Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you. - John Owen

Monday, May 31, 2010

A Noble Visit

  Today, our very special friends, the Noble family, came over for a visit while they were passing through Minnesota.  It was all too short for us but we had a blessed time with them. 

  We played Blokus, Jeremiah and Austin played Battleship, and the younger boys were gunfighting!  We also played freeze-tag and I thought how nice it was that the Texas weather stays down in Texas where it belongs because I was HOT; even with the "cool" weather and the nice breeze.  We recalled memories and shared hopes for the future. It was an altogether wonderful visit.  We miss their family terribly!



Wesley-15 - Brooke-14 - Austin-12 - Jonathan-8


We also enjoyed TEXAS watermelon with the Noble family! 
(It was good because it was from TEXAS!)



Friday, May 28, 2010

My "Kitchen Blunder"

  

 Today I had one of those "baking mistakes" or "kitchen blunders" in the process of making a batch of Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies.  It was the first time that I'd made that particular recipe and it was copied off of the computer (hand written, not printed).  Unfortunately, one of the key ingredients, the flour, had been left out of the handwritten copy (I won't tell you who did that!).  I thought that the batter looked kind of funny but I figured that it might be a "special" cookie recipe, a flourless cookie - just like there are flourless cakes!  I knew that I'd followed the recipe very closely (emphasis on the word VERY) and I double and triple checked. Still I could find no place that I had skipped an ingredient.  Finally, I decided to pop the cookies in the oven despite my doubts.  When I checked them a few minutes later, they were FLAT, completely and utterly FLAT!  At that time, I knew that I had done something wrong. Instead of adding 2 cups of flour like the original recipe called for, I had put in NO flour at all!  Mama came to my rescue and found the original recipe, gave me the proper measurement and I was somehow able to salvage the cookies.
    I didn't think that they were that great, but everyone else seemed to enjoy them, so, if you're a chocolate lover, you might, just might, want to try this recipe. Be sure to add the flour and you'll have a rich chocolate treat!


Ingredients


1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)



Directions


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).


In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.


Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

"Tree Rats"

  Today, I went out on a "nature photo shoot".  There were hundreds...well, not that many, more like ten...little squirrels romping in our neighbor's yard.  Since we have permission to enter the yard (plus, the house is vacant) I strolled over and shot some of these pictures.  The squirrels around this area are sometimes a nuisance (just like anywhere else!) but they're also pretty cute!






Three Years Ago.....


we took care of three orphaned squirrels....


that we found in our front yard....


we had them for a few months....

and then, liberated them.

Their names were Sammie, Jeffery and Cutie.

We freed them in the country at a friend's house
and seemingly, repopulated their forest!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Trust


Psalm 9:10
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
for You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.



Psalm 16:1
Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.


Psalm 18:2 

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength,
in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.


Psalm 18:30
As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

Psalm 31:1
In You, O LORD, I put my trust; let me never be ashamed;
deliver me in Your righteousness.


Psalm 31:14
But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”


Psalm 37:5
Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.
 
 
Psalm 56:4

In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me? 
 
 
Psalm 91:2
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.”
 

Psalm 118:8
It is better to trust in the LORD  than to put confidence in man.
(The verse in the center of the Bible.)

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Declaring War

The Battle of "Water-Tube"

ATTACK!
Let the battle begin!



Elijah and Christian playing tug-o-war.
Bailing
Reboarding
They're sinking!
In the "heat" of the fray
The fatal shot...cannonball!
The battle, lost!

But in the end, it was all fun anyway!

Monday, May 24, 2010

Redeem the Time


 I do not consider lateness to be merely impolite;
as far as I am concerned, it is a sin against God! 
This is His work and He has called us to it. 
To steal His time is to blaspheme against what He is trying to accomplish here!

--John Winthrop--


Ephesians 5:15-16
 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.


Hebrews 12:1-2
 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Everything?


  Can God Do EVERYTHING? 

  Think on that for a minute. What conclusion do you come to? 

  While reading Systematic Theology, we were covering the section on God's communicable attributes. One of these attributes is truthfulness. We read a few scriptures, (Hebrews 6:18, Titus 1:2 etc.) stating that God cannot lie. Therefore, God cannot do EVERYTHING - which is marvellous!

  God CANNOT sin.  There are MANY things that we thoughtlessly count as sin but, in some cases are not sinful; such as anger (Ephesians 4:26), wrath (Deuteronomy 9:19), hate (Psalm 5:5), jealousy (Exodus 34:14) etc... God does ALL of these things---perfectly.

  It is wonderful to know, to KNOW that we have a God who is PERFECT, who does not need us for anything; that He does not need offerings of food or sacrifices as other gods do (and false ones at that!).  He does not need our praises. He does not need our worship. 

 To sum it all up, 
 HE does not need US;
WE are the ones that need HIM!

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Grandpa Needs a Haircut

After a year in  Africa...


1 Samuel 16:7 
For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Boots and Fruits

"You will know we are Texans by our Boots"


Matthew 7:16
You will know them by their fruits.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Eyes Bigger Than His Stomach


  The day that we arrived, I found a robin's nest with five little blue eggs in it. The next  morning, two were hatched and later that day, we looked into the nest and there were four little featherless birds. The fifth egg had been thrown out of the nest as a reject.

  Today, Elijah peered into the nest and found one of the little chicks choking on a worm. I was sitting at the table outside, working on a project when he came running up. He grabbed his pocket knife, (the one with the tweezers) quickly explained that one of the birds was choking on a worm and hurried back to the nest. I followed and saw that the story was true. He very skillfully extracted the worm from the bird's throat and saved the poor little hatchling from an untimely death.

  Elijah reports that...  the mother is contentedly sitting on the nest.

(With 4 of her babies instead of 3; thanks to my brother's expertise!)


Mama bird
 

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Photo Shoot-Gone Bad

Last Tuesday, I tried to get some nice brother/sister pictures but as you can see by the photos below, my good intentions were not realized.











Monday, May 17, 2010

Not My Will

 
  I love Texas, I love y'all in Texas, and I also love all y'all who are reading this and aren't in Texas.  My heart belongs first and foremost to my King and Saviour.  Secondly, my love is to my family;  thirdly to my friends-whether that's in Texas or not.

  I'm missing Texas, not just Texas but all of our friends in Texas!  Would you believe it-I'm even missing the RV!  I miss getting together to fellowship after church and during the week.  I miss all of the like-minded friends who have been so encouraging and supportive, even if they did not realize that they were doing so.  I miss the sight of my father, surrounded by strong men who love the Lord. I miss the wonderful, godly women who are constantly encouraging my mother.  I miss seeing my brothers with young men who truly are friends. (By that, I mean, friends who don't always want to talk about worthless subjects - sports, movies, etc., but who love to talk of things that build character, encourage godliness, manliness, etc., who will stick to you even in the hard times.)

  I miss all of that. It just makes me more grateful for the love of my Heavenly Father in showing me that HE is the only one who is ALWAYS with me, always near me, and that He will never leave me nor forsake me. He is all-sufficient;  he is my provider, my shelter from the storm, and I can rely fully upon Him to care for me.  I know that He took me away from my home for a reason. He has a plan for my life that is far greater than anything that I could ever know.  I believe that, for one, He did it to remind me that I must not trust in or depend upon anyone or anything but Him and Him ALONE. Secondly, to show me anew that He ALONE is God and that I am unable to do anything to change the fact that He COMPLETELY controls my life (whether I like it or not).  Thirdly, to teach me that the design of man is not above that of God, and that He can change anyone's plans, however well-laid, in a flash.  I know that He has so much more to teach me and that I have SO much more to learn.  I pray that I will be submissive to His will in my life and to say without regret "not my will but Yours be done".

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Glory

John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.


1 Chronicles 29:11
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness,The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours;Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over all.
 

1 Chronicles 16:29
Give to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!

1 Chronicles 16:28
Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples,Give to the LORD glory and strength.
 

1 Chronicles 16:24
Declare His glory among the nations,His wonders among all peoples. 


1 Chronicles 16:10
Glory in His holy name;Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!


Matthew 6:29
...and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory
was not arrayed like one of these.

Mark 13:26

Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Luke 19:38
"Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD! 
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"

Monday, May 10, 2010

Happy 21st!



  My parents met in the U.S. Navy.  Papa was an ordnance-man on F-14 fighter planes.  Mama worked for the maintenance officer. Their marriage followed soon after meeting.

  After about three years of marriage, they both were honorably discharged.  Soon afterwards, papa became a christian.  Mama was not at all happy. She left him and was staying at her grandparent's house.  She even filed for divorce!

  The long and short of it is, that after much prayer etc. mama became a christian.  (Praise the LORD) Soon after her conversion, mama left the work-force to stay home and serve her husband.   A few weeks later, she conceived me.  (For their five years of marriage, my parents had tried to have children but the Lord had never blessed them with any.)

  This year, celebrating their 21st anniversary, they are going to Backbone State Park. They need some time away, by themselves, and this occasion presents a perfect excuse!
I am so excited for them.

  The Lord has blessed me with two of the best parents in the world and I am continually thankful for them.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

You Are Loved


 
The Virtuous Wife



 Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
 The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
 She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
 She also rises while it is yet night,
And provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
She considers a field and buys it;
From her profits she plants a vineyard.
 She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
 She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
 She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
 She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.
 Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
 She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
 “ Many daughters have done well,  But you excel them all.”
 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.
 
  This passage is "of olden times"  but if it were put into modern terms, it would discribe my mother. 
 
  She has been a beautiful example of ...
godly womanhood,
an encouraging wife with a God-honoring perspective,
motherhood,
how to lovingly discipline,
 joyfully serving and asking for or expecting nothing in return,
delighting in things that bring others joy,
patiently homeschooling 5 children,
and so much more.
 
I am blessed each and every day by her self-sacrifice.
 
I thank the Lord for so richly blessing me!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Saturday, May 8, 2010

Prayerful Journey


1 Kings 8:28
Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O LORD my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day.

  Below is an e-mail that papa sent out to some men in the church. I would have written this post but I thought that it was extremely well-said here.

  Don and Cheryl (Jen's parents) arrived safely home Friday night. However, it wasn't without trial. Due to weather, their scheduled flight was cancelled. All other flights were booked. Stand-by wasn't even an option. They were given a hotel room for the night and a next day flight to an airport close to Cedar Rapids (1hr 38min). The Lord had us make a series of phone calls. During these phone calls we were informed that amazingly, 2 seats became available. Problem was that neither Don and Cheryl's hearing is good. Further, they have no cell phone. Result was that they're not responding to their page and we can't contact them. This drove us to some serious prayer. We were finally able to make contact with them - they were able to to get to the terminal - get on the flight - and fly home. The LORD answered our prayer.

  Praise the LORD!!



  Don and Cheryl look forward to meeting y'all.
 
Psalm 6:9
The LORD has heard my supplication;The LORD will receive my prayer.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Yesterday-Yard Work...well, sort of

  The little boys were helping our great grandma by "mowing" and "weed eating".  They did a great job.   Here are some of the photos that I got. 


They are such sweet boys, don't you agree?



Little helpers.


CHRISTIAN 



Doesn't he have a sweet smile?


Psalm 127:4

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.

Backtracking...

Since I wasn't able to post these pictures on the road, well, here they are!


Apparently, the people in Kansas City really like our family; They named a street after us!



Elijah, working diligently upon his map.



Jeremiah with his pal.



Guess who!

I didn't get any suitable pictures of Jonnie but if you look at the background of the above picture, you'll see him reading the map.



I didn't get any pictures of myself but this one shows pretty well what I was doing for the majority of the trip.



Rosie got smart...she decided to protect her eyes from those harmful ultra-violet rays...not really!



I'll bet Teddy is wishing that he had some of those cool sunglasses right about now!



Here's just a little bit of info about our trip that we thought you might find interesting...enjoy!