A Great Weekend...Is It Fair?

It finally seems like summer in Wisconsin. Warm temperatures, clear skies, and more time at home to relax. We decided to make the most of our weekend and spend some time together as a family of six.

We started off by taking out our boat. We drove to Door County and launched the boat in a really nice lake. The sun was shining and Grace couldn't wait to jump into the lake (clearly, she does not get this instinct from me...I am yet to jump into a lake with my kiddos).

The kids also had a great time in our tube/boat thing. It is so nice to see the two "big kids" getting along and riding around the lake at warp speed together...we don't see that every day ;)

Grace even loved the ride. It made me a little nervous to see her tiny body flying around behind the boat. Lucky for me, her big sister keeps a close eye on her.

Bryce soaked up the sun from the front of the boat. He is my least daring soul. We get along so well...we were both content INSIDE the boat.

Our weekend also involved a trip to the outdoor movie theater. I still get such a kick out of taking the kids to see a movie outside. I think I enjoy it more than they do. Of course, it was Grace's first experience and she seemed to like it. She thought it was fun to sit outside, eat lots of popcorn and (sort of) watch a movie...

Throughout the weekend, my mind kept wandering to those in Africa who are suffering through another famine. I don't want to sound melodramatic, but I can't help but wonder why we get to live our lives in such a carefree manner while so many are suffering. After traveling to Ethiopia, my heart can not just forget - I feel like it is going to be a blessing to have the experience imprinted on my heart, yet I am struggling with how to deal with the responsibility of it all. I want to do more. I can donate money, etc. but I want to be sure that I am doing what I am supposed to do -not to make MY heart feel better, but to honor God AND the people who have given so much to us.

While Grace and I sat in our backyard blowing bubbles, there were (and are) millions of women and their children making the long trek to a refugee camp somewhere in Somalia or Ethiopia simply because they do not have food and water. My heart aches for them.

It doesn't seem fair.

There were several times this weekend when I had to tell my kids that we can't worry about what is "fair" -they were bickering about how many pieces of candy one kid got and the other didn't, or when one kid complained because he couldn't play his Nintendo DS yet his sister could text her friend on her cell phone...I actually said "life will not always seem fair." As those words came out of my mouth, It really hit me that life is NOT fair- what we chose to do about it is what counts.

So, here we are...Grace is enjoying summer...living like a little princess...

...and others are hoping for a meal and some water to help them survive one more day.

If you are able to give (every donation helps), please visit Glimmer of Hope's website for more information....They are working to providing emergency relief for Ethiopia.

For more information about the crisis in Africa, check out this BBC article....heartbreaking...