Tay-fur, Tay-fur, Tay-fur

Ruby started saying Schaeffer's name last week. Until then she had referred to him as "baby" but now she chants his name and moves her arms imitating him. It's too cute.


Our boy is 3 months old today. He still has some of his newborn-ness - he's still all balled up (maybe it's b/c I mush him up so he stays that way), he still makes a few of the cute little "new" noises, he's still a bobble-head, and he still smells like a newborn - but I know over the next few weeks these sweet things will disappear all too soon.


So for the next month I'll be mushing and listening and sniffing (selectively!) to enjoy these fleeting moments all I can. Don't grow too fast, baby boy.

Snuggling with his Ammy

 

I had to put this picture in of Stella (above) b/c he sleeps the exact same way she did! They both love to throw their heads back and sleep almost in a back-bend! 

With our sweet friend Isabelle

Presents and Birthdays - Jesus is Better!

We've had some fun birthday celebrations recently since Ruby and Stella have birthdays within a month of each other. Stella is at the age where birthdays are highly anticipated and at this point, Ruby gets excited just because Stella does. Since Stella-girl turned 5, it was an extra-special year because she had her first friend party. We decided awhile back that friend parties won't happen every year - maybe every 4 years or so - so we did it up a little bigger than other years.

Some months ago we started listening to this CD which quickly became one of our favorite children's music CDs. We love that the words feed our souls ("You are always caring, You are never cruel, even when You see me doing wrong" - how long did it take me to get that wonderful truth right about God's character?! And I still need reminded of it!) as well as keeping the Gospel before our kids in a memorable way at this stage of their lives. 

When birthday season approached, I knew I wanted to use the phrase that's the title of this blog entry (from the song "Nothing Better than Jesus" on the CD mentioned above) in an effort to help Stella see the all-surpassing greatness of Jesus, even at a time when she's surrounded by great things - like birthday presents!!

We tried to think of a few ways to communicate this to her and came up with two to focus on this year. We can show that Jesus is better than presents and birthdays by:

1) Loving the people at the party more than the presents (showing love and thankfulness even if she didn't get a gift or got something that wasn't her favorite)

2) Seeing the party as a fun opportunity to lay a strong foundation for godly friendship in the future (God placed these friends in her life for a reason and Lord willing this is only the beginning of the many years they'll spend learning about Jesus, trusting Him as Savior, encouraging each other to love and good works and resisting temptation together)

We didn't navigate through the parties perfectly by any means (just ask the family and friends who were here!) but we're thankful for the opportunities God gives us to teach our kids about Him and His greatness. It's in those opportunities that we can really teach them application of His Word. God has blessed us with such good teaching and yet how little we apply! I'm thankful that we don't have to wait until next birthday season to keep working on application. Those opportunities are around the Owen household in abundance every day!

Some pictures of the fun celebrations:

"Sweet as can Bee" party with our family

Strawberry Shortcake Tea Party with friends

playing "Rotten Strawberry" (aka "Hot Potato")

strawberry bow favors done by our talented friend Sandra

five years later...

                                                                                                                       photo by joy

and i still look at you the same way.

happy birthday, sweetness.

A Man Who Must Give An Account

"Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you." Hebrews 13.17

Matthew was ordained to the gospel ministry on Sunday, July 18. The service was special, the charges humbling, convicting, motivating and encouraging, and the call one he certainly cannot bear on his own.


"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 2 Corinthians 4.7

So thankful for our family

Three generations of Owen pastors 

So happy to join the Browns in the joyful service of our Lord

"Oh, for...pastors whose might in the truth is matched by their meekness. Whose theological acumen is matched by their manifest contrition. Whose heights of intellect are matched by their depths of humility. Yes, and the other way around! - whose relational warmth is matched by their rigor of study, whose bent toward mercy is matched by the vigilance of their biblical discernment, and whose sense of humor is exceeded by the seriousness of their calling.
I dream of durable, never -say-die defenders of true doctrine who are mainly known for the delight they have in God and the joy in God that they bring to the people of God - who enter controversy when necessary, not because they love ideas and arguments, but because they love Christ and the church."
          -J. Piper, The Roots of Endurance

this week at a glance

laundry...

and more laundry!

thought of this caedmon's song as i looked around our house. my heart really was encouraged in spite of what my eyes saw!


this house is a good mess
it’s the proof of life
no way would I trade jobs
but it don’t pay overtime

i’ll get to the laundry
i don’t know when
i’m saying a prayer tonight
cause tomorrow it starts again

could it be that everything is sacred?
and all this time
everything I’ve dreamed of
has been right before my eyes

the children are sleeping
but they’re running through my mind
the sun makes them happy
and the music makes them unwind

my cup runneth over
and i worry about the stain
teach me to run to You 
like they run to me for every little thing

when I forget to drink from you
I can feel the banks harden
Lord, make me like a stream
to feed the garden

wake up, little sleeper
the Lord, God Almighty
made your Mama keeper
so rise and shine,rise and shine 
rise and shine cause

everything is sacred
and all this time
everything I’ve dreamed of
has been right before my eyes
Words and Music by Randall Goodgame and Andrew Osenga

(c) 2007 House of Mirrors Music (ASCAP) admin. by Simpleville Music, Inc. / 2007 Mighty Molecule Music. (ASCAP) admin by Music Services

last week at a glance

camping with cuties

celebrating our golden-haired, blue-eyed, as-cute-and-courageous-as-they-come ruby-girl's 2nd birthday

loving on this baby boy

Kids...

Follow him as he follows Him.

1 x 1

we're anything brighter than even the sun
(we're everything greater
than books
might mean)
we're everyanything more than believe
(with a spin
leap
alive we're alive)
we're wonderful one times one
                                        - e.e. cummings


you wrote a portion of this poem out in one of your first love
notes to me the summer we started dating.

it's been 9 years since we began relating to 
what cummings writes - perhaps more 
fully since
we experience the aliveness and unity 
of love 
in a christian way - and 8 
years today since i became 
mrs. matthew owen. 

i love being your wife and having you as my husband.
it's wonderful...

1 x 1.

5 thoughts at 5 weeks

1. As much as I love bows and accessories, I'm SO glad I don't have to deal with those this time around!


2. As much as I hate hearing that middle of the night "feed me" cry, I love walking in the nursery and picking up the little sweet bundle from his crib.


3. As much as I want Stella's help changing diapers, she needs a compliant subject. I tried to talk her through changing Ruby's diaper the other day while I was feeding Schaeffer. Needless to say, I'm thankful we have hardwood floors as the diaperless toddler ran around the living room with Stella chasing her.


4. As many diapers as I've changed over the past almost 5 years, I'm still getting the hang of the quick change required when diapering a boy. The showers I'm getting these days aren't the kind I want (or need)!


5. As much as I want sleep and a normal schedule again, I'm constantly trying to remind myself that my hope isn't in those things and I can't wait to strive for godliness when those things are a reality again. God's provided everything I need for life and godliness through circumstances like this too. That means He's provided the power to resist the temptation to respond to the girls in anger and to resist the temptation to be selfish and undisciplined with the bit of time I get to myself. And even though these circumstance aren't a trial necessarily, He's even provided the power to practice keeping the perspective of "light and momentary" through them. He knows I need this practice in thinking the right way for when trials do come.


Lord, help me not to waste my sleeplessness and the opportunity for Your power to be manifested through me during this time!


Happy 5 week birthday, baby boy! I love you and the other instruments of sanctification God has placed in my life! :)

why i love dead men

and my husband doesn't even mind. actually, he loves them too!


they being dead yet speak and counsel us today.

"practical theology for...

little girls" 
by stella owen


this morning it's storming out, and our fearful girl is going around the house comforting herself with the promises of God. it sounds something like this, "God will never destroy the earth with a flood again." (repeat many times) :)


she's also having a talk w/ her hello kitty doll about separating from false teachers. 

Kindergarten Already?!

Stella with her teacher, Mrs. Hubbard, at Kindergarten Orientation last night.

Finishing story time and getting their ladybug craft.

 

Poor tired Stella! This is what happens when you have Ruby as a roommate!

Snacks with delish cherry Kool-aid!

The theme was perfect for our little Stella-girl whose life has been immersed in ladybugs since birth! :) What fun Stella will have in Kindergarten - if we can bear to part with her come August. And that's a big IF for this Mommy!

i love this face

one of my favorite things about my first few weeks w/ my babies is watching their little eyelashes unfold lash by lash each day. such sweetness i wouldn't trade even for a full night's sleep. :)

DO

That's my theme word lately. From the beginning of this year I have been gearing up mentally for the life change of going from 2 to 3 kids. Everyone warns that it's the hardest transition since you and your husband are outnumbered and since you only have 2 hands...and for a variety of other reasons which I am soon to find out, I'm sure. I certainly haven't hit the worst of it yet since my mom just left Friday, but nonetheless have been counseling myself with encouragement from 2 sources. One I read a few months back and the other I read many years ago.


The first article is called "Do what you Can" by Don Whitney. I was challenged by the mom's determination to have spiritual priorities in the midst of a hectic home life with young kids. I might not have the time I did in my single adulthood to color code theme words in the book of the Bible I'm studying, but I can read a verse here and there and meditate on it and pray through it. Something is better than nothing.


The second resource is one I first read back in college quoted in a book by Elisabeth Elliot. It's called "Do the Next Thing." When I'm tempted to get overwhelmed with life and my to do list and discipline issues and household management issues, it is good to remember just to take the next step. I don't need to think about tomorrow. I just need to do the next thing God has for me right now. What a life simplifier that is!


Of course, I would be remiss to focus merely on the DOing, since, as Don Whitney points out in his article, "God does not love us more when we do more, nor less when we do less. He accepts us, not because of what we do for Him, but because of what He's done for us in Christ (emphasis mine)." I DO because of what I AM. Accepted in Him. Now that promise gives this weary mom some MUCH needed rest.

An Anti-Cookbook Cook

I've almost given up buying cookbooks. I use the internet so much for recipes and I am an anti-clutter person so unless there's a cookbook with a unique twist, I'm just not interested. But this cookbook just might be one of those exceptions. 

I heard about it here and the recipe shown sounds great. Do you have any recommendations for cookbooks, like this one, that have something special to offer?

transitioning

you know you haven't been out of the house for awhile when your 4-year old says, "mommy! there are green leaves on the trees now!"


when we were getting out of the van to go into barnes and noble last night matt said, "honey, it's not man to man defense anymore. we've got three kids now. we're playing zone!"

happy 1 week birthday, sweet schaeffer!

and He gives more grace

j. schaeffer owen

may 4, 2010

2:58 pm

7 lb 9 oz

19 1/4 in

"from the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another."

john 1.16

our gem

kisses or hugs? kisses

indoors or out? out

over or under? over

yes or no? no

"cup", "bup" or "buck"? now "buck"

laugh or cry? yes

lover or fighter? yes

dolls or trucks? yes

dogs or cats? yes

run or walk? run

loud or quiet? loud

serious or silly? silly
gentle or rough? ask stella :)

And that's Ruby..."A little name for such a person." 

I always get sad when I know our youngest will be losing his/her place as baby in the family. So I've been trying to cuddle and snuggle up Ruby all that I can. She is going through an extremely willful spell now - the worst to date - so our consistency, patience and love are being tested at a new level. We are counseling ourselves w/ the truth of Scripture when we're tempted to grow weary in seeking to drive the foolishness from her heart. We are desperate for grace in this task of child-rearing but God is faithful even when we struggle. And as long as there is grace, there is hope for us and for her.

As I mentioned here, I have a hymn picked for each of our kids. It's a special song I sing to them from early on and really is my prayer for them. Ruby's hymn is "Jesus, I am Resting." It is the perfect song for her and the way God made her...and it is the perfect song for me as I work with her and strive to train her in the way she should go. 

Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For by Thy transforming power,
Thou hast made me whole.

Chorus:
Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.

O, how great Thy loving kindness,
Vaster, broader than the sea!
O, how marvelous Thy goodness,
Lavished all on me!
Yes, I rest in Thee, Beloved,
Know what wealth of grace is Thine,
Know Thy certainty of promise,
And have made it mine.

Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,
Satisfies my heart;
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets, supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings:
Thine is love indeed!

Ever lift Thy face upon me
As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting ’neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth’s dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father’s glory,
Sunshine of my Father’s face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting,
Fill me with Thy grace.

credits

from All I Owe, released 07 November 2006
Words: Jean S. Pigott
Music: David B. Hampton