Random Springtime Performances

We have learned in the past year we have some major performers in the family. Here are two of there more recent efforts.

Heat Wave!

I'm not sure if any of you have ever ventured to the very bottom of this blog or not. But if you have you will have noticed a side by side thermometer of Port au Prince and Minneapolis. The idea, when I created the blog in January, was to show how crazy different the climates are and maybe my preference as well.

Today was quite the heat wave in Minneapolis as evidenced by the photo above. Craziness, especially considering it was snowing a week ago. On my way home from work the car temp guage read 91 degrees as I passed by an interested sight. There was an African American man lounging in a chair in front of a hip-hop clothing store wearing military fatigues. I did a double take and momentarily felt like I might just be in Port-au-Prince. Especially since doing the double take meant hitting yet another pot hole.

I sure do like my neighborhood. I've come to love it. And I certainly will miss it. Here's a few things I find entertaining about my neighborhood:

1) The slushy machine at the corner store has a sign attached that reads, "Not a WIC item"

2) Troy and Luke go to said corner store to buy hot cheetos, red soda, and friend chicken - no joke

3) Luke and some other neighborhood friends created a ghetto game that they play in the summer called "Foreclosure"

All true.

Here's some other things I love about our neighborhood.

1) There are at least 5 vibrant, gospel preaching, praying, African American churches within a couple blocks of our home.

2) There are at least 30 kids on our immediate block

3) Our immediate block is home to 2 white families (yes another moved in last year), a Hmong family, a Somali family, a group of European Muslims, a Native American family, several African American families, and several Hispanic families.

I'm going to miss this street. I'm going to miss these "summer" days. I am NOT going to miss winter.

Mother's Day

Today was an odd mother's day for me. I am overwhelmingly thankful for my mother as well as other mother figures in my life - my aunt Joanne, and my mother-in-law, Patty. I am thankful for a wonderful husband who makes mothering so easy. And I am thankful for my kiddos - who blessed me with clean bedrooms and plenty of artwork from school.


But today I was quite sad for the motherless. A couple of my girlfriends are mothering their babies without their own mothers here on earth with them. And all mothers know that you just have those days when you have to call your mom and vent, "Mom, is this normal?", "Mom, tell me this is a stage", "Mom, I'm sorry I was so annoying", etc. You just need your mom when you are a mother.

This morning I made the mistake of asking my son's best friend if he was going to see his mother today. He answered that his mom moved 2 years ago, changed her number, and he hasn't seen or talked to her since. Out of these random thoughts of sadness for those who are motherless and blessing for all I have been given - one thing stuck out...

The best mother's day gift I could ever receive. A text/facebook message from a neighborhood youth and #80205 of why leaving this neighorhood is going to break my heart:

@[519510835:Sara Murphy Thompson] aka mom#3 dont know where to start with you haha you are so so so funny even if you dont try to be! your also the mom that always always talking about how bright i a kid i am and i can do it even when i think i cant! - Markus

Reclaiming the Princess

My girls are sitting on the couch watching Tangled. I think they've probably seen in about 50 times. Both of them love princesses. There's been some news articles, books, and radio shows lately about the branding of princesses and how its changed since I was a kid. Sure it has. And I know that it is important to teach my girls about a healthy body image, beauty coming from within, and having an identity in Christ. But is desiring to be a princess such a bad thing?

Will a prince riding a white horse ever come to sweep them off their feet and make them live in a perfectly happily ever after world? Absolutely. Christ, the Prince of Peace, will come again, riding a white horse and will establish His Kingdom and make all things new. He already relentlessly pursues my daughters and myself.

And is desiring a grand romance on this earth such a bad thing? Chris didn't come on a white horse. He came in a beat up Volvo that smelled like brake fluid. Chris didn't litterally sweep me off my feet, but he sure did turn my world around. He hasn't made all things new and he hasn't created a perfectly happily ever after for me. He can't take away all my pain and sorrow. But he does dry my tears and ease my pain. He is my banner and protector. And each day he points me to my ultimate Prince. Each day Chris shows me glimmers of grace and perfection and helps to guide my to my Savior.

My hope for my girls is that the will continue to feel beautiful each day. That they will continue to dress up like princesses and bask in the compliments of Luke and Chris. That they will continue to believe in an Ultimate Prince. And my prayer for my girls is that God will provide them with earthly husbands that will reflect Christ.

Kung Fu Tinker Bell

Here's a couple pictures of the girls' Easter dresses. Last August, Chris and I went to Las Vegas and saw the Cirque du Soleil show - Ka. The skirts worn by the acrobats inspired this year's creation. Chris and Luke said the girls looked like Kung Fu Tinker Bells. I hope that sewing will somehow be part of my ministry in Haiti. We shall see.

Beliefs have consequences

When people hear about Haiti, voodoo is usually mentioned. Those who have seen our presentation on our goal of church planting have heard about this as well. For some, the mention of trying to purge voodoo, a cultural aspect of Haiti, is seen as invasive or judgmental. While there are many ways to respond to this, we would point to many examples of how this belief system has huge consequences on people with regards to their worldview and behavior, in addition to its spiritual consequences of being a false gospel. This article from the New York Daily news caught my attention as one which shows how beliefs have consequences, and the spiritual oppression of voodoo is no exception. As we continue to prepare for our mission in Haiti, we want to specifically ask God to open the hearts of Haitians and show them the destructive nature of voodoo and to cling to the living God who came to rescue us from oppression, fear and death through the work of His Son.

Reflections by Kate