a few trivial things....and then one not so trivial

1st trivial: My world revolves around potty training. It is a LOT of work. We are constantly taking off undies, sitting on the potty, putting on undies, cleaning up pee puddles, starting the washer, picking up little "escapees" as we call them (the little solid rolly poops) off the floor. He is slowly getting the concept though. The first few days he completly defied the whole thing. He would sit for 20 minutes and the minute I would put his undies on he would drench himself. But now, he still has accidents, but also has some successful tee-tee's in the potty. He even asked to go a few times and actually went! One time, he peed on himself in the hallway and turned the corner with a "uh-oh" look and said, "I need to go potty." So he is beginning to understand the sensation, just doesn't always sense it fast enough. But he is trying! Such a big boy.

2nd trivial: I am LOVING this whole having a girl idea. I am having way too much fun looking at/buying clothes, matching hairbands and bows to outfits, etc. I found a pair of blue jean shorts and a little blue dress on the clearance rack at walmart both for 1 DOLLAR! Can't beat that price! Well I guess you could if it was 99 cents. lol. Anyway, I am just so excited to have a cute little thing to love on. I am excited (and also a little nervous, because the pressure is on) to invest myself in showing Carly how to be a woman of God. To show her how to treat others, how to be patient and how to be a servant of God and others. To teach her that her identity does not lie in her looks or in friends or in boys, but in the one who created her. To show her how to dress cute yet modestly. And to teach her to live in the world but not of the world. (Jeff and I pray/teach those same things for Colin as well!)

3rd not so trivial: Just wanted to share something I loved/was challenged by from the Beth Moore study I am doing. John 19 tells of the crucifixion of Jesus. In vs. 30 it quotes Jesus saying, "It is finished." The study said to ponder and write down all the possible things Jesus could have been referring to when saying this. My thoughts were, "the bondage of sin, the act of cleansing/sacrificing in order to have relationship with God, lives that are bound to the law rather than His love, His life, His purpose to seek and save what was lost." All those things were finished.

She then discussed how the Pharisees did everything that they could to make sure things stay finished. In Matthew 27: 62-66 they went to great lengths to seal the tomb.

Some things were definitely finished, but Jesus was not! I loved her next quote,

"The very thing He finished we can't seem to leave alone; and the very thing He hasn't finished, we try to halt."

How many times do I try to "be a better Christian" and "do more good" as if that will bring me any closer to Him than his death and resurrection already has! I try to add my good works to something that is already complete.

Then how many times do I almost wish the conviction of the Holy Spirit would stop because its too uncomfortable to do what God is asking me to do. Thats when I try to halt something that is NOT finished. God promised that, "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ."

I will end with this last quote from Beth Moore:

Salvation is finished. Sanctification is not. Completion is not.....sometimes more effort is required to keep rolling the stone back over the tomb than somply to cooperate with the work He seeks to finish in us."