Living off Fear

I really don't pay much attention to current events. I prefer it that way... in fact I make a point to not watch the news. It's not that I don't want to be informed, I would just rather hear both sides of a situation before I make my mind up about something (and I don't remember a single time when the news broadcast has spoken on both sides and allowed you, your own view). Normally, I would say, they find something that might put a couple people in danger (somewhere in the world) and make you feel like you're one of them. American's are fed by fear. I just choose not to partake in the feast.

I'm a little surprised by the people that are really afraid, though. It's the Christians... the ones that claim to have the power of God (GOD!!!!) by their side. I'm a Christian, I know what I believe, and to me, it seems silly to be in fear's grasp. It's paralyzing!

It seems to have been this way sense I can remember. When I left for Mexico (for two years) people from my church were upset and couldn't imagine why I would leave the US when there are people in our own neighborhoods that need to be saved. It is true... there are, but that's not what I was called to.

** In my eyes, American's have all the resources they need to come to Christ. In my eyes, it's a stubbornness that keeps them from the Lord. That's why I don't make a great missionary here in the US (I just don't have the compassion for the rich that I do for the poor). **

A couple months ago, just after the results came in of the presidential election, most of my bible study group walked in looking defeated and somewhat sick. They kept shaking their heads and saying "scary times, we're living in scary times". I really don't know if Obama is the anti-christ or the "hope" that our country is looking for. But Am I the only one that is a little excited at the prospect that he might be "the one" (anti-christ)? We could be witnessing amazing prophecy right here, right now.

** I'm just thinking what is there to fear??? GOD'S ON OUR SIDE... we're on the right side (and by the way if it's foretold by God that there will be an anti-christ, than there will be... we aren't going to stop it). **

The most recent thing that has been brought to my attention is the Mexico scare. When people found out that we were bringing our daughter to Mexico with us on a little short term missions trip.... THEY FLIPPED!!! Even if we were going to be in some kind of danger (which we weren't) is that supposed to stop us from serving the Lord? We are only on this earth for a short time, and if God calls us to some place scary we will go (and we will bring our kids) because God, not fear, is in control of our lives.

** "The only thing to fear is fear it's self" **

Thoughts?

an earlier post on fear: State Side: The Fear Behind it

One Day at a Time

This is what my overly scheduled days are looking like.... I'm not much for being glued to a schedule, so it's a challenge for me.

7:00 am *alarm* take med. *hit snooze*

7:30 am *alarm* get up, test blood, eat (a carb and a protein), return to bed (if I'm not dying of heartburn by this time)

8:30 am *alarm* check blood, try and get something done before the baby wakes up (on the really bad days I try and go back to sleep, or take a bath)

10:00 am eat my snack (strawberries and milk), wake, feed, and bathe the baby

12:00 pm outside to play and then make lunch for Sati, my mom, and me

1:00 pm eat lunch (a carb and a protein)

1:15 pm go for a walk (to get my blood sugar down)

2:00 pm test blood

2:15 pm put Sati down for a nap, try and take a nap myself (again if heartburn isn't killing me)

4:00 pm snack again (and I usually have strawberries and milk again... haha), get Sati up, feed her something, go outside to wait for Danny to come home

6:00 pm make dinner

7:00 pm eat (a carb and a protein)

8:00 pm check blood

10:00 pm put Sati down, have my last snack (a carb and a protein)

12:00-1:00 am try to go to sleep (I hate heartburn)

3:00-7:00 am the time I actually get some sleep (because by then the meds have warn off and I don't have heartburn anymore)

7:00 am *alarm*

And it goes on and on.... but I only have six more weeks until the baby comes. Can I hear a wha who!!

So my question is... are you a schedule follower or do you just go with the flow?

A Day Dream Believer

I have a dream... well it's more of a day dream, or maybe a fantasy.

Danny and I, both, have a huge desire to live by the ocean (the details of our fantasies maybe differ a little bit, but for the most part we're on the same page). But when I'm talking about "by the ocean" I don't want you to get the idea that we want to live in a town that is close to the ocean, no, no, we want to live on the beach.

I want a large porch with a picnic table on it. A place where we can eat breakfast as a family and then, after, turn the kids loose to find oysters, play in the tide pools, and build sand castles (while mom and dad finish up our coffee). Danny can take our little groms surfing on the weekends, and when they come back I can make them a snack and we can all take a lazy afternoon nap outside in a hammock or on a beach blanket laid out in the shade. I want to be able to go out kayaking with my husband and be able to chase my kids around on an endless beach. I want my kids to grow up outside with a continual supply of sand in their ears and no shoes on their feet. I want to live in another country, and send our kids to school there, learning that countries language. Our ministry can be right there on the beach, and maybe scuba diving will even fit into God's call on our lives.

So is it a tall order? YES! but I really believe that God sees our dreams, I even believe that he gives us those dreams. So, now we're just waiting for God to send us to this paradise, we'll take the bugs and all.

~what this doesn't mean is that we've completely shut down here... No, we still have a ministry here, and are not wishing time away... our hearts are just a little closer to the ocean.~

What is your dream?

Life according to Sati

Our little one has been doing, saying, and signing all kinds of great (and sometime hilarious) things. She's 19 months old and is truly getting a grasp on language, social skills, and life in general (at least as much as her age allows). She isn't as talkative as most kids her age... that might have something to do with the fact that she's trying to learn three languages at once... but I'd say she's doing a pretty good job.

• She calls the little boy that I babysit... "Baby Doll" (but she calls her dolls "baby")
  
• She can sing a whole song without any words (and you would totally know what song it is that she's singing)
  
• She just learned how to climb up on the table... yeah
  
• She points to my belly, says and signs baby, and then asks to kiss it.
  
• Her first language is sign and she can get around with it pretty well. She surprises us with the signs she knows, and with the ones she makes up to get her point across.
  
• She is almost always smiling or laughing... she really enjoys life!
• She loves going for walks in "Bob" (our stroller) and can finger-spell "bob".
• We never taught her "animal sounds" so she copies the animals real sounds and actually sounds a lot like them.
  
• When we go for walks and I make an unexpected turn in "Bob" she says "WOWA MAMA!"

There are a lot more things that she's doing that really crack us up, but I don't want to write a book or anything...

Updated (photo style)

The babe, the belly, and the beginnings of dreads.

Pink or Blue?

We're not finding out the sex of our little one until the day he or she enters the world. That doesn't mean that we're not guessing, though.

So, what do you think? Will the next Harmon come home in pink or blue (most likely he/she will come home in brown, but you know me). Do you have any theories on how to tell if it's one or the other?

I also have a little pole on the left side of the blog if you want to enter your guess there.

Sadly, this is the best "belly picture" I have (from a month ago).

The Land of Sunshine

We just got back from a trip south, where the sun seems to always shine. We absolutely loved it!

at the beach, south of the boarder

a birthday party in La Mision, Mexico

a total cheater picture that danny took at the aquarium in La Jolla

My little niece with a young tiger at the San Diego zoo

Now, back to reality (as I watch the snow falling, back at home in Portola). What have you guys done for fun recently?