Small Thrills

We live about quite a few miles away from a town of any size, and I drive about 30 minutes to do any major shopping...even to another state for groceries. We have a few fast food places, one (very expensive and crowded) grocery store, several coffee shops, a couple banks, a few restaurants, and some other miscellaneous stores. When we they build something new out here, we all get pretty excited. Last year they put in a Burger King, and the line in the drive-thru was wrapped around the place for weeks when it first opened!

So when I found out we are getting a Starbucks, I was thrilled! Our closest Starbucks is about 25 miles away, which for the Pacific Northwest is unbelievable. It seems they are everywhere, often two in the same shopping center or on opposite sides of a street. We have a pretty good local coffee shop which I will still frequent (Starbucks can't compete with punch cards for free drinks and discounts for getting the trivia question right!), but every once in a while it's nice to have a Starbuck's latte. I just wonder how long the wait will be when it opens. I may have to wait for months before I can even attempt to buy one!

OS Air

My computer has been limping along for a while and a couple months ago pretty much took a nose dive, so my hubby got me a new one. I would love to have been able to buy a Mac, but it was several hundred dollars more than we could really spend, so we got another PC (maybe next time!). Now I have been learning Vista, and it's been a little frustrating from time to time, so when my husband forwarded this article to me, I thought it was pretty funny!

Different operating systems. Different styles. But what if the quirks and styles of the different operating systems were applied to AIRLINES? What if airlines ran things the way operating systems do?

Mac Airlines
"All the stewards, captains, baggage handlers, and ticket agents look and act exactly the same. Every time you ask questions about details, you are gently but firmly told that you don't need to know, don't want to know, and everything will be done for you without your ever having to know, so just shut up."

Air DOS
"Everybody pushes the airplane until it glides, then they jump on and let the plane coast until it hits the ground again. Then they push again, jump on again, and so on…"

Windows Air
"The terminal is pretty and colourful, with friendly stewards, easy baggage check and boarding, and a smooth take-off. After about 10 minutes in the air, the plane explodes with no warning whatsoever."

Linux Air
"Disgruntled employees of all the other OS airlines decide to start their own airline. They build the planes, ticket counters, and pave the runways themselves. They charge a small fee to cover the cost of printing the ticket, but you can also download and print the ticket yourself. When you board the plane, you are given a seat, four bolts, a wrench and a copy of the seat-HOWTO.html. Once settled, the fully adjustable seat is very comfortable, the plane leaves and arrives on time without a single problem, the in-flight meal is wonderful. You try to tell customers of the other airlines about the great trip, but all they can say is, 'You had to do what with the seat?'"

Featured Ministry

Since we have been looking for a church home for quite some time, I have needed to find a steady source of spiritual feeding. I got an iPod for Christmas and began signing up for different podcasts and listening to sermons and teaching by various pastors and teachers. It is tragic how much junk is out there in Christendom. I shouldn't be surprised. The Bible tells us that this will be the case, that wolves will rise up from within the church and seek to deceive and devour the flock. It's often hard to tell the sheep from the goats. After being dismayed over all the unbiblical teaching I was finding, I was so pleased to run across a sermon series by John Piper that was fantastic! He's not for the faint of heart, to be sure, but I have been listening to him for months now and have learned much.

Not only do I appreciate his candid preaching, but the website for his ministry, Desiring God, is fantastic. You can download hundreds of sermons and articles and even books...for free! They have a "whatever you can afford" policy when it comes to other things for sale, which I think is great too.

Pick Up Your Cross

Maybe I should rename this blog The Elisabeth Elliot Herald or something similar because I find myself posting her devotions over and over. She is so wise and practical, and I find myself drawn closer to the Lord when I read her words. So here is another great article of hers that was timely for me, as usual.

Pick Up Your Cross

Jesus invites us to be his disciples. If we choose to accept his loving invitation, we must understand that there are certain conditions to be fulfilled. One of them is a willingness to accept the cross. Is this a once-for-all taking up of one particular burden? I don't think so. It seems to me that my "cross" is each particular occasion when I am given the chance to "die"--that is, to offer up my own will whenever it crosses Christ's. This happens very often. A disagreement with my husband can cause an argument and harsh words, even if the matter is ridiculously small--"When are you going to get that dashboard light fixed in the car?" I have already mentioned the light three times. It may be time to keep my mouth shut, but I don't want to keep my mouth shut. Here, then, is a chance to die. A decision which affects both of us may be a fairly big one, but we find ourselves on two sides of the fence. One of us, then, must "die." It is never easy for me. Shall I make excuses for myself (that's the way I am; it's my personality; it's the way I was raised; I'm tired; I can't hack it; it doesn't turn me on; you don't understand)--or shall I pick up this cross?

Perhaps my illustration seems to trivialize the cross of Christ. His was so unimaginably greater. What cross could I possibly take up which would be analogous? Just here is the lesson for me: when Jesus took up his cross, He was saying yes with all his being to the will of the Father. If I am unwilling to say yes in even a very little thing, how shall I accept a more painful thing? What sort of practice does it take for a disciple to learn to follow the Crucified? A friend hurts us, a plan goes awry, an effort fails--small things indeed. But then cancer strikes, a daughter marries unwisely, a business folds, a wife abandons her home and family. The call still comes to us: Take up your cross and come with Me. With You, Lord? Yes, with Me. Will You give me strength and show me the way? That was my promise--is it my custom to break promises?

Our First Geocache

I heard about geocaching several years ago and immediately knew I wanted to try it some day. It's been rolling around in the back of my mind, and a couple weeks ago my hubby bought a used GPS from a coworker for $15 and gave it to me. I researched some local caches and was surprised to find two right in our own little city! We loaded the coordinates into the GPS and headed off to see if we could find them today. The first one was very easy (the description gave it away a bit), but we were still excited to find our very first one. It was only a log to sign, so the kids weren't too excited about it yet. We signed the log, took some pictures, and then went and looked for three more. We found a total of three, but got skunked on the last cache of the day.

We love to hike and enjoy our local area, so this adds an extra dimension to the "great outdoors." We even discovered a couple of trails we didn't know existed, one which we will have to hike again soon because we didn't find the geocache and have to look again. So if you're looking for some clean, inexpensive family fun, you might consider geocaching! But be warned, it's not as easy as it seems at first!

Growing through Affliction

Recently, I have had so many posts in my head that I've wanted to write, but our circumstances at present have just not afforded me the free time I need to do so. During the last several weeks God has been teaching me much about grace and love and obedience and walking by the Spirit. I still have much to learn, but I am grateful for how He has been using some difficult circumstances to draw me closer to Himself and to help me more effectively put into practice what I say I believe.

Elisabeth Elliot defines suffering as "having what you do not want or wanting what you do not have." On the continuum of suffering, my portion is miniscule, but like everyone else, I would prefer to be comfortable and free from all suffering. My flesh rails against the chaos, turmoil and unpredictability that has been our lives the last couple of months. It's not in me naturally to be calm and joyful in the midst of confusion and bedlam; I need His supernatural power. So like the psalmist, I am learning that I can thankfully say

It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes. (Psalm 119:71)

In the past I have encountered trials that I have fought against, sulked over, despaired under and questioned God about only to come through them thanking God for having allowed them in my life for His glory and my refining. By His grace and mercy, this time around I am choosing to thank Him on the front end for this small portion of affliction and to allow Him to do with it what He will in my life and the lives of those around me.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Praying Scripture

I have been praying lately for some people but finding that I really don't know how or what to pray for them. So I was grateful for this morning's devotion from Elisabeth Elliot; it was timely and wise, as usual.


Power to Meet and to Give Thanks

Often I pray for someone whose circumstances or needs are unknown to me. There are many prayers in Paul's letters which may be used for almost anyone. One of my favorites is in Colossians 1:9-12. A part of this prayer asks "May He strengthen you, in His glorious might, with ample power to meet whatever comes with fortitude, patience and joy, and to give thanks to the Father" (NEB).

That seems to cover every possibility. It does not ask for instant solutions or reversals. It does not call on God for miraculous deliverance out of any trouble that might come. It asks for a truly Christian response, by the sufficient power of God: to meet whatever comes as a true Christian should meet it, with the Holy Spirit's gifts of fortitude, patience, and joy. It asks for the power to give thanks. It takes power, doesn't it, to thank the Father when everything in us protests? But we find in Him (not always in what happens to us) plenty of reason to thank Him and plenty of power.

Pressure of Life

I have been feeling life's pressures lately, so this article was very timely. As usual Ann has a way of putting things in perspective and into words in ways I never could.

Crazy Year So Far

This year has been absolutely crazy, it seems. In January I got absolutely nothing done, and I finally realized it was mostly due to potty training Abigail. For weeks I was setting the timer every 20 minutes and taking Abby to the bathroom. Even with the frequency of visits, she was still having several accidents a day, which meant tons of laundry and cleaning up. We now have made quite a bit of progress with her. She still is having a few accidents a week, but mostly she is going on her own, thankfully!!

We've also had sicknesses and other out-of-the-ordinary things, like snow! We really enjoyed the snow and would like to see more of it, but it did bring things to a standstill around here for several days, including having hubby work from home for almost a week which is sure to create non-productivity around here.

So this month I have been catching up on everything that didn't get done last month. I went to take a neighbor to Longview, Washington, earlier this week and our van wouldn't start! It turned out to just be a drained battery due to the back hatch not completely closing, but we had to have it towed to Beaverton and were without it for a couple days. Everything was covered by our warranty, so we weren't out any money, just inconvenienced a bit.

I got caught up on Ryan's and Abby's blogs yesterday, and today I'm finishing up laundry and Valentine's Day things, hopefully. Maybe next week will feel more like a "normal" week since I won't be starting it off with tons of piled up housework and errands and things to do! I do need to get our taxes done soon too, but I think I can do that next week.

Snow Again

We have had a banner year for snow so far! Last week we had some flurries and enough stuck to let the kids go out and play in it, but it melted within hours and was gone. We woke up yesterday morning to an inch of snow and it continued to snow for hours and hours. We wound up with just shy of four inches, and it is gorgeous. It hasn't been above freezing for days so the snow is still on the ground today. It even snowed a bit more today and made yesterday's dry snow wet enough to pack and make a snowman with today.

Eddie came home early from work on Tuesday, and we did some sledding on the front driveway. The kids made snow angels, and my daughter ate and ate and ate loads of the stuff! Today we only went out for a short time to make a snowman and play a bit. It will probably melt tomorrow, but we're enjoying it while it lasts! Our little birds are having a difficult time finding food though. They usually get it from the ground, but a few of them have taken advantage of our pinecone feeder and are getting every last bit of peanut butter and seeds off of it!

No, I Guess I'm Not

Ryan and I marked our first anniversary in our house the same way we did when we moved in...throwing up our dinner. He seems to be feeling much better today, though it was a long night for him and Daddy. I am still feeling queasy and tired because I didn't sleep much. I repeat...health is such a blessing!

Yes, I Am!

Thanks for the prayers, well wishes and inquiries about my health...I am feeling much better! I am still tiring easy, but other than that, I feel back to normal. Health is such a blessing!!!!

One Full Year

Today's the first anniversary of when we moved into our new home. It doesn't really feel like a whole year. There's so much we still have to do to make our house feel more like home, but I think we finally have all the "bugs" worked out (thankfully, since our warranty is now officially elapsed!), which was a much bigger undertaking than I had ever imagined. I've never had to schedule so many people to come fix something in my life! The electrician is still supposed to come pay a visit to check on a couple things, but other than that I think I have managed to get everything else repaired or replaced. It is so wonderful to have plans for our house that don't include repairs and redoing what previous owners thought was tasteful! I love cleaning the house and everything is so new still. I feel very blessed by our home and our new community.

My biggest concern is that we still haven't found a home church. The church we had been attending "on trial" for about six or seven months had a huge mess explode right before Christmas, and since we didn't personally know the people and who was telling the truth, etc., we just decided to start looking again (we weren't whole-heartedly committed anyway because of some other issues). We keep praying, but we just haven't found where we feel the Lord wants us yet. We just found out this week that the pastor of the church we had been attending has resigned and the elder board was disbanded. We had a friend call us to ask us to come back. Ed is meeting with him next week to get more details of what's going on with the church. If they are starting over from scratch maybe we will stay after all. Please pray for us!

For the Love of Children

Ahh, the soft sound of snow falling...
broken by the screeching of Ryan's car noises!
We had a beautiful snowfall this morning! Since I am still pretty sick, I really just wanted to enjoy it through the window with a cup of coffee and the fire going, but of course that wasn't what Ryan and Abby had in mind. So I took a deep breath, put on the most enthusiastic face I could muster, and we got out the boots, mittens, and warm coats and went outside. They had a blast!


Our backyard became a huge, slushy mudpuddle in short order, and it was time to come inside. I took off muddy boots, muddy mittens, and muddy coats and clothes and threw them all into the washing machine while the kids took a nice warm bubble bath. It was a lot of work for 45 minutes of fun (and frankly I am totally exhausted now), but I'm glad I decided to "die to self" and bless my children. I know I would have regretted letting this opportunity pass just because I'm not feeling well.

Weekend Retreat

It's been a few years since I've been to a women's retreat or had any time alone away from my beloved children. So when a friend offered me her parents' house while they were away on vacation, I took advantage of the opportunity! My sweet hubby watched the kids, and I went on over Thursday evening.

I had a very refreshing and relaxing time...at least up until Saturday evening when it became evident I had caught my daughter's illness of the previous week. I came home sick Sunday afternoon, but it was so good to see my family. Eddie had taken such good care of them, and the house was so clean and neat that it added to my joy in coming home!

In addition to running a bunch of errands sans kids on Friday, while I was away I also spent hours reading my Bible and a book by Charles Spurgeon. I also made lists and more lists and I organized my computer files. I think I finally figured out how to use my new iPod that I got for Christmas, and I listened to a couple of sermons I had downloaded. I planned my homeschooling for the next several months, menu planned, planned sewing projects and household projects. I prayed and cried and prayed some more.

It was a wonderful time of focusing undisturbed on the Lord and His word. The house was so quiet! It was wonderfully quiet, though the first night it kind of creeped me out being in an unfamiliar house and all, so I turned on the television for a little noise and ended up watching the Food Channel for a while. I know that sounds pretty pathetic, but I love that network!

Another Day Dawns

We've been having some gorgeous sunrises and sunsets lately! We enjoyed this one as a family since sunrise is so late this time of year. But it's officially winter now, and I am grateful for the winter solstice though because less than eight hours of light per day starts to get to me! So now each day we're getting more minutes of light, and I'm happy about that.

Christmas Thoughts

My Christmas didn't turn out like I had hoped. We had a relaxing morning (with the exception of a messy mishap with the coffee pot and a freak accident with a bathroom candle). I tried to just enjoy being with my family, and for the most part I was successful. But I couldn't fully relax since I hadn't gotten all the cleaning done that I wanted to before Christmas. My hubby doesn't get it, I don't think, but I just can't fully relax and enjoy things when my house isn't clean...especially on special days when I like it to be spotless.

We have started having prime rib for Christmas dinner for several years now. They almost always have it on special this time of year, and since we rarely have extended family joining us, we can buy a small roast relatively inexpensively. I like it because not only is it a treat, but it's so incredibly easy and fuss-free that I can just pop it in the oven along with some potatoes to bake and leave them alone for a few hours.

However, when I went to put the roast in the oven Chrismas Day, apparently it had been packaged poorly and it was going bad from the bottom up (which is why I hadn't noticed anything wrong). I decided to go back to Safeway and see if they were open perchance and could replace it. They weren't. We live in a small town and nothing except Rite-Aid was open. So we had frozen pizza for Christmas dinner! Oh well.

I was disappointed, but as I was driving to and from Safeway I was reflecting on Christmas and our Savior. I am so grateful that Christmas is about Him and God's gift to the world instead of about presents and special dinners, etc. My dinner and other plans for Christmas were lost...but I'm not. I am bought and paid for! I am redeemed (along with my grumpy attitude), and one day I will live in a kingdom free from sin and death (and rotting meat). I am extraordinarily grateful for Christ and His gift of salvation. I am so grateful too that I have a healthy and beautiful family to celebrate with!

Merry Christmas!

I just want to wish all my family and friends a blessed Christmas today!

The Box Part 2

For ten years now we've dug the box out of our Christmas things, opened it, looked at each little stocking, given each other sad smiles and a hug, and then closed it back up and placed the box on our tree. But this year as I was holding the box in my hand, my four-year-old son asked, "What's in that box?"

The question didn't surprise me or catch me off guard exactly, but I hadn't anticipated having this conversation during our tree trimming celebration. My husband sat down next to me, and we pulled our two precious children close to us as we told them about the box. They had more questions, some of which we had answers for and some we didn't. Then they were satisfied and we went back to decorating this year's Christmas tree.

What a joy the last four Christmases have been! Sometimes I am overcome by the simplest things that remind me how very blessed I am to be a Mommy. As I watched my children excitedly running back and forth between the box of ornaments and the tree, my heart skipped a beat and my eyes filled with tears. It was one of those moments I had dreamed about all those long years when I was aching for children. The joy and fulfillment (and, yes, challenges) they bring don't erase the pain and sadness of the years we collected the stockings, but it gives our joy depth and richness and a perspective I am grateful for.

Though I should have known better, I assumed the kids would forget about the box until next year. But it had an impact, and they are still thinking about it. Abby has been talking about her brothers and sisters in heaven and how she can't wait to give them all a hug. And as I was pushing our grocery cart to the van this week, Ryan looked up and me and said, "Mommy, will you tell me about the box of stockings again?" Yes, Ryan, I would be happy to.

The Box Part 1

It's there every year, inconspicuously nestled into the branches of our Christmas tree. It began the year we found out we were pregnant for the first time. We were thrilled, scared, and dreamy like most first-time parents-to-be. We discovered the news at the beginning of December, and that year for Christmas we were given some things for our baby including a large plastic baby bottle bank filled with goodies and wrapped with a ribbon and a tiny stocking. It was a joyous Christmas despite the horrible morning sickness.

Then February brought heartbreaking news and our hopes and dreams came crashing down around us. We weren't going to hold and cuddle this baby afterall, we would never find out if it was a boy or a girl, we wouldn't be a Mommy or Daddy that year or perhaps ever, and we wouldn't be hanging a third stocking up beside ours next Christmas. We mourned instead, and we would mourn again three more times that year.

The next Christmas had an altogether different feel to it. As we opened up our Christmas boxes half-heartedly, we found the tiny stocking from the year before carefully packed away. I ran my hand over the red felt and remembered the joy of the year before. Suddenly I was surprised to feel something inside. Now intrigued, I looked inside and pulled out a small ziplock bag that had $100 bill and a Post-it note that read "For Baby Garner, to put in the bottle bank when it is empty. Love from Gramie and Granpa."

Though we didn't have the heart to hang up the tiny stocking, that Christmas we bought three more tiny stockings and put all four into a box. In subsequent years we sadly added more until our box now holds 11 tiny stockings, a small rememberance of precious lives dearly loved and wanted.

One Last Bloom

My African Violet has been blooming for eight straight months, but it looks like it's down to one last bloom. I have been enjoying the flowers so much, especially since it didn't bloom for almost four years! It's the only houseplant that I have ever managed to keep alive for more than a year or so. Hopefully this spring it will bloom again!

Simply Joys of the Season

Things didn't turn out exactly as planned this year. I had some things I wanted to do this Christmas, but sickness and other distractions kept me from doing everything I planned. But as I was going over my mental list the other day, I started making another list. I'm so grateful for the things I have and for the simple joys of Christmas:

The baby in a manger who went to the cross for me!

We have heat and electricity!

I have a hubby who would rather be home with us than anywhere else!

No wait in line at our small town post office.

I have two beautiful and healthy (mostly) children!

The smell of gingerbread, evergreen, and cinnamon filling the house.

I love crawling into flannel sheets each evening.

For the first time in my life, I have a house with a garage which means no scraping ice off the van windows each morning!

Hebrews 13:3

"Remember the prisoners, as though in prison wih them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body."

I often say a metal "puh-leeze" when I hear Americans talk about being persecuted for their faith. Though I am not ignorant of the fact that discrimination against Christians is increasing rapidly in our country, there are very few incidents of actual persecution. While I'm certainly not advocating handing over our rights as Americans, neither am I all that outraged by the secular forces-that-be removing the word Christmas from advertising or a nativity scene from a public area. It makes me sad that they choose to reject and revile my Savior and what He has to offer them, but can we really expect the world to act any differently?

It is possible (probable?) that one day Americans will indeed be invading our churches and trying to force us to reform or recant our beliefs, perhaps even to the point of death. In the meantime, let's pray for our country and, more importantly, let's not forget our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who are truly putting liberty, life and limb on the line to follow Jesus. They need our prayers!

Megan Basham offers a little perspective as well.

Mr. Pretlutsky

There are a handful of columnists that I make a point of reading each week, and Burt Prelutsky is one of them. He used to write a humor column for the LA Times, and his current columns often end up pretty funny too.

This week's column in Townhall is a recycled column from Christmas past and it's not particularly funny, but I loved it and thought I'd share it with you. Burt is a Jew, but he gives a great tribute to Christians in this article and I appreciated his sentiments.

Edited to add: This week's column by Burt is a follow-up to last week's and all the responses he received.

Quiet Time

I loved this post from Ann at Holy Experience.

I am not a naturally early riser, and my children are very early risers. I try to get up earlier than they do so I can spend some time with the Lord before my day begins. I don't do well at concentrating deeply or focusing intently on anything once the kids are up and so I tend to want to be alone when I'm having my "quiet time" with the Lord, but I read this post a couple months ago and what a fantastic model this would be for my kids. I am a long way from making this scene happen in our home regularly, but it has given me something to think about.

Laura's Gingerbread

I am a big Laura Ingalls Wilder fan. I grew up reading her books, and I learned so much from them. So when my mom recently gave me a collection of books about her life, I was thrilled. In one of them there is a recipe for gingerbread which Laura was famous for later in her life. I knew I wanted to try it, and when we set up our Christmas tree this afternoon, I was in the mood to do some baking. Her recipe was a bit cryptic for me, but I managed to whip up a batch that was very yummy. I know this sounds corny, but it gave me pleasure to enjoy this small part of her life across the years.

LAURA'S GINGERBREAD

1 cup brown sugar blended with
1/2 cup lard or other shortening.
1 cup molasses mixed well with this.
2 teaspoons baking soda in 1 cup boiling water
(Be sure cup is full of water after foam is run off into cake mixture).
Mix all well.

To 3 cups of flour have added one teaspoon each of the following spices: ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves; and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sift all into cake mixture and mix well. Add lastly 2 well-beaten eggs. The mixture should be quite thin.

Bake in a moderate oven for thirty minutes.

Raisins and, or, candied fruit may be added and a chocolate frosting adds to the goodness.

Note: I just made the plain gingerbread and cooked it at 350 degrees since I have no idea what a "moderate" oven is. At this temperature it took an additional 20 minutes to finish baking. So perhaps moderate is closer to 375 degrees?

Sunrise

I am usually up before sunrise, but this morning I slept late (it was wonderful!). When I finally got out of bed and went to open the living room curtains, the view I saw just about took my breath away. The sunrise was glorious! The entire sky was lit up like it was on fire...only pink. By the time I went to get Eddie and my camera, it had faded somewhat. But it was a wonderful postcard from the Lord this morning while it lasted.

I Asked God

I asked God to take away my habit.
God said, No.
It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said, No.
His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary

I asked God to grant me patience.
God said, No.
Patience is a byproduct of tribulations;
it isn't granted, it is learned.

I asked God to give me happiness.
God said, No.
I give you blessings; Happiness is up to you.

I asked God to spare me pain.
God said, No.
Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares
and brings you closer to me.

I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life.
God said, No.
I will give you life, so that you may enjoy all things.

I asked God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.
God said...Ahhhh, finally, you have the idea.

~Author Unknown~

(Blog note: I deleted one paragraph that I wasn't sure was doctrinally sound.)

National Adoption Month

November is National Adoption Month, and several ministries are highlighting adoption during the month. Focus on the Family, Family Life, and Shaohannah's Hope are joining together to launch a long term, nationwide campaign called Voice of the Orphan. This campaign seeks to raise awareness of the orphan crisis and spur fellow Christians to action. This week their radio broadcasts will focus on orphans and adoption.

For obvious reasons, I have a special place in my heart for adoption. Not only has it given me two precious children, it has given me new perspective on the world around us, it has burdened me with the enormous need for adoptive families, and it has unbelievably given me a place in God's Kingdom!

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved." Ephesians 1:3-6 (See also Romans 8:15, 23, 9:4; Galatians 4:5)

Just as I sought out my children, the Lord--my Creator, my God, my King--sought me out. He chose me before the foundation of the world. He made me an heir with Christ, His only begotten. If you are a believer, you too have been adopted into God's family. What an incredible gift and privilege! If you are not a believer but you know God is seeking you out, don't wait!

"for He says, 'AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU'; behold, now is 'THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,' behold, now is 'THE DAY OF SALVATION'" 2 Corinthians 6:2

Today's Bible Reading

Today's daily Bible reading contains one of my favorite verses.

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, 'Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them: The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.'"

Go Hubby!

My hubby was nominated by a couple of his coworkers for Sysadmin of the Year! He got a cool and funny T-shirt, and winners will be notified on November 10th...his birthday. Though he doesn't expect to win, it was nice to be thought of and appreciated enough to be nominated. He works hard to keep all systems operational and up to date, and, like most IT personnel, he rarely gets appreciation for it. I just wanted to say Congratulations, Eddie!

Praying for Them

I have been mulling this scene over in my heart and mind for the last several days. We walked into the pediatric hematologist/oncologist's office last week with renewed optimism because Abigail awoke with a normal temperature after 12 days of having unexplained high fevers. It's not an office I ever wanted to be visiting, but in short order we were blessed to be given assurances that she has no signs of a malignancy or leukemia or anything like that. Grateful, relieved, overjoyed...all the emotions I experienced as we were given that wonderful news.

However, underneath my elation there was such a heaviness for the families I saw there. Precious little ones undergoing chemo and other unspeakable things. Abby was the only child in the office with hair, except for the darling one-month old boy who was clearly the love of his Mommy's life. What in the world was he doing there?! I was keenly aware of those in adjacent rooms who didn't have the luxury of leaving that office with a smile of relief.

Do they know the Lord? If not, how do they cope? Where is their rock and shelter from the storm? I have been praying for these families whose faces are now burned on my mind. Mostly I pray that they will come to know the Lord and have strength. From my vantage point it's easy to say this and pray this, but I have been praying they would also come to know that He is good all the time.

"He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge." Psalm 91:4a

Nevertheless We Must Run Aground

This morning's devotion from Elisabeth Elliot:

Have you ever put heart and soul into something, prayed over it, worked at it with a good heart because you believed it to be what God wanted, and finally seen it "run aground"?

The story of Paul's voyage as a prisoner across the Adriatic Sea tells how an angel stood beside him and told him not to be afraid (in spite of winds of hurricane force), for God would spare his life and the lives of all with him on board ship. Paul cheered his guards and fellow passengers with that word, but added, "Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island" (Acts 27:26, NIV).

It would seem that the God who promises to spare all hands might have "done the job right," saved the ship as well, and spared them the ignominy of having to make it to land on the flotsam and jetsam that was left. The fact is He did not, nor does He always spare us.

Heaven is not here, it's There. If we were given all we wanted here, our hearts would settle for this world rather than the next. God is forever luring us up and away from this one, wooing us to Himself and His still invisible Kingdom, where we will certainly find what we so keenly long for.

"Running aground," then, is not the end of the world. But it helps to make the world a bit less appealing. It may even be God's answer to "Lead us not into temptation"--the temptation complacently to settle for visible things.

How Firm a Foundation

I am saddened that most churches today have abandoned hymns. We are missing some great theology and exhortation by forgetting these great works of the past. This hymn is one of my favorites (From Rippon's Selection of Hymns-1787; though it will forever be linked to J. Vernon McGee in my mind!):

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you he hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

Fear not, I am with the: O be not dismayed,
For I am they God, and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes:
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no, never, no, never forsake!

All the Time

A pastor at a church we used to attend had a custom of stating, "God is good!" to which we were encouraged to answer, "All the time." He would then say, "And all the time," we would answer, "God is good." It was done often enough that it often felt like we were not really thinking about what we were saying but going through the motions (I guess to be fair I shouldn't say "we," but "I" felt this way).

As I was reading In the Grip of Grace by Max Lucado about ten years ago, one paragraph in his book had an enormous impact on me, my faith, and the way I think about God. His oldest daughter had fallen into a swimming pool when she was two, and a friend saw her and pulled her to safety. What impacted me was what happened the next morning in his prayer time.

"I made a special effort to record my gratitude in my journal. I told God how wonderful he was for saving her. As clearly as if God himself were speaking, this question came to mind: Would I be less wonderful had I let her drown? Would I be any less a good God for calling her home? Would I still be receiving your praise this morning had I not saved her? Is God still a good God when he says no?" (p. 132)

Though the answer to this question should be axiomatic, we often make it empirical, and the way we see God and how we live is impacted by how we answer that question.

I have dug some deep pits for myself and I have fallen into some of others' making and I have also been led into some by the Lord's own will. I've not always spent my time in the darkness praising God. At times I've questioned, I've whined, I've begged, I've hardened my heart, I've even wanted to walk away and leave God. Somewhere in the last decade and a half though I realize I have grown imperceptibly. I still whine and beg sometimes, but I can't remember the last time I've doubted the goodness of God or asked why He allows this or that. Thankfully, blessedly, there is a rock solid knowledge in my heart, mind, and soul that He is good all the time, and all the time He is good.

I will extol Thee, my God, O King, and I will bless Thy name forever and ever. Every day I will bless Thee, and I will praise Thy name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable." Psalm 145:1-3

Big Brother

I am finally reading George Orwell's book 1984. I wanted to read it the year I graduated (which was 1984), but somehow never got around to it. This morning as I was surfing the internet I ran across this article from the Daily Mail describing new talking cameras on the streets in England. People behind the cameras monitor the streets and discourage "anti-social" behavior by talking directly to the offender! I admit I am a little amused by this development, though I am surprised by the citizens' response...they apparently think it's great.

By way of keeping this post light, I can't help quoting the great thinker and politician from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away:

"So this is how liberty dies...with thunderous applause." Padme Skywalker.

Still Learning

Why do I seem to have to relearn that same lessons over and over? I am saddened by my own selfishness, my own self-centered view of life. This week has been a long one due to my daughter's illness. I have given in to fear once or twice (always in the night...why is that?), and this morning I contemplated what I was afraid of. Yes, I do not want my baby girl to suffer. It wrenches my heart to see her listless and miserable. I am frustrated by my inability to do more than hold and kiss her, give her small doses of ibuprofen or acetametaphin. I am afraid that perhaps there's a diagnosis around the corner that may be something too frightening to think about (why am I borrowing trouble?). I am afraid of this beautiful creature being ripped from my life.

As I was reading Can the Real Jesus Still be Found by Sigmund Brouwer this morning, this paragraph made me see my fears perhaps for what they really are:

If you accept you have a soul created by the God of love, then you understand that during your life on earth, your intent self-interest and self-absorption will obscure your awareness of the One who created you. Futilely searching for your own satisfaction and your own gods is a chasm between you and God that you will never cross without his help. (p. 98)

Is that what I am doing? Seeking my own satisfaction? Certainly I have tremendous concern for my sweet girl and what she's suffering, but too my fear is so self-centered. I don't want to hurt, I don't want to be inconvenienced by lancets and test strips and the like, I do not want to have to constantly patrol my emotions. I want my life to be predictable, I want it to be "safe," I want it to be comfortable, for my children certainly, but for me too.

But where is the glory in that? Hebrews tells us that "Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered." (5:8) If Christ had to suffer to learn obedience, how much more do I (or my daughter)? Not only that but the Lord loves Abigail infinetly more than I do and not only wants what's best for her, actually knows what's best for her. So this morning I have once again found peace and joy and I am asking the Lord (again) to help me walk in faith and to live out these verses:

Consider it all joy, my brethern, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces enurance, and let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4.

Thank you, Patty, for reminding me of our reading from Job 23:10b: "When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold."

Fall Cleaning

We are taking a two-week break from school, so I decided to get some bigger household projects done this week.

Monday - Even though it was Labor Day, hubby worked and took Ryan with him. So I decided to clean our shower. We have harder water here than in our last home, and I have been frustrated by keeping the shower looking nice. I think I finally discovered a product that will clean the hard water off of the chrome without damaging it and without me scrubbing for hours! I also did some organizing and decluttering.

Tuesday - Pulled out stove and cleaned underneath, also leveled it so my liquids don't all run to one side (my back is still hurting...should have waited and had help). Finished unpacking books since we stilleight boxes left unpacked. Ed brought home some battered old bookcases from work a while ago, so I cleaned them up as best I could, brought them into the office and started organizing books. It took all day, but at last our office has no unpacked boxes in it! We still have two boxes of books left that didn't fit, but I put them in the garage until we are able to get more bookcases.

Wednesday - I washed windows, sliding glass doors and all their screens. I have only done this once since we moved in. The last time I did it, I spent an entire day cleaning off concrete and some paint from the construction, and then within minutes of me standing back to admire them, Abby turned on the hose and squirted all the back windows. Sigh. After that the wind blew and since we don't have grass, they were covered in dirt. I haven't got back to it since. But now they are sparkling...at least until the next rain or wind storm. I also vacuumed all carpet in the house (two bedrooms and master closet) and the living room rug, then organized kids' closets, getting rid of some things they don't play with anymore and clothes that no longer fit.

Thursday - Pulled out the refrigerator and cleaned behind it as well as cleaned it inside and out. Mopped our entire "hardwood floor" (it's really laminate, but it looks like hardwood) on my hands and knees because there were still tiny flecks of paint that the mop just hadn't been picking up. I mop the kitchen and dining room fairly regularly, but our living room, halls, entry, office and master bedroom have hardwoods too, and I don't do those very often (in fact, I've never mopped the office or bedroom before because sweeping seems to be enough and they just never look dirty...it's great). I also vacuumed all living room furniture and dusted, including ceiling fan, chandelier, and recessed lighting in the house.

Friday - I had planned to clean both bathrooms, including the tub in the kids' room, pull out the washer and dryer and clean under them, mop the laundry room and both bathrooms. However, I was so sore from the previous four days' work that I just couldn't work up the energy to do it. I am planning on doing it tomorrow instead. Today all I managed to do was wash bedding and other regular laundry.

Saturday - Abby woke up this morning and told me she was tired! I didn't think a whole lot about it, but then she started to get a fever which eventually got up to 104 degrees. So instead of cleaning, I spent the day on the couch holding my baby and watching endless children's DVDs. This is a great example of "Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today!" I wish I had pushed myself to get this last part of my list done.

Sunday - Daddy took Ryan to church while Mommy and Abby had a repeat of yesterday. She doesn't appear to have any other symptoms, so I am suspecting an ear infection. She says her ears don't hurt, but tomorrow we're off to the doctor if the fever's not gone.

I had hoped to have all my fall cleaning done before hubby's vacation and our new homeschool year begins on the 18th, but I'll just finish the last few things whenever I am able to. C'est la Vie!

Blessed Be the Name of the Lord

My Bible reading the last two days has been in Job. I've read this book several times, but I am still always filled with amazement at these words from Job after all ten of his children have been killed, not to mention the loss of his great fortune:

Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD." Job 1:20-21

I saw this in action once at a funeral of a young man whose wife who had just been widowed and left to raise their infant daughter alone. During one of the hymns, she stood, raised her hands to heaven and worshipped God. Afterwards she said she was overcome with love and praise for her God. I'll never forget that moment.

I confess I don't always respond to events in my life with praise to God, but I am inspired by Job and my dear friend to unquestioningly give praise for all that He sees fit to bring my way. I know He brings the crucible only to refine and not to destroy, and today I pray I will respond in submission and love instead of questions and fear.

This Month's Featured Website/Blog

My hubby has entered into this strange world of blogging, and I thought I'd make his blog, Fish & Chips, this month's feature. He just began it today, so I don't have comments to make. I just want to support him and give you the chance to click on over and welcome him to the blogosphere!

While I'm at it, Honey, I'll take this opportunity to say, "I love you!"

It's Been Fun

Forgive me for this post, but I just can't resist! It is an understatement to say I'm not a sports fan. However, I do enjoy watching the occasional sporting event live, and maybe an annual televised football game too. However, since the early 1990s the one sport you can find me loosely following is tennis. I'd like to say it's because I appreciate the skill and strategy it takes to be a top player, but the reality is it came about because I liked watching Andre Agassi play.

I've watched him play great matches with the likes of Courier, Chang, Federer and Ivanisevic, but none more exciting than those with rival Pete Sampras. Somewhere along the line, I actually became a tennis fan (not as some would define the word, but it's as enthusiastic as I get over sports), and I enjoy watching a championship game from time to time throughout the year. I watched Agassi win his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 1992, and today I watched him play his last game, set and match.

Pete Sampras' retirement left a hole in the sport, and now as Andre follows suit, I know I will miss watching him play. If I continue to watch tennis it will only be because I learned to respect some of the other players' talents by watching them volley with Agassi. Friday's U.S. Open 2nd Round match with Marco Baghdatis was spectacular, going into the wee hours of Saturday morning, with Andre pulling out a win at last.

Today's 3rd Round match against the unknown Benjamin Becker (unrelated to Boris) didn't rise to that level of excitement, though you'd hardly know it by the cheering crowd that was unabashedly routing for Agassi to pull off a win. In the end he wasn't able to push aside his back pain and lost the match. I disagree with his politics and his personal life doesn't make him a role model I'd like for my children, but as far as watching him on the court, I will miss him and I have to say thanks...it's been fun!

Bible in a Year

I think I have read every book in the Bible at least once, but I am not sure I have ever read it cover to cover in one straight shot. I decided to make certain that I have done that, so I subscribed to a Bible In A Year program. The text for the day gets delivered to your email inbox each day, and you can choose your preferred version of the Bible (I chose NAS) and if you want to read in book order or chronological order. I chose chronological hoping it will straighten out a few time spans I'm always getting mixed up!

I am beginning September 1, and if anyone decides to join me, please leave a comment letting me know. It would be great to know who else is doing this too.

Say It Isn't So

I try to keep this blog fairly politic free, but when politics or politicians I support trample on the rights (indeed the very life) of the unborn, I find it hard to keep quiet. Nobody reading this will probably be surprised that I enthusiastically voted for George W. Bush (twice), nor are you likely to be blown over by the fact that I actually support his administration in most of their efforts, especially his pro-life policies and the war in Iraq (imagine that!).

However, you may not know that I differ with him on his education policies or that I don't agree with some of his other domestic policies that only create more and bigger government. Still, overall, I have been a very strong supporter of President Bush and thought I understood his agenda, so to speak. So I was naively caught off guard and felt betrayed when I read the President's comments about the FDA's Acting Commissioner Andrew Von Eschenbach (the President's own nominee) and his proposal to make Plan B, the morning after contraception/abortion pill, available over the counter:

"I believe that Plan B ought to require a prescription for minors—that’s what I believe. And I support Andy’s decision."

Was there a mistake? Surely he didn't mean he actually supported making this so called "emergency contraception," a.k.a. abortion pill, available over the counter? Even "regular" birth control pills are not available OTC! He stood firm and took a stand over embryonic stem cell research, vetoing the bill that would federally fund it, and I was thrilled that he was delivering on his promise to limit federal funding of this research to the stem cell lines that were already in existence. He was doing what he could to protect the sanctity of life, so I thought. What happened in just over a month's time?

Surely there is a superior nominee for FDA Commissioner who's ideology isn't so tragically inconsistent with the President's stated goal of creating a "culture of life." These are embyros that will be prevented from implanting (hence, will die) are no less valuable than those that might be created and destroyed for stem cell research. I am saddened and disappointed, to say the least. Perhaps I misunderstood his statements. Maybe someone will clarify and/or correct me on this. I do so hope to be proven wrong.

"There are six things which the LORD hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers." Proverbs 6:16-19

It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish--Mother Teresa

Ironic footnote: Though you may soon be able to abort a baby with OTC pills, in Oregon we can no longer buy sinus medication such as Sudafed and Tylenol Sinus over the counter--we must have a prescription. Purely nonsensical.

God's Messengers

Another great devotion by Elisabeth Elliot:

How can this person who so annoys or offends me be God's messenger? Is God so unkind as to send that sort across my path? Insofar as his treatment of me requires more kindness than I can find in my own heart, demands love of a quality I do not possess, asks of me patience which only the Spirit of God can produce in me, he is God's messenger. God sends him in order that he may send me running to God for help.

The Psalms are full of cries to God about enemies--but it was the enemies that drove the psalmist (for example, in Psalm 64) to cry. If he had had no enemies, he would have had no need of a Protector. God will go to any lengths to bring us to Himself.

"Think of him who submitted to such opposition from sinners: that will help you not to lose heart and grow faint....You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood....The Lord disciplines those whom he loves" (Heb 12:3,4,6 NEB).

This Month's Featured Website/Blog

I did a search on strabismus surgery one day last year trying to find some information on Ryan's upcoming surgery. One of the things I found was a website called Celebrating Julia. Julia had strabismus surgery last year, and I found out she has some sensory issues like Abigail does.

Julia is about the same age as Abby and was born with Cri du Chat Syndrome, but she has made tremendous progress. She was the Easter Seals Ambassador last year, and her and her family are special people! I have had the privilege of striking up an email friendship with Beth (Julia's Mommy), and I have been so encouraged by reading of her victories and struggles raising a special needs child. If you want to be inspired and see God at work, click on over to Julia's site.

Beth also has a blog for Julia as well as one for Olivia, another precious daughter, and a family blog called Our Family...All Nine of Us!.

It's Been a Year

I can hardly believe that today a whole year has passed since I first began blogging. This is my 101st post which means I have posted an average of almost two posts per week, far more than I thought I had done. I often have thoughts rolling around in my mind that never make it to this blog since the kids' blogs are my first priority. Though I'm sure the Lord has a plan in keeping some of those things from ever being said! Many thanks to those of you who faithfully read my humble blogs and even comment occasionally. When I get a comment or someone signs my guestbook, I am always amazed that anyone took the time to read my meager offerings.

Elizabeth T. King

The way may at times seem dark, but light will arise, if thou trust in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. That light may sometimes show hard things to be required, but do not be distressed if thy heart should rebel; bring thy unwillingness and disobedience to Him, in the faith that He will give thee power to overcome, for He cannot fail. "Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world," so keep close to Him, and the victory will be won. But do not, I beseech thee, neglect anything that is required, for disobedience brings darkness; and do not reason or delay, but simply follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit, and He will guide thee into all peace. --Elizabeth T King.

God's Promise

As Abby and I were leaving urgent care Wednesday evening, we saw this pretty rainbow. We get to see a lot of them where we are living now, and I am always excited to be reminded once again of God's promise (one of His many promises). Of course the picture doesn't do it justice.

Relationship with God in the Midst of (Crazy) Family LIfe

Thanks, Ann. Your posts are often exactly what I need, exactly when I need it.

New Website, New Blog

I have been working on a family website for almost nine months. I have had trouble getting it to look like I wanted in all the major browsers. It is still a work in progress, but at last I think I've finished tweaking how it looks and am concentrating more on content. So if you're interested, click on over to my home page and check it out.

I also created a new blog several months ago (yikes, not another one!) to track our homeschooling progress. It's called Teaching Mommy. I don't update it very often since our homeschool is a modest venture currently, but please feel free to browse it as well.

How to Do the Job You Don't Really Want To Do

Here is yet another wonderful devotion from Elisabeth Elliot.

Certain aspects of the job the Lord has given me to do are very easy to postpone. I make excuses, find other things that take precedence, and, when I finally get down to business to do it, it is not always with much grace. A new perspective has helped me recently:

The job has been given to me to do.

Therefore it is a gift.

Therefore it is a privilege.

Therefore it is an offering I may make to God.

Therefore it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him.

Therefore it is the route to sanctity.

Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God's way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness. The discipline of this job is, in fact, the chisel God has chosen to shape me with--into the image of Christ.

Thank you, Lord, for the work You have assigned me. I take it as your gift; I offer it back to you. With your help I will do it gladly, faithfully, and I will trust You to make me holy.

Feature Blog

Update: Not long after I featured her blog here, she moved her blog. The links are to her new blog, but the specific posts I mentioned, link back to her old blog.

When we lived in Memphis we were privileged to become friends with a woman named DebbieLynne. She has her own blog now, and I wanted to feature it here. It's called Joyful Christian Lady's Museum, and it often features artwork she has done. Though it's not her defining characteristic, I do want to point out that she has cerebral palsy and does all her artwork and typing from a wheelchair using a headstick. I've watched her type with her headstick, and it is a tedious, time-consuming process. I can't even imagine how she is able to draw with it!

She recently wrote a post that I thought was very thought-provoking. I pray The Church will indeed step up to the plate, not just when the government can no longer fill the need, but now...today. I have not been good at meeting the needs of disabled people myself, and I am currently praying and asking the Lord what He would have me do. If you're also wondering how you can serve, perhaps you can read her latest post, as she was gracious enough to post some ideas.

Lord bless you, DebbieLynne!

Proud and Relieved

After 13 years of talking and praying about it, three years of actually doing it, and one day of celebrating it (we will momentarily forget the years ahead of paying for it), Ed has his bachelor's degree! Several weeks ago he got his last six credits by passing a CLEP exam, and we were so relieved that we were fairly giddy for hours because it was all over and done with.

Don't you just love those people who are more important
than the rest of us, who just ignore requests to remain
seated in order that everyone can see their graduate walk?

Sunday we had the joy of watching him walk and finish this chapter of our lives. I am especially proud of him. He balanced an incredibly hectic schedule of work, school, and family with only a mere nine weeks off from school in 2 1/2 years and unbelievably still managed to graduate With Honors...all A's!

It was a rare sweltering day in Portland, over 100 degrees. But the kids were incredibly well-behaved, and we had some precious friends join us which really made it special. We stood in the heat (thankfully in the shade) for 20 minutes to get into the auditorium, then sat for an hour before the ceremony began, then the ceremony itself was two hours long. Afterwards, we went to Ed's work to give our friends a tour, only to find Ed had to resolve a crisis, of course. After another 30 minutes, we went to dinner at the Macaroni Grill. During most of this, both Abby and Ryan were on their best behavior!

Though they weren't the only ones who helped, Joel and Cathy graciously watched our children numerous times so we could have some time alone together. More than once Cathy came to our house and allowed us a late night out together, and we are so grateful for that! Not only that, but they have been models for us in their roles as spouses, parents and Christians.

Cathy, Eddie, and Joel

Congratulations, Eddie! I'm so proud of you...and I'm so relieved it's over.

Up and Running Again

I have been falling behind on the things I've wanted to post on this blog and my kids' blogs too. Last month I got a computer virus which put me out of commission for a while. Even though it was removed it seemed to bog down my already slow system, so hubby rebuilt my laptop this weekend. I am hoping to be able to post more regularly now that I have an optimized machine!

More Blooms

I just couldn't resist posting another picture of my African Violet (actually, hubby suggested it too!). It is just beautiful and blooming like crazy! I think it must be really happy in this little nook in our dining room.

June in Oregon

I just love living in Oregon. It is so green and beautiful, and now that we're living out "in the country," life is quiet and pretty slow-paced for the kids and me. I stepped outside this evening to look at our hillside, and it was shrouded in these low-lying clouds. It reminded me of the time Ed and I spent in The Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. It was a cool 68 degrees, and the low clouds gave our little neighborhood a cozy and peaceful feeling.

Camping with a View

After an almost four-year break from camping, we decided to give it a try this year. We went when Ryan was six months old, but we haven't been brave enough to try it again until this year. It was a success in the end, though we had a few rough times, especially getting the kids to sleep. We enjoyed it enough that we're planning another trip at the end of the summer, so the good outweighed the bad.

Some of the good was seeing so much of God's incredible creation! Before we even got to the campground, we saw a couple of deer. They were just about 15 feet away! It was exciting to see them so close. Then our campground was on Timothy Lake, which is gorgeous and has breathtaking views of Mt. Hood. We hiked part way around the lake, and the view just kept getting better. I think if we go back to Lake Timothy to camp again, we'll stay at one of the other campgrounds.

We stopped hiking so we could eat lunch and let the kids play in the lake for a while. We watched large osprey fishing in the lake and Daddy found a frog for the kids to see. The osprey weren't having much luck catching fish, and that made Ed feel a little bit better since he didn't have much success fishing.

Though it's hard to see, there is a fish on the end of that line!

Back at our camp we had a visiting duck who had a perfect sense of timing, showing up at 6:30 every evening just in time for dinner. We saw dozens of adorable, though pesky, ground squirrels. They were everywhere and were so brave that I actually had trouble shooing one of them off the table. He didn't seem the least bit afraid of me!

As we were packing to leave, we were visted by a skittish Stellar Jay. He moved so quickly, I had trouble getting a picture of him that wasn't blurry. He was pretty afraid of me, but he had no fear of the ground squirrels. He chased them away more than once from the bread we had thrown on the ground. I just couldn't believe how incredibly blue he was!

Blooms at Last

I do not have much of a green thumb, and I usually end up killing any plants I buy or am given. However, I have managed to keep alive an African Violet that someone gave me after one of my miscarriages. It was blooming when I received it, and it bloomed once before Ryan was born, but it hasn't bloomed in the four years since. I was about to give up on it when lo and behold, I was watering it last week and saw blooms pushing their way to the sun! I don't know why exactly, but I almost cried. It now has more than a dozen fully opened and more on the way. I guess maybe the window I put it in when we moved is its happy place.

Date Night

Since we have moved, Ed and I no longer have any friends nearby on whom we can call to watch our kids so we can have a "date night" or some time alone together. So a couple times a month we take the kids to McDonald's. They play on the play structure, and we talk or play a game while they're having fun. It's not very romantic, but it's better than nothing!

Gone

Even though we had to content ourselves with viewing it on television, it was pretty spectacular to watch the Trojan Nuclear Power Plant cooling tower implosion this morning. We had hoped to watch it in person, especially since we only live 10 miles from the site, but they had access pretty well blocked off to everyone except those who live within view of the tower. We were at Trojan Park a couple weeks ago, and it was neat to watch them drilling holes for the explosives from a large crane. I've included several links to footage in this post (some of which take a while to load), but Fox News 12 probably has the best montage of footage I've seen so far.

We drove by the site several hours after the implosion on our way to Mt. St. Helens, and it was strange to see vacant sky where the tower once stood. It sure does improve the appearance of the lake and park though! I can't wait to go back and get some pictures of the new landscape.

On a side note for my family, the implosion was done by Controlled Demolition, Inc., owned and operated by the Loizeaux Family. I've been thinking about Miss Loizeaux recently, mostly wracking my brain to remember her first name...Linda? My most lasting memory is of her leaning on the podium in front of the class, twisting her engagement ring while she stared out the window daydreaming about her fiance (Ken, was it?) and their upcoming wedding. I also distinctly remember her making a point the first day to teach me the Spanish word for twins, gemelos. I wonder what she's up to these days?

For my other readers who are wondering what in the world I'm talking about, Miss Loizeaux was my high school Spanish teacher and she also had my twin brothers in her seventh grade class that year.

Mother's Day Prayer

As I was enjoying a rare and blissful pleasure this morning, an uninterrupted shower, I was praying and thinking about Mother's Day. I find it peculiar that now that I am a mother, I don't have the unreserved joy on Mother's Day that I had once thought I would enjoy once I attained the illusive title, "Mommy."

Maybe the joy is muted by the memory of the many babies I never held or the lingering scar of years of infertility and childlessness. Maybe it's the knowledge that this day holds pain for some that are precious to my heart. I think of those who fear they may never know the joy of raising a child, those whose arms are empty because they loved a child selflessly enough to trust another mom to give what she cannot give, those who are separated from their mothers by death or estrangement or many miles, those who find it hard to celebrate a mother who seems unworthy of praise, those who don't have food or shelter for their children, those who are suffering the pain of watching a grown child make devastating choices, or those who fail to be the kind of mother they know God is calling them to be.

Still, as I enjoyed a pancake breakfast prepared by my husband this morning, I was overflowing with joy. It is a breathtaking privilege to look around the table and see the beautiful faces of two children I have been given the honor of raising. I am joyous this morning because of sticky hands and obnoxious noises that come from my two charges, and I thank God with all that is in me, again, for making me a mommy.

For those who are on the painful side of this day, I want you to know that you are not forgotten, you are loved and needed by many. And I prayed for you today.

Calling All Imperfect Mothers

I have featured the blog Holy Experience before, but I had share today's post, A Shepherd's Mother, as well.

Thanks, Ann, for sharing your life with the rest of us "pilgrims."

Yard Sale

Ever since we knew we were going to be moving, we have been planning to have a yard sale. The one snag was that we moved in the dead of winter. It had been raining for months, and it continued to rain for months after our move. At last it seems that spring might be here to stay, though it isn't consistently very warm yet. So we opened up the boxes of things that we had packed up especially to sell, drug out tables and sorted, marked, and piled things for days before our two-day sale.

It turned out to be a gorgeous day on Friday, and we sold $455 worth of stuff that day alone. We awoke Saturday to rain, so we rearranged our tables and turned our yard sale into a garage sale. We ended up making $300 on Saturday, and the bonus was that someone hauled away our very ugly old couch that we had stuck out on the curb with a "Free" sign on it!

We made enough money to pay Abby's last medical bill (we paid off Ryan's entire surgery bills last month!) and to hire someone to grade our yard in preparation for topsoil and grass. You'd think I'd learn by now and quit worrying about getting bills paid. God is so faithful to provide!

Movie Recommendation

We watch practically no television, largely because we can't find a show that's worth watching. We do watch quite a few DVDs, most of which are ones we own. Once in a while we will brave the video rental store and see if we can find a movie to watch. This past weekend I waded through an astonishing amount of vile films until I stumbled upon a movie that looked safe and intriguing enough to rent. Turned out to be fantastic! It's called I Am David, and it's about a little boy who escapes from a communist forced labor camp after World War II and travels across Europe on his way to Denmark. If you're wanting a clean, interesting, and different movie to watch this weekend, I would highly recommend it.

Week 11

It was another week of lackluster effort as far as losing weight goes. I didn't lose or gain again this week. Hubby and I are taking this week off from even trying. His mom fell and broke six ribs, we've had car problems, and it's just been too hectic trying to coordinate all our schedules, help his mom, and still stay on program. Sigh. We hope to be back at it again next week.

Week 10

Well, it was a wash this week. I didn't gain any, but I didn't lose any either. So we'll press on with this week and pray for better results. Hubby has already lost the two pounds he gained last week, so he's doing well so far this week.

Dirt

I have been following this blog, Holy Experience, for a little while, and one of today's posts just hit way too close to home. Check out It's Only Dirt.

Week 9

I wish I had victorious news to share today. However, I caved to temptation way too much this week. Abby's birthday didn't go well eating-wise and Easter was just as bad. I almost didn't bother to weigh but decided to afterall...may as well face the music. I gained three pounds. Could be worse, but I could have lost two pounds too. So does that give me a net gain of five pounds? Hoping for a better week starting today.

He is Risen!

"The angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.'"(Matthew 28:5-7)

Easter Song

by Keith Green

Hear the bells ringing,

They're singing that you can be born again,

Hear the bells ringing,

They're singing Christ is risen from the dead.

The angel up on the tombstone,

Said He has risen, just as He said,

Quickly now, go tell his disciples,

That Jesus Christ is no longer dead.

Joy to the word, He has risen, hallelujah,

He's risen, hallelujah,

He's risen, hallelujah.

Hear the bells ringing,

They're singing that you can be healed right now,

Hear the bells ringing,

They're singing, Christ, He will reveal it now,

The angels, they all surround us,

And they are ministering Jesus' power,

Quickly now, reach out and receive it,

For this could be your glorious hour.

Joy to the word, He has risen, hallelujah,

He's risen, hallelujah,

He's risen, hallelujah, hallelujah...

The angel up on the tombstone,

Said He has risen, just as He said,

Quickly now, go tell his disciples,

That Jesus Christ is no longer dead.

Joy to the word, He has risen, hallelujah,

He's risen, hallelujah,

He's risen, hallelujah, hallelujah...

My Prayer on Good Friday

THY glory alone, 0 God, be the end of all that I say;

Let it shine in every deed, let it kindle the prayers that I pray;

Let it burn in my innermost soul, till the shadow of self pass away,

And the light of Thy glory, 0 God, be unveiled in the dawning of day.

Frederick George Scott

Interruptions

This was Elisabeth Elliot's daily devotion yesterday, and it was really timely for me.

Interrupted Plans

by Elisabeth Elliot

We like things to go smoothly and as planned. Very often unexpected things intervene, and our plans go awry. We think we've got "problems." There is another level at which everything that happens is being engineered. "God has no problems," Corrie ten Boom said, "only plans." When ours are interrupted, his are not. His plans are proceeding exactly as scheduled, moving us always (including those minutes or hours or years which seem most useless or wasted or unendurable) "toward the goal of true maturity" (Rom 12:2 JBP). Believe God. Turn the interruptions over to Him. He is at the controls.

Month 2

Well, the second month on Weight Watchers has flown by. I struggled a little bit this month, but this week went really well, though I haven't decided what to fix for Easter Sunday. I lost five pounds! Yippee! It feels good to be back fully on program, and I hope this week will be good as well. Hubby lost three too. It's so much easier to stay the course when you have a "buddy" going through it with you, so I'm so glad he's doing the program with me.

Which Brady Are You?

I actually have some more thoughtful things to post if I can find a chunk of time to articulate them, but I just couldn't resist one more of these dumb quizzes! This just cracks me up every time I read it!

It also brought back horrid memories of a Grand Opening at a computer store where I used to work. Our vendor rep was Christopher Knight (Peter Brady), and we had a bunch of classless folks working there who, along with other rude things, kept whistling or even singing the Brady Bunch theme song the entire day. I still cringe thinking about that day. Remember that, Steven?

You Are Jan Brady

Brainy and a little introverted, you tend to think life is a lot worse than it actually is. And while you may think you're a little goofy looking, most people consider you to be a major babe.

What Brady Are You?

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

I found this quiz today, and I thought the results were funny, though I've never been accused of being modern before! (I'm trying to ignore the fact that they misspelled Frappuccino).

You Are a Frappacino

At your best, you are: fun loving, sweet, and modern At your worst, you are: childish and over indulgent You drink coffee when: you're craving something sweet Your caffeine addiction level: low

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Week 7

It was a week of struggles...some won, some lost. Neither hubby nor I lost any weight this week, nor did we gain any. We are back with determination this week though, and I hope we can avoid any more chocolate chip cookie/Gramie's tacos fiascos this week!