Going Crunchy...er.

Okay, so I have always loved natural childbirth, breastfeeding, and am not a big fan of using medications at the first sign of sickness (ironic, since I'm in the healthcare field). This has earned me a little bit of "granola" status at the hospital...but it has gotten worse.

I've gotten crunchier. oh, dear.

I'll blame it on Haiti. Since we are planning on moving there soon and I still have one potty training, one in diapers full-time (for atleast another year) and hope to have another baby, I figured I needed to develop a plan for diapering all these stinky bums.

There problem with Haiti and disposable diapers is that getting them is hit or miss and probably pretty costly due to most things being imported. BUT, my biggest beef is that there is not really anywhere to dispose of all these "disposable" diapers. Most trash in Haiti is burned. Ever try to burn a diaper? They are basicaly indestructable. All of our kiddos poop is being wrapped up in tiny time capsules for generations and generations to come because they do not break down in the landfills (it takes an estimated 500 years). Anyways, I can't imagine contributing to the growing trash problem in Haiti with hundreds of indestructable diapers.

Enter: The dreaded cloth diaper.

Now, it is not like I have never considered these before. I have. For about 30 seconds. I think the modern cloth diapers are adorable...until someone poops in them.

But I began my experiment with cloth diapering anyways as a way that I could save $ and bless Haiti at the same time. AND I LOVE IT!! That is ridiculous but true. Everytime I change a diaper I get this satisfaction that I am saving $ and decreasing my mark on the landfill. And I love washing the diapers, too. Weird. Crunchy. It is okay...call names. I think the same thing of myself. =)

An estimated 27.4 billion disposable diapers are used each year in the US, resulting in a possible 3.4 million tons of used diapers adding to landfills each year (source: Wikipedia)

I am no longer adding to those numbers. I like that.

But it is not as big a deal as I thought it would be. Here is my process:

Adorable child poops his pants. Yucky diaper off. Use cloth wipes and homemade wipe soluton in sprayer (water & baby shampoo) to clean yucky bum. Clean diaper on. Adorable child goes to play while I dump poop in the toilet and scrub if necessary. I use these purple cleaning gloves to keep my hands yuck free then put the wet diaper in the diaper pail or diaper wet bag. Oh, and I actually change diapers now in the combo laundry/bathroom. The top of the dryer is my changing table! =)

Once the wet bag and pail are full then I wash (about every 3 days). I use a homemade laundry detergent for my diapers as seen the picture. 1 small scoop, then add the diapers (which are already poop free due to the 30 seconds of work at the toilet), then wash on hot.

Once they are washed and rinsed, I hang them out to dry. This is my favorite part! They are adorable hanging on the line and I get satisfaction from hanging clothes. I have always wanted to be Caroline Ingalls anyways. They dry really fast and the sun kills bacteria and takes care of any staining issues.

It really is pretty simple and hasn't been as big an issue as I always thought it would be. Ofcourse, in Haiti I will not be using a washing machine.

My one cloth diaper regret?? Not starting sooner. I would recommend it for any current or new parents. We have spent approx. $150 on our diaper stash. This will be more than enough for the rest of our diapering needs for all our our children. We drop that much on disposables EASY with 2 kiddos in diapers at one time. I really do wish we had been cloth diapering from the beginning because the savings only multiply the more children you are able to use your diapers for.

Live and Learn.

My Life: The Funny Pages

Simple. Plain Jane. The Everyday.

Life...It's hilarious if I let myself look up from the spinning wheel of routine and schedules.

Here are some recent things that have made me laugh:

~While cutting Josiah's hair, I turned to see Lucas with my water sprayer...soaking the front windows of my parents house and furiously wiping his grimely little hands on the panes of glass...making more mud than shine and then repeating this process for over an hour. Seriously. That long. When he ran out of water he then managed to refill from the cat bowl.

~JohnEllis and his obsession with the word ball and anything round. He literally says "ball" 100's of times/day...and always with a ? at the end, as if to say, "can I have that??". He was sick a couple weeks back. Respiratory problems. Cough. Congestion. Retractions. Wheezing. Crying uncontrollably. A visit to the ER in the middle of the night and inconsolable screaming...until he saw the top of a bulb syringe and suddenly after 3+ hours of nonstop screaming, instantly stops and says, "ball?".

~After a long 12 hour night shift: turning down all the lights and the entire night shift hiding as the day shift arrived with lots of questioning looks on their faces.

~Having my husband give me a 10 minute discourse on the numerous different pens he carries with him in his pencil box...how each of them has a different function and purpose such as: I use this blue pen to write in my journal, but this blue pen to take notes with in class and this particular pen to underline scripture in my Bible, but this pen is only for when I'm at work, etc. One would think that a pen, is a pen, is a pen. Until you meet Jody Cash. Then you realize that every pen has a story and not all pens are created equal. And that pens are serious business.

~My husband has and uses a pencil box. =)

~Josiah drew a picture of JohnEllis the other day at church. They were supposed to be drawing a picture of things they do at home. Since JohnEllis has been sick, Josiah said that we have been trying to get JohnEllis better soon, so he drew his stick figure...Complete with knee caps and a penis. I nearly lost it as we discussed with him how drawing a penis at church is inappropriate.

So there you have it.

My everyday is filled with humor. Somedays I have to hunt for it more than others but finding joy in the little things is the spice of life.

I Love The Way You Hold Me

Do you ever feel like you are doing it alone? I do. Sometimes I think it is me against the world. Like I have to make life worth living, perform to get the most out of life. I strive to make myself and my family joyful...like I can work hard enough to get to IT. I am still not exactly what IT is yet but I fool myself into thinking that someday I will know when ever we have arrived. Whenever we are THAT family...you know, that family that everyone desires to be part of. I guess a cross between a great movie family and those families at church that seem to "have it all together". =)

It sounds silly in print but if I am honest...I still have those thoughts sometimes. But today, I am resting in the truth of God and not believing the lies of the enemy. I have the perfect family! We are FOR SURE in process and the process is sweetness and exactly what I want and exactly what I need.

I look back over just the past year of my life and the life of my family and wow. wow. wow! We have been held so lovingly by the Lord. I love the way He holds us! He knows the perfect way to love us and like a really good Daddy gives us abundantly more than we could ever ask or need. I am so thankful that He gives us what we REALLY want and need...opposed to what WE think we want. I am learning to trust Him. That He really knows best and really can be trusted to do what is best for us. Without my own interference.

Just a quick look back on my past year. This is how the Lord has held me. This is what I'm thankful for.

~Boys. Wiggly, snuggly, toe-lint picking boys.
~Being adored by the 4 most handsome guys I know.
~Travel...with all it's joys and hardships. What a privledge to see God's handiwork first hand.
~Seeing God's provision through the body of Christ.
~Dancing and singing with my family.
~Homeschooling and teaching my boys.
~Listening to Josiah & Lucas count.
~Watching Josiah perfect his coloring skills and the joy he has when he stays in the lines!
~A husband who is courageous.
~A husband who loves me...and ice cream! =)
~Friends. LifeGroup. Teammates.
~Little boys who beg me to make up stories for them before bed.
~3 Brothers.
~To be part of a movement of Christ that is transforming the world.
~Extended family.
~Rodeos...especially the ones in my living room when I get to be the announcer and watch my little cowboys.
~Laundry, dishes, diapers, messy rooms, grocery shopping.
~Hilarious co-workers.
~Reading.
~Watching 3 boys, a daddy and a dog wrestle and play.
~Candles & Fireplaces.
~Training schools & people who push me to go further than I think possible.
~People who forgive me...no matter what.
~God. Who never leaves us alone. Who draws me into relationship with him. Who desires to be with me.

When does it end? Every good and perfect gift is from my God (James 1:17). Can I stop being thankful? Stop counting my blessings? They are as numerous as the stars. You are so good.

Lord, I love the way you hold me.

(Our current fav family song: Hold Me by Jamie Grace)

Table Mountain

Psalm 90:2

Before the mountains were brought forth,

or ever you had formed the earth and the world,

from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

This morning I awoke chilly and to the sound of rain...which is glorious already if you have been living in Texas with record heat and overwhelmed with drought.  But I am not in Texas.  I am in South Africa and I have this view out of my window.  The Table Mountain looks small...because it is covered in the clouds of early morning but as the clouds clear away, a majestic masterpiece emerges.

Table Mountan blanketed in early morning clouds



View from the common area of our living quarters



Everyday views for Cape Town, South Africa

Pictures don't do this town justice.  It is beautiful and filled with amazing views of this mountain.  We are primarily focusing our time at Cape Town University which is build up the side of this mountain.  It is captivating to walk to campus and see the majesty of God on such glorious display...it is also an amazing workout for the legs!  I have been in awe of the grandeur of this place...the mountian feels ancient and majestic and points me to God.  It is overwhelming to think of God cutting the shape of this mountain top and reminds me that before all creation--God was.  His majestic creations point me to His holiness and His holiness creates a desire in me to worship Him.

Pray for the students of Cape Town University.  That they will come face to face with the God who created this mountain on which they live and be overwhelmed with His grandeur!  And overwhelmed that such a majestic and powerful God would chose to extend an invitation to them to enter into intimate relationship with Himself. 

It is simply overwhelming.

Dreaming with God

"Encounters with God as an intimate are quite different from those of a servant.  His heartbeat becomes our heartbeat as we celebrate the shift in our own desires. The realm of His presence becomes our greatest inheritance, and divine encounters are greatest memories."
~Bill Johnson, Dreaming with God

This past week began our new schedule for the next several months.  It has been great to finally get to this point, as we have been anticipating this all summer.  We are excited but already feel that our schedule will not be doable except by the grace of God...which we have experienced over and over again SO I am trusting Him to sustain us.

On Tuesday morning, we came into Waco early to sign Josiah up for Muttin' Bustin' (an event in the rodeo where little ones ride sheep! Adorable and hilarious!).  Josiah has been looking foward to this for sometime and was so excited to finally be old enough to sign up to be in the rodeo just like all those cowboys he admires! 

WELL....signups started at 8am with a limited number or entrants...the little boys and I stood in line for sometime...and missed the cut off by one person.

It was so sweet and sad explaining to little 4 year old Josiah why he wasn't able to be ride in the rodeo after all.  He was disappointed, for sure.  But took it in stride.  Once I dropped them off at their mother's day out program, I started crying!  Just knowing that this was his one chance since next year we will be gone.  I was so sad for him...and me, too!  I started thinking about all the "normal" things that I expected to see Josiah do as a boy...little league, 1st day of Kindergarden...Mutton Bustin'.  I knew it was silly but I grieved the things our boys will not experience because we are moving to Haiti.

Tonight, while sitting on the front porch with my current read, plus amazing weather and a beautiful sunset,  God brought me to this quote by Bill Johnson...about the realm of God's presence being our greatest inheritance and Divine encounters our greatest memories...It grabbed my heart.  And I rested.

Thank you, God!  The boys and I may not have all the expected memories and experiences of an American mom with 3 boys but wherever we are (America, Haiti, or elsewhere),we WILL experience God's presence and His divine encounters.  It will be our greatest treasure...our most prized possessions...cherished memories of being friends with God and not merely servants.  Of not just obeying God but living our life on earth with Him...experiencing Him and his adventues.

SOLD!

The house on Charboneau is SOLD!  Closing completed...keys handed over...we have more or less comleted our move-in with my folks in Gatesville and are settling in and finding our new routine.  This is our last family picture in front of our empty Charboneau.  Driving off was sad...I cried.  But ofcourse, God was sweet to me.  We met the lady who bought it during closing and she was precious!  She is retired and moving to Waco to be close to family.  She and her family all loved the house and I know they will take great care of it and will make new memories in that house just as we did.

Jody finishes his last week at FirstCity on Friday and then next week we will begin our 24:14 training with a week-long retreat in Oklahoma.  We are on our way!  I can't believe all of this is really happening.  Please continue to pray for us!  That we will hear and know the way of the Lord...and walk in it with confidence!

Ridiculous? Disasterous? Was I created for this?

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Everything that is created has a purpose...it may be for a specific function or task, for beauty or enjoyment, but all things created have a designed purpose.  It is when we take the created thing and try to make it function in a way in which it was not purposed for that things get screwy.  I wouldn't take a pair of scissors to the front yard to cut my grass..and likewise, I certainly wouldn't use our lawn mower to try to cut paper!  At best, it would be ridiculous and at worst, disasterous!

It seems so obvious in this scenario but I find myself regularly trying to put my self and my life into situations that I was not created and purposed to do.  I was created for good works!  To love God, love other believers, and love those that don't know Jesus.  I forget. I try to make this creation function in purposes it was not created for and sure enough...the results are ridiculous and sometimes disasterous, too. 

I was created for love and good works, in the image of God and for His purposes and glory...this should be the end result no matter what I do...whether big or small.  If that is not the fruit I see then can I really be performing as I was created?  When I function in other capacities and try to do the things that I have planned for my life vs. what God has planned I see only anger, frustration, selfishness, discord and dysfunction.

If I was made to be God's workmanship...to do good works that God has planned in advance, then I REALLY want to do that.  And only that.  It may not sound as good in the moment...I may think I have a bigger, better plan.  Why cut all that paper with little scissor blades when I have those big, sharp lawnmower blades attached to a powerful engine?? Surely, it is more effectve, more time efficient...right?
That is ridiculous and probably disasterous, too. 

God help me to wait for you...for what you created me to do.  I want to function in the ways and purposes that I was created for and nothing else.  I don't want to try to make myself function for the things of this world. 
Scissors are happiest and most effective at cutting paper. 
Lawnmowers are happiest and most effective at cutting grass.

I daily need to seek out what God has created me to do and be...not just for future plans but for now. For today.  For this moment. 

What are my results?  Anything ridiculous or disasterous just won't do. Was I created for this?  It's a question I want to be asking myself more often.