Friday, August 31, 2007

Friends, End of Summer and S'mores

We have a tradition at our home. The last Sunday night of the summer we have friends over and roast s'mores in our fire pit. It is a fun, casual way to say goodbye to summer....here are some pics


Friends for life...Finn and Jacob



Oh those eyes of hers.....beautiful.



Ok...the funny thing is he never put it in the fire, but TJ knew to blow on them!



Coco wanting to share with me....



I only had two....well maybe three....well maybe four


Tuesday, August 28, 2007

It must be School


We are all in our places with nice shiny faces....they are growing up!

Monday, August 27, 2007

Psalm 23...


The Lord is my Pacesetter, I shall not rush.
He makes me stop and rest for quiet intervals;
He provides me with images of stillness, which restore my serenity.

He leads me in the ways of efficiency through calmness of mind,
and His guidance is peace.
Even though I have a great many things to accomplish each day,
I will not fret, for His presence is here.

His timelessness, His all importance will keep me in balance.
he prepares refreshment and renewal in the midst of my activity.
By anointing my mind with His gift of tranquility, my cup of joyous song overflows.

Surely harmony and effector will be the fruit of my hours,
for I shall walk in the pace of my Lord and dwell in His house forever.
Psalm 23


Sunday, August 26, 2007

What I look at...


I was staring at the board that hangs above my desk. It is interesting to me the things people put on a bulletin board. I mine is equally interesting...pictures, notes of encouragements, scripture. It all inspires me at different times for differing reasons. What is on your bulletin board?


Friday, August 24, 2007

Miraculous Healing?


The picture above explains in detail why I missed a very important meeting for our children's school on Tuesday evening. 30 minutes or so before I was to leave Elena fell and hurt her arm. I was convinced in my head that it was broken. I saw the angle of the arm, heard the scream and saw how she was carrying it.

Off to the hospital with me praying the entire way. My heart was breaking for purely selfish reasons. It is her left arm - she is supposed to start kindergarten tuesday - she is lefthanded. She has waited 5 years to play soccer with mama as her coach - that also starts next week. I so wanted to squeeze in one or two more days at the pool.... I was aching for lost opportunity.

They settled us into a room at the hospital. I laid my hand on her arm and prayed...I'm wondering if the Lord truly provided a miracle. After x-rays it was determined there was not a break. Which puzzled the dr. who initially examined her. We followed up with Dr. Bravo the next morning. He took the cast off - could feel a bump. He said, "are you sure there isn't a break?".

Except for a sore wrist and not wanting anyone to push on her arm she is good as new! Running, playing, writing as if nothing every happened.

I think the Lord provided a miracle...


Views from Vacation...

The red dirt of Utah...

Late summer flowers...


Just give us a pool...



Rock climbing on the Continental Divide...

Yes, it really is way up there....36 degrees at the top, but the view....

Garden of the Gods...Colorado Springs...


Oh, so this is what a gameboy is....I thought it had to do with sports!

Natural History Museum, Denver.

Ughh....120 degrees at Hoover Dam.. (yes I really did want to spell that differently)



Smiling eyes.....for a 15 hour drive from Grand Junction to SLO.


Thursday, August 23, 2007

It has been a week


We are back from vacation. These two pictures (plus a couple of others I didn't post) show what my life has been full of this week. We had a good time and I will post some pictures later in the week. We are trying to squeeze out a few more days of summer activity. Fall is right around the corner...




Friday, August 10, 2007

A little vacation time...



I'm signing off the blogging wheel for awhile. The family is heading for this part of our country.....any guesses? (I know...I still owe Sandra and Katie latte's for the last guessing game) See ya in a week or so....


Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Rich Mullins

I have been listening a lot to Rich Mullins' music recently. Many of you will be familiar with his songs (Awesome God, If I stand and many other albums). He died tragically in a car accident in 1997. He was an artist who didn't take himself too seriously, but took God real seriously. I was reading some quotes by him. Here are a few...

"Proof texting is a very dangerous thing. I think if we were given the scriptures it was not so that we could prove that we were right about everything. If we were given the scriptures it was to humble us into realizing that God is right and the rest of us are just guessing. Which is what makes them so much fun to read, especially if you are not a fundamentalist."

"And this is what I have come to think: That if I want to identify fully with Jesus Christ, whom I claim to be my Savior and Lord the best way that I can do that is to identify with the poor. This I know will go against the teachings of all the popular evangelical preachers. But they’re just wrong. They’re not bad, they’re just wrong. Christianity is not about building an absolutely secure little niche in the world where you can live with your perfect little wife and your perfect little children in your beautiful little house where you have no gays or minority groups anywhere near you. Christianity is about learning to love like Jesus loved and Jesus loved the poor and Jesus loved the broken."

"Bear in mind, children, that they listen to you because you are kids—not because you are right. That's how our Father listens to us ... We never understand what we're praying, and God, in His mercy, does not answer our prayers according to our understanding, but according to His wisdom."

"It's just that for so many people that I know, Christianity's this matter of ... it has everything to do with morals. Christianity is a religion about morals. And they will even talk about Jesus. And they will say kids need to know about Jesus so they won't smoke, drink, or dance, or go with girls that do, and all that kind of thing. And I kinda go, "That's not why people need to know about Jesus. The only reason—the only possible excuse for talking about Jesus is because we need a Savior."

"I am a Christian, not because someone explained the nuts and bolts of Christianity to me, but because there were people willing to be nuts and bolts."


I so love people who are outside the box.....

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Praising the Lord...



"they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads..."
"Yes, I am coming quickly."
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Rev. 22:4, 20

I just finished up 12 weeks of deep study in the book of Daniel. It is without a doubt the best bible study I have experienced. Life Changing.... Beth Moore says it this way, "No, Scripture doesn't let us see God described in this final scene. No words can depict Him. Instead, Revelation 22:4 pictures man finally looking at God. Yes, right at His face. What's is that on their faces? Look up with your minds eye at their foreheads and picture His Name. There isn't any room for any other name."

Praise the Lord.

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Irons and Life Skills














"Mom, would you iron this shirt for me for church?" OK....I think I might be a bit weird, but I actually like to iron. I don't do it very much. The fibers of our clothing don't demand it like they used to. When I was little I used to earn money by ironing my dad's handkerchiefs and the pillow cases. There is a sense of accomplishment in ironing. I think that is why I like it. I actually feel like I made a difference. You can see the difference. Face it...I can check it off the to-do list.

Joey asked me to iron for him this morning. I realized it is high time he learned the life skill of ironing. We have markers in our family for learning different life skills. He does his own laundry, cleans his bathroom, mows the lawns, grudgingly cleans up his room. I have a friend who taught her homeschool sons a course she entitled "Life Skills for Bachelors". She did some really fun, creative things. Time to add ironing to Joey's list.

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Bends in the Road

Do you ever have times in your life when the road you are on bends? When you aren't quite sure what is around the next turn? When riding on the road becomes uncomfortable, lonely? When you wish some of your heart desires would just happen? When the winding and twisting just seem too much?

I've been contemplating roads for awhile. Partly because we are leaving next weekend for a 9 day road trip to the midwest. I've also been thinking about roads because my life has taken quite a few twists and turns over the past few months. They haven't been comfortable or easy. I get carsick on twisty roads. I'm finding I can get carsick at home with my twisty life road.

What do you do when the bends in the road are up ahead yet out of site? When you are feeling queasy on your life road trip? When you just want to stop the car, get out and take deep breaths, but the traffic of life won't allow for it?

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

To ipod or not to ipod


The day finally came. My oldest bought an ipod. Much debate has taken place over this purchase. He desired one for his birthday. There were a couple of issues with that desire. 1) way out of our price range 2) he is only 12 3) I have one, but am concerned with technology being used early in life. The long and the short of it is compromise took place. He had to save for half of the cost and there are a number of parental controls (ie all music choices must meet with parental approval, I have access to his itunes account, we also don't allow computers in bedrooms. The only one he has access to is in the kitchen, he has to earn time for any technology. I'll post on our tech time board soon). He and I also have had a series of conversations on people using technology to 'check out' from what is going on around them. People look like they are in society, but actually they are not participating and using technology as a screen. I already see this behavior with many of his friends. I don't want him checking out.

I looked outside before dinner last night and Joey and Jacob were sitting on the swing listening to music. I love the pic because they don't always share like this......