10 honest things about me

but first, I want to introduce the little man who has stolen my heart.....my lucky sister's new and only grandson. So, my niece's son. (my sister and I raised our children together, my sixth and her 7th and youngest are the same age...we have daughters who are 18 days apart, and daughters who are 12 days apart.....we have had our fun...and I love her children like my own, and they are growing up into beautiful adults.....anyway....) This is William Elias, to be known as Will. I saw him, and I got teary-eyed. I held him. I unwrapped him and took his picture and wrapped him back up and cuddled him. I fell head over heals in love with him. I held him and cuddled him, then I had to give him back and go home. Oh, I would love one more.....

Here is a bewildered Charlotte Claire at our friend Toby's birthday party. Mostly boys were there. She hasn't been to very many people's houses, so she was pretty amazed. Well, Renata wrote a nice post called, "10 honest things about me", and informally tagged those on her blogroll.....so, I thought I'd try it....

1. I am lazy. I love to sit with my feet up, especially at the beach, or in the yard in the summertime....just to roast in the sun......

2. Winter started here so suddenly and forcefully that I miss summer....which leads me to mention that I love summer, but I hate getting TOO hot.

3. I like to get as much done with as little effort as possible.

4. I have so much I would love to do, but never get to.

5. I have to part with some of my 20+ strollers and prams, and it seriously makes me sad, because I love them.

6. I am fully gripped and aprehended by the gospel of Jesus. Sometimes, even when I feel so tempted to just get bitter and give up and be depressed, I hear Jesus speaking.....and I know, I JUST KNOW that I would be a fool to give in to it all. I believe that there is a door that can be opened in the mind, a door to thoughts of bitterness and destruction....(it is written about the bitter root, that we are to make sure that no bitter root grows up within us, for by it many would be defiled.....) We have a battle in the thought life.....we have to battle to keep our hearts and thoughts pure.

7. I see myself pretty clearly, I think, because God is good, and doesn't want me to be proud. So I know how I am, to an extent, how impatient, critical, judgemental, envious, complaining I am inside.......so when other people say things like, "Oh, you must have the patience of a saint!"....., I truly cringe....if only you knew, I think..... I do not want to be like that, so, as it is written in Romans, I serve with my mind the law of God, I cleanse myself......and overcome sin, by God's grace, not because I am anything. This I truly mean.

8. I really really like quiet, and I really really hate sticky. So, I am surely in the wrong line of work....

9. Sometimes I do things that I tell the kids not to do, like have seconds of the good cereal, or use tons of toilet paper, or use a whole paper towel when a half would do. Or pick the biggest one, or walk across the kitchen floor with my shoes on.....or stand under the hot shower too long.

10. I do not like the cold weather, yet I love the coziness of being inside, and the lack of pressure to actually take the kids outside. I love the winter time cooking, the things like stews, soups, roasts......and the baking! I do love to warm up the house with a batch of cookies....I love it when I can be here when the kids get home, and have something special for them....

I know this is more than 10, but I thought of something else: I feel a strong urge to comfort other people. When a mama has a screaming toddler, I hope to heaven that the way I look at her isn't misconstrued as critical, no, I want to convey..."I know what you are going through....stop caring what people think....do not discipline that child roughly because you are embarrassed...."Oh, and old people? I want to help all the old people. I really enjoy reaching things on the shelves for them. But mostly, mostly, the strongest urge I have concerning other people: I want them to see what salvation is. People walk around so bound by their sin, and they don't even know it. They think it is because of their circumstances, or other people's actions.... Jesus made a way through the flesh, and said, "Follow me.." Jesus was tempted, but never gave in. And I see people, their love growing cold, their tempers short, and oh, the way they talk to their kids....I turn into an idiot, and I just cry, I can't help it. Laws and rules can't help people. But God can. Just look at how in the book of Acts, Saul was so merciless against the Christians, sending them to prison....then Jesus spoke to him on the road to Damascus....and his heart softened, and he said, "What would you have me do, Lord?" People can change. No one is too far gone or corrupt for God to help.