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Friday, 12 June 2009

  • E.'s birthday party

    Wow!  We got to host Ebony's 16th birthday tonight at our house, and what a nice wrap up to an eventful but fun week(spent Sunday evening to yesterday afternoon camping).  The theme was zebra stripes, and she had a zebra cake, a pinata, bonfire, the kids played on the zipline, and there was even an army cake for Scot (how thoughtful!).  Except for Little John and Scot, everyone took turns walking to the watershed lake (I really felt my age after that), but it was just really nice.  An added bonus was that Jim and Toni came out. They are the best ever--I just love them.

Saturday, 06 June 2009

  • Last night of VBS...

    Tonight will be the last night of VBS and strangely (for me that is,) its the first in eight years that I haven't left with a headache.  Most years I've gone in with the mentality of "Just suck it up 'cause I get to tell kids about my Savior, and its only a week, I can do anything for just a week, blah blah blah."  I am actually sad that I won't be seeing some of the kids who don't normally go to church here, and that really, really surprises me.

      As D said, 3rd and 4th graders are old enough to sit still, but young enough to be silly.  I've enjoyed getting to know bits of their personalities this week, such as Fred's quick smile and Mark's love of strange animals (his favorite is a flying squirrel).  Meghan  has a competitive side that doesn't make her jerk, but allows her to put her all in every activity, whether it was listening to the lesson, running in rec or making a craft.  Becky is a highly intelligent young girl with a quirky sense of humor(she named a cotton ball 'George').  Beth, also super intelligent, was a joy to watch as her small, smile would peek out, as if she was thinking of a secret joke.  Jewellena would poke her tongue out whenever she was serious and engrossed in a craft.  Sahrena was happy that she was almost as tall as I am.  It was fun to watch and see how much Jennifer has grown up (I've had her in Pre-K classes before).  And Allison.  I think of all the students I was most proud of her.  She came in not knowing much about the Bible, and by Thursday she was Johnny-on-the-spot with the memory verses and really, really listened when we talked about all of our need for a Savior.

    Just as good, I got to spend the week with Lynne teaching.  I have learned so much from her parenting style since we first began co-teaching the pre-k about four years ago.  She is so easy-going, but she doesn't hesitate to discipline when she needs to, and I love that about her. 

    Thank you God for this week, the seeds planted, and the wonderful company.

     

Thursday, 16 April 2009

Monday, 02 March 2009

  • My kids speak southernese...

    Yesterday, in the car, J.D. was showing us a shirt with a robot on it that a friend had returned. 

    "That's a Batman shirt, J.D." said Micah

    "No it's not."

    "Yes, it is."

    "Weh-air (That's 'where' for you non-southerners) do you see it????"

    "Right deh-air (translation: there, just say it altogether)!"

Friday, 09 January 2009

  • Sorry this is so wordy...that's what happens when you wait as long as I do to blog

    29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he hurried out to the man at the spring. 30 As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister's arms, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring. 31 "Come, you who are blessed by the LORD," he said. "Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels." Genesis 24. 

    Folks that Scot and I knew from when we were in Amway (eight years ago), requested that Scot be included on their friend list. Weird. Like Laban, they’re around God’s people, and know the lingo, but in my opinion were motivated by greed. Laban only left the house when he saw the ‘nose ring, and the bracelets,’ and the only time we were treated as close friends was when there was something in it for them. Obvious to both of us was the difference in treatment when our money ran out. Hard lesson to learn, but better than learning it later in life when our life was completely tied up to theirs.

    These verses this morning reminded me of several others, like the ones in Timothy (1Timothy 6:5) that speaks of false prophets who view godliness as a means of gain, and of a verse in Proverbs that speaks of the one who is rich, yet appears/pretends to be poor. (Proverbs 13:7)The appearance of money seems to attract those with self-centered if not down right evil intents.

    It also reminded me of yesterday’s reading from Matthew 6. I slowed down my reading to make sure the boys understood it, but I was the one who gained from this. The words that stood out the most was “You cannot serve God and Money,” and Matthew 6:33, “But seek you first the kingdom of God and all His righteousness….” It occurred to me that chasing after money and the things of God are at cross purposes, leading to two very different outcomes. 1 Timothy 6:8 “with food and clothing we shall be content” came to mind, and questions arose that I need to answer:

    “Am I passionately pursuing eternal things like I would monetary riches, or a lucrative job? Such as my spiritual growth? My children’s spiritual growth? Love for my husband? Care of my husband? None of those things are tangible, can be 'seen', nor bought with money, and yet the scripture says the “things that are seen are temporary, but the unseen things are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)

    Father, forgive me for the times I have put myself before the needs of my family; forgive me for not taking better care of my husband especially, and my children. Forgive me for fostering a spirit of discontent. I ask that you pour out your spirit on me and help me to improve in these areas so that I am showing Christ first and foremost, in my home.