A LampPost Flickering

We LOVE Easter around these parts. It's like Christmas, only better. The joy of a life found in Christ. The pleasure of children's excitement and anticipation and discovery. Sweet Easter dresses of the palest yellow. Miniature oxford shirts buttoned all the way up to anchor miniature neck ties. "He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today!" sung with conviction and celebration. And, gotta say it, Recee's Peanut Butter Eggs. And ham and homemade dinner rolls. And peanut butter pie. (Apparently I have a thing for peanut butter.) I promised God that I would not let the seemingly endless list of tasks and duties take away any of the joy and wonder of Easter. That promise did not make my list any smaller. But God, in His great, incomparable grace and faithfulness, poured in strength and joy and more joy.     I knew there was a reason I was saving these egg cartons. The inside goodies. Bleary-eyed candy eaters Everybody close your ey

Here's some awesome news: Lily's biggest surgery is finally behind her. Emotion filled me when they rolled her into the recovery room, mostly because I was heart-broken to see my precious child in such discomfort and disorientation. That was her sixth surgery, fifth since she's been forever home. I had not been prepared for how relieved I would feel. We had built up to the bone graft surgery for years. We knew it was coming, and we knew that it was going to be hard. Most children born with cleft palates must have this surgery, where bone material is extracted from the Iliad bone (hip) and grafted into the cleft(s) along the gumline. (Lily has HAD two.)  The hip bone and surgery site hurt far more than the mouth as they both heal, and her precious little mouth can only have liquids and pureed foods for about three weeks. Lily has been so brave throughout the weeks and days leading up to her big, big surgery. The morning of the surgery, she woke with ease and didn't

This was the mode of transportation to church this morning. But for only half the family.  First of all, I'd like to say how incredibly thankful I am for such beautiful weather on Palm Sunday morning and for quiet roads that quickly connect our home to our church. Blessed.  Now the reason that only half of us rode our bikes is four-fold: 1. We have five bikes, only one of which is grown-up sized. 2. That doesn't work well with a family of six people, two of whom are grown-ups. 3.  Bicycle-riding while carrying a large guitar in gusty winds just doesn't seem wise. 4. Lily has not been given the post-surgery green light for bicycling. So Rob and Lily and I sent the boys off on their two-wheeling, half-mile adventure, and we took the boring four-wheeling sedan. (Actually, Rob's new car is really fun to drive, and riding with him in it, sunroof and all, fondly reminds me of our courtin' days.) Church was good today. The sermon was good, the fellowship was goo