Who's three??

Revisiting blog posts, it seems like small one gets most of the pictures and big one the stories. Maybe because, as you saw last week, big one has grown a bit bored with momma's camera. Or because small one doesn't yet have the words for humorous quips.

I thought I'd break trend today. Show pics of Gwenny and a story from Afton.

The girls love to fight. Afton especially. She creates situations for them to fight about. Just for the fun of a good fight. The most popular topic: mac n' cheese. Small one will start, Let's fight about mac n' cheese {I am not making this up}, then they yell back and forth over who likes mac n' cheese and who doesn't. Afton's favorite game.

With more words, her fight-starting skills are really improving.

The other night at dinner, she recognized a chink in big sis's armor and attacked. No! That's how she starts. Just No! No explanation, just a fight.

Big sis is immediately thrown off her game. They are fighting, and she doesn't even know what about. You can see the desperation building in her eyes, as she tries to regain footing. No! she yells back.

Small one, No! I two. You three.

Big one, No!

Small one, No! I two. You three.

Big one, really frustrated now, No, I'm two! You're three. I'm two!

Long pause. Small one sits back looking satisfied. Big one is still trying to figure out what happened.

Wait, I'm three?

Afton says nothing. PoppaDaddy and I hide silent giggles behind coffee mugs. Gwennan is still unsure.

That's our little girl. Genetically predisposed to ruffle feathers. I've never seen her prouder.

{I don't meant to misrepresent them. In general, the girls work together very well. For instance, this game of 'Pooh sticks' rapidly became 'Pooh landscaping timber' with a bit of sister team work.}

Faith created

We are learning the 'fruit of the spirit.' Count three fruits three times: love, joy peace. patience, kindness, goodness. faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. We pray for these fruits. Ask the Spirit to give us kindness towards one another. To bring us happy hearts, his joy. To give self-control when we feel none.

source

I'm stuck on these gifts. How they can all be faked, learned behavior, masquerading as heart change, hiding the hypocrite inside. All, except faithfulness.

We can't fake faithfulness, not for long anyway.

Life is built to challenge our faith, that the one who is faking it will be revealed and the one bearing true fruit will be pruned.

In that realization, I find a terrifying, freeing parenting truth. No earthly thing creates faithfulness.

I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things.
But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination. Jeremiah 2:7

How can I bless my children more than God blessed his? How can I give them more, train them more, cite example upon example of God's goodness more than God himself did?

But my people have change their glory for that which does not profit. Jeremiah 2:11

Earthly blessings do not produce faithfulness. No amount of blessed rituals or sacred family practices. I cannot create faith.

Nor can I force it.

In vain have I struck your children; they took no correction. Jeremiah 2:30

How can I discipline more effectively than God? How can I hope to correct my children perfectly, justly, lovingly, in proportion, faithfully at all times?

Yet my people have forgotten me days without number. Jeremiah 2:23

Discipline, even Godly discipline doesn't force faith.

Terrifying. This human momma wants control, wants results, wants a formula. Blessing + discipline = faithful children. Isn't that in Proverbs somewhere? Do it right, and they have to respond.

No. It isn't. And how many times have I watched parents 'do it right' before the eyes of unrepentant children.

Terrifying.

And freeing.

Because I won't do it right. I don't do it right. I will never balance blessing and discipline. I will never parent so diligently. I am frail and weak and prone to wander myself. How can I teach anything else to my children?

And freeing because the book doesn't end with chapter 2 {how horrifying if it did}.

I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Jeremiah 31:33,34, emphasis mine

He sets his word in place, in hearts made fertile to grow and bear much fruit.

To guarantee that this new covenant will not fail, Christ takes the initiative to create the faith and secure the faithfulness of his people. ~~John Piper 

Faithfulness isn't about training, but covenant. Promise from God through Jesus that he will change our hearts. Create in us a new person that longs for him, that blooms with faith.

His steadfast love completes what all the parenting in the world fails to achieve. Create faithfulness in his children. Amen.

Blueberry quinoa salad with shaved broccoli

Broccoli and I have never gotten along. Not a digestive thing. I just don't like broccoli Eee gads - The queen of whole grains and veggies doesn't like broccoli??? I know. It's a nutritional weakness.

After reading Alton Browns must-eat food list, I've made a serious effort to include broccoli in my weekly menu. Which means finding recipes where broccoli doesn't taste like broccoli.

My first brilliant find was over at Smitten Kitchen. Broccoli Cream Pesto, or 'green pasta.' The whole family went nuts for this one, even Momma {who doesn't like broccoli, remember}. Because it doesn't taste like broccoli.

Which got me thinking, maybe broccoli doesn't always have to overwhelm a dish with its broccoli-ness. Maybe I can incorporate broccoli into a dish and feature something other than broccoli. Thus, today's recipe. A cold quinoa salad with fresh blueberries and shaved broccoli. Shaving stemmy veggies makes the soft pith the focus instead of the outer skin. I think that's why this recipe works.

This salad is a great transition from winter to spring while broccoli is still in harvest and blueberries are first arriving. I made this my side for Easter dinner, as it makes plenty for sharing. Prepare ahead for best results.

Used the salad as a side to grilled salmon last night. Yumm-o!

Or serve as a light lunch

Blueberry Quinoa Salad with Shaved Broccoli

Ingredients

Salad
2 c quinoa
1 c fresh blueberries, washd
1 bunch broccoli stems {you can include the florets, finely chopped}
1/2 c pistachios
1/2 c crumbled feta

Dressing
1/4 c cherry pit vinegar {can substitute raspberry or red wine vinegar}
1/4 c olive oil
Juice from 1 lemon
1 T sugar
1 t salt
1/2 t black pepper

Directions
Cook quinoa in 4 c salted water {20-30 minutes}. When cooked, fluff with a fork and cool {takes about an hour}.  Using a peeler, shave broccoli stems into slivers {as seen in the warm asparagus salad}. In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients.

Mix dressing in a separate bowl until salt and sugar are incorporated and pour over salad. Stir well. Best if allowed to sit for at least an hour before serving.

Serve cold.

Another broccoli hit. Enjoy!

The aftermath of Passion week

We're back from the land of the ill. It was a rough visit, one we hope not to repeat any time soon. Somewhere in the middle of all that sick, Passion week happened... here and gone.

I hope you had a blessed Easter. We did, thanks to some wonderful friends who cleaned their house, dyed eggs, constructed cute baskets, cooked dinner, and invited our little family to celebrate with them. My contribution to the event: dressing everyone in other-than-pajamas at the same time.

My plans for Easter this year were grand: resurrection cake, an easter tree, dyed eggs, Seder supper on Saturday. None of it came together. I barely scraped almond butter on sandwiches.

I found my joy over Easter crumbling. Easter felt like a waste because I couldn't celebrate the way I wanted. Then I wasted the day by neglecting to worship.

I totally missed the point.

So teach us to number our days

that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Return, O Lord! How long?

Have pity on your servants!

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,

that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Psalm 90:12-14

Plans flop or change or go smoothly without producing what we expected. The wise recognize our finite number of days and make the most of the day given, whether it goes according to plan or sickness.

Darlin', you were never in control. You're just recognizing it today. ~ A wise friend

I am not yet wise. I have not yet numbered. I am not yet satisfied with a different plan.

Even today, I feel futility, not least when I look at the attempted Easter pictures {any tricks for getting a 2 and 3 year old to look at the camera and smile at the same time???}.

I reread the Psalm.     {Lord} Teach us to number...       {Lord} Have pity...        {Lord} Satisfy us...   

The psalmist doesn't have it all together either. That psalmist, Moses, the greatest leader Israel ever knew, the man who saw God's glory, who talked directly to God. He begs to be taught, to be pitied, to be satisfied.

Maybe I'm not the only one who loses sight and misses days, even weeks.

Steadfast love. Never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever love. Isn't that the answer? The Lord's love engulfs my small-minded heart, giving me a new day to celebrate Him.

 Like so many younger sisters, Afton lives in a gigantic shadow, a gigantic, gregarious shadow with large brown eyes and self-proclaimed Rapunzel hair. {Up until a couple months ago, Afton was still being confused for a boy.} But when she pulled on this dress, she became a princess. She twirled and leaped and kissed and 'thank you'd.' I could dress her in it everyday to see her eyes light up again.

Our first attempt at an Easter picture...

 I love small one's expression... Sis, what sort of smile is that??

Our second attempt, followed by a shrug and a 'good enough' from Momma...