A weekend of children

I love children. Just a short blog post on why.

Children are adorable.
Saturday afternoon, my roommates and I visited a family in South Austin for a light lunch and fellowship. Much of our time was spent playing (and taking countless photos) with their precious two-year-old. I think he was being extra cute because he knew we'd squeal at his every action.

My BFF/roomie/cousin Jo and baby Kaison

Children are unbelievable.
This morning, I served with the 1st thru 3rd grade Sunday school class as I usually do once a month. This age group is so fun because they say the wildest things. I learn so much. Today, I was carrying a Starwars-themed Lego man during class when Josh asked me to see it. Apparently my little figure was sporting a Mark-48 machine gun, one of the top 14 deadliest guns in the world. He then segued to a vivid personal story of shooting a possum.

The 8-year-old gun guru

Children are fun.
This afternoon, I was happy to babysit my sweet Ben and Aliyah. Whether we nap, watch Sesame Street, or build forts, I am always guaranteed a good time. Their home is my home away from home.

Tomorrow is their mom's birthday, so we made a surprise chocolate cake from scratch.

These pros did most of the baking. (I did most of cleaning.)

M&Ms were the kids' idea.

He insisted on test-driving the candles.

<3

Food for Thought: Away in a Manger

This time of year many Christians contemplate the birth of Jesus. The details, like the angel’s song to the shepherds or the gifts of the wise men, are familiar from childhood. Even the apparent minute details of the Bible have significance.

From His lowly birth to his shameful death, Jesus lived a life of rejection. We all know that Jesus was born in a stable because there was no room at the inn. But why in a manger? I assume the feeding trough was a better option than a dirt floor, but surely there is some significance to this small point; God isn’t One to waste words.

A manger is a feeding trough for animals. This implies that Jesus came to us as food! God doesn’t just want to be the Creator in heaven but our content within us.

Furthermore, Jesus was born in the city of Bethlehem. This fulfills the prophesy in Micah 5:2 concerning the Lord’s birth, but it also points us back to the Lord’s purpose. Bethlehem means “House of Bread”. Why is that significant? In John 6:48, 57 the Lord says:

                  “I am the bread of life.”

                  “…so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me.”

Jesus was born in a feeding trough, in the “House of Bread” because he came to be nourishment to man.

The Lord did not stop as a loaf of bread, but went smaller still in Matthew 15. In verse 27 the gentile woman likened the Lord to crumbs that have fallen from the table. The God of this universe came as a crumb, small enough for anyone to take in. This means regardless of our status we are qualified to partake of Christ and enjoy Him for all that He is. Eating is something normal and necessary for our physical life. Our spiritual life also must consist of eating and feasting on the Lord.

I hope you’ll remember this as you take time to honor and celebrate the Lord this week.

Bible references: Luke 2:7, Micah 5:2, John 6:48, 57, 15:27

Noodle-making in Queens, New York

Today, I was in Flushing, Queens running some errands with Ina and company. Flushing is said to be one of the most diverse neighborhoods in NYC, but I didn't stay long enough to really notice anything but an abundance of Chinese and Korean people, shops, and restaurants.

Here's a videoclip of a man making the noodles I had for lunch. :)