When Friends Gather

Earlier this month, we gathered with two other families at a lake house for a long weekend. The guys are in a men's group with Chris but the wives are also friends (who would like to spend more time together). There were six adults and four children (William and Stephen were the oldest); it was a gorgeous weekend and the only schedules we followed were nap times.

There wasn't exactly a beach (and the water had green algae) so fishing was the main sport at the house. We brought an inflatable kiddy pool which was a huge hit with all four kids; they loved splashing and filling up cups and pouring them in the grass (don't worry, it needed watering). We brought bubbles which were also a huge hit. I hadn't expected them to be so easily entertained!

William begged to fish the entire time and spent most of the time either on the dock with the men or inside reading a book. He didn't catch anything, but Colin caught two bass. This was William's first time ever fishing so it was very exciting and all his imagination play was centered around fish for days! Overall, both the boys did so well on the trip! There were a few more wake-ups at night but they napped like champs and were in decent moods the whole time. They even napped in the car! Whew!

For the most part we stayed at the lake with the exception of me going on a walk with one of the girls one early morning and then all of us going to a winery before dinner. In the evenings after the kids were in bed we brought out the board games and cocktails. It was so much fun.

The last time I had that amount of fun and relaxation was before we had kids. It was so wonderful. I didn't expect it to go so well (especially since Chris had to work from there one day), but it was a blast. No schedules, just hanging out with friends, playing with babies and not really worrying about anything (except said babies climbing on the dock). I thank the men for spending so much time with William and giving me a little break! I'm so grateful he has such great role models in his life.

Will have to do it again!

Earlier this month, we gathered with two other families at a lake house for a long weekend. The guys are in a men's group with Chris but the wives are also friends (who would like to spend more time together). There were six adults and four children (William and Stephen were the oldest); it was a gorgeous weekend and the only schedules we followed were nap times.

There wasn't exactly a beach (and the water had green algae) so fishing was the main sport at the house. We brought an inflatable kiddy pool which was a huge hit with all four kids; they loved splashing and filling up cups and pouring them in the grass (don't worry, it needed watering). We brought bubbles which were also a huge hit. I hadn't expected them to be so easily entertained!

William begged to fish the entire time and spent most of the time either on the dock with the men or inside reading a book. He didn't catch anything, but Colin caught two bass. This was William's first time ever fishing so it was very exciting and all his imagination play was centered around fish for days! Overall, both the boys did so well on the trip! There were a few more wake-ups at night but they napped like champs and were in decent moods the whole time. They even napped in the car! Whew!

For the most part we stayed at the lake with the exception of me going on a walk with one of the girls one early morning and then all of us going to a winery before dinner. In the evenings after the kids were in bed we brought out the board games and cocktails. It was so much fun.

The last time I had that amount of fun and relaxation was before we had kids. It was so wonderful. I didn't expect it to go so well (especially since Chris had to work from there one day), but it was a blast. No schedules, just hanging out with friends, playing with babies and not really worrying about anything (except said babies climbing on the dock). I thank the men for spending so much time with William and giving me a little break! I'm so grateful he has such great role models in his life.

Will have to do it again!

1 Timothy 6: Contentment

I have been struggling this week. Struggling to stay positive and trust the Lord that he is providing and will provide. This mostly has to do with housing as another opportunity has come our way but is just as confusing as all the others and the answer is still cloudy with a chance of heartbreak. I get my hopes up time and time again and then it's just that much harder to face my reality of staying put. I long for a change.

My husband continues to encourage me that we won't be in this apartment forever. He even declared a deadline! "This space works for now, but we can't have two teenagers in this apartment." I will hold him to those words! (I had originally proclaimed I wouldn't raise two babies in this place.)

This morning I had a brief moment of near quiet and decided I would read my Bible. A habit that has not made it back into my daily routine yet. I read 1 Timothy 6. And these words jumped at me, literally 24 hours after stating my discontent to Chris and less than 12 hours of declaring the same to my counselor.

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain,  for we brought nothing into the world, and[c] we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. . . .11 Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (ESV)

I brought nothing into this world. Nothing will go with me. I have food and clothing (NASB says "covering" which made me think of shelter/housing at first) with these we will be content. Why does contentment seem to be the most fluctuating emotion in my life?

Well, for starters, I'm focusing on the wrong things. Paul tells Timothy to pursue righteousness (not money or riches), godliness, faith, love, gentleness. Not bigger and better things that you cannot take with you! Here's a quick example: Every night when I cook dinner, I don't pursue a gracious attitude or thankfulness that I have 2 feet of counter space and most often it's covered in dishes and unusable for dinner prep.


But I'd like to start. I'd like to begin pursuing godliness and take take hold of the eternal life to which I was called. This was the wake up call I needed this morning. "Godliness with contentment is great gain" or as the NASB says "But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.

Thanks for your prayers for us and our housing search.

I have been struggling this week. Struggling to stay positive and trust the Lord that he is providing and will provide. This mostly has to do with housing as another opportunity has come our way but is just as confusing as all the others and the answer is still cloudy with a chance of heartbreak. I get my hopes up time and time again and then it's just that much harder to face my reality of staying put. I long for a change.

My husband continues to encourage me that we won't be in this apartment forever. He even declared a deadline! "This space works for now, but we can't have two teenagers in this apartment." I will hold him to those words! (I had originally proclaimed I wouldn't raise two babies in this place.)

This morning I had a brief moment of near quiet and decided I would read my Bible. A habit that has not made it back into my daily routine yet. I read 1 Timothy 6. And these words jumped at me, literally 24 hours after stating my discontent to Chris and less than 12 hours of declaring the same to my counselor.

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain,  for we brought nothing into the world, and[c] we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. . . .11 Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (ESV)

I brought nothing into this world. Nothing will go with me. I have food and clothing (NASB says "covering" which made me think of shelter/housing at first) with these we will be content. Why does contentment seem to be the most fluctuating emotion in my life?

Well, for starters, I'm focusing on the wrong things. Paul tells Timothy to pursue righteousness (not money or riches), godliness, faith, love, gentleness. Not bigger and better things that you cannot take with you! Here's a quick example: Every night when I cook dinner, I don't pursue a gracious attitude or thankfulness that I have 2 feet of counter space and most often it's covered in dishes and unusable for dinner prep.


But I'd like to start. I'd like to begin pursuing godliness and take take hold of the eternal life to which I was called. This was the wake up call I needed this morning. "Godliness with contentment is great gain" or as the NASB says "But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.

Thanks for your prayers for us and our housing search.

Book Club: Reading Lolita in Tehran

Last month, my book club read Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi. It's a true story or memoir of Nafisi's work as a professor of English Literature in Iran. After she leaves the university setting, she selects seven of her most committed female students to come to her house every week for two years and study literature that has recently been forbidden.

They study books by Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry James and Vladimir Nabokov. I can't get into the literary focus that Nafisi shares in her book but it seems that each of these Western authors reveals a new aspect of the oppression the women are under during the revolution and war with Iraq.

I actually didn't enjoy this book as much as I had hoped I would. It took a long time to even feel like I understood what was going on. It was a little hard to follow. The last half was more interesting and had more action because the bombings had started and each family was deciding whether to stay or flea the country. The parts I enjoyed really had nothing to do with the literature they studied.

I have to say that I did learn a lot about the revolution. Since I honestly didn't know anything about it before. So, I can't give you the urgent "read this book" that I usually do, but I am glad I finished it!

Last month, my book club read Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi. It's a true story or memoir of Nafisi's work as a professor of English Literature in Iran. After she leaves the university setting, she selects seven of her most committed female students to come to her house every week for two years and study literature that has recently been forbidden.

They study books by Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry James and Vladimir Nabokov. I can't get into the literary focus that Nafisi shares in her book but it seems that each of these Western authors reveals a new aspect of the oppression the women are under during the revolution and war with Iraq.

I actually didn't enjoy this book as much as I had hoped I would. It took a long time to even feel like I understood what was going on. It was a little hard to follow. The last half was more interesting and had more action because the bombings had started and each family was deciding whether to stay or flea the country. The parts I enjoyed really had nothing to do with the literature they studied.

I have to say that I did learn a lot about the revolution. Since I honestly didn't know anything about it before. So, I can't give you the urgent "read this book" that I usually do, but I am glad I finished it!

Tattoos on the Heart

A good friend recommended I read Tattoos on the Heart by Gregory Boyle and I'm so glad I did. I don't typically read gang-related books (maybe I just don't come across them often?), but this one was really good.

Gregory Boyle is a Jesuit Priest and founder of Homeboy Industries -- a nonprofit that comes along side men and women who want to leave their gang-life and provides services like tattoo removal and job placement. They've started a number of businesses for the purpose of employing them too which is really neat.

He shares personal stories and thoughts about his work and what he has seen in the decades of loving the unlovable. There were so many times I wanted to underline the sentence I had just read but it being a library (and me reading it at the gym) didn't give much opportunity to log the quotes I loved.

I think my biggest take-away from the book as a whole was that we are called to love everyone. No matter how different they might be from us. Every single person has value and worth. And when people see their value/worth for the first time it can bring about a lot of change. Writing that seems easy enough but doing it is really entirely different.

Boyle gives a lot of really great stories as examples of how he shows love to gang members in LA. There are many changed lives because of the work he does. His stories are also covered in heartbreak as well given the demographic he works with (oh so many funerals).

Of course there are theological thoughts he shares that I don't quite agree with and I'm unclear if he actually gets to share Jesus with his "homies" as he calls them so they are given an opportunity to receive salvation; I have no doubt in my mind that they see Jesus in the work of Father Boyle though and feel the love of God coming through him.

Reading the book revealed to me my own boundaries I have around myself and others and how I withhold compassion, love and even forgiveness -- and as his subtitle indicates, boundless compassion is powerful. So powerful.

A good friend recommended I read Tattoos on the Heart by Gregory Boyle and I'm so glad I did. I don't typically read gang-related books (maybe I just don't come across them often?), but this one was really good.

Gregory Boyle is a Jesuit Priest and founder of Homeboy Industries -- a nonprofit that comes along side men and women who want to leave their gang-life and provides services like tattoo removal and job placement. They've started a number of businesses for the purpose of employing them too which is really neat.

He shares personal stories and thoughts about his work and what he has seen in the decades of loving the unlovable. There were so many times I wanted to underline the sentence I had just read but it being a library (and me reading it at the gym) didn't give much opportunity to log the quotes I loved.

I think my biggest take-away from the book as a whole was that we are called to love everyone. No matter how different they might be from us. Every single person has value and worth. And when people see their value/worth for the first time it can bring about a lot of change. Writing that seems easy enough but doing it is really entirely different.

Boyle gives a lot of really great stories as examples of how he shows love to gang members in LA. There are many changed lives because of the work he does. His stories are also covered in heartbreak as well given the demographic he works with (oh so many funerals).

Of course there are theological thoughts he shares that I don't quite agree with and I'm unclear if he actually gets to share Jesus with his "homies" as he calls them so they are given an opportunity to receive salvation; I have no doubt in my mind that they see Jesus in the work of Father Boyle though and feel the love of God coming through him.

Reading the book revealed to me my own boundaries I have around myself and others and how I withhold compassion, love and even forgiveness -- and as his subtitle indicates, boundless compassion is powerful. So powerful.

Stephen's Dedication Day

Photo credit: Matthias Giezendanner

Our little guy, Stephen was dedicated in church this past Sunday, September 3. Chris's dad was in town and I'm so glad we could do it while he was with us! Pastor John Lloyd, who has been our pastor for nearly a year led the service. 

A dedication is a covenant we make with God in the presence of our congregation. It isn't something that provides salvation for Stephen or forgives his sins (he will have to make the decision to believe in Jesus and follow him on his own. We have prayed and will continue to pray that he makes that choice early in life!). The dedication is just us as his parents (and Bob as his Grandfather) standing up and proclaiming that we will do our best to share the gospel with our son, teaching him who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him. And asking the congregation to be a part of his spiritual journey. 

Photo Credit: Matthias Giezendanner

Both of the boys did pretty well up front. Of course the 15 1/2 month old was a bit fidgety but he had randomly taken a morning nap that day so he was actually in a decent mood! 

Photo Credit: Matthias Giezendanner

Chris was tasked with holding the mic but at one point, Stephen reached for it too! It looked like he might actually say something but tried to bite it instead!

Photo credit: Matthew Ronan

Praying over Stephen with our congregation was really special. I love the photo above and below because it's a glimpse of the people that love our son and care about his salvation! (as well as the support we have in this journey!)

Photo credit: Matthew Ronan

At the end the pastor prayed, "Gracious God, giver of all life, may your blessing be and remain upon this child; keep Stephen always in your love, that he may grow wise and whole. Bring Stephen safely through the dangers of childhood and temptations of youth. Lead Stephen to personal faith in Jesus Christ and to be Christ's faithful disciple throughout his life. May goodness and mercy follow Stephen Christopher Babiak all the days of his life." 

My heart sang an "Amen." And then Chris did the proud dad-lion thing: Announcing Simba Stephen!

Photo credit: Matthias Giezendanner

After the service our good friend Matthias followed Stephen outside and took the most adorable photographs! I just can't get enough. Here are two of my favorites:

Photo credit: Matthias Giezendanner

Photo credit: Matthias Giezendanner

Ghah! Isn't he just the cutest! I love this little baby-man. I'm so glad the suit fit that my sister sent us and the shoes we had actually fit and even matched!

Stephen we love you so very much and trust God for your salvation. I'm so thankful he has given you to us and pray I would be the mom you need me to be. I look forward to watching you grow in knowledge and love of Jesus.

Photo credit: Matthias Giezendanner

Our little guy, Stephen was dedicated in church this past Sunday, September 3. Chris's dad was in town and I'm so glad we could do it while he was with us! Pastor John Lloyd, who has been our pastor for nearly a year led the service. 

A dedication is a covenant we make with God in the presence of our congregation. It isn't something that provides salvation for Stephen or forgives his sins (he will have to make the decision to believe in Jesus and follow him on his own. We have prayed and will continue to pray that he makes that choice early in life!). The dedication is just us as his parents (and Bob as his Grandfather) standing up and proclaiming that we will do our best to share the gospel with our son, teaching him who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him. And asking the congregation to be a part of his spiritual journey. 

Photo Credit: Matthias Giezendanner

Both of the boys did pretty well up front. Of course the 15 1/2 month old was a bit fidgety but he had randomly taken a morning nap that day so he was actually in a decent mood! 

Photo Credit: Matthias Giezendanner

Chris was tasked with holding the mic but at one point, Stephen reached for it too! It looked like he might actually say something but tried to bite it instead!

Photo credit: Matthew Ronan

Praying over Stephen with our congregation was really special. I love the photo above and below because it's a glimpse of the people that love our son and care about his salvation! (as well as the support we have in this journey!)

Photo credit: Matthew Ronan

At the end the pastor prayed, "Gracious God, giver of all life, may your blessing be and remain upon this child; keep Stephen always in your love, that he may grow wise and whole. Bring Stephen safely through the dangers of childhood and temptations of youth. Lead Stephen to personal faith in Jesus Christ and to be Christ's faithful disciple throughout his life. May goodness and mercy follow Stephen Christopher Babiak all the days of his life." 

My heart sang an "Amen." And then Chris did the proud dad-lion thing: Announcing Simba Stephen!

Photo credit: Matthias Giezendanner

After the service our good friend Matthias followed Stephen outside and took the most adorable photographs! I just can't get enough. Here are two of my favorites:

Photo credit: Matthias Giezendanner

Photo credit: Matthias Giezendanner

Ghah! Isn't he just the cutest! I love this little baby-man. I'm so glad the suit fit that my sister sent us and the shoes we had actually fit and even matched!

Stephen we love you so very much and trust God for your salvation. I'm so thankful he has given you to us and pray I would be the mom you need me to be. I look forward to watching you grow in knowledge and love of Jesus.