Adam & Eve, and Some Chocolate

*I would like to have had a thoughtful Good Friday post to put here. I don't, obviously, but the Day is very much on my heart and mind - a bittersweet, powerful, Most Important Day. I think what stands out to me most this year is Christ's obedience: the Very Hard Obedience to His Father. Praise God for this Obedience! It is my very life! Oh, for the grace to walk in that submission, in the Very Hard Obedience, when He calls me to it.  He is worthy!
*

God showed me something deep and good the other morning as the girls and I were reading a chapter in Genesis at breakfast. We got to talking about Satan's lies to Eve and Adam. I love how we preach to ourselves as we teach our children! So, I was explaining to the girls some of the subtle ways the Enemy was deceiving God's first children in the Garden. I told them to think about what Satan was saying to Eve. Even before he verbalized an out and out lie, he was already working his nasty tricks, planting seeds of doubt. Did God really say...? And then, Did He really say 'you may not eat from any tree in the garden?' Genesis 3:1

The devil tempted Eve to second-guess God's goodness. He deftly maneuvered her thinking so that she began to focus on the one (one!!) thing God had prohibited, when she should've been glorying in all God chose to lavish on her in the garden.

It has been a good, solid reminder to me during all this intensity of late (really, adopting an older child has more similarities to bringing home a baby than I could have imagined!): do not focus on that thing (a whole night's sleep? a less chaotic day? insert your large or small trial here) that isn't the way I want it to be. All's as it should be. Focus my heart on thanksgiving for the infinite blessings rained down on me by Jesus. Give thanks in everything! He has His Purposes for the inconvenient, the painful and difficult, the confusing in my daily life.

 
We've enjoyed listening to many sermons by Norm Wakefield, and one thing I remember him saying over and over is that man's vision for himself is for his own comfort and happiness. But God's vision for man is that he be molded in Christ's image. That molding seems to occur most successfully and efficiently when I am not happy/comfortable. But there is joy in that process, indeed.

So, the familiar story of The Fall taught me a fresh lesson this time: one of Satan's modus operandi is tempting me to fix my eyes on the one thing that seems all wrong in the moment, rather than on Christ and that which is all right. And even the all wrong is good, truly, because in His sovereignty and deep love, He works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Here are some photos, mixed with Mercies, from life lately, including the Chocolate Field Trip:

Well. I could not get this photo to rotate. Oh well. The homeschoolers (LC, AH, CA) and I had a fun little mini-unit-study the other day, as we watched our caterpillars cocoon themselves! What a treat - to teach the girls, and to observe the caterpillars. All three girls were very absorbed in it all.

882. BB finding a rabbit burrow in our yard - we were all giddy over it, has about 4 babies in it, we think. The mama has covered the hole with piles and piles of her downy fluff. (I love BB's hands, by the way)

My sweet friend, J, planned this little chocolate day-trip and invited all the ladies in our Sunday School class. In the end it was just three of us, J, E, and me. What a fun time it was! The sweets were wonderful, but being with these two was the best. (Just realized that there was a smudge on the lens when I took this photo. Too bad!)

Truffles, anyone?! Kevin Wenzel, chocolatier and owner of Wiseman House Chocolates, gave us a talk on the history and science of chocolate.

 

Lovely displays in their shop!

Their chocolates are unique and classic at the same time. I love their names. In the end, of the ones I've tried, my favorite is one called Snooky, but really, it's all good.

More Mercies:

883. the staggering uniqueness of every.single.human God has made. I love it!

884. the never-boringness of being a mom

885. a revelation this week, after almost 12 years married: we have the same love language...I really did not realize this. For both of us, it's words of affirmation. This is good to know.

886. AH's ways: she helps with the laundry; and I find setting on the dryer a half-filled cup of detergent and a dryer sheet: her way of preparing for the next load. She's so capable.

887. Swiffer Vac (seriously)

888. getting to teach my children

889. the kind comments made here! thank you, friends!