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

It must be School

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

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

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?

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.

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...

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....

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.....

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.

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.

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?

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......

Sex God

Ok....did that title get your attention? I'm onto a new book. My tight christian boundaries are seemingly being refined and broadened at the same time. It is an interesting dichotomy. How familiar are you with Rob Bell? I did not know of him but listened to him this morning on a video in prepping to read the book Sex God. Now I know you are asking what this book is really about. I'm not totally sure but this is from the intro:

"Something deeper. Something behind it all. You can't talk about sexuality without talking about how we were made. And that will inevitably lead you to who made us. At some point you have to talk about God. Sex. God. They're connected. And they can't be separated. Where the one is, you will always find the other. This is a book about how sexuality is the "this" and spirituality is the "that". To make sense of the one, we have to explore the other. And that is what this book is about."

Interesting.....I'm teaching on sexuality in the Winter. I'm interested to see if the Lord uses this book to broaden my perspective or refine it.

Are you familiar with Nooma. Really cool short movies (8-10 minutes) by this pastor Rob Bell. I watched one with a friend this morning. Incredibly relevant and thought provoking. It was about breathing. Yep.....breathing and how God lives in our breaths. A great presentation of the Gospel without you realizing it. You got to watch it. Go see the folks at the Parable and pick up a couple. Our church should be viewing these in small groups....the discussion will take off.

Whew

Emma, Jacob, Elena and I experienced a lot of this picture this past weekend. We were in Long Beach for a soccer tournament. I don't know how people do it down yonder.....the traffic, the cement, the noise. I thought our travel day on Friday was going to be really bad traffic wise as we were in very slow moving traffic starting just north of Calabassas (that is not a good sign!). Susie Theule slowly passed me on the left as they were heading down to some extended family gathering. It was funny to be where we were and look over and see them. We managed to wade our way through that, catch the 405, get in the carpool lane and zip through. Coming home late Sunday afternoon was interesting. Lots of cars going north bound, but traffic was moving. Southbound on the other hand was at a standstill on the 405 and 101. As a matter of fact 101 was barely moving southbound from Camarillo all the way up to and through Santa Barbara! I've never seen so many cars.

Long Beach is interesting.....it is readily apparent they are trying very hard to clean up the city. We were down by the water. Lots of fun things going on , but not a place to wander. I was amazed at the amount of kids and young adults just hanging around. That is so foreign to me. It was way, way hot and very humid. I kept thinking, "don't you have something better to do then stand in the sun and just hang out!" Apparently the answer is no. Unfortunately some of my daughters team witnessed the tail end of some violence in traveling to the fields. Nothing like a lot of police with weapons drawn and a body lying in blood on the street.

Funny yet stressful moment of the weekend. Once again (yes, it is an ongoing challenge) we were given incorrect directions to the fields from the tournament host. Our club is known for having it somewhat together and being on time etc... Every family was driving around the scary part of Long Beach looking for the fields. The cell phones were ringing off the hook! Finally with me stopping and asking for directions in which I just got a blank look in response and tagging behind a family with a GPS, our minivan and surburban parade made it.......to the wrong part of the fields. We had to load back up and move down a few city blocks. Oi....

The girls won the tournament, though! We were happy for them, but glad to load up and head back to SLO. Now onto life......

Prayers for the Study of Daniel

OK you prayer warriors out there. I am putting a request in front of you. The evil one is attacking hard at the moment. We shouldn't be surprised by that. He doesn't want the truth to be made known. Please pray for the following:

• A stirring of the holy spirit in the ladies to attend this Fall (your life will be changed!)
• Strength and courage for the bible study leadership
• An abundant trust in His provision for the study
• Small Group leaders who have a heart for the women of our community
• That lives will be forever changed by His Word
• A unity of spirit
• That the details of our physical space be planned out to the best of our abilities given the major remodel starting sept 1 at our church

Thanks in advance for your diligence in prayer. To God be the Glory!

But is it safe....?

This was Elena's idea of appropriate bike riding gear. Yes, she is wearing swim goggles. What you can't see is that she put on socks with her sandals. She felt it covered the family rule of no open toed shoes on bikes....

She really did ride around this way. Of course, she put on soccer shin guards with pants and leotard to jump on the trampoline. Go figure!

The Toes Have It

Emma was given a birthday present in March. The gift was a certificate for a pedicure!!! My type of fun and unusual present. Four months later she and I finally made it to the nail shop this morning....

I haven't had a pedicure in 18 months! There just isn't room in the budget, but I decided to splurge this morning. It was really, really nice....


Of course, she got the really cute flower on hers....I'm not into the nail polish as much, but I do like the foot soak and massage. Bliss....

What is Your Definition of Hope?

• "the general feeling that some desire will be filled"
• "someone or something in which expectations are centered"
• "Intend with some possibility of fulfillment"
• "Hope is a desire for something to happen, while expecting or being confident that it will come true"

Listed above are some web definitions for hope - with a friend I have been trying to nail down the definition of the word hope. It is harder than you think to do. You might ask why the difficulty. Well, I think because all the definitions seem somewhat hollow to me. My friend recommended a book entitled Holding On To Hope, by Nancy Guthrie. I have listed it in my current reading list on the right side of the blog. I recommend this book to you as well. It is a short read (just over 100 pages). It is an emotional roller coaster, though so have your kleenex ready. The book is worthy of your time.

The author comes as close as anything to defining hope.....

"Gabriel, like his sister, Hope, told us that the significance of a life is not measured by its length or by what a person can accomplish or contribute. Gabriel, said, "Children are a blessing from the Lord." That blessing comes in different forms--some joyful, some frustrating, some disappointing, some charming, some disarming, some expected, some unexpected--but all a blessing. Gabriel told us that God uses the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1 Cor 1:27). He showed us that God could use a child to communicate the most important truths of the universe to the world. If God can do that, perhaps he can use you and me to accomplish his purposes in our corner of the world if we yield ourselves to him.

...Gabriel of the bible brought the same message three times. It's Jesus. "Don't be afraid, Jesus is coming." And for you and me, as we seek to find God in the midst of our pain, the message is the same--Jesus.

....because it was so important that you and I get the message, he sent more than an angel, or a baby. He sent his very own Son. John tells us: The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. We have the entire message, everything God wants us to know, in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus himself is the ultimate articulation of God's love for you and for me. Nothing else is needed. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Jesus is everything God wants to say to us."



Hope is the expectation of His coming. But unlike some of the definitions above, it will be fulfilled and Archangel Gabriel will announce His arrival.

What are your thoughts on hope?

Birthday Boy Bowling Bash

A few fun pics from the Bowling Bash.....