Dry Bones

A Mobilizing Students mission team is here in Nashville this week. We're blessed to have them join us at our apartment complex to help meet and engage our neighbors. It's very helpful to give us a "jump-start" as we know the spring and summer will be very busy- providing tons of ministry opportunities.

We're continuing to gather with our Christian neighbors on Tuesday nights to prayer walk and visit other neighbors. A few weeks ago we listened to a song to prepare our hearts and I haven't quit listening to it since! I play it almost daily to focus my heart and remember why in the world we're living here and trying to pour into theses families, some of whom can't even understand or speak English...yet. Just as Ezekiel called out to dry bones in the valley and declared that they would have life, we are crying out to the dead hearts of our neighbors and friends. God brings life to Israel. We're praying for the breath of God to bring life to our Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, nominal friends.

Read Ezekiel 37:1-14 for the background story and please read the lyrics below and/or click the link to listen to the song. Christian brothers and sisters, this is real. If you are praying for/ministering to an unbelieving neighbor or friend, ask God to breathe the breath of life into their dead hearts. Don't be afraid to step into the valley. God makes dry bones come alive.

Through the eyes of men it seems there's so much we have lost. 

As we look down the road where all the prodigals have walked 

And one by one the enemy has whispered lies and led them off as slaves. 

But we know that you are God; your is the victory 

We know there is more to come that we may not yet see. 

So with the faith you've given us we'll step into the valley unafraid. Yeah. 

As we call out to dry bones come alive, come alive, 

and we call out to dead hearts come alive, come alive.

Come up out of the ashes, let us see an army rise. 

We call out to dry bones, come alive. 

O God of endless mercy, God of unrelenting love; 

Rescue every daughter, bring us back the wayward son. 

By your Spirit breathe upon them, show that you alone can save. 

You alone can save

As we call out to dry bones come alive, come alive, 

and we call out to dead hearts come alive, come alive. 

Come up out of the ashes, let us see an army rise. 

We call out to dry bones, come alive. 

So breathe, oh breath of God 

Now breathe, oh breath of God 

Breathe, oh breath of God, now breathe

As we call out to dry bones come alive, come alive, 

and we call out to dead hearts come alive, come alive. 

Come up out of the ashes, let us see an army rise. 

We call out to dry bones, come alive.

Come up out of the ashes, let us see an army rise. 

We call out to dry bones, come alive. 

 Click here to listen.

Let's pray together to see an army rise among dry bones.

12 Month Update

12 Months 

22 lbs.

Likes: 

laughing at Daddy 

pulling books off the shelf

eating 

snuggling with Mama

"basketball"

his new riding toys

puzzles and books

A lot can happen in a year. Isaiah has grown from a helpless, wrinkled, quiet little newborn to a willful, happy, noisy little toddler. Seeing the growth of a life is a remarkable thing to watch and be a part of. I might write another post about the year as a whole and hope to include some pictures of Isaiah's first birthday party, but for now, here are the highlights from his 12th month of life.

He still hasn't become daring enough to take those first steps, but this month he has been willing to let go of the furniture and stand alone for a few seconds :) He's a master crawler and not walking is certainly not keeping him from getting where he wants! He still loves to clap, especially after he does something all by himself like close a door, throw a ball, etc. He waves bye-bye when the mood strikes but usually not when asked. He's mastered the sign language for "more" and "all finished" and uses them regularly when eating. So fun! Next we might try to learn the sign for "help" to prevent the meltdowns when things don't go his way :)

I can see Isaiah's little imagination forming all the time as we play. He's so smart! He loves to play with kitchen items and is great at stacking the small things inside the big things. Pots and pans have become a big hit- the more noise, the better. He loves to play basketball, too, by throwing a ball into the laundry basket and clapping when he "scores"! He likes to push his wooden dump truck around the house and put random objects in the back of it (this reminds me of his Uncle Alan when he was little!). His interest in dancing has plummeted but he still busts a move every now and then. One of his favorite past-times is hide-and-seek. He and his daddy play this almost daily and it is sure to bring laughs. Josh even calmed a cry-for-mama-fest by walking around the house "looking for Mama" as I finished my meal in my "hiding spot" ha! Reading books is still so fun and he has even began to initiate reading by handing me a book and nudging over to my lap. Adorable :)

He keeps me on my feet by pulling books off the shelf and toilet paper off the roll. But he's not always being destructive. He loves to close the doors for me (to the fridge, the pantry, the laundry room, etc.) and he's even learned to help pull his cloth diapers off the drying rack and put them into the laundry basket. I like to think he's earning his keep around here :) He's gotten much better at riding in the car which has provided some much more fun outings! He's content to play with his toys and watch the cars go by. He still sucks his thumb when he's sleepy and has started rubbing my face when I rock him to sleep. He experienced his first snow this month, but he wasn't a big fan- understandably since he was born in the tropics :) ! He is head over heels about his Daddy and laughs so hard when they are together. He loves seeing him come in the door from work every day.

We are dealing with little separation anxiety and praying it's a phase :) He's become pretty passionate about yelling "MA-MA!" when I leave the room or when Daddy tries to help out at bedtime. Church nursery is probably his least favorite hour of the week (and the nursery volunteers, too :/ ) starting when I walk out the door. I've doubted myself many times because of all the drama, wondering what I should've done differently, but since I haven't come up with any answers that please me, I'm just going to keep loving him through it. Many other mamas have told me this is "normal" at his age. One thing I have learned as a mama is that "normal" means a whole lot of things.

He worked hard for two new teeth this month, totaling 8. We are OVER this winter weather that kept him sick most of the month. He had a cold on and off, a little fever from teething, and ended the month with a nasty stomach bug. He got better for a couple days (one of them being his birthday) and then got sick again. We made a sick visit to the doctor (which I really don't like to do) and she said the bug probably caused his reflux issues to flare up. We just treated him with lots of fluids and snuggles and after about nine long days he seems to be well. It was a trying and tiring time and we're glad to be past it. I'm so thankful for Isaiah's general health. And for my mama who came and helped us get better.

Isaiah is just like his mom and dad in that he loves food. Really loves it. He cried this morning because I didn't share my communion at church. When he was sick he didn't eat any solid foods for 5 days. This was one way I knew for sure that he was sick. Poor guy wouldn't take a bite of anything. But when Lola (my mom) visited, she brought some cheddar bunnies and he fell in love. He has slowly started eating again. He'll eat practically anything except boiled eggs and avocados. A few new things that he tried (and loved) this month were: blueberries, dates, prunes, & raisins, smoothies with almond milk, and pesto pizza. He also tried an African friend's authentic spicy African dish and loved it! I also developed a love for pickled beets lately (weird, I know) and my sweet boy is all in. He could eat his weight in beets. A local restaurant serves them and the waitresses all laugh at how much Isaiah loves them. He also is using a spoon quite well now. He can't exactly get things on it by himself, but he can get it to his mouth once I fill it up. He's also still nursing a few times a day, mainly before naps and bedtime. When he got sick I was very thankful that I had not weaned him since that was his only source of nutrition for about a week.

I'm pretty confident that he'll never be a good sleeper. Seriously, as I typed that sentence he woke up and I had to go tend to him. He'd only been asleep an HOUR. He absolutely will not go back to sleep on his own. I'm trying to choose gratefulness and just be glad I have him to go rock, again and again and again. He is, however, taking two very consistent 1-1.5 hour naps every day. I love them dearly. 

Dear Isaiah, 

Recently you've taught me about God's love. Much like God's love for me, your love is unconditional. I can be so put out with your tantrums or constant need for me, but you graciously overlook my impatience. You love me anyways. 

I can be "touched out" wishing you would stop tugging at my legs or caressing my face with your drool-soaked hands, but you hardly even notice. You love harder. You hug bigger. 

I can be mentally exhausted, wishing I'd never taught you "Old McDonald has a farm" but it doesn't keep you from lovingly requesting more singing or reading or playing as you throw your head back in laughter. 

I'm often at my wits-end wishing you'd just put yourself back to sleep for goodness' sake, but you call for my presence, my warmth, my embrace. You love me so much. You just want me to be near.

 Thanks for loving me regardless of how well I'm loving you, Isaiah. Thanks for teaching me more of God's love. 

Love you always (even when I don't do a good job of showing it), 

Mama 

Isaiah,

  What a joy is has been to watch you grow.  When I look back at pictures from your first months, I'm amazed to see how you've changed so much.  I hope we cherished those moments well and did not take them for granted.  They sure seemed to fly.  Hopefully, we will enjoy each day forward as it seems this is going to be the trend.  I pray to God that we would take time to reflect on the journey God has put before us and our enjoyment of Him through you, Isaiah.  As I write you are playing with Mom upstairs.  I've been watching you roam the room this morning and it's brought thoughts to what it was like for your grandparents as they watched me roam twenty-six something years ago.  It seems like so much lifetime, yet it is just a blink of the eye really, if that.  Only the Lord knows what is to come in your life, but maybe in twenty-something years from now, you'll have a wife and a little guy or girl crawling around the room.  I'm glad your mom started this letter writing ending to the blog business.  It should be amazing to look back and see the road God has had for you.  Hopefully you are following that road well and haven't strayed from the path.  If you find that you have, He can correct that if you let Him.

  Anyway, I'm writing this on a cardboard box.  it reminds me of your grandad (Randaddy).  He would write on wood, cardboard, or whatever, and He likes to write.  I guess I've taken (or actually have been given) a lot of attributes from Randaddy.  Most have been good and some not as much I suppose.  This month I've seen how you look a lot like I did when I was younger.  It really is like a little Joshua getting around the house.  As I have with Randaddy, you likely will have many of my traits/characteristics passed on to you.  As you mature, you'll need to decide which are not Godly and let God remove them.  And don't forget from where the good ones come.  They aren't from us.

  I've really enjoyed this first year, and I'm looking forward to what is to come.  My prayer is for you to know, enjoy, and love Jesus, Isaiah.  I pray that He will bring you into a deep, intimate relationship with Himself and mature you into the man of faith He desires you to be.  We pray this for you, son.  

We love you.

I love you.

Love,

your Dad