Sunday Musings!

I decided today to remember and write down all the things I'm thankful for! This could take a while! Psalm 92:1-2 "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: to shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night."

I'm thankful for the Lord and His mercy to me when He saved me. His unconditional love, His life that He laid down for me so I could be forgiven and have a home in heaven with Him someday, His forgiveness, all His attributes that allow us to have a peace that passes understanding, how He shows that He cares for us!

I'm thankful for my husband. He's such a hard worker and a human "rock" that we can all lean on. He takes looking for a job seriously, a time of daily family devotions is important to him, he cares for us, he has been mopping the house once a week for me at least 14 years now (if not longer!), he changes diapers, babysits, cooks, fixes stuff - I just couldn't ask for a better husband!

I'm thankful for all my children - what a blessing they are to us! They are such a joy at every age and I pray for the ability to appreciate it ALL the time. My only thought it how unworthy I feel to be blessed with all of them and ask the Lord for help to be a good mother. It is so wonderful to see them grow up, become independent people, and most of all, to see THEM love the Lord. We pray that for all of our children. 3 John 4 "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." THAT is our prayer for them!

I'm thankful for our new little one being knit together inside of me! Jim told me this morning that he found the meaning of John in his Bible, and it means, "God has been gracious." It couldn't be a more fitting name!

I'm thankful for my son-in-law Travis (married to Rebekah) and my new granddaughter, Eliana. Travis takes good care of Rebekah, and Eliana is a little sweetie pie! I just enjoyed a night out with Rebekah, Eliana, and Hannah for my birthday. What fun to spend time with them as grownups! Times that I only dreamed about long ago!

I'm thankful for the godly heritage of my parents, David and Elaine. I'm thankful for all the love and the lessons I learned growing up in their home. (My dad passed away in 11-99.) I'm thankful for my stepfather, Richard, and for the love that he and my mom have for each other. Thankful for how they have grown in the Lord together, how you watched over them through all of Richard's cancer treatments, for the love they have for our family! God couldn't have given me a better mom. She is so caring, understanding, and enouraging in the Lord, just like my dad was! I won't even go down that road - I'll be crying for sure!

I'm thankful for my husband's parents and the family I inherited when I married Jim. I couldn't ask for better in-laws. They have been supportive and loving to us and we always have a good time when we get together. Gennie taught me how to successfully cook and manage a Thanksgiving Day feast. Jim's father just passed away this past summer and we mourn the loss.

I'm thankful for a good church with a pastor that truly takes his responsibility seriously and shepherds his flock. I'm thankful for the visits to our home, the times he has taken our children out for lunch to talk to them or invited them to his home to keep up with their life, or hosted Bible study get-togethers for groups of teenagers and young college students.

I'm thankful for our church family and Christian friends. As a mother, it is a real blessings when people show a genuine interest in my children and spend time with them. It makes me smile when I think of Mr. Johnson playing ball outside with Elisabeth, Mrs. Johnson teaching Joel to crochet a potholder for me, Mrs. Terpstra teaching Elisabeth to cross stitch or sharing a pear with Thomas, Mrs. Collier spending time teaching Elisabeth how to play the piano, Mrs. Fujii spending time with Daniel and Joel teaching them Origami and how to speak Japanese, Mrs. Levy spending time with Joel in the nursery, and I'm sure I'm forgetting many others. Oh, Mr. Udwary teaching grammar to the children! And Mr. Terpstra trying to teach the children how to have an Australian sense of humor! All the Sunday School teachers/youth group leaders that spend their time teaching my children and us. The list goes on and on!

I'm thankful for their home school educators that care more about our kids' education than they do about money, that forgave our tuition until Jim is able to get a job. Friends that have helped us with rides, helped our computers rid themselves of viruses, given us wonderful farm eggs, helped us with the fence on our property. It is so good to remember how good people have been to us and how God cares for us through human means! It makes me cry and so thankful for all the blessings that I have.

I'm thankful for all the trips and time spent driving in the car, flying in airplanes, helicopters, riding bikes, buses, and how God has kept us safe through it all. Preserved us through sickness, surgeries, C-sections, childbirth, falling out of tree swings, household accidents, lost children, snakes, scorpions (in the yard, wash rags, Bible covers, playpens, falling out of AC vents, on the floor), etc.

I told you this would take a long time! I'm sure I could keep going! When you start thinking about it, it gets overwhelming.

God has provided for everything that we have ever needed! Note - I said "needed". Sometimes we get "needs" and "wants" confused. God has provided WAY BEYOND what we have needed and wanted! Praise the Lord!

How long was the Mayflower?

Today, we were doing some activities associated with the Pilgrims and their voyage the New World. We were cutting, pasting, coloring, etc. and we learned that the Mayflower was 90 feet long and had 102 passengers. So, I told them we could probably go outside and measure 90 ft. to see how big it really was. Jim was sitting at the computer and he said he had a tape measure they could use, so I suggested that they go outside with Dad and measure 90 ft. They all flew outside, tired of the sitting. In a little while, they ran inside and told me to come outside and see how long 90 ft. was. So I went outside, thinking they would have measured in some wide open space, like the driveway, or maybe the big open area in the front yard.



But no! There was a starting line drawn diagonally in the back corner of our driveway and Jim is practically standing in the woods!


(Now look carefully - there is Tom, all the way across the driveway, through the opening there by the garage, over the upside-down wheelbarrow, and just beyond the camper shell!)



I asked him why he measured it through the obstacles? He said that is just where Tom wanted to measure, so that's how they did it. I thought it was so cute that he seemed to pick the hardest way to try and measure 90 ft.

But you know, I NEVER do things the hard way! :o)

Top Ten Predictions No Matter Who Wins the Election

At this point, I feel like changing the title to "Top Ten Predictions Even If Your Husband is Unemployed!"

1. The Bible will still have ALL the answers.

2. Prayer will still work.

3. The Holy Spirit will still move.

4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.

5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.

6. There will still be singing of praise to God.

7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.

8. There will still be room at the cross.

9. Jesus will still love you.

10. Jesus will still save the lost.

I'm sure there are plenty of other things we could think of to add to the list. If you have more ideas, send them - I could use the encouragement!

I guess this list came from a Christianity Today Blog. I thought it was really good so decided to post it. I originally heard it on a radio program, Hope for the Heart, but later found it online when I searched for it.

Economic Experiment on Wealth Distribution!

I received this in my e-mail today and thought I would pass it along:

Here is a creative approach to redistribution of wealth as offered in a local newspaper...

Today on my way to lunch, I passed a homeless guy with a sign that read "Vote Obama, I need the money." I laughed.

Once in the restaurant, my server had on an "Obama 08" tie. Again I laughed as he had given away his political preference -- just imagine the coincidence.

When the bill came I decided not to tip the server and explained to him that I was exploring the "Obama Redistribution of Wealth" concept. He stood there in disbelief while I told him that I was going to redistribute his tip to someone who I deemed more in need--the homeless guy outside. The server angrily stormed from my sight.

I went outside, gave the homeless guy $5 and told him to thank the server inside as I've decided he could use the money more.

The homeless guy was grateful.

At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment, I realized the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn, even though the actual recipient deserved money more.

I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in concept than in practical application.

Organized Pantry!

Well today was a day for organizing my pantry. I knew that I needed to get rid of some stuff and organize Daniel's gluten-free food as well. Rebekah came over today and helped me. It always makes it more fun when you can work together with someone. Rebekah is a real no-nonsense practical person and that is good. She told me even before she came, "Mom, if you aren't willing to get rid of anything, it isn't going to help." So true! So, here is a picture of the finished product. I forgot to take a "before" picture, but we didn't feel like putting everything back just to get a picture! I realize that it may not look organized to the average person, but you should have seen it before!



All of us enjoyed Eliana too. She is such a sweet baby! She is my grandbaby, you know, and I feel blessed to live close and be able to see her when I can. At one point, the kids had her in a box and were pushing her around the house. She looked like she was having a good time.

Goin' Green!

Gotcha on THAT title! Daniel spotted this little green beauty in the grass while jumping on the trampoline in the backyard. I probably took about 50 pictures before I found the right lighting, distance, etc. to get some close, clear pictures of this caterpillar. I have no idea what its name is, but it sure was fascinating to watch! God has made some interesting creatures. Mere, I know your boys will appreciate these pictures.

Here he is on our driveway:



Here he is headed up the first step by our side door:



I think I can, I think I can, I think I can! Almost there!



I think this last one is so cute! In this picture, he is hanging on to the edge of the step and looking down. He looks like he wants to get down, but doesn't know how!

Sunday Musings!

LORD JESUS,
Give me a deeper repentance,
a horror of sin,
a dread of its approach;
Help me chastely to flee it,
and jealously to resolve that my heart shall be thine alone.

Give me a deeper trust,
that I may lose myself to find myself in thee,
the ground of my rest,
the spring of my being.

Give me a deeper knowledge of thyself
as saviour, master, lord, and king.

Give me deeper power in private prayer,
more sweetness in thy Word,
more steadfast grip on its truth.

Give me deeper holiness in speech, thought, action,
and let me not seek moral virtue apart from thee.

Plough deep in me, great Lord, heavenly husbandman,
that my being may be a tilled field,
the roots of grace spreading far and wide,
until thou alone art seen in me,
thy beauty golden like summer harvest,the fruitfulness as autumn plenty.

I have no master but thee,
no law but thy will,
no delight but thyself,
wealth but that thou givest,
no good but that thou blessest,
no peace but that thou bestowest.

I am nothing but that thou makest me,
I have nothing but that I receive from thee,
I can be nothing but that grace adorns me.

Quarry me deep, dear Lord,
and then fill me to overflowing with living water.

taken from The Valley of Vision