The next time we see the sun . . .
. . . it will be 2013.
I'd say spending an evening at the beach watching the sun set is a nice way to say bon voyage to 2012 and welcome to 2013.
And the boys thought so, too.
Happy New Year!
December 31, 2012
Happy New Year!
. . . it will be 2013.
I'd say spending an evening at the beach watching the sun set is a nice way to say bon voyage to 2012 and welcome to 2013.
And the boys thought so, too.
Happy New Year!
December 24, 2012
December 21, 2012
19 months
Comparing these photos of Cael to the ones from this time last year, I'm happy to say that he's grown into his head a bit more.
Still doing that thing with his toes, though.
And just as happy to pose for a picture.
And just as silly as ever. Love our little Caely.
J/K
I haven't been good at posting the photos of Kieran's weekly show-and-tell items lately. So, here's to catching up.
H was the harmonica, since he was supposed to take something that made him happy. And I was also the harmonica, since it's an instrument (apparently, a repeat from a last year).
Since I couldn't think of a way to use the harmonica again with J week, he went with a jeep. (Here's last year's J.)
And for K week, he took a kazoo (similar to but not the same as a harmonica). (Last year's K.)
And Cael decided he needed to be in the picture, too.
December 16, 2012
Remembering Eve
Perhaps it's understandable that her first-born son turned out the way he did-- she was a mother on her own. She had no access to parenting books, no ability to attend seminars on parenting given by those who had gone before. No mommy blogs to devour, no social media sites to use to network with other "in the trenches" mommies. She had no girlfriends to discuss child-rearing troubles with and no mother who patterned the right way to raise offspring. She and her husband were on their own as they raised their children. She probably made lots of mistakes as her progeny grew up.
On the other hand, there were lots of things she did well. She taught her children in the shelter of her own home. She and her family had no access to violent video games, no gratuitous-violence-filled movies to watch. They didn't even have a TV. Or a laptop on which her kids could secretly watch forbidden videos. The father wasn't a gun owner, nor was he a collector of knives (they were only just beginning to learn how to work in the metalurgic arts). She didn't have any books for her children in her home that taught them a false worldview.
Her family worked in the fields, growing organic produce and raising grass-fed cattle and sheep. Her house was free from artifical dyes and any type of processed food. Although they worked hard in those field and pastures, they weren't poor. In fact, they were the richest family around. Because they were the only family around.
She loved her husband, the father of her children. They had a stable marriage. He was the only man in her life, the only man she'd ever known, in fact. No baggage to carry over from previous relationships. There was no history of mental illness running in their family.
There were no neighbors with horrid children to keep her own kids sheltered from, no unknown bullies down the block who picked on her children, damaging their self-esteem. No outside teachers forcing false knowledge about who they were and where they came from into the minds of her children. Just her, her husband, and their ever-growing family.
In fact, you could say they lived in paradise. Or as close to paradise as anyone has ever gotten.
And yet . . . her first-born son murdered his own brother in cold blood. The world's first murder.
Cain didn't use a gun, or a knife. Maybe he used a large stick. Or perhaps some type of farm implement he'd made to work in his fields. But it's even more likely that he used his bare hands to take the life from his younger brother, Able, in a fit of rage.
How do you think Eve reacted when she heard the news that her oldest son had killed another son? Did she talk to Adam about establishing a "no sticks" policy? Did she go on an anti-farm-implement crusade? Did she threaten to keep the rest of her children home from the fields? Did she shake her fist at her Creator, crying out Why, God, why?
Although I wasn't there at the time and Adam's record of the events doesn't include her reactions to the news, I suspect that she did none of these things. Because she knew why.
She knew that she was once again being confronted with the horrific consequeces of her (and her husband's) own rebellion against the loving Creator who had made them and freely given them all things in His creation, except that tree. That tree that the all-good Creator had told them not to eat from. That one tree.
Her disobedience--her sin--was continually before her. She no longer lived in that beautiful garden. The sweat and blisters and sore muscles Adam and her children brought home every day from their work in the fields reminded her of the curse the Creator God of the universe had pronounced after she and Adam had eaten from that tree.
The very clothing she put on each morning brought to mind those dead animals that had been killed to provide a covering for her shame. Those animals that needed to be continually offered as a sacrifice to atone for their sin. Those animals that Abel had been offering to God before he was killed.
The pain she experienced each time she gave birth reminded her of the Curse she was under. The pain she experienced as she watched her children, who had inherited their parents' now-sinful-natures, choose to disobey the commands of their Creator, just as she had done. The overwhelming, excrutiating pain she experienced when her oldest son killed his brother, taking a life that was not his to take, defacing the image of God reflected in His people.
And she was faced with the ultimate and final consequence of their sin: the death that God warned them about when He uttered His "do not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil" command.
I imagine that Eve did none of the things we find ourselves doing today when we're confronted with heart-wrenching tragedy. Because she knew that the external excuses, although important, weren't the real reason behind the atrocity. She knew that it was something inherent in her son. I imagine that she threw herself down on the ground before her Creator, weeping at the loss of her son at the hand of her first-born, and repenting at what her sin had brought about. What Adam's sin had done. . . . What Cain's sin had done . . . What my sin has done.
Eve knew that her own son was full of sin. Adam records these words:
Eve wasn't left without hope. She clung to the promise God had given her to provide a way to be saved from the final consequence of their sin--death and eternal separation from the God who had so intricately and intimately formed them with His own hands. Perhaps she even thought the baby she bore after Abel's death was the fulfillment of that promise.
We know now that the true fulfillment came 4,000 years later, when God sent His only Son to earth as a baby. Jesus, that One promised from the beginning and continually promised through the thousands of years that followed, came to earth, lived a life without sin, died in place of those who deserve to be punished for their sin, and then rose from the dead, showing that God had accepted the sacrifice of His Son on the cross. When we repent of our sin and believe that Jesus is the only Savior of the world, we can rejoice in knowing that our sins have been forgiven and we will spend eternity with our Creator after we die.
When tragedy comes my way, my heart aches for the families involved. I continually pray that the God of all comfort would pour out His grace and mercy on them and bring glory to Himself through this. But even more, these tragedies are a stark reminder of my participation in commiting high treason against the Ruler of the Universe and a call to repent of my sin and a reminder for me to share the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ with those around me.
What if, instead of focusing exclusively on what "our nation" needs to do to stop such horrors from happening again, we each, as individuals, repented? What if we heeded Jesus's words when He was talking about those killed after the tower of Siloam fell on them: "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish"? And then what if we shared the life-altering good news of salvation from sin through repentance and faith in Jesus with our friends and neighbors? What if . . . .?
On the other hand, there were lots of things she did well. She taught her children in the shelter of her own home. She and her family had no access to violent video games, no gratuitous-violence-filled movies to watch. They didn't even have a TV. Or a laptop on which her kids could secretly watch forbidden videos. The father wasn't a gun owner, nor was he a collector of knives (they were only just beginning to learn how to work in the metalurgic arts). She didn't have any books for her children in her home that taught them a false worldview.
Her family worked in the fields, growing organic produce and raising grass-fed cattle and sheep. Her house was free from artifical dyes and any type of processed food. Although they worked hard in those field and pastures, they weren't poor. In fact, they were the richest family around. Because they were the only family around.
She loved her husband, the father of her children. They had a stable marriage. He was the only man in her life, the only man she'd ever known, in fact. No baggage to carry over from previous relationships. There was no history of mental illness running in their family.
There were no neighbors with horrid children to keep her own kids sheltered from, no unknown bullies down the block who picked on her children, damaging their self-esteem. No outside teachers forcing false knowledge about who they were and where they came from into the minds of her children. Just her, her husband, and their ever-growing family.
In fact, you could say they lived in paradise. Or as close to paradise as anyone has ever gotten.
And yet . . . her first-born son murdered his own brother in cold blood. The world's first murder.
Cain didn't use a gun, or a knife. Maybe he used a large stick. Or perhaps some type of farm implement he'd made to work in his fields. But it's even more likely that he used his bare hands to take the life from his younger brother, Able, in a fit of rage.
How do you think Eve reacted when she heard the news that her oldest son had killed another son? Did she talk to Adam about establishing a "no sticks" policy? Did she go on an anti-farm-implement crusade? Did she threaten to keep the rest of her children home from the fields? Did she shake her fist at her Creator, crying out Why, God, why?
Although I wasn't there at the time and Adam's record of the events doesn't include her reactions to the news, I suspect that she did none of these things. Because she knew why.
She knew that she was once again being confronted with the horrific consequeces of her (and her husband's) own rebellion against the loving Creator who had made them and freely given them all things in His creation, except that tree. That tree that the all-good Creator had told them not to eat from. That one tree.
Her disobedience--her sin--was continually before her. She no longer lived in that beautiful garden. The sweat and blisters and sore muscles Adam and her children brought home every day from their work in the fields reminded her of the curse the Creator God of the universe had pronounced after she and Adam had eaten from that tree.
The very clothing she put on each morning brought to mind those dead animals that had been killed to provide a covering for her shame. Those animals that needed to be continually offered as a sacrifice to atone for their sin. Those animals that Abel had been offering to God before he was killed.
The pain she experienced each time she gave birth reminded her of the Curse she was under. The pain she experienced as she watched her children, who had inherited their parents' now-sinful-natures, choose to disobey the commands of their Creator, just as she had done. The overwhelming, excrutiating pain she experienced when her oldest son killed his brother, taking a life that was not his to take, defacing the image of God reflected in His people.
And she was faced with the ultimate and final consequence of their sin: the death that God warned them about when He uttered His "do not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil" command.
I imagine that Eve did none of the things we find ourselves doing today when we're confronted with heart-wrenching tragedy. Because she knew that the external excuses, although important, weren't the real reason behind the atrocity. She knew that it was something inherent in her son. I imagine that she threw herself down on the ground before her Creator, weeping at the loss of her son at the hand of her first-born, and repenting at what her sin had brought about. What Adam's sin had done. . . . What Cain's sin had done . . . What my sin has done.
Eve knew that her own son was full of sin. Adam records these words:
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”Sin--the rejection of the commands of God -- is crouching at the door of each of our hearts. We may see the effects of giving in to sin to a fuller measure in a mass murderer, but none of us are any better that he is. When we hate, we commit murder in our hearts. When we are unkind, tell a lie, covet another's possession, talk maliciously about a fellow image-bearer, we sin. We transgress God's law. And we need to repent of our rebellion against Him for we are all under the penalty of death.
Eve wasn't left without hope. She clung to the promise God had given her to provide a way to be saved from the final consequence of their sin--death and eternal separation from the God who had so intricately and intimately formed them with His own hands. Perhaps she even thought the baby she bore after Abel's death was the fulfillment of that promise.
We know now that the true fulfillment came 4,000 years later, when God sent His only Son to earth as a baby. Jesus, that One promised from the beginning and continually promised through the thousands of years that followed, came to earth, lived a life without sin, died in place of those who deserve to be punished for their sin, and then rose from the dead, showing that God had accepted the sacrifice of His Son on the cross. When we repent of our sin and believe that Jesus is the only Savior of the world, we can rejoice in knowing that our sins have been forgiven and we will spend eternity with our Creator after we die.
When tragedy comes my way, my heart aches for the families involved. I continually pray that the God of all comfort would pour out His grace and mercy on them and bring glory to Himself through this. But even more, these tragedies are a stark reminder of my participation in commiting high treason against the Ruler of the Universe and a call to repent of my sin and a reminder for me to share the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ with those around me.
What if, instead of focusing exclusively on what "our nation" needs to do to stop such horrors from happening again, we each, as individuals, repented? What if we heeded Jesus's words when He was talking about those killed after the tower of Siloam fell on them: "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish"? And then what if we shared the life-altering good news of salvation from sin through repentance and faith in Jesus with our friends and neighbors? What if . . . .?
December 3, 2012
On being "different"
Mike was a guy in the singles class I attended at a church many years ago before Seth entered the picture. He was the unofficial class greeter -- the first to shake your hand when you came in and the first to remember the name of anyone new. He worked at a greeter at a local Walmart. I was kind to Mike, but I found it difficult to really relate to him beyond the compulsory, "Hey, Mike." I expected Mike to be more like me, but since he wasn't, since he was different, I didn't know how to get to know him better.
When I first began working for one of my previous bosses, I found it difficult to relate to him. He was different from me and it felt like we were continually butting heads, for some unknown reason. And then one day, for a reason I can't remember, we sat down together and he told me his life story--about his past, where he'd come from, what his life had been like. And after that, after getting to know him, we clicked and I enjoyed working for him and with him from that time on.
I was reminded about Mike and my previous boss a few weeks ago. We took Kieran for his yearly visit to the Williams syndrome specialist last week, and I was filling out all the evaluation forms they sent before we went. Several of the questions were about his interactions with peers, so I asked his preschool teacher to share her insight. One of those questions was, "Do his peers ever think his behavior is odd or weird?" She (kindly, truthfully, and without malice) answered with the "Sometimes this is true" box.
That stung a bit.
Sure, I can look around and see that Kieran is different from other children. Most kids his age don't keep their hands over their ears because the noise level in everyday situations is too intense for them (a condition called hyperacusis). Most four-year-olds don't burst into tears at the sight of something that makes a noise they don't like (the blender, the vacuum cleaner). Most kids don't have difficulty sitting still for short periods of time or paying attention to the task at hand. Most of his peers don't have trouble tracing a line, drawing a circle, cutting along a straight line, coloring a picture, or building something out of blocks. Most kids don't have difficulty initiating and sustaining a conversation or playing games with other children. Most children don't go around giving hugs to everyone they see.
But he is Kieran. And he is different.
And here's the thing about being different: It's okay.
It's okay because God, Kieran's Creator and the Creator of each one of us, likes variety. And He fearfully and wonderfully created Kieran in His image just the way He wanted him to be.
I don't find Kieran odd or weird. I enjoy being with him, talking with him, and playing with him . . . on his terms (which often include weedwackers). I know him well (I should since I'm his mother, right?), and I know what he's like as an individual, not measured against everyone else.
I know that he's funny, likes reading books, enjoys being around people, and loves playing his harmonica. And while we're working with him to minimize some of the "differences" in areas such as conversation and fine motor skills, we also love him just the way he is.
Whether we know it or not, we expect people to be like we are, and when we find out they're not, we may label them as different, or weird, or odd. I'm fairly sure, looking back now, that Mike had Williams syndrome. His overfriendliness, good memory of faces and names, distinctive facial features, and slow shuffling walk fit the profile of a syndrome that has become part of our lives. But does it matter whether someone has a "diagnosis" or a storied past that helps explain current behavior? It shouldn't--we should be kind to everyone, receiving each as an individual created in God's image for His glory. But sometimes understanding what makes a person different from me can help me embrace those differences a bit more easily.
If you expect Kieran to act like other typically developing four-year-olds, you may find his behavior odd or different. But if you expect him to act like Kieran and take the time to get to know him as Kieran and allow him to be Kieran, I suspect you'll find that he'll bring you a great amount of joy, as he does to us.
(I feel the need to add this disclaimer, which seems silly because this blog is just for friends and family, but I do want to be clear that I'm not talking about tolerating moral differences or tossing aside the clearly delineated moral commands given in the absolute standard of God's Word in favor of accepting any type of behavior. We are teaching Kieran to be kind, to share his toys, to obey those in authority, and to follow God's Word. Nor am I advocating accepting the "all roads lead to heaven" approach (Jesus clearly said that He is the only way to heaven). So, there. Disclaimer ended.)
When I first began working for one of my previous bosses, I found it difficult to relate to him. He was different from me and it felt like we were continually butting heads, for some unknown reason. And then one day, for a reason I can't remember, we sat down together and he told me his life story--about his past, where he'd come from, what his life had been like. And after that, after getting to know him, we clicked and I enjoyed working for him and with him from that time on.
I was reminded about Mike and my previous boss a few weeks ago. We took Kieran for his yearly visit to the Williams syndrome specialist last week, and I was filling out all the evaluation forms they sent before we went. Several of the questions were about his interactions with peers, so I asked his preschool teacher to share her insight. One of those questions was, "Do his peers ever think his behavior is odd or weird?" She (kindly, truthfully, and without malice) answered with the "Sometimes this is true" box.
That stung a bit.
Sure, I can look around and see that Kieran is different from other children. Most kids his age don't keep their hands over their ears because the noise level in everyday situations is too intense for them (a condition called hyperacusis). Most four-year-olds don't burst into tears at the sight of something that makes a noise they don't like (the blender, the vacuum cleaner). Most kids don't have difficulty sitting still for short periods of time or paying attention to the task at hand. Most of his peers don't have trouble tracing a line, drawing a circle, cutting along a straight line, coloring a picture, or building something out of blocks. Most kids don't have difficulty initiating and sustaining a conversation or playing games with other children. Most children don't go around giving hugs to everyone they see.
But he is Kieran. And he is different.
And here's the thing about being different: It's okay.
It's okay because God, Kieran's Creator and the Creator of each one of us, likes variety. And He fearfully and wonderfully created Kieran in His image just the way He wanted him to be.
I don't find Kieran odd or weird. I enjoy being with him, talking with him, and playing with him . . . on his terms (which often include weedwackers). I know him well (I should since I'm his mother, right?), and I know what he's like as an individual, not measured against everyone else.
I know that he's funny, likes reading books, enjoys being around people, and loves playing his harmonica. And while we're working with him to minimize some of the "differences" in areas such as conversation and fine motor skills, we also love him just the way he is.
Whether we know it or not, we expect people to be like we are, and when we find out they're not, we may label them as different, or weird, or odd. I'm fairly sure, looking back now, that Mike had Williams syndrome. His overfriendliness, good memory of faces and names, distinctive facial features, and slow shuffling walk fit the profile of a syndrome that has become part of our lives. But does it matter whether someone has a "diagnosis" or a storied past that helps explain current behavior? It shouldn't--we should be kind to everyone, receiving each as an individual created in God's image for His glory. But sometimes understanding what makes a person different from me can help me embrace those differences a bit more easily.
If you expect Kieran to act like other typically developing four-year-olds, you may find his behavior odd or different. But if you expect him to act like Kieran and take the time to get to know him as Kieran and allow him to be Kieran, I suspect you'll find that he'll bring you a great amount of joy, as he does to us.
(I feel the need to add this disclaimer, which seems silly because this blog is just for friends and family, but I do want to be clear that I'm not talking about tolerating moral differences or tossing aside the clearly delineated moral commands given in the absolute standard of God's Word in favor of accepting any type of behavior. We are teaching Kieran to be kind, to share his toys, to obey those in authority, and to follow God's Word. Nor am I advocating accepting the "all roads lead to heaven" approach (Jesus clearly said that He is the only way to heaven). So, there. Disclaimer ended.)
November 19, 2012
You know you live in a Holler when . . .
as you're having your arm pricked by the phlebotomist for yet another blood donation, the phrase you use to make small talk is, "My brother-in-law shot a deer this morning."
Yeah, I said that.
It's true, though. On his third visit to the Holler for Thanksgiving, Nate finally was able to shoot a deer -- and a 10-pointer, at that -- this morning.
That one will make for some good eatin'. Or so I'm told. I'm not currently interested in finding out, but I wish my sister every happiness in preparing the meat for their meals.
November 13, 2012
Eighteen months
I've been lax in posting Cael's monthly photos. So here's to 18 months of life outside of the womb!
He talks a lot. We can't understand all of it, but he definitely has a lot to say. He can say words like bulldozer, excavator, dump truck, napkin and phrases like Where did Daddy go? What happened? Want to draw and Got the boogie (after we've wiped his nose).
He loves eating those little fruit pouches and also likes blueberries and bananas (much to Seth's chagrin).
He will do pretty much anything he see Kieran doing (and sometimes more) -- climbing, running, crawling, swinging. His latest idea of fun has been jumping off things.
He's our little bundle of energy and we're so glad the Lord has blessed us with him.
Four years
We had a fun time celebrating Kieran's fourth birthday a few days ago with friends and family. And we're planning on doing it again with my family in a few days.
A few things we're enjoying with the birthday boy:
- He still loves his weedwackers, but he's also added trains, tractors, excavators, and bulldozers to the list of videos he likes to watch on YouTube.
- He enjoys wandering around the yard and up into the woods with the chickens and likes swinging on his belly on the playset swing.
- His speech has come a long way these past few months and he's continuing to work on his fine motor skills to help him write and draw better.
- He likes using scissors and enjoys the dry-erase markers and board (but doesn't seem to like coloring with crayons as much).
- He's been eating really well lately and also sleeping great at night. (Cheese puffs and croutons are on his "yes please" list.)
- It may be a sign that we swing by fast-food joints too often when he picks up one of his play phones and says, "I'd like a number one with juice and no ice." (When I order a drink, I order it without ice.)
I'd say there's a bit of improvement over last year.
We love our Kieran and are enjoying watching him grow and develop and encouraging him along the way.
November 8, 2012
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?"
Sometimes, in that succinct way of his, he answers, "Yep." And sometimes he says, "Nope. No idea. But I'll figure it out."
And he works on whatever he's doing until he's solved the problem himself or called in someone else to fix it.
It would be nice, of course, for both him and me, if he knew what he was doing all the time and could plan everything out--avoiding runs to the auto parts store in the middle of the job because he realized he needed yet another tool he didn't have; making three trips to Lowe's to get those nuts, bolts, screws, nails in increasingly bigger sizes until he finds the one that fits; consulting the car manual for the thirty-fifth time to find out where in the world that one little piece goes . . . .
Yesterday morning, while getting ready for the day, I was chatting with the Lord about what had happened on Tuesday and somehow this unbidden made its way into the conversation: Are You sure You know what You're doing?
Of course I didn't travel much farther along that path. I know the truth.
"Remember this, keep it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels. Remember the former things. those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning,from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about." (Isaiah 46:8-11, NIV)
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning." (Daniel 2:20-21, NIV)
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1, NIV)
The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes. (Proverbs 21:1, NASB)
The God of the Bible is sovereign. He's planned the end from the beginning and the results of this election were no suprise to Him. He's not figuring it out as He goes along. He doesn't need to reread the manual on the electoral college (is there one?) to make sure He's got it right or continually return to the candidate-shop to find the best man (or woman) for the job. He doesn't suddently realize He's made a mistake and meant to have this candidate win instead of that one. He. is. in. control. And although He's not One to reveal all of His whys and wherefores, I trust Him to do what brings Him glory and His people good.
But, yesterday, as I continued to chat with the Creator of the universe, I found myself asking, "What are you up to, Lord?"
And as I thought about what had happened, I began to be convicted that maybe the election results were, to some degree, my fault. Maybe part of why the Lord gave President Obama another term is to remind Christians (me) of their responsibility to share the gospel and make disciples.
If I were really doing what He has asked me to do on an individual level, would the outcome have been any different? Would more people have voted a different way if I were sharing the gospel with everyone I meet and then discipling those who through repentance and faith received the gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ?
(I'm not usually one to ask "what if" because what-ifs don't exist, but in this case, the question may be warranted as I look to the future . . . . )
If I were teaching more individuals in my neighborhood that God is the author of life and therefore killing babies in the womb is murder, that taking money from the rich to give to those who haven't worked for it is stealing and is a sin, that if a man wants to eat he must work and not just expect a handout, that God ordained marriage to be between one man and one woman for life, that those in the body of Christ (not the government) are to bear the burdens of others and to help widows and orphans and those in need, that going into debt is foolish and wrong . . . that God's Word, the Bible, is to be our ultimate and final authority . . . would there be a difference in how people voted?
I'm not talking about just sharing with others by posting stuff on Facebook for all the world to see, but interacting with people in real life in a real way and really pointing them to Jesus.
Oh sure, I write books that other people use to teach about these things, but what about me? What am I doing in my little town, in my little Holler? Not for the purpose of changing election results but for the purpose of seeing people embrace the glorious life-changing gospel of Christ and bring glory to Him by living out His teachings.
Our nation has a leader(s) who makes big decisions that affect us all, but our nation is also made up of individuals who need Jesus and who desperately need the moral direction He provides in His Word. Our leader may be leading the country away from the one true God, but what am I doing to lead individuals toward Him?
Could I be doing more? Absolutely. Now the question is Will I . . . ?
October 30, 2012
You know you live in a Holler when . . .
. . . someone asks to place a political sign in your yard and you say, "Well, you could, but the reach would be about six people, including me and Seth. Seven if you count the mail lady. Eight if you count the UPS guy who only comes by occasionally."
And then they say, "Oh, ok, nevermind."
And then they say, "Oh, ok, nevermind."
October 25, 2012
You know you live in a Holler when . . .
. . . your friends move into a house less than a mile down the road from yours and you find out that their neighbor is the cousin of your neighbor.
October 24, 2012
You know you live in a Holler when . . .
. . . after finding an almost-unbelievable deal, you break down and buy one of these
because . . . well . . . you live in a holler.
October 21, 2012
Blueberry Buckle (and other recipes)
Do you have a stash of those family/fundraising cookbooks like I do? I've collected quite a few over the years from various places and from various people.
I got one when I visited a little cafe in a tiny town on the northern border of North Dakota with friends. I got another when I volunteered at a crisis pregnancy center while I was in college in Florida. Seth's sister copied pages from Seth's mom's favorite cookbook and put them together in a binder for the rest of the family members. Another one came from the church family I grew up with in Pennsylvania. I acquired another one when a colleague pulled together recipes from coworkers where we work.
My most recent acquisition came from a distant relative of Seth's (I'm still not quite clear on the exact connection). Her young granddaughter was diagnosed with cancer and, wanting to help with medical bills, she put together a cookbook with her own recipes and those of her friends. (You can find out more about the recipes in her cookbook and how to purchase one here.)
I like looking through these cookbooks for new and unusual recipes. Some of our favorite recipes, which I'm sharing below, have come from these cookbooks. The Blueberry Buckle is Seth's favorite breakfast item. The meatballs have become a family favorite (everyone -- including Mr.Picky 1 (Seth) and Mr. Picky 2 (Kieran) -- loves this for dinner). And the pie crust is the best I've ever tasted.
Enjoy! And, if you have the inclination, please feel free to share your favorite recipe from a family/fundraising cookbook.
Blueberry Buckle (Wisler's Country Cooking -- Seth's mom's favorite cookbook)
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter/shortening
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
15 oz. package of blueberries
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. softened butter
Preheat oven to 375.
Mix sugar, butter, eggs, and milk until well blended.
Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
Fold in blueberries.
Spread batter into greased 9-inch square pan.
Combine remaining ingredients and mix until crumbly.
Sprinkle crumbs over batter.
Bake for 45-50 minutes.
Gramma Martens' Gourmet Meatballs (from Delightful Dishes from Grandma Janice's Kitchen)
1 lb. ground beef
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/2 tsp. dried onion
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/3 c. dry bread crumbs
1/3 c. milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use cream of chicken)
1/2 c. water
8 oz. softened cream cheese
In large mixing bowl ground beef, egg, onion, parsley, Worcesterchire sauce, salt, pepper, thyme, bread crumbs, and milk. Mix well and shape into balls; brown in skillet.
Mix soup, water, and cream cheese together until well blended.
Place browned meatballs in casserole dish, pour soup mixture over meatballs.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Serve over cooked rice.
Pie Crust (from Celebrating Life Cookbook)
4 c. flour
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. lard (I use butter)
1 egg
1 T. vinegar (I use lemon juice because Seth doesn't like vinegar)
1/2 c. water
Mix flour, sugar, and salt. Cut lard into mixture. Mix together egg, vinegar, and water. Lightly mix with dry indredients. Makes enough for 4 pie crusts.
I got one when I visited a little cafe in a tiny town on the northern border of North Dakota with friends. I got another when I volunteered at a crisis pregnancy center while I was in college in Florida. Seth's sister copied pages from Seth's mom's favorite cookbook and put them together in a binder for the rest of the family members. Another one came from the church family I grew up with in Pennsylvania. I acquired another one when a colleague pulled together recipes from coworkers where we work.
My most recent acquisition came from a distant relative of Seth's (I'm still not quite clear on the exact connection). Her young granddaughter was diagnosed with cancer and, wanting to help with medical bills, she put together a cookbook with her own recipes and those of her friends. (You can find out more about the recipes in her cookbook and how to purchase one here.)
I like looking through these cookbooks for new and unusual recipes. Some of our favorite recipes, which I'm sharing below, have come from these cookbooks. The Blueberry Buckle is Seth's favorite breakfast item. The meatballs have become a family favorite (everyone -- including Mr.Picky 1 (Seth) and Mr. Picky 2 (Kieran) -- loves this for dinner). And the pie crust is the best I've ever tasted.
Enjoy! And, if you have the inclination, please feel free to share your favorite recipe from a family/fundraising cookbook.
Blueberry Buckle (Wisler's Country Cooking -- Seth's mom's favorite cookbook)
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter/shortening
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
15 oz. package of blueberries
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. softened butter
Preheat oven to 375.
Mix sugar, butter, eggs, and milk until well blended.
Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
Fold in blueberries.
Spread batter into greased 9-inch square pan.
Combine remaining ingredients and mix until crumbly.
Sprinkle crumbs over batter.
Bake for 45-50 minutes.
Gramma Martens' Gourmet Meatballs (from Delightful Dishes from Grandma Janice's Kitchen)
1 lb. ground beef
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/2 tsp. dried onion
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/3 c. dry bread crumbs
1/3 c. milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use cream of chicken)
1/2 c. water
8 oz. softened cream cheese
In large mixing bowl ground beef, egg, onion, parsley, Worcesterchire sauce, salt, pepper, thyme, bread crumbs, and milk. Mix well and shape into balls; brown in skillet.
Mix soup, water, and cream cheese together until well blended.
Place browned meatballs in casserole dish, pour soup mixture over meatballs.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Serve over cooked rice.
Pie Crust (from Celebrating Life Cookbook)
4 c. flour
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. lard (I use butter)
1 egg
1 T. vinegar (I use lemon juice because Seth doesn't like vinegar)
1/2 c. water
Mix flour, sugar, and salt. Cut lard into mixture. Mix together egg, vinegar, and water. Lightly mix with dry indredients. Makes enough for 4 pie crusts.
October 19, 2012
"Made in America"
Seth is the maintenance supervisor at a plant that prints lables on a variety of plastic bottles (ever used Cascade dishwasher detergent? you've just supported his company), so he's intimately acquainted with the need for buying American-made products.
He's been consistent in finding made-in-America versions of the items he's looking for. He searched long and hard for a playset that was American-made. The clothes he buys for himself are MIA, and just the other day, when his glasses broke and he had to get a new pair, he searched the Internet for MIA glasses (I don't think he found any that would work for him, though). And those who purchase MIA products for him for his birthday or Christmas get bonus points that he keeps track of in his brain.
(I wish I could say I do the same. And I do. When it's convenient and within a similar price-range. Which doesn't happen very often.)
So when we recently decided that Cael was ready to graduate from his crib to a real bed and that bunk beds were the way to go for the small bedroom the boys share, I took to the Internet to find the furniture and then Seth took over the search to find MIA furniture. And find it he did.
We ordered them, and they arrived last week. Last Saturday, we spent the day assembling them.
The boys helped to disassemble the crib.
And then we brought in the preassembled stairs. I wanted something with stairs instead of a ladder because I thought it would be easier and safer for Kieran to climb. And, as a bonus, it would also give him practice going up and down stairs (since we don't have any for him to practice on). And as a bonus for me, the stairs have drawers built into the side--yay for more storage!
We'd talked about the bunk beds with Kieran for a few weeks before, and this time the preparation seemed to work (unlike the recent hayride fiasco which I'll post about later). He took right to stairs and climbed up and down.
Then, while Cael napped, Kieran helped Seth put together the rest of the bed frames.
And by nightfall, his bunk bed was ready to go. He loves it. More than I thought he would. He loves climbing the stairs and flopping onto his bed. He loves talking about "my bunk bed."
Cael likes it, too, although he has trouble staying in his bed when he's supposed to be napping. And we're keeping him off the stairs until he's two (Seth's rule)--he has a bit too much energy and not enough fear of falling to keep himself safe while he's on the top bunk.
We're happy with our made-in-America purchase -- the bunk beds are good quality (and don't smell like formaldehyde) and the mattresses that came with the beds were also MIA. The guy who owns the company we purchased from gave us great customer service, and he was happy that we were happy to buy MIA.
October 15, 2012
Fall colors
We suffered through a rather severe drought this summer and, as a result, I figured all the leaves on the trees would turn brown and fall off and we'd be left with a disappointing display of fall colors this year.
I've started taking my camera with me so that I can catch some of the tree displays on our drives around our bucolic area.
The scenery on the way to Kieran's preschool has been especially nice.
And the Holler trees have also brought out their finest clothes.
I've taken so many pictures along our travels that Kieran has started saying, "Stop and take a picture of the leaves on the trees."
Is it just me or is this one of the prettier autumns we've had in awhile?
Florida family: This post is for you.
However, I'm happy to admit I was wrong.
While some trees began losing their leaves in early August thanks to the lack of moisture their roots were soaking up, the rest of the trees hung in there and have produced a beautiful array of colors these past few weeks.
These pictures aren't fantastic since I have a simple point-and-shoot camera, which doesn't quite capture what my eyes are actually seeing. So you'll have to take my word for it that the colors really are nice this year.
I've started taking my camera with me so that I can catch some of the tree displays on our drives around our bucolic area.
The scenery on the way to Kieran's preschool has been especially nice.
And the Holler trees have also brought out their finest clothes.
I've taken so many pictures along our travels that Kieran has started saying, "Stop and take a picture of the leaves on the trees."
Is it just me or is this one of the prettier autumns we've had in awhile?
Florida family: This post is for you.
October 7, 2012
Hiding the Word
When I was two years old, according to my parents, I could recite the entire twenty-third Psalm. Encouraging us to memorize Bible verses was something they began early and continued throughout our growing-up years. We memorized verses in our Wednesday evening church club, in the Good News Club we attended during the school year, at the Christian camps we went to during the summer, in Sunday school . . . . And my mom helped us in memorizing along the way--whenever a particular passage was giving me trouble, she'd come up with a song or a chant or some type of activity to make the words easier to appropriate.
They made Scripture memorization a priority for us. It was important to my parents to get God's Word hidden in our hearts because they knew that the Holy Spirit acts on the Word of God to bring about salvation, conviction of sin, and sanctification. (As an aside and a testament to the intergenerational faith we have, my 90+-year-old grandpa continued memorizing Scripture up until his death a few years ago--one of the last passages he was working on was John 1.)
The verses I memorized as a child have been an amazing comfort and guide in my adult life. There have been countless times when a passage has come to mind just when I needed it.
I haven't been memorizing Scripture as much as I should lately but I did want it to be part of the lives of our children from early on. So, when Kieran was diagnosed and we began to realize what "speech delays" meant, Scripture memorization took a back seat to getting him to talk in the first place.
Over the past year, however, he's been trying more words and extending his sentences to include 6+ words ("I like weedwackers and steam engines and excavators"). He's come a long way and a few months ago, I decided it was time to start getting God's Word into his heart.
I began with Proverbs 9:10a (in a translation he can understand) and we recently started working on John 3:16. I try to read a chapter from the book of Proverbs to the boys during breakfast and also go over the verses with Kieran then, too (which is why he's in his pjs in the video below).
He doesn't quite have the John verse yet, but he's getting there and it makes my heart happy. (He starts whispering toward the end for some random reason, so you'll need to turn the volume up to hear him. And Cael also wanted his presence to be known in the video.)
I don't have a particular verse-memorization-schedule that I'm following with him--I've just chosen verses that I thought were important to begin with. So tell me, how do you encourage your children to hide God's Word in their hearts? Do you follow a certain "schedule"? I'm interested in your thoughts and helpful hints.
They made Scripture memorization a priority for us. It was important to my parents to get God's Word hidden in our hearts because they knew that the Holy Spirit acts on the Word of God to bring about salvation, conviction of sin, and sanctification. (As an aside and a testament to the intergenerational faith we have, my 90+-year-old grandpa continued memorizing Scripture up until his death a few years ago--one of the last passages he was working on was John 1.)
The verses I memorized as a child have been an amazing comfort and guide in my adult life. There have been countless times when a passage has come to mind just when I needed it.
I haven't been memorizing Scripture as much as I should lately but I did want it to be part of the lives of our children from early on. So, when Kieran was diagnosed and we began to realize what "speech delays" meant, Scripture memorization took a back seat to getting him to talk in the first place.
Over the past year, however, he's been trying more words and extending his sentences to include 6+ words ("I like weedwackers and steam engines and excavators"). He's come a long way and a few months ago, I decided it was time to start getting God's Word into his heart.
I began with Proverbs 9:10a (in a translation he can understand) and we recently started working on John 3:16. I try to read a chapter from the book of Proverbs to the boys during breakfast and also go over the verses with Kieran then, too (which is why he's in his pjs in the video below).
He doesn't quite have the John verse yet, but he's getting there and it makes my heart happy. (He starts whispering toward the end for some random reason, so you'll need to turn the volume up to hear him. And Cael also wanted his presence to be known in the video.)
I don't have a particular verse-memorization-schedule that I'm following with him--I've just chosen verses that I thought were important to begin with. So tell me, how do you encourage your children to hide God's Word in their hearts? Do you follow a certain "schedule"? I'm interested in your thoughts and helpful hints.
October 6, 2012
F for Fire truck
This past week at school, Kieran studied the letter F. For show-and-tell, he took in a fire truck (as did most of the others boys in the class).
And they both made sure to make the appropriate "we-ooo" siren noises as they were "driving."
One of the other volunteers who has been with the brigade for awhile kindly told Seth he could bring the boys back on a Tuesday when they do the company checks and actually take them for a ride in the truck. That hasn't happened yet, but I'm sure that as long as the sirens remain in the "off" position, Kieran will love it (Cael wouldn't mind a little siren action).
It seemed somewhat serendipitous, since just last Sunday, Seth's volunteer fire brigade had hosted a hog-roast fundraiser for the town and Seth had taken the boys to the fire house to see the fire engines.
Both boys loved exploring the engines.
One of the other volunteers who has been with the brigade for awhile kindly told Seth he could bring the boys back on a Tuesday when they do the company checks and actually take them for a ride in the truck. That hasn't happened yet, but I'm sure that as long as the sirens remain in the "off" position, Kieran will love it (Cael wouldn't mind a little siren action).
September 30, 2012
E for Environment
This past week, Kieran learned about the letter E in preschool (although, if you were to ask him which letter he studied, he would initially say A -- his standard answer for the past five weeks).
At any rate, the papers he brought home assured me they really did study the letter E. And as part of E-week, the teacher talked to them about caring for the environment and reusing/recycling things. For show-and-tell, she wanted the class to bring in something they'd made out of a recycled item to help the kids view the world as reusable.
The non-existent crafty side of me thought, "Oh great. A craft. Now what am I going to do?"
So all week long I stewed and thought and finally, in the eleventh hour (really -- it was about 10am on Friday, two hours before preschool began), decided we (and by "we" I mainly mean "me") would make a necklace out of a paper towel roll.
So, I got a scrap piece of paper and Kieran and Cael colored on it. Then I hot glued it to the paper towel tube, cut it apart, and Kieran put stickers on the pieces (recycled stickers from an activity his speech therapist did for him -- booyah). And then Cael immediately peeled the stickers off. And then Kieran strung the necklace bits on a piece of string (I gave myself bonus points for incorporating fine motor activities into the craft).
And there you have it.
Cael also took his turn with the necklace.
At any rate, the papers he brought home assured me they really did study the letter E. And as part of E-week, the teacher talked to them about caring for the environment and reusing/recycling things. For show-and-tell, she wanted the class to bring in something they'd made out of a recycled item to help the kids view the world as reusable.
The non-existent crafty side of me thought, "Oh great. A craft. Now what am I going to do?"
So all week long I stewed and thought and finally, in the eleventh hour (really -- it was about 10am on Friday, two hours before preschool began), decided we (and by "we" I mainly mean "me") would make a necklace out of a paper towel roll.
So, I got a scrap piece of paper and Kieran and Cael colored on it. Then I hot glued it to the paper towel tube, cut it apart, and Kieran put stickers on the pieces (recycled stickers from an activity his speech therapist did for him -- booyah). And then Cael immediately peeled the stickers off. And then Kieran strung the necklace bits on a piece of string (I gave myself bonus points for incorporating fine motor activities into the craft).
And there you have it.
Of course, the one photo I have of him actually smiling nicely would be the blurry one.
Cael also took his turn with the necklace.
And there was great rejoicing that I survived a "craft" and Kieran had a show-and-tell item.
September 29, 2012
Seth's new car
I freely admit that I don't know much about what goes on under the hood of a car. I know that there's an engine in there somewhere. And a transmission and a radiator. And that every X amount of miles some type of oil needs to be changed (and, although my dad tried to teach me how to do it, I've never actually done it on my own).
The main way I learn more about the innerworkings of a car is when something breaks. Like when the oxygen sensor on my car broke quite some time ago and I had to have it replaced. Thereafter, the oxygen sensor became my go-to solution for any car-related problem. The windshield wipers don't work? It's the oxygen sensor. Flat tire? The oxygen sensor probably broke.
When we returned from our week-long vacation back in July, Seth found that his car, his beloved VW Golf, wouldn't start. So I suggested that maybe he should check the oxygen sensor. He raised his eyebrow.
"Do you even know what an oxygen sensor is?" said he.
"It . . . senses . . . oxygen . . .?"
"For what purpose?"
"For the purpose of . . . sensing oxygen . . . ?"
"For what part?"
"For the part that needs oxygen to be sensed?"
He sighed heavily. "My car is a diesel and it doesn't have an oxygen sensor."
Oh.
Seth knows a lot about what goes on under the hood of a car. He's not a professional car mechanic, but he's taught himself most of what he knows through working on his own cars over the years. I think he's cool that way. In fact, and I'd forgotten about this until I started writing this post, one of the things that helped me know Seth was The One For Me ten years ago was that he could change the oil in his car. Really.
But I digress.
Seth found and fixed whatever it was on his car that was preventing it from starting (apparently not the oxygen sensor) but when he took it for a test drive, something else in the engine broke. And whatever it was (pistons? torque converter?), it was serious enough that Seth couldn't fix it himself, and it looked like it would need an entirely new engine.
(As an aside, I'm fairly convinced that the car breaks itself during the hottest part of the summer because even it doesn't like driving without air-conditioning. Last August, it was the transmission, this year, the entire engine. Coincidence? I think not.)
To me, needing a new engine is the same as needing a new car. But not to Seth. You see, it just so happened that we still had my old VW Jetta sitting in the barn (the transmission broke on it last summer), and it just so happened that his BIL Mark came down a few months ago to get some parts off our Jetta and put them on his Jetta, leaving the engine nice and exposed. So Seth decided to take the engine off the Jetta (it was the same model year, or something like that) and put it on his Golf.
And so he did. He called up a friend who is also into working on cars and Harry came over to help with the operation.
The main way I learn more about the innerworkings of a car is when something breaks. Like when the oxygen sensor on my car broke quite some time ago and I had to have it replaced. Thereafter, the oxygen sensor became my go-to solution for any car-related problem. The windshield wipers don't work? It's the oxygen sensor. Flat tire? The oxygen sensor probably broke.
When we returned from our week-long vacation back in July, Seth found that his car, his beloved VW Golf, wouldn't start. So I suggested that maybe he should check the oxygen sensor. He raised his eyebrow.
"Do you even know what an oxygen sensor is?" said he.
"It . . . senses . . . oxygen . . .?"
"For what purpose?"
"For the purpose of . . . sensing oxygen . . . ?"
"For what part?"
"For the part that needs oxygen to be sensed?"
He sighed heavily. "My car is a diesel and it doesn't have an oxygen sensor."
Oh.
Seth knows a lot about what goes on under the hood of a car. He's not a professional car mechanic, but he's taught himself most of what he knows through working on his own cars over the years. I think he's cool that way. In fact, and I'd forgotten about this until I started writing this post, one of the things that helped me know Seth was The One For Me ten years ago was that he could change the oil in his car. Really.
But I digress.
Seth found and fixed whatever it was on his car that was preventing it from starting (apparently not the oxygen sensor) but when he took it for a test drive, something else in the engine broke. And whatever it was (pistons? torque converter?), it was serious enough that Seth couldn't fix it himself, and it looked like it would need an entirely new engine.
(As an aside, I'm fairly convinced that the car breaks itself during the hottest part of the summer because even it doesn't like driving without air-conditioning. Last August, it was the transmission, this year, the entire engine. Coincidence? I think not.)
To me, needing a new engine is the same as needing a new car. But not to Seth. You see, it just so happened that we still had my old VW Jetta sitting in the barn (the transmission broke on it last summer), and it just so happened that his BIL Mark came down a few months ago to get some parts off our Jetta and put them on his Jetta, leaving the engine nice and exposed. So Seth decided to take the engine off the Jetta (it was the same model year, or something like that) and put it on his Golf.
The Jetta -- or at least what's left of it
And so he did. He called up a friend who is also into working on cars and Harry came over to help with the operation.
Harry, the friend, is holding the engine.
The one in the middle is my dad,
who was visiting at the time.
He's "supervising."
As you can imagine, it was a pretty big job -- extricating the Golf's engine, extricating the Jetta's engine, putting the Jetta's engine into the Golf and hooking everything back up. It took Seth and Harry several weeks of working on it in the evenings and on the weekends.
But in the end, the Golf had a new/used engine and a new lease on life. I asked Seth what was left on the Golf that was original to the car. He said, "Not much." He's replaced so much on it over the years that it almost is an entirely new car.
I got overwhelmed just thinking about doing an engine transplant (and the thought still makes me start to hyperventillate). But not Seth. He just "did the next thing" and got it done. And he's now back to his hypermiling ways. And all is well.
September 14, 2012
Bear and Camel
Last week was B week at school, and everyone brought in a bear. This was the one Kieran took.
Note to self: Starting a "I really need to lose weight" plan during C week probably isn't the best idea.
August 31, 2012
A is for airplane
August 25, 2012
Ten things I like about Seth
This year marks ten years that Seth and I have been married. And also ten years that we've known each other. (Shall I tell you the story of how we met?) In honor of that, I thought I'd get all mushy and post Ten Things I Like (or--to be even more mushier--love) about Seth.
1. I suppose this goes without saying, since we wouldn't even be married if this weren't true, but I'm thankful that Seth shares the same faith in Jesus and belief in God's Word that I do. I like that he was raised in a Christian home and that we get along well with his family.
2. I like that when he's watching a UFC fight on TV, he ever-so-slightly moves his hands and clenches his fists as if he's the one doing the fighting. (Do you like how I juxtaposed being a Christian with watching UFC?)
3. I like that he makes me laugh. He can take as well as he can give and isn't easily offended (unlike, say, me).
4. I like that he loves his boys. If they're not at the door waiting for him when he gets home (and they usually are), he asks where they are and goes off to find them immediately. He's involved with and interested in what goes on with Kieran -- the doctor appointements, therapy visits, school progress. He says things like this. He couldn't wait for Cael to start taking a bottle so that he could help feed him. And he enjoys playing with them.
5. I appreciate that he is a dilligent worker at his job. He takes seriously his responsibility to provide for his family.
6. I like that he knows his way around cars. I find it rather handy to be able to say, "Um, I think something is wrong with the car" and to receive the reply (depending on the situation), "Yes, the distributor cap is broken and needs to be fixed" or "Nothing is wrong with it, you're just driving on a flat tire."
7. I've mentioned this before, but I like his shoulders.
8. I like that he can and does cook. This evening he made spaghetti. He also likes to bake and makes yummy desserts (remember this one?). But I don't like that he eats just one piece from his dessert and leaves the rest for me to finish.
9. I like that when I crawl into bed beside him, usually several hours after he's gone to bed, and reach for his hand, he'll grip my fingers, even though he's fast asleep.
10. I like that he likes/loves me, despite all my, um, "issues." His patience and gentleness are good counters to my impatience and brashness.
1. I suppose this goes without saying, since we wouldn't even be married if this weren't true, but I'm thankful that Seth shares the same faith in Jesus and belief in God's Word that I do. I like that he was raised in a Christian home and that we get along well with his family.
2. I like that when he's watching a UFC fight on TV, he ever-so-slightly moves his hands and clenches his fists as if he's the one doing the fighting. (Do you like how I juxtaposed being a Christian with watching UFC?)
3. I like that he makes me laugh. He can take as well as he can give and isn't easily offended (unlike, say, me).
4. I like that he loves his boys. If they're not at the door waiting for him when he gets home (and they usually are), he asks where they are and goes off to find them immediately. He's involved with and interested in what goes on with Kieran -- the doctor appointements, therapy visits, school progress. He says things like this. He couldn't wait for Cael to start taking a bottle so that he could help feed him. And he enjoys playing with them.
Building and playing in a tent
5. I appreciate that he is a dilligent worker at his job. He takes seriously his responsibility to provide for his family.
6. I like that he knows his way around cars. I find it rather handy to be able to say, "Um, I think something is wrong with the car" and to receive the reply (depending on the situation), "Yes, the distributor cap is broken and needs to be fixed" or "Nothing is wrong with it, you're just driving on a flat tire."
7. I've mentioned this before, but I like his shoulders.
8. I like that he can and does cook. This evening he made spaghetti. He also likes to bake and makes yummy desserts (remember this one?). But I don't like that he eats just one piece from his dessert and leaves the rest for me to finish.
9. I like that when I crawl into bed beside him, usually several hours after he's gone to bed, and reach for his hand, he'll grip my fingers, even though he's fast asleep.
10. I like that he likes/loves me, despite all my, um, "issues." His patience and gentleness are good counters to my impatience and brashness.
August 19, 2012
Second opinions
Sometimes it pays to get a second opinion. And sometimes you have to pay to get a second opinion, which we did on Friday.
So we called a guy who repairs wells and asked him to come look at ours, thinking that maybe if we got the well re-hooked-up, we could occasionally pump water from the well into the cistern, when we needed it. The day he was supposed to come, he suddenly remembered that he was the one who had dug the well on our property in the first place for the first owner (the guy we bought the place from). He said the well was worthless, that the bedrock around here is too dense and doesn't allow water to flow freely through it, and that we'd only get at a maximum 250 gallons a week. On a good week. Which was why the first owner had unhooked the well and put in a cistern.
And then the well guy recommended another concrete company that also repairs cisterns. And so Seth called them up, and one of their guys came to take a look at the cistern Friday evening.
(That's the guy's truck parked beside the cistern.
His ladder is peeking out from the cistern entrance hole.)
In order to get a good look at the cistern, he needed to pump it out and climb in. And so, with our permission, he did just that. He found the 10 cracks the other guys had found, but said it was definitely repairable and that he could either fix it that evening or he could come back some other time. We had him fix it that evening. To the tune of $500. Much better than $9000.
The Thermoseal he used to fill the cracks and then coat the entire inside of the cistern has a 24-hour drying time. So we were without water from Friday evening through Sunday morning, when the guy who delivers 1600 gallons of water came. Since we needed to be in church Sunday morning for a membership class and I don't like leaving the house without a shower and we didn't know exactly when the water guy would get here, we spent Saturday night in a nearby hotel so that we could use their shower. And also their indoor, heated pool. Which the boys loved.
And so now we're back to having a cistern that holds 2000 gallons of water, instead of just several hundred gallons, at a time. Let the rain commence.
August 16, 2012
On my bookshelf
When I was in elementary school, one of my favorite friends with whom I spent a lot of time was almost completely opposite to me in some ways. She loved being outside, running around; I loved being inside, reading a book. It made for an interesting friendship.
I still love reading books but don't have as much time to devote to it now as I have in the past. And while I used to read a lot of fiction in my spare time, my recent leisure reading has consisted mainly of non-fiction books. I've really enjoyed the last few I've read and thought I'd share them with you.
If God Is Good by Randy Alcorn
This is an amazingly comprehensive book about God's goodness as it pertains to all the suffering and evil in the world. It's not a book that you sit down and read all at once, but it's one that you read a bit and then ponder. It took me several months of reading in 15-minute increments to make it through, but it was well worth it. Dr. Alcorn covers just about any topic you can think of relating to the question, "If there is a good God, why is there so much death and suffering in the world?" If you want to know what the Bible teaches on this topic and want to see what that teaching looks like in real life, get this book.
Heaven by Randy Alcorn
530 pages. That's how big this book is. If you're like me, you're wondering, "How can he have so much to say on heaven? The Bible doesn't say that much . . . does it?" Which is why I bought the book. And my view of heaven (and my desire to go there) has been forever changed.
Although I knew heaven would be the ultimate place of being with Jesus forever, I still had this mental image of everyone in white robes sitting around on clouds singing Kum-by-yah. And, to be frank, the biblical teaching about there being no marriage in heaven, while I understood it, made me a bit melancholy. I enjoy experiencing this life with Seth, and it made me sad to think that we wouldn't be experiencing the next life together--that we would be, perhaps, nothing more than passing strangers waving at each other across the golden streets.
But this book by Dr. Alcorn has made me realize how vastly wrong I've been in my understanding of what the new heavens and new earth will be like. And it's made me look forward to that time more and more. Read this book.
(And, speaking of heaven, do you know for certain that you're going there?)
Going Public by David and Kelli Pritchard
This isn't a post about our schooling choices for Kieran and Cael, so I won't go into detail on the decisions we're making for them (I'll save that for a later post . . . maybe), but this book is a helpful encouragement to those parents who choose to partner with teachers at public schools in educating their children. It's written by parents of eight children, all of whom have gone/are going through public school. I haven't finished it yet (I got sidetracked with other books), but what I read was helpful.
Disability and the Gospel by Michael S. Beates
This is a new book by a man well-acquainted with disabilities--both in the lives of his children and in his own life. In this book, he looks at all the various passages in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible that touch on disability. He also discusses what those in the past have said and what those today are saying about disability. And he offers an appendix on "God's Sovereignty and Genetic Anomolies." I've found it very easy to read and a good, comprehensive resource on the topic.
So, tell me, what's sitting on your bookshelf?
I still love reading books but don't have as much time to devote to it now as I have in the past. And while I used to read a lot of fiction in my spare time, my recent leisure reading has consisted mainly of non-fiction books. I've really enjoyed the last few I've read and thought I'd share them with you.
If God Is Good by Randy Alcorn
This is an amazingly comprehensive book about God's goodness as it pertains to all the suffering and evil in the world. It's not a book that you sit down and read all at once, but it's one that you read a bit and then ponder. It took me several months of reading in 15-minute increments to make it through, but it was well worth it. Dr. Alcorn covers just about any topic you can think of relating to the question, "If there is a good God, why is there so much death and suffering in the world?" If you want to know what the Bible teaches on this topic and want to see what that teaching looks like in real life, get this book.
Heaven by Randy Alcorn
530 pages. That's how big this book is. If you're like me, you're wondering, "How can he have so much to say on heaven? The Bible doesn't say that much . . . does it?" Which is why I bought the book. And my view of heaven (and my desire to go there) has been forever changed.
Although I knew heaven would be the ultimate place of being with Jesus forever, I still had this mental image of everyone in white robes sitting around on clouds singing Kum-by-yah. And, to be frank, the biblical teaching about there being no marriage in heaven, while I understood it, made me a bit melancholy. I enjoy experiencing this life with Seth, and it made me sad to think that we wouldn't be experiencing the next life together--that we would be, perhaps, nothing more than passing strangers waving at each other across the golden streets.
But this book by Dr. Alcorn has made me realize how vastly wrong I've been in my understanding of what the new heavens and new earth will be like. And it's made me look forward to that time more and more. Read this book.
(And, speaking of heaven, do you know for certain that you're going there?)
Going Public by David and Kelli Pritchard
This isn't a post about our schooling choices for Kieran and Cael, so I won't go into detail on the decisions we're making for them (I'll save that for a later post . . . maybe), but this book is a helpful encouragement to those parents who choose to partner with teachers at public schools in educating their children. It's written by parents of eight children, all of whom have gone/are going through public school. I haven't finished it yet (I got sidetracked with other books), but what I read was helpful.
Disability and the Gospel by Michael S. Beates
This is a new book by a man well-acquainted with disabilities--both in the lives of his children and in his own life. In this book, he looks at all the various passages in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible that touch on disability. He also discusses what those in the past have said and what those today are saying about disability. And he offers an appendix on "God's Sovereignty and Genetic Anomolies." I've found it very easy to read and a good, comprehensive resource on the topic.
So, tell me, what's sitting on your bookshelf?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)