well....true confessions......mama got a new phone. I've been saving for a loooooonnngg time. It should be simple - mama gets a new phone and life goes on. Not with a houseful of children who see all their friends with phones and think they should be likewise encumbered (is that even a word....). Our family rule is no phone until Jr. High, no texting (yes, you can turn that off) and all parental controls set....as in we block all numbers except for family and close family friends. Well, the almost jr. higher knows she has a phone coming her way especially since mama got a new one and maybe, just maybe they will throw in a free one for her. So, yes it is activated, but it stays with me...poor Emma. All this explanation so that I can show you this.....a typed note from my sanguine and future CEO....

"Mom I need a phone.

Mom this is me, Jacob your son. Soon I will be getting a phone which is a Samsung Alias. Since Emma just got a phone, I think I should get one. If you think so please sign this. I really think I deserve one please, please, please get me one. I love you and daddy very much, and I believe your trust - at least I kind of do. Emma is lucky to get a phone, and like she told me that I might get one in 6th grade, but I do not believe her. Because I want one this Christmas on December 25th 2009. Please sign this paper so that I can get a Samsung Alias.

Jacob Grant
Please sign here down below and thank you for your support."



oi......

“You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.

But that doesn't mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift. The text for this is,

He climbed the high mountain,
He captured the enemy and seized the booty,
He handed it all out in gifts to the people.

Is it not true that the One who climbed up also climbed down, down to the valley of earth? And the One who climbed down is the One who climbed back up, up to highest heaven. He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ's followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ's body, the church, until we're all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.

No prolonged infancies among us, please. We'll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love.”

Ephesians 4:4-16, The Message

I'm posting over at Sojourner's Journal today.....come on over and visit....

because these words made me smile....

"Joe...why are you humming?" "I don't know....I haven't hummed in awhile."

running down the stairs...."Hey, no one told me you were having fun!" spoken like the true sanguine jacob is.

during devotions....from jacob, "I was going to say half of what Elena said."

again during devotions....the question, "What gets in the way of preparing a path?" Jacob's answer...."the laundry."

mama had a weekend in seclusion (as in BY HERSELF...)
a journal of pics for you...

friday evening started like this....aaahhhh

and loved this...

was treated to two evenings of these...

breakfast of champions...or merely hungry and didn't know where else to go...

a little more of this...with my favorites....study bible - check,
pencil - check, devotional - check, ipod - check...

my weekend ended like this....feet up, sunshine....good.

a big thank you to those who provided....the family for allowing mom to get away, and the friends who loaned me their home....heart is full and overflowing...thanks.

Have you been over to take a read through Sojourner's Journal lately? Click on over and browse through this past week - really good stuff.....

what....? quite the outfit for the 6 year old...i so hope she didn't go to school like that

"I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
No Wonder my heart is filled with joy,
and my mouth shouts his praises!
My body rests in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead
or allow your godly one to rot in the grave.
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy
of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

psalm 16:8-11

I hope to get to one of these someday....

"...then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil." deut. 11:14

ok...i'll apologize right off the top....i'm not much of a tv person, but watched a bit of basketball over the past day or so..this commercial makes me laugh everytime i see it....

I'm always moved by the video recaps from Living Proof Live events....the faces of the women just touch my heart. This one is extra special as it was an event specifically for minister's wives....they need and receive an extra measure of grace....enjoy...




LPL Minsters' Wives Nashville TN from Rich Kalonick on Vimeo.

Happy Birthday Emma!

she turns 12 today.....our emma...

this final year before she enters the teens....we registered her for Jr. High this past week...she made a very difficult decision this past week as well and was so adult like in going about it...she was firm, thoughtful, well reasoned....i saw a first glimpse of the woman inside of her...the Lord does very good work.

took the family to Montano de Oro and hiked the Buchon Point Trail (newly opened PG&E property). It was spectacular...

off we go...

awesome sea caves...

a bench in just the right spot...looking for those whales and enjoying all the otters

early wildflowers...

california's gold...

the Lord's creation

Cleo

well....today is the day. the day to say goodbye to our dog of 17 years....known simply as "cleo". you could not have asked for a better "heinz 57" dog from the pound. David and I got her one month after we were married. He picked her out of a box that had 7 siblings sitting on her....she was sooo small. She has adapted to our growing family....she is very protective of all of us....and is just a bit ditzy at times...i'm thankful the Lord grants us animals....this one has brought much pleasure...a tough day in the Grant family....

"Hi...lets get out of town tomorrow and take the kids to the bay area?"
It was spontaneous....and it was fun....riding on Bart...eating out...staying at nice hotel...


yes, she takes my travel pillow, puts it on her head backwards and sleeps.....don't ask...

rode one of these...best line of the day "Come on people, back to back - cheek to cheek - work it out!" I think I am going to adopt that saying...

rubios....yummm...SF centre...

The bay....and the kids....

They Do Make Me Smile

Well....it has been six years since we all have been together. Most were there at the beginning, but almost 20 years later....we are still connected...talked as if we had just spoken yesterday.....laughed until our sides hurt....praised the Lord for husbands and the 18 children...did you catch that? EIGHTEEN children between us...
three hours of catch up was too short...plans in place
to see each other soon....Chris has offered one of their famous "Thanksgiving in July"....why you ask? Because she will be eight years cancer free this summer! We have walked through a lot in 20 years....hoping the Lord comes soon, but praising Him for the friends who walk this journey together.

baby gavin could still really use some prayer....go here for the update.

"spiritual life is the life in the Spirit, or more accurately, the life of the Spirit in us. It is this spiritual life that enables us to live with a new mind in a new time. Once we have understood this, the meaning of prayer becomes clear. It is the expression of the life of the Holy Spirit in us. Prayer is not what is done by us, but rather what is done by the Holy Spirit in us. to the Corinthians Paul writes, "no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit" (1 cor 12:3),, and to the romans he says, "likewise the Spirit helps us in our wekness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. and God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God" (rom 8:26-27). prayer is the work of the Holy Spirit.

This indicates that prayer as a discipline of patience is the human effort to allow the Holy Spirit to do re-creating work in us. This discipline involves many things. it involves the constant choice not to run from the present moment in the naive hope that salvation will appear around the next corner. it involves the ongoing struggle to prevent our minds and hearts from becoming cluttered with the many distractions that clamor for our attention."

henri nouwen

The Weekend

the weekend started with a belated valentine party...

but these....

with some of these...

and a little bit of this.....brought out many smiles.

a quick turn around headed us over to the valley for this...

....in honor of baby Jax

the two first time grandma's to be....oh yeah, and the momma to be!

the papa was home in North Carolina, but sent roses...to honor baby Jax and the momma...