Eight Minutes

until the weekend. Let's see what I can update you on in this short amount of time. Hmmmm, well I filed, answered phones, billed, and cleaned and sanitized my desk. With this whole swine flu thing you can't be too careful.


Speaking of swine flu I've learned that this is the perfect excuse for any and all circumastances in the world today.
Late for work....
school closed due to swine flu and you had to find alternate childcare.
Have an accident....
you were busy sneezing into the crook of you arm just to be on the safe side and rear ended another vehicle.
Need an excuse for the family as to why you have not gone grocery shopping ...
even with sanitizer wipes those shopping cart handles are a hotbed for germs.
Need to get out of a dinner party...
crowds in a confined space, need I say more?

Well my eight minutes are up. I hope you all learned something important.

That They Would Be Oaks

Isaiah 61:3To grant those who mourn in Zion,Giving them a garland instead of ashes,The oil of gladness instead of mourning,The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting So they will be called oaks of righteousness,The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

As I lay in bed last night Chris and I were discussing our children and the challenges of raising them in this crazy world. I thought about my true desires for each one of them, and this verse from Isaiah came to the forefront of my mind. I believe that each child has giftings and purpose, but no matter where they go or what they do I long to hear them called Oaks of righteoussness, the planting of the Lord. All of this so that He may be glorified.

I love the symbolism of the oak. It has a strong endurance about it. In this I realize that I cannot plant the oak. Of course I have been given the responsibility to care and nurture, to provide sort of a greenhouse for my kids. I feel great privlege and yes, the great gravity of it all. And so I lean heavily not on my own strength for these great tasks, but on my Source of life.

God let me also be an oak of righteousness that our legacy will be a glory only to You.

We Cannot Understand

There are some things I will never understand.
Why must little babies be subjected to the consequences of poor choices made by parents?
Why are some so quick to take advanatage and then bite the hand that feeds?
Why are we as humans so easily caught up in ruts that can become like bed sores that eat us from within?

In truth I know the answer. It is because we live in a fallen world that desperately needs a Saviour. Still it is hard for me to understand.

Only God sees and knows.

Ode to the Great Pumpkin

The atumnal equinox brings great anticipation around the Medrano household as we eagerly await The Great Pumpkin! I mean it, he's real...I don't care what you say about your Santa Clause.

I believe every year I write something about fall. I'm sorry but you will just have to put up with this. I can't help it. I love this time of year. Our family loves just about everything pumpkin. Even though fall did not officially start until today we had a sneak preview with some pumpkin bread a week ago. Everyday Kaylie asks if it is pumpkin day yet. In a little over a week our pumpkin patch will open and we will carry on a tradition of taking the kids out for some so cheesy it makes you sick fun.

No one can be in a bad mood when the weather is crisp, fall decorations abound, and the smell of freshly baked fall treats fill the home.

I really cherish every tradition we have started in our own family. From the State fair, Oktoberfest, pumpkin farms, Charlie Brown, and our yearly Thanksgiving eve cook-a-thon, each one holds so much fun and many precious memories for years to come. Micah is just now getting to an age where he can sort of participate. He does most of his participating by eating those freshly baked fall treats, but at least he's having fun. Kaylie on the other hand loves any reason to celebrate so she is in her element when the holidays roll around.

The most exciting event for us this fall is a trip we have planned next month to visit Seattle. If you live in the North Texas you know that our leaves have a tendency to go from green, brown, and then the ground. I am looking forward to an array of beautiful fall colors of course mixed in with the evergreens against the backdrop of the magnificent cascades. It will be great to get away, visit family, eat yummy fish and chips, and site see.

You have probably not heard the last of me singing the praises of autumn. Just think we have three glorious months together!

So grab your cider and favorite pumpkin dessert and join with me in this ode to the Great Pumpkin!

Roots

Yesterday I was laying in bed trying to take a nap. Drifting in and out of conciousness a random thought popped into my mind. It was of a television show I remember watching on Saturday mornings as a kid called Circle Square. It was a Canadian show that mixed puppets and kids. It was a little creepy to be honest. I went back today to watch some old clips on Youtube and wondered what the appeal was asa child. It was not my favorite it just happened to come on between some of my other favorites like Davey and Goliath,Gospel Bill, and Joy Junction on TBN. I know I am already hearing the groans. As I look back it brings to mind my upbringing. I cannot even begin to count the number of Sunday school lessons, sermons, and vacation Bible schools I sat through. Let me hear it for flannel baords!

In my current mindset living in a polished society it is easy to look back at these crude, humble beginnings with disdain. Were a lot of these things cheesy and simplistic? Absolutely, and yet I still draw on many of these basics for my own value system today. Like it or not they are my roots. I look back at church growing up. It could be rigid and planned. Today my choice would not necessarily be to return to that style, but I can't help but look back in some appreciation for the foundation that was laid in my life. I may not agree with the how or the style or even some interpretaions of the Word, but it was basic essentials that were instilled in my lie from a young age. Most young adults get fiery in their pasion for change. I can attest to this, but without the foundation imparted to me I would never have had the maturity needed to grow and expand in different areas on my life.

Anyway this was just a thought passing through mind that I decided to share. Happy Friday to all!

Validation

Psalm 37 (The Message Trans.)

5-6 Open up before God, keep nothing back;
he'll do whatever needs to be done:
He'll validate your life in the clear light of day
and stamp you with approval at high noon.

This has been one of the verses of my life, but I had never quite read it like this until recently.
What an incredible reminder not only myself, but in reality to every reader of this blog.
Every person on this planet has searched at one time or another for meaning or significance.
The key: Open up before God. Of course He knows it all, but there is a sacredness that is achieved in relationship when we willingly open ourselves and choose to reveal all.

It is a rainy Thursday here in Texas. The mind would chooses to allow the dreariness to settle into the soul, but wherever you are let today be the day. Open yourself before God. Let your spirit be awakened by His passion for you. There is hope. He alone can be the validation of our lives.

Cabin Fever

I'm sitting in Micah's room watching the rain fall and the river rise just outside our house. I could be doing something productive like cleaning, laundry, or one of those special projects I always put off for a rainy day. Instead I'm just feeling a little blah knowing I am stuck here for the rest of the weekend.

Today our poor Mazda was hit for the third time while in our ownership. We were hit from the side by a driver making a sharp turn in the lane next to us. Of course we were on our way to a birthday party and it was raining so all of those factors made an always unpleasant experience even more frustrating. We were able to make it home, but the alignment is completely out of whack, and we can't go far without creeping along at slow pace. Right turns are extremely difficult and finding a route with strictly left turns is quite complicated. Since this all happened on a Saturday our insurance company has informed us we cannot get a rental till Monday morning. We contemplated getting our own rental from the airport for a day, but that just seemed like a silly extra expense considering we really have no obligations. We have resigned ourselves to the house for the rest of the weekend barring any emergencies.

I suppose it is just knowing that I can't go anywhere that gets me so stir crazy. I should probably treasure the time to just relax at home and do things around the house. Right now I just feel a bit sulky. Accidents are no fun no matter whose fault it is. All I can pray for is a quick resolution from their insurance company, and that enterprise will not stick me with another PT Cruiser!