The Intentional Life

Who here has taken a personality test? Ok, y'all can put your hands down. My guess is that a large number of you have taken some kind of personality test at some point in your lives.  Whether its those all revealing ones from Seventeen magazine ( What kind of girlfriend are you? ) or something a bit deeper like finding out whether you are a beaver or a lion or a German shepherd or...something else. I've kinda always been fascinated by those tests, always trying to find something that better explains me to myself.  I usually could agree with the tests I took...sort of.  Last fall I came across a different test, one I had not ever taken - the Myers-Briggs.  I had heard of it in college but thought it was something that a psychologist administered, or someone with some high level of education.  However, you can take it online at 16personalities.com . I turned out to be a INFJ . Introverted Intuitive Feeling Judging (yikes!) It went on to...

My grandpa is not doing well.  His health is failing and we do not know how much longer he will be with us. I sat down the other day to explain this to our kids: "Kids, we are going to take a quick trip to Illinois to see Grandpa and Grandma.  Grandpa isn't doing well and -" Hannah interrupts me with a smile on her face and uplifted hands, "Is he going to heaven?!" "Well, Grandpa does love Jesus and he is born again, so yes, he will be going to heaven." At this point Hannah is almost giddy with excitement. "He will see Jesus, and be in heaven, and it will be so wonderful!" I'm trying to hold myself together.  Her thrill of the thought of my grandpa having a wonderful time in heaven is almost too much for me.  She gets it. In her little 4 year old mind she sees how this life is just a passage.  This life has some joys and pleasures, but boy, heaven is where we should be looking to go. With childlike anticipation. T...

 If December was a month of struggling to surface in the waves of constant change, January was a chance to cling to a life preserver and take a few breaths of fresh air.  Who knows what February holds, but I thank God for January. Birthdays.  Playing chess.  Reading books. Enjoying the snow. *Deep breath* Sigh.  Loved it.  All of it. Paul's 31st birthday on the 11th.   Paul designed and bought shirts for all of Cypress House: residents, Houseparent kids, and Houseparents.  I think they were a hit.  I think the game ended in a tickle-fight so I guess it was a tie.  Love that Owen is learning to read and that he enjoys it!  Four family birthdays to celebrate with the Steffen's for January/February  Two 3-year-olds.  The brunette...  ...and the blond.  The gift of a baby doll was a BIG hit.  Her name?  Summer Squirrel.  Skating on the frozen reservoir... ...

Sorry I'm a day late posting this, Madeline.  Please don't take that as something against you.  We love you with all our hearts.  You are our baby, and even as you grow older, you will still be our baby.  Sorry, it just comes with the territory of being the youngest.  But here we are, celebrating 3 years of energetic, rambunctious life.  You came into this world, a head of dark hair, a screaming package of 6lbs 3oz. Having been born into and raised in the Gateway community, you are used to being around all sorts of people, mainly people 10+ years older than you. That doesn't stop you from making friends.  You've got a smile for whoever will take it, and even for the ones who won't. By growing up around people older than you I sometimes worry that you will grow up too fast, but you still carry your blankie around with you everywhere you go, and that thumb on your right hand is found in your mouth 80% of the time. I love that you still want t...