Shoes

...and flowers.

A boy and his Daddy

The other day, it was (deceptively) sunny outside, so we ventured out to the park. Turned out, sadly, the sun was hiding not-so-bright and sunny intentions... it was pretty chilly and windy. But we stuck it out! Benjamin was having loads of fun just running around anyway, so we hung out a while. He would just run up and down the path, pausing occasionally to excitedly show us a rock or twig he'd "discovered".





































And then he just wanted to hang out with Daniel, just walking around with him, sometimes holding his hand, sometimes running ahead, other times lagging behind, just following.
I really like these pictures... I feel like they really capture how much Ben looks up to his Daddy in the way that he just follows him around so trustingly.

Pictures

There is something just so irresistibly sweet about a baby's toes, isn't there? I had to take this picture several times before it turned out clear-- these toes are wigglers!

The munchkin was having a hard time going down for a nap again today, so we went for a drive to help him fall asleep. Worked like a charm, he was out like a light by the time we got back home. I got some cute pictures before we went back inside, though!

He's so angelic when he's sleeping... why can't he be like that all the time?-- just kidding, of course!

And hey, guess who else the drive put to sleep... Like father, like son, huh?

"Me? Obey Him?"

Today's post is about something that's been on my mind for a while. I read an interesting book several weeks ago that was given to me by my mother-in-law, Diane. I honestly don't remember what her opinions on it were when she gave it to me, it was a while ago.

Anyway, the title of the book is "Me? Obey Him?", by Elizabeth Rice Handford. Now, when I saw that title, I automatically thought that the "Him" was referring to God. However, a closer look reveals that the theme of the book, as stated on the cover, in fact, is actually "The obedient wife and God's way of happiness and blessing in the home..."

That really caught my attention, because the subject of wives and obedience/submission to their husbands really is a difficult one, one that I struggle with and wonder about often.

The book is, of course, based upon the scripture passage Ephesians 5:22-24"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything." (emphasis mine)

Now, this is a passage that I think most Christian women are aware of, and it is a difficult one for some. I have heard the "wives should submit to their husbands" part translated as "obey", in some translations.

Anyway, I actually agreed with much of the book, it was a lot of repetition of basic Biblical values--at least, until the section titled, "But What about The Problems?".

An example the author gave was of a woman she had counseled, who had told her of a situation she had faced with her husband. The woman's husband was a non-Christian alcoholic, and one night, when he was drunk, the couple was fighting about it, and he told her to "just get out", and she did. The author told her that that is not obedience, that she was being a "rebellious wife, and her rebellion had nearly destroyed their home".

The author goes on to say that, essentially, women should always obey their husbands-- even over God. Even if a man tells his wife to do something directly contradictory to the Bible, she says that women are to obey.

Now, my problem with that, is that the verses above are followed by these:

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." (emphasis mine)

I guess my problem with the author's concept of complete and utter, unquestioning obedience, no matter what, is that I feel that those commands are somewhat interdependent. I personally think that there are situations in which a woman should not obey her husband, such as when his commands or demands directly counter Biblical values. I don't know, maybe I'm a bad wife for thinking so... but I just innately disagree. What do you all think? I know Diane and I have had talks about this, but not to this degree, I don't think.

(Disclaimer: This was typed out over a period of an hour or so, in between trying to lay Benjamin down for a nap, so please forgive me if it's terribly disjointed.)

Ahhhhh...

*Deep sigh of relief* He's finally napping...

Over the past few days, Benjamin has realized that he is the proud owner of an until-now hidden skill: he can climb up and step right out of his crib and playyard. Until now, we knew he could swing his leg over the side, teeter precariously, and eventually drop, but we also knew he didn't particularly like that way (the "falling on his head" part was the deterrent, I think), so it didn't happen often. However, now if he decides he wants a change of scenery, out he goes. And he's so good at it already, I can't even hear him from the other room if the door is closed. He's already wreaked havoc in the bedroom once... books strewn off the bookshelf, clothes from his open dresser drawer tossed haphazardly across the floor, even an old, forgotten art kit I had underneath the bookshelf opened, and its contents experimented with (and apparently my little mischief-maker is also an aspiring artist-- but that's for another blog) .

Anyway, so this new little discovery has highly complicated naptime and bedtime.... before, I would just rock him, sing to him, do our little routine, then deposit him in his crib awake. He'd play for 10 minutes or so, then happily drop off into slumber. Now.... not so much.

I just spent over an hour trying to get my poor, sleepy toddler to stay in his crib. Over and over again we'd rock, eyes drooping, then I'd lay him down when I felt he was sufficiently sleepy. The minute I walked out the door, it was like his cue to climb out and follow me. I tried the gentle approach: Picking him up, hugging him, singing, etc. all over again, then trying again, several times. Didn't work. I tried sitting close by in the rocking chair singing to him, hoping he'd fall asleep, and firmly saying, "No" when he started climbing. Nope, didn't work either. I even tried swatting his chubby little bum every time he'd climb out, but that didn't work, as we apparently have the world's toughest baby. Nothing hurts him-- at least nothing I've seen happen to him, and I'm not going to go try and find something that will! So spanking just isn't all that effective with this little guy.

Finally, he ended up just crashing in my arms. He was so tired, he didn't even budge when I laid him down. And... now I need a nap.

I know, I'm a terrible mother, I should be so excited and proud of my big boy for learning and developing this newfound independence. But no... I think I'm kind of in mourning for the loss of my little, dependent, needy (and easily contained!) baby. Sure, it's fun to watch him growing-- but not when he needs a nap but doesn't want one!

Can't wait for tonight! Maybe I'll conveniently have to go grocery shopping around 8:15, and my darling husband will have to take on the task. Of course, if naptime is any indicator, it'd have to be one looooong grocery trip.

I know I should post a picture of him sleeping soundly to go along with this post-- but there is no way in this world I'm going near him with a flash right now!!