The definition of "angel juice" and Created to Worship

Days in the Life...

Monday morning Chloe, Christian, and I left about 10:00 to go meet Aron at the Denton park. He and I had a one-on-one basketball game. (I enjoy occasionally participating in battles that I know I have little chance of winning.)

I lost. 

It was a fun, and very fast game. We won't mention the fact that I didn't score. 

Chloe and Christian said they enjoyed watching, counting Aron's goals, and eating the giant cookies he brought them. 

Next we played doubles tennis and Aron and I beat Christian and Chloe. 

Mom was feeling up to bring the littles for lunch. When they arrived we were still deep in our tennis game so Ava, Gabe, and Mia volunteered to be our professional ball runners. It was really nice! 

Christian was our knight in shining armor. The ladies room was out of toilet paper. The men's was not. We were very grateful to him. 

Eating lunch gave us a nice break before we dispersed into the field to play "All It." 

Then we played a team basketball game and then Ultimate Frisbee. Yes, we were there a long time. 

We called that PE for the week! 

At home people showered and went to have rest time and work on school. 

That night I babysat for the small group. There were 12 kids. It was a busy night. 

Tuesday Kate finally came back!! She didn't come until closer to 9:00, though, so I actually got to sleep in a little. 

She is officially walking!

After "helping" me make lunch, Kate "helped" me make baked oatmeal and granola and then went down for a nap and left me to a pile of dishes. It's a good thing I don't mind them. 

Enjoying her goldfish after her nap.

So photogenic. 

I sort of braided her hair. 

(Can you tell I missed her? Lots of pictures...) 

Kate loves music and dancing. Everyone likes to dance with her when she comes, usually after her afternoon nap. 

She left and I went to make dinner, promptly spilling dry lentils all over the kitchen floor. All I could do was laugh at myself.

They went everywhere.

(They kind of blend into the floor too, though.)

It was about 2/3 of a cup. 

Some of the kids had colds that day, Christian stayed in bed most of it, if I remember correctly. 

Wednesday I left early for a nanny job again. 

Calvin is a huge snuggler. 

That's all he wanted to do while I was there, snuggle, get his food all over me, and take naps. I was more than thrilled. 

Definition- 

Angel Juice any number of substances ranging from drool, to tears, to baby food, etc, etc, you can imagine the rest without me spelling out all the less pleasant details.

By the time I was leaving, I was sufficiently covered in angel juice. Something I never mind in the least.

Christian explaining his health by text:

I arrived home with 30 seconds to throw down my backpack, toss items into a purse, and run back outside to jump in Aron's car with Mom and Christian to go see "Caged No More." 

Wow. That was a very well done movie. The focus was on human trafficking and although it was not a movie I could view in a state of relaxation, it was not nearly as intense/scary as I thought it might be. I would definitely recommend it. 

Mom's pain killers made her feel tipsy so we didn't want her driving and when we stopped at Walmart on the way home, Aron and I walked on either side of her. I'm sure she felt well supported. It was about that time that I realized I'd eaten pretty much nothing all day, despite the fact that I'd packed both breakfast and lunch to take to work. I just forgot to eat. Completely. 

Aron was spontaneously invited to dinner then offered to help me make the chili because it beat "sitting around doing nothing." We established that I have had a lot more vegetable chopping experience than he has. 

After dinner, raiding any random dessert leftovers we had in the house, and cleaning up, Aron chose (by popular vote) "Night at the Museum 3" for further evening entertainment. (Just having him around is entertaining.)

Thursday afternoon Grandpa met Chloe, Christian, and I at talking and arguing I mean, speech and debate. Nothing very interesting happened that I can remember on that day. 

Friday morning I ran errands for Dad, came home to make lunch and get dinner in the crockpot, took care of another mountain of dishes, and then did some much needed writing until 2:50 when Aron arrived to work on a project with me until dinner time. 

I spontaneously needed to go babysit that night and ended up getting lost because the GPS on my phone messed up. That's an experience I'd rather not repeat. I made it home just fine afterwards, though. The parents made sure I knew where I was going. 

Saturday morning Christy and Joe came over so Christy could do our Bible study with Chloe and me while Christian and Joe went exploring down the hill. 

In the afternoon I blogged and then we all got ready for church. Mom was very glad to be able to go with us. 

I greeted and had sweet Alathyia as my helper again. 

Gabe accidentally spilled his cup of communion grape juice down my leg and Alathyia started fussing. When I came back into the service after wiping my leg off, he had spilled my cup on my seat. I was glad I saw it before sitting down as I was wearing a black and white striped skirt. I just moved up to the seat in front of me. Funny incidents are hard to get upset about. Strive to see the funny side, whenever possible.

Sunday after brunch Mom, Dad, Nana, and Grandfather went to look at another little house for sale in Ponder. 

All afternoon I spent officially getting my personal journal caught up. I write in it (usually) every night, but I got behind weeks ago and had about a week's worth of writing to do. By the time I finished I felt so much more on top of things. That's part of the reason the blog has been behind.  I hate being behind.

Mom won this game of Rummikub this time.

The boys went next door to watch the show about the amazing dish, 

I mean, they watched the Super Bowl, with Grandfather and Nana.

I've Been Pondering...

This is who I am. This is what I was created to be. This is the meaning of my name. This is the thing I delight in. This is me. 

Lydia Elisabeth, consecrated worshiper of God. 

I am designed to give all glory and honor and praise to my Father. I am created in His image to point back to Him in all things. I am all that I am so that I can worship Him with my everything. 
And nothing gives me as much pure, exuberant joy as this. I can't wait for Heaven.

I want to live out worship. I want to walk through my every day and know that I am worshipping my God. I want every word I speak and every move I make to give Him glory. 

Worship is not dependent on a specific setting, or a special song, or a particular mood. Worship is not something that only happens at certain times. Worship is not a formula. 

Worship is a lifestyle. Worship is something we do all the time by living out our walk with God in such a way that we are reflecting the glory of God and directing those around us to Him and not ourselves. Worship is being what we were created to be. 

I was made to bring glory to God. You were made to bring glory to God. All of us were made to bring glory to God. 

And we do this by glorifying Him in our everyday life, in the simple tasks and the complex irregularities. Each of us, by being who we are, is a manifestation of the creativity and wonder and glory of God. Our differences and our similarities, our likes and dislikes, our passions, our unique personalities, our physical attributes, our personal preferences, our special gifts and talents, our individuality, everything that goes into making each of us who we are is a splendid, combined masterpiece that honors the Creator. 

He formed each of us with the specific purpose of being worshippers. Worshipping in spirit and in truth, in our every step until the day we reach Heaven to truly fully embrace that destiny for all of eternity.

That Moment When...

Chloe locks her keys in the car at work while it is still running. 

Kate puts her finger in her mouth, then in your mouth, then in her mouth, several times, before you realize what she is doing. 

The littles sing "It's a Hard Knock Life" while sweeping the kitchen. 

You start dinner preparation by spilling 2/3 of a cup of dry lentils all over the kitchen floor. 

You get downstairs in the morning to discover your two brothers arguing over whether or not your hair is long enough to touch your pants. (It is.) 

The Herd: Quoted 

"I am just growing up too fast." -Gabe 

"She is causing distress on me." -Mia 

"Nobody is helping me!" -Christian

*Moments later*

"Just let me do it myself I have a plan for it." -Christian 

"Aw, that means I have to get dressed." -Mom

"No, you can just stay in your room." -Me

"You just hit me full in the face with your hair." -Chloe to me.

"You just dragged your hair through my food." -Ava to me. 

"Can I quote y'all?" -Me

"Nooooooooo!" -Mom and Dad together.