cereal?

I just finished reading Philemon to the kids.  I don't know if they really got anything out of it, but I did.  I really enjoyed breaking it down into individual verses for them, because they weren't the only ones that reaped the benefits. :)

HMMM. . .

What to read to them next?

Ah Ha!

Jonah will be a fun book to read verse by verse with them.

Let's start out by reading the introduction in my Life Application Study Bible. . .

"Sin runs rampant in society--daily headlines and overflowing prisons bear dramatic witness to that fact.  With child abuse, pornography, serial killings, . . ."

Ethan, "CEREAL?"

Lots of giggles from both of them.

Okay!

After I had started reading, I was wondering what I would tell him when he asked, "what is pornography".  I guess I didn't have to worry about that!  It seems that the "serial (cereal) killings" left more of an impression on him.

I love that kids are so LITERAL!

(well, most of the time) :)

tuesday 8 june 2010

The big day has come! He finally did it!

MUCH excitement.

turning the pedals around to JUST the right place before starting.

anticipating showing Dad

HUGE smiles after every run.

calling "Cousin Friend" to share the news

"I think when Daddy sees me he will be SO happy."

"I think when Daddy sees me he will yell and clap!"

"I am so glad that I learned when I was still 4."

"Grandma, I can ride WITHOUT training wheels!"

"I am SO glad that I learned how."

Little Sis is the BEST cheerleader! Full of encouragement and clapping for Big Brother.

Happy Day! Such exitement! Congrats to you, Ethan!

We love you and love watching you grow up.

i sing the mighty power of GOD,

that made the mountains rise. . .While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care; And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God art present there.

I can't believe that it is the first Monday of June already. My how time flies when you get busy! I still have no medical explanation for all the things that happened to me this month. One thing I know for sure is that I slowed down a good deal and had lots of time to think. Not a bad thing, by the way! This past week as our family tried to better learn the above song, I was STRUCK by the line in the 3rd verse that says "While all that borrows life from Thee. . ." Isn't that just the whole truth? Do I have life? Do I make myself wake up every morning? Am I in control? NO, NO, NO! I am BORROWING life from HIM! What a wonderful thought. Now the next thought that came to mind is about how I treat things that I borrow from friends. Do I borrow a friend's belonging and missuse or misstreat it? Or do I handle it with utmost care so that I can return it in the same condition that it was given me? O.K. This is getting more sobering as I go. How do I handle this life that I am borrowing from the MOST AWESOME God? How do I treat my body, THE TEMPLE OF THE MOST HIGH? I guess this is all common sense, but it just hit me very hard when we were singing one day this week, and I am ashamed to say that I fall very short. I am very thankful for God's grace and forgiveness. I hope that I can keep this foremost in my mind for quite some time! I have many other things to be thankful for too, and I will try once again to name just a few!

. . . . . . .

91 - dad, kids, & rough gruff (read wrestling on foam mattresses)

92 - dad, kids, & hilarious giggling (read sweaty, tired, beyond histerical kids!)

93 - a dad who brings home fun stuff for his boy

94 - first tomatoes of the season from brother's greenhouse

95 - strawberry shortcake

96 - visits with an elderly aunt

97 - inspiring messages at the conference

98 - visiting a bird sanctuary with old friends

99 - snow cones at Cedarville even if there weren't tents

100 - kids that wash cars

. . . . . . .

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S name is to be praised. -Psalm 113:3

a lovely day. . .

today is a lovely day at home.
no van.
not allowed to drive.
no tests (for today).
rain (which happens to be one of my favorites).
time with the kiddos.
time to read.
time to be inspired. . .

Radical by David Platt from Taylor Robinson on Vimeo.

. . .hope you are too!

i need this reminder.

all to often i find myself

"living out a christian spin on the american dream"

when  i would rather be

"worshipping the Jesus of the Bible"!

Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.    -Luke 18:22

be not dismayed whate'er betide. . .

God will take care of you; Beneath His wings of love abide, God will take care of you.  God will take care of you, Thro' ev'ry day, O'er all the way; He will take care of you, God will take care of you. . .

Spending the majority of your week laying down makes you think of lots of things.  You think of all the plans YOU had for the week and how YOU are not the one in control, but GOD is good!  You think of all the times that you have lost your patience with people, things, & circumstances, and you are thankful for God's GRACE.  You think of your dear husband, and you pray that he will have WISDOM and STRENGTH to lead your family.  You think of your kiddos and send up prayers that they will become FOLLOWERS of Him.  You think of ALL that you have, and you count your blessings once again!

. . . . . . .

81 - Reminders to "BE READY"

82 - gentleness

83 - questions from kiddos

84 - girly that loves her mommy

85 - cousins

86 - friends that humor my boy

87 - my FAVORITE friend

88 - being Mommy to my boy on Mother's Day

89 - being Mommy to my girl on Mother's Day

90 - little clip called "Reverse Thinking"

. . . . . . .

Then Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath he went as usual to the synagogue. He stood up to read the Scriptures and was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save his people."        -Luke 4:16-19

Father, I stretch my hands to thee,. . .

No other help I know; If thou withdraw thyself from me, Ah! whither shall I go?

. . . . . . .

71 - picking up right where you left off with dear friends whose company you haven't enjoyed in a LONG time
72 - friends from clear across the country calling to say that they can have dinner with you in 2 days
73 - bike riding lessons

74 - acquiring a new mop
75 - witnessing brothers & sisters working together for common good
76 - strawberry shortcake
77 - reminders that GOD is in control
78 - clear cat scans and normal EKG tests
79 - prayers from friends and family
80 - hearing my boy & girl say, "you're my FAVORITE mommy!"
. . . . . . .

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.  -Philippians 3:8-11

it is enough. . .

that Jesus died, and that He died for me!

For the past month, I have felt very busy.  I am VERY thankful for being able to feel like we are getting back to a schedule!  Now I can relax and savor all the memories that we made!

. . . . . . .

61 - 33 years for me

(yes, my husband managed to get all 33 candles lit)

62 - memories of little cousins

63 - accountability friends

64 - artistic abilities

65 - kitties purring in sleeping bags

66 - outbuilding projects

67 - campfire suppers just because

68 - afternoon fun

69 - braids

70 - soccer

(shouldn't every Guatemala kid play soccer?)

. . . . . . .

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.   -James 3:17