Virginia’s Blog

Our pastor directed us to an article on Lent that includes a series of questions to use in self-examination. In a season of particular repentance, I look forward to using these questions to shine light on ways that I make my cornerstone things other than God.

1. Have I been faithful to participate in the worship of God’s people?

2. Have I been fervent in prayer? Was there warmth? access?

3. Have I prayed at my stated times? with my family?

4. Have I practiced God’s presence, at least every hour?

5. Have I, before every deliberate action or conversation, considered how it might be turned to God’s glory?

6. Have I sought to center conversations on the other person’s interests and needs and ultimately toward God, or did I turn them toward my own interests?

7. Have I given thanks to God after every pleasant occurrence or time?

8. Have I thought or spoken unkindly of anyone?

9. Have I been careful to avoid proud thoughts or comparing myself to others? Have I done things just for appearance? Have I mused on my own fame or acclaim?

10. Have I been sensitive, warm, and cheerful toward everyone?

11. Have I been impure in my thoughts or glances?

12. Have I confessed sins toward God and others swiftly?

13. Have I over- or under-eaten, -slept, -worked?

14. Have I twisted the truth to look good?

15. Have I been leading in my home, or only reacting to situations?

In his set of questions for self-examination, the late Jack Miller (pastor in Philadelphia and founder of World Harvest Mission) gets right to the point:

2. Have you been repenting of your sin lately?

3. Are you building your life on Christ’s free justification or are you insecure and guilt-ridden?

4. Have you done anything simply because you love Jesus?

5. Have you stopped anything simply because you love Jesus?

Last night at dinner, Ginna said “God and Jesus are here with us.” I replied, “yes, they are.” She then said, “That’s not rude; that’s respectful.” Can you tell what we’ve been talking about in our house lately?

Even though Ginna is testing us with her communication lately, thankfully, I can see that she does in fact recognize what is kind thing to say and what is not.

How often we think our point of view is THE reference point from which all other perspectives should be measured!! A couple of weeks ago, I was watching HGTV. There was a family of 4 featured who was feeling cramped in a house of 3200 sq ft. The two children even had to share a bathroom! I was pretty disgusted with this. But then I thought of the homes I once visited in Brazil. I thought these people (who lived in lean-to like homes with no water) would surely think we were insane for feeling like our 790 sq ft apartment was inadequate for a family of 4!!

I currently feel like our 1150 sq ft home is quite adequate for us…but I know that most in the US would feel the need for an upgrade. After living in such small places in NY and LA, my perspective has been changed. I can’t imagine what I would do with 2000 sq ft.

Again, I am reminded that my vantage point is not the standard.

So, we’ve received an invitation to an event that states the dress is to be “fabulously casual.” I’m on a quest to put together an appropriate outfit. My interpretation of this is LA casual, which means you can wear pretty much anything, but it should make a statement. I don’t make statements with my clothes. Fashion is not hot on my radar screen (but I guess it is slowly encroaching, since I’m surrounded by people making statements with their clothes in a somewhat casual manner…) Anyway, I’m just amused by this. I don’t think I’ve put this much thought into an outfit before, and it’s kind of fun.

At what age can a child start playing the “quiet game” and care about winning??? My daughter never stops talking!

Ginna had a Valentine’s Day party in her class yesterday. Jamey and I had a great time participating.

Ginna loved distributing her cards.

The children made Valentine’s mice (see below).

Here’s Jamey with Ginna’s friend, Jamie. They enjoy each other every day!

Ginna loves riding bikes at school.

Ginna made this the other day and told me it was a sky ride. I asked if it was the car or the pole the car is attached to…she said it was the pole the car attaches to.

I was putting Jamey down for a nap a few days ago when Ginna made these “beds.”

Dad invited us to San Diego for the weekend, since he is there working. The kids and I went and had a great time. We went to a park, Ginna got to see Granddad’s current office at a Honda dealership (she’s always asking to go to work with him), went swimming, and went to the San Diego zoo. Most of the photos are from the zoo.

A man at the park saw Jamey playing with this football and said, “Sign him up!”

Jamey likes to go up slides, but not down.

Ginna found an ice cream vendor at the park.

Jamey enjoyed his first rock climbing attempt.

Jamey loves these things.

Of course, Ginna loved staying at a "hotel house."

Jamey loved the gorilla.

Granddaddy wanted Jamey to be tall enough to see everything.

Look at the rhino stretching!

Check out the koala!

Look at the baby koala sleeping on his mommy’s back.

We rode the skycab across the zoo.

Here’s a panda sleeping in a tree.

The kids were great, but we were all exhausted at the end (which is why Jamey is missing here…he feel asleep!!