Last weekend in the midst of pouring rain, I looked out the front window and saw this, unchanging beauty against a backdrop of gray skies and rain: 

As I pointed the camera lens to capture the flowers, the lens had a hard time focusing away from the rain on the window.

I immediately saw an object lesson in this, which I shared with the boys. It explains how two different people experiencing similar trials in life can have two completely different perspectives and attitudes.

God allows rain to fall in our lives. Sometimes He allows storms, and at times even hurricane-force tempests. If I focus on the rainfall, I miss out on the beauty beyond it. It reminds me of a great story from the Bible of Peter and Jesus. Peter saw Jesus walking on the water, and he wanted to get out of the boat and join him.

 

Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

“Yes, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said.“Why did you doubt me?” (Matthew 14:28-31)

 

As soon as Peter began focusing on the wind and waves, he failed.  What did Jesus want him to focus on? Jesus. If my focus is on anything but Him, I fail. Life becomes a sort of prison…full of misery, depression, and futility. He has promised eternity with Him in a place with no storms. No pain. Why would I want to focus on anything else?

“And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility He endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in the struggle against sin.” (Hebrews 12:1-4)

Focus on Jesus and the rain doesn’t look so overwhelming.

…compared to a real-life computer.

The boys were like kids in a candy store; they had that (very) old Mac computer stripped bare in no time. Rather than throw it out, Jim let them take it apart and investigate. Even Peter joined the action.

I looked at this and started going cross-eyed. It actually gave me that really uncomfortable feeling one gets when one is in another country and can’t understand the language…

I’m happy it doesn’t conjure up those same feelings in my sons.

While the three older boys were playing with microchips, Bubbie walked around with his tape measure “gun” strapped to his waist.

Then later that night, Jim and Jake put Jake’s new digital scale to good use, figuring out the density of things like water, olive oil, laundry detergent, and motor oil. Who says science can’t be fun?

Not one for subtlety, Molly lets us know in a big way when she wants to come in from outside. In fact, the neighbors even know when she wants to come in. Of all the ways for a dog to alert her people, Molly has chosen the full body slam against the back door.

The way she throws her right shoulder into the door, she would make any middle linebacker proud, don’t you think?

Before you begin feeling sorry for poor Molly out in the rain (while the rest of us are laughing at her inside), you should know that as soon as I turned the camera off, she went down the stairs to go to the bathroom. We let her in shortly after that. No need to call DDFS (department of dog and family services).

Multi-shades of green, tufts of thick grass, scattered debris…doesn’t this yard just scream, “come run through me!”

If you’re interested in similar landscaping, give us a call; we’ll send Molly over.

Hard to believe we have an 11 year-old in the house. Eleven may be old, but not too old for birthday pancakes!

Then Jake flew with Jim to Pilot Pete’s for dessert on the evening of his birthday. After dessert, they called Mom and Dad to give them a heads-up that they would be going for a joy ride along the Chicago lakefront. Despite my parents’ efforts to stand out in the midst of the lit-up city…Dad stood in the window shining a flashlight on and off like a lighthouse beacon, and Mom jumped up and down while waving her arms (a photograph I wish I could insert into this post)…Jim and Jake were unable to spot them.

Last Saturday our family came over to celebrate Jake’s birthday. We enjoyed a fondue night where everyone cooked their own meat around the table. We also pulled out the chocolate fountain for dessert.

Most everyone showed restraint around the warm, flowing chocolate…except a certain 2 year-old.

What with everyone so busy talking and getting food ready, he saw a good opportunity to check out the fountain. He was just making sure everything was working properly. Really.

Yummy birthday cake, thanks to Judi and her favorite bakery.

And great science presents, along with a new wardrobe for spring. Hooray!

We enjoyed the fondue dinner so much that we decided to have it again for lunch on Sunday. It made a big hit with the kids.

Ahhhh, spring. At last we can open up a window or two in the house. We can go outside without winter coats (and hats and gloves). This morning, when I put a short-sleeved shirt on Jeremy, he looked at his arms, cried, and tried pulling down the sleeves saying, “I want it closed!” Yes, it has been a loooong winter.

On the bright side, a long winter does cause me to appreciate a day like today all the more. I mean, think about it…if we enjoyed San Diego climate all year, we wouldn’t really appreciate warm, sunny weather, right? Right??

We seized the day by visiting our favorite field trip spot in the Chicagoland area–the arboretum. We met some friends (with three boys, for a total of seven boys :)) for an early morning hike. Jake and Derek finished their Botany science book this week, so they came armed with nature journals and colored pencils. As it turned out, we were a bit ambitious in our expectations. They quickly ditched the nature journals and opted to run around, play hide-and-seek, and roll down hills instead.

I can hardly blame them.

Peter brought along his camera and took some pictures of tree buds and ducks. Like father like son.

Jeremy managed to do a little journaling, though I don’t think it had anything to do with nature, as he described his picture as a fire truck putting out a fire.

Then the running around commenced.

Time to refuel:

Yes, those are winter boots on Jeremy’s feet. He claimed he couldn’t find his shoes this morning when it was time to leave. It’s hard to say good-bye to the familiar.

After church on Sunday, we headed over to Mom and Dad’s for lunch. We had a good size crowd–Gieres, Gregos, and Smiths–so we ate in “the library” on the 56th floor. I’m pretty sure it’s a BYOB (as in bring your own book) library, since I have yet to find a book in there. It did serve our group well–it has a beautiful lookout onto Lake Michigan, and offers lots of open space (i.e. running room) and seating.

Our family experienced life with a puppy in tow for the first time. Because Molly’s bladder is just barely making it through the night, all day would have been pushing it. So she came along for the ride. We were hard to miss as we entered Mom and Dad’s building–Jim with four excited boys, a piddly puppy, and a pregnant wife. I love our family.

Sam spent some time getting to know Molly better. I was so taken by his fearlessness with her–nipping on the ear and all!

After lunch, Jake hid the Resurrection eggs around the room so the younger kids could do an egg hunt. Once they found all the eggs, the kids used them to talk through the events that led up to Jesus’ death and resurrection.

And Jackie: you were such a good sport after being peed on and wrestled with, all while in your church clothes. This seems like a good time to make a shameless public offer for you to move in as our full time nanny. We could pay you with love and home-cooked meals. And a comfy air mattress in the basement. Come on, whaddyasay?

This little soldier has a soft spot for Molly. She had been resting her head on his leg in the most precious way, but I lost the photographic moment in my mad rush to grab the camera.

And this soldier says, “May the Schwartz be with you.”

We here at the Johanik household wish you a happy Easter Sunday. If Jesus hadn’t risen from the grave, we would have no hope in this life.

Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.

 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.

 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”

 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”

 

The boys enjoyed some traditional egg-coloring today:

Bubbie checked the final products to be sure they passed inspection:

And although we are not Jewish, we celebrated Passover on Good Friday, only we celebrated from a Christian perspective. Our family has done Passover seders in the past, but this was the first year all the boys could really participate. I so wanted to take a picture of Jeremy’s pudgy hands holding his glass up with the rest of us, but chose not to ruin the seriousness of the occasion.

The funniest moment came when it was time to taste the bitter herbs which represent the bitterness of slavery that the Israelites endured in Egypt. Well, let me tell you, that was some mighty potent horseradish. One dot on the tongue sent fire straight up the nostrils like a volcano. And more than just a dot was spread on our crackers, so there was some serious fire being breathed out. We all (even Jim) had tears in our eyes. Jake went running into the kitchen for water. Jeremy stood up with his hands in his mouth screaming, “it spicy!”. I suppose we all learned indirectly the bitterness and pain of slavery.

I am continually amazed how everything in the Old Testament points to Jesus. For one, the spotless lamb that each household was to kill in order for the angel of death to pass over them is really a picture of Jesus. He is the spotless lamb who was killed so that we might not endure hell. And He was killed on the Passover! Oh, I could go on for pages about the symbolism of the Israelites in Egypt and their eventual Exodus.

It shows that God’s planning and timing are perfect. He knows what He’s doing…even today. Sure, He wrote history back in Bible times, but He most certainly continues to write it today. He sets up presidents and leaders of nations, and He also leads, comforts, and provides for “the little people” like me.

There is something that’s been troubling me for some time. And it seems to be popping up everywhere–books, hollywood, even in some churches.

It’s the idea that if you think positive thoughts, good things will happen to you. This idea leads me to think of some people I know and one important question:

My cousin Ronnie who was bitten by a mosquito 14 years ago and has never fully recovered from the encephalitis he contracted; His dad who has recently been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and my aunt Chris who is giving all her physical and emotional energy and more to take care of them;

A pregnant friend who went to the doctor a couple weeks ago when she stopped feeling the baby’s movement at 39 weeks, only to find out the baby had died in her womb;

The preschool children of friends of ours whose parents are in the middle of a painful divorce.

My dad who walks with a brace on his leg because the nerves in that leg haven’t worked since his surgery several years ago.

Would their circumstances be different if they had thought positive thoughts?

This theory completely diminishes God’s role in life, and even goes so far as to deny His existence. Yes, attitude is important. The Bible says “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” and “Do everything without complaining or arguing“, just to name a couple of examples.

But to say that a person’s thoughts bring about good or bad circumstances is just not true. This puts way too much power and control in the hands of people and our minds. And it doesn’t answer the question of why good, nice, even joyful people suffer.

Take Jesus Christ as an example. He is the ultimate case of a perfect person suffering unthinkable shame and torture while on earth. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12). The irony is that Jesus actually could have changed His circumstances at any time. He had the power to do so, being God. But He had eternity in mind. He knew that on the other side of His suffering was heaven. 

Same with us. Life on earth is temporary. If life on earth is represented by a speck of dust, then eternity would be the living room in which it’s found. There’s no comparison time-wise.

What is infinitely more important than wishing for a comfortable life on earth is being sure of our eternity. Every single person will spend eternity in one of two (real) places–heaven or hell. And the only way to be sure of our destination is in how we respond Jesus. Do I believe that He is God? Do I believe that His death on the cross completely paid for my sin, therefore allowing me into heaven?

The only reason Jesus became a man and suffered and died on a cross is so that He could reconcile people to God. Amazing love. If we ignore this and continue to live like there is no eternity, we will find ourselves in hell forever, with no option of turning back. “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 4:7)

We were finishing dinner the other night when Jim asked Jeremy what he wanted for his birthday. Well, this launched about a half hour response from Jeremy. It was like someone uncorked the fire hydrant.

After he was a few minutes into his answer, I grabbed the video camera and caught some of it on tape. You will be able to make some interesting observations about dinnertime at our house.

This is less about what Jeremy is saying (because you’ll notice that he repeats himself, changes his mind, and parrots back what he hears from his brothers) and more about what’s going on in the background. In fact, I think this video shows his potential in the political realm later in life, what with all the chattering, expression, and people-pleasing.

And may I take time out to say here that I love having a 10 year-old son. If age 11 is as golden as 10, I am a blessed mother. I mean, look at that boy hustle to clean up the kitchen!

When we brought Molly home 2 weeks ago, she weighed 9 lbs. We learned at the vet visit yesterday that she now weighs 15 lbs. Yeah, we’re in for it.

Jake has become fast friends with the furry little creature.

I recently caught on camera Jeremy grooming her. The reason she is so blurry is because she wouldn’t stop moving around…very curious about how that brush tastes!

In this next shot, Jeremy is not yelling, but rather taking after his grandma with “sympathy mouth”. If you know my mom, you know what I’m talking about. She’s great to watch while she’s feeding baby food to a grandchild :)

Next to grooming, Jeremy’s next favorite thing to do is hug Molly.

Notice the photographer in the oven window?

Life has been a bit topsy-turvy since getting a dog. Being the young pup that she is, she requires eyes on her whenever she is awake. That includes 6AM. I am a person of routine in the early morning, and Molly has seriously thrown a curve ball to that part of the day (kids at that hour are one thing, a needy puppy is another).

These past couple weeks have taught me that seeking God by praying and reading the Bible–no matter what the circumstances–has to be of utmost importance. Otherwise, I lose perspective and flounder through my days. So my early morning time with Him has become late morning, afternoon, or sometimes evening time.

Just wanted to share an encouraging thought from the Bible this week.

As some of you are reading through the Bible this year, you know that the reading right now is in the book of Joshua. In the first half of the book, the Israelites fight countless battles upon entering the promised land. The Bible makes it very clear that it was the Lord who delivered the enemy every time into the Israelites’ hands–it says over and over that “The Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel…” The Lord had already accomplished the victory. Israel just had to obey. When they obeyed the Lord, they won the battle with ease.

What does this have to do with life today? What things do we battle?

This can first be applied to how I battle sin in my life. Jesus has already freed me from the bondage of sin, but unless I seek His counsel (Joshua 9:14) and obey His commands (Joshua 10:40), I cannot realize the victory that could be mine. The temptation to compromise can be so great, and yet the consequences so devastating, just like with Achan (Joshua 7), who kept some pieces of gold and silver from the enemy after God told the Israelites to destroy everything. Because of Achan’s disobedience, the whole nation of Israel suffered, and Achan, along with his household, was killed. God demands perfection; my heart set apart for His glory and good use. If He has already fought and won the battle against sin, why would I not seek Him and obey His command?

Secondly, this story from Joshua can be applied to how I fight for souls. Whether it’s fighting the battle for one soul destined for hell, or fighting for an entire nation of souls, God is the One who hardens and softens hearts. And He is the One who goes before His people to accomplish victory for His Kingdom. If I seek Him (pray) and obey His commands, I can claim the victory for His Kingdom and His glory.

…or so she thinks.

Peter was taught quite a lesson in patience for his birthday this year. He waited 12 days after his birthday to have a party (a.k.a. open presents). If it weren’t for the lightsaber from Luke, he might have gone insane with restlessness.

But lo and behold, 5pm on March 21 finally arrived, and so did his presents family. To be honest, Peter was just as excited to see his cousin Hannah.

When asked to make a funny face, here’s what they gave me:

Nice. They take after their grandfather, you know.

One more birthday cake for the 5 year-old:

By the way, please note the army outfit he is wearing. Jim found it at an army surplus store to give to Peter for his birthday. It’s not the last time you’ll see it in this post.

Things got a little crazy (thanks to Aunt Judi) as the night wore on. She and the kids raided the dress-up box and came up like this:

Is that gold lamé? Poor Bubbie was coming down with a nasty cold that night, hence the rosy cheeks.

The following day Peter got to try out some of his new toys, like the airplane kit. But before playing, he needed to get dressed. And like a good soldier, he took his new army outfit out of the hamper and put it on. Again.

He then tried his new water rocket. And because we have a roof that seems to magnetically attract all balls and toys that are thrown in the air, the rocket landed on top of the house. But thanks to Jake, Peter was able to receive his rocket back in good shape.

After a hard day of playing, Peter awoke the next day, retrieved his army outfit out of the hamper, and the little soldier got dressed in uniform. Again.

He spent the morning painting his new car kit.

Jeremy is showing off Peter’s handiwork:

Any bets on how many days in a row Peter will wear his army uniform? Don’t worry, he is changing his underwear every day :)

Although the ground is finally beginning to thaw, there was still a little nip in the air on Sunday. The boys played outside, and Jeremy decided that if he wasn’t going to wear a coat, then he should still wear his hat and gloves.

Boy, did watching him bring me back to my childhood cartoon-watching days. See any style similarities? Hey, hey, hey…

Now for just one more fun shot of Jeremy before moving on.

A good explorer/doctor/army guy is always prepared for an emergency. But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, sleep takes over and you find yourself in a compromised position:

Meanwhile, Molly was completely wiped out after her first walk around the block and lots of romping around in the great outdoors. 

Speaking of Molly, we have been taking turns on “doggie duty” during the night. Her little bladder just can’t last longer than a few hours. The other night, Jake and Derek opted to team up:

Molly is learning that she is very loved.  She receives constant attention, which is on purpose, given her propensity for chewing everything she can get her teeth on, and relieving herself whenever she gets the urge.

Her brothers are learning that she loves to chew on their clothes, their hands, their socks…you get the point. But she also loves to cuddle. I’m hoping that she is being conditioned to cuddle with us so that when she grows out of her tiny puppy stage, she’ll still love a good snuggle.

I’ve learned that 10 year-olds are awesome with dogs and can be totally trusted with responsibility. When I hear Jake interact with Molly, it’s like I’m listening to myself. It’s a beautiful thing.

Peter has taken on the role of groomer–he loves brushing Molly’s hair, and she seems to love it too.

She gets to meet her human daddy for the first time later today!

We picked up Molly this morning, and if her first day with the Johanik boys is any indication of her future in this family, she is in for a lifetime of princess treatment. These guys have been doting on her all day!

Taking turns bringing her outside…man, I can’t wait until it warms up around here.

We blocked off the kitchen so that Molly can have some space to play and eat. And discovered that she likes her toys!

She has also taken a few naps in her cage.

Jake is geared up for 3rd shift duty on the couch tonight.  It’s pretty cool to see how he’s taken responsibility for her (hope it continues!).