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.

Eighteen months

I've been lax in posting Cael's monthly photos. So here's to 18 months of life outside of the womb!

 

 I have no idea what he was trying to accomplish with this one.

This is the face that he usually has on around us -- he loves laughing, being tickled, tickling us, and also screeching. (Kieran doesn't like the last one so much.) He's very good at cleaning up when asked and sings the "clean up" song, "Lean up, lean up, ebody."

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.)

For his birthday last year, he got a harmonica, but I wasn't very particular on when he played it and it got rather nasty over time and so we threw it away quite awhile ago. This year, we got him another one and I've been having him rinse out his mouth/brush his teeth before he plays it so that it will last a bit longer.



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.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

Sometimes when Seth is working on a project around the house or is up to his elbows in grease from fixing something else on the car, I'll ask him, "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 . . . ?