Legacy

This weekend we celebrate Father's Day, and I am so full of love for the Dad's in my life.  I am far away physically from my Dad this year, but never closer in heart.  Ray Ellis is my Dad and my hero, a mentor, a friend, a confidante, a life coach, and the greatest picture of God's love a daughter could have.  I have gained a wealth of wisdom from my Dad about grace, loyalty, family, and unconditional love.  Throughout my life, he has believed in me and encouraged me to chase my dreams and work hard to achieve them.  He has supported me through tough decisions, sacrificed for me, and loved me when I felt unlovable.  My dad has taught me how to love people and to care about the little details in the lives of others.  He is always asking people questions and making them feel like the most important person in the world.  He is the most patient person I know.  I have childhood memories of his detailed explanations in answer to my unending questions about his job, or sports, or his childhood memories, or his experiences in the war.  He seemed to never tire of teaching me about the principles of life, and those lessons have remained in my heart.  My dad is also "Granddad" to my daughters, and he would do anything for them.  They are drawn to his gentle spirit, and it fills my heart to know that they are blessed beyond their comprehension by his love.  I owe a huge debt of gratitude for the legacy of love, faithfulness, and godliness that my Dad has provided for my children.  THANK YOU Dad, for being YOU!  I love you!

I have another Dad in my life, my father-in-law, Ronnie Matheny.  I'm not sure if he knew what he was getting when I married into the family, since he had two sons and no daughters until I came along.  I am sensitive and quiet, yet opinionated and strong willed.  I am serious and deep, and I have a different sense of humor, so I don't always get his jokes!  But I am loved and accepted by my second Dad...of that there is no question.  I have been supported and encouraged in every way, and there have been countless times when I have received from him words of inspiration and wisdom for life.  My father-in-law is a missionary to Kenya, and this week, I have experienced first hand the impact of his ministry to pastors in East Africa.  He pours out his life for the benefit of others and is a shining example to me of how to truly live.  I am incredibly thankful for the father he is to his sons.  By his example, my husband learned what it means to be man, a husband, and a follower of Christ.  I am reaping a lifetime of blessings because of his influence.  Though he is very busy with many important things, he always finds time for his family.  He is "PaPa" to my children, and two little girls could not be more loved and spoiled.  They get quality time in addition to treats, gifts, and special events with their PaPa.  I feel privileged to be a "Matheny" and to be a small part of the family legacy. 

I could not write about Father's Day without paying tribute to my husband, Travis.  I have been married to him for 15 years, and I have grown to love him more and more with every year that passes.  He is an amazing husband and the most incredible dad to our children.  When I married him, I could only imagine the great dad he would one day be; he has far surpassed my expectations and has gone beyond what I could even imagine I wanted for my girls.  He loves his daughters with a fierce kind of love, always protecting them from things that would cause them harm.  But he also knows the value of allowing our children to experience risk and the pitfalls and triumphs that come with it.  He supports them, encourages them, and loves them unconditionally, and because of their father's love, they are strong.  My daughters are unique and Travis encourages them and inspires them to be themselves and to be different.  We are here in Africa, and my children act like we are just across the street instead of across the ocean.  I love that because of their Dad, they will grow up chasing after life instead of sitting around waiting for life to happen to them.  My children are blessed.  They will grow up knowing what it means to truly know a Father's love, and I cannot thank my husband enough for the man he is to me and my children. 

This Father's Day, I hope that the Dads in my life realize how special they are to me!  Thank  you for everything you do and all that you are!

Reunion

I do not have the perfect words to describe how it feels to me to be in Kenya at this moment.  Our family arrived here late last night, but for me the first REAL moments in Africa are the first moments of the new morning.  I LOVE waking up here, looking out my balcony window and not just seeing Nairobi, but FEELING it.

 

The beauty of the trees and flowers, the smell of the tangy air in my nose, the architecture of the homes and buildings, the peaceful quiet of the morning...the city welcomes me and I embrace it.  I remember my first experience in Africa 16 years ago (has it really been that long?!), and I remember waking up and peering out my window and feeling total awe at how far away from home I was and how different everything looked on the other side of the world.  I had never experienced any place outside of my own country, and to say that it was an eye-opening experience is a very large understatement.  Since that first time spent in Africa all those years ago, a piece of my heart has found a permanent home here, and it feels glorious to reunite with it now. 

Just jump in!

Today was a busy day.  This week has been a busy week!  It is the first week of summer break, and lots of things are happening!  I won't take the time to share all the details now, since I have already blogged once today, but I wanted to share a small treasure from my day.  Maybe it will enrich your life as it did mine. 

After having a very long day, my head was really spinning, but the girls (mostly Clara!) really wanted to go swimming at our neighbor's house where we are dog-sitting.  I really didn't feel up to going, but Clara can be quite persuasive.  So, without much energy for cooking, and since it was just us girls, we made PB&J sandwiches for the second time today, and went down the street for a picnic dinner and swim.  The girls jumped right in, and I was quite content to sit on the edge of the pool with all of my deep (and a bit overwhelming) thoughts.  I gave myself a pat on the back for conceding to the swimming adventure, when really I just wanted to be at home so that I could try to get some things sorted out.  Of course, it is pretty much impossible to hide your feelings around Madeline, since she is a magnet for emotion.  If I am anything other than perfectly and blissfully happy and stress-free, she will ask me about it and try to make it better.  She wants everyone to be as happy and care-free as she is all the time.  She asked me what was on my mind, and I told her my thoughts.  She pondered for a minute, and told me she had some good advice for me.  She said I should pray about it and remember that we're not supposed to worry about tomorrow.  And then she said, "Mom, you need to just jump in the pool.  Go ahead. You'll feel better.  You're supposed to ENJOY your day.  Do it now...JUST JUMP IN!"  In that second, I knew I had a choice.  I could brush her off and know that surely she would understand, because she KNOWS how much I only like to swim when the sun is beating down its 100 degree heat (and it was after 7pm...definitely not hot enough for me).  OR, I could jump in...not just so that my daughter felt her advice was needed and heeded...not just to encourage her in her own spiritual journey by validating her faith-filled advice...but BECAUSE IT WAS WISDOM, truth for my situation in more ways than she knew.  First, I knew it was right because as soon as I jumped in the chilly water, I felt more alive...then I knew it was right because in the moments after, while I played with my daughters in the pool,  I was living in the moment instead of sitting on the sidelines merely contemplating life...and now,I know it is right because I know what to do in the situation that I was hoping to sort out during my sideline contemplations...JUST JUMP IN!

Inspired

In just 4 days, my family and I leave for Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa! I am pretty excited! This is not a random vacation spot for us, although, we do plan to live it up while we are there...going on safari in the Masai Mara with the whole family, eating at Java House, leaving the kids with the grandparents while Travis and I celebrate our 15 year anniversary on the coast of the Indian ocean, visiting a twiga (the Swahili word for giraffe, which is the only word Clara uses for her favorite animal)orphanage, and all around having a wonderful family vacation! I cannot wait to post pictures!  But, more than all the fun we will have, this trip signifies something very special for our family. We are blessed to be a part of a legacy built by Clarence and Jewell Matheny and expanded by Ronnie and Debbie Matheny, my wonderful parents-in-law. I am so blessed to be a part of this family!  While we are in Kenya, we will be a part of the pastor's conference, which hundreds of church leaders will attend to receive training, personal ministry, and study materials.  Watch the video below to get inspired!



Now that you are inspired, here's what you can do:

Mission Barnabas has an opportunity to purchase Life Application Study Bibles in Nairobi and save hundreds on shipping costs from the U.S. Every $10 you donate will put a Study Bible in the hands of a pastor who does not have one. You cannot imagine the impact this will have on him and his church. Click the link below to sponsor a pastor today!

Special Sponsorship Opportunity: Give a pastor a Study Bible for $10!

Unique

If you are reading this blog, you will have to indulge me a bit to get through it!  Today, I am writing about my sweet Clara.  Yesterday after I dropped her off at school, as she was walking through the big metal front door, she lost her footing and the heavy door closed over her foot, slicing down the length of her pinkie toe.  Bleeding and crying, and pale white from the pain, she hobbled to the nurse's office.  Fortunately, the nurse said she did not need stitches, but she called me to come pick up Clara from school.  She could not walk and I was planning to carry her to the car, but the nurse offered her wheel chair, and Clara was a little cheered by that.  :)  She later told me that she had always wanted to ride in a wheel chair!  I took her home for about a half an hour, but it was yearbook signing day, so I brought her back to participate in that.  Once again, Clara was in the wheel chair, and apparently, first graders get instant celebrity status this way.  Clara signed so many yearbooks, and there was always a crowd around her, making sure she was okay.  I took her home after that, telling her teacher that surely she would be back the next day.  But, today is the last day of school, and Clara did not sleep well and was in too much pain to go to school.  Poor girl!  It is game day, and of all the school days to miss, the last day is not at the top of her list! We will try for an afternoon 1/2 day!  Because of all this drama, she is on my heart today, and I wanted to write about my special girl!  (Of course, my other daughter is super special, too, and I am sure to blog about her in the near future!)



I love my crazy Clara girl so much!  It is amazing to me how true to themselves children are.  As a baby, Clara established herself as a unique individual, and very different from her big sister, and I love that uniqueness!  She was not an "easy" baby, she was not quiet, and she was not easily entertained!  But she was full of life, she had a big belly laugh, and she took in everything that was going on around her.  She was slow to warm up to people, but when she gave you her affection, you knew it was special and from her heart!  Once you won her over, there was no turning back!  As a toddler, our little C.J. was into EVERYTHING!!  I never had to put child locks on cabinets when Madeline was little, but even with child locks, Clara found ways to get into bad things!  I have story after story of calling poison control, calling 9-1-1, and chasing after her pajama-clad little body as she raced from the house down the sidewalk!  Clara is 7 now, and she will be a 2nd grader next year.  I cannot believe it!  Now she reads chapter books, she finds educational videos to teach her about octopuses, geography, and technology...she just cannot learn enough to keep her mind occupied!  She loves facts, and she shares them with us daily, often teaching us a thing or two.  She is curious and likes answers!  Yesterday, as we were eating her homemade orange juice pops, she says "these popsicles are 100% fruit juice and have no added sugar, Mom."  Then after pausing and thinking for a moment, "Hey, Mom, I want them to prove to me that they are 100% juice."  I say, "Well, how should they prove it, Clara?"  She says, "Well, I guess we'll have to take a trip to their factory.  Because I don't think they squeeze it by hand...that would be a lot of oranges, and I'm pretty sure their hands would get tired.  But we could look at the machine, and make sure it is just putting fresh oranges into the juice."  Clara makes me smile! 

Thankful

I LOVE days like today!  I took the day off, which was a terrific decision!  This morning after my hubby took the girls to school, I had a delightful breakfast (steel cut oats with butter, brown sugar, a little salt, and a lot of blueberries...YUMMY!!!) and time of quiet reflection.  I shared with God all that was on my heart, and He filled my heart with peace and contentment.  I am truly a blessed woman!  In all of life's stress and craziness, sometimes it is easy to forget just how GOOD life is.  I have everything I need and so many things that are truly luxuries by the world's standards.  There are people all across the world who would look at my life and recognize great wealth, though to me, at times it may seem normal and "humble."  I was also reminded of the blessing today of FRIENDSHIP, as I had the privilege of spending some time with two of my close friends today.  I was encouraged, uplifted, and renewed by the love of friends!  I cannot imagine where I would be without them!  I often revel in the joy that my family brings me.  I love being a WIFE and a MOTHER.  They are my two favorite roles in life!  Don't get me wrong, I also love being a sister, daughter, teacher, and friend, but to me, nothing compares to marriage and parenthood.  Through my marriage, I experience love, hope, challenges, triumphs, laughter, anger, reconciliation, highs, lows, and everything in between.  I love my husband, and I am so honored to be his wife (for 15 years now!!).  As a mom, I pour myself out for my children, and experience the tremendous joy as well as the painful heartache that comes from loving someone so deeply and so fully.  My CHILDREN are a TREASURE to me!

The past few weeks I have thought a lot about GRATITUDE and perspective, and as I have focused on the positive, the good and not the bad or discouraging, I have been renewed.  I will confess that I am not always a positive person.  In fact, for most of my life, I have been one of "those" people, who call themselves a "realist," which is often code for pessimist!  But I want to live my life looking for the bright spots, not focusing on the darkness or even the "reality" of the situation at hand. If I based my life upon how circumstances appear, it would be a pretty sad life at times! It is hard when circumstances look grim, but I have a choice in each moment to take the very BEST from life and to leave the rest behind. 

So let me share some of the BEST MOMENTS from my life recently...spending the day with my girls on Saturday, shopping at the farmer's market, getting treats at Starbucks, shopping some more, and eating Taco Bueno in the car...watching my precious niece open her birthday gifts with adorable words of delight at her family birthday party...spending an evening with my in-laws, eating dinner at Zoe's Kitchen (LOVE Zoe's...you must try if you haven't already!), drinking a bottle of Kenyan wine, telling stories and laughing together (Yes, I am BLESSED to have in-laws with whom I love to spend my time!)...family date night consisting of snow cones, fresh Farmer's Market pasta and marinara and homemade bread, while watching a documentary on the Big Cats of the Masai Mara in Kenya, East Africa (where we are going in just a few short weeks!)...talking wedding details with my little sister who is getting married August 14 (SO EXCITING!!!)...cooking fresh, yummy food for my family tonight, experimenting with vegetables and experiencing success as my children ate them all!

Life is GOOD.  :)

Germanfest Fun!

We had a fantastic time at Germanfest!  The food, the hilarious entertainment, good friends, family fun!!  My favorite moments:

Watching the girls rock climb It was their first time, and both of them did great! Madeline, as you might expect, was fiercely determined and used her small size and freakish arm strength to cling to that wall like crazy! Clara was very rational about the whole thing.  She planned out her every move, and when she could see that her plans to move further up the wall were not going to be successful, she simply let go of the rope and said that was as high as she could go!

Watching Travis watch WWF wrestling (is that what it is called?)  He was having way too much fun!  He was quite literally giddy with delight.  It was quite theatrical, and I am not sure the girls and I really "got it" like Travis would have hoped for us to.  But to him, it was magical greatness!

Watching the "circus side show" with "Oops" the Juggler and the circus side show members Jacamo the magician, Pepe the multi-talented musician who played a recorder with his nose, and Ben.  Ben escaped from a "regulation straight jacket" (the announcer must have said that phrase at least a dozen times!) right before our very eyes.  It was a sight to behold.  Where-oh-where, I ask, can you receive such high quality entertainment??   :)  We certainly laughed a lot!

There were playgrounds to play on, live music to entertain us, bounce houses to jump in, rides to avoid, and lots of people watching to make the day fly by!  I can't wait until next year!  Maybe you can join us!