Ask what you wish...

“In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.”

1 Kings 3:5

The God of the universe offers Solomon an enormous gift: “ask what you wish.” God Almighty, whose resources are completely unlimited, says in effect, “Solomon, what is your heart’s desire?” Imagine---having all the treasures of Heaven made available to you, and being told to ask for what you wish. What would you ask for?

I’ve been considering that question over the past several days. You see, Solomon and I have a lot in common (Don't laugh! Keep reading!). He was a king who had been handed the throne of an infant nation. Although Israel had come a long way in the years since taking possession of the Promised Land, there was still much that needed to be done to make it into a productive and cohesive whole. Military, administrative, financial, diplomatic, and religious problems stared him in the face, begging answers. I am sure he spent many days and nights thinking through possible solutions, keeping one, discarding another, trying to discern what was his best course of action. Maybe the question, “How am I going to do all this?”, crossed his mind. His responsibilities weighed heavily upon him. So many decisions to be made…none of them small…and he didn’t want to misstep.

For me, I find that in the “Bublitz Kingdom”, school days make for very hectic days. Administrative, financial, diplomatic, and religious obligations stare me in the face, begging answers (while I didn’t mention military, there are moments when my role as mediator between the Land of Lotti and the Nation of Nate sometimes force me to have to threaten military force!). Thinking through the list of myriad responsibilities that fall under each of those broad headings makes my head spin on the best of days, and crushes my spirit with its overwhelming demands on the worst. I have spent many days and nights over the past few weeks thinking through possible solutions, keeping one, discarding another, trying to discern what is my best course of action. I have asked many, many times during those days, “How am I going to do all this?” My responsibilities weigh heavily upon me. So many decisions to be made…none of them small…and I don’t want to misstep.

Like Solomon, I have gone to the Lord. And like Solomon, I find that my Lord says to me “ask what you wish” in John 14:14: “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” So, what do I ask for?

Just as there were many fine and reasonable things Solomon could have asked for (riches, long life, death of his enemies), I can think of many fine and reasonable things I could request: riches to pay for the mounting monetary demands of having a teenager and a pre-teen; death to the enemies who assail my gates (Interruptions, Squabbles, Misunderstandings, Worry, Impatience, Time Constraints, to name but a few!!); children who obey my every command the first time without grumbling or complaining (I can dream, can’t I???)….. When I first think about what I might ask for, I find that I tend to focus on the need of the moment (that death to my enemies thing is one I find myself requesting constantly from God!!). But if I follow my friend Solomon’s example, I remember another verse Jesus gave us: “Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33). That’s exactly the way it worked for Solomon. When he sought God and His desires first, God took care of all those other issues. In seeking God’s wisdom, he requested something that would enable him to handle his adversity rather than simply being relieved of stress and trouble. And when I seek His wisdom, I find that He gives me another promise: “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without [Lit. does not reproach ] reproach, and it will be given to him.” Wow, talk about the treasures of Heaven….

Seeking the Heavenly Treasure of His Wisdom,
Sherri

I have to tell a funny on Nate. We had a friend's mother's 100th birthday party tonite. They had several kinds of hors d'oeuvre s, one of which was some kind of meat cut into circles with something red around the outside edges (like it had been rolled in some kind of spice, maybe). Anyway, Nate decided to try one, and loved it. He said, "I don't know what these are, but they taste like chicken, and they're really good." I told him they were possum. He believed me! He said, "Wow...I like possum!", at which point Lotti told him I was teasing him, and we ALL got a good laugh (Nate included!!)!

Nate has a rocket launch!

That model rocket Nate built yesterday on his birthday got launched today. It was the perfect day for a launch....not too hot, clear skies, a bit of a breeze. They allowed each child to shoot off their rocket twice. The first launch used a less powerful engine; the second one used a more powerful one. The first time Nate shot his off, it went up, but not too high. Everyone else's did the same. But the second time, his went so high you couldn't see it for a bit. It was the highest out of all the rockets today! The downer? The second time around, Nate packed the "wadding" (a thin paper that burns) and his parachute backwards. That meant that the chute didn't deploy, and the rocket crashed to the ground. Thankfully, the rockets are plenty sturdy, but the chute got burned (that's why the wadding should have been there) and will have to be replaced if he plans to use that rocket again. He dealt with it well...he had an attitude of "duh!" when he discovered why his chute hadn't come out. I was really proud of how well he handled it! Here's a pictorial series of the day:The empty launch pads (they put 6 rockets on at once, and shot them off one by one)
Sir Nate with his rocket before the 1st launch 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.... Blast Off!!! Comparing notes with a friend while he waits for his turn to launch again...Nate packed the wadding and chute himself, and also put in the engine they provided.
Putting his rocket on the launch pad for the second launch...he had to attach the clips to his rocket in the right place for it to go off. Once again, ready to launch. Each child got to push the button to launch his rocket.
This is the one that went so high we couldn't see it!

Nate the Great is 10!

Yesterday was the day. Sir Nate became a decade old. Hard to believe. It doesn't seem like it was 10 years ago that I held that little red-headed bundle in my arms. He was so eager to take in the world even then. He didn't sleep as much as Lotti had at that tender age, and ate more. Both are still true.

We had told him the day would be a little different, and so it was. We started the day with his being allowed to choose what he wanted for breakfast. He chose Pop Tarts. Next, he went up to the science museum here to make a model rocket. They made sure everyone knew it was his birthday, although Nate said they didn't sing to him (I'm not sure if he was relieved or not). After 2 hours putting his rocket together, Lotti and I picked him up and spent some time in the adjacent bookstore, where he found (and bought) a horse and rider figure he'd been eyeing. By the time we got home, Steve was back from church and ready to take the Birthday Boy out for his lunch. He got to choose the restaurant; he chose I-HOP. Now, we usually open presents after lunch...we go out to eat, and then come home for cake and presents. But knowing that I-HOP required a trip to Santa Fe, we told him he could open his gifts early (we knew it was money, and that way he would get to spend some of it while we were there).

His birthday lunch consisted of a Funny Face pancake and root beer (an odd combination if you ask me, but Lotti got the same thing). After we finished lunch, we headed to the mall and Sam's to allow him to spend some of that birthday money that was burning a hole in his pocket! He got a video game and guide book for his Game Boy, and he and Lotti split the cost on a computer game they've been wanting from Sam's. The best part: he still has money to spend!

After a couple of hours shopping in the state's capital, we headed back home. By this point, it was close enough to supper time that we had our sandwiches, and then finally got to sing to him and cut the cake. He didn't seem to mind. He really did a good job of "going with the flow". Maybe a decade can make you not only older, but wiser too!

Lovely Lotti in her "new" dress!

Here she is. Lovely Lady Lotti. She's wearing a dress I wore a very long time ago!! It was made by my mom, and was always one of my favorites. Now it's one of Lotti's too. The belt, if I'm not mistaken, was my mom's at some point in her life.

The picture on the left was taken in front of the house this morning before church. The plant behind her is our honeysuckle. It does a good job of covering up the bathroom window behind it, and sends a lovely scent through the master bath/bedroom as well.

The second picture was taken in front of one of the gates leading to the back yard. Steve built the gate and arbor himself. He's put one on each side of the back yard, so you can go in either way. They are really quite impressive, and he's not only received numerous compliments on them, but several requests for how to do it from others!

An Introduction

Welcome to the Fractured Fairy Tale World of one very special Frog and the Ladybug who loves him!

Our Cast of Characters:

• Steve, who has always loved Kermit the Frog (as many of you know!), my one and only Beloved Frog Prince. He is the Lord of the castle.
  
• Sherri, who has been called Ladybug by her mother from time immemorial. She is the Lady of the castle, and daughter of a King.
  
• Lotti, who has a Bug nickname, but may not be comfortable having it stated here. She is the beautiful young Lady-in-Waiting of the castle.
  
• Nate, who also has a Bug nickname, but is probably even more uncomfortable letting anyone know what it is! He is the brave Knight who fights the good fight against evil dragons and other foes.
  
• Various Bugs, meaning, those we know (and you know who you are!) who can be regular pests at times (and we mean that in the most loving way!).
  
• Critters, meaning, those we know who play various roles in our lives: keeping us laughing, keeping us focused, keeping us grounded, keeping us humble.

As with any good fairy tale, the characters make the story interesting, and the various characters who enter our world certainly keep our story interesting!

Our Setting:

• The Lovely Lilypad Castle we call home (frogs, of course, live on lilypads---at least in fairy tales! Thank goodness ours is strong enough to support a castle!).
  

In the days ahead, I hope you will have a chance to get a glimpse into our world, and maybe it will make a difference in yours.

Living in service to the One True King,
Steve, Sherri, Lotti, and Nate