Rice

Today is more of life. L.I.F.E.

Baby Mouse floating in the dogs' water bowl.

Sinkfuls of dishes.

Spilled milk, splattered on the wall and floor.

Toys forgotten and left here and there.

Little Bit making her great escapes...

Fearless in her flimsy plastic explorer's hat.

My jeans, that happen to be my favorite and only pair, recently ripped in the knee.

And there is life here. Play. Imagination. Happy, healthy children.

And in my heart, I struggle not to grumble, as the cycle of cleaning and dirtying and cleaning again is endless.

And then I get another email from our dear missionary friends in Japan. And again, I am convicted. It isn't all about me. I am so inwardly focused. And yet, sometimes life is hard. But really. Correcting and disciplining, teaching, picking up, cleaning up, changing diapers, washing, and mending? This is life. I long to have a more thankful heart. To tackle the seemingly mundane with joy in my step. Today, I struggle.

The email had arrived in our inbox at 5:15am, at which time, our friend's husband and two other men were driving a 2 ton truck to one of the worst hit areas of Japan in order to deliver food, water, fuel, and other supplies. As I read the email aloud to Sister, my voice cracked and I was overcome with emotion. It is precious to read of the outpouring of the gospel into lives that are broken and hurting and to see the hands and feet of Christ in action. 

Our children desperately want to be a part of that. They want to love the Japanese people in word and deed. But how? We're so far away. And then we thought of something.

We had rice for dinner tonight. Water and rice. And what we would have spent on a meal, the children are sending to Japan. While that amount is quite tiny, our children have taken ownership and they felt it in a very small, but tangible way, and that is encouraging. 

With all the talk of Japan and the earthquake and tsunami, Little Man has become quite excited. In fact, he has packed his back pack with his jacket, lots of toy guns, and his sword and has terrific plans to protect us all and if necessary, to hop on "Firewheel Batman" (his bike's full name) and peddle "so past!" to escape in the event of a natural disaster in our area. (Leaving us all behind..."but dats okay. Daddy will be brave.")