Odd But Spiffy

Some people have way too much time on their hands:

Unicycle Dance

Still, it is pretty spiffy.

Advent Thoughts #4

"Behold, the Lamb of God
Who takes away our sin
Behold the Lamb of God
The life and light of men
Behold the Lamb of God
Who died and rose again
Behold the Lamb of God who comes
To take away our sin"

Excerpt from “Behold the Lamb of God” by Andrew Peterson


I’ve enjoyed dwelling on Jesus’ first Advent with you all. Join me now in praising our God for the sacrifice He made to live and die as a man to save us. It is because He did this that we are now able to love, adore and serve Him. Hallelujah!

A Great Wodehouse Golf Quote

"Ah, well, non-golfers will marry- we can't help that. Not even at the risk of perpetuating one of Nature's greatest blunders."

--"Rodney Fails to Qualify" by P.G. Wodehouse

The Difference Between Boys and Girls

The great differences between my two eldest children were, once again, made very clear to me yesterday as we were eating lunch.

Lily: "Is this jelly on here? It is jelly? Mmm, I like jelly! This is special jelly! Is it honey? No, it's not? It's jelly? I like jelly!"

Malachi: (chew, chew)

Lily: "Yum! This is tasty! I like this! Look, Mommy I'm eating very quickly! Am I eating quickly? I am? Yeah, I'm eating quickly! Look, I'm eating very fast! I am? Yeah, I'm eating lunch very fast! I like special jelly!"

Malachi: (chew, chew)

Lily: When I'm done I'll get a snack? I will? Yeah, when I'm done eating I'll get a snack! I'm eating very quickly. I like this! This is special jelly!"

Malachi: (chew, chew)

Well, at least they come by it honestly.

Advent Thoughts #3

As “good Protestants” we try to not give to much attention to Mary so as to not make the same mistake as the Catholics and idolize her. But this woman was amazing. Joseph, too, endured much shame for his part in this story.

Imagine being pregnant and unmarried. Imagine walking into church on Sunday with a huge belly and watching your church family avert their eyes as you pass by. Or hear their forced casual comments as they try to be polite while trying to not mention the obvious. Your fiance walks in and then no one at all will speak to either of you for fear that your shame will somehow rub off on them. Add to that the fact that half the people there think you should be dragged off and stoned to death (Deut.22).

Joseph and Mary endured much for the glory of their God. And the Bible speaks nothing but praise of both of them. It’s no wonder God chose these two people to raise His only Son.

Andrew Peterson’s song, “Labor of Love” (sung by Jill Phillips) holds a very special place in my heart. I remember sitting with Gaby and listening to this song with tears running down my face a few short days after Evangeline was born . It is about what the labor and birth must have been like for Joseph and Mary and it's very, very beautiful. You can listen to it here (scroll down to "Behold the Lamb of God" and click on Open Player) or just read the lyrics:

It was not a silent night
There was blood on the ground
You could hear a woman cry
In the alleyways that night
On the streets of David's town

And the stable was not clean
And the cobblestones were cold
And little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
Had no mother's hand to hold

It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love

Noble Joseph at her side
Callused hands and weary eyes
There were no midwives to be found
In the streets of David's town
In the middle of the night

So he held her and he prayed
Shafts of moonlight on his face
But the baby in her womb
He was the maker of the moon
He was the Author of the faith
That could make the mountains move

It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love
For little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
It was a labor of love

-"Labor of Love" by Andrew Peterson

Pool Time

It's been at least six posts since I've put up pictures of my adorable kids. Here's two out of three with a partial shot of Joshua thrown in as a bonus.

Advent Thoughts #2

Something that I think about sometimes is how real Jesus is. Far too often Bible stories are told as just that- stories. They are really history. When kids are taught about Christopher Columbus in school it is regarded as fact, but when we talk about Jesus it somehow ends up in a different category and doesn’t feel as real. There’s actual history and then there’s “Bible times” which sort of existed in a different dimension of quasi reality. No one actually says this, but you know that thought is there.
What a lie this is! What could be more real than the One who created everything real?

Jesus is God. Jesus is man. Jesus was a baby inside His mommy’s belly and he was born in a really gross and unappealing way (like all babies are) and he pooped and spit up and fell down a lot and got boo-boos and went through puberty and that awkward stage that we all go through (and some of us never get out of) and did everything that a real, normal person does (except sin.) He was and is real. He has a real body and everything just like I do. When I pray I am talking to a person. Sure, I can’t see that person, but does that make Him any less real?

The same Jesus that I pray to was born a very long time ago in a real stable to a real woman. He was real then and He is real now and someday I will see Him and then I will fully know how real He is.

Advent Thoughts #1

As some of you may know, we Gardners don’t celebrate Christmas. I should think, though, that it’s obvious by our words and actions that we certainly DO celebrate Jesus’ first Advent into this world and everything glorious that came from it. We are saved from death and wretchedness forever because Jesus was born and that is something to rejoice about!
I have some quotes and thoughts about the Advent that I’d like to share with you all. Most of these quotes and thoughts come from or are inspired by Andrew Peterson’s album, “Behold the Lamb of God.”
Let’s take some time to dwell on the marvelous truths that we know and adore: Jesus was born, He lived a perfect life, He was murdered and then He was raised from the dead and now reigns eternally in Heaven and on earth. Praise Jehovah!

****************

Where shall I begin this little Advent series? Well, it begins where it should- with a cry for help.

“Deliver us, deliver us
Oh Yahweh, hear our cry
And gather us beneath your wings tonight

Our sins they are more numerous than all the lambs we slay
These shackles they were made with our own hands
Our toil is our atonement and our freedom yours to give
So Yahweh, break your silence if you can

Deliver us, deliver us
Oh Yahweh, hear our cry
And gather us beneath your wings tonight”

Excerpt from “Deliver Us” by Andrew Peterson

Every creature on this earth is born into sin and misery. Our sin binds us in a vicious captivity. Then the Savior came to earth and shattered our chains with His life and death.
I am a vile sinner. Every morning when I wake up I feel the presence of my sin and every night when I go to sleep I can look back on the terrible things I’ve done throughout the day. I hate my sin. I yearn for the day when I will be finally and completely free from my sins. And that day will come because of what Jesus did. I am forgiven (what a glorious truth!) and my sin is no longer my master. Little by little my Jesus is changing me into the beautiful creature He wants me to be. And that is why He was born in a dirty little stable as the son of a lowly carpenter. To rescue me and to rescue you. To deliver us from captivity and bring us to freedom forever.

For Your Listening Enjoyment

This is one of those songs that I like for no real tangible reason. Enjoy!


P.S. The video is rather dumb so just listen to the song.

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