Adios

This past week Ansley said goodbye to her nap and nighttime friend, her pacifier! It only took two nights of crying and she was over it. She still sleeps great and soothes herself back to sleep if she wakes up early. It is so nice for Ansley not to have any "sleep props" now! Do you think it's a coincidence that she gave it up just before Valentine's Day in hopes that she would get something much sweeter(i.e. see above picture)?! Perhaps "visions of sugarplums" are now dancing in her head?

Update on Ansley

Little Ans had to go to the doctor today. She had a rough weekend :( We found out she has another ear infection (#4) this time in her left ear. I feel so sorry for her but she is really a trooper and you would not really know it by her energy and easy temperament. We go back for a re-check on her ear in 10 days. If the infection is not cleared up or if she has another infection in the next two months they will refer us to an ENT to put tubes in her ears. Tubes seem so common these days but they sound much better to me than continuing to give her antibiotics. Thankfully, we have two good friends who have given us great referrals to ENT doctors. The good part of going to the doctor is that we get to see how much Miss Ansley weighs again. We had her 9 month checkup 11 days ago and she weighed 18 1/2 lbs. and today she weighed 19 lbs. 2 oz. I can't believe she gained 10 oz. in 11 days! I guess she is having a growth spurt! We are so thankful for a great pediatrician and that despite teething, a runny nose, and an ear infection our sweet girl is all smiles these days! :)

Yearning for God

During this fast, I have been checking out the daily blogs on jentezenfranklin.org and they have been very thought provoking. The post written by Blake Harmon challenged me and I thought it was worthy of posting on my blog so that my fellow fasting friends could benefit from it as well. It's a little on the long side but really only takes about three minutes to read...it will challenge you and change you.

"During this fast I have been listening to a song every morning that is simultaneously crushing yet encouraging my heart….sounds like a spiritual paradox doesn’t it?

It’s the song “Yearn” by Shane & Shane. If you haven’t heard it before, I’d like to encourage you to listen to it before the end of the fast.

It’s a simple prayer that merely says, “Lord I want to yearn for you. I want to burn with passion over you....and only you...Lord I want to yearn”.

Sure, we’ll joyfully enter into a time of passionate worship and prayer on a Sunday morning when the worship team is singing the right song, and even on a Wednesday night. Or how about on the days when the Sun rises precisely when we’d like it to and we wake up on the “right side of the bed”? It’s slightly easier to enter into a moment of selfless worship unto our God when the moments and situations are right, isn’t it? But what about the days when it seems as though our stomachs are screaming at us because of the fast; maybe you’re somewhat discouraged because you’re not having the experience you’d hoped for during this fast; or maybe nothing is necessarily wrong, we’re merely not in the mood to worship...

My very simple question to you is this: “Do you YEARN for the living God?

The initial and immediate answer to that simplistic question is, “Of course I do!”

But do we truly YEARN for our God?...

During this fast I’ve been paying a lot of attention to the Psalms, and as I do I attempt to think as David thought. “As a deer pant and thirsts for streams of water, so my soul longs for you O God. My soul thirsts for God. The living God. When can I go and meet with God? (Psalms 42:1-2)”

I don’t question for a moment that we all love to enter into the presence of God with passionate worship…..but do we yearn for Him? Are we ok with not taking time out of our day to sit down with the living God? Are we truly ok with waiting until a Sunday morning or Wednesday night to step into His presence? I’m not talking about the moments when you’re day has lacked any and all enjoyable moments and you hear that perfect song that just warms your heart as you lift up your hands in worship and thank God!

…Do we YEARN for God?”

One thing I’ve come to realize during the fast is this: A true yearning for God knows no past, or present circumstance. That’s not implying that those circumstances are non-existent, it merely implies that no circumstance will have a hindrance on the praise I give my God. The increase/decrease of the intensity or severity of our circumstances should have no affect to the intensity of our worship unto God.

I believe a wonderful example of that type of yearning and worship is displayed in Job 1:20-21:

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised

Do we yearn for God?

My prayer not only for myself, but for you as well, is that we would develop a craving for God beyond what we thought was possible; that our hearts would ache until we have encountered God....that in the midst of difficult times – whether big or small - our yearning for Almighty God would stir up a zeal and passion that would cause us to cry out in utter worship at all times – regardless of our circumstances.

God give us a yearning for you. Burn within us a passion that can never be subsided. God, that we would not become complacent or content in our relationship with you, but that every day we would seek to chase after you with more passion and zeal than the day before. Let our yearning for you overflow out of our hearts and into the lives of others."

Love Is In The Air...Already?!

Is is just me or are you excited about February being right around the corner? January always seems dreary and blue to me and February brings glimmers of red, purple, pink, hearts, love, hugs, kisses, cards, cookies, chocolate, cupcakes and candy! Wow, I think I just got a stomachache and a cavity typing that sentence!

I don't really know why I am so excited about the upcoming holiday...maybe it's because we have a precious little cupid named Ansley to celebrate the day with! It's funny because it's not even February yet and I've already made a red velvet cake and taken Ansley's Valentine pictures this week. Holidays just seem to be even more special when you are celebrating them with your child for the first time. It's so cool to think that our Heavenly Father delights in loving us just as we delight in loving our children, our spouse, and others! I was wondering if anyone out there in blog world has any great ideas or traditions that you do with your kids during the month of February that you would be willing to share with us since this is Ansley's 1st Valentine's season?

I know we are commanded to love God and others everyday but there is something special to me about having a month dedicated to just that...LOVE...what fun! One thing I have decided to do next month is to find some small (or big) way to bless and "love on" someone each and every day...whether it's Jon, Ansley, one of my students, a co-worker or a complete stranger. This got me excited. So, today I decided to do a keyword study in the Message Bible on "love" and I found some really neat verses. So, I thought I would share three of them with you that stood out to me and challenged me...
1 Corinthians 13:3
"If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love. Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end."
1 Corinthians 14:1
"Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does. Give yourselves to the gifts God gives you. Most of all, try to proclaim his truth."
Mark 12:29
"Jesus said, 'The first in importance is, 'Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one; so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.' And here is the second: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' There is no other commandment that ranks with these.'"

Plants and Poison Control

Tonight I walked into the living room only to see this...

Ansley had taken a bite out of the Peace Plant on our hearth! After calling Jon at work, I decided take extra precautions and call poison control and check on the measures we should take. They confirmed my thought (and prayer) that it was not poisonous. The lady I spoke to was so kind. Anyway, she suggested that since the plant did have some chemicals in it that I should wash Ansley's hands and face and give her some water to "wash it down". Thankfully, she had not choked on any of the pieces. The lady told me to watch Ansley closely for the next hour to see if she developed any reactions. Ansley seemed perfectly happy and normal (except she cried because I took the remaining crumbles of leaf away from her). Later she vomited twice and I was actually thankful for this just so she could get anything she may have digested out of her system naturally. Needless to say, we will be moving the plant. Ansley is so curious...anything beyond or behind the gate seems much more appealing than what is inside of it!

She is really on the move these days and we don't think we will see many more weeks pass before she is walking. It looks like we are going to have our hands full!

P.S. Coming soon to a blog near you...a Valentine's Day picture to match our new background! I know a Valentine background with a "Merry Christmas" header and picture don't quite go together!

Peek-At-You (9months)

Ansley, it is really hard to believe that you are nine months old. These past nine months have definitly gone by much faster than the nine months I was pregnant with you! We are so thankful for the healthy 9 month checkup that you had on Thursday! This is a little "peek" at you as you are now nine months old...

~You weigh 18 1/2 lbs. and are heavier than 50% of girls your age.
~You are 28 1/4 inches long and are taller than 75% of girls your age.
~Your head is 17 1/2 cm and is bigger than 60% of girls your age.
~Dr. Barron said that you will likely be long and lean if your growth continues in the same pattern as the last nine months
~You can now hold your glass bottle and your sippy cup all by yourself
~You crawl, pull up, cruise around furniture, and push walking toys everywhere
~You love puffs and now you use your pincer grasp instead of just your palm to put food in your mouth
~You hate shoes and socks and like to rub your feet together just to get your shoes to fall off
~You LOVE Yo-Baby Yogurt
~You like to crawl into tight places
~You enjoy squinting and blinking your eyes
~You have lots of fun at school and seem to be quite the entertainer in your class
~You eat four times a day, take two naps, and sleep 12 hrs. at night (bless you!)
~You have found our kitchen cabinets and love opening and closing them
~You hate hats and like to pull them off and then try to put them on your head by yourself
~You love to pull on cords and doorstops (even though you know this is a "no")
~When we have to discipline you by saying "no" to keep you from getting into something dangerous you cry easily...you are sensitive
~You are sweet and spunky all at the same time
~You understand where you are allowed and not allowed to go and you like to "test" these boundaries
~You give great hugs and kisses when we ask for them and always when mommy comes home from work
~You scrunch up your nose and it's so adorable
~Your vocabulary includes: bye-bye, hey, mommy, daddy, baba (bottle),uh-oh
~You love to mimick noises we make
~You love it when Papa makes animal noises
~You adore Papa and Mimi, their house where you can roam "free", and their glasses
~You love to take your little thumb and tap it on anything
~You have had three ear infections in your right ear and it has finally healed completely but you still have a habit of flicking your right ear
~You always smile when we sing the "ABC" song or the "Ansley" song...even if you are in the middle of crying
~You are in the process of getting your first two bottom teeth...they have just barely popped through the gum
~You play peek-a-boo with Daddy and cover up your face with a blanket while playing

Ansley, just a few minutes spent with you can bring a smile to anyone's face! You are a delight and we continue to pray that your personality will be a reflection of Jesus and His love!

Happy 9 months, Ansley

Make a Smilebox photobook

Ansley's 1st Christmas

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Ansley's Dedication Day

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

First Things First

Happy 2010 from The Mitchell Family!

The beginning of the year or a new season of life is always an exciting time. January 1st was the start of a new year and Jon and I are believing that, if we will pray and seek God and give Him our best at the first of the year, He will bless our entire year!

What better way to start off our new year than to dedicate our daughter, Ansley Elise, to our Lord. She will be dedicated at our church on January 6! On April 9, the day of her birth, as we held our hand-crafted-by-God miracle in our hands and joined our family in dedicating her to the Lord we knew that one day the time would come to dedicate her publically. So, we kick off this new year and decade with a time of celebration and committment as we dedicate our daughter and ask our family, friends, and church to join us in modeling Christ-likeness to her.

On January 10, our family will join countless others in what is becoming known as "The Fasting Movement 2010"! Our church, Church of The Highlands, along with many others will be a part of this special season. Jentezen Franklin has some good information on the fast on his website. During this time, we as individuals, as a couple, as a family, and as the body of Christ will join together in diligently seeking to know God better. That is all a fast is...an opportunity to know God better. I need to know Him better and I want to. I believe He is calling me to move into the holy place where He is and I'm trusting that He is going to give me fresh words from Him as I get into His Word day and night. I listened to Franklin's message tonight on "Foundations of Fasting" and was challenged to view fasting as a time to pray without ceasing. God has never done away with sacrifice and if we "feast" on His Word instead of our guilty pleasures, He is sure to honor our sacrifice.

In these next days prior to this fast, I am praying that He will give me a cause for this purpose of fasting. One major thing I believe He has revealed to me is this, "Karen, I want things that are in you that are not of me to die."

As we put first things first this year, we hope to see our God do awesome things within our marriage and family! I hope this encourages you to join in this 21 day fast and if you do please share how He rewards you as you diligently seek after Him. "He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him!" (Hebrews 11:6)

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

This Christmas, I have done a lot of reflecting on what it means to "prepare" for Christmas. This year, as a new family of three, we shared old traditions, started new ones, and strived to prepare our hearts and minds for the celebration of His coming.

On Christmas evening, I actually went to bed asking myself this question, "Can I even begin to imagine what it was like 2,000 years ago as they painfully awaited, longed for, and dreamed of the coming of a Messiah whom they had heard would change the world and rescue them?"

In the words of the song, O Come, O Come Emmanuel, it speaks and gives us a small glimpse of the yearning they must have felt...

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appears

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

This New Year's Eve, I spent the day in the emergency room with my mom. After having some severe abdominal pain for many hours, she made the decision to go to the emergency room. She had never had to go in her 56 years of life. Since my dad was working, I took her. If you have ever been to the ER, you know the hours that are spent waiting, wondering, and praying. It was a holiday weekend which meant a packed ER. Once she got admitted to a room, she layed in a bed for 7 hours until they finally relieved her pain completely and diagnosed her. I hate waiting. Moreover, I hated seeing my sweet, precious mother in agony and pain with no relief, answer, or hope in sight. We needed Emmanuel to come. Every so often I would go out into the hallway and up to the nurse's station and give them a glare with my eyes that let them know that I was checking in on them and reminding them that my mom was hurting and in need of attention and help. Does that not sound like me? Well, it wasn't. I am not normally that bold, but I was desperate! Whenever I would hear a sound that even resembled a knock at the door I would look up in hopes that the nurse or doctor was finally making an appearance. In retrospect, I do not think in my 27 years of life I have ever been as anxious in waiting on something and someone as I was sitting in that room praying, begging, and waiting on hope and help that day. Around seven o'clock when the doctor's finally gave her something that eliminated the pain and revealed to us that the results of the abdominal x-rays were normal, a relief washed over me like I had not known. Mom would be okay...we had an answer...she was saved from pain and potential serious problems.

Ahh, was this a small glimpse of what it's like to wait on our Savior? Maybe. In my heart I think so. Although I hope I never ever see my mom in that pain again, it did serve a purpose in helping me to realize just how much we are in need of a Savior and how the pain of not having a solution brings agony and distress. It also challenged me that I might see our world with eyes wide open this year...to recognize the pain and death many live with in a world where they have no hope of heaven and a Savior, and that I might have the boldness to bring them an answer...the only answer...Jesus.