20 Cute Things My Daughter Does

1. She stays in bed for at least 30 minutes before and after sleeping to fill her bed full of books and read

2. She says "sutu duty" instead of sleeping beauty and "blanklet" instead of blanket and "moofie" instead of movie

3. She thinks "I love you" and "I miss you" are the same thing

4. She loves to have her fingernails painted and to wear a tutu, a million necklaces and bows all the way around her head

5. She says that her brother's name means "God gave us a present"

6. When going to bed she looks at me with sad, puppy dog eyes and says, "Lay, Mommy, lay" and wants me to lay with her for a few minutes before she reads...and of course I find it impossible to say no

7. She finds a way to sing everything to the tune of "Twinkle, twinkle little star"

8. She has started saying, "Oh, wait a second" and "Five more minutes"

9. She sings very loudly at church with her eyes closed and her hands raised up to the sky...on many occasions she also dances

10. She makes up names for characters in her books...such as "Buki, Zoofa and Masa"

11. She always tries to find a way to make people feel better when they are sad or sick...like once I was sick in bed and she came in to see me. She didn't know what else to say so she said the happiest thing she could thing of, "Happy Birthday, Mommy!"

12. She LOVES babies...even the doll she found at Target that only had one eye. She would not put it down and rocked it and pretended to give it a bath and sang to it.

13. She talks about what Zane is going to do when he gets here..."Eat and POOP and sleep and POOP and cry and POOP"

14. Everything makes her super excited...suckers at the bank, hot dogs for lunch, wearing her panda shoes, going on a walk. And that she has started saying "Best day ever" or "Best book ever"...or best (anything) ever

15. She would look at pictures for hours...in picture albums, on the computer, on the camera, on someones phone

16. When listening to music in the car...it has to be turned up and can never, ever be turned off and sometimes everyone in the car is required to sing along

17. When going out on a windy day she immediately yells, "Oh no, my hair". What a girly girl! I don't know where she came from!

18. She is learning how to use her cuteness to get what she wants (thankfully, I'm learning not to give in everytime she is cute, or she would always have candy for breakfast). So, she asks for something once in a normal tone and then turns her head to the side, grins really big and changes the tone of her voice to small and cute and asks again.

19. Right now it is cute that she wants to act like a baby...she gets one of her baby doll bottles, a blanket and a pacifier and wants me to hold her while she whimpers and cries like a baby. I'm sure it will get a little old after Zane arrives.

20. I love that she is already a runner...when we go on walks, she jogs out in front of us with her arms pumping. She looks so cute and actually has really good form for a 2-year-old

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

I have found it difficult lately to memorize scripture and have made excuse after excuse for why I am not doing this much need discipline:



1. I have a two-year-old who not only demands my time when she is awake but leaves me a million chores to do while she is asleep...although I've seen young women with more children than I have find the time. Above is a picture of my little distraction.

2. Like many other people I know, it does not come naturally for me to memorize anything. At times I unintentionally sink into the philosophy of "why memorize anything that you can look up on your laptop or cell phone within seconds of needing to know it?"

3. I fill my mind with so many other things...although I haven't been so guilty lately of wasting time with TV and internet, I have rediscovered the library and historical fiction and have spent the hours of Mia's nap held captive by the curious combination of hard facts and an entertaining story.

But as I have found out, the benefits of memorizing scripture far outweigh the difficulties. The Lord has challenged my faith so much through the scripture He has placed on my heart in combination with the trials that I have had to go through. For example, I memorized Romans 8:18 "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" and Romans 8:28 "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" and Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not me anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" And soon after, our precious girl had to have spinal surgery. These verses, along with others sent to me by dear friends, became my strength. The Holy Spirit used the Word of God to calm my heart and build my faith in God.

The verse I am currently working on is 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things are are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." I look forward to seeing how the Lord will use this verse in the future as He has used so many others.


I pray that by the Lord's strength I will overcome all obstacles this week in order to memorize this verse...I will be intentional about waking up early, I will guard my heart against wrong, wordly philosophies that convince me that I don't need to have the scripture in my heart, and I will guard my mind against any other thoughts or activities that could keep me from God's word.

100 Things that make me happy

I've found myself complaining a lot lately. I grumble about people, circumstances, our house, the government, my cell phone, my clothes...you name it, I was finding some way to complain about it. For awhile I blamed it on pregnancy hormones...but even if that truly is the cause of my rantings, giving in to those effects can soon become a habit that is hard to break long after the hormones have settled down. So, in an attempt to rescue my discontent heart I decided to compile a list of 100 things that make me happy. It seems like a lot of things to come up with but I feel that I'm in need of some serious intervention. So, here it goes...



1. My relationship with Jesus Christ

2. David

3. Maleigha

4. Baby Dunham

5. Maleigha's health

6. Finding out I was pregnant after being told I was infertile...twice

7. My family (parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, nephews, etc.)

8. Laughing so hard that I cry

9. Catching up with old friends

10. Knowing that heaven awaits me

11. Meeting new friends

12. Guacamole

13. Understanding and applying the word of God

14. Watching Maleigha play

15. Finishing a book

16. Writing a poem

17. Finding free shoes...yes, that really did happen to me once

18. Everything about the fall (candy corn, leaves changing, wearing a sweater, waking up to the windows open, pumpkins, decorations, cool breezes, apple picking, hayrides, football games)

19. Decorating (or re-decorating) a room in our house

20. Date nights with my husband

21. Staying in a hotel with free breakfast

22. Making homemade bread and eating it with apple butter

23. Learning that Jennifer Knapp is coming back

24. My zebra print shoes

25. Shopping with my mom and sister

26. Eating outside

27. Reading to my daughter

28. Listening to my daughter "read"

29. Singing in the car

30. Hobby Lobby

31. Spending the night at my parents house

32. Sharing stories with my siblings from when we were growing up

33. Checking facebook and blogs

34. Making lists

35. Grocery shopping...I know it's a chore for some people but I look forward to it every week

36. Going on a walk

37. Riding my bike on the bike path in Athens...I miss that

38. Peanut Butter

39. Louisville, KY...I love that city

40. Hearing someone pray for me

41. Listening to Maleigha talk about Jesus

42. Winning a bid on ebay

43. Writing a story

44. Trying a new restaurant

45. The enthusiasm of a new Christian

46. Singing with my praise team

47. Watching Maleigha sing and dance on Sundays

48. When my husband comes home from work

49. Maple cream filled donuts

50. My favorite pink blanket

51. Finishing a sewing project

52. Running

53. Recalling the victories God has given me in my life

54. Pancakes and cartoons on a Saturday morning

55. Family gatherings

56. My Granny's noodles...and spaghetti sauce (which my mom has now perfected as well)

57. BBQ sauce...on pork, tacos, hamburgers, chicken, or baked potatoes

58. Sitting in the corner of our sectional sofa
59. Going to the fair...but it makes me sad it only happens once a year
60. Hearing my husband preach
61. Making a really cute outfit out of the clothes I already have
62. Getting a new magazine or catalog in the mail
63. Watching David and Mia play "critters"
64. Coloring with new a coloring book and crayons
65. Trying a new recipe
66. Having a whole afternoon to read and listen to music
67. Hearing news from our old church....3ABC
68. Going out for ice cream
69. Making s'mores over a real fire
70. Stopping at a gas station for snacks on a long trip
71. Looking through albums full of pictures
72. Hearing my favorite song on the radio
73. Listening to a new CD
74. Listening to an old favorite CD that brings back floods of memories
75. Coming home to a clean house
76. Fresh, clean laundry
77. Holiday traditions
78. The beach
79. Seeing other people happy
80. Tickling Maleigha
81. Finding out that Mia's surgery was a success
82. The grace of God
83. Thinking about my friends and family I will see again in heaven
84. Vacation
85. Hot chocolate and coffee cake
86. Ordering pizza and watching movies
87. Homegrown tomatoes
88. Coupons
89. Parades
90. Funny youtube videos
91. Chatting with friends while the husbands have the kids
92. Nap time
93. Visiting places with good memories
94. Finding a bible verse that really fits in my life
95. Reconciling with someone I feel I have wronged
96. Daydreams
97. Seeing pictures of my unborn baby
98. New clothes
99. Cookbooks
100. Sunsets....

and I could keep going. God is so good to me! Why should I ever complain?

Death

This morning I received the news that a young woman I went to school with had died. Though I don't know all the details and haven't had any contact with her over the years since we left school I do know that she left behind family and friends that cared about her very much. She grew up in Lucasville and went to the same school as me. There were people who worried about her, prayed for her and depended on her. She was the same age as me, she had children, parents, grandparents...so, if all these factors were the same, what brought her death before mine? How can I be so arrogant to live my life every day like I have a million more to waste?

Over the years I have seen death more times than I would ever want to in my lifetime. I've lost a cousin and a grandparent. Close friends have lost relatives as well. I've prayed for the dear lives of little children, only to have to stand by as their parents grieve over their deaths. I've heard of numerous people my age dying...one in particular of an undetected heart problem that took him suddenly. Though I act as though I could not possibly be next...there is no way for me to know that.

Though I cannot know when I will die....I can know without a doubt where I will go when I die. Because I have trusted Jesus Christ with my life and I believe in his death and resurrection I don't have to fear death. Though my time could come today or 60 years from now...I will always know where I will be when that moment comes. Since I have this confidence in my own life, what worries me most when I hear of tragic deaths is...what if that were my unsaved family member or what if that were my neighbor that I never took the time to talk to about Jesus? It is not so terrible for me to live my life as if I will never die as it is to ignore the fact that it could be the people around me who have never heard about Jesus.

So, when faced with death, I pray that you will 1. Reflect on your own life...do you know where you will go when you die? Do you live as if your death will never come? and 2. Reflect on the lives of your family, friends and neighbors...is there someone in your life who doesn't know Jesus? Speak to them about it before it is too late.

I Will Rise

There's a peace I've come to know

Though my heart and flesh may fail

There's an anchor for my soul I can say "It is well"

Jesus has overcome And the grave is overwhelmed

The victory is won He is risen from the dead




[Chorus:] And I will rise when He calls my name

No more sorrow, no more pain

I will rise on eagles' wings

Before my God fall on my knees

And rise I will rise




There's a day that's drawing near

When this darkness breaks to light

And the shadows disappear

And my faith shall be my eyes

Jesus has overcome

And the grave is overwhelmed

The victory is won He is risen from the dead



[Chorus]



And I hear the voice of many angels sing, "Worthy is the Lamb"

And I hear the cry of every longing heart, "Worthy is the Lamb"[x2]



[Chorus]



I heard this song the other day on the way home from Cincinnati after a long day of tests for Mia. We spent hours at the hospital watching kids being pushed in wheelchairs, wearing masks, hearing aids and leg braces, and pulling IV polls along with them...and these were just the ones that were there for check-ups or would be leaving the hospital very soon. From our experience with Mia's surgery in May, I knew there were hundreds more who were not leaving the hospital that day because they were under much more urgent care and there were even some who would never leave that hospital in this life. My heart aches every time we have to make another visit to Cincinnati Children's Hospital and not just because I hate to see my little girl in pain but because I see all these precious little children walking around and think of the ones that are upstairs in their hospital rooms struggling with whatever is ailing them and I feel there is absolutely nothing I can do.

But as I drove home on Wednesday, listening to Chris Tomlin sing, "...no more sorrow, no more pain..." I began to realize that there truly is coming a day when there will be no more wheelchairs, or medical masks, or hearing aids, or leg braces, or IVs, or heart defects, or spinal surgeries and absolutely no death because Jesus has truly overcome and the grave is completely overwhelmed. The victory has already been won because he rose from the dead. And though heart and flesh may fail here on earth we know that one day those who know Jesus will leave this failing world and join him in heaven. And there is certainly something I can do about these sick children and all the people who are struggling in this life...spread the good news that heaven awaits them if they turn to Jesus and trust in his death and resurrection. This life is hard, but one day those of us who know Jesus will rise to be with him and leave the hardship of this life forever.

Mia's going to be a big sister

There has been so much going on with us lately! But the biggest news of all is that there is going to be an addition to the Dunham family. Mia is going to be a big sister at the end of February. She is really excited and loves to pray for "mommy's baby" before she goes to bed. (And just to clarify, none of those band-aids are actually covering any wounds...she just likes to decorate her arm)

This is Mia giving her "baby" a bottle...just getting some practice in so that she will be able to help Mommy when the new baby comes. (This is actually her cousin, Collin, who is only a year younger than her and out-weighs her by a few pounds)

We have been extremely blessed this year and it is only half over...a new house, a new church, Mia's sucessful surgery, finding out I'm pregnant without any medical intervention....I can't wait to see what God has in store for us!

Isaiah 26--Perfect Peace

Chapter 26 of Isaiah brought me such peace that I felt I needed to share it. After already reading in chapter 25 that the Lord will destroy death and bring us to a wonderful banquet in heaven, chapter 26 brings us encouragement that we don't have to wait for until Jesus comes. The peace that is offered in this chapter is open to us now.

Verses 1&2 speak of salvation as a wall and the gates are open to those who keep the faith. And verses 3&4 go on to say that "[God] will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on [God] because he trusts in [God]. So trust in the Lord forver for the Lord God is an everlasting rock" Though it may be difficult to stay strong in the faith when there is every sort of temptation pulling you away from it, God has brought you into his wall of salvation and will protect you. God will give you perfect peace...something that is very hard to come by in a economic crisis, or in the midst of a child's illness, or when the future of your spouse's job is uncertain, or while simply struggling to stay patient with a 2-year-old.

But God promises to give us that perfect peace when we keep our mind stayed on him. Though the world is telling us to be afraid, though our friends and families may be trembling in fear, and even if we have a tiny bit of doubt creeping in our minds...when we intentionally fight to keep our hearts and minds fixed on the Lord God, our everlasting rock, he will give us a peace that is not just satisfactory or simply acceptable...it is a peace that is perfect, without flaw. Verse 12 even says that God ordained peace for us. He already planned for us to have peace. And we can have all of this (salvation, peace, a place in heaven, freedom from death) because as verse 12 goes on to say he has indeed done for us all our works. We don't have to count on getting any of those things I have mentioned because we are good enough or we have done something to deserve them. God has done the work for us and offers those things to us by his grace.

Verses 13-15 remind me that I shouldn't worry about the state of our nation and I shouldn't have doubts about who is leading our country. These verses say that even though other lords have ruled over us, the name of God alone will be remembered. The rulers of this world have and will all die and will not be remembered. As Christians, God is our one true ruler and we know that when Jesus returns every knee will bow to Him. God has placed those rulers above us, he is in control of their plans, and ultimately their plans will be destroyed and God will continue to reign.

I am so thankful for the peace that is offered to us through the grace of God!