The Lake in May

We made it to the lake early this year, a couple of times before they opened.  We had it all to ourselves!  Even got to watch the park rangers pick up giant logs of driftwood as we swam.  

I realized this year that when Jonathan was asking to go to the beach any sandy body of water would suffice.

  Then I decided we should go to the lake more.  So this year we've been going to the Radford Library ( I love that place!) and then heading off to Claytor Lake which is 20 minutes south of there around 5pm with a dinner picnic in tow.  

 

 That's what it looks like to have the beach to yourself in May at sunset.

This is the beach at noon in June;

Still fun, but not as relaxing.

Let me know if you want to join in!
                                                      -Allison

Peacemaker

    A month ago as was play fighting with Ted in the study. Jonathan, (who is only 3 ft something and wiry) jumped between us arms outstretched between us and said, "STOP!".

Earlier that day he had asked me to tie his blue fleece blankie onto his back superhero style.  So I tied it around the front of his neck and asked him "What is your superpower?"
He said, "I can't know".

And I really did wonder what superpower might be inside this little boy.  What would be his gift that would save the world?

So after he broke up the scuffle between my husband and I, I swooped down and picked him up in my arms. I told him, "I know what your superpower is!"
"You are a Peacemaker!"

He grinned with that little twinkle in his eyes.

Then he leaned toward the bookshelf still in my arms, pointing and said, "I get that."
So I took a step toward the bookshelves and he grabbed something from it and said,
"Puh, Puh, Puh....Eeeeee.... It peace mommy"

And it was

He picked up a wooden word, "peace".

I thought about how we pick up names.  Good and bad names.

I have unknowingly picked up many bad names for myself along the way
I might name myself fat because of where my body weight is charted on the  BMI index.
I might name myself unimportant because I can't see how I'm affecting the world for good.
Or maybe I name myself lazy because the tasks on my list don't all get checked off...ever,

Or maybe my friends and family nicely or not so nicely give me names like, "unemployed, too-leinent mom, weird, head in the clouds."

Then, even worse, I grab hold of those names.
And so they become me.

"As a person believes in his heart, so is she" -Proverbs 23:7

Sure my wonderful family and friends speak the good stuff over me almost all of the time.
But it's God with the still small voice who made me, He's the one that really knows me.

When the ones I love echo His names for me, they confirm the truth about who I am,

But best of all when I quiet my the ugly names and reach out my empty hands,


Then the One who loves me most of all Names ME,
Tells the truth about ME,
the truth about how he loves ME.

"How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!"- Psalm 139:17

So I grab them; holding onto the truth,
And then I become that name, because I heard my Father call me that.

Jonathan had the word Peacemaker spoken over him (by me)

He reached out for that name

Then took it into his hands

As long as he holds onto that word (in his heart), it is his name. 

"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God."-Matthew 5:9- 

He's a peacemaker, my superhero saving the world one fight at a time.
and he makes a darn good ketchup sandwich too.
                                                                                                   - Allison

Update 7/13; Jonathan decided his superhero name is "Spiritboy". "Bwecouwse I wisten to God's Spirit.  Everyone have a spiwit, but I have Gowd's spiwit because I Spiwit Boy!". Go spirit boy go!