Damn That's Sweet

I had the best "church service" the other day. The best I have ever experienced actually. I went out to the farm where we get the CSA in the summer and helped them plant the new strawberry field. The whole 6 hrs I was there working with them I was in this incredible place of gratitude and joy. It was like I was worshiping and honoring God by being there, I was honoring the farmers by being there (which also honors God) and I was honoring myself by being there cause I love planting (which also honors God).

I swear, it was better than being in a service (we talked God stuff some, I hummed a couple hymns while I worked, I prayed with my hands the whole time).... and none of the other people there would categorize themselves even vaguely christian. It just rocked.

I have been thinking a lot the last few years about what being a Jesus follower can look like and what part "church-as-an-event" plays in it. It has been over a year and a half since we have attended a worship gathering regularly, and yet we are healthier in our walk with Christ. I still am trying to work out the kids part of it though, because even though we are doing a way better job of trying to instill a sense of love for God in them, I think we still need others to help.

Our only concern has been our need for a faith community. People that share our faith and want to be involved in each others lives, encouraging each other and helping each other continue to grow up. I have felt incredible pressure (from myself) to either find something or to create something along these lines, but slowly I have been letting go of control of that. Last week I think the final tether to that issue finally was released. I am content. God may or may not nit something together for us, and I am OK with that.

Something my prof said at the last f2f keeps rolling around my head on almost a daily basis... "Be at peace, live Christ, have fun." I can actually say that I am! I think I am in a good place. I think I am finally open to what ever God brings our way (where as before I had rules on what God could bring and what he couldn't).

So whats the plan now, since I am obsessive about plans... *grin* We might attend this thing called grafted again (mostly to see some old friends). We are having as many people who will come over for a communion dinner on Good Friday this year. I will keep going to the farm to help when ever they need me. We might look at a kid thing for the boys. We will continue to look for God in our ordinary life. And in looking at that list I kinda sit back and think "Sweet!".

Every so often mini goober will latch on to something and want to talk about it at length. On the way home one day I was playing one Of my Linkin Park CD's and he heard one of the lines that talked about a kid not having a chance and how war benefits the rich and screws the poor and such... basically railing against injustice. Mini goober wanted to know what he meant and to explain the song which led to him wanting to understand peace and justice.

Try explaining that stuff to a 6 year old!!! I did my best bet felt like a failure anyway. Then yesterday he said he wanted to do something to help with justice and peace. So we talked about war, refugees, clean drinking water (something most refugee camps lack) and stuff.

He said he wanted to help. So when husband came home we recapped and then looked online at a bunch of different groups that do different things. We settled on clean water. I turned to mini goober and said, so what should we do about it. He got this bright look in his eyes and said, lets go over there (Africa) and help them build a well! I almost cried. We talked about what it would take to do that, and how right now we couldn't. So then I asked what we could do instead. Again, eyes light up and he says, we can buy the stuff they need and mail it to them! All said and done, he picked out 15 "monies" (he has no concept of worth... or should I say everything is valuable, so out of his coins in his piggy bank he picked 15) and micro goober picked out one "money" (he was only vaguely interested let alone understanding what was going on) and me and husband pitched in our money and we sent it to the Blood:Water Mission.

http://www.bloodwatermission.com/

I was so freekin' proud. None of what we did was prompted by me. I did use the teachable moments to talk about what Jesus taught us to do... but I never said "so you should do it" or anything. It is moments like this that I don't feel like a failure as a parent.

Two weeks ago husband found this nifty cooking show called Good Eats (watched it on youtube)that was actually really fun and interesting to watch. Mini goober watched a few with us, which did not surprise us because he has always been interested in kitchen stuff. Also, a few weeks ago, I was going through some of our clothes bins and put away some of husbands old chefs clothes (coats and hats).

Now, 5 days ago I had a moment of sheer brilliance. I felt like making some puppy chow (chex chocolate thingies), so I pulled mini goober into the kitchen and started this whole schpeil... very, very formal like. "Mini goober, do you remember the chef show we watched the other night?" Nods yes... looking rather nervous because he is not sure what is going on. *evil grin* "Mini goober, that was a test and you passed. Daddy and I now believe you are old enough to become a ... Beginning Chef!" *whipped out the hat* I swear, I think his eyes almost popped out of his head as I heard an angle chorus...aahhhhhhhh.

So far he has made puppy chow, spaghetti, and 2 kinds of ginger bread with me or husband. As we go we are teaching him the "rules" of working in a kitchen; like to always make sure the handles on the pots that are on the stove are always pointing the right direction so no "little kids" accidentally get hurt or to never leave the spoon in the boiling pot. He is totally in heaven with this stuff and it cracks us up. Hopefully by Jr. High he is making dinner instead of me. *sneaky grin*