The 4 Sullivans: September 2009

9.30.2009

PJ Party Day!!!

Today, Emme and I could roll out of bed and go to school!!! The extra time was useful, since Emme spilt her breakfast on her way to small PJs, that I had encouraged her not to wear, resulting in a major melt down and selecting a new pair of PJs! Gid had to change 3 times before settling on “comfortable, non-scratchy pants. By the time I had done a load of laundry, cleaned up the breakfast mess, helped Emme get dressed twice and Gid 3 times…I was ready for a nap!!!

9.29.2009

Home And Ready For A Nap!!!

Gid survived his morning classes, but the teacher did say he coughed some. His symptoms have improved and therefore, I think he should be back to “normal” but he still seems tired (even though he doesn’t nap) and has a horrible, though infrequent cough. Pray that he will heal quickly and completely. Being home bound with one sick kiddo and another one that seems to have acquired all the energy from the sick sibling has been challenging. Just getting them dressed, fed and in the school was such a test of my patients…that I failed miserably!!! I thoroughly enjoyed my 147 minutes of freedom and pray that tomorrow Gid is ready for a full day of class!!!

9.28.2009

Off To School…Will Be Back Soon!

Gid is going to try going to school until lunch...pray he has a great day!!!

From John Piper’s Blog, Desiring God

(Author: Jon Bloom)

"Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you" (Matthew 5:42).

I confess, I have not always obeyed this command.

I'm a veteran urban-dweller. Having lived in an inner city neighborhood for 18 years, I've encountered many beggers and borrowers. Some I discerned as cons I have called out or waved off. Some I have hired to do work. Others I've given to because I felt the conviction of this text.

I've thought a lot about this command of Jesus over the years. I've discussed it with many. I think I know all the major reasons why not to give when someone asks. You don't want to encourage deception. You don't want to feed a chemical addiction. You don't want to contribute to someone's cycle of poverty. And there are many others.

But still this text unnerves and convicts me.

The reason is that Jesus doesn't give this command in the context of addressing how I can best facilitate transformation in someone else. He is telling me how I should respond to those who are making demands on me, either from explicitly evil motives or just plain out of their difficult situation. He is telling me how I ought to respond even when being taken advantage of.

Do not resist the evil person, he says. Let him slap you twice. (v. 39)
Give him more than he is suing you for. (v. 40)
Do more than he is forcing you to do. (v. 41)
Give to those who ask. (v. 42)
Love your enemy. (v. 44)

Jesus is telling me to actively show kindness and radical generosity toward those who hate me or who are seeking to take advantage of me.

Really, Jesus? Isn't that rewarding sinful, or at least unhealthy, behavior?

Of course, I can think of Biblical examples that illustrate when it seems right to resist or flee an evil person in situations of theft, deception, abuse, persecution, war, etc. So when the Word speaks, I must listen carefully, and I must weigh all of his words.

But from the words Jesus speaks here, I think it applies more often and more broadly than I want it to. He does not let me off the hook easily. He tests my heart with such radical love. And in my heart I see my selfish, unloving impulses that do not want to part with my money, possessions, time, or convenience for needy or evil people. And I have a ready arsenal of noble-sounding rationales that conceal my sin, almost from myself.

What Jesus is calling me to is gospel love. It's the love that drove him to die for me with when I was still a weak, ungodly, sinful enemy of his (Romans 5:6-10). There is something about such over-the-top, radically generous love that is so different from the way the world loves that it reflects the Father's love for sinners. It's why Jesus calls us also to costly love. It is both an expression and picture of the gospel.

Pray for me. I have an opportunity in my life right now to obey this command, which is why I'm wrestling with this text again. Pray that I will love the way I have been loved.

Improving…

Gid had a much better day yesterday. His breathing improved, his temp returned to normal, energy increased. He slept 12 hours and I knew life would return to normal. Once again, I was wrong! He is still coughing and just didn’t seem ready to go back to school. Please continue to pray for Gid and that he would be ready to conquer the World…or at least school…tomorrow!!!

9.27.2009

Weekend Update…

Our family mission is to avoid doctors, hospital or anyone wearing scrubs! Russian medical care was difficult and time consuming, not to mention lacking in many areas. In Prague, Gid had a horrible medical experience and we had to have more than your average number of shots to live in Russia and AIDS testing with every Visa. It also seems like every time we would go to the doctor, the illness did not really require medical intervention and we would have wasted money.

So, after 24 hours of debating the absolute necessity of medical care, seeing his temp rise to 102.1, watching him struggle to breath, listening to him cough and counting his respitory rate (which at one point was a breath every second!) and being woke-up every 4 hours hours last night with complaints of pain, I decided to take Gid to the ER at 4:45 this morning! We got right in…since the rest of the World was sound asleep! The doctor did a chest x-ray, which confirmed that Gid has pneumonia! He did a breathing treatment at the hospital, got a shot of antibiotics and we were home in 2 hours!

I am sooo thankful that we went to the ER. Gid seems to be doing better already! The shot in the bum was traumatic, but overall our experience was very positive. I am thankful that we have a several wonderful hospitals and doctors surrounding us, they were able to give Gid a diagnosis, confirm it with x-rays, begin treatment and prescribe medicine.

Here was my movie reviews from yesterday!!! I do not know how I was able to sleep last night, since I walked a total of 50 steps, took a nap and got out of bed only for meals…which were frequent and abundant!!!

I also LOVE…

The highlight was, however, the season premier of…

I missed it Thursday night, so I watched it on the Internet yesterday!!!

Please continue to pray for Gid…pray for a quick and complete healing and that the rest of the fam would stay healthy!!!

9.26.2009

Our Weekend Plans…

Gid spent the night coughing…all night…coughing! At 2, I gave him cough medicine; at 5…Tylenol. The day is gorgeous…perfect weather, sunshine, no wind…a great day to be outside…a horrible day to be sick!!!

Keith and Emme went for a bike ride. Then to get entertainment…I am anticipating a long weekend!!!

Mommy’s picks…

Gid’s pick…I know it is not exactly age appropriate, but I am hoping the combination of drugs and lethargy, he will not remember much of it!!!

Movies we have from the library…

And just so you don’t think I am filling my mind with total garbage!!! I plan on spending time reading…doing the laundry, disinfecting and sleeping!!!

Pray Gid feels better soon, the rest of the family stays healthy and we have a fabulous weekend!!!

Streams In The Desert…

September 18…Where there is no vision, the people perish. Proverbs 29:18

Waiting upon the Lord is necessary in order to see Him and to have a vision of Him. The time element in the vision is essential. Our hearts are like a sensitive photographer’s plate; and in order to have God revealed there, we must sit at his feet a long time. The troubled surface of a lake will not reflect an object.

September 20…You may not understand; but I tell you if you believe, you will see. John 11:40

Mary and Martha did not understand why Lazarus must die. Abraham did not understand why he God asked him to sacrifice his son. Joseph did not understand the cruelty of his brothers, the false witness of a perfidious woman or the long years of an unjust imprisonment. (Job did not understand; Jonah did not understand; Mary the mother of Jesus even said, “How can this be?”) You do not have to understand all God’s ways in your life. God does not expect you to understand them. But, someday you will see the glory of God in the very things you do not understand!

September 24…Then coming to the boarders of Mysia, they headed for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not let them go.

Teach me to see another door in the very inaction of the hour. Help me to find the very prohibition to serve you, a new opening into Your service. Inspire me with the knowledge that a man may at times be called to do his duty by doing nothing, to work by keeping still, to serve by waiting.

When I cannot understand my Father’s leading.

And it still seems to be but a hard and cruel fate,

Still I hear that gentle whisper ever pleading,

God is working, God is faithful, ONLY WAIT!

I pray that soon we will hear God’s voice saying…WAIT NO MORE!!! You are ready…GO!!!

9.25.2009

The Celebration…

Since 37 candles would have caused a house fire (and we only had 3!)…

the kids helped Keith celebrate!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEITH!!!

Blue, Black or Brown?!?

Today, on the way to school, I was feeling very confident. I had made cranberry muffins (since we had no blueberries!), Keith’s Birthday cake, packed Emme’s gymnastics bag, found cash for her class (I never carry cash...since they don’t accept my standard form of payment...the credit card...we love the reward points!!!), remembered Gideon’s word list and library book, got myself ready, got the kids ready and fed, watch Keith open his Birthday present from his mom, took pictures and even uploaded them, left in time to pick-up friends that needed a ride to school AND REMEMBERED POPCORN MONEY, which I forget every Friday, requiring a trip back to the car, a search for 2 quarters and a return trip to each class (Last year, we gave Gid $1 to buy a bag of popcorn every Friday for 4 weeks so we did not have to remember every Friday, but he came home with 4 bags of popcorn!)!!!

However, I was mortified to realize we had completely forgotten Emme’s Show-N-Tell!!! She has Show-N-Tell every Friday…sooo, why do I forget? Fortunately, this week was the letter B and we needed to bring something blue, black or brown. I ran to the car, which I try to keep clean and free of unnecessary junk, but was thankful I had failed at that as well!!! I found Gideon’s Blue Birthday Banner still in the back of the car from his party in August!!! This was perfect for her to share on her daddy’s Birthday!!!