyful, eternal, created, being transformed, clay, a sinner and righteous, tempted, sympathized with, prayed for by Jesus, a recipient of foot-washing, ransomed, His friend, an heir, a servant, a temple, a branch, sheep, a lamp, like a star, a runner, His handiwork, blessed, covered, satisfied, and sent.

Old lyrics. New meaning.

Have you ever watched a movie that you hadn't seen since childhood and realized how completely you had misunderstood the plot.  I have done that several times.  I did it also with the pledge of allegiance.  "And to the republic for which it stands..."  I remember the day I realized that we were not saying "witch," but "which."  I seriously pictured a witch on a broomstick every time I said the pledge in grade school. 

I listened to "O Come O Come Emmanuel" today, a song I grew up reading from a hymnal.  I knew the words, but did not know my vocabulary.  "O come O come Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel."  Wow.  That is beautiful.  God's people were held captive by sin (as in Lamentations 1:5), but he loved us so much that he sent his son as a ransom to free us and gather us back to Himself!  Not just the Jews, but the gentiles too.  Romans 6.  "Rejoice! Rejoice!  Emmanuel shall come to thee O Israel."  Repeat. 

He :)ed

Blue Eye's eyes are still blue. I half expect them to turn Brown in the next few months because his eyes have not yet fully developed.  He did, however, pass one development milestone last week! He smiled a joyful little smile!  Here he is :)ing, but he also :Ds big open mouthed smiles that I just cant catch on camera. When I do, I'll post it because it is just too cute. 
When your child makes eye contact with you then smiles at you, it is such an amazing feeling!  Oh I was made for this. 

We are so blessed to have such a happy baby. Even before he smiled, he was generally content and bright eyed.  His face did a few times form an expression much like a smile. My guess is that the smiling muscles were already in place but the feeling of emotions such as joy had not yet set in. Now they have, undoubtably. Man, we love this kid.

Family Holiday Traditions

I love traditions.  To the point that I yearly wear my red socks when I decorate the Christmas tree while listening to Bing Crosby.  (Sidenote: I recommend the Christmas Swing Station on Pandora.com.)  I have been pondering traditions to start in our new little family. 

For instance, on Easter Sunday morning, we'll dye three batches of pancake batter different bright colors with food dye and have a big colorful pancake breakfast!  Thanks Abby Knorr for the idea and the photos.  Now I need a tradition to commemorate the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus when he washed away our sins by his grace.  Let me know if you think of one. 

For Christmas, I already have plenty of secular traditions that I hold dear and plan to continue, but I was specifically pondering a tradition for remembering the "reason for the season" = the birth of Jesus Christ.  We will set out a little nativity scene in a prominant spot in our home and place advent candles in the center of our table.  Every evening, we will light them (adding one each week) and read the Christmas story divided into short segments then discuss during dinner.  Since we'll blow the candles out nightly, the children will also draw a picture of the candles on butcher paper to hang on the wall.  Each Sunday they will color in one flame so that even when our candles are blown out, they are still burning. 

The night we light the last candle will call for a big celebration of some sort- I need to figure that one out. 
Maybe that can be when we do our most important Christmas tradition: choosing Jesus's birthday present.  As the kids get older, we will let them be creative with this one and come up with their own ideas, but at first we'll use a resource like World Vision to donate a farm animal to a family or school supplies to students or money toward a clean well for a village.  Thank you Zilas and Nussbaumers for this idea! 

 

A tradition such as this will not only help families in need as God has commanded us to do, but it will teach our children to joyfully help others.  You may ask, How is giving a gift to a random stranger giving a present to Jesus?  Jesus says himself in Matthew 25: 34-40 "...whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." 

Economic Growth and Just Growth

When this little guy was born his whole body was the length of the width of my torso- when I nursed him, his toes touched my side.  That is no longer the case (because he's longer.  padoomchang).  His torso is now the length of the width of my torso. That's because he eats so well.  He's a gulper and there is no shortage of food to him. 

I am a factory. And I am currently overproducing; that is, my supply exceeds his demand. Were he paying me for my milk, I would have to drive my price down... see my customer base is very small. Then I'd likely go out of business and he would have to switch to a different company (formula-makers) via a middle man (retailers) which have a much bigger customer base and can drive their prices up to meet demand. Lucky for both of us, I offer my product for free and will not go out of business.
Although overproduction is a bit of an annoyance for me, I prefer it over the Mastitis and the clog and the fear of the thrush in his mouth that I dealt with in the last two weeks.