Sunday evening.

I had a great nap this afternoon, and it's now "Family Night." Problem is, family night often involves "family movies" and I have very little patience for movies made for children. They just don't hold my attention. So while the kids and Asia watch "Chicken Little," I'm trying to quietly click-clack on my keyboard. I'm feeling sneaky and a little naughty, but I just can't sit for an hour and a half watching animation. Drives me crazy. Chalk up another one for Bad Mommy.

We had a lovely weekend with my brother Steve and his family. They came over to help out in a church plant here in Spokane that was having their first preview service this morning. We got to hang with them all day yesterday, and even left the kids home last night with a pan of Costco lasagna so we could go out to dinner. Fun.

After a month of sick kids and a deliberate church hooky day, we were able to go to church together as a family this morning for the first time in a month. It was good. I love the tangible feeling of God's love I have there. It's thick. The message this morning was on leadership. Talking with the pastor after the service, he asked me directly what I think my leadership skills are.

I immediately got all stutter-y and ridiculous. First, I hate talking about my strengths. Secondly, I'm terribly afraid of being labeled. I'm also really nervous about getting involved... and I really want to follow Asia's lead in how we choose to serve. I also really don't know how to answer that question. I used to think (in my early 20's) that there was nothing I couldn't do. As I've gotten older, I realize that while I may have the ability and the inclination to do LOTS of things, that doesn't necessarily mean that's what God wants me to be doing. I'm sort of thinking through my reaction as I type, so if my thoughts seem scattered and a little preemie, it's because they are. I was a little taken aback by how nervous his question made me. When we started going to the ex-church and the pastor there asked me about my ministry skills, I rattled on endlessly about the ways I could be involved. Curious what changed in me to make me respond so differently...

Rob (the pastor) and his wife are coming over for dinner this week, so at least we'll have a chance to dialogue a little about it. Hopefully I'll be able to formulate some intelligent thoughts before then. Here's hoping. It's for sure something for me to pray about this week.

Had a good time with the kids a few days ago looking for marmots... a little known fact about Spokane is that there are a multitude of little hairy creatures just waiting to be found in the hillsides and rock croppings of our fair little city. Anyhow, the kids and I went looking, and even had an adventure with one (seriously) charging the kids. Great peals of laughter ensued... I got some fun pictures as the sun was setting. Afternoons like that almost make me look forward to summer when we'll have time to explore like that more often. So anyway - that's where the pictures are from...

Have a great week, everyone.