Toby in all his cuteness

I think it's about time to post some pictures of Tobias again. He really is terribly cute.

Here he is, emptying the bottom shelves of our pantry. He seems to think it's his job to do this at least once a day.

Toby's first ride on a carousel, compliments of Auntie Kristina.

Here we are in front of the flamingos on Toby's birthday. We celebrated with a trip to the zoo.

Toby's really walking now. He can take 10-12 steps at a time before he plops down on his well-padded bottom. He's SO proud of himself and often gets so excited about walking that he loses his balance. :-)

Toby's first experience with swings--don't you just love the look on his face? Makes me laugh every time I see this picture. (He didn't have this expression on his face the whole time he was swinging though.)

Looking at the ducks at Tingley Beach with Papa. Toby wanted nothing more than to jump into the pond and chase/touch the ducks. He actually got quite upset when I didn't let him do it.

Grandpa Nevin & Grandma Joann gave him this tractor for Christmas. We got it out for him the other morning, and he knew just what to do with it.

This is the latest "silly-Toby-face." Such a funny boy we have.

We just love our little guy. He's really starting to communicate, and he understands a LOT of what we say. I'm currently teaching him to hold still for me when I'm changing his diaper or getting him dressed. He does very well except when he's tired. We give each other a high-five afterward for a job well done. :-)

The Selfishness of Fear

I was reading Mark 5 the other day, and a small detail in the story of the demon-possessed man caught my attention. Here's a quick summary of the story:

• Demon-possessed man lives in tombs and practices self-mutilation
• Jesus sends demons out of man and into herd of pigs
• Pigs drown
• Villagers hear about drowned pigs and see formerly demon-possessed man "clothed and in his full senses"
• Villagers are afraid and beg Jesus to leave the area.

What's up with these villagers? They had a living, breathing, tormented man living near their village, probably striking terror into their hearts and preventing them from moving freely around the area. This guy is healed and restored to his senses, and they don't express gratitude for their increased safety, much less happiness that he's been given his life back. No, they are afraid. They don't want any more of this funny business going on in their area. No, thanks.

Their fear stopped them from rejoicing about the miracle in front of them. Their fear prevented Jesus from doing more miracles in their village. Their fear was selfish.

Ouch.

That gives me a whole new perspective on fear. My fear doesn't only hurt me; it has the power to hurt those around me. My fear can essentially usher Jesus right out of the situation. Thought-provoking....

Toby's 1st birthday

We had a little party with our nearby family to celebrate Toby's first birthday. He got lots of attention and thoroughly enjoyed himself.

We had yummy food...

Including birthday cake.

 

Toby thoroughly enjoyed his own personal cupcake.

He wasn't too sure about digging into it with his fingers at first but thought it was kinda fun after he got started.

Here he is in all his cake-smeared glory.

He enjoyed his gifts too, especially the decorations on this one.

Auntie Kristina with her favorite niece and nephew

 

 It was a fun party, but the Papa and Mama needed a day to recuperate afterward. I had no idea parties could be so tiring...and this one wasn't even that big or complicated! Oh, well, a baby only turns one once.

Spring is in my kitchen!

Aren't they beautiful?

Looking toward the horizon

This may be my favorite time of day. The dishes are done, baby's morning messes cleaned up, husband off to work, baby napping, coffee brewed, task list still forgotten--this is my time. I check facebook, read my email, skim over blogs, and prepare myself for the day.

I've recently developed an overwhelming interest in reading blogs. In my obsession, I've stumbled across a few bloggers who draw me away from the surface, everyday cares that dominate my thoughts and into the deep waters of thoughts about life, spirituality, and eternity. This is one such entry.

Confession time: I'm lazy. I like to stay on the surface, thinking about the here and now, the practical things I can check off my list today. Working toward long-term goals is hard, requiring consistent effort with no immediate results. But staying on the surface ultimately makes me feel empty, purposeless. And writing, reflecting, draws me into those deep waters. So here I am with my brand-new blog, purposing to stop, to think, to look toward the horizon, to live with eternity in mind.