I just have to brag

Yesterday was a perfect Sabbath day. My Sunday School class engaged in a lively discussion of the new earth during my Environmental Stewardship lesson. That was followed by another inspiring worship service, led by our amazing worship leader, Tim Hartman. Our new senior minister, Tom Fodi, started a sermon series that will carry us through Lent. I'm looking forward to all I'm about to learn from him in the weeks to come.



Bethany with Lincoln and Laura

  In lieu of our usual lunch out with the family, we all gathered for a meal in the fellowship hall to celebrate Meili Lowry's second birthday. We had lots of reasons to celebrate. Brian and Kelly Lowry waiting a long time to bring this precious child home from China. After years of disappointments, they were finally able to go to China this past autumn and bring their daughter home. Through the years, many of us asked God why their prayers for a child were not being answered. Why the delays? Why the disappointments? Now we have the answers. All we have to do is look at Meili's beautiful smile and we know God had her in mind all along. Meili was meant to be a Lowry. What a blessed little girl she is!! Quite honestly, if I was a little girl, I would want to be a Lowry, too!


So we celebrated with our church family and it was a true blessing. Of course, we also had the kids and grandkids with us, which always makes every event even more special.


My grandbabies having fun at Meili's birthday party

Our daughter, Jess, attended the 40 Days for Life kickoff last evening, so Bill and I watched Laura for her. This is where my bragging comes in.

Jess has been teaching Laura about the 50 states and she can now say them in alphabetical order. I think that's quite an accomplishment for a child who just turned 3 in October. As I was driving home with Laura yesterday, I asked her, "What comes after California?"

Without hesitation, she said, "Colorado." Lucky guess, I thought to myself.

"What comes after South Carolina?"

Again, an immediate answer. "South Dakota."

Hmm. "What comes after Washington?"

Ahh, a pause. "I don't know that one," she said.

"Wyoming?" I asked.

"No, Green Grandma [which is what she calls me], it's Wisconsin."

I don't know about you, but I think that's pretty advanced for a 3-year-old. Later that evening, I repeated the exercise at the house, so Bill could be equally impressed with our genius of a granddaughter. She didn't let me down.

Since I taught her to recite the books of the New Testament when she was 2, I decided to see if she could randomly name them as well.

"Laura, what comes after Hebrews?"

"The book of James," she answered matter-of-factly.

Yep. We've got a brainy one on our hands. And, I think, that gives me bragging rights.

Sharing my Sabbath with you,

Hana