Someone Worth Dying For

I like to listen to "Contemporary Christian Music" - despite the fact it's often theologically shaky (at best). But I generally am drawn to the style of music it is.


The last few years I have been more critical of what I listen to. Many songs I can just put on my "Lutheran Glasses" and enjoy, but there are some that just irk me! Over the last week I have heard one particular song quite a few times. "Someone Worth Dying For" by Mikeschair.


Songs like this one are full of good sentiments - heck, don't you want to be someone worth dying for??


Here's the chorus:
Am I more than flesh and bone?
Am I really something beautiful?
Yeah, I wanna believe, I wanna believe that
I'm not just some wandering soul
That you don't see and you don't know
Yeah I wanna believe, Jesus help me believe that I
Am someone worth dying for


I'm sure many of you, along with me, want to believe you are something beautiful, someone loved by God.


The song even takes a turn and tells us we are these things: something beautiful, noticed & loved by God and worth dying for. (and you gotta believe that!)

Unfortunately, it's a lie.

Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."


We were NOT worth dying for. We were born sinful and continued to sin each and every day of our lives. Worth it? I don't think so!

But Christ died for us anyway!

That is the true Gospel. That even though we were not worth dying for, Christ still did. Even though He knew that by dying for us, we would still continue in sin, He still died for us. Not only that, but He washed us clean, put on a robe of righteousness, and presented us before God the Father, who sees us as redeemed. Christ justified you, He "redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins..."


Happy Reformation Day, 2011

The Perfect Age?

Can I keep Seth like this forever?


I am just loving this age!


I love his smiles and giggles.
I love the way he talks at me (usually with something in his mouth).
I love that he can sit up by himself...but not yet cause me to chase him all over the house.
I love that we can cuddle before bedtime.
I love his 2 little teeth that are not quite big yet.
I love the way he loves eating "big people food."
I love that he can still nurse.
I love that I can still carry him around.
I love that he does not throw a stink every time he is in the car seat!
I love how he plays in his bin of toys.
I love that he plays peek-a-boo under his blankie.
I love that we are no longer in the "rock-til-I-drop" stage for sleep, but still not in the "I-don't-want-to-go-to-bed" stage.
I love his fuzzy red hair.
I love how he splashes in the bathtub.


There is so much more, but those are a few reasons why I could stay right where we are for a while!

Homemade Canvas Box

My favorite crafty blogger, Make It and Love It, posted a tutorial to make canvas boxes.

After much hunting in Clinton, and a trip to the Quad Cities, I gathered all my supplies and went to work. I wanted to make a different size than she did, so I made a practice size (no lining or canvas). My box ended being a 6.5" cube...though nowhere near perfect! I was trying to make the most of the canvas I had to buy.

In the end, I decided it was a fun project, and I loved making it my own, but it is not cost effective. Oh well!

Made from fabrics I had lying around.

The inside

What a fun little box!

A cute place to store Seth's bibs & things right in the dining room. :)

Solid Foods Update

How is Baby Led Weaning going?




Let's just say, not as well as I'd hoped.
I'm not giving up yet, but I have taken a step back.

Babies have sensitive gag reflexes that are farther forward on their tongue than adults', and Seth has always had an extra-sensitive one (often gagging on his binky, my finger, his thumb if he yawns). So he's gagged a lot. He's always been able to clear his throat, so he's not choking, but it's not fun to watch!


We got baby food at our shower, so we're starting with that, so he at least gets to learn how to swallow. But I don't care how much he eats, and he's in control a lot.... although I have been holding on to the spoon because i was tired of picking it up from the floor. ;) Sometimes he gets a chunk of something - slightly cooked carrot, for example, to chew on.

 He also uses things like these that i can put food in. So far he's tried a chunk of grapefruit.

Food that he's tasted:

apple
carrot
peas
grapefruit
rice cereal
strawberry banana yogurt (the only thing he didn't make a yucky face at)
raspberry vanilla yogurt
mashed potatoes

Sunday Mornings

Sunday mornings are a challenge, and that's putting it lightly. I fully believe Seth should be in church as much as possible. I'm not opposed to the nursery, but it's not going to be my first choice. Actually, it's a last resort.

But while Seth is an infant, and very dependent on his morning naps, Sunday mornings are difficult.

I posted a status a while back asking for advice -- and I appreciated the responses -- but not much has changed. It got a little better for a while, but then Sunday School started back up, which meant Adam and I got busier. For the last month or so, by the time 10:15 church starts, Seth is a wreck.

Background: Most mornings, Seth wakes up between 7 and 7:30 and then about an hour later is ready to go down for his morning nap. So we get up on Sunday mornings about the same time but he is not able to get a nap in until 11:30-noon. The most he goes at other times during the day is 2 hours between naps, so this is him being awake at least twice as long as he's used to. He also will rarely go to sleep being rocked...there is just too much to see!

By the time the sermon rolls around, Seth has been screaming.

Ok, before I start complaining, I'll just stop. :)

But my goal is to figure out something that works, in order for Seth to be in church. Perhaps my dreams are just too lofty, but for now I'm going to cling to them.

The parents on Sunday mornings: Adam teaches the high school class from 9-10. I do the Sunday School opening at 9, then we run around and take attendance. I also listen to kids' memory work throughout the morning. I direct the choir and Adam sings in it, usually at just the 10:15 service, but sometimes also at the 7:45 service. People are more than willing to hold him...it's just the sleep thing!

If anyone has any insight on making this work, feel free to share. Just know that I may or may not take your advice. :)

Half Birthday!

Today Seth turned 6 months old -- happy birthday, Seth!

Guess what that means?
(Other than professional pictures and a doctor's appointment?)

Seth is allowed to start trying solid foods now! He's been 100% on Mama's Milk up til now (except those few droplets Dad has snuck him of...well, I won't tell you what).

I'm a little nervous about sharing our plan with everyone, because it's not normal. But here goes!

During my hours of midnight iPhone google searching (usually about how to help Baby fall asleep better), I somehow came across something called "Baby Led Weaning" or "Baby Led Solids." At first, I thought it sounded interesting, but too innovative, so I probably wouldn't actually do it. But then I came back to the idea. - and bought "the" book on it. Baby Led Weaning, by Gill Rapley

Essentially, now that many babies are starting solids at 6 months, they have much more ability to work on actual solid foods...not just be stuck with mushy, spoon-fed foods. Also, sticking with milk for the main source of nutrients is recommended til about a year of age. So, Seth can eat anything we are eating, as long as it's healthy (for the most part). At first, "eating" will be all about exploring new textures, practicing chewing (gumming), and figuring out new tastes. What fun! Since he already puts everything in his mouth anyway... ;)

Today we started him out with a nice Honey Crisp apple.

Waiting patiently (wondering what is hanging from his neck)

Hmmm...what is this new toy?

Checkin' it out.... Look at that pincer grip!!

Must put it in the mouth!

Lick it

Doing pretty good there :)