Our Newest Niece Is Here!!

Our newest niece was born earlier this evening! Her name is Jordan Michelle. She lives way down in Texas so I don't even know when we'll get to meet her in person. I'm guessing she's insanely cute, though- it seems like that runs in the family.

Possibly The Spiffiest Sport Ever

A friend from church organized a really neat Vacation Bible School of sorts where the kids are learning about martyrs and missionaries from certain cultures. We're meeting once a month and each month we'll be studying a different culture. Today's study was about Adoniram Judson who went to Burma. It was a really good time.

I was in charge of finding a Burmese game for us to play and I discovered Chinlone. It's so spiffy to watch, but super hard to play! It was sure fun watching the kids try it. I totally love the creativity involved in playing the game.

Check out a video of Chinlone being played here.

Jumbled Thoughts About Why We Do What We Do

I was sitting in church yesterday thinking about all the time and energy I put into making myself clean and presentable that morning. I took care to shower and do my hair and pick out a nice outfit. I made sure I was in a good mood so I could smile and chat with other people at church. And I sat there all prim and polished, as we confessed our sins before God and admitted how worthless and vile we are.

But I didn't feel worthless and vile. I was clean. I didn't even have cracker crumbs on my shirt dropped by some messy child. I put on my best face this morning and now I was supposed to focus on how not nice I am.

I'm totally convinced of my sinfulness and perverted nature. But on Sunday mornings I feel clean and pulled together- well, most of the time I do, anyway. So I was just thinking what difference it would make it I showed up for corporate worship in my sweats with my hair disheveled and greasy and feeling grumpy in general. What difference would that make in my worship? When I'm sitting at home having a quiet time with God, I feel more real and unappealing. And sometimes, on the flip side, I feel so guilty sitting in church with everyone else looking so neat and pulled together and when I compare myself with them I feel filthy- even though I look just as nice as they do right then. So why do we get all dressed up for church? I mean, I understand the idea of being properly dressed for meeting with our God, but still.... How am I supposed to be real when I'm all dolled up?

I was trying to bring these thoughts together for a coherent blog post, but I'm finding I'm having a hard time doing that. Does any of this make sense? Does anyone else feel similarly? Any thoughts, anyone?

A Music Video I Actually Like

I complain a lot about music videos and their general lameness, but I find I can't get enough of this music video. I really like it. Those of you who know me well shouldn't have a hard time figuring out why.

Stop Me If You've Heard This One...

What do you get when you throw a grenade into a French kitchen?

Linoleum Blownapart.

We're So Cute

I feel like I don't post many pictures of my family here anymore so I thought the time was ripe to enriched the blogger world with a photo of an adorable family. Families this cute don't happen every day, you know. I'm not biased here at all, of course.

Cheeky Quote

"I think men who have a pierced ear are better prepared for marriage. They've experienced pain and bought jewelry."

Introducing...

This is Kierra, my newest adorable niece. Isn't she precious?

Happy News!!!

I have a new niece! My sister-in-law Christen just gave birth this morning to her second little girl. I don't know the exact time or weight- I don't even know her name! All I know is that she has a headful of red hair. And I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be far off if I assumed she was the cutest little newborn on the face of the earth.

Just in Case You Were Interested

I frequently check this blog for inspiration for my portraits. This photographer takes such beautiful pictures. I think her wedding pictures are particularly breathtaking. I find myself attempting to mimic her style- of course her style includes a fully functional studio with all the bells and whistles. Oh, well. I can dream, can't I?

"The Everlasting Song Is Almost On Thy Lip"

"Whom he justified, them he also glorified." -- Romans 8:30

Here is a precious truth for thee, believer. Thou mayest be poor, or insuffering, or unknown, but for thine encouragement take a review of thy"calling" and the consequences that flow from it, and especially that blessed result here spoken of. As surely as thou art God's child today, so surely shall all thy trials soon be at an end, and thou shalt be rich to all the intents of bliss. Wait awhile, and that weary head shall wear the crown of glory, and that hand of labour shall grasp the palm-branch of victory.
Lament not thy troubles, but rather rejoice that ere long thou wilt be where "there shall be neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain." The chariots of fire are at thy door, and a moment will suffice to bear thee to the glorified.The everlasting song is almost on thy lip. The portals of heaven stand open for thee.
Think not that thou canst fail of entering into rest. If he hath called thee, nothing can divide thee from his love. Distress cannot sever the bond; the fire of persecution cannot burn the link;the hammer of hell cannot break the chain. Thou art secure; that voice which called thee at first, shall call thee yet again from earth to heaven, from death's dark gloom to immortality's unuttered splendours. Rest assured, the heart of him who has justified thee beats with infinite love towards thee.
Thou shalt soon be with the glorified, where thy portion is; thou art only waiting here to be made meet forthe inheritance, and that done, the wings of angels shall waft thee faraway, to the mount of peace, and joy, and blessedness, where,

"Far from a world of grief and sin,
With God eternally shut in,
"thou shalt rest for ever and ever.

--Charles Spurgeon

Gated Community

A not so subtle Silly Song.

Speaking In Song

There have been a few songs that God has lately been using to teach me some things about Himself. Two of these songs are "Wholly Yours" and "I Need You to Love Me."

"But the harder I try the more clearly can I
Feel the depth of our fall and the weight of it all
And so this might could be the most impossible thing
Your grandness in me, making me clean"

--Wholly Yours by David Crowder Band (You can listen to the song here.)

"I have wasted so much time
Pushing You away from me
I just never saw how You could cherish me
'Cause You're a God who has all things
And still You want me

But I need You to love me, and I-
I won't keep my heart from You this time
And I'll stop this pretending that I can
Somehow deserve what I already have
I need You to love me"

---I Need You to Love Me by Barlow Girl (You can listen to the song here.)

Neither of these songs are new or particularly profound, but whenever I hear them in the car or on a Pandora station, it feels like a hug from my heavenly Daddy. It's like He's saying, "It's okay. I feel the weight of your sin even more than you do, but when I look at you I don't see any of your yuckiness. All I see is my little girl whom I love very much. And I'm not done with you yet."

And those words are what get me through the day.

It Was Just One Of Those Days

All My Tears

I heard this song for the first time today and it gave me shivers. I think either Buddy or Julie Miller originally wrote the song, but I really like Jars of Clay's version.

All My Tears by Jars of Clay

When I go, don't cry for me
In my Father's arms I'll be
The wounds this world left on my soul
Will all be healed and I'll be whole.
Sun and moon will be replaced
With the light of Jesus' face
And I will not be ashamed
For my Savior knows my name.

It don't matter where you bury me,
I'll be home and I'll be free.
It don't matter where I lay,
All my tears be washed away.
Gold and silver blind the eye
Temporary riches lie
Come and eat from heaven's store,
Come and drink, and thirst no more

It don't matter where you bury me
I'll be home and I'll be free
It don't matter where I lay
All my tears be washed away

So, weep not for me my friends,
When my time below does end
For my life belongs to Him
Who will raise the dead again.

It don't matter where you bury me,
I'll be home and I'll be free.
It don't matter where I lay,
All my tears be washed away.

A Quote

"Right now I'm having amnesia and deja vu at the same time."

---Steven Wright

Lord's Day Quote

Go, sorrowing son of affliction, tell thy secrets to the Friend who sticketh closer than a brother. Trust all thy concerns with him who never can be taken from thee, who will never leave thee, and who will never let thee leave him, even "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever."
--C.H. Spurgeon

From My Own Experience

The first time mother:
"AAUGH! The baby is climbing on the Little Tikes kitchen! She could fall and kill herself! It's not safe- we're getting rid of it right away."

After having a few kids:
"Oh, good! The baby is climbing on the Little Tikes kitchen. Maybe now she'll stop climbing on the dining room table and chairs, and the couch and the computer desk and the stairs...."

A Quote

"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."

---C.S.Lewis

On Modesty

C.J. Mahaney has been posting excerpts from the forthcoming book, Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World, on his blog. The excerpts he is posting are from the chapter he wrote on modesty. He has posted four out of seven parts so far and I've really found reading them to be enjoyable. That is, if you consider it enjoyable to be convicted of sin.

I highly recommend reading these posts. I'm eager for the book to come out- it sounds like something that would be quite helpful to me.


"...modesty is humility expressed in dress."
-----Pastor C.J. Mahaney

Cinderella

I was in the basement doing laundry, wearing my sweats with holes in them and a baggy t-shirt. I shook my disheveled hair out of my face and looked up the stairs to see Malachi standing at the top in the basement doorway.

"Hello, princess!" he called down cheerfully.

And for a brief moment I remembered: yes, I am a princess.

Lord's Day Quote

"Learn the divine skill of making God all things to thee. He can supply thee with all, or, better still, he can be to thee instead of all."

---C.H. Spurgeon

Happy Birthday, Lily!

On this day, five years ago, my precious daughter Lily made her appearance into this family. She brings so much beauty to the Gardner family. I, too often, am impatient with her as she does those little things that five-year-olds do and I've been praying that I would be able to stop being so frantic and take the time to see what she sees in the world.

Being Lily's mommy is a sanctifying experience because our personalities are so similar, (read that: she gets her emotional state from her mommy) but she has an artist's heart and I'm so proud to share that with her.

Father of Lights, from whom came this lovely little girl, thank you for the grave responsibility and the great joy of having Lily as our daughter. Give us grace to raise her well.

Happy Birthday, Lily!

Kids Really Do Say The Cutest Things

Last night the children were being less than obedient for bedtime. After hearing quite a bit of bouncing and giggling going on upstairs, Joshua headed up to discipline the rowdy kids. He caught Malachi being rather rambunctious and asked him: "Didn't I tell you to be quiet?"

"Well," Malachi answered with a thoughtful look on his face, "I was trying to be quiet but... something went wrong."

My Captured Light

It's been my goal of late to develop my talents as a portrait artist. I'd like to offer my services at very low cost to families who can't necessarily afford to get a professional portrait taken. I still have a long way to go in improving my skills, but I'm enjoying practicing right now. You can view my portfolio here:

Captured Light Portraiture

Thinking of Seth

"There's many a man has more hair than wit."


---William Shakespeare

It's Time To Grill!

This recipe looks so good, I just have to share it: Grilled Pound Cake with Warm Berry Sauce

There are several grilled desserts that I want to try. I think that's my goal for this summer. Getting better at making delectably sweet foods without dying in an overheated kitchen sounds like an honorable goal to me.

Here's another one that looks good:
Barbequed Pineapple (I don't see how you could go wrong when you combine pinapple, rum and fire.)

Has anyone else experimented with grilling sweet stuff?

More Cuteness

Have You Ever Seen Anything Quite So Cute?

Happy Birthday, Crystal!

I've been rather blessed in the siblings that God has given to me. I have siblings that were born into this family and siblings that married into it (yes, that's right- they chose to join this crazy crowd!) My first sibling-by-marriage was Crystal.

It was tough getting used to having to share my big brother with someone else. Seth was my property (or so I thought) until Crystal came along. She stole my brother away from me and made his eyes go all "googly" and starcrossed. But as their marriage grew, I saw what true love looked liked and I saw what I wanted when I got married.

I saw Crystal learn to submit herself to her husband and I saw her help him and work with him in his endeavors. I saw that Seth's goals were Crystal's goals and if he failed in some way, then she felt the failure. And when he succeeded then she was rejoicing and celebrating with him. I saw her give of herself without asking for anything in return. I saw her striving to raise Godly children and I saw her reach out to the hurting people around her.

I saw all these things over the years of knowing Crystal and I see them all more than ever today.

Crystal, thank you for being my big sister. Happy Birthday!

A Quote

"The common mercies we enjoy all sing of love, just as the sea-shell, when we put it to our ears, whispers of the deep sea whence it came; but if we desire to hear the ocean itself, we must not look at every-day blessings, but at the transactions of the crucifixion."
----Charles Spurgeon

From One Ragamuffin to Another

A new book recently came my way- The Ragamuffin Gospel, by Brennan Manning. (Yes, this was the book that inspired the naming of Rich Mullins' band.) I've heard some not so great things about Mr. Manning, but I was so moved by his intro into the book, that I wanted to share it. I haven't decided if I'll continue reading this book, but I am glad I read this beginning:

"This book is not for the super-spiritual.
It is not for the muscular Christians who have made John Wayne and not Jesus their hero.
It is not for academicians who would imprison Jesus in the ivory tower of exegesis.
It is not for the noisy, feel-good folks who manipulate Christianity into a naked appeal to emotion.
It is not for Alleluia Christians who live only on the mountaintop and have never visited the valley of desolation.
It is not for the fearless and tearless.
It is not for red-hot zealots who boast with the rich young ruler of the gospels: "All these commandments I have kept from my youth."
It is not for the complacent, hoisting over their shoulder a tote bag of honors, diplomas, and good works actually believing that have it made.
It is not for legalists who would rather surrender control of their souls to rules than run the risk of living in union with Jesus.

If anyone is still reading along, The Ragamuffin Gospel was written for the bedraggled, beat-up and burnt-out.
It is for the sorely burdened who are still shifting the heavy suitcase from one hand to the other.
It is for the wobbly and weak-kneed who know they don't have it altogether and are too proud to accept the handout of amazing grace.
It is for the inconsistent, unsteady disciples whose cheese is falling off their cracker.
It is for poor, weak, sinful men and women with hereditary faults and limited talents.
It is for earthen vessels who shuffle along on feet of clay.
It is for the bent and the bruised who feel that their lives are a grave disappointment to God.
It is for smart people who know they are stupid and honest disciples who admit they are scalawags."

Great words, right? Now go back and read it again and this time, whenever he says "this book" or "The Ragamuffin Gospel" replace it with "The Gospel of Jesus."

That's me he's talking about. And you. I'm a ragamuffin Christian. I don't have it all together. I don't know what I'm talking about most of the time. I'd much rather do things my way than obey my God. And this gospel is for me.

"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."

Amen.

A (Convicting) Quote

"At this very moment you and I are either committing [selfishness], or about to commit it, or repenting it."
---C.S. Lewis

Public Service Announcement

Because of time constraints and a chronic case of RLS (Real Life Syndrome) I've decided to no longer keep up my Dash of This, Smidgen of That blog. I'll leave it there so you (and I) can access the archives and I'll post any useful tips and ideas on this blog.

To that end:
I've discovered a wonderful cleaning tips website. I was thrilled to find this. I hope it helps you, too!

Homeschooler Humor

How does a homeschooler change a lightbulb?

First, mom checks three books on electricity out of the library, then the kids make models of light bulbs, read a biography of Thomas Edison and do a skit based on his life.

Next, everyone studies the history of lighting methods, wrapping up with dipping their own candles.

Next, everyone takes a trip to the store where they compare types of light bulbs as well as prices and figure out how much change they'll get if they buy two bulbs for $1.99 and pay with a five dollar bill.

On the way home, a discussion develops over the history of money and also Abraham Lincoln, as his picture is on the five dollar bill.

Finally, after building a homemade ladder out of branches dragged from the woods, the light bulb is installed.

And there is light

Our Kitchen!

Take a gander at our pretty kitchen. I'm so very pleased with how it all turned out. It was worth the late nights of working, the endless wood staining, the mess and the cranky days.
It's so lovely having my baking supplies behind doors (doors with very strong magnets) where little hands can't cause mischief. And I love having a floor that isn't crumbling to pieces and getting eaten by little mouths.

It's not completely finished yet. There is still some moulding we need to put on the floor and counter.

Joshua and I sure make a good team, don't we? We are available for hire, but our rates our pretty steep and you provide the babysitting. :o)

A Quote

'Nothing, not even what is lowest and most bestial, will not be raised again if it submits to death.'

---C.S. Lewis

Kitchen Sneak Peek

As many of you know, we've been working on our kitchen a lot lately. I'll be posting pictures of the finished project soon , but I wanted to show a few teasers first.

The destruction:

Who needs a tile cutter when you've got a hammer?

A cabinet just the right size for storing cookie sheets!

A Glimpse of Gold

Today I walked into the living room in time to see the three kids huddled together with Malachi praying: "...and please help Lily to not be scared of the Bad Guy. In Jesus' name, Amen."
Evangeline added her hearty " 'men!" and then they were set to go back to reading their book with the Bad Guy in it.

I feel like a failure so much of the time, but occasionally I get to see some area in which I've actually done well. The kids knew that when they are scared, the thing to do is pray. By God's grace, Joshua and I taught them that.

Thank you, God, for telling me "Well done" today.

Jeremy, This One Is For You

A greeting card for all you men out there- you can't say we don't try to warn you.

Happy Birthday, Jonathan!

I was reading some old blog posts recently and I came across this post that I wrote for Jonathan's birthday two years ago. As I was reading it, I found that it was even more true now so I thought I'd post it again.

***********
My brother, Jonathan, is what you might call the “cool” brother. Seth is getting better in his old age, but Jonathan still outranks him in coolness. Growing up, it was Jonathan who always got me in trouble, but I didn’t mind so much because he was just so much fun! He was the one that would dig tunnels under the garage with me and let me play with his Transformers. He had these neat action figures that had a small space ship thing and we’d try rig up a way for the ship “fly”. I think we used some of Mom’s leftover yarn as line for it to glide on and it never really worked that well, but still, it was amazing!

Even when he was a teenager and always going out with his friends, he made me feel like I wasn’t the annoying little sister tagging along. I almost thought I was cool just like my big brother. His favorite football team was (and is) the 49ers so, of course, that was my favorite team, too. I really didn’t understand football and watching a game bored me to death, but I was a 49ers fan because Jonathan was and I wanted to be just like him.

Like every brother and sister we didn’t always get along so great, but now somehow we’ve ended up as friends. We live about a million miles away from each other and we don’t play with little action figures anymore, but as I watch him live and work and care for Carrie and love her and try to follow where God wants him to go and not be afraid of what anyone thinks of him or what he has to say, I am amazed that he is my brother and I’m so proud to be his sister. So I guess you could say that I still want to be just like my big brother.

***********
Jonathan, I wish that Peoria and Erie were a few hundred miles closer together so that we could celebrate your birthday together. I just want you to know that I'm celebrating here and thanking God for you.
Happy Birthday!

Better Than a Movie

It’s become our family habit to go to a nursing home near our house on Sundays and visit with the inmates- er, I mean, residents- there. We’ve met some really neat people there over the last half year or so. Two Sundays ago we got to witness something really special.

We were walking the halls on our way to our elderly friend’s room when we came upon a lady in a wheelchair struggling to wheel herself along. Joshua offered to push her to her room and she gratefully accepted. When we got to her room we admired the many pictures that hung on her walls. She proudly showed off her family pictures and then wanted us to look at her door because that’s where her wedding pictures were hanging. I looked at the pictures which looked like they had been taken a short while ago and I figured she had meant to say they were from her anniversary party.

It looked like it must have been a milestone anniversary so I asked, “When were you married?” She proudly replied, “A month ago today!” Our jaws dropped. “And here comes my husband now.” We looked to the hallway where a gentleman was wheeling his wheelchair our way and smiling.

She explained that he had lost two wives previously and she had lost her first husband, but when they met each other at the nursing home, they wanted to try it again. “This will be the last time,” she declared.

We offered our hearty congratulations as the newlyweds smiled at each other. As we continued on with our other visits, Joshua and I couldn’t help but smile in amazement. That’s a love story that beats any romantic comedy out there. The story of love found in a nursing home.

Our Snowy Day

Today we enjoyed the snow. Yesterday I wasn't too happy with the boat load of white stuff that was being dumped on us because it interfered with my plans, but today I was able to have fun with it. I've lived in Erie most of my life so I'm pretty used to having lots of snow, but even I will admit that there is a shocking amount of snow outside. For example, in some places the snow comes up to my hips.
So today we took the kids out to play and it was pretty hilarious watching them try to work out how to get around the yard. They tried walking, but because they aren't very big, they'd start out walking on the surface of the snow and then they'd sink in halfway. After a while they figured out the best method was to crawl on the snow.
Lily was pretty tough out there, but Malachi struggled a bit so we had fun picking him up and throwing him. That worked well except that he'd land on his bum (causing a cute imprint) and then flail his legs around like an overturned turtle trying to get up.
Evangeline was far too little to get around well in snow that could easily cover her so we'd just plant her somewhere and she'd play for a bit, then we'd grab her little snowsuit, uproot her and plant her someplace else.
Joshua dug a little snow fort out for the kids and I'm hoping to get back out to play in there more tomorrow.
All in all, we had a grand time being snowed in today. So even though I was near tears yesterday because of the snowstorm, I'm very glad we had the snow today.

Thank you, God, for giving us exactly what we need- even "inconvenient" snowstorms.

Something Spiffy

Sometimes it's just such a pleasure to see a performance done well.

Yet Another Great Quote from Pastor Piper

A quote from John Piper's essay, "Talking to Your Tears:"

“Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalm 126:5-6

“This psalm teaches the tough truth that there is work to be done whether I am emotionally up for it or not, and it is good for me to do it. Suppose you are in a season of heartache and discouragement, and it is time to sow seed. Do you say, ‘I can’t sow the field this spring, because I am brokenhearted and discouraged’? If you do that, you will not eat in the winter. Suppose you say instead, ‘I am heartsick and discouraged. I cry if the milk spills at breakfast. I cry if the phone and doorbell ring at the same time. I cry for no reason at all, but the field needs to be sowed. That is the way life is. I do not feel like it, but I will take my bag of seeds and go out in the fields and do my crying while I do my duty. I will sow in tears.’

If you do that, the promise of this psalm is that you will ‘reap with shouts of joy.’ You will ‘come home with shouts of joy, bringing your sheaves with you,’ not because the tears of sowing produce the joy of reaping, but because the sheer sowing produces the reaping. We need to remember this even when our tears tempt us to give up sowing.”
----A Godward Life, pp. 89-90

A Makeover!

Today I gave my older sister a haircut. She loves her long hair and she wanted something different, but still keep the length. This is what we came up with.
Before:

After:

It's That Time of the Month Again...

Over at the Girl Talk blog the ladies are in the midst of a series entitled "PMS Prep." They are addressing the difficulties of various physical trials that women face and discussing how Godly women can still glorify Him through those times.

"We know they’re coming (most of the time, anyway): PMS, morning sickness, postpartum depression, menopause. Yet these predictable, physical trials of a woman’s life still tend to catch us off guard. When they show up, we feel like we’ve been hit from behind and struggle to keep steady amidst physical and emotional challenges....
You know it’s coming. But take heart: God’s grace is already here to help us prepare to glorify Him and serve others. Let’s consider how. "

Check it out here.

Lord's Day Quote and Thought

Today in church we sang one of my favorite hymns:

Who are these like stars appearing,
These before God’s throne who stand?
Each a golden crown is wearing;
Who are all this glorious band?
Alleluia! Hark, they sing,
Praising loud their heav’nly King.

Who are these of dazzling brightness,
These in God’s own truth arrayed,
Clad in robes of purest whiteness,
Robes whose luster ne’er shall fade,
Ne’er be touched by time’s rude hand?
Whence come all this glorious band?

These are they who have contended
For their Savior’s honor long,
Wrestling on till life was ended,
Following not the sinful throng;
These who well the fight sustained,
Triumph through the Lamb have gained.

These are they whose hearts were riven,
Sore with woe and anguish tried,
Who in prayer full oft have striven
With the God they glorified;
Now, their painful conflict o’er,
God has bid them weep no more.

These, like priests, have watched and waited,
Offering up to Christ their will;
Soul and body consecrated,
Day and night to serve Him still:
Now in God’s most holy place
Blest they stand before His face.

Whenever I sing this song, I think of the saints that I know who are, even now, standing in God's presence. When I sing this song, I'm not thinking about some generic saint that's dressed in white with a halo on his head, but rather I'm thinking about my mom, my grandparents, etc. And if these real people that I knew well are enjoying their reward, then I, too, can look forward to my reward. And just as they strove in works and prayer, then I, too, need to do the same.

Just to Make You Smile

You can't help but laugh along.

It's amazing what a little packaging tape can do.

Pray

Please pray for my brother Jonathan and my sister-in-law Carrie. They are struggling through a rough time right now. Carrie has had back problems for a long time, but recently it's become almost unbearable. Jonathan writes about it here.
Please join with me in begging our good God to relieve Carrie of her pain. Even if you don't know her, please pray anyway.

Just a Thought

I don't feel well today. I've had the same headache for a few days now and it seems to like me more than I like it. But you know what? Someday I won't ever have headaches again. That thought is hard to process, but that thought helps me live better today. Even with my headache.

Adiel's Words of Wisdom (For Women)

Never go bra shopping on the eve before Valentine's Day. You will encounter an absurd number of middle-aged men awkwardly browsing the lingerie section. This makes the already unpleasant task of bra shopping even worse and makes for an embarrassing time for everyone involved. The awkwardness is heightened if the middle-aged man has children with him helping him to pick out "something nice for Mommy."

Ladies, heed my words: Never go bra shopping on the eve of Valentine's Day.

Ah, The Memories!

Gaby, this one's for you!

Possibly the greatest song ever written.

Haven't You Heard?

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.



I just wanted to remind you of this.

I Met a Murderer Today

I met a murderer today
I hid my face and looked away.
His face was too grotesque to me,
His gleaming teeth a fright to see.
I saw the people that he killed-
Their bodies bruised, their breathing stilled.
I heard the screaming, felt the tears,
Saw the culmination of his victims’ fears.
Oh, what horrors this man wrought!
I uncovered my face and for some comfort I sought.
The murderer does the same, I see
And now I know it’s only a mirror in front of me.


We Christians like to think that we’re better than other people. But the only difference between “us” and “them” is that we are forgiven for the horrible things we do.

The Waggle Room is Now Open!

The conversation has begun over at the Waggle Room. Go check it out and feel free to join in whether you've watched the movie or not.

The Art of Dance

As some of you well know, I am a dancer. I haven't actually danced a choreographed dance in quite some time and since having kids my body doesn't move in quite the same way that it did when I was a teenager, but nonetheless I still consider myself a dancer. I feel music and I express myself through dance.

This last December I went to a performance of the ballet The Nutcracker and it was then that I realized that I don't really like ballet. This is significant because ballet was my first introduction to dance and I took ballet lessons for several years. So I started thinking about dance and what it is and what its purpose is. And now I just have a bunch of questions about dance and no real answers. Is there an ideal form of dance? Are some forms not as "true" as others? Does dance have to be visually appealing?

I thought it'd be interesting to search YouTube and see different styles of dance. I wanted to share my findings with you all. I realize it would be quite time consuming to watch all these videos in their entirety, but I do hope you'll watch enough of each to get a real feel for that dance.

First, right here is why I don't like ballet. Yawn. If I were to watch or dance ballet I'd much rather it be more like this. It looks much more fun and much less stoic.

Something that I have been enjoying lately is break dancing. My one qualm with it is that it tends to get very "show-offy" and the performer ceases to dance and just starts to display his skills. I think any type of dance can fall into this and it really, really, bugs me when it does.

Here is one example of this showing off mentality. I don't think this Chinese ballet counts as true dance, but if you skip to a little before the six minute mark you'll see a woman balancing on one leg- on pointe- on top of her partner's head. Wow. I have to ask why anyone would want to do that, but hey, it's still impressive.

My search for dance led me to a kind of dancing that I had never heard of until a few months ago. It's called house dance. When I first saw it, I totally didn't get it, but when I saw this video, it made much more sense to me. It is a freestyle sort of dance that seems like it would allow the dancer to feel the music and flow with it. When someone house dances well they are intimately involved with the music. This video show several different house dancers-each with their own particular style.

Just how would you describe this type of dance to someone? It's a Japanese tribal hip hop thingy, I guess. I don't know what to say about it except that I like it. I think.

Gaby introduced me to Parkour- The Art of Movement. (this video gets very good at around the 2:45mark.) These people are celebrating the joy and freedom of moving. They don't use music, but does that make a difference in dance? I think parkour is the closet thing I've ever seen to man learning to fly.

And now we come to Robam Joun Por. This dance is so foreign to me that I have trouble appreciating it. But if you look closely at the way the dancers move their heads ever so slightly, you see that they are dancing to a strange melody that is almost beneath the music we hear. It looks so stiff to us Americans, but in watching it a few times I was able to see how that, too, is a beautiful style of dance. Though that doesn't mean I like it.

So now you've seen a small, but very diverse collection of dances. It's amazing to me to watch them all back to back- my neck still hurts from the whiplash. God created our bodies in such an intricate way and has given us the ability to dance. In some way, all these dances show us something of the beauty of our God. I'm overwhelmed with the magnitude of this thing called dance. Just imagine, what would dance look like if it was done by perfect, sinless bodies? Someday we'll find out.

So now that I've rambled on and posted a plethora of links that I don't even know if anyone will watch, does anyone have any thoughts about dance?

Happy Birthday, Raquel!

In these birthday posts I usually try to focus on one thing about the birthday boy/girl that I appreciate. I think the thing that I appreciate the most about Raquel is her writing. Since there are a few hundred miles separating us, we aren't actively involved in each other's lives, but (thanks to the internet) we know each other through writing.
In particular I enjoy her haiku. I've never met anyone else with such a knack for creating deep, intricate feelings using only a very few words.

Raquel, your haiku are like a little bright spot in the world. You may never become a rich and famous writer, but you've added beauty to my world and I'm a different me now because of you. Thank you for sharing the beauty of your art with us.

Happy Birthday!

I'm a Winning Loser

Yesterday I had the good fortune to be in a few arguments over money with various siblings of mine. Yes, I do think that was a good thing because, you see, they were niceness fights.

Elizabeth thought she owed me money, but I was sure she had paid me back already so we argued about it for a bit. And then I had a similar fight with Jonathan over the phone later. The upshot of it is that I lost both fights and I'm now richer for it. Not a bad resolution to the problems, if you ask me.
So anyone else want to fight me?

Happy Birthday, Dad!

On this day, some (cough, ahem) years ago a great man was born. Maybe you know this man and maybe you don’t, for although he is a great man he is not well known throughout the world. The things this man has done have never been recorded in history books nor has there ever been a newspaper article written about him. Most people who pass him on the street don’t even give him a second glance. This man isn’t famous or powerful.

So what is it about this man that makes him great?

He was husband to a godly wife and he raised five God-fearing children. He preaches in a small, largely unknown church where he teaches his flock, through his words and actions, what it means to love Jesus.

That is what makes him a great man. And not only do I have the privilege to call this man my father, he is also my friend.

Happy Birthday, Dad!
I love you!

It Must Be a Homeschooler Thing

This video is quite funny. Check it out.

Lord's Day Quote

"Teach me that Christ cannot be the the way if I am the end,
that He cannot be redeemer if I am my own saviour,
that there can be no true union with Him while the creature has my heart,
that faith accepts Him as redeemer and Lord or not at all."

---from The Valley of Vision

About Saying Goodbye

I suppose it’s all about saying goodbye
And that feeling in your throat when you have to cry
Big brother moved away- farther than I’d known
Even with the six of us I still felt so alone
I remember when Mom’s dad was sick and so weak
I can still feel where the tears ran on my cheek
We were snuggled on Mom’s bed when she told us he would die
I asked a lot of questions, all of them wondering “why?”
My grandma also early left this gray place
Dad collapsed in Mom’s arms, grief etched on his face
Nieces and nephews never born, never met
The grief then captured us like a twisting invisible net
Then came the day my mommy’s heart stopped beating
She lay in bed where the machines kept her breathing
I was at home when the call came: “Come say goodbye.”
The prayers I prayed then- desperate- did my God deny
Every time I feel the sting of Death’s sharp knife
I think I can’t take much more before it claims my own life
I’ll never forget mourning the death of my baby- the one I’d never hold
“It gets easier. You’ll laugh again.” that’s what I was told
It’s true that I laugh now and feel joy once again
But I’ll never in this life be rid of the pain
The pain of conquered death so real, so real
The pain of a broken heart, too scarred to fully heal
My hope is sure, I know my hope will come to be
My hope is of a perfect life- a life that was bought for me
There will be no more goodbyes in the land of my king
My tears will be gone then and I’ll forever sing
But I’m not there yet and it hurts to be here
As I continue to lose all that I hold dear
So for now I suppose it’s all about saying goodbye
And that feeling in your throat when you have to cry

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

A Christian Jew singing about delighting in the Sabbath- with a techno beat. Check it out here.

Yeah, I've heard better techno music, but Aviad Cohen (the artist formerly known as 50 Shekel) still ranks pretty high on my spiffyness meter just for doing what he does.

Angels Shop at Wal-Mart

I am convinced that even though Wal-Mart may have certain Babylonian tendencies, God enjoys using it as a teaching place for me. On many occasions I have been struck with some thought or experience of God during my shopping excursions to Wal-Mart. I’d like to share a few of these with you.

When I was pregnant with Evangeline I mostly got my “morning” sickness in the evenings. So there I was, doing our grocery shopping and feeling like I was going to either pass out or throw up- whichever came first- in the cereal aisle and I was trying to find a cereal that I could stomach. I usually live on cereal when I’m pregnant so this was an important food to me at the time. I felt daunted by the varieties of cereals (and let’s not forget the feeling of impending puking) so I desperately prayed, “God, show me which cereal to get!” Immediately, my eyes fell on a green box of Chex cereal. I grabbed it, thanked God, and continued with my shopping. I knew in that moment that God is intimately concerned with even the most seemingly mundane details of my life. He knew how miserable I felt and how overwhelmed I was by the simple chore of picking out a cereal so He divinely picked out a cereal for me and in that way, He showed me that He loves me.

Usually when I shop at Wal-Mart, I feel tense because I’m trying to not spend too much money while still getting good things for my family. I’m constantly feeling tempted by all the racks of clothing I shouldn’t buy, the special foods that don’t fit in our budget, the cute toys I know the kids would enjoy, etc. I feel the temptations of the world bombarding me as I shop at Wal-Mart. And even if the temptations aren’t obvious to me at the time, I know they are always there. Until I step into the parking lot, that is. Wal-Mart’s parking lot is big enough to build an entire neighborhood on and the sky over it is as big as Montana. As soon as I step out of the store the beauty and breadth of the sky takes my breath away and I am reminded that life is not shopping and buying and attaining things, but rather it is glorifying the Creator of so awesome a sight. I can feel the glory of God as His artwork hangs over the Wal-Mart parking lot.

Since I recognize the many temptations that face me at Wal-Mart, I try to pray each time that I prepare to go to that store. One evening, as I was walking from my van to the store I was praying when I felt a sudden jolt in my spirit. I felt like my eyes were opened and as I looked at the other people about to enter the store with me, I realized that I was different from them. I realized that I am not just another shopper at Wal-Mart. I am a child of Yahweh. I felt like I should be glowing for all the glory that lives inside me. I looked at the other shoppers and I wanted them to have this glory, too.

Now, maybe these stories seem a little odd to you. Maybe you think I’m seeing too much into things and making a big deal out of nothing. I suppose that’s possible except for this- I know my God the way I do because of what He shows me when I shop at Wal-Mart. Of course, He speaks more fully in the preaching of the Word and in Bible reading. If this was the only place I ever listened to God then I’d have some serious problems, indeed! But for some reason God chose Wal-Mart, of all places, to show me how real He is and to impress certain truths on my heart. Now when I’m having a frustrating time trying to get dinner on the table or some such thing I remember that God helped me pick out some breakfast cereal so surely He cares about each and every detail and He can even help me get dinner on the table.

How does all this work? Is it Jesus who walks with me as I push my cart? Or does He send an angel or two with me every time I go to Wal-Mart? I don’t know how this works, but I don’t need to know. All I need is to know and understand that the God I serve is so big that He can reveal Himself to His people using the most unlikely tools. He can even use Wal-Mart.

Happy Birthday, Spidey!

Yesterday was dubbed Spider-man's birthday in at our house. We had a lovely party for him. He really enjoyed seeing himself on the birthday banner and having his own birthday cake. He was so excited that he needed help blowing out the candles.
Apparently, the excitement was too much for him since he couldn't even eat his cake. He did like looking at it, though.
Happy Birthday, Spider-man!

Lord's Day Quote

I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down Thy head upon My breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was, weary and worn and sad;
I found in Him a resting place, and He has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say, “I am this dark world’s Light;
Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise, and all thy day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found in Him my Star, my Sun;
And in that light of life I’ll walk, till traveling days are done.

Hymn by Horatius Bonar

Onward and Upward

I recently posted this over at MovingTruth.com and I thought I'd pull a Seth cheater move and get two posts for the price of one.

I think everyone here at Moving Truth agrees that as Christians we have the great privilege and responsibility to mimic our Creator by being creative and sharing that creativity with the world. What I have been recently struck with is the thought that it is also our responsibility to improve our efforts in our art. God never wants anything to stagnate. If we are to be growing in our knowledge and love for Him doesn’t it follow that we are to grow in our creativity, too? I’m not saying that we should all join a class or buy a stack of instructional books and attempt to reach impossible standards , but rather that we should avoid becoming lazy and complacent in our art. I feel that I all too often settle for doing something half-hearted. “I’m too busy” or “I’m too tired” are usually my excuses. While it’s true that a busy life does leave a limited time frame for working and experimenting with one’s art , it should never be an excuse for laziness.

I am a wife, a homemaker and a mommy to three adorable, but rambunctious little kids so, yeah, my time is not my own. But I am also an artist. If God has seen fit to bless me with my talents then I will strive to do my best to use these talents to bring glory to Him and to further His kingdom. I do not have the time, resources, or knowledge that some have to pursue art, but I will not let that be an excuse to bury my talents in the ground.

I’m certainly not saying that anyone here is guilty of this. Everything I’ve seen of this site shows quite the opposite, in fact. But I figured that since complacency is a temptation for me that other artists may struggle with it, too. This responsibility to improve in our creative arts is great, but if we are faithful with what God has entrusted to us then we will reap many, many blessings.

My New Photo Blog

I know, I know, yet another blog is exactly what this world doesn't need, but while I do enjoy writing about life and laundry and posting it on the pinkness, I really wanted to display my artwork on a more subdued background. Hence, the new blog. I don't expect to be do much writing on that blog (if any) so at least I'm not adding one more thing for you all to read. Whenever you have a moment just meander on over to Captured Light and see a little bit of what I see.

Sabbath Quote

Lead on, O King eternal,
The day of march has come;
Henceforth in fields of conquest
Thy tents shall be our home.
Through days of preparation
Thy grace has made us strong;
And now, O King eternal,
We lift our battle song.

Lead on, O King eternal,
Till sin’s fierce war shall cease,
And holiness shall whisper
The sweet amen of peace.
For not with swords’ loud clashing,
Nor roll of stirring drums;
With deeds of love and mercy
The heavenly kingdom comes.

Lead on, O King eternal,
We follow, not with fears,
For gladness breaks like morning
Where’er Thy face appears.
Thy cross is lifted over us,
We journey in its light;
The crown awaits the conquest;
Lead on, O God of might.

Hymn by Ernest W. Shurtleff

The Best Part of My Family

Yesterday Lily and I were talking about what a family is. I was explaining how families have daddies and mommies and brothers and sisters and grandpas and grandmas when Lily interrupted me with, “And Miss Barbs? Families have Miss Barbs.” I laughed and answered that not every family gets to have a Miss Barb. Having a Miss Barb is a very special thing that only a few families get to enjoy and we agreed that we were very blessed to have one as part of our family.

Maybe you’re one of the few families that have a Miss Barb or maybe you’ve not been blessed with one, but one thing is for certain- our Miss Barb is the Best.

Happy Birthday, Gaby!

You know how there are some people that you can be yourself around? You know how those certain people are themselves around you? You know how rare these people are? You know how special a thing it is to know someone like that?
Well, I know someone like that.

Gaby, thank you for being that someone for me. I love you, baby sister. May this new year of your life be full of wonder.

Happy Birthday, Gaby!

Of Minor Interest

Now you can say you've heard a French Rap Song.

And if it sounds familiar, you probably heard it here first.

The dance in the second link is a form of Capoeira. Check it out here.

Well, at least I find this all interesting. ;)

I Can SO Relate

(click on comic to see full-sized)

An Excerpt From Spurgeon's Morning Devotional

"I remember thee."
-- Jeremiah 2:2

Let us note that Christ delights to think upon his Church, and to look
upon her beauty. As the bird returneth often to its nest, and as the
wayfarer hastens to his home, so doth the mind continually pursue the
object of its choice. We cannot look too often upon that face which we
love; we desire always to have our precious things in our sight. It is
even so with our Lord Jesus...
Many a time before his incarnation,...the Son of Man visited his people. Because his soul
delighted in them, he could not rest away from them, for his heart
longed after them....
We may often forget to meditate upon the perfections of our Lord, but he never ceases to remember us.

Get Charles Spurgeon's MORNING & EVENING in a daily email HERE.

A Lullaby

This is a song that Joshua and I are trying to get into musical form. I wanted to share the lyrics now, though I'm sure I will have to polish and edit them quite a bit. If we ever succeed in our endeavors then I'll try to post a video of it being sung.

Lullaby

The day has found its end
I’ve bid the sun adieu
He only shone on emptiness
While the faithless struggled through
My sword lies heavy at my side
My battered eyes finally in their repose hide

Chorus:
He sings me to sleep
A haunting melody
He frees my dreams to prance
And they dance among the stars

And the battle rages on
And I carry on

My shield is worn and damaged, too
But it’s carried the blows that brought me to You
He rests my weary soul
And His hand brushes my face
His breath it warms my soul
And I carry on

(Chorus)

And the battle rages on
And I carry on

A Look in a Mirror

Today Lily threw a temper tantrum which involved screaming and a matchbox car flying through the air. Now, as tantrums go, this one wasn't too terrible, but my little girl did remind me of a certain former little girl who had quite a temper, too. I saw that she was out of control, so before starting the discipline process I just held her in my arms until she was calm.

"Get it together, Lily. Calm down," I said. She responded, "I can't! Please help me."

In that moment, I saw myself as a child in my dad's arms as he soothed me after a tantrum of my own and I knew that I needed to do for my daughter what my parents did for me. I needed to help her.

It is my great responsibility to help my children to fight temptation. I need to help them to fight the temptation to be selfish, to complain, to be lazy and more. This is the responsibility of every parent and yet so many parents do not take this seriously. It is a little frightening to dwell on this responsibility because of the great "what if": What if we fail?

"Was I a fool to even take on this whole parenting job?" I ask myself. "Can I handle it?" Well, if it were all up to me, then yes, I would fail. Unquestionably. But the same God who gave to Joshua and me these children will also see to it that they are raised in the way He designed for them. He has and will give us the strength, wisdom and grace to care for these young souls.

So today I cry to my Heavenly Daddy, "I can't! Please help me." And He will. I know it.

And maybe there are things I should be doing to make it easier to do my job. Perhaps a good option would be for me to take Lily's advice. After she calmed down enough to speak after her tantrum, she spoke these words of wisdom: "Why don't we just get rid of Malachi?"

Just Because it's Cute

Malachi- Thank Goodness There's Only One of Him

This is his "I'm innocent- really, don't I look innocent?" face. Usually this face is surrounded by a mess that I need to clean up.Unfortunately, I see this face quite often.

The Amazing Lily!

She may look dainty, but this little Lily is a mini muscle girl! There is only about a three pound difference between Lily and Malachi (Lily being the heavier one) and yet she can carry him! Can you lift your own body weight?

A Thing of Beauty (really just a nag in disguise)

Well, we've finally finished our latest renga. Check it out:

gray sky
yellow lamplight
shining on my book

mere letters on paper
creating stories

stories come to live
as companions in my head
chiselled from the mist

friends I’ve never met
treasured moments that never happened

lonely with my dreams
waiting for my someday friend
this time maybe real

a hand to touch mine
a heart to know mine

laughing as one
thoughts intertwined
it wasn’t even that funny

fleeting moments twined to life
with echoes of laughter

rolling away
watching them go
wanting these moments back

rolling on to eternity
waiting for us there

today just a glimpse
of the forever light
shines through the cracks

Hands warmed by the light
turn to grip the sword

I really, really like this one. Notice how it begins and ends with two different lights. There is a sense of longing that develops throughout the poem, which then turns to hopefulness and finally ends as a call to fight for that which we hope for. I find this renga to be moving and very beautiful. All of this is to say: The next time Raquel starts a renga- join in! The more people contribute, the more diverse our poems will be. Come on and write with us! Why don't you?

Thanks to Raquel for starting and maintaining the Renga Blog!

Public Opinion Poll

I've heard the question asked: Would you rather be invited to a house that is clean and organized or to one that is slightly messy, but the occupants are most welcoming? I think many people would choose the latter, but what about those homes that are so messy and disorderly that they are unpleasant to be in even with a warm, welcoming host? But then, we've all been in houses that are so clean and sterile that you're afraid to sit down for fear of disturbing the meticulously arranged throw pillows. So my question is this:


How important is cleanliness to you as a guest?

One reason I'm asking this question is because I'm attempting to reach that perfect balance between a tidy and pleasant home and the realities of having children who enjoy wreaking havoc on whichever room they are in (and some they're not in!)
I'd love to get some male opinions in here, too. So tell me, what do you think?

Blast from the Past

Remember when Malachi used to do this? I found this picture and cropped and re-colored it and I think it captures his former signature stance well. I love how the sepia tone brings out the shadows and adds depth to his chubbiness. My little man has outgrown his thumb sucking, but he hasn't outgrown his chubbiness!

I Want It!

Really, have you ever seen T-shirts as spiffy as these?

Sons, Daughters, Nephews, Nieces and Grandchildren

The Ben-Ezra Kids

For most of my life I was one of the "Ben-Ezra kids" and now that title has been passed down to these worthy recipients.

Cute, aren't they?

My Family (Well, except for that guy)

We've had a smashing time with the S. Ben-Ezras in town. Yesterday we went to a beach/playground and I got some great pictures of everyone. Here are just a few for starters. There's more to come!

(Just a small note: that funny-looking guy in the odd hat really isn't related to me. He just happened to be at the beach at the same time so I snapped his picture, too. Really, there's no relation at all.)

Sabbath Quote

"I’ve found a Friend, O such a friend! He bled, He died to save me;
And not alone the gift of life, but His own Self He gave me!
Naught that I have mine own I call, I’ll hold it for the Giver,
My heart, my strength, my life, my all are His, and His forever."


---excerpt from hymn by James G. Small

Daily Thanks #10

My dear husband has been listening to this song with some frequency of late so it's been going through my mind a lot these days. That's okay since it just makes me laugh.

Done listening to the song? Good. Quirky, eh? That brings me to my Daily Thanks for the day: I'm thankful for Joshua's silly side. Most of you don't get to see his silly side since he's usually mild-mannered around many people, but I know some of you have seen his duck-fighting, Fenton de Bruce side, too. And while he may never show off the famous "Joshy Shuffle" dance in public, I get to enjoy his goofiness and so do our kids. We have some very, very silly moments in our family and I can't throw all the blame for that on the kids. I am so thankful that I married a man that makes me laugh at myself and also at his silly ways.

Thank you, Almighty Matchmaker, for pairing me up with the perfect man for me- someone who leads me in righteousness, love, and laughter.

Daily Thanks #9

Today I thank God for giving me my creativity. For letting me see things that others don't get to see. I'm not trying to be proud or anything, I know there are many others who are more creative than I am. I am just grateful for how God made me. That I get to see waffles made of snow and flowers in soda bottles, stars on my dining room ceiling, a steaming cup of coffee on my kitchen door, the beauty of words scrawled by a familiar hand, woodgrain that dances like a rippling creek, the sun rising and fighting a storm for its right to shine- only to lose that battle, the choreography of skilled fingers strumming a guitar. All these things I see in the little corner of the world in which I live. My life is filled with beauty and I am so thankful that I get to see it.

Thank you, Master Artist, for giving me, Your apprentice, eyes to see Your art and the desire to create some of my own.

Daily Thanks #8

I'm thankful for my oven. On Monday I baked six dozen mini muffins, eight loaves of quick bread, a batch of cookies and a spice cake. As I was baking, I realized how much I use and enjoy my oven without really valuing it. My oven is one of those things that it considered a "necessity." I just set the temp, pop things in and out they come, all baked and ready to eat. My home wouldn't be what it is without my oven and yet I can't remember ever thanking God for it or for the yummy things that get baked in it.
I could go on and on about my oven, but I need to go now- I have a lasagna to bake.

Thank You, God, for my oven and all the tools that I use every day and that make my life easier, but that I never thank you for. Forgive me for my ingratitude. Thank you for giving me so many beautiful gifts so that I've lost count of them.

Our Thanksgiving Letter

We make it our practice to send out a Thanksgiving letter and family photo to various family members. I realize most of you will have received this in the mail, but I thought I'd share it anyway.

Happy Thanksgiving!
There’s a real nip in the air these days so apparently fall has finally arrived! There were times during those unseasonably warm months when we weren’t sure if fall would ever come or if it had simply decided to leave us with an endless summer instead. But it’s fall now and that means it’s time for our annual Thanksgiving letter. It doesn’t seem possible to sum up this last year and write it down in letter form. The ups and downs of the year were many and while we had many “up” moments, we also had many “down” times, too. But, true to His promises, God never fails to pull us through the bad times and bring us out again rejoicing at His goodness.
The biggest change for our family this year was the arrival of kid #3- Evangeline Felicity (or Lil’ Vay-Vay as we like to call her.) What a fun little critter she is! Lily and Malachi adore their baby sister and sometimes tend to love her a bit too much for her own good. Many a time we’ve had to rescue her from being over- snuggled! Having three kids has been quite an adventure so far and if what other parents tell us is true, then it will only get more exciting as time goes on.

Lily, our beautiful four-year-old, is constantly growing in helpfulness, thoughtfulness, creativity, and tenderness. She is getting to the age when she can actually help with chores and projects instead of hindering them. Her favorite chore to do is setting the table for dinner and she likes to fold the napkins in different and unique ways. She is always asking questions and, amazingly, she remembers the answers we give her. We are so privileged as her parents to see the world through her eyes. We just need to remember to take the time to stoop down to her level and listen as she unfolds to us the mysteries of flowers, and clouds and piggy toes.

While Lily asks questions about the world around her, Malachi wants to learn everything through experience. If there’s a button to push, a rock to throw, a bucket of dirt to spill, a puddle to jump in- Malachi will be there doing whatever mischief he can accomplish with his little hands. We’ve lost count of the times when we’ve found him in the middle of some mess with a charming smile and his best attempt at looking innocent on his face. What else is to be expected from a three-year-old boy? And yet, in the midst of the chaos he produces, a love of music is growing in him. He walks around the house humming “La donna e mobile” as sung by Pavarotti. More often than not, he is singing, humming or playing some sort of “instrument” that he’s made from some of his toys. It will be interesting to see how God uses Malachi’s gifts and talents as he gets older.

Speaking of talents, Evangeline has a real knack for mobility. She took her first step at only 7 1/2 months of age and now she’s almost nine months old and walking around like crazy! When she’s ready to do something she just decides to do it and does it all the way. Instead of attempting to climb up one step, she flew right up the whole flight of stairs at breakneck speed (with mommy right behind her insuring that she didn’t actually break her neck!) Our little Evangeline has truly been “good news” to us as her name means and we look forward to seeing her share the good news of Jesus with the whole world as she grows.

So what can we say about us, Joshua and Adiel, the parents and backbone of our little family? Our days are spent doing the same mundane things that husbands and wives and daddies and mommies have done for ages. Sometimes it’s disheartening to be stuck in the same everyday things, but sometimes God graciously grants us a glimpse of what it is that we are really doing. We are building the Kingdom of Heaven. With each day that Joshua goes to work and every dirty diaper that Adiel changes, we are bringing glory to our Creator. Sometimes we feel that what we do isn’t very important or that we’re not really having an impact on the world around us, but then we step back and look at God’s bigger plan and we know that we are exactly where He wants us and doing exactly what we are supposed to be doing. And for that knowledge we are truly thankful.

God’s blessings to us this year are really too numerous to list in this short letter, but one thing that we can say is how grateful we are for people like you, our family and our friends. Some of you we don’t see nearly often enough and some of you we get to see regularly, but we love each of you very much and thank our God that you are a part of our lives.

With our love and thanks,
the Gardners

Daily Thanks #7

I am thankful for my giggling children. Right now two of them are sitting at the table making monster noises and being goofy in general. And as they make each other laugh they make me laugh, too.

Thank You, Father of Joy, for giving my children laughter that bubbles out and splashes like a waterfall. Thank you that I can share their mirth today. May I never be too busy or cranky to laugh along.

Daily Thanks #6

I am thankful for the three little voices that sing around our dinner table. Hearing my little children sing the Psalms with gusto (and even Evangeline adds her voice to the throng) is one of the most beautiful parts of my life. I'm so thankful that we can teach our children to sing to our God whether it be a song of praise or a "sad song" as Lily calls some songs (like Psalm 22.)

Thank you, Father, for giving my children hearts and voices to sing to You. Ever help us in our endeavors to make a joyful noise to You.

Daily Thanks #5

I am thankful that right now all three of my children are down for nap/quiet time and they are actually being quiet.
Enough said.

Thank you, O Maker of peace, for this moment.

Amen to That!

During our morning Bible reading time I usually ask the kids to tell me something they want to pray for. Today Malachi mentioned his prayer request, (he prayed that he wouldn't see fire trucks) but Lily was having trouble coming up with something so I suggested she could pray for God to help her to share. Malachi pipes up, "Yeah!!! Pray for that! Lily should share her toys!"

It's so nice to know he's impartial on these issues.

Daily Thanks#4

I'm thankful for my body. I'm thankful that I have ten fingers and ten toes, two legs that move well most of the time, two arms that can work hard, eyes that see beauty and everything else, ears that hear the sounds of life, a mouth that speaks and eats (though both occupations tend to get me in trouble), a belly that has been home to my babies. I'm thankful for the body parts inside that perform not so pleasant, but necessary tasks, my shoulders that many a child has cried on, and my feet that move and dance for the glory of the King.
I'm thankful that my body is beautiful and that I can control it and move it and use it to accomplish my tasks of life.

Thank you, O God, for my body and thank you for taking on a body of your own. Bless my body and enable me to serve you well with it.


(As I was writing this Daily Thanks I thought of this post by Seth.)

Daily Thanks#3

I'm thankful for oatmeal. For steaming bowls of it on a cold, snowy day, for plump raisins and a sprinkling of brown sugar, for the faint swirl of cinnamon throughout. I'm thankful for the way it fills my belly and warms me up. I'm thankful that I can start my day with the simple little pleasure of hot oatmeal.

Thank you, my Sustainer, for not only providing food to nourish me, but granting me the enjoyment of it as well.Thank you, God, for oatmeal.

Daily Thanks #2

Today my Daily Thanks is very simple: I'm thankful for today. I went shopping with the kids and survived, I cleaned and organized a few things and I'm listening to some great music right now (it's Flyleaf in case you're wondering.)
It's gray and rainy outside, but it's warm and cheerful inside. It's a good day.

Thank you, Yahweh, for orchestrating today- for me.

Daily Thanks #1

Well, it's time again for my annual Daily Thanks posts. I'm going to try to write a thankfulness post for each day leading up to Thanksgiving, but I'm sure I'll skip a few days here and there.

Today I'm thankful for being able to enjoy corporate worship with the same people that I'll be spending eternity with. Today when I sat in church and heard the Word of God and responded to Him with prayer and song, I got a sweet taste of what the rest of my life will be like after I die. (Though I'm pretty sure we won't be singing with piano accompaniment in heaven.)

Thank you, Father, for this sweet taste of Home.