Easter weekend pictures

Kajsa and her cousin having fun Easter weekend…..

yes, there was something inside that egg that Abby wanted... a Reeses peanut butter cup

Day 33: Lazarus is alive?!

Lazarus is alive?!

The John 11 passage about a loved one being resurrected is challenging. It challenges our sense of fairness, of miracles, of why some bad things are fixed for some people, and many bad things aren’t fixed for many people..  but at the end of the week, I can see the joy and the shock of the resurrection.

The questions will still challenge. The problems won’t go away, some days will be joyous, some won’t. For us, for those we love, and for those we don’t even know, but who continue to struggle through life… But through it all, God is still present.

And for now, Lazarus is alive?! Abby, at least, will jump for joy!

could you define “will”?

Isaiah 35 promises many things-things that are not altogether bad. In fact
they are community-building, wilderness-enduring, healthy and faith-deepening
things. And yet the word “will” accompanies these promises so much, that if I
were alive back then, I’d be saying, “Define WILL… and let me know WHEN.”
Those of us who have spent many years waiting for something know how hard it can be to hope, when what we are waiting for doesn’t happen yet.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, life doesn’t always work like that. We don’t know
when, we don’t get to define “will”—at least not when it comes to Biblical
promises. We don’t always get it, or, if we do, we don’t understand it. Waiting is
hard.

the "patient" dog waiting for someone to play with her

Some promises in Isaiah 35 have come true in the life and ministry of Jesus
Christ. Literally and figuratively. Light into the darkness, the blind see, miracles
happened, the power of sin was conquered, rejoicing came to the wilderness.
Even so, at times the wilderness stinks. For instance, when someone says, “It
will get better…” or… “Someday you WILL see the good in all this waiting
period.” Whatever. That may be true. But in the meantime, waiting is still hard.

I suspect we’re all waiting, on some level. My good friend Karen says that
everybody is waiting for something. Whatever we are waiting for, may we be
graced with the strength to find joy in the wait. We may not know WHEN our
waiting season WILL be finished… but help us, Lord, to see you in it. And to find
joy in this time.

Advent Journey-Hope

Hope

Hoping that Advent bring me closer to Christ and to God.

Hoping that I will be open to the Spirit’s nudging in these and other areas.

Hoping for the end of untimely deaths among those I love.

Hoping for the end of untimely deaths among the world’s population. Not just those I know I love.

Hoping for the end of violence, war, skirmishes, pettiness, etc..

Hoping for freedom from the things that keep me from growing closer to God. And hoping for this same freedom, as applied to others also.

Hoping that though I may not get the whole platter of turkey leftovers, I might at least be given a morsel.

Hoping that I will receive the gifts God gives to me everyday. Whether or not I want or think I need them.

“Clifford”

It only took me countless hours, on and off, but I finally finished the costume. Maybe next time I should actually try to figure out a pattern, and how to read a sewing pattern, instead of trying to do it all by myself. If I keep up with these sewing projects, I’ll have to eventually learn, because it will take less time.

Regardless, good thing the girl is dang cute.

Tonight we went trick-or-treating with friends–in their neighborhood. Lots of fun. We also visited a couple other friends at their homes–this afternoon and this evening.

"Clifford the Big Red Dog"

Family Photo... with Milo, a neighborhood cat (not our neighborhood)

Trick-or-Treating with friends

how Kajsa stays busy… at times

the cubby, the tree, the bubble wrap girl....

One of Kajsa’s favorite soundtracks these days is Veggie Tales... Veggie Tales anything, but we have one CD that we all know quite well now. It’s pretty funny. If you haven’t heard or seen Veggie Tales, look it up.. it’s quite silly and amusing.  But anyhow, there’s one song called “Busy”… and the lyrics are this: I’m busy, busy, dreadfully busy, You’ve no idea what I have to do. Busy, busy, shockingly busy Much, much too busy for you.”  I’m not sure which episode the song is from, but Kajsa loves it.. she walks around the house singing, “I’m busy, busy… shock-a-leeee BUSY… busy, busy, shock-a-leee busy…”

These pictures give a little glimpse into how she keeps “shock-a-leeee busy”… partially. She’s three, so of course this only represents about an hour, probably!

Bubble Wrap Fun

"my Ann-Britt towel"...

a Kajsa-rrito..

I can do it ALL mySELF

while working on sermon...

.... I had Kajsa "paint" the house, the chalk, anything she could paint with water....

August days

Abby loves her sticks!

the "minture" horses --some of our animal neighbors

a bit scary, but also a fun picture...

Kajsa on rollerskates... Abby sees her stick

Abby tries to get Kajsa's stick

Abby tries even harder to get Kajsa's stick

Mommy distracts Abby.. Kajsa keeps the stick

and lest we forget Abby,

here’s a picture of Kajsa and Abby, after I made a shoe-box guitar… or, as Kajsa calls it, “my con-taur”.

Abby especially enjoyed helping us cut the paper.

post-guitar-making mess

Sometimes I can hardly stand it..

how cute she is. And how funny. I wish I had the energy to write the stories, right now, but for now, photos will have to do. Enjoy.

Washing toys after the rummage sale

Twirly Dress

I love this picture...

carrying the hockey stick--in its bag. She carried it around much of the time we were outside playing that day.

We love spring! We love chalk, spray bottles with water, being outside in the spring... and, by the way, the chalk rainbows down the driveway were on request by Kajsa, but exectued by me, on rollerblades.

peek-a-boo

feeding the goats at Stewart's Bird Farm

Lily of the Valley--this ones for you, Joan!

way late posting: “Holy” Saturday

“Holy” Saturday

Originally uploaded by cathyse97.

Is this what that Saturday before the resurrection was like–looks of confusion, people scattered all over, even the animals scattered, wondering what was going on…? And, as much as I love an Easter egg hung–and I do–missing the point of the whole thing? (Don’t get me wrong–I’m one who likes to do the egg hunts, as long as we don’t lose sight of the reason we celebrate Easter.)

I can only imagine the shock, grief, confusion, disappointment, and discombobulation felt on that Saturday… wondering what needed to happen next. How to go on? How to move forward? Where to look for meaning, for comfort…