dave & janet horsman ::: keepin’ it real since 1998

Wow. Have you ever had your basic theology corrected by a five-year-old? Today Zeke and I were reading the story of Jonah, and after I’d read this page…

…Zeke asked, “How did that big storm get there?”

“God sent it.” I explained.

Zeke: Why? Why did God send a storm?

Me: Because He was very angry with Jonah for running away from him.

Zeke: But…uh, Mummy, isn’t there a verse somewhere in the Bible that says that…uh, that God is slow to get angry? Isn’t there a verse that says that?

I remembered him learning that verse (Psalm 86:15) in the fall, and was surprised and pleased that he remembered it! “You’re absolutely right Zeke. There is a verse that says that… I don’t know then…why do you think He sent it?”

Zeke: Well…uh, I think maybe He just wanted to get Jonah’s attention.

We finished reading the story, and then I thought I’d check out the account in the Bible. You know what? It never says that the Lord was angry with Jonah! It tells us that the Lord arranged for this, that, and the other thing to happen, but we’re not told that He was motivated by anger. Zeke, I believe, was perfectly right! God wanted to get Jonah’s attention.

Wow. I tremble when I think of how my small-minded and very skewed perception of God could affect my children! It’s scary! I don’t want them to be held back by my “issues.”  My prayer for this generation of children is that they would pursue God in a way that would put my generation to shame! That they would know Him in a much deeper and intimate way than I. That they would be revealing things to us about the Lord that we’ve never dreamed of! Amen!

Elijah made a very cute elephant tonight at his 1st grade Festival. The three 1st grade classes at Hillcrest told A Jungle Tale: The Lion and the Mouse through music, singing, readings and dancing. They sang such songs as Monkey See, Monkey Do, One Elephant Came Out To Play (Elijah “came out to play” on this one, and then all the elephants did the kanga…Elijah was loving it), The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Willoughby Wallaby Woo and many others. Elijah also did an excellent job at reading two different parts; he reads so clearly, and I love his expressions! 

It was really a great evening of entertainment!  And I am definitely a believer now that I have a child in school - teachers really are underpaid! What a lot of work went into that production!

Elijah was very concerned that we wouldn’t get to his school on time tonight though. Our van is finally getting fixed, so we borrowed a car from a friend - a standard transmission station wagon. Elijah was encouraging Dave to drive fast, but as we pulled out of the parking spot, his worries seemed to melt away:

“Whoa! This car is so aerodynamic! Feel how fast we’re going, Zeke!”

Yelps of excitement were heard most of the way to the school (it really did feel different to drive in a little car with a standard transmission…maybe not aerodynamic, but different!) and we made it there with lots of time to spare.

Alright! Now that I have my mountains of laundry started, I’ll sit down and write a post. Monday is always laundry day at our house. One of the things I love - among many - about living here at Bethany is the free laundromat in the basement of our building. Here are the three washers that are currently washing our clothes…

I can do a week’s worth of laundry in 2 hours. Well,…I can wash and dry it in two hours. Folding it and putting it away is a whole other story! (Wow, do three boys make a lot of laundry! Can I hear an “Amen?”)

Anyway, the predicted snow-storm did not disappoint! My two eldest suited up several different times to enjoy the fresh snow, our whole family got out for a fun walk/play/slide all around campus, and I couldn’t resist taking Elijah and Zeke out after dark on Saturday night. I have the best memories of playing in sparkly, lamp-lit snow as a little girl!  The delightfully blustery, snowy, wet weather did not permit photo-taking outside, but I snapped this picture on Saturday night right after we came in…

Hee hee! I wanted to capture their rosy cheeks… instead I got their pouty faces when I informed them that - alas! - we were out of cocoa, and couldn’t have hot cocoa tonight! Noah doesn’t seem to care…although he had stayed in with Daddy, and was probably just happy to have his big brothers back in the house!  Oh my, they’re so cute! They settled for some warm milk and honey (very yummy, if you’ve never tried it!), and went to bed nice and sleepy from all the fresh air.  Good memories…

“It’s not if — it’s now when and exactly how much. The National Weather Service on Friday morning had issued a winter storm warning for nearly all of Minnesota and portions of Wisconsin.”

Exciting!  We’re gonna get a good ol’-fashioned snow-storm this weekend!  Now that I’ve had my fix of warmth and sunshine, I’ll gladly take another few weeks of winter.  Especially if we have a couple feet of fresh white stuff to play in!   And ahhh…the wonders of renting.  It’s so nice to not have to worry about snow-removal!  (Or lawn-care in the summer!)

It’s career day at Elijah’s school today, and he wanted to go dressed up as a firefighter. 

“Really?”  Dave and I both said.  Neither of us could remember him talking about this before.  (And I suspect part of the reason he choose firefighting for career day is because he wanted a chance to wear this cool costume to school.)

Elijah misunderstood our hesitancy about it though.  “Well…I know some firefighters die in the line of duty, but not that many do.”

“Oh, it’s a dangerous profession for sure,” said Dave, “but if that’s what God is calling you to do, then He’ll give you the stregnth to do it.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Noah often points out anyone who bears any kind of resemblance to me and excitedly cries, “Mama!”  Some comparisons are very flattering.  For example, I really liked it when he saw an advertisement with Christie Brinkley in it, and seemed to think it was me!

Other comparisons are not so flattering, but quite entertaining.  To the left you’ll find my latest likeness.  The Little People scarecrow!  Ha!  I’m relieved it’s not a scary looking scarecrow…I mean, at least I have a jolly smile on my face!

Oh, wow…it feels so good to soak in some sun.  We just came in from a morning outside.  It’s beautiful out, although I fear our wonderful sledding tracks will have dissapeared by weeks end. 

Every year around this time I get a touch of the “winter blues” - lethargic, sad, grumpy (as close as I hope I ever have to be to feeling depressed!).  I’ve heard that it’s directly linked to a lack of vitamin D, and I believe it!  As soon as I can spend time out of doors, in the sunshine, my mood changes.  Ahhh, bring on the sunshine!