Day 9: this way and that

Day 9: this way and that

Kajsa loves bubbles. As most kids do. But today was especially fun, because she really got into chasing them. Initially she was into blowing them. But repeatedly asking me to chase them must have become boring, because she then suggested that I blow bubbles, and she chase. (Jackpot! I’m adding this to the “Kajsa runs and We don’t” list.) So Kajsa chased. And jumped. And ran and ran… and even shouted “Come back here, bubble!” And hung her head and shoulders down when she missed a whole group of bubbles because the wind took it too high.

“The wind blows wherever it pleases”, John 3:8 begins. No kidding! Or, as The Message puts it: “You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that.”

We hear it, we see its effects, but we can’t always tell where it came from or where it’s going. Its effects are clear, even if its origin isn’t. I fielded many questions about the wind today from Kajsa. Why is the wind going this way when I was running that way? Why did the bubbles go that way now? How come the bubbles aren’t blowing now? Why did the wind stop? Why can’t it go NOW? Why are they so high? Etc..

Though it wasn’t obvious to Kajsa and me why or how or where the wind came from and blew and did this or that, we could see what effect it had. It was obvious when the wind changed direction, or died down, or gained strength.

I wonder, then, how obvious our lives are? Is it obvious to others around us that God’s Spirit guides us? Or does God’s Spirit guide? Do we more often respond to the day’s timeline than to God’s Spirit?

The wind blows wherever it pleases. This way and that…. God’s Spirit blows through and in our lives, guiding and strengthening us—are we paying attention?

uh-oh.

This was not staged–at least not on my part. Obviously Kajsa did a little staging. I was shooting lots of pictures yesterday at the park we went to, trying to figure out some camera glitches… we were about to leave, and this was her last trip down the slide. I waited and waited and waited… she was taking forever, but I could see her boots. Unfortunately, my camera was glitching again at this point, so I didn’t get a good photo, but I clicked as she appeared, and this is how she was coming down the slide.

“2 Room House” Video

Jim’s Mom, Joan, showed Kajsa how to play a game called “2-Room House”… that was nearly a month ago. Kajsa wants to play it ALL the time! It’s so funny.

7-Steps to a School Snack

It was Kajsa’s turn to be the leader at preschool again last week–which also means snack-provider. Though it was “Letter Y” week at preschool, I thought that in honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, I’d make “Cat in the Hat” hats.

red-hued gummy lifesavers

Step 1: as Jim heads to the store,

green gummy lifesavers

add these items to his list: gummy lifesavers, vanilla wafer cookies, and a tub of frosting.

Step 2: separate the red lifesavers from the greens, and hope that Leprachauns wear stove pipe hats).

Step 3: frost the vanilla wafers.

Carefully. (I’m sure there’s a better way to do this without getting frosting all over your fingers—I just don’t know what it is.)

Step 4: place red lifesaver on frosted vanilla wafer. Spread some frosting on lifesaver. Repeat twice. Add fourth lifesaver for top of hat.

hat #1

Step 5: Repeat with 4 lifesavers per wafer, until you have a tray of Cat in the Hat hats.

completed project

Very fun.

Until Step 6: Read the Preschool parents’ guide. I was looking up something else in the guide, fortunately, and decided to look at “Snacks”, just in case. Hmmmm. Should have looked at “Snacks” before Jim went to the store. Under “Snacks”, there is a list of what not to send. And in that list? “gummy candies”. oops.

what snacks to not send with your preschooler...

Oh well.

Step 7: Jim goes back to the grocery store and buys Yogurt snacks. “Y”.

And, the teachers were gracious enough to let us send the time-consuming hats home with kids.

 

 

 

 

 

(p.s. oops… I just noticed that I had put “9-steps” instead of 7… ah, well. .such is life these days.)

keeping busy

Obviously I haven’t really blogged in ages. I have lots of excuses, and some are even valid. But here we are anyhow.

Kajsa’s busy as ever… so many things, activities, games, sayings, moments.. that I have been hoping to blog. Oh well. Christmas, winter, family, friends, Midwinter Conference in Chicago, during the blizzard, sledding at home, snow, playing games, inventing new games, baking and cooking…. etc.

Snow! Snow! Snow!

One of her favorite activities lately is playing “Airport”.. with her toy airplane, some random animals/people (including pipe cleaner people at times) and some gates–B1-B10. That is, as long as we keep rescuing the gates from Abby’s mouth when she tries to swipe them. It’s so fun to watch and listen, as Kajsa plays “Airport”, lining the people up at the gates, asking the pilot how he/she is doing, taking the ariplane to different places–but mostly to Alaska.

I continue to be amazed at this age–how much like a sponge kids are, how much they learn, and how quickly… and how their personalities continue to develop. It’s such a fun age.

Airport

Playing "Airport"

fixing the airplane

Have a little cookie with the frosting!

following…

Last Sunday afternoon, a group of people from Christ Covenant Church went Christmas caroling. Admittedly, I didn’t feel like going. I wanted to go, but I felt more like snuggling under some blankets and watching mindless TV. But I’m so glad we went. I felt better about my afternoon, and doing something for others, but the people we sang to gave me a gift–the reactions of singing, mouthing the words, motioning to a spouse when to ring one of the bells in songs, and a sparkle in some eyes that had been glossed over.

walking together while Christmas caroling

Not that our short visits of caroling were transforming, life-changing, or so phenomenal. But they made a bit of a difference, at least that day.

Much of what we do has the potential to make a bit of a difference.. even for one day. Sometimes for much longer. Now, as a mother of an easily-influenced preschooler right now, I appreciate the positive differences that people are making in Kajsa’s life. The people who lead and coordinate and gently grab her when she’s running too quickly.. the people who give her several minutes of grace when she enters the room quite grumpy… the people who give of themselves to others, but also respect their own limits and needs.. the people who walk along side her while caroling… the people who follow her when she insists on leading, and the people who lead when she follows…

During Advent I try to follow. I try to follow the journey of wonder, of excitement–not about the secular fun Christmas stuff I enjoy so much, but about the Christ child. I try to follow the journey to the Christ child, to the star, to the humble beginnings of my Lord.. try. And I try to make a difference– in my own life and in the lives I come into contact with.. by letting Christ make a difference in mine.

How to wear reindeer antlers

This is clearly not a devotional reflection about Advent, or upcoming Scripture texts… just a picture.

leader for the week

leader for the week

This Sunday’s Isaiah text is chapter 11:1-10. The kingdom that seems impossible, where the lions don’t eat the lambs and other strange mixed company groups survive and get along.

And in verse 6, Isaiah prophesies that “a little child shall lead them.”

This morning, we had a little child very excited to lead. Little does she know how challenging leadership can be, how much of a privilege, and also how disappointing at times. For now, Kajsa’s meaning of leadership is bringing snack to preschool for one week, and being the leader at school. She’s so excited she can hardly stand it.

She has a lot to learn about leadership.

But so do we all. If we could all learn a little of the excitement and joy of children, and apply that to the areas we lead in life, maybe the prophesied kingdom in Isaiah could begin to come about more quickly?

“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....