Fall, Friends & Fun

Here are some recent pics from the Ross family fall festivities. Last week, Wyn's preschool class took a trip to "Country Bumpkin" farm. Very fun...but as someone who has lived in the country, I had to laugh a bit at the "farm"....It was more like a Home Depot Garden center that just happened to have a petting zoo attached. Still-very fun. 

We decided to do a family-theme for Halloween this year and went as Old Macdonald's farm. Everything went splendidly...until Sophie started eating the hay:) It was a beautiful night for Trick-or-treating here. We were able to join several families that live close to us on our adventure. I especially liked Wyn's friend Nathan's costume....a secret agent. He even had a brief case with several "disguises" in it:) 

Happy Pumpkin day from my sweet punkins'!

More Wyndham-isms

I am amazed DAILY with Wyndham's imagination and perception of the world around here...what a ham:)

~(When asked what flavor of dum-dum sucker she was eating) "It tastes like a MYSTEWY!" (Mystery)

~(Looking at the moon shining in the night sky) "The moon is half, like a fingernail smile".

~(Standing a top a chair in the buff, holding her broom) "Mommy, I want to clean the whole house. I will dust EVERYTHING and turn it into gold!"

~"God isn't our fwiend...he's our 'fah-thu'" (father)

~(Coming upon mommy changing Sophie's clothes) "Mommy, why is baby Sophie make-ed (naked)? If we take her to chuch (church ) like that...(whispering) people will call her 'stupidhead'"...

She still has problems pronouncing her "R" sounds. Frankly, it's so cute, I will mourn the day when she finally figures it out!

O Church Arise

So for those of you who know the details of the Ross family journey over the last year, you know that we have been through a valley of hurt, anger, disappointment...Yet is all of this, God is still holy, just and good. Because of our trials, we have been driven to face the stark reality of what it means to follow Christ amidst the culture in which we live. Instead of the past year being about what happened to "us", it has turned into a year of discovering what has happened and is happening to the name of Christ and His church.

It was our "wake-up call" so to say. What do we really believe? What are we willing to live and die for? Call it life transition, call it election-hype, call it what you will...we desire to own our faith and know more about God. Not for the sake of being self-righteous or haughty but truly, to understand how we are to live, parent and minister in this world.

The following video clips are from Mark Driscoll- Pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA. The clips are from a few sermons he gave at his church as well as a pastor's conference. He is known for his "sharp tongue" and you will see why. If christian leaders aren't calling into question some of these very topics, who will?

My hope is that you view these videos, not with a sense that I'm taking pot-shots or that I have a heart of dissension, but that you sense a fire to protect the Christian flock from the many deceptions we encounter in churches across America. The point of this discussion isn't just  "Yeah! All of this stuff IS bad!"...but WHY is it bad? What do we believe to be true about God/scripture in contrast that brings us to that conclusion? While these clips may make you uncomfortable, even if you disagree, the bottom line is- what is our framework for discernment based upon?  Perhaps this is the idea where "fear and trembling comes in... ?:) There needs to be a balance between biblical study and reading/exposing yourself to some of these trends in culture so that we can have a respectable, educated conversation with people in the faith and out.

 One of these clips is 10 minutes long, but WELL worth the listen...Please share your thoughts!!

PS- Many pastors we respect have given note to Mark Driscoll despite his seemingly controversial edge. We have just recently discovered him and are currently doing further research on his ministry.
PPS-You will want to turn off the my playlist before you listen. Scroll down the page
PPPS- Yes... I am a current stay-at-home mom that changes diapers, plays Candyland and reads and ponders current trends in today's christian culture...your point? :) 

Smile...God Loves You!


4 Streams of the Emerging Church


The Shack- for a full review by Tim Challies, click the link to the right- Shack Review

and another notable review here.

Warning Against False Teachers

The Ultimate Case against Roe V Wade

God, Gas Prices and the Stock Market

As the country turns it hope to markets, politicians and investments- who will we choose to trust? I found an awesome blog called- The Shepherd Press Blog. Shepherd Press is a respectable, thought-provoking publishing company that writes materials specifically for Christian families dealing with a variety of topics. I discovered it's many valuable resources this past summer. Here is a recent post I found encouraging...you can also find this and other posts on the link above.

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Some of you may remember the post from last May about “God and gas prices.” Now, six months later, the price for a barrel of oil has dropped to below $70 for the first time in fourteen months. The price for gasoline is once again below $3 per gallon in many areas of the country. Last spring folks were worried about how to pay for gas; now that oil has dropped over 50% in value from its high this summer, that worry seems a distant memory. But in the meantime, something else also dropped in value: the world’s financial markets.

So now there are bigger worries—or are there? Watching the markets go up and down is a little bit like watching your kids on a see-saw. Our western culture has trusted the conventional wisdom of this world. We have been told security rests in financial well being, in the American Dream. But God has much to say about the wealth of this world, and it is a different wisdom than the world’s wisdom. It is important that you, as parents, view wealth and the acquisition of wealth from a biblical perspective. 
God has particular advice for those who are rich in this world. Currently, there is much debate about who is rich. Are you rich if you earn more than $250,000 a year? Are you rich if your net worth is more than 5 million dollars? Are you rich if you have a roof that does not leak and food to eat for the next meal? Are you rich if you have hot, running water? Are you rich if you have more roots to eat than your neighbor? ”Rich” depends a little upon whom you are talking to. But regardless, Paul says to Timothy to tell those who are rich, whatever that may mean, not to put their hope in wealth. This means that whether you are Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Joe the Plumber, or a tribal herdsman—you are not to hope in wealth. Wealth is uncertain. Really? Yes, really. The focus of this world is to urge people to trust in things which are uncertain.

Christian, has God’s faithfulness to you and your family changed in any way in the last several months? God’s care for you is certain. The riches of this world are not. While trillions of dollars may have disappeared in the markets, God care is constant. This financial downturn may result in lost homes, lost jobs and lost savings. This brings difficult challenges. But these sorts of downturns are to be expected from wealth. This is what Paul is saying to Timothy. Jesus taught the same thing in the Luke passage listed above. Life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. Of course you should work and plan for the future and attempt to make wise investments. But through all of this, you must remember that wealth is not something to build your hope upon, for it is uncertain.

What is certain is the care of God. Circumstances will change. God will not. Think about these things with your children. Help them to focus on what is certain in life, so that they will not trust in wealth, which is not certain at all. 

Pave paradise, put up a parking lot

In my lifetime thus far, I have lived in basically 2 places. The first of course was western Michigan, complete with the many beauties of Lake Michigan, blue-collar working class and conservative values. The second being rural eastern Ohio- rolling hills, country charm and close to many amish and menonite communities. Moving to a suburb nearest one of the biggest cities in our country has been unlike anything I've ever done in my life. The cultural/activity loving side of me loves our new community. It's truly a young family's dream. There is no lack for family-friendly things to do. We are basically 30 miles from everything you could ever imagine. We are renting a duplex in an awesome development complete with tree-lined sidewalks, parks, basketball and tennis courts and millions (or at least it seems) of kids. I have enjoyed discovering and exploring our new homeland, and am looking forward to making many positive connections with our church family.  All that to say, I am also seeing through a lot of things and it is causing me to think long and hard about what I really value in this life.

 We were recently mailed a township report from Grayslake. It contains all kinds of facts and projections for 2008 and 2009. The report gave me a very specific demographic of the people I am living with. The average income for a family in Grayslake is $90,000 per year. Over 90% of people have a college education and another high percentage have done grad. work as well. As a teacher, I think that this is wonderful. I consider myself a life-long learner and would be in school all of the time if it was realistic. On the other hand, I can't relate to the income level and quality of living that the average "Lakie" enjoys. Though we are currently tight on cash due to one income and extra housing cost from this transition, I have always considered ourselves blessed financially. We don't have a lot, but I'm content  with our life. 

Since housing developments are pretty much the ONLY neighborhoods in this area, we have been exploring potential real estate just to get an idea of what we are "up against" if we are ever in the position to buy a house again. The average house in our neighborhood is between $250-$350,00 to start...and that's just for a basic bare-bones house. The property taxes range from $7,000-$13,000 per year depending on where you live. The yearly taxes ALONE would cost more than our entire mortgage plus taxes in OH! All that to say, we are more than happy to rent for a while.

There is a much-talked-about neighborhood just a mile or two away from us. It's called "Prairie Crossings". It touts itself as an "eco-friendly" community. Basically, it's $500,000-million dollar homes that are supposedly energy efficient. The yards are left UNlanscaped (you know, the whole "natural habitat thing). They have their own farm where they grow organic food (and sell it for outrageous prices), 10  miles of trails, a horse stable, a boating lake and get this- a charter school of their very own. Basically, it's an amish community for yuppies. I find it hilarious that on their web page they claim to be racially and economically diverse. I can't speak to the ethic claim, but I can disagree with the "affordable" living quip. I don't know many "average" people who could afford million dollar homes. 

I was driving to a friends house last night and noticed another billboard advertising for another "eco-friendly" community that is in process of being built. The sign said, "Prairie Trail- eco-friendly luxury living with it's own elementary school! Starting from the $390s). Talk about elitism! I laughed out loud. Sure, the green monster inside might rage once in a while, but this is truly not about jealousy or envy here. This is disgust at the all-out blatant elitism with the ever popular "green" card to boot! Since when did living a healthy considerate lifestyle become the wealthy person's mantra?  It's own elementary school? Heaven forbid that the rich kids have to mingle with the lesser ones over at the public schools. 

Their farm/petting zoo consists of a cow, horse, a goat and  chicken. People come from miles around to see them. It reminds me of a line from a Joni Mitchell song, 

"They took all the trees

Put em in a tree museum

And they charged the people

A dollar and a half just to see em"

(Big Yellow Taxi)

The people that live there can have the best of both worlds. City living with all of the charm of the country. Sounds appealing, right? Of course it does. But wow...doesn't that give one pause to think and get some perspective? 

I'm not just talking about elitism within the housing and schools sectors here...I'm basically questioning...well, the American Dream. We are reaping rewards from decades of work laid down by our relatives. We live such lives of convenience now and have gotten so caught up with our jobs, money and retirement plans...have we forgotten to include God in that equation? It's fine and good to work hard, save and have nice things...but at what cost to our family relationships and testimony to our communities? 

Something that goes hand in hand with these thoughts is our treatment of church. We have churches on every corner in our country. We church shop, deciding what style, demographic and programs we like. It's all about how church will fit into our nice little reality that we've made for ourselves. I have been so convicted of this lately. God has been working on my own wicked and blind heart to recognize some of these things. 

 

I have been spending a lot of time in Luke lately. I love reading the actual words of Jesus. How perfectly it pertains to mankind then, and now. I have been reflecting on a passage from 14:25. "Now, great crowds accompanied Him, and He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and consider the cost? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish'. ...Therefore, any of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple". 

Jesus is getting at our very problem. SIN. Of course Jesus doesn't want us to HATE our friends and relatives, but we can't have a white-knuckled grip on ANYTHING in this lifetime- whether it be money, possessions, our church, and yes, even our relationship with others. We must live with the true reality- we are sinners saved by grace. We are entrusted with this life, our gifts, talents and interests. What will we do with them? 

Pave paradise? Look at the world around us through bullet-proof glass praying for the Savior's return so we can get out of the trouble of the world? What does it mean to gain the whole world, only to loose my life? I so long for a 3-step plan to ensure  a christian life, marriage, family. In a lot of ways, I'm no better off in my self than those who wish to separate themselves by living in these "communities".  I'm in a raging battle between my old self and my regenerated self in Christ. Learning to trust, have faith... at the end of the day, it's all we have. My prayer is that God will keep me humble and dependent on Him so that I don't loose this perspective. I don't want to wake up one day and realize that I "didn't know what I had... 'till its gone"...

Sisters, Sisters...there were never more devoted sisters...

Today was a lie-around-and-stare-at-Sophie-day. I didn't get to do this with Wyndham very much at this stage as I was still working, so I definitely am savoring these sweet moments. Sophie is approaching 4 months in a week or two. How time is flying...

I think she is going to take after her chatter-box/bunny-trailey mom...whaddya think?

Notice the quiet background. Wanna know why? Because Wyndham snuck into the front yard to play football...did I mention that all she was wearing was undies, tights and her rain boots? 

Once I wrestled her back into the house, we proceeded to have some "girl time" together....poor Randy. He's so out-numbered.

Wyndham LOVES when Sophie notices her. Wyndham could be flailing around the room practically falling all over Sophie, and Sophie LOVES IT. We captured some of her first real giggles today... the dimple makes me melt....I can't wait to see how their sisterly love grows and develops. 

Don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me.

Now that we have moved and are finally settling in (sort of), we decided that this was the weekend to get outside and do some yard work. The landlord of the duplex we are renting isn't expecting much in way of landscaping, just maintenance more or less. I love beautifying the outside, but with the budget so tight these days, a potted mum on the front porch is as far as we can go right now. One really fun aspect of the duplex is the fact that we have an enormous apple tree in our front yard. The apples are edible, and a lot of them are in great condition. We just have to watch out for a few worm holes and the occasional bee (yikes!). Here is a pic of just a FRACTION of the apples we picked off yesterday after we gave the tree an enormous trim.

In addition to apple picking, we also got to go sailing with some friends from our church on a tiny little vessel... I guess you could consider it a boat:) (Pics to come) It has a sail and a rudder, so I guess it constitutes a boat. So fun. The couple (Matt and Jenny) invited us over for dinner on Saturday night. 

Get this: Jenny was a music major at Bethel College in MN. She specialize in voice and piano. She is the pastor's daughter and is currently serving as the worship director at our church. She has her own photography business, and she and her husband remodel homes. They just moved into their newly renovated house after a year of labor and love. Can you believe the similarities here?! Not to mention the fact that the pastor and his wife at one point owned a rehab/antique store. Its nice to feel a connection through these initial common interests. It's as if we've known these people all of our lives and we've just come back from a long vacation or something. I'm thankful for these small things that echo of God's provision. Ok- so we are a little strapped for cash right now...but how valuable are people? We are looking forward to having many people over for dinner in the coming weeks. Maybe I'll even get to bake an apple pie :)

Shower of Blessing

Our new church here in IL recently threw us a Pantry Shower to help welcome us to the area. So thoughtful and much appreciated. Between moving and all kinds of other financial surprises, having some extra groceries and supplies were much needed. My favorite surprises: Chicago Bear items, giftcards to target, borders and Randy's fav...starbucks:-) Only the necessities for him:) Now if we could only sell our house....