Altrogge Family

After reading Running Scared, a book I highly recommend on the topics "fear, worry and the God of rest," I have begun The Gospel for Real Life. I have only read the first chapter and am already anticipating coming to a better understanding of the Gospel and applying it to my day-to-day life.

"The best preparation for the study of this doctrine [that is, of the truth of the Gospel] is, neither great intellectual ability nor much scholastic learning, but a conscience impressed with a sense of our actual condition as sinners in the sight of God."

Understanding my sinful condition before the Lord, is the doorway into appreciation for and joyful adoration of Christ's work on the cross. Let the awareness of our sin before a holy God, catapult us into the sweet amazement of His love for us. Conviction is not a place of despair, but an opportunity to show appreciation to the Lord, for covering our sins and sending His Spirit to help us grow.

The biggest challenge in the Altrogge household presently is getting Charis to drink from a sippy cup (only kidding about the challenge part). Leave the valve-stopper-thinga-magigger in the lid, and she doesn't understand the concept of sucking to get some juice. Take it out, and well, need I explain that there ends up being more juice on her clothes than there is in the cup or her belly. No one told my how stinky and sticky apple juice becomes, when in contact with a little girl's body.

Ah, time to take off those covers, get out the bubble helmets, and start up those 50 cc's. You know what I'm talking about...it's scooter season! As you well know, I restrained from riding the Yamaha Zuma, since I was pregnant last summer. I don't trust myself riding one of those things while I'm with child. But this summer is a different story. I took my shot at it, and between my high speed and agility, one could probably have mistaken me for a motorcycle junkie. Well maybe not. I did only hit 20 m.p.h. and didn't necessarily meet turns smoothly. It was fun, however. My first try will certainly not be my last!

There's no denying it. Just ask Stephen or anyone else who knows me well for that matter. I check weather. com at least once a day, ok probably more. Not only can I see that day's forecast, but also look up the highs, lows and precipitation chance for the next ten days, my area's live weather video clips, pollen levels, and pictures other weather enthusiasts have taken of their surroundings! Can you blame me?

All that to say, I still managed to get stuck in the rain with Charis. I was itching to get outside and use our stroller. I had walked to my mom's for lunch, knowing there was supposed to be "scattered showers." Once I arrived, I kept my eye on the sky, and whenever it started getting dark, we said our good-byes. My timing was...just that. Only I could manage to start the trek home precisely one minute before the floods came. There was no turning back. The trip to home is basically all uphill. At one point I started jogging, but then realized that we weren't moving any faster, possibly slower, though. As we neared our house, a kind lady pulled up to the curb and offered me her umbrella. I must have looked pretty pathetic. "Who would take a little baby out in the rain?" was probably what everyone else who passed, who probably also contemplated stopping to offer me shelter, thought. We made it home, Charis, perfectly dry and me, sopping wet.

Just in case you're wondering, tomarrow's forecast is high of 55, low of 37, with a 30% chance of p.m. showers.

In addition to the letter I found that I had written to my dad when I was a child, I came across a note my sister Julie, the baby in the family, had written to me when she was seven years old.

Dear Jenn you rae the bas sasre in the ward I love you I laik you Jennifer.

How Sweet!

It's that time of year. The dust on the shelves appears ten times larger than actual size. You have dreams about organizing the contents of your basement in labeled bins, chronologically, alphabetically and numerically on uniform shelves. You become overcome by intense urges to clean cracks and crevices that don't see a bit of daylight. You know what I'm talking about: spring cleaning.

The fever has hit hard at the McCombie household, and my mom hauled over some bins of old junk and treasures for me to sort through. While I threw away many pieces of meaningless trash, I came across some articles that brought back fond memories. Some were letters from my mom when I was walking through difficult times. Others were from Julie when she was learning how to write and spell. For those who are interested, I wanted to share some heart-warmin', belly-jigglin' quotes over the next couple days.

Dad,
...I appreciate when you get me things, but even more I enjoy spending time with you!!! I enjoy when you take me to play basketball and tennis and most of all I like you being around. I want you to know you don't have to be great at everything for me to love you as much as I do !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ...

Love,
Jennifer
(Date unknown)

The last sentence is what got me. First, I wonder if I made a habit of disguising criticism as a compliment. More importantly, do I still come across like this? "Stephen, I appreciate you being willing to serve by doing the dishes, even if I have to re-scrub everything after you go to bed at night." Ha. Second, I don't remember my dad not being great at anything. After all, he's my dad. Even if a tennis match went to deuce, he always won! Hmm...my memory must be distorted...dad?

Last week, I took Charis to an appointment, and in the waiting room, a little boy of about three years asked his mom if there was a baby in the car seat the lady (me) was carrying. She said, "Yes, but that's a BIG baby." In my mind I was thinking, "Nooooo, she's my little baby girl, what are you talking about, stranger?

Seriously though, that situation reminded me of the brevity of each season I walk through. There will most likely be happy and sad occurrences in every season in my life, but if I look forward to when she will walk or when she will enjoy the zoo, I will miss the joy of having a seven-month-old. I will miss the good the Lord has in store for me now. Stephen put it well, when I came to him in distress because Charis had outgrown her 0-3 month clothes. "Sure, those first days were special, she would fall asleep in our arms and be content there for a while, but now she is smiling and cooing." I can look back at those days with fondness and at the same time appreciate all she is doing now.

That lady probably wasn't too inaccurate now that I think about it. I guess Charis isn't quite the peanut she used to be. She is in my mind though. Will it always be that way?

(Thanks Sara, for taking pictures of my girly when she was, "seven days out of the womb," as you put it so well:)

In his book Running Scared, Ed Welch explains that God has surely created us with need for love. We often fail to see, that not only is there a love you receive, but also one you give. We have all heard the philosophy that marriage is 50-50, give and take. The idea is, if I go to the basketball game with him, he owes me one...possibly a Pride and Prejudice night (the five hour version, mind you). We all know what I mean. Keeping tabs permeates many other relationships as well. We strive for balance.

As Welch stated so well, "Scripture seems to favor the imbalance." We do not seek to have other serve us less of course, but "in humility count others more significant than ourselves." (Philippians 2:3) If we consistently seek to outdo our friends, spouses, roommates, siblings, parents, in showing kindness, there is sure to be an imbalance.

"When we see that our relationship with God began with the most extreme imbalance, in which God loved us totally while we hated Him, we approach the small imbalances we encounter in daily life in a completely different way." I can never repay Him for the sending His Son to die for me. He has always been the Initiator in loving relationships with His children. He will always love me more than I love Him. The least we can do, is seek to be like Him in showing love to others.

In what relationship are you witholding kindness? How can Christ's love at the cross change your method of "keeping tabs" in a relationship? These questions are helpful for me to be asking myself, so I can pray that God would help me extend kindness to my husband, family and friends.

Now if you'll excuse me, Stephen owes me three and a half hours of Pride and Prejudice...