Bubba asked today if we celebrate Labor Day and I realized it was such a funny question.  Yes, we celebrate by not going to school or work.  We celebrate Labor Day by not doing any labor.  We don’t say “Happy Labor Day” to anyone.  What a weird holiday, eh?

But the myriad of thoughts about Labor caused me to realize that I never shared with you about last week’s big event – – Bubba turned 7!!! And while I never did go into labor with any of my children, it doesn’t change the fact that I carried this “little” guy for nine months and now he is this big! (Cute shirt, eh? Ordered it off Etsy and it turned out the gal lives down the street!!!)

Not freaking you out enough? Let’s try again. . .

I need to go get a tissue. . . I’ll be right back.

Okay, so we started the day with photos and cute t-shirts and even one present.  KB had picked out a present for Bubba and she just couldn’t wait to give it to him.  It was super fun watching her be super excited.

That’s right, folks, it’s a little Gonzo! Bubba laughs hysterically every time he sees Gonzo hit the gong at the beginning of the Muppet Show and KB basically shrieked with joy when she saw it in the store.  So sweet.

Birthday Boy with cupcake inset.

Bubba had asked for an Angry Birds birthday and so I did my best to deliver.  KB and I went to lunch to take cupcakes and Bubba’s teacher stood him up on a chair for the entire room to sing.  It was fun to be there and experience it with him.  (KB wore her sparkly high heels in honor of Bubba’s special day.)

Honey came home a touch early so that we wouldn’t be eating cake at bedtime.  Bubba had asked for only two things. . . the Knock on Wood Angry Birds set and a LeapPad2.  He even said he would put off the LeapPad2 until Christmas if he could have the Angry Birds set on his Angry Birds birthday.  Sweet Boy.  He was chomping at the bit all day to see if we came through in that little stack of gifts.

Thankfully the boy was not disappointed.  The parents pulled off the Angry Birds game and both sets of grandparents contributed to provide the LeapPad2.  What is fun is that he was so shocked to receive both gifts.  He actually said, “But I said I would wait to get my LeapPad2.” I responded, “Would you like me to take it back until December?” He laughed at me and buried his nose in the toy until I pulled him out for cake.

The cake was my feeble attempt . . . thank you, Pinterest for leading me to many other women who have successfully attempted to make an Angry Birds cake.  I did the best with what we had (chocolate chips, gummy letters cut up, and marshmallows) and my reward was, “You’re a great mom, Mom.”  Jesus, take me now.

We wrapped up the festivities in the living room with our own game of Angry Birds.  Half of the family would set up the blocks

and whoever’s turn it was would throw the little red bird.  Bubba kicked of the game.

Honey ended the game by knocking down EVERY block and impressing the children to no end.  It was a good day.  I think the little man felt special and loved.  I felt exhausted and thankful.

Thanks for reading.  I hope it wasn’t too laborious.  Get it? LABORious.  Ha!!!

My friend, Jackie, sent me an email this week with words that overflowed from her heart to the page.  It was all great, but as I read it again just now on another friend’s blog several lines jumped out at me and I just don’t want to forget them.  I will copy them here so that they will be printed in my blog book and I can find them for encouragement time and time again. . .

” I lash out in anger, sounding more like a wolf than a shepherd to three little lambs.  Trying to control perfection can only produce rage.  Ice cold or red hot, it fuels a rage one way or another.”

“They see the unseen – the invisible new mercies that give the grace to love, the strength to forgive and the courage to trust.  A hardened heart they refuse.  Though raw, aching and weary, their beauty glows softly in the dark.  ‘The world is not worthy of them.'”

“A woman who wages war to wait for the one who loves her is a rare splendor. . .She presses on to embrace the One who called her name.  Some say by longing for heaven, we deny the beauty of this life.  But we say the beauty of this life beckons us like a trail of crumbs through dense mine-filled forests toward the great feast we know lies on the other side.  We feel alone scattered to the corners of the earth, often hidden by the thick brush.  Yet we are cheered by knowing that our other sister-warriors are battling too in this same war toward the same promise.  ‘Life is a battle through enemy territory headed toward our heavenly home’ where we know our Lover meets us.   The great promise – the reality of what is but not yet.”

This past Sunday was the first Sunday for Bubba to begin spending the whole service with us. Little is still allowed to leave with the flag and go to children’s church so that she can move around a bit, have a snack, and hear God’s word in a way that just might mean something to her special little brain. BUT, Bubba is very capable of sitting still and focusing and so we made the plunge this past week on “Kick-off Sunday”.

I was thinking through a bag to pack for him and wanted it to be filled with things that would help him focus on the sermon NOT just something to keep him busy. I remember my mom telling me while sitting on the second pew in North Carolina, “You can draw but it has to be about something your Father is preaching about.” As I was reminiscing/thinking, I remembered a tool from Pinterest that a woman had created for her own children’s church experience. I clicked right over and used this as an example and inspiration for a sheet of my own.

I chose words that I know reflect the values of our church and then emailed our pastor and asked what the sermon was going to be about so that I could pick two words specific to the message. I felt like it turned out nicely and I made a copy for Bubba and one for his friend WQL so that I could get some feedback from his mommy.

Bubba did a great job in the service. As he started to understand what he was to do with the tally marks he would look at me each time he heard Pastor Mark say “purpose” and then he would right his line. Only ten marks fit in the space and so he would just look at me with wide eyes after that and then move on. WQL filled up his picture space with tick marks! He wasn’t going to be boxed in (get it? Ha!).

After church the two stood and compared notes to see how many marks the other had. I asked them which words Pastor Mark had said the most times and WQL quickly answered, “God, Glorify, and Purpose.” I asked him if he could tell me what the theme of the sermon was or what Pastor Mark was hoping we would learn from the lesson and together he and I came to the conclusion that it must have been that God’s purpose for man is to Glorify Him. What joy to walk through that with those boys. Tonight I heard Bubba tell his sisters, “I just love staying all the way through big church!”

Regan did give some feedback and I had a couple thoughts of my own. I took out the spaces for hymn numbers because we have so many songs printed in the bulletin. I added more space for tick marks and took out the space to draw a picture and figured folks could use the entire back of the page for that.

Would this not be a fun way to serve the young mom’s in the church? To provide a tool to help them disciple their children in the context of their church family – good stuff. You can go here to download a copy of your own. I left two spaces blank so that you could fill in words that refer to your church’s service. You could call ahead and ask the pastor’s assistant or you could just wait until you see the title and that may make the word choice clear. Either way, I hope it is helpful and that we all see fruit!