Grow Up!

"I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Toys R Us Kid!" That song is ringing in my head as I begin this post. :) It's tempting on Caleb's 18 mo. birthday to reflect on his life and want him to stay in the baby stage. I miss those coos and snuggliness. :) However, he is doing all sorts of fun new things! (more on this in a minute). I've been going through Hebrews with Marc, and it is so rich!! It also talks about growing up spiritually, so that's what got me on this kick. :)

Hebrews 5:11-14 says:

11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Have you ever felt sluggish in your faith? I know I sure have. The writer of Hebrews was talking to Jewish Christians, rebuking them for that very thing, calling them unskilled, immature, and not well-practiced. Obviously, not growing up is considered a bad thing. The writer goes on in chapter six with some very challenging words about the consequences of not moving on to maturity. Many have debated the implications of these verses, so I will avoid getting to deep into them, but I love the following...

Hebrews 6:11-12 says:
[11] And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, [12] so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

It is so easy to get sluggish in our faith and take Christ for granted. We need to continue to press on, desiring to learn and get past mere spiritual milk. Brothers and sisters from the past did so by faith and patience, and we are called to that as well. I can't help but think immediately of Abraham and Sarah, who waited so long for God's promises to be fulfilled in their lives. How silly am I to get so discouraged so fast!

Now on to Mr. Caleb. :) He is getting so grown! Physically he is still a little guy, but man is he smart! He repeats almost every word we say. Like when we go outside now he says, "Brrrrr!" He loves to help me clean and do laundry. He'll run to the door of the laundry room and say, "Lawnry!" He'll help me pick up his toys and put them back in bins...it makes it easier to "keen" with his help!:) This will continue as he gets older, right? Ha! He LOVES to make us laugh! He loves to dance...bobbing up and down and stomping his feet are the extent of his dance moves currently. :) He's learning peek a boo and says, "Pssst, Pssst!" when he does it. He's FINALLY learning to give and blow kisses. He says, "Maw", and then he'll proceed to give you a slobbery open mouth kiss on your cheek! He's learning to use and fork and spoon and is starting to more specifically tell us what he wants with words. He is starting to memorize books too. He will respond with a word if I say the rest of the sentence. :) So cute!!
Oh I could go on forever! Definitely some videos coming soon!

With all that said, may we all value growing up, both in our kids and in ourselves!

Watch Your Mouth!

I am sure anyone reading this has heard those words before. It was probably in the context of your parents disciplining you. However, God's word has much more to say about the importance of our speech, and I have had the blessing of being given new insights that I'd love to share with you all. These are verses I have read before, but I never quite "got it." Isn't it so amazing how the Lord uses familiar verses to speak to you in a fresh way??

I have been reading Matthew 12 thoroughly for my MOMs Bible study and have been struck by the following verses:

For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
(Matthew 12:34b ESV)

[36] I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, [37] for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
(Matthew 12:36-37 ESV)

I have always known that your speech and behavior is a reflection of your heart. That is quite convicting, and the Lord has used that truth to grow me during several periods of my life. However, I never quite got verses 36 and 37, and, to be honest, I was a little scared. When you first read it, it sounds like we will be judged based on our speech. That seems completely counter to the Gospel that teaches salvation through faith in Christ. I did some studying, though, and came across something really enlightening. The ESV online commentary said that the use of the word "justified" here means to be shown to be righteous. In other words, your words are outward evidence of your inner character. This is different from how Paul uses "justified" to mean declared righteous before God (salvation).

So, dear Christians, let's not be overly burdened by verses 36 and 37. If you have put your faith in Christ and turned from your sin, your words will slowly become more and more Christlike, and we have hope for eternal life based on Christ alone! However, we should feel great conviction from these verses as well. Our speech and behavior are an indication of where our heart is. Oh how often I have brushed off the seriousness of a pattern of sin because it was "just a habit." Nothing in our walk with the Lord is "just a habit"...it is so much more! This is my prayer for all of us:

[23] Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
[24] And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
(Psalm 139:23-24 ESV)

Funny Kid!

Oh.my.word. Our son is hilarious! I just love seeing his little personality come out as he gets older. He knows when he makes us laugh and repeats whatever it is, like scrunching up his face, looking up, and then laughing. The coolest thing lately is how many words he says! Since we moved to Warsaw, he has added so many words, and he loves to repeat what we say. Caleb's favorite words are yay (whenever he hears clapping on television he stops and claps), ball (everything is a ball, like the produce at the store), and bye (sounds more like ba....waves at cars out our window a lot of the day). Other words he says:
doggie (his favorite animal by far!!!)
duck
mom (JUST started this...melts my heart!)
apple
bible
baby (currently OBSESSED with babies :)
Aubrey (aaabeee....everytime he sees her picture :)
bike
waffle
uh-oh (uh-ooooooooooooooooh anytime something falls or is on the floor)
meow
woof
hi (aiiiiiiiiiii with a big smile :)
keys
milk (more like mi and does the sign)
more (and the sign)
Pop
GiGi
open

He went from like 5 to all these words in such a short time. He must like Warsaw/Winona Lake as much as we do. :) Our church family was so welcoming, and I've had the pleasure of spending time with several of the staff wives. I'm learning patience in developing friendships because I usually want to be super close right away. The Lord has really grown me in this area over the last few years, teaching me to rely on Him above all other relationships. Our apartment is awesome, and we're finally learning our way around! The library here is great, and I look forward to winter story time!

I've had some great times with the Lord lately and am really learning to appreciate His word more and more. I read this passage from Proverbs 3 last week and was amazed at how much it spoke to me even after having read it a million times.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your flesh
and refreshment to your bones.

We usually just hear verses five and six, but seven and eight really jumped out at me. I am often wise in my own eyes, wanting control and thinking I know what's best. It's like I know God is sovereign but don't think He's smart or something. :) Verse eight speaks of the blessing in following the Lord. I have indeed experienced healing and refreshment since being more convicted about how much I seek control in my life.

That's all for now!

Winona Lake, Here We Come!

Well, there are a lot of changes in store for the Goodwins. In a week, we will be moving to Winona Lake, Indiana,a part of Warsaw. Marc will be the student ministries director at Christ's Covenant Church. It is of course a mix of emotions for us. Sad to be leaving such wonderful people, but excited to serve at a new place as well. How beautiful is this? This is a picture of where we're headed, taken by a sweet lady named Kari, who I think will be a dear friend of mine. :)


The Lord has been teaching me so much lately, I could write a book! I will refrain, but I WILL tell you about a great book called Friendship for Grownups by Lisa Welchel.



OH.MY.WORD. This book came at a great time for me. I am entering into new friendships here shortly, and I have really learned a lot about friendship this last year since having Caleb. This thought by Lisa sums up my thinking, "Isn't that what we all want? To be seen, in all our glory, for better or for worse, the good, the bad, and the ugly, and still be embraced?" She shares so honestly about her journey in friendships and lessons learned, and so many of them hit home with me. Nothing beats a good book. :)

Can't blog without talking about Caleb. He is well! Not looking forward to finding new doctors, but oh well. :) He is still itty bitty and will walk but not without prompting. We may pursue allergy testing and some physical therapy when we get settled. No worries, just suggestions from our pediatrician. :)

Tribute to the Grandparents

Most of these videos mention Caleb's grandparents and happen to be super cute, so we thought we'd share! :)

Feeling Nostalgic

Marc and I are enjoying being kidless for a week. :) Caleb's Aunt Lindsay and Grandma Barbish are enjoying him in Indiana. I've really enjoyed spending time with Marc doing things like going out to dinner by ourselves...something we can't do without paying for a sitter now. :) I've actually stayed really busy this first part of the week but am looking forward to two more days of being able to rest and rejuvinate and do things that are harder to do with Caleb here, like making cards. :)

I sure love the little guy, though!! This week I've had time to look at old pictures and videos, and I can't believe how much he's grown. With the beginning of summer I thought, "This time last year...", and I find myself doing that now with fall. :) He is really becoming a little man...less like the little squirmy infant we first brought home. :) I barely remember him without teeth, and now he has a whole mouthful! I pray every day that I continue to see him for the blessing he is, even on days where I get weary with the mundane tasks of being a mom. I pray that I may see those mundane tasks through the eyes of the Lord and realize that those things have value to Him! Love this quote by Barb Cach, "If there is not great worth in the mundane, then the extraordinary becomes the standard, and you cannot sustain that."

Read this recently:

Psalm 17:13-15 (English Standard Version)

13Arise, O LORD! Confront him, subdue him!
Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
14from men by your hand, O LORD,
from men of the world whose portion is in this life.
You fill their womb with treasure;
they are satisfied with children,
and they leave their abundance to their infants.

15As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.

It really challenged me to continue to not have all my satisfaction be from my "portion in this life" but rather be satisfied "with His likeness." It's easy to put your whole life into your children and have a "child-centered" marriage and life. This week helped me to evaluate how I am doing in that area. :)

Since I said I was nostalgic, here are so photos. :) Enjoy!

So glad it's easy to forget the NICU, except when I go to visit people in the hospital and hear those darn alarms and beeps! :) God surely was watching over him during this time.

I loved his silly faces as a newborn. :)

This year I played in the golf tournament and had a BLAST! Last year Caleb sported this to support Daddy!

He still sleeps with his fingers in his mouth. :)

One of my favorite pictures of him last summer...still loves to smile for the camera!

As we get ready for football season, I remember this outfit for Caleb's first football game....yeah pumpkin hat!

Marriage and Music

Don't you just love a good song? I tell ya there are some super talented Christian musicians out there who have really blessed Marc and I through their lyrics lately. I had to share these two videos with you all (whoever you are :). Marriage is designed to make us more holy and daily provides opportunities for us to point our spouse to Christ. We all need help with this, eh? :)

Summer!!

Wow, have we been busy! :) Our little guy turned one a month ago...can't believe how the year has flown. We had a great party at church with family and friends. Caleb's moving around a lot but is still a lot less mobile than his buddies. :) He army crawls, cruises, scoots on his butt, and walks with us holding on to one hand, but he's too scared to let go. :) He's taken eight steps on his own, so we'll get there. He loves whole milk and still is a picky eater, but he eats! :) Cheese is still a favorite. He can wave, clap, and says the words duck and bye. It's so neat to see him learn to communicate, except when the tantrums happen. :) Oh yeah, and he LOVES the pool....wish we could go more!

The Lord has truly been teaching me a lot lately, and I am so thankful! I'm learning to love Him more for who He is and not for what He does for me. That's hard! This is from a recent devotional:

‎"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For ...when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV)

"In a world where pursuing personal comfort and happiness is an obsession, many of us chafe and choke at the thought of any struggle or pain invading our lives. The thought that the world wasn't created just to keep us happy and comfortable seems counter intuitive to today's thinking. It can be difficult to swallow the fact that God is not most interested in our comfort, but more interested in our character"-Zoe Elmore

Good stuff! Enjoy the photos. :)

I Did NOT Enjoy My Mother's Day :)

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week. Not Me! Monday was inspired by her desire for women to share imperfections and moments we want to forget without feeling shame, all while having a little fun. :)

Thought I'd share about how I did NOT spend my Mother's Day. :) I did NOT send my husband grocery shopping with my son and secretly hope he fussed to make my husband feel sorry for me. :) I did NOT spend the time they were away catching up on housework and then watching Teen Mom on the computer (that is NOT one of my new favorite shows:). Oh yeah, and I will NOT enjoy the one hour massage my husband bought me as a present.

Seriously, it was a great first Mother's Day. Marc does such a great job appreciating me daily that it mostly felt like a normal day. I am blessed!!

Bedtime Shenanigans

Walking

Jumping with Daddy

Daddy's Entertainment

I Am NOT a Control Freak

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week. Not Me! Monday was inspired by her desire for women to share imperfections and moments we want to forget without feeling shame, all while having a little fun. :) Last week was all goofy, but this week my post will be more serious.

How precious is this kid?



He looks happy and healthy, right? Well, I must tell you, I do NOT worry about him being in the 5th percentile. I do NOT fall into the habit of mentally keeping track of what he eats during the day. I do NOT compare him to other kids his age. Ha...I wish that was the truth sometimes. :)

However, thanks to all these things I do NOT do, I am daily forced to be dependent on the Lord. Scripture says in Psalm 139:

13For you(P) formed my inward parts;
you(Q) knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
14I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.[a](R) Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
15(S) My frame was not hidden from you,when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in(T) the depths of the earth.
16Your eyes saw my unformed substance;in your(U) book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.

Nothing I do or don't do will change the plan that God has for my sweet Caleb. God has numbered his days and has made him the way he was supposed to be...a little string bean! Another piece of Scripture from Matthew 6:

27And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his(AT) span of life?[g] 28

Worrying adds NOTHING to my life or Caleb's life.

In addition, I need to be careful where I get my peace from. Lysa TerKeurst, author of the GREAT book I'm reading called The Bathtub is Overflowing but I Feel Drained, says, "Where this peace starts to slip is when I try and figure God out. I try to reason my way into the peace rather than praying and making the choice to stop all my toil and wondering and leave them in God's hands. Accept each step God puts before me as my temporary assignment, fulfill that part of it, and leave the rest with Him."

I am NOT an analyzer. I do NOT try to talk myself out of certain thoughts by saying things like, "I shouldn't compare him to other babies. He'll tell me when he's hungry. He is growing at his own rate." Yes, that is all true, but I am trying to reason my way into peace rather than simply give it to the Lord and meditate on His truth, not my own.

My prayer is that everyone that reads this, as silly as the premise of Not Me! may be, will seriously consider areas of their lives that are not submitted to the Lord. I am so thankful that God is revealing my control issues to me, as hard as they are to swallow. Let this be my prayer and yours:

Psalm 139
23Search me, O God, and know my heart!
(AG) Try me and know my thoughts![c]
24And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and(AH) lead me in(AI) the way everlasting![d]

I am NOT a control freak. :)

Not Me!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I did NOT put my 9 month old in front of the t.v watching Price is Right when I desperately needed a break.

I did NOT laugh when Caleb was playing with his yogurt/peach/banana puke on his high chair tray.

I did NOT carry around a bag of cheesburger Doritos at church on Sunday night begging everyone to try one.

I did NOT get excited about Dancing with the Stars, especially watching Kate Gosselin.

I am NOT a silly, random gal.:)

Daily Bread

I'm reading a GREAT book called The Bathtub is Overflowing but I Feel Drained. It's all about how to defeat mommy stress and is VERY Christ and Scripture focused. I know a lot of us struggle with our speech, especially as moms and wives. Last night's reading was titled "Did I Really Just Say That?". I know I don't know yet what it's like to say something hurtful to my child, but I sure know what it's like to speak unkindly to my husband. :( The Scripture was as follows:

Lamentations 3:22-24 (English Standard Version)

22(A) The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;[a]
his mercies never come to an end;
23they are new(B) every morning;
(C) great is your faithfulness.
24(D) "The LORD is my portion," says my soul,
(E) "therefore I will hope in him."

Psalm 73:26 (English Standard Version)
26(A) My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is(B) the strength[a] of my heart and my(C) portion(D) forever.

The author goes on to say that even Jesus took time to pray each day for His "portion" and discussed something really eye-opening for me. The Lord's prayer says, "Give us this day our daily bread." When the Israelites were wandering in the desert, God rained down manna from heaven, but only enough for one day. He didn't allow them to store it up because He wanted to be their "portion" and for them to recognize their need for Him. Because of that, they developed a real relationship with Him.

So often I get WAY ahead of myself and get overwelmed. Instead, I need to slow down and ask for what I need THAT DAY. Good stuff! Can't wait to share more some other day. :) Get this book!

Spring Temptation

It was GORGEOUS today!! We went on a walk at the Greene, our favorite outdoor mall just down the road from us. It's amazing what sunshine and "warm" weather will do for your mood! I'm really enjoying this stage in Caleb's development. He can stay awake for longer while we go out. While that gets exhausting when we stay home, it's nice when we want an outing like this evening. :)

The little man is changing every day. He's still a little fella, but he is really starting to eat well! He still takes four 8 oz. bottles and seems to really not mind any solids I feed him. :) We're still working on him eating more amount wise, but he likes a variety of food. He gagged on finger food last time I fed him, but that was about a month ago, so we'll see how he does again soon. :) His 9 mo. appointment is on Monday, so we'll see how his head growth is and if he is still gaining weight on his own little curve. :) He's not crawling, but is scooting and turning and likes to stand and support himself on furniture. Oh yeah, and the kid LOVES to talk!!

Marc and I have been challenged and stretched a lot lately, and we're thankful for it! I was recently challenged with this question, "Do I love God for who He is or for what He does?" In other words, do I still love Him the same when things don't go the way I want? WOW! I truly desire to honor God no matter what season of life I'm in, and it's hard. I have recently realized how little my mind focuses on God's word throughout the day. It gets so filled with other things! Being "transformed by the renewing of my mind" is an area I am currently working on. I've been keeping a journal of verses I come across and writing short paraphrases, as well as posting scripture around the house. It's been a huge blessing! Probably the most encouraging verse has been 2 Corinthians 12:9-

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

That's all for now. :)

Winter Wonderland

In an odd way, I really love the snow! :) Sure it keeps Caleb and I in, but I really enjoy the view out our window. I need to take a pic at some point. We're expecting more tonight, so I secretly hope for a snow day with Marc tomorrow. We are doing well! Can't believe how fast Caleb is growing and enjoying every new thing. He's cutting his top two teeth at the same time! He is learning to mimic things, like shake his head, and he talks up a storm. No crawling yet, but I don't mind. :) His personality is really coming through. His favorite thing lately has been to purse his lips then turn and look at you and "smile with his eyes".

I'm really enjoying the teaching at church and what God is teaching me in my personal study about perservering through trials, especially those that are long-lasting. I am working on memorizing Jeremiah 17:5-10...God's word is so beautiful!

5Thus says the LORD:"Cursed is the man who trusts in man
and makes flesh his strength,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
6 He is like a shrub in the desert,
and shall not see any good come.
He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,
in an uninhabited salt land.

7 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose trust is the LORD.
8 He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit."

9The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?
10 "I the LORD search the heart
and test the mind,
to give every man according to his ways,
according to the fruit of his deeds."

That's all for now. Here are some recent pics of our little man. The last one we submitted to the Regis and Kelly Beautiful Baby Contest. :)

Seven Months Pictures and Video

We are having some trouble getting videos to load (we have a few we really want to share), but in the meantime, we'll leave you with a few recent pictures of our little guy.

Here's one of him in an outfit that I (Marc) actually wore as a baby:














Here's one of him at seven months (how time flies!)

















And here's one more of him showing off his teeth.....














Actually, I just got the videos to upload...So here are those as well:

Winter Happenings

What a busy couple of weeks we have had! Caleb has been a real trooper. :) We had the Christmas Eve service here, and Marc had to run the show! It went really well, and then we headed to Grandma's in Cincinnati. After celebrating there with my family we came home for a day and then headed to Indy to spend time with Marc's side. Caleb slept through a lot of the fun, but we enjoyed opening presents with him. He was just a few months too young to really get into it. He got lots of big boy toys, so we look forward to him being able to sit on his own here soon.
Our new year got off to a rough start with Marc having the stomach flu and a cold. So far Caleb and I have been spared, but we'll see what the days ahead hold. :) We are so glad to have Daddy back!

Caleb's 6 month appointment went really well on Christmas Eve. It was the first one I didn't feel like I had a million questions. :) Caleb got lots of shots and we talked mainly about solid foods. He got a head ultrasound done last week because his head is in the 90th percentile, but his weight is in the 10th still. :) Needless to say, everything came back normal. Big heads run in my family and in Marc's family! Caleb is meeting all of his developmental milestones, and we are thrilled. :) He's still a skinny thing, but we love how much he is interacting these days! Here's what he's up to:
-Caleb's appetite is REALLY growing these days. We switched him to oatmeal instead of rice cereal, and he LOVES it. He eats 4 8 oz. bottles and two servings of oatmeal a day.
-He is a babbler! He loves saying baa, daa, and maa.
-He sticks out his tongue a lot and sucks on his lips. We think he's still getting used to HIS FIRST TOOTH...cut just before Christmas. :)
-He is ACTIVE...he loves to bounce and wiggle in your arms....NOT A CUDDLER!
-He is starting to really get high on his arms and is scooting just a little...mainly just rotating.
-He can sit up some, but we're still working on it. :)

In other news, I might have a tutoring job! I am so excited. I really do love staying at home, but I am ready to keep doing things I used to do, like teaching. I don't want to lose myself in being a mom and forget other things I enjoy. Hope everyone is having a good start to the new year!