The Claw!

This morning we slept in, big time.  This might be related to the Olympic binge we've experienced of late, which of course will wrap up on Sunday with the closing ceremonies.  We woke up in time to head over to Lowe's for the new project, which is what you see above - it's "The Claw!"

This is a little game that Madison was actually playing on-and-off today.  She hammered everything into place just right and did a great job putting it all together.  More and more, she's doing much of the labor involved in putting things together.  What's more is that she enjoys it:  in a few weeks, there is another project, a birdhouse.  Madison remembers building the one last year, and wants to build another.  She likes heading over there in the mornings to build stuff.  Plus, she gets another patch on her apron, which she can show off a bit.

Afterwards, we dropped by to pick up our Mary Poppins tickets, which will be just great to see.  The next night, the Governor will be in the theater - we opted for the night before because it will be a little less crowded and noisy, right?  Plus, our favorite seats were available, so that's a win.

The rest of the day, Daddy was working quite a bit.  We got back late in the evening - Josh spent the night in the bonus room, now known as the "Olympic Room" until tomorrow night, at least.  Then it's back to the "Agents of SHIELD" room for a season.

February is just zooming by, isn't it?  We did have that big snow storm, which sort of got us all trapped.  That was eventful.  Also, Valentine's Day was a nice day.  And yes, the Olympics have been great fun watching together.  So we've made the most of our time, I think.  But time is relentless, isn't it?  It marches on, despite our protests.  Madison has just a few months left of first grade - so hard to believe she's even this old right now.  The Olympic distance of four years really puts things in perspective:  she'll be eleven when the next Winter Games take place.  Of course, we'll all be four years older.  But the point is, it didn't seem that long ago that we were watching Yuna Kim skate in Vancouver.  Which is why it's so important to treasure every moment, and make sure no day is a complete waste.  Sure, there are days of rest.  But we try to make each one count, which is somewhat the purpose of this blog.

Before moving on the devotional, today was Aunt Linda's memorial service in Texas.  We couldn't attend, but Nana did go out.  She'll be returning with Great Grandma tomorrow, Sunday.  A whirlwind trip.  Everyone is safe in regards to travel, so that's good to hear.  We're praying for a safe return tomorrow as well.  We visited with Ye-Ye today, and he's doing fine - Mommy cooked him some lunch and dinner to reheat.  Ye-Ye hurt his back this week, so he's been doing some resting this weekend, which is good for him.

It was a long work day for Daddy, but he did check in from time to time with Madison and Mommy at home, who were both doing quite well.  Madison is back into her costumes again, dressing as Jasmine or Rapunzel in her wedding dress.

Here's our latest Olympic-themed devotional entry:

“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;they shall mount up with wings like eagles.” Isaiah 40:31 NKJV

With the ski jump, timing is everything. Olympians ski down the snow-covered ramp going faster than sixty miles per hour. Then, they jump off the ramp soaring through the air, coming back to earth well over three hundred feet later. Yes, that’s like jumping over the length of a football field.

Going the farthest is all about timing. Within a tenth of a second, jumpers leap forward and upward – and that’s where the gold medal is decided. If they jump too soon, the skis point down a bit and the jump is short. If they jump too late, the skis go higher, and a ski jumper loses control.

Sometimes we want to jump too soon, don’t we? We want to fly! We want to soar through the air and have everyone look at us and cheer us on, as we look down on all those problems and naysayers. But we’ve got to remember that timing if we want to win in life.

It’s a good thing God knows the best timing. He wants us to succeed too, and if we listen to Him, we’ll know when to jump, and when to take that leap of faith. If you’re feeling impatient when waiting on His perfect timing, just remember those ski jumpers who go too soon: they don’t win.

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles. Wait upon the Lord, and His perfect timing. And get ready to soar!