Friday, September 28, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
John Piper: What I Said at My Granddaughter's Funeral
What I Said at My Granddaughter's Funeral
I found this very moving. I greatly admire John Piper as he is a man who has sacrificed his entire life to God. I appreciated seeing how he deals with grief, both in the death of his father and granddaughter, in a very Godly manner.
I found this very moving. I greatly admire John Piper as he is a man who has sacrificed his entire life to God. I appreciated seeing how he deals with grief, both in the death of his father and granddaughter, in a very Godly manner.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Things You Don't Want to Hear #2
"I wiped it on your bed."
(This one was especially bad since the preceding sentence had something to do with boogers.)
Remember, you don't have to be a mom or around little kids to add your own "Things you don't want to hear."
Sunday, September 16, 2007
The Ugliness and the Soccer Mom
This is a post I've been wanting to write for a while and when James left his comment on a previous post I thought maybe I should finally try to write my thoughts out.
The movie "The Second Chance" is a Christian movie about two pastors- one from a big, rich, flashy church and the other from a small inner-city church. The movie made several good points, but I'll just mention one. The pastor from the inner-city church had a bad habit of swearing. His language wasn't "R-rated," but it still was not lovely, appropriate or God-honoring. I think there are a few reasons why this character had this flaw, but the reason that stuck out to me was the fact that he had been affected by his surroundings. He was pastor of a church right in the middle of everything that is ugly. The church ministered to drug-dealers and prostitutes and hearing gunshots in their neighborhood was an everyday occurrence. So this pastor was faced with the ugliness every day of his life and as a result the language of the people around him seeped in and he started talking like they did.
Each Christian has been called to serve wherever God has placed them and no matter where you live there is the danger of the ugliness of the world seeping into you and your family and changing you. If you live in an urban area perhaps the temptation will be to dress similarly to your neighbors since you feel weird in your "good Christian clothes." Or maybe the hopelessness of the people around you will affect you or even the violence you are faced with everyday. Maybe you'll be tempted to let down your guard and stop fighting quite so hard and maybe some of the ugliness will be let in.
My family has been called to serve God in middle class suburbia. Our neighborhood is relatively safe and I don't think I've ever heard a gunshot nor seen a drug deal take place. But this neighborhood is still full of an ugliness all its' own and a danger that can be hard to fight against. It's the danger of wealth and worldliness, of relying on my possessions for happiness and trying to impress the Joneses.
I don't know my neighbors. Sure, I could name most of them and if I ran into them on the street we'd say hi and chat about the weather a bit, but we all hide behind our masks. We drive our shiny cars into our spacious driveways and prune our hedges. We smile at each other and if we fight with our spouses we try to keep it quiet so no one else hears. And I find myself quite content with how things are because it's so easy and things feel right.
And yet, my neighborhood is just as dark and ugly as the place where the drug dealers live and gang members kill each other. Sin is just as present here as in the ghetto. And we need to be fighting it here or it will overtake us as well. Only it won't come out as swearing or violence, rather it will look like a well-kept lawn and a nice minivan. A smiling face as I take my kids to soccer practice, ballet, tuba lessons, swim meets, etc. My husband will go to work and I'll run the kids about and make sure our house stays clean. We'll pay the bills on time and even have some money left over for a nice vacation. I'll smile at my neighbors and they'll smile back and life will feel right.
Now, I'm not saying that all these things are wrong by themselves, but what is this average American lifestyle? Is it serving God and denying ourselves or is it just getting comfortable here in this world? Maybe that lifestyle makes sense if that's all you're hoping for, but I'm waiting for something better- heaven. And I want my neighbors to be there, too.
So should we give into the pretty-looking ugliness and live like everyone else around us? Or do we fight it and, by God's almighty grace bring some light and hope into this dark place?
Don't think that just because you live in a nice neighborhood with pretty houses you aren't called to be a missionary there or that it's not dangerous. The danger to become like the world is very present in nice neighborhoods- it's just harder to see. Which makes it harder to fight.
May God give us wisdom and courage to fight and serve where He has placed us.
The movie "The Second Chance" is a Christian movie about two pastors- one from a big, rich, flashy church and the other from a small inner-city church. The movie made several good points, but I'll just mention one. The pastor from the inner-city church had a bad habit of swearing. His language wasn't "R-rated," but it still was not lovely, appropriate or God-honoring. I think there are a few reasons why this character had this flaw, but the reason that stuck out to me was the fact that he had been affected by his surroundings. He was pastor of a church right in the middle of everything that is ugly. The church ministered to drug-dealers and prostitutes and hearing gunshots in their neighborhood was an everyday occurrence. So this pastor was faced with the ugliness every day of his life and as a result the language of the people around him seeped in and he started talking like they did.
Each Christian has been called to serve wherever God has placed them and no matter where you live there is the danger of the ugliness of the world seeping into you and your family and changing you. If you live in an urban area perhaps the temptation will be to dress similarly to your neighbors since you feel weird in your "good Christian clothes." Or maybe the hopelessness of the people around you will affect you or even the violence you are faced with everyday. Maybe you'll be tempted to let down your guard and stop fighting quite so hard and maybe some of the ugliness will be let in.
My family has been called to serve God in middle class suburbia. Our neighborhood is relatively safe and I don't think I've ever heard a gunshot nor seen a drug deal take place. But this neighborhood is still full of an ugliness all its' own and a danger that can be hard to fight against. It's the danger of wealth and worldliness, of relying on my possessions for happiness and trying to impress the Joneses.
I don't know my neighbors. Sure, I could name most of them and if I ran into them on the street we'd say hi and chat about the weather a bit, but we all hide behind our masks. We drive our shiny cars into our spacious driveways and prune our hedges. We smile at each other and if we fight with our spouses we try to keep it quiet so no one else hears. And I find myself quite content with how things are because it's so easy and things feel right.
And yet, my neighborhood is just as dark and ugly as the place where the drug dealers live and gang members kill each other. Sin is just as present here as in the ghetto. And we need to be fighting it here or it will overtake us as well. Only it won't come out as swearing or violence, rather it will look like a well-kept lawn and a nice minivan. A smiling face as I take my kids to soccer practice, ballet, tuba lessons, swim meets, etc. My husband will go to work and I'll run the kids about and make sure our house stays clean. We'll pay the bills on time and even have some money left over for a nice vacation. I'll smile at my neighbors and they'll smile back and life will feel right.
Now, I'm not saying that all these things are wrong by themselves, but what is this average American lifestyle? Is it serving God and denying ourselves or is it just getting comfortable here in this world? Maybe that lifestyle makes sense if that's all you're hoping for, but I'm waiting for something better- heaven. And I want my neighbors to be there, too.
So should we give into the pretty-looking ugliness and live like everyone else around us? Or do we fight it and, by God's almighty grace bring some light and hope into this dark place?
Don't think that just because you live in a nice neighborhood with pretty houses you aren't called to be a missionary there or that it's not dangerous. The danger to become like the world is very present in nice neighborhoods- it's just harder to see. Which makes it harder to fight.
May God give us wisdom and courage to fight and serve where He has placed us.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
My Beloved
Yesterday the kids and I were sick so Joshua graciously stayed home from work to take care of us. Joshua even washed dishes and did laundry in between wiping kids' noses and caring for a cranky wife. As a result, some dishes were put away in the wrong places and some bits of clothes and towels were folded and put away differently than I like to do it and so things are a little less organized than I generally like. I suppose I could complain about the inconvenience that causes me today, but I'm finding that as I'm going about my duties and I come upon a "mistake" that Joshua made it only serves to remind me of how much my husband loves me. Not only did he stay home from work (and therefore run the risk of being backlogged today) and take care of all of us, but he also made sure the house kept running smoothly so that I didn't have to worry about it.
I've said it before and I know I'll say it again: I'm married to a truly loving, thoughtful and serving man. There's just no way I can figure that I deserve him.
Thank you, my dear husband, for loving me. And thank You, my Father, for this undeserved gift.
I've said it before and I know I'll say it again: I'm married to a truly loving, thoughtful and serving man. There's just no way I can figure that I deserve him.
Thank you, my dear husband, for loving me. And thank You, my Father, for this undeserved gift.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Things You Don't Want to Hear
Coming From the Bathroom:
"It won't go down!"
In the middle of the night:
"My bed is messy!"
Anytime:
(Crash!) "Look what Malachi did!"
Feel free to add your own "Things You Don't Want to Hear."
"It won't go down!"
In the middle of the night:
"My bed is messy!"
Anytime:
(Crash!) "Look what Malachi did!"
Feel free to add your own "Things You Don't Want to Hear."
Sunday, September 09, 2007
I'll Share Jesus with You- Just Don't Touch Me
We recently received a newsletter from the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation. These people are really trying to save lives by changing the way our country views unborn children and I applaud their efforts. That newsletter got me thinking, though. I’ve been an active “Pro-Lifer” since I was young. Much of that was due to the fact that my mom, in her job, worked with unwed mothers and helped them make the decision to keep their babies and not have abortions. So I would proudly wear the footprint pin and the T-shirts and march downtown with a poster-sized sign. These were very good things to do, but how come I never wore a T-shirt that said drugs were wrong or picketed a strip club? Why was I so outspoken against abortion and not any of these other sins? Could it be that part of the reason there are so many loud “Pro-Lifers” is because unwanted pregnancies and abortions aren’t things that we struggle with? Would we be so outspoken about sins that we are tempted by? And what if that sin was "extra bad" and not talked about?
Harvest USA is a ministry that reaches out to people that struggle with sexual sins. They provide counseling and teaching for the guy who can’t get enough porn, the girl who thinks she might be lesbian, and the husband who cheats on his wife. These are the “yucky” sins that we church folks don’t want to talk about. We’ll go to hear a great speaker talk about the horrors of abortion, but if there’s a lecture about homosexuality then we’re out of there. The brave people who work with Harvest USA aren't afraid to be associated with the unpleasantness of certain sins.
I’m not saying that we should stop be outspoken about protecting a babies life or that it’s wrong to be Pro-Life. On the contrary, I’m eager for the day when I can donate some of my time and energy to help fight abortion here in Erie. What I’m saying is, we can’t ignore the other sins that don’t get talked about.
If someone in your church got pregnant out of marriage then you’d probably know about it, but what if a Christian sister were struggling with alcoholism or a brother were struggling with sexual addiction? Would you even want to know? And if you did, how would you minister to him?
I don’t care how socially unacceptable some sins are. We Christians need to stop being so prissy and get our hands dirty! If we are too good or too “polite” to talk about these sins then who will bring these poor, battered souls to Jesus? Jesus Himself hung out with thieves and prostitutes. Do you think He didn’t know what that prostitute was doing the night before? Do you think He shrank away from her? If the Holy Son of the Almighty Creator could stoop to love and save these filthy sinners, then who are we to think they aren’t our problem?
After all, are we any less sinful?
Harvest USA is a ministry that reaches out to people that struggle with sexual sins. They provide counseling and teaching for the guy who can’t get enough porn, the girl who thinks she might be lesbian, and the husband who cheats on his wife. These are the “yucky” sins that we church folks don’t want to talk about. We’ll go to hear a great speaker talk about the horrors of abortion, but if there’s a lecture about homosexuality then we’re out of there. The brave people who work with Harvest USA aren't afraid to be associated with the unpleasantness of certain sins.
I’m not saying that we should stop be outspoken about protecting a babies life or that it’s wrong to be Pro-Life. On the contrary, I’m eager for the day when I can donate some of my time and energy to help fight abortion here in Erie. What I’m saying is, we can’t ignore the other sins that don’t get talked about.
If someone in your church got pregnant out of marriage then you’d probably know about it, but what if a Christian sister were struggling with alcoholism or a brother were struggling with sexual addiction? Would you even want to know? And if you did, how would you minister to him?
I don’t care how socially unacceptable some sins are. We Christians need to stop being so prissy and get our hands dirty! If we are too good or too “polite” to talk about these sins then who will bring these poor, battered souls to Jesus? Jesus Himself hung out with thieves and prostitutes. Do you think He didn’t know what that prostitute was doing the night before? Do you think He shrank away from her? If the Holy Son of the Almighty Creator could stoop to love and save these filthy sinners, then who are we to think they aren’t our problem?
After all, are we any less sinful?
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Monday, September 03, 2007
I Think I'm in Love
Today Joshua and I took our first motorcycle ride together. As soon as we hit the open road and the wind took my breath away I knew there was nowhere else on earth that I'd rather be than riding with my man.
Riding a motorcycle is a unique experience. Feeling the power of the machine you're sitting on, seeing the landscape flying by with amazing clarity, having the wind make your eyes water, and feeling the tiny pinpricks on your face where the kamikaze insects crash, all combine to make an exciting, fun and extremely relaxing experience.
Now that I've had a taste, I'm hooked. I can't wait to ride again. Now to find a babysitter....
Riding a motorcycle is a unique experience. Feeling the power of the machine you're sitting on, seeing the landscape flying by with amazing clarity, having the wind make your eyes water, and feeling the tiny pinpricks on your face where the kamikaze insects crash, all combine to make an exciting, fun and extremely relaxing experience.
Now that I've had a taste, I'm hooked. I can't wait to ride again. Now to find a babysitter....
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Memories
A few weeks ago I was at a yard sale and as I was perusing the various bits and pieces of stuff my eyes fell on this robot arm thingy. I suddenly remembered that my brothers had owned one of these a long time ago and I was struck with nostalgia. I excitedly showed it to Joshua and paid all of one dollar for it. It still works and it's just as cool as I remember.
There's just something about controlling a robot arm thingy that makes even the most dignified adult feel like a kid. Even my dad started playing with it when I showed it to him. ;)
There's just something about controlling a robot arm thingy that makes even the most dignified adult feel like a kid. Even my dad started playing with it when I showed it to him. ;)
My Name is- What?
I've decided that the "K" and "L" keys on this keyboard are far too close. I've misspelled my name as "Adiek" so many times I'm contemplating having my name legally changed just so I can stop hitting backspace all the time. Of course, with my typing skills I guess backspace will always be my best friend.
Yours truly,
Adiek
Yours truly,
Adiek
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
A Quote
"The grandeur of the arch of heaven would be spoiled if the sky were supported by a single visible column, and your faith would lose its glory if it rested on anything discernible by the carnal eye."
-----Charles H. Spurgeon
-----Charles H. Spurgeon
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
A Bouncing Baby Blog
I've started a new blog, A Dash of This, A Smidgeon of That. There I'll be posting various and sundry helpful stuff for other homemakers. Check it out!
Friday, August 24, 2007
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Happy Birthday, Joshua!
Today is my beloved husband’s birthday. One thing I like so much about birthdays is they give us a chance to publicly honor someone. And if anyone deserves to be honored it’s Joshua. I mean, if he can live with me day in and day out for five years, put up with three cranky kids, fix our old house, (and refix and fix again...) do yard work, change diapers, clean up vomit, and get me chocolate when I need it, then he’s just about what I’d call the perfect husband.
Joshua, it’s been an adventure being married to you. I think I have you figured out and then you go and do something that surprises and amazes me. I’m so grateful for you.
I love you. Happy Birthday.
“Lead me and I’ll follow you
Anywhere, anytime
When the love is right
The path is bright
From the Father of lights you came
And I know I’ll never be the same
again.”
--Tourniquet
When the Love is Right
Joshua, it’s been an adventure being married to you. I think I have you figured out and then you go and do something that surprises and amazes me. I’m so grateful for you.
I love you. Happy Birthday.
“Lead me and I’ll follow you
Anywhere, anytime
When the love is right
The path is bright
From the Father of lights you came
And I know I’ll never be the same
again.”
--Tourniquet
When the Love is Right
Monday, August 20, 2007
All Hail The Queen
We Gardners have a bit of a reputation when it comes to salad dressing. We have a lot of it. I've even been called the Salad Dressing Queen. Joshua brings home various dressings and sauces from work so we have quite a variety of dressings to serve when people come over for dinner. We bring dressings when we are invited to someone else's house. We even give it away as gifts.
So today I felt inspired to find out exactly how many bottles of dressings, dips, sauces, syrups, and marinades that we currently have in our home. The final count is... 49.
And that's not counting the four dressing-sized bottles of cooking wine that Joshua brought home or the bottle of salted Tequila (yes, that is an ingrediant in some marinades.)
I sometimes wonder what sort of impact this will have on our children as they grow up.
"Daddy, Sarah's family only had two bottles of dressing with dinner! Isn't that silly?"
"Mommy, why don't my friends eat their dressing by the spoonful like we do?"
Ah, well, we've never been normal in any other part of life- why should our condiments be any different?
So today I felt inspired to find out exactly how many bottles of dressings, dips, sauces, syrups, and marinades that we currently have in our home. The final count is... 49.
And that's not counting the four dressing-sized bottles of cooking wine that Joshua brought home or the bottle of salted Tequila (yes, that is an ingrediant in some marinades.)
I sometimes wonder what sort of impact this will have on our children as they grow up.
"Daddy, Sarah's family only had two bottles of dressing with dinner! Isn't that silly?"
"Mommy, why don't my friends eat their dressing by the spoonful like we do?"
Ah, well, we've never been normal in any other part of life- why should our condiments be any different?
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Sabbath Quote
"Lord, evermore Thy face we seek:
Tempted we are, and poor, and weak;
Keep us with lowly hearts, and meek.
Let us not fall. Let us not fall."
----Charles H. Spurgeon
Tempted we are, and poor, and weak;
Keep us with lowly hearts, and meek.
Let us not fall. Let us not fall."
----Charles H. Spurgeon
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Just a Neat Picture
I took this picture right before the praying mantis jumped on my camera. I guess he didn't like being photographed.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Conversion Story
I had taken these pictures a while ago and I stumbled upon them as I was sorting through some old photographs. I really enjoyed this project (though my models may have felt differently) and I wanted to share it with you. If the quality isn't that great it's because I took pictures of the pictures with my camera since I don't have a scanner.
Conversion Story
Conversion Story
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
A Great Quote
An optimist sees the glass as half full...
The pessimist sees it as half empty...
The realist sees it as just one more thing to wash.
The pessimist sees it as half empty...
The realist sees it as just one more thing to wash.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
A Bragging Post
I realize that I am seeing this through the biased eyes of a proud mommy, but I'll still brag about it.
Evangeline is only 5 1/2 months old and today she pulled herself up to a standing position and, with some interesting maneuvering, got a toy out of the toy box. Isn't my little girl something? She's always been strong so at this rate she'll be bench pressing her brother by the time she's a year old. My theory is that she's pushing herself to excel in mobility just so she can run away from Lily when she gets in her mothering moods.
I'm so proud of my baby.
Evangeline is only 5 1/2 months old and today she pulled herself up to a standing position and, with some interesting maneuvering, got a toy out of the toy box. Isn't my little girl something? She's always been strong so at this rate she'll be bench pressing her brother by the time she's a year old. My theory is that she's pushing herself to excel in mobility just so she can run away from Lily when she gets in her mothering moods.
I'm so proud of my baby.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Stress Diet
This was one of those forwarded emails, but it gave me a chuckle so I thought I'd pass it on.
This is a specially formulated diet designed to help women cope with the stress that builds during the day.
Breakfast
1 grapefruit
1 slice whole wheat toast
1 cup skim milk
Lunch
1 small portion lean, steamed chicken
1 cup spinach
1 cup herbal tea
1 Hershey's kiss
Afternoon Tea
The rest of the Hershey kisses in the bag
1 tub of Hagen-Daaz ice cream with chocolate chips
Dinner
4 glasses of wine (red or white)
2 loaves garlic bread
1 family size supreme pizza
3 Snickers Bars
Late Night Snack
1 whole Sarah Lee cheesecake (eaten directly from the freezer)
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Happy Birthday, Seth!
Today is my oldest brother's birthday. He is turning 30 today! I could make some sort of obnoxious comment about how old he is, but I'm afraid that, in his senility, he wouldn't get any jokes I make. You know how old people can be.
Seth, thank you for being my big brother. For teaching me the joy of being a gamer, for letting me follow you around at school saying, "Hi, Big Guy!", for babysitting me when I was a brat, for reading Hitchhiker's Guide to me and most of all, for growing up to be my friend.
I love you, Big Guy.
Happy Birthday!
Seth, thank you for being my big brother. For teaching me the joy of being a gamer, for letting me follow you around at school saying, "Hi, Big Guy!", for babysitting me when I was a brat, for reading Hitchhiker's Guide to me and most of all, for growing up to be my friend.
I love you, Big Guy.
Happy Birthday!
Monday, July 30, 2007
Questions I Wish I Didn't Have to Ask
"Where are your underpants?"
"Whose poopy is that?"
"What are you eating?!"
"Whose poopy is that?"
"What are you eating?!"
Helmet Art
Joshua and I have combined our talents to make his motorcycle helmet a work of art. I designed and drew the pattern then Joshua did the meticulous work of cutting out the stencil from masking tape. Then he put the tape stencil on the helmet (NOT as easy as it sounds! You try putting a flat thing on a round thing and see how well it goes.), taped off the rest of the helmet and spray painted it. Because of the camera flash the paint may look white in the pictures, but it's actually silver.
We're both really pleased with how it came out. We're probably going to paint something on the sides and when we do I'll post more pictures.
So what do you think? Not bad for our first helmet painting. Now we have to figure out what we'll do on my helmet.
We're both really pleased with how it came out. We're probably going to paint something on the sides and when we do I'll post more pictures.
So what do you think? Not bad for our first helmet painting. Now we have to figure out what we'll do on my helmet.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Blindside
Throughout the five years that Joshua and I have been married we've discovered our opinions are not always identical when it comes to books, movies, music, etc. But one thing we've always had in common is our love of Blindside's music. Here are a few of my favorites.
(As always feel free to ignore the videos and just listen to the music.)
All of Us
Sleepwalking
Shekina I really like this one. If it seems like you can't understand what he's saying at certain points it's because he sings part of the song in Swedish. How cool is that?
After You're Gone This video is actually for some sort of wrestling thing, but this song is so good I thought I'd post it anyway.
(As always feel free to ignore the videos and just listen to the music.)
All of Us
Sleepwalking
Shekina I really like this one. If it seems like you can't understand what he's saying at certain points it's because he sings part of the song in Swedish. How cool is that?
After You're Gone This video is actually for some sort of wrestling thing, but this song is so good I thought I'd post it anyway.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Embarrassing Jonathan
I thought long and hard about whether I should post this picture. In the end, as you can see, I decided that it was too good to keep to myself. Not only did I snap this picture of my brother sucking his thumb, but I also managed to show off his increasing baldness.
Jonathan, despite my little sister meanness I really enjoyed seeing you a few weeks ago. I liked having you around to just hang out with and I liked hearing you laugh. I guess the only thing I didn't like about your visit is it reminded me of how much I miss having my brothers and sisters nearby. I love you, Jonathan.
(There, did that mushy part make up for the embarrassing picture?)
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Sabbath Quote
"The day is brighter here with You
The night is lighter than its hue
Would lead me to believe
Which leads me to believe
(chorus)
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
And I am Yours
What does that make me?"
---"Everything Glorious" by David Crowder Band
(You can hear the song here.)
The night is lighter than its hue
Would lead me to believe
Which leads me to believe
(chorus)
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
And I am Yours
What does that make me?"
---"Everything Glorious" by David Crowder Band
(You can hear the song here.)
Friday, July 20, 2007
My Peaceful Neighborhood
I'm feeling down. I'm having trouble exactly pinpointing why I'm feeling so bummed out, but I do know one thing that is contributing to this. Last night a man killed himself at the high school right behind our house. He called the police and when they got there he shot himself. (You can read the story here.)
The high school parking lot is like a second back yard to us. It's an ideal place to teach little people to ride bikes or rollerskate.
But now it is stained with blood.
I realize that this isn't a big deal compared to what happens in inner city areas everyday or even compared to the violence that has taken place at other high schools. But this happened in my back yard. And the next time we go for a relaxing Sunday afternoon walk we will walk on sidewalk that witnessed death.
And consider this: Where is that man now? Is he even now begging to be allowed to return to this life, which now seems a pleasant place when compared to the fury of hell? Or was he my brother in Christ that lost hope?
This used to be a peaceful neighborhood where nothing ever happened- or so I thought. I guess this is really the neighborhood I live in- a place where people hurt so much that death is a gift to them. So does this change who we need to be here? How are we to be Christians here? How do we shine in this dark place?
The high school parking lot is like a second back yard to us. It's an ideal place to teach little people to ride bikes or rollerskate.
But now it is stained with blood.
I realize that this isn't a big deal compared to what happens in inner city areas everyday or even compared to the violence that has taken place at other high schools. But this happened in my back yard. And the next time we go for a relaxing Sunday afternoon walk we will walk on sidewalk that witnessed death.
And consider this: Where is that man now? Is he even now begging to be allowed to return to this life, which now seems a pleasant place when compared to the fury of hell? Or was he my brother in Christ that lost hope?
This used to be a peaceful neighborhood where nothing ever happened- or so I thought. I guess this is really the neighborhood I live in- a place where people hurt so much that death is a gift to them. So does this change who we need to be here? How are we to be Christians here? How do we shine in this dark place?
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
They Win
Well, I've finally conceded the match. My kids have me beat. I reached this conclusion after discovering that little, adorable 5-month-old Evangeline is fully mobile. She does this goofy belly flop thing that can move her across the floor at a shocking speed. So now I have a baby that can get into everything, a 4-year-old with a mouth and imagination running on overdrive and an almost 3-year-old that likes to eat light bulbs and thinks he's Spider-man.
So you see, it's hopeless. My daily life looks something like a circus. I could try to fight my children for my sanity or maybe I should just hang on and enjoy the ride.
So you see, it's hopeless. My daily life looks something like a circus. I could try to fight my children for my sanity or maybe I should just hang on and enjoy the ride.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Hey, Good Lookin'
Take a gander at my niece Olympia. She's a cutie, eh? She takes ballet (hence the tutu) and she was over here today for a photo shoot. I'm quite pleased with how the pictures turned out and whether their success was due to the photographer or the subject matter I couldn't say, but it 's a close call. ;o)
Saturday, July 07, 2007
May I Introduce...
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is with great pleasure that I introduce to you the newest addition to our household- a motorcycle!
This is a purely practical second vehicle for our family. Never mind the look of jubilant glee on Joshua's face and the very comfy second seat for yours truly. We got this bike for practical reasons only. Yep, that's right, no fun factor here at all. (And if you believe that I'll tell you another one...)
It is with great pleasure that I introduce to you the newest addition to our household- a motorcycle!
This is a purely practical second vehicle for our family. Never mind the look of jubilant glee on Joshua's face and the very comfy second seat for yours truly. We got this bike for practical reasons only. Yep, that's right, no fun factor here at all. (And if you believe that I'll tell you another one...)
Friday, July 06, 2007
A Story
It’s another beautiful day. Of course, it’s always a beautiful day here. You might even call it heavenly. I often enjoy just being still, like I am now, and drinking in the glory of the endless day. I’ve been here for quite some time now (not that there’s anything such as time here) and I never cease to be amazed at the light of this place. It’s as if everything is shining with a brilliance of a thousand of earth’s suns. Hmm, how strange it is to think of the sun. I haven’t - what’s that? It sounds like quite a commotion. I’ll go check it out. There’s always a party of some kind going on here, I wonder what it is this time? It looks like it’s the angels making all the noise- oh! Great joy of all joys! Another brother has been reborn! Praise the King, He’s brought in one more to join our ranks! It’s sounds like it’s a pretty young one. Ah, it’s a teenager. He’s got a tough life ahead of him from what I hear his family is like. But I’ve seen young ones with worse families than his make it to the end. It’ll be rough going for him, but it was rough for all of us and we made it here by the grace of the King. I look forward to meeting him in person here someday.
I like the look of him. He reminds me of how my son looked at that age. Ah, my son. It won’t be long now until he’ll be showing up here. He makes me so proud! I could spend days (if there was such a thing, of course) just watching him living his life. He’s doing far better than I ever did, let me tell you. Sometimes, when I’m watching my son, I’ll see that the King is watching him, too. If I thought I loved my boy it’s nothing to the love that’s on the King’s face when He’s looking at my son.
I wonder if I’ll ever understand that love of the King’s. When I first got here and first saw the King face to face I plumb near dropped through the floor- well if I’d been standing on a floor I would have dropped through it. There was the smile that I’d tried to imagine for so many years- nothing like I imagined it for no imagination can comprehend such a smile. And then His eyes hit me. It’s like when you stare at a fire on earth and you keep staring until everything else seems to disappear and you feel like you’re falling into the fire and when you look away everything else seems so mundane and bland. But imagine never having to look away. That caught me off guard, that’s for sure! I frankly don’t know if I’ll ever get used to those eyes even after I’ve been here for a few millennia.
Well, His eyes are nothing compared to the Love that shines from every pore of His body. It makes Him so bright. What do you think is lighting this place after all? Hey! Something else is happening! Didn’t I tell you there’s always a party of some kind happening here? A new arrival! Here she comes now. Just look at the expression on her face, will you? Ah, now she’s meeting the King. That’s always a private event. There she goes crying now. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone arrive here and not start crying as soon as they met the King for the first time. I know I was blubbering like a baby when I got here. Not that I was sad obviously. What a thought! Being sad here! There she goes meeting and greeting now. Oh, and look at that reunion. That must have been her husband on earth. Come to think of it I do recall that man telling me of his wife. I’ll let them enjoy the moment and I’ll come back later to introduce myself to the newcomer.
I was in the middle of a thought a moment ago... oh, yes- I was thinking about being sad here. While it’s true that there’s no such thing as pain or grief here, I do still see the agonies that are happening on earth. I see children being murdered and fathers abandoning their families and cruel men killing my beloved siblings of the faith. What torments men devise for one another! And besides that I see our enemies from Hell piercing, wounding, and killing many and dragging off new prisoners to their endless torture.
I know the King sees this, too. It won’t be long now. He’s going to put an end to it once and for all. I can hardly wait for it! What glories will shine then as the King rides in with all His powers and defeats the Enemy for good! If you think there are some great celebrations here just wait until then! No words can describe it. Just thinking about it is thrilling! I know that- Oh look! Another new arrival! Hey- that was my next door neighbor on earth! Praise the King, he made it! If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some celebrating to do.
I like the look of him. He reminds me of how my son looked at that age. Ah, my son. It won’t be long now until he’ll be showing up here. He makes me so proud! I could spend days (if there was such a thing, of course) just watching him living his life. He’s doing far better than I ever did, let me tell you. Sometimes, when I’m watching my son, I’ll see that the King is watching him, too. If I thought I loved my boy it’s nothing to the love that’s on the King’s face when He’s looking at my son.
I wonder if I’ll ever understand that love of the King’s. When I first got here and first saw the King face to face I plumb near dropped through the floor- well if I’d been standing on a floor I would have dropped through it. There was the smile that I’d tried to imagine for so many years- nothing like I imagined it for no imagination can comprehend such a smile. And then His eyes hit me. It’s like when you stare at a fire on earth and you keep staring until everything else seems to disappear and you feel like you’re falling into the fire and when you look away everything else seems so mundane and bland. But imagine never having to look away. That caught me off guard, that’s for sure! I frankly don’t know if I’ll ever get used to those eyes even after I’ve been here for a few millennia.
Well, His eyes are nothing compared to the Love that shines from every pore of His body. It makes Him so bright. What do you think is lighting this place after all? Hey! Something else is happening! Didn’t I tell you there’s always a party of some kind happening here? A new arrival! Here she comes now. Just look at the expression on her face, will you? Ah, now she’s meeting the King. That’s always a private event. There she goes crying now. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone arrive here and not start crying as soon as they met the King for the first time. I know I was blubbering like a baby when I got here. Not that I was sad obviously. What a thought! Being sad here! There she goes meeting and greeting now. Oh, and look at that reunion. That must have been her husband on earth. Come to think of it I do recall that man telling me of his wife. I’ll let them enjoy the moment and I’ll come back later to introduce myself to the newcomer.
I was in the middle of a thought a moment ago... oh, yes- I was thinking about being sad here. While it’s true that there’s no such thing as pain or grief here, I do still see the agonies that are happening on earth. I see children being murdered and fathers abandoning their families and cruel men killing my beloved siblings of the faith. What torments men devise for one another! And besides that I see our enemies from Hell piercing, wounding, and killing many and dragging off new prisoners to their endless torture.
I know the King sees this, too. It won’t be long now. He’s going to put an end to it once and for all. I can hardly wait for it! What glories will shine then as the King rides in with all His powers and defeats the Enemy for good! If you think there are some great celebrations here just wait until then! No words can describe it. Just thinking about it is thrilling! I know that- Oh look! Another new arrival! Hey- that was my next door neighbor on earth! Praise the King, he made it! If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some celebrating to do.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Our Trip to the Zoo (Part 3)
The last of the zoo pictures.
Have you ever seen giraffes run? It's so fun to watch! I still can't figure out how those thin legs can hold up that tall body.
The hippo is an amazing creature. It's an animal of enormous size, (reminding me of how I feel during the ninth month of pregnancy) but it moves with a gracefulness that is surprising. This hippo's name is Blacky and he's 57 years old.
Have you ever seen giraffes run? It's so fun to watch! I still can't figure out how those thin legs can hold up that tall body.
The hippo is an amazing creature. It's an animal of enormous size, (reminding me of how I feel during the ninth month of pregnancy) but it moves with a gracefulness that is surprising. This hippo's name is Blacky and he's 57 years old.
Our Trip to the Zoo (Part 2)
For your viewing enjoyment: more zoo pictures!
This was definitely one of the coolest parts of the zoo. There was an exhibit where we could touch sting rays. (Their barbs had been trimmed so they were safe to touch.) We were supposed to put our hands in the water palms up and touch the bellies of the sting rays as they swam by. It was really amazing. They felt velvety and slimy at the same time. I won't forget that anytime soon.
Lily and Malachi watching the giraffes. The kids really enjoyed them.
This was Malachi's favorite animal. He really likes zebras so we made sure we visited them twice. Lily's favorite animals were the frogs and snakes. As much as I love her, we only saw those animals once.
This was definitely one of the coolest parts of the zoo. There was an exhibit where we could touch sting rays. (Their barbs had been trimmed so they were safe to touch.) We were supposed to put our hands in the water palms up and touch the bellies of the sting rays as they swam by. It was really amazing. They felt velvety and slimy at the same time. I won't forget that anytime soon.
Lily and Malachi watching the giraffes. The kids really enjoyed them.
This was Malachi's favorite animal. He really likes zebras so we made sure we visited them twice. Lily's favorite animals were the frogs and snakes. As much as I love her, we only saw those animals once.
Our Trip to the Zoo (Part 1)
We went to the Cleveland Zoo this weekend and we had such a good time! Here are just a few of the pictures we took.
The tank this shark was in was huge! We stood right next to the glass and the fish would swim right past us.
Malachi really enjoyed watching this gorilla eat. Every time he took a bite Malachi would laugh and laugh.
There was this really spiffy Dinosaur exhibit. The mechanical dinosaurs would move, roar and even spit! Malachi and Alyssa really enjoyed that, but Lily was a tad too scared.
More zoo pictures to come!
The tank this shark was in was huge! We stood right next to the glass and the fish would swim right past us.
Malachi really enjoyed watching this gorilla eat. Every time he took a bite Malachi would laugh and laugh.
There was this really spiffy Dinosaur exhibit. The mechanical dinosaurs would move, roar and even spit! Malachi and Alyssa really enjoyed that, but Lily was a tad too scared.
More zoo pictures to come!
Monday, June 25, 2007
Saturday, June 23, 2007
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!
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!
Friday, June 22, 2007
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
--"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.
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.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
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
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
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
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.
Monday, June 18, 2007
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.
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.
Friday, June 15, 2007
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.
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.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
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.
P.S. The video is rather dumb so just listen to the song.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Sabbath Quote and Thought
"Ever lift Thy face upon me
As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting ’neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth’s dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father’s glory,
Sunshine of my Father’s face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting,
Fill me with Thy grace.
Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart."
Hymn by Jean Pigott
As we sang this hymn in church today I was moved to tears by this line:
"Resting ’neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth’s dark shadows flee."
Sometimes this world's shadows are so thick that I can barely see my way. But if I rest in Jesus then the shadows really do flee and I find hope again. What does it mean to rest in Jesus? To trust Him when He says," I love you, child, you are MINE. I am in control now and I always have been. I gave up my own life for you. Surely I will bring you through this, too."
Jesus has said that to me many times and yet I still doubt Him. Oh, foolish heart! How can I doubt the only One who has ever kept every promise that He has made to me? When will I be freed from my sin? Oh, Lord, keep me ever trusting, resting and fill me full with Thy grace.
As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting ’neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth’s dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father’s glory,
Sunshine of my Father’s face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting,
Fill me with Thy grace.
Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart."
Hymn by Jean Pigott
As we sang this hymn in church today I was moved to tears by this line:
"Resting ’neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth’s dark shadows flee."
Sometimes this world's shadows are so thick that I can barely see my way. But if I rest in Jesus then the shadows really do flee and I find hope again. What does it mean to rest in Jesus? To trust Him when He says," I love you, child, you are MINE. I am in control now and I always have been. I gave up my own life for you. Surely I will bring you through this, too."
Jesus has said that to me many times and yet I still doubt Him. Oh, foolish heart! How can I doubt the only One who has ever kept every promise that He has made to me? When will I be freed from my sin? Oh, Lord, keep me ever trusting, resting and fill me full with Thy grace.
Friday, May 25, 2007
More Slugs & Bugs
As promised, more songs from Andrew Peterson and Randall Goodgame's children's CD, Slugs & Bugs & Lullabies:
God Made Me
God made slugs and bugs and rats and bats
And nasty bees that don't say please
They'll sting your elbows and your knees if you chase them
God made snakes and snails and killer whales
And if you were a baby seal
Then you would make a tasty meal for orcas.
But God made me like He made the sea
He filed it up with green and blue
He sent His Son, his only One
To fill me up and make me new.
God made everything that was or is
Or will be (what a crazy biz)
I can't believe that I am His forever
Now I listen very carefully
Because He lives inside of me
That could be gross, but it's not 'cause it's
Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior!
God made me like He made the sea
He filed it up with green and blue
He sent His Son, his only One
To fill me up and make me new.
Now on a more serious note (this is my favorite song on the album):
You Can Always Come Home
I love you today and I love you tomorrow
I love you as deep as the sea
I love you in joy, and I love you in sorrow
You can always come home to me
There once was a man who found him a treasure
Buried out under a tree
He sold all he had just to own it forever
The treasure is you, you see
I love you today and I love you tomorrow
I love you as deep as the sea
I love you in joy, and I love you in sorrow
You can always come home to me
There once were some sheep safe on the farm
And one little lamb got loose
The shepherd went out and carried it home
That little lamb is you
I love you today and I love you tomorrow
I love you as deep as the sea
I love you in joy, and I love you in sorrow
You can always come home to me
God Made Me
God made slugs and bugs and rats and bats
And nasty bees that don't say please
They'll sting your elbows and your knees if you chase them
God made snakes and snails and killer whales
And if you were a baby seal
Then you would make a tasty meal for orcas.
But God made me like He made the sea
He filed it up with green and blue
He sent His Son, his only One
To fill me up and make me new.
God made everything that was or is
Or will be (what a crazy biz)
I can't believe that I am His forever
Now I listen very carefully
Because He lives inside of me
That could be gross, but it's not 'cause it's
Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior!
God made me like He made the sea
He filed it up with green and blue
He sent His Son, his only One
To fill me up and make me new.
Now on a more serious note (this is my favorite song on the album):
You Can Always Come Home
I love you today and I love you tomorrow
I love you as deep as the sea
I love you in joy, and I love you in sorrow
You can always come home to me
There once was a man who found him a treasure
Buried out under a tree
He sold all he had just to own it forever
The treasure is you, you see
I love you today and I love you tomorrow
I love you as deep as the sea
I love you in joy, and I love you in sorrow
You can always come home to me
There once were some sheep safe on the farm
And one little lamb got loose
The shepherd went out and carried it home
That little lamb is you
I love you today and I love you tomorrow
I love you as deep as the sea
I love you in joy, and I love you in sorrow
You can always come home to me
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Pretty Much the Cutest Smile Ever
And I'm talking about Evangeline's smile, though Joshua's is pretty cute, too.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Sabbath Quote
The Means by Which We Know God
- We know him by two means:
First, by the creation, preservation, and government of the universe, since that universe is before our eyes like a beautiful book in which all creatures, great and small, are as letters to make us ponder the invisible things of God: his eternal power and his divinity, as the apostle Paul says in Romans 1:20.
All these things are enough to convict men and to leave them without excuse.
Second, he makes himself known to us more openly by his holy and divine Word, as much as we need in this life, for his glory and for the salvation of his own.
Friday, May 18, 2007
A New Blog!
My niece Arianna and her friend Elsie have started a blog entitled "The Land of Fairytales." Arianna and I share a love of Fairies and we both seem to have excellent taste in blog templates.
Go check it out!
Go check it out!
Monday, May 14, 2007
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Happy Mother's Day
It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining with all its brilliance, the sky was that shade of blue that makes you want to dance and the clouds were like puffs of pure white cotton hanging in the never ending blueness. I could feel the warm breeze on my face as I sped along on my trusty rollerblades.
I lifted my face to bask in the ethereal warmth when suddenly, from out of nowhere, a brick wall loomed up in front of me. I didn’t even have time to react. I couldn’t stop. I crashed into that solid wall going full speed, totally unprepared. The pain was blinding. I felt something shatter in my chest. It felt like shards of glass were exploding inside me, tearing holes in my veins and shredding my lungs to pieces. Breathing was impossible. Blackness. I had never known such pain.
That’s how I felt when my mom died.
Why do I write this?, you ask. First, believe it or not, it’s actually helpful for me. If I were to try to deny the existence of that pain then I would be a liar. If I forgot that pain then I would forget what I was rescued from.
Secondly, I hope to show you folks out there who still have your mom living on this earth what it was like to lose my mom so you can more fully appreciate your own mom.
When I change a yucky diaper I think about all my diapers that my mom changed. When I wake up in the middle of the night to care for a fussy baby I think about all the sleep my mom went without to care for me. When I’m exasperated at my children I think about what I must have put my mom through. And when I’m lonely during the day and ache for someone to talk to I remember how I could call my mom anytime to talk to her about anything and she would listen and understand.
Sure, my mom drove me crazy at times. It’s in the mother-daughter contract to get on each others nerves now and then. But she was my best friend and I loved her. And she loved me.
Imagine if your mom died today. Imagine never hearing her voice on the other end of the phone again. Imagine never again feeling her love for you. Is there something you would wish you had told her? Did you give her a hug the last time you saw her? Does she know that you truly appreciate everything she sacrificed for you? Does she know you love her?
Tell her. You never know if that brick wall will appear suddenly in front of you.
I lifted my face to bask in the ethereal warmth when suddenly, from out of nowhere, a brick wall loomed up in front of me. I didn’t even have time to react. I couldn’t stop. I crashed into that solid wall going full speed, totally unprepared. The pain was blinding. I felt something shatter in my chest. It felt like shards of glass were exploding inside me, tearing holes in my veins and shredding my lungs to pieces. Breathing was impossible. Blackness. I had never known such pain.
That’s how I felt when my mom died.
Why do I write this?, you ask. First, believe it or not, it’s actually helpful for me. If I were to try to deny the existence of that pain then I would be a liar. If I forgot that pain then I would forget what I was rescued from.
Secondly, I hope to show you folks out there who still have your mom living on this earth what it was like to lose my mom so you can more fully appreciate your own mom.
When I change a yucky diaper I think about all my diapers that my mom changed. When I wake up in the middle of the night to care for a fussy baby I think about all the sleep my mom went without to care for me. When I’m exasperated at my children I think about what I must have put my mom through. And when I’m lonely during the day and ache for someone to talk to I remember how I could call my mom anytime to talk to her about anything and she would listen and understand.
Sure, my mom drove me crazy at times. It’s in the mother-daughter contract to get on each others nerves now and then. But she was my best friend and I loved her. And she loved me.
Imagine if your mom died today. Imagine never hearing her voice on the other end of the phone again. Imagine never again feeling her love for you. Is there something you would wish you had told her? Did you give her a hug the last time you saw her? Does she know that you truly appreciate everything she sacrificed for you? Does she know you love her?
Tell her. You never know if that brick wall will appear suddenly in front of you.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Kids Say the Cutest, (Darndest, Wisest, Adorable,) Things
I thought I had Lily trained pretty well: I’d ask her where she got her cuteness from and she’d smile and say: “From you!”
Smart kid, right? Well, it turns out that Malachi is trained even better. When asked where he got his cuteness from, without hesitating, he said, “God!”
Sigh. I guess I can’t argue with that one.
--------------------------
One Sunday afternoon I was doing some Catechism questions with Lily and Malachi.
“Who made you?” I asked.
“God!” they replied.
So far so good.
“What else did God make?”
“God made all things.”
I’m so proud of them.
“Where is God?”
“In Heaven,” Lily answers.
Close. Not too bad.
“Well, yes, but He’s also everywhere.”
Malachi didn’t seem to be paying attention to that one so I ask him again: “Where is God?”
“In there,” he says matter-of-factly, pointing to the Catechism. And to make sure I understand him fully, he clarifies: “In the book.”
Okay we’ll work on it.
----------------------
Yesterday at breakfast I was telling the kids how I had had a dream with snakes in it and that I was scared of the snakes. Lily said, “You don’t have to be scared.”
When I asked her why she replied, “Because Jesus will take care of you!”
How true. It’s good to be reminded of the great truths by a four-year-old.
Smart kid, right? Well, it turns out that Malachi is trained even better. When asked where he got his cuteness from, without hesitating, he said, “God!”
Sigh. I guess I can’t argue with that one.
--------------------------
One Sunday afternoon I was doing some Catechism questions with Lily and Malachi.
“Who made you?” I asked.
“God!” they replied.
So far so good.
“What else did God make?”
“God made all things.”
I’m so proud of them.
“Where is God?”
“In Heaven,” Lily answers.
Close. Not too bad.
“Well, yes, but He’s also everywhere.”
Malachi didn’t seem to be paying attention to that one so I ask him again: “Where is God?”
“In there,” he says matter-of-factly, pointing to the Catechism. And to make sure I understand him fully, he clarifies: “In the book.”
Okay we’ll work on it.
----------------------
Yesterday at breakfast I was telling the kids how I had had a dream with snakes in it and that I was scared of the snakes. Lily said, “You don’t have to be scared.”
When I asked her why she replied, “Because Jesus will take care of you!”
How true. It’s good to be reminded of the great truths by a four-year-old.
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