That’s what’s written on the “label” I sewed into this sweater I knit for Baby Braveheart. Don’t be impressed. I didn’t even learn to knit until after I turned 40, thanks to the patient instruction of my friend Laura. This simple sweater was not easy for me, but the lesson is don’t give up! I may not ever learn to knit intricate designs, but it makes me so happy to see my little boy keeping warm in something made by my hands. Someday I want to be knitting sweaters for my grandchildren, too.

Picture taken by big sister Anna

What happened on this day in 1517?

Something we should all celebrate! Go here for the history lesson, and as a bonus, you can buy a hardcover Reformation Study Bible for only $15.17. That’s a good deal, even if you’re a thrifty Yankee. Give up a couple Starbucks visits and come see me for a great espresso drink instead, and we can share coffee and theology, two things that go well together, especially on a crisp fall day.

Revel in the light of the gospel today rather than reveling in the dark things that the world considers harmless fun on October 31. I’m going to be singing “A Mighty Fortress” and rewatching Luther with my family. I also will give away a copy of the ESV Reformation Study Bible in a drawing today if you will leave me a comment explaining your opinion about when it’s appropriate to begin playing Christmas music. I love parties, and they are even better when there are presents, don’t you think?

The drawing will be after 9 pm PDT (PST doesn’t happen till this weekend, thank you, Congress).

I know I keep making promises about the book I’m supposed to be discussing, but I’m hoping my online friends will understand that my real-life friends and family take priority, as should yours. I have had very little reading time and even less computer time for several days, as real life keeps happening. That’s a good thing. I am so grateful for the opportunity to build and strengthen relationships, even when it’s hard, even when it’s inconvenient, even when there are misunderstandings. And misunderstandings always come…it’s not if, but when. As a friend recently wisely noted, we only have limited opportunity to build relationships, even with our own children as the time flies by so fast. Yet it’s a common thing for people to throw away relationships when they get messy, which they will, and move on and start over, rather than dig in and deal with it properly. Our families are a miniature world in which to practice this, as we teach our children how to defer to one another, overlook offenses, and seek the highest good of the other person. The best way they learn this mature and godly behavior is by seeing their parents model it, too.

I have a couple of real-life friends I want to tell you about tonight. The first are Colin and Emily Gunn, who made a wonderful film exposing the emptiness of feminism, The Monstrous Regiment of Women. Their film just won the Jubilee Award at Vision Forum’s San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, despite the fact that I have a small part in it. I was genuinely tickled to see my picture on the back of the DVD case next to Phyllis Schlafly. I will happily hide behind her skirts and let her speak for me any day!

I really ought to know better than to add another promise to the long list, but I will be reviewing the film in more detail soon.

Also, our friend John Stoos and his son-in-law Theron Johnson have a pro-life ministry called Cherish California’s Children. On their website they have a beautiful brochure downloadable in a .pdf format. It’s called “Before You Choose” and it gently explains the truth about an unborn baby’s development and the real risks to the woman who obtains an abortion. There is also contact information for obtaining help if in a difficult pregnancy. John says that the brochures are also available free for the asking, they just need payment to cover shipping. John didn’t mention this, but I want to mention that they accept donations (via Paypal or check), as well. John and his wife Linda have a long history of involvement with pro-life ministry at all levels, from political campaigning to sidewalk counseling.

Did anyone ever click on the link to that song (see my post’s title) when I recommended it? I don’t recommend any of Jamie O’Neal’s other tunes, but that one gets it right about what a blessing it is to be home with your children. Sometimes we don’t realize that until our children are older. Those of us with both older and younger children, though we face the challenge of battling schizophrenia when trying to figure out how to relate to the broad spectrum of ages and the broad range of issues they entail, also have an opportunity to relish the privileges which come from those lessons we learned from the older and now apply to the younger children. Somebody has to be the guinea pig .

Ben’s back from Mexico. It was a good trip with lots of work accomplished toward helping the Pepitos get their home in better shape. All the kids got to visit the small orphanage where the Pepitos minister. One teenaged boy there sized up Ben and asked him a question. Ben thought the question was, “Do you want to play?” and being a friendly guy with lots of brothers, he said, “Sure!” Well, the question was actually the only English phrase the boys at the orphanage know…”Do you want to fight?”

Much to the amusement of the others, he was jumped by several of the boys who tried to prove their manhood by bringing Ben down. If I understand the story, he held his own, but he was “rescued” by our friend Tyson, an imposing figure, who turned the “fight” into a fun wrestling match with all the boys, challenging them to knock him down, no mean feat and more suitable than a fight, and all the young men from our church who were there joined in the melee. It was a cross-cultural moment of friendly wrestling, made more memorable by the sudden ripping of the pants of the boy who started it all. His only concern was that he would miss out on the excitement, so he yelled, “Un moment!” (forgive me if I got the exact wording wrong as I’m afraid I’m unilingual), ran to change his britches, and ran back into the midst of the contest. Tyson left some money to replace the torn pants.

The reason for the original challenge was because of a hierarchy in that little orphanage, which the biggest boy wanted to keep straight when other young men came to visit. I wanted to write about hierarchies tonight, as part of the ongoing discussion of Ideas Have Consequences, but it will need to wait till tomorrow, Lord willing, as people kept wanting to take me out to eat today, and then my children, praise God, kept me up late talking and giggling, a privilege I don’t take lightly as I know it will not last forever. Blogging which takes deeper thinking can wait for a more perspicacious moment.

Tonight I chose playing over fighting.

We had some major computer issues this weekend, and I haven’t been able to get or send email or check on posts. If you emailed me the past couple of days, it may have bounced. Please try again, unless you are a spammer, then you can send your email somewhere I’m too polite to mention. Friends are always welcome to write.

I don’t know how those of you without in-house tech support manage to deal with your computer woes.