Books

I've added six or so books to my "Read in 2004" list and changed my currently reading list completely. Just if you were interested. :)

Weather talk

I'm tired and heading to bed soon, but I wanted to post about our nice weather lately. We've finally had a break from the horrible, sauna-like weather we were having. This past week was quite nice with highs of upper 80s to 90 degrees. The mornings were especially beautiful. While biking I had a nice breeze to cool me down.

Ivan has not hit us with the exception of a few showers today. Nothing serious.

A little more on my post made yesterday on waiting to have kids

I've received a comment on that post that has made me realize the need to clarify a couple of things. I will do them in list format for lack of a better, more cohesive way of communicating them to you.

1. Nate and I only came to where we are in our thinking concerning what I wrote about yesterday a couple of months ago. Because of that, I completely understand that my brothers and sisters in Christ are at different places in their walk. I may have not been showing that too well in my post.
2. I need to clarify that I am not condemning people for their choices concerning children. I may not agree with them, and I may think there is a better choice, but ultimately it is between the Christian couple and God. They are only answerable to Him. Daily I confess my judgmental attitude which tries to make me look better than others, and daily I ask for the grace of Christ to love others.
3. That said...here is what I'm trying to do: challenge my brothers and sisters in Christ to take a good look at their priorities and possibly admit that just maybe they have them a bit mixed up. Someone challenged us in what we were thinking, and that's why we are where we are now.
   

I am who I am today because God used other godly men and women in my life to challenge me and point out things that needed to change. By the grace of Christ some of those things have changed. I only hope that God can use my feeble, broken attempts to help to work in others too. I am a very imperfect vessel.

Here's the verse that comes to mind:
Proverbs 27:17-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

Birthday thanks

Thanks to everyone--friends and family--who made me feel special and loved before, on, and after my birthday. I appreciated all the phone calls, cards, emails, ecards, and visits (by my parents who live nearby). You are all a joy to me.

What I've been thinking about

There's something I've been thinking about this week. Last Sunday someone gave Nate and I the advice that it's good to wait at least two years to start having children in order to get used to each other and get to know one another (this is not the first time I have heard this advice given...or given it myself--if I'm pointing fingers, I might as well point those three back at myself!) I'm not sure what makes two years the magic number, and I'm really starting to disagree with the advice because I don't think it's very Biblical advice. I think the wolf is sneaking over the gate into the sheep pen and whispering "sweet" nothings in our ears.

Here's what I think...if you would like to know. :) I think that one married couple can spend two or more years holding off on having children and hardly know each other or how to serve one another in the really important ways. On the other hand, I think that a couple who wisely enters marriage with the intent of learning to serve and love one another from the start can "know" each other and get used to each other in even as short of a time as nine months because they are working on it purposefully. My point is that it's not the amount of time between when you are married and when the first child arrives, it's the quality of the time and what you spend doing during it.

Am I saying that having a child that early in marriage is going to be easy even if the work has gone on right away? No! I know that having a child changes everything. At least, I've heard that said enough times. :) But what is waiting going to gain for us? I think it depends. But ultimately, I don't think it's going to make us more ready. I think it's going to make us more selfish with the time which we have.

I'm not trying to sound angry. I'm just trying to give a voice to a rarely discussed viewpoint in the Church today. Much of the Church is saying wait, limit, wait, limit. But what are we waiting for? In order to get to know each other better? See above. In order to see all we can see of the world before kids tie us down? Children make it harder to travel: this is true. But our priorities are a teensy bit mixed up if travel takes precedence over children. In order to save up enough money? Again, there are ways to budget--kids don't need expensive schools, name-brand clothes, lots of toys, fancy vacations, and to eat out all the time. Hand me downs, second hand clothing, a small amount of toys (I'm thinking old school legos, blocks, a stuffed animal, and some good books), and some good home cooking sound like some quality choices.

Okay, I'm getting preachy, I know. :) I feel rather strongly about this subject.

And, no, we are not pregnant. We would never announce such a blessing from the Lord this way to our close family and friends! :)

Getting me through

Sometimes the only thing that gets me through the school day is prayers...and chocolate.

Oh, and of course knowing that I get to see Nate when I get home. Awwww. :)

San Antonio

Last weekend we visited Cara in lovely San Antonio. Both Nathan and I agreed that it was someplace we could live, although I said that it's just a bit two hot. It's very historical, has lots of trees, and doesn't seem to have as many people as it does (a little over a million). The Riverwalk was fun--I'd love to go back when it's cooler and spend more time there.

It was wonderful to see Cara too. We spent time touring her campus, eating in the cafeteria (quite nice compared to WMU's), and feasting on yummy cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory.