tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64736649424400392852024-03-06T01:05:15.148-06:00Needle in a Scrap Stack. . .Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-7796387565006123482010-01-17T14:05:00.002-06:002010-01-17T14:16:23.063-06:00In Him Alone<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#663300;">This song has become a favorite of mine over the past couple months:<br /><br />In Christ alone my hope is found<br />He is my light, my strength, my song<br /><strong>This Cornerstone, this solid ground<br />Firm through the fiercest drought and storm<br /></strong>What heights of love, what depths of peace<br />When fears are stilled, when strivings cease<br />My Comforter, my All in All<br />Here in the love of Christ I stand<br /><br />In Christ alone, who took on flesh<br />Fullness of God in helpless babe<br />This gift of love and righteousness<br />Scorned by the ones He came to save<br />‘Til on that cross as Jesus died<br /><strong>The wrath of God was satisfied<br />For every sin on Him was laid</strong><br />Here in the death of Christ I live<br /><br />There in the ground His body lay<br />Light of the world by darkness slain<br />Then bursting forth in glorious Day<br />Up from the grave He rose again<br />And as He stands in victory<br />Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me<br />For I am His and He is mine<br />Bought with the precious blood of Christ<br /><br /><strong>No guilt of life, no fear in death<br />This is the power of Christ in me</strong><br />From life’s first cry to final breath<br />Jesus commands my destiny<br /><strong>No power of hell, no scheme of man<br />Can ever pluck me from His hand</strong><br />‘til He returns or calls me home<br />Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand </span>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-14547873624400268162010-01-14T22:18:00.003-06:002010-01-14T23:20:18.139-06:00Co-What???<span style="color:#663300;">I think most of us struggle with codependancy. Did that make you raise an eyebrow? It did for me too a couple years ago when a trusted lady friend of mine told me to go to the codependancy group at Recovery. My first thought, "I'm not codependant on anybody." I pictured people who were reliant on drugs and alcohol or women in an abusive relationship who were too scared to get help. I soon discovered that learning the true definition of it revealed a heart of problems. A wicked heart and one that actually has struggled with the fear of man especially in my past.<br /><br />In a nutshell, the fear of man can either be a fear of what others think of us or will do to us, or a craving for approval and a fear of rejection.<br /><br />Girls, think about how you felt when you didn't get to do your makeup in the morning and hated being out in public all day. Or think about something in your past that if people knew, well, it's just too agonizing to think about. Or if you said or did the wrong thing and how you just can't make yourself stop thinking about. The list goes on and what is revealed are the idols in your life you didn't even realize were there.<br /><br />"My 4-year-old niece loves to play dress-up. More specifically, she loves to stage her wedding. Any boy who comes to visit is likely to be corralled as her groom. Normally, this is not a cause for concern — that is, until one little boy bolted in terror and came running to seek the protection of his mother. My niece was right behind him, in all her finery and tulle. Ripping the veil off of her head, she attempted to reassure him.<br /><br />"It's OK! Look, I'm cute. You can marry me!"<br /><br />For her entire life, she's been told how cute she is, so I'm sure this was her trump card. Unfortunately, it didn't work.<br /><br />I wonder how this experience was labeled and filed in her young mind. The stories and movies she's consumed tend to reinforce a worldview that beauty will overwhelm and captivate The Prince. Her parents have been diligent to introduce the ideas of character and inner beauty, but there is a lot of worldly reinforcement of superficial appeal.<br /><br />As my niece discovered, the problem with appeal is that it's subjective. What appeals to me may not appeal to you. In the future, I wonder how many times she will metaphorically rip off that veil and reveal a heart full of expectations.<br /><br />I hope, for her sake, that she doesn't get trapped in a cycle of craving approval and fearing rejection. It's a nasty spin cycle of confusion and hurt. Seeking approval from everyone in our orbit is akin to the nauseating dizziness a dancer experiences when she does not keep her eyes on one object as she twirls. Just as dancers are taught to spot, Christians are also taught by God's Word to spot. The Bible tells us that we are to keep our eyes on the Lord and seek His approval only.<br /><br />Being conscious of God's approval or His displeasure is what the Bible calls "fear of the Lord." It means to be in awe of, or to respect, more than merely to be afraid. Conversely, what we now call peer pressure, people-pleasing, or co-dependency is what the Bible calls "fear of man." In a nutshell, the fear of man can either be a fear of what others think of us or will do to us, or a craving for approval and a fear of rejection.<br /><br />Biblical counselor and author Ed Welch has labeled these "shame-fear" and "rejection-fear."<br /><br />What is it that shame-fear and rejection-fear have in common? To use a biblical image, they both indicate that people are our favorite idol. We exalt them and their perceived power above God. We worship them as ones who have God-like exposing gazes (shame-fear) or God-like ability to "fill" us with esteem, love, admiration, acceptance, respect, and other psychological desires (rejection-fear).... Like all idols, people are created things, not the Creator (Rom. 1:25), and they do not deserve our worship. They are worshipped because we perceive that they have power to give us something. We think they can bless us.<br /><br />Proverbs 29:25 succinctly states the consequences: "The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe."<br /><br />The most serious consequence of fear of man is when we want to shove God in the closet because we're ashamed of Him of fearful of what others may say: "Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God" (John 12:42-43).<br /><br />One verse that is often quoted to women is in the closing commendation of Proverbs 31: "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised" (Pr. 31:30). As it most often gets quoted in the context of messages on beauty or modesty, I think most of us can mentally emphasize the first part of the verse and neglect to ponder the second part — "yeah, yeah, outer beauty fades, Christian women are supposed to have inner beauty, blah, blah, blah." But how often are we aware of the snare of the fear of man that trips us up in cultivating the fear of the Lord?<br /><br />It's not accidental that Scripture pits the lure of physical beauty and all the praise it can elicit against the fear of the Lord. Physical attraction gets a lot of attention and praise — from other human beings. But that's not what our Creator praises us for. He will not praise us for the superficial, but for the eternal — our qualities and virtues that, by His grace, reflect our growth through His redemptive efforts.<br /><br />To be praiseworthy women, I think we have to be able to clearly identify the manifestations of the fear of man. Here's what that snare can look like for women:<br /><br />Do you change your normal behavior when you are around men you are attracted to?<br />Do you cancel plans because you feel you don't look very good that day?<br />Do you agonize over what to wear to an event?<br />Are you defensive when criticized, no matter how little or great the criticism?<br />Are you easily embarrassed? Do you find it hard to laugh at yourself?<br />Are you jealous of other people, their possessions, or their relationships?<br />Do you have trouble saying no to people when your resources (time, finances, health) are already maxed out?<br />Do you avoid some people?<br />Do you consistently second-guess your decisions?<br />Are you afraid of airing your true opinion about a decision?<br />Do you embellish certain stories or exaggerate the truth to make you look a little better than reality? Conversely, do you issue lots of little white lies?<br />Will you compromise standards of modesty or purity because you want to seem relevant or stylish?<br />Do you decline dates because you think others will not like or be impressed with the man who has asked you out?<br />These behaviors are guaranteed to make us dizzy and nauseated. We are looking into the eyes of everyone around us for approval, rather than steadfastly seeking the eyes of our Lord in the twists, turns, and spins of our lives.<br /><br />But we don't have to be slaves to the opinions of other, fallen creatures. We can be set free by seeking the approval and praise of God. This is what defines a godly woman: "Do not let your adorning be external — the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing — but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious" (1 Peter 3:3-4).<br /><br />That gentle, quiet spirit is not limited to a certain personality type. It's not like the God who made an enormous variety of people suddenly wants us to act like clones of each other — every woman wearing flowered skirts, sipping tea, and never speaking up.<br /><br />This passage echoes the wisdom of that Proverbs 29:25 verse: "The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe." Some translations say whomever trusts in the LORD will be protected or exalted. The literal translation is "raised high" — either to a protective place or to an exalted place.<br /><br />The point is, a gentle and quiet spirit is one who trusts in the Lord. That trust can be expressed through a wide range of temperaments, from quiet to boisterous. Like a dancer, it is not so much how the moves are made but where we are looking that expresses true fear of the Lord. The benefit is that we are released from being slaves to the opinions of others so that we can love them without strings attached. As Ed Welch writes:<br /><br />The most radical treatment for the fear of man is the fear of the Lord. God must be bigger to you than people are.... Regarding other people, our problem is that we need them (for ourselves) more than we love them (for the glory of God). The task God sets for us is to need them less and love them more.<br /><br />A woman who loves for the glory of a very big God is truly worthy of praise."</span><br /><span style="color:#663300;"></span><br /><span style="color:#663300;"><br /></span><span style="color:#663300;">Whom Do You Fear?<br />by Carolyn McCulley </span>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-46111916648831018152009-12-26T09:00:00.034-06:002009-12-26T10:20:11.814-06:00Christmas Fun<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4N4Dai1aX2ewgTUQN_nFOqfU_OBz14HeDZGNduijlyPaNwTSVKZ7n6lWg-T7on7IYgMEW_OT_E-bEGx9l-Dh0sKi_76FbUsxLw6CQykGpVgO7oI9rxPjc8Hvjek1qXCBCylfnN0wBcaeI/s1600-h/ChristmasTree2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419563572801031042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4N4Dai1aX2ewgTUQN_nFOqfU_OBz14HeDZGNduijlyPaNwTSVKZ7n6lWg-T7on7IYgMEW_OT_E-bEGx9l-Dh0sKi_76FbUsxLw6CQykGpVgO7oI9rxPjc8Hvjek1qXCBCylfnN0wBcaeI/s400/ChristmasTree2.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#33cc00;"> Looking for a Christmas tree</span><br /><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27Ub8UJsoWLBX-Pc1WmHkIqsv6oanU5GFOeDszawWrip6JpFRvL67_UADei4SaNG65AlEvVMJzK5EKViQ6OXJtg80flsebd4KIy7lWkl6-xU1cDz_V3uogt-RfhFTqPyyD5hEs7esiaMw/s1600-h/Christmas1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419563394849882898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27Ub8UJsoWLBX-Pc1WmHkIqsv6oanU5GFOeDszawWrip6JpFRvL67_UADei4SaNG65AlEvVMJzK5EKViQ6OXJtg80flsebd4KIy7lWkl6-xU1cDz_V3uogt-RfhFTqPyyD5hEs7esiaMw/s400/Christmas1.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#33cc00;">Christmas shopping with Mommy and Daddy</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2n8h0sQ8rxXEOzsuuHt7wwwNc-nZihx_GBAlNh8Dk-id8d0mmQbagJFINirxmJJHJkWqDTHeuby3W2kRi1Zfc44Rvciyo_Xx_fYNCxw5U4ZT_curEz9w-Wqka6paSs89MdgljxDXOzdp/s1600-h/Christmas2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419563229737612754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2n8h0sQ8rxXEOzsuuHt7wwwNc-nZihx_GBAlNh8Dk-id8d0mmQbagJFINirxmJJHJkWqDTHeuby3W2kRi1Zfc44Rvciyo_Xx_fYNCxw5U4ZT_curEz9w-Wqka6paSs89MdgljxDXOzdp/s400/Christmas2.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#33cc00;"> Kenadi's attempt to open a present ;)<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIR97ymlRDWGmoZT4kYa9e-uuFEMY9YftqIXeEX-8GMlFp28y1eBRvmvc3lVsA1h9en7QJ5qVaynVucM4k86xkzbrG2SD4AggeUY8xkQUUbRc70sUGvMr4UykwKseOOCk2YoQbkoCmdUBY/s1600-h/Christmas4.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419562996887899282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIR97ymlRDWGmoZT4kYa9e-uuFEMY9YftqIXeEX-8GMlFp28y1eBRvmvc3lVsA1h9en7QJ5qVaynVucM4k86xkzbrG2SD4AggeUY8xkQUUbRc70sUGvMr4UykwKseOOCk2YoQbkoCmdUBY/s400/Christmas4.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIme_39L5BxY-OI3qxLJOveUnJitSV6nTDn-2rpueWVcznhtqam_Gx1H-TfLGuMjwXRvCws0_GQ48KG_1OryMP63wgZTBqdGx8CD_INx9hJOOZDuBE-DGWYeIpb656Jgf96AsQlljUkIY3/s1600-h/Christmas5.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419562877451702786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIme_39L5BxY-OI3qxLJOveUnJitSV6nTDn-2rpueWVcznhtqam_Gx1H-TfLGuMjwXRvCws0_GQ48KG_1OryMP63wgZTBqdGx8CD_INx9hJOOZDuBE-DGWYeIpb656Jgf96AsQlljUkIY3/s400/Christmas5.jpg" /></a> <span style="color:#33cc00;">mmmmm . . .<br /></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6CRaLjUMqNMYF_4kRkCcRPfy_J_h0g3tycQI87lENkYZyC6Enwja1KJT9ZiE3QC8Joe4t1E0mTWaNeU2SHdz9sCnIMf1w74VdBLL2PyMzVqC4bfOjfJY5IR7dRHCpss-6SRd42NTqrIi/s1600-h/Christmas6.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419562650238469490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6CRaLjUMqNMYF_4kRkCcRPfy_J_h0g3tycQI87lENkYZyC6Enwja1KJT9ZiE3QC8Joe4t1E0mTWaNeU2SHdz9sCnIMf1w74VdBLL2PyMzVqC4bfOjfJY5IR7dRHCpss-6SRd42NTqrIi/s400/Christmas6.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#33cc00;">Two days before Christmas - it was 75 outside - beautiful!<br /></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijFoPgtWrYtC9rzbdQu0v5st5iS7-sPvVKI4pyj_vn7kS-1iV_jYmuAzUtninxkiX7YygxRauqlylJ1ScW3a6PKO8wwT1uOgU9dBn2keNVjmX-V5Y_4VBbUDOGvnuHs9D72O4kjFV-LiZ5/s1600-h/Christmas7.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419562490645215298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijFoPgtWrYtC9rzbdQu0v5st5iS7-sPvVKI4pyj_vn7kS-1iV_jYmuAzUtninxkiX7YygxRauqlylJ1ScW3a6PKO8wwT1uOgU9dBn2keNVjmX-V5Y_4VBbUDOGvnuHs9D72O4kjFV-LiZ5/s400/Christmas7.jpg" /></a> <span style="color:#33cc00;">Delivering treats to some neighborhood friends<br /></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_H-RvuoeP_dZfjsLWa27zDO7DrOnxZ2YzAJ45vDzv7Iieh0VE5eWBKMZ39bP0_Jut0Lq4kNsTDrgwi2btOgR1oct7xOjhOeUSEJWl5rBHI0Z2nFMaviLigzXa6GC_kOFQLH3-HxqKMRe_/s1600-h/Christmas8.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419562325998401506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_H-RvuoeP_dZfjsLWa27zDO7DrOnxZ2YzAJ45vDzv7Iieh0VE5eWBKMZ39bP0_Jut0Lq4kNsTDrgwi2btOgR1oct7xOjhOeUSEJWl5rBHI0Z2nFMaviLigzXa6GC_kOFQLH3-HxqKMRe_/s400/Christmas8.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#33cc00;"> It started snowing Christmas Eve</span><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnEiLJhwwyv8_uZtWZF92_W3HyTPyC-hSM22N1h6988jyFOYyBLKEl6mo9Nt_8pL2Yq5UlfK6dw9iGTFf4nb3ff7U85lpbBC-D0JAQXM8QP7zQNb_DdgKJXM56U7oee5A0k3hamVdS5Ea/s1600-h/Christmas9.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419562180271822418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnEiLJhwwyv8_uZtWZF92_W3HyTPyC-hSM22N1h6988jyFOYyBLKEl6mo9Nt_8pL2Yq5UlfK6dw9iGTFf4nb3ff7U85lpbBC-D0JAQXM8QP7zQNb_DdgKJXM56U7oee5A0k3hamVdS5Ea/s400/Christmas9.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31n3DTq6Y87nYskW3VoNc5LNanTlqaEe-V3O9ONnDpYKrJQn8eLeEMCKU2NUoKqVQ0YGQ2WejdDjiIxvaIaulAM05XYGl5l9nUNkeIYLC2qSM6wj1gU0WFmfzH4OvtWaWflnsMGIdYG_Y/s1600-h/Christmas10.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419562063765949474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31n3DTq6Y87nYskW3VoNc5LNanTlqaEe-V3O9ONnDpYKrJQn8eLeEMCKU2NUoKqVQ0YGQ2WejdDjiIxvaIaulAM05XYGl5l9nUNkeIYLC2qSM6wj1gU0WFmfzH4OvtWaWflnsMGIdYG_Y/s400/Christmas10.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#33cc00;">Christmas Eve at Roni's house<br /></span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKYCVNNYMqzarcFV63N9n_9siEI47eWC0lMzX-19t83h9ytSe97c3yHkx8sWAAB1L0vRcf0GqnC76flONAEsGtRASmLWY4u_5aYDMmrgeO8ByV774Y6hsIqftJPW_IIdyKpKGfKgJmJgf/s1600-h/Christmas13.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419561951720953442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKYCVNNYMqzarcFV63N9n_9siEI47eWC0lMzX-19t83h9ytSe97c3yHkx8sWAAB1L0vRcf0GqnC76flONAEsGtRASmLWY4u_5aYDMmrgeO8ByV774Y6hsIqftJPW_IIdyKpKGfKgJmJgf/s400/Christmas13.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#33cc00;">A white Christmas!!!<br /></span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gktc24Sbmlhg6nXlQ6PEriu2wHFVD5623LFwYyIPRhXiO1eTQtOHs1xQ3XjuJvT2k96Kc6NMGkmym-x1-u1uXE0bncDHItyhbBYOflRF3kNeWcIqLREf_FxLLOQCxMEHJtnPtuQ3z4S4/s1600-h/Christmas14.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419561820775726210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gktc24Sbmlhg6nXlQ6PEriu2wHFVD5623LFwYyIPRhXiO1eTQtOHs1xQ3XjuJvT2k96Kc6NMGkmym-x1-u1uXE0bncDHItyhbBYOflRF3kNeWcIqLREf_FxLLOQCxMEHJtnPtuQ3z4S4/s400/Christmas14.jpg" /></a> <span style="color:#33cc00;">Oma and Papa got Cole a new bike!<br /></span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtok1I4ieRO6J3TYzpyJ3meMaIX9Nj4p8Sa3ngnJv3PDZhrReqQOyyoXK5u8TYIPzf90d3vpo5jif4qElBJExvkXhcwthga8T24dcPGdkTpzyvWwPvm-cxbcjob1Gqh0B7NdXeojluKB8x/s1600-h/Christmas15.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419561664389218930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtok1I4ieRO6J3TYzpyJ3meMaIX9Nj4p8Sa3ngnJv3PDZhrReqQOyyoXK5u8TYIPzf90d3vpo5jif4qElBJExvkXhcwthga8T24dcPGdkTpzyvWwPvm-cxbcjob1Gqh0B7NdXeojluKB8x/s400/Christmas15.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#33cc00;">Ready to open presents with the whole family<br /></span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvW2ZauM5fINuTWByL0NbuFqQQ5A7kCULbTkXHgns5eQRj_V-yEt2FomYdzdW6VacxqHTUcLMl8R45oN6BP5ZE5e7t1jO0rlg0IHK-izMIdCK9QOKcitc24JbDsCc3QX9hu9KGuqhCWH9/s1600-h/Christmas16.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419561537053185730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvW2ZauM5fINuTWByL0NbuFqQQ5A7kCULbTkXHgns5eQRj_V-yEt2FomYdzdW6VacxqHTUcLMl8R45oN6BP5ZE5e7t1jO0rlg0IHK-izMIdCK9QOKcitc24JbDsCc3QX9hu9KGuqhCWH9/s400/Christmas16.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#33cc00;"> So sweet!<br /></span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_fo-eA6ixSVZvKsfYD2dGLJ_2lKUykchh5T1rRTzD9YoDtnoIkyCM75diK6_cbMQePVQcrbRfMdDyTf891XR4cLGplhBDHgHARMbg1YvhgfQ2QyHEVaIfy8niGSLXLMrc1gOH8GDHgGR/s1600-h/Christmas17.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419561414157058466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_fo-eA6ixSVZvKsfYD2dGLJ_2lKUykchh5T1rRTzD9YoDtnoIkyCM75diK6_cbMQePVQcrbRfMdDyTf891XR4cLGplhBDHgHARMbg1YvhgfQ2QyHEVaIfy8niGSLXLMrc1gOH8GDHgGR/s400/Christmas17.jpg" /></a> <span style="color:#33cc00;">Hats and gloves for everybody!<br /></span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1y4nKK0BWK5AmhVLzm_yzsybZ0n_Qt1ut6CDhkk6TdFypQCsKeukdhQy-3en0naq8-YXivipwkLx6awq9OtIdlE86E7p45-bp1EDDW-GW8lGBimQujkGAET0xemkj_IG8-A4o7QV_GZB/s1600-h/Christmas19.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419561330666433010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1y4nKK0BWK5AmhVLzm_yzsybZ0n_Qt1ut6CDhkk6TdFypQCsKeukdhQy-3en0naq8-YXivipwkLx6awq9OtIdlE86E7p45-bp1EDDW-GW8lGBimQujkGAET0xemkj_IG8-A4o7QV_GZB/s400/Christmas19.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#33cc00;"> so serious<br /></span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bz4yrjya-zST91ed_5POQ2wx0mk6Fh99CMlkRwcx_u32A1vMfiGCGjl7WYazrCGfys_XZGdMG6UYAQskWUD-uL9h0K51WsneT6ANiilnEa8LqDh5PkRjBM787m79DlVUDHaHGoF0J1sT/s1600-h/Christmas20.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419561210405282386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bz4yrjya-zST91ed_5POQ2wx0mk6Fh99CMlkRwcx_u32A1vMfiGCGjl7WYazrCGfys_XZGdMG6UYAQskWUD-uL9h0K51WsneT6ANiilnEa8LqDh5PkRjBM787m79DlVUDHaHGoF0J1sT/s400/Christmas20.jpg" /></a> <span style="color:#33cc00;">Chase was very excited about his Star Wars sheets :)</span></div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJIc2CnnhoFPzQlSnf9OrTcdrF9xNqIM9jAg-GQRhry3ynhuy60YEEcg6z2Lidow9XnbAFxQvoHNzUFpJrb95kw_jmhC1xCDo83uE-BXMUZs2SZG6KE0WLymZwy-7oM24d1NW0xe4ZFsf/s1600-h/Christmas22.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419561086414307234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJIc2CnnhoFPzQlSnf9OrTcdrF9xNqIM9jAg-GQRhry3ynhuy60YEEcg6z2Lidow9XnbAFxQvoHNzUFpJrb95kw_jmhC1xCDo83uE-BXMUZs2SZG6KE0WLymZwy-7oM24d1NW0xe4ZFsf/s400/Christmas22.jpg" /></a> <span style="color:#33cc00;">Cole made me an ornament and a bell. Love them!<br /></span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBe9L97LQN_zv_L_pGGpBeGqW5VvcEXje0nXqaMsNmNXH2AHJZhhpOz6S64vIddwJe_dvkJ9AHZku0efAnaceXgmRXsjiR_GYx4wQLwSfiVLGxUME_pBVz1SIf8mzBefYQnM34FaqvTOo3/s1600-h/Christmas23.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419560978838329650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBe9L97LQN_zv_L_pGGpBeGqW5VvcEXje0nXqaMsNmNXH2AHJZhhpOz6S64vIddwJe_dvkJ9AHZku0efAnaceXgmRXsjiR_GYx4wQLwSfiVLGxUME_pBVz1SIf8mzBefYQnM34FaqvTOo3/s400/Christmas23.jpg" /></a> <span style="color:#33cc00;">Burning cold hands!<br /></span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4z0upkcBO9XdGDSJME8_r4FE-Nfc6dIQdt4uK38iLz9FIqC99EQmKKGs5PaO21mB-Q1N4pJ1-Db1Pg2hVOLtv6UbMDRX20xbKMyF9LyFhbSBlU97kVyaTitrP2XcXMtj0zE6YJR1QXNK/s1600-h/Christmas24.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419560889022674338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4z0upkcBO9XdGDSJME8_r4FE-Nfc6dIQdt4uK38iLz9FIqC99EQmKKGs5PaO21mB-Q1N4pJ1-Db1Pg2hVOLtv6UbMDRX20xbKMyF9LyFhbSBlU97kVyaTitrP2XcXMtj0zE6YJR1QXNK/s400/Christmas24.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#33cc00;">Our Frosty</span><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSO14JEaQrB59Z5qVQx0dtt49mDYPs3K8q630vm_eTUSYpRMTFpMx2OZUd7FYRLTQecsvT1wY6eqRnMFVNmJNo4qKT0O43ueA5LZFHu1-nrAkpGldLbbfG3ZJA4WLALbbRHMzFb2NmdOMk/s1600-h/Christmas25.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419560798220374994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSO14JEaQrB59Z5qVQx0dtt49mDYPs3K8q630vm_eTUSYpRMTFpMx2OZUd7FYRLTQecsvT1wY6eqRnMFVNmJNo4qKT0O43ueA5LZFHu1-nrAkpGldLbbfG3ZJA4WLALbbRHMzFb2NmdOMk/s400/Christmas25.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_Z7LZkq7tH6iThTKcezNzRWvVoYQMkhYOHEcC1Rs3sFigx_VMnu1FcbA3Ykm0tlDDOZ0_Ku29yQt-0LSSB7dbaNyio_2K246cOqgYhHkNVIJ3WLbfSpiOE8Y-Ht9junR91421n-5NzVL/s1600-h/Christmas26.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419560707149547410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_Z7LZkq7tH6iThTKcezNzRWvVoYQMkhYOHEcC1Rs3sFigx_VMnu1FcbA3Ykm0tlDDOZ0_Ku29yQt-0LSSB7dbaNyio_2K246cOqgYhHkNVIJ3WLbfSpiOE8Y-Ht9junR91421n-5NzVL/s400/Christmas26.jpg" /></a> <span style="color:#33cc00;">Experimenting with the robot bugs that Grandpa gave the boys</span><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26AOJammsQTqNoQh9qv0cxmpmeBdXMCi9D8A3IaUAb9S4UAhIghTrlmY90PQr7yHjdExoYBhDHQCZlpmHoECGkecx92PHIyH1AP3-ouVBnoGv7z9HScBXvGIci6tRiWGEh1bx-SQygEq-/s1600-h/Christmas28.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419560606073328402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26AOJammsQTqNoQh9qv0cxmpmeBdXMCi9D8A3IaUAb9S4UAhIghTrlmY90PQr7yHjdExoYBhDHQCZlpmHoECGkecx92PHIyH1AP3-ouVBnoGv7z9HScBXvGIci6tRiWGEh1bx-SQygEq-/s400/Christmas28.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcvxpzs8lvyxvJeSCOZqMcvY0a0dWG_u4Pq_t-RRf9_V67rwuihu_5hYJCwVBQRZFCpKduCls7RaH8tuJdkSigyB77n0QHl-UgQHREH2NUuaR4fDfX3vhO6lwZAB584KCsiuTi_wL-AmCb/s1600-h/Christmas29.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419560496442254146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcvxpzs8lvyxvJeSCOZqMcvY0a0dWG_u4Pq_t-RRf9_V67rwuihu_5hYJCwVBQRZFCpKduCls7RaH8tuJdkSigyB77n0QHl-UgQHREH2NUuaR4fDfX3vhO6lwZAB584KCsiuTi_wL-AmCb/s400/Christmas29.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#33cc00;">Snuggling up to Gams</span><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTPEu8h-aw6DnyUclh0oqCZjBq_f69WiW9eJ7v919txP8tQ56vmlJ96qyjEIIwi2bZtNqAnwYbOdhZGxzpBnoiOu1fSZjizMImnibrF7A0qVqX3r7GOtaPwEYk2YD5Q-h1huu9VUiGMtZ/s1600-h/Christmas30.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419560358225493618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTPEu8h-aw6DnyUclh0oqCZjBq_f69WiW9eJ7v919txP8tQ56vmlJ96qyjEIIwi2bZtNqAnwYbOdhZGxzpBnoiOu1fSZjizMImnibrF7A0qVqX3r7GOtaPwEYk2YD5Q-h1huu9VUiGMtZ/s400/Christmas30.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizlWT-9KEHCo6YPCAn1uWUUC0sxEHL0TtU7OYWg_1swyD-v4eRsQ8FZbrNgp4XDnWv13al_j5GrKoxtJ4t7Lj8drlckESco581RfSN8l5dC5C3vtO-DD1tW1Um_5qyyYw6WVlXTadhDYPE/s1600-h/Christmas31.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419560228236932834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizlWT-9KEHCo6YPCAn1uWUUC0sxEHL0TtU7OYWg_1swyD-v4eRsQ8FZbrNgp4XDnWv13al_j5GrKoxtJ4t7Lj8drlckESco581RfSN8l5dC5C3vtO-DD1tW1Um_5qyyYw6WVlXTadhDYPE/s400/Christmas31.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#33cc00;">Happy Birthday Jesus!</span></div><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span></div><div></div><div></div><div><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span> </div><div><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#33cc00;">And a couple videos . . . </span></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><br /><br /></div><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyyJrvEkeJ9jTm1R22i97q8USb55iGmpV8PhuEB-YzmkNSl9cyoTq4nboSEtZAHf__9nZ791h0jD8Hr1HakLg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p></p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwLdeyuNDYR0pkmkla10WyZ8kDf_spfGvAqoJVLlkHtG66KpqEkEU1j7WFaPfMLSeq153QUDyE4-4EQxm9Q3Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-84442728466911865422009-12-24T09:47:00.005-06:002009-12-24T10:37:05.846-06:00Two Wills<span style="color:#663300;">It's amazing how God reveals things to us. After getting more in depth on praying according to God's will I started thinking more on the two wills of God - how there's God's will for all persons to be saved yet there's His will to elect unconditionally those who will actually be saved. Not that I've never thought about it before but I've always passed it off as God knows all of our hearts and who will ultimately turn from their sins and cry out for Him. Yet He is the one who turns our hearts to Him so why some and not others. In passing it off I've missed out on going deeper in my relationship with Him and an opportunity for growth.<br />So the day that I started thinking about all this I was flipping through my cd's while I was waiting in the pick up line for Cole and guess what I found? A cd entitled "The Two Will's of God" that I was given to me almost a year ago when I went through the membership class at the Village. I would love to list some points right now but it'll have to wait till later. For now if you would like, go </span><a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Articles/ByDate/1995/1580_Are_There_Two_Wills_in_God/"><span style="color:#00cccc;">here</span></a><span style="color:#663300;"><span style="color:#00cccc;"> </span>to view John Piper's article on the Two Wills of God.</span>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-42608133560897403102009-12-22T12:09:00.003-06:002009-12-22T16:28:28.010-06:00A New Resolution<span style="color:#663300;">I read this sermon by John Piper about a week ago and it's been resounding in my heart since. I love the challenge in it to discover how prayer and His Word abiding in us work together. Basically this is my Prayer Part 2.</span><span style="color:#663300;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color:#663300;">You can find the entire sermon at </span><a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/"><span style="color:#663300;">www.desiringgod.org</span></a><span style="color:#663300;"> under</span><br /><span style="color:#663300;">Praying From the Fullness of God's Word<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#663300;">But what about the other problem with prayer—that we pray and the answer we long for does not come? The Bible has several possible answers.<br /><br />It says we may not be praying according to God's will; 1 John 5:14, "If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us."<br /><br />Or it could be we have cherished sin that we will not let go from our lives; Psalm 66:18, "If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear."<br /><br />It could be that we have man-centered and not God-centered motives; James 4:3, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures."<br /><br />Or it may be that we do not believe that God will do it; Mark 11:24, "All things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you."<br /><br />Or it could be that God wants you to persevere, and is testing your obedience to his command in Luke 18:1, "At all times [you] ought to pray and not to lose heart."<br /><br />Or it might be that God is, in fact, doing far more every time you pray than you can imagine and is daily putting in place a part of the mosaic that will in good time be the full answer to your prayer (as in Daniel 10:2,12).<br /><br /><strong>"Praying for All His Purposes, Meditating on All His Word"</strong><br />Or could it be that there is a dynamic to prayer that we have not yet learned? Could it be that this matter of praying is so mysterious and so wonderful that there is a deeper, fuller way of relating to God in prayer that we have not experienced? Could it be that we are like children who have been told something by our Father, but we just don't get it yet? And in his wisdom and patience he goes on loving us and teaching us. Could it be that 1997 would be the year when we get it?<br /><br />Here is one of my goals for 1997 for Bethlehem. In our Mission Statement booklet, two of our values are expressed like this: We value a "growing frequency, freedom, depth and power in corporate, family and private prayer." We value "making prayer the visible engine of all our efforts in ministry and worship" (page 5). One of my goals for us in 1997 is that we as a church discover corporately how the Word of God and prayer work together in powerful, life-changing, fruit-bearing ministry.<br /><br />In our Mission Statement booklet, the spiritual dynamic behind all our ministry goes like this:<br /><br />We join God the Father in magnifying the supremacy of his glory<br />through our Lord Jesus Christ,<br />in the power of the Holy Spirit by<br />treasuring all that God is,<br />loving all whom he loves,<br />praying for all his purposes,<br />meditating on all his Word,<br />sustained by all his grace.<br /><br />My prayer is that in 1997 Bethlehem will learn from study and experience how those two lines work together—praying for all his purposes, meditating on all his Word. What's the connection? How do they function together to make us a transformed, fruit-bearing people?<br /><br />The reason this is so crucial for us is given in our text today, especially John 15:7, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you." Do you see the connection between the Word of God and prayer? "If my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you." Here is a great goal for us in 1997: what does that mean? What does it mean in experience, not just in talk, but in action and life? That is what I want us to learn together.<br /><br />I put it as a question because I am not at all sure I know what this text means—at least not in its fullness. I have the suspicion that there is a potential here that few, if any, are tapping into. I don't think I have arrived—perhaps I have barely begun to experience this dynamic of the Word abiding in me and releasing sure answers to prayer. Do I really know—have I really experienced—what Jesus means by the Word abiding in me? Do I experience—do you experience—day in and day out the dynamic relationship between the indwelling Word and answers to prayer? Do you know from experience what this is?<br /><br />In Prayer Week of 1987 we did a survey at Bethlehem and asked, for example, How much time per week do you spend reading the Bible? 255 people took the survey. 21% said fewer than 15 minutes (a week!). Another 25% said 15-30 minutes a week. So 46% of our people in 1987 were spending fewer than five minutes a day reading God's Word. When asked about time spent in focused prayer, 62% said they spent fewer than 30 minutes in prayer each week—fewer than five minutes a day.<br /><br />I doubt that the statistics are very different today. And I would venture to say that many of these people harbor some deep resentments toward God for not answering their prayers. So the question arises: is there anything in their lives—or in my life—that corresponds to John 15:7—"If the Word of God abides in you . . ." Is reading the Word of God five minutes a day what Jesus was referring to when he said, "If my words abide in you"? My own suspicion is that Jesus had something in mind vastly more extensive and more life-shaping than the quick glances that forty percent of our people give to the Word of God each day.<br /><br />Is This Legalistic?<br />I know that at this point some people are already throwing up defenses in the name of freedom, and are ready to say that all such talk is infected with legalism and a performance mentality. Well, I plead with you to look at the words of Jesus here in John 15:7 and struggle with me over this. This is not legalism. We are not talking about doing x-number of minutes of Bible reading to earn x-number of answered prayers. We are talking about living out what we value.<br /><br />For example, suppose a coach prepares a steak dinner for his football team every day and spreads it before them freely, without cost, and says to them: eat and enjoy this rich meal every day and you will have strength to win the championship. And suppose that half the team instead goes to the candy store and the bakery, and week after week eats sweets and pastries. They start to lose games and the coach finds out they are not eating his free steak dinners and rebukes them. Some of them become indignant and say, "Hey we don't want a legalistic relationship with you. We want to relate to you in freedom and do what comes more naturally for our appetites."<br /><br />Now that coach would be justified in saying, "It is not legalism to accept a free gift from me and to trust me that it is better for you than candy and pie." And so it is with Jesus. It is not legalism to welcome his free gift and infinitely valuable word. It is not legalism to savor it and revel in its preciousness. It is not legalism to believe that without it we get weaker and weaker and more and more worldly.<br /><br />There are some of you who have built up strong resistance to receiving the Word of God and letting it abide in you, as Psalm 1 says, day and night. And I plead with you to let 1997 be the year you trust God to change that. There is something here for us that we are not getting. And I believe that if you would just reach out and taste a fraction of it, you would take heart that there are possibilities in your life and prayer that you never dreamed.<br /><br /><strong>If His Word Were Abiding in us,<br />How Might that Yield Answers to Prayer?<br /></strong><br />What might John 15:7 mean? Jesus says, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you." What are the possibilities of how the Word abiding in us might yield sure answers to prayer?<br /><br />1. It may be that the Word abiding in us functions to guide our prayers. In other words, 1 John 5:14 says, "If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." Perhaps it is the abiding of the Word of Christ in our lives that directs us to what God's will is in prayer. Then we pray according to God's will and the answer comes.<br /><br />2. Or it may be that the Word abiding in us functions to build our faith, which then lays hold on answers to prayer. Romans 10:17 says, "Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." And in Mark 11:24 Jesus says, "All things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you." So if faith is essential for answered prayer, and if the Word abiding within sustains faith, then maybe that is what Jesus means when he says that if his words abide in us we will have answers to our prayers.<br /><br />3. Or it may be that the Word abiding in us functions to transform us morally and spiritually so that we are walking in the path of love where God answers prayer, rather than in the path of selfishness where he doesn't. We know from Psalm 66:18 and James 4:3 that intentionally cherishing or walking in sin cuts us off from answered prayer. And we know from John 8:32 that the Word of God sets us free from sin: "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free." And we know from John 17:17 that the word of God sanctifies: "Sanctify them in the truth [Jesus prays to the Father], your Word is truth." So maybe it's the transforming, sanctifying power of the Word that leads to holiness and love and then to answered prayer.<br /><br /><strong>Bearing Fruit for God's Glory is the Main Aim</strong><br />What's plain from the context of John 15:1-8 is that bearing fruit for God's glory is the main concern—and it probably means both the fruit of love and joy as well as the fruit of conversions. Verse 2: "Every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit." Verse 4: "As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me." Verse 5: "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit." Verse 8: "By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit."<br /><br />So the aim of this passage is more fruit for God's glory, and the path to that fruit-bearing is our abiding in Christ, and his word abiding in us. And prayer, according to verse 7, is an essential part of that abiding in Christ and having his Word abide in us, so that we can bear fruit for God's glory.<br /><br />How this prayer and this Word abiding in us work together is what I want us to discover together this year. The very least that it means is that we make it our aim to pray from the fullness of God's word. Effective prayer is the overflow of the fullness of the Word of God abiding in us. What does that mean in experience? That is our quest in 1997. </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#663300;"></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#663300;"><a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/">http://www.desiringgod.org/</a></span>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-42754089100555314162009-12-16T10:00:00.003-06:002009-12-16T10:41:17.265-06:00Prayer<span style="font-family:courier new;font-size:85%;color:#330000;">Loved Matt's sermon on prayer a while back. Meant to post this earlier :)</span><br /><span style="color:#330000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#330000;">Why Pray?<br /><br />1. Daily act of humility and dependence on God "I cannot, You can. I do not know, You know."<br /><br />2. Fellowship with God. God speaks to us through His Word and His Holy Spirit, we speak to God through prayer. This is called "relationship".<br /><br />3. In prayer, God allows us to be involved in activities that are eternally important. We are involved in something much, much bigger than ourselves.<br /><br />4. Prayer changes things<br /><br />5. Means of confession<br /><br />6. Prayer is a means to fighting sin. Prayer is a spirit driven activity which means when we’re praying we’re disconnecting from the sinful falleness of this world and we’re connecting to what is holy, right and good.<br /><br />7. We’re commanded to. God has ordained that through prayer He would accomplish His purposes and so He has commanded to the individual life of the believer to pray and therefore fulfill His purposes.<br /><br /><br />Is God sovereign over all things or can we move Him by our prayers?<br />Yes<br />The problem is that we have a hard time believing both of these to be true and we’ll want to pick one and play it against the other.<br /><br />Ephesians 1 is very clear that salvation belongs to God and that no man can be converted without Christ opening his heart. That the only way you believe and that you have the ability to believe is that if God opens your heart and your mind to understand the gospel, that He gets you out of darkness and into light – that’s the only way you believe.<br /><br />If that’s true, then why preach? If preaching doesn’t open the hearts and minds of people but only the Holy Spirit does, then why share your faith with your neighbor? Why share your faith with your friends, family?<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#330000;">Because God’s appointed means to achieving His appointed purpose is the proclamation of the Word which means God said the means by which I’m going to accomplish this is the preaching, teaching and proclamation of the Word. So, He’s going to save men through the preaching/teaching of the Bible and through interpersonal relationships where the gospel is taught and lived out. The same is true about prayer.<br />Prayer becomes the means by which the purposes of God are accomplished. So that in this way prayer changes things. </span>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-24099018829246251912009-12-15T15:23:00.003-06:002009-12-15T16:02:27.516-06:00A Magical Christmas<span style="color:#663300;">How did the story of Santa bringing gifts make Christmas more magical than Christ bringing the ultimate gift? If we're so good at making the story of Santa a reality by wrapping up gifts and setting them under a tree Christmas Eve how much better should we be at making the story of Christ and his gift of reconciliation a reality? Think of the magic in your childs heart toward Santa and imagine the child like faith you could give them based on reality rather than imaginary.</span><br /><span style="color:#663300;">The words of Noel Piper sum up my thoughts exactly:</span><br /><span style="color:#663300;"></span><br /><span style="color:#663300;">Thinking About Santa<br />{By: Noel Piper}<br />Over the years, we have chosen not to include Santa Claus in our Christmas stories and decorations. There are several reasons.<br /><br />First, fairy tales are fun and we enjoy them, but we don’t ask our children to believe them.<br /><br />Second, we want our children to understand God as fully as they’re able at whatever age they are. So we try to avoid anything that would delay or distort that understanding. It seems to us that celebrating with a mixture of Santa and manger will postpone a child’s clear understanding of what the real truth of God is. It’s very difficult for a young child to pick through a marble cake of part-truth and part-imagination to find the crumbs of reality.<br /><br />Third, we think about how confusing it must be to a straight-thinking, uncritically-minded preschooler because Santa is so much like what we’re trying all year to teach our children about God. Look, for example, at the “attributes” of Santa.<br /><br />He’s omniscient—he sees everything you do.<br />He rewards you if you’re good.<br />He’s omnipresent—at least, he can be everywhere in one night.<br />He gives you good gifts.<br />He’s the most famous “old man in the sky” figure.<br />But at the deeper level that young children haven’t reached yet in their understanding, he is not like God at all.<br /><br />For example, does Santa really care if we’re bad or good? Think of the most awful kid you can remember. Did he or she ever not get gifts from Santa?<br /><br />What about Santa’s spying and then rewarding you if you’re good enough? That’s not the way God operates. He gave us his gift—his Son—even though we weren’t good at all. “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). He gave his gift to us to make us good, not because we had proved ourselves good enough.<br /><br />Helping our children understand God as much as they’re able at whatever age they are is our primary goal. But we’ve also seen some other encouraging effects of not including Santa in our celebration.<br /><br />First, I think children are glad to realize that their parents, who live with them all year and know all the worst things about them, still show their love at Christmas. Isn’t that more significant than a funny, old, make-believe man who drops in just once a year?<br /><br />Second, I think most children know their family’s usual giving patterns for birthday and special events. They tend to have an instinct about their family’s typical spending levels and abilities. Knowing that their Christmas gifts come from the people they love, rather than from a bottomless sack, can help diminish the “I-want-this, give-me-that” syndrome.<br /><br />And finally, when children know that God’s generosity is reflected by God’s people, it tends to encourage a sense of responsibility about helping make Christmas good for others.<br /><br />Karsten, for example, worked hard on one gift in 1975. On that Christmas morning, his daddy stepped around a large, loose-flapped cardboard box to get to his chair at the breakfast table. “Where’s Karsten?” he asked, expecting to see our excited three-year-old raring to leap into the day. Sitting down, I said, “He’ll be here in a minute.”<br /><br />I nudged the box with my toe. From inside the carton, Karsten threw back the flaps and sprang to his full three-foot stature. “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them . . .” He had memorized Luke 2:8-20 as a gift for his dad. Karsten knew the real story.<br /><br />In fact, a few days later, he and I were walking down the hall at the church we attended then. One of the older ladies leaned down to squeeze his pink, round cheek and asked, “What did Santa bring you?” Karsten’s head jerked quickly toward me, and he whispered loudly, “Doesn’t she know?”<br /><br />(Adapted from Treasuring God in Our Traditions)</span>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-87844530047240560622009-12-01T10:07:00.008-06:002009-12-01T12:04:10.306-06:00Overflowing with Sweetness<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-PWvfFVL1iSy6P-A0Zqhf0N0LapxDlc_00LofmFm6qCPfW8SgnhWcasTQh6wNlcR2cEcY8bPUTVFlNzddEbDMWIdIF1zVXN9e3ndv_-ByJ3VaIItPvZjGAI3RAe2jNhle6ekvDxOebNhj/s1600/CountryLakes8.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410300258223263362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-PWvfFVL1iSy6P-A0Zqhf0N0LapxDlc_00LofmFm6qCPfW8SgnhWcasTQh6wNlcR2cEcY8bPUTVFlNzddEbDMWIdIF1zVXN9e3ndv_-ByJ3VaIItPvZjGAI3RAe2jNhle6ekvDxOebNhj/s400/CountryLakes8.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8RZ_89G9w5i5ajXmTO8DbxqHsLGvOpfu4EsDmE4ETco6ZJOwYtHSwyJXeIw9xS7i6IH35hom_TlJDzQ_pu8YaoEf-GBaP7Z33XW5GsKkfj3PUayzlsGuHR-mz6iT1oJtxJlU-ftoLXX3/s1600/CountryLakes5.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410300436451994162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8RZ_89G9w5i5ajXmTO8DbxqHsLGvOpfu4EsDmE4ETco6ZJOwYtHSwyJXeIw9xS7i6IH35hom_TlJDzQ_pu8YaoEf-GBaP7Z33XW5GsKkfj3PUayzlsGuHR-mz6iT1oJtxJlU-ftoLXX3/s400/CountryLakes5.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJTgNoXXpwhj0Lwn0K0fayKtCCz9OAmArMwOM41RupMOZGi2XOaCda9cxyY6VWjh1bOknUSk2SxDrZ-BQwUHNrXk1B_k4No-LnE1tAee_rkPN5G98OX2Zc7pmZxojtn3DNEvPYdUt_vDF/s1600/CountryLakes1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410300522909781362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJTgNoXXpwhj0Lwn0K0fayKtCCz9OAmArMwOM41RupMOZGi2XOaCda9cxyY6VWjh1bOknUSk2SxDrZ-BQwUHNrXk1B_k4No-LnE1tAee_rkPN5G98OX2Zc7pmZxojtn3DNEvPYdUt_vDF/s400/CountryLakes1.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEz2hsEsWfa9C64AmGMutyik9wAuM0D08LdaEOXiEYuXfv6WU5CvzbZgs9bhkXtFLC0I8N7QBd4Xd0y8CQkz8-YYA0_tYdvcFApQZbpw9jXzpGYXLfu-jUks2myDCmep6mRcjktyK1Zz-/s1600/CountryLakes13.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410300881114072946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEz2hsEsWfa9C64AmGMutyik9wAuM0D08LdaEOXiEYuXfv6WU5CvzbZgs9bhkXtFLC0I8N7QBd4Xd0y8CQkz8-YYA0_tYdvcFApQZbpw9jXzpGYXLfu-jUks2myDCmep6mRcjktyK1Zz-/s400/CountryLakes13.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdvS3vxXkJ7Iwt1wqEcqbAXP-5Kgx3tm7yf2uejanw7YvKcObCr5ecTyUfF6v0Ot2LXvFbYYq7BZJ2IAZ5nIybp3QjZSm05ySfGgTGo_JSy42JXN8wc2yOge9d_deOA0wwIywqfsbc-ifG/s1600/CountryLakes7.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410300672260348498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdvS3vxXkJ7Iwt1wqEcqbAXP-5Kgx3tm7yf2uejanw7YvKcObCr5ecTyUfF6v0Ot2LXvFbYYq7BZJ2IAZ5nIybp3QjZSm05ySfGgTGo_JSy42JXN8wc2yOge9d_deOA0wwIywqfsbc-ifG/s400/CountryLakes7.jpg" /></a></div></div></div><br /><br /><span style="color:#663300;">"But now thus says the Lord,<br />He who created you, O Jacob,<br />He who formed you, O Israel:<br />“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;<br />I have called you by name, <em>YOU ARE MINE</em>.<br />When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;<br />and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;<br />when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,<br />and the flame shall not consume you.<br />For I am the Lord your God,<br />the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.<br />I give Egypt as your ransom,<br />Cush and Seba in exchange for you.<br /></span><span style="color:#663300;"><em>Because you are precious in my eyes,<br />and honored, and I love you,"</em><br />Isaiah 43: 1-4 </span>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-27723027066351459492009-11-13T19:10:00.003-06:002009-11-13T19:14:45.866-06:00Radio Flyer<span style="color:#cc0000;">Kenadi took her first ride in the wagon the other day and loved it! She was so cute - I think she really felt proud of herself ;)</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJxe6quEWQxvB9TjKAcswSUGedOze6NVk9uJytU34t81GaAmh3rab0oCLHXMhE8ygBBd4B_PdqmRLYnjv-SzQ6cZCKLU-nsKv-6lbZZ21Kz-Bp7uHtwH3U5ExhWFawnNiGNID-YjasCB4/s1600-h/KenadisWagon2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403761375966864962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJxe6quEWQxvB9TjKAcswSUGedOze6NVk9uJytU34t81GaAmh3rab0oCLHXMhE8ygBBd4B_PdqmRLYnjv-SzQ6cZCKLU-nsKv-6lbZZ21Kz-Bp7uHtwH3U5ExhWFawnNiGNID-YjasCB4/s400/KenadisWagon2.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_q0zUNmo8qUQnpM0c1MQabOo7iWrX8v1-KJNtbS2ebko3AYYXjyf5qulbTaHV2tPLZIlv5GJHyILuACj8L9SUqexYoZJVjFbG0Wbiw2m5ueDjBczbtT98qLNHudIIl-W_k4g0WVa1mlO8/s1600-h/KenadisWagon4.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403761258760120802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_q0zUNmo8qUQnpM0c1MQabOo7iWrX8v1-KJNtbS2ebko3AYYXjyf5qulbTaHV2tPLZIlv5GJHyILuACj8L9SUqexYoZJVjFbG0Wbiw2m5ueDjBczbtT98qLNHudIIl-W_k4g0WVa1mlO8/s400/KenadisWagon4.jpg" /></a>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-68826314007465445982009-11-13T18:56:00.007-06:002009-11-13T19:08:36.530-06:00Chase is 5!!!<span style="color:#ff6600;">Chase turned 5 yesterday!!! We're going to be celebrating tomorrow so I plan on taking lots of pictures then. As for yesterday, Chase woke up to a pancake breakfast, got to pick out a new Bionicle from Oma and Papa, and Grandma and Auntie Kristin came over with cupcakes.</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58JNbbPQg3h4CYKHuchJyTKP1-EbAoc-xh4wHqSipqHsfGcm0BDbEx9ZG9AcWgb22bTDXF3Eoo_WQU1sG4j5cQvVnmh0Qo35Zkz3q3ZI913v60pMCsoHx_CAnvHtgeYv3YE2o8XYtZHmS/s1600-h/ChasesBDay2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403758023594250962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58JNbbPQg3h4CYKHuchJyTKP1-EbAoc-xh4wHqSipqHsfGcm0BDbEx9ZG9AcWgb22bTDXF3Eoo_WQU1sG4j5cQvVnmh0Qo35Zkz3q3ZI913v60pMCsoHx_CAnvHtgeYv3YE2o8XYtZHmS/s320/ChasesBDay2.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiosxEBSigBAZMgVOz3f6nYPS0HlJQBFqFX4iwBxThpkwLGaqTOkJpxSsP3XbrUWvqwd9GVb5ELwmBBJhV0tZnjBpD3_3XHwFyloahr496cKmKqtUsoBXwDLAbN7eSHYO9EMc63WTgeppJK/s1600-h/ChasesBDay1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403757687322230178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiosxEBSigBAZMgVOz3f6nYPS0HlJQBFqFX4iwBxThpkwLGaqTOkJpxSsP3XbrUWvqwd9GVb5ELwmBBJhV0tZnjBpD3_3XHwFyloahr496cKmKqtUsoBXwDLAbN7eSHYO9EMc63WTgeppJK/s400/ChasesBDay1.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwCwZnH3SKo1Nl7Iqy8AegT2IfTg7G2BgoEuv3p7BgqNt9-qxXmgWX5iDHKwSXZw3_NiIVi3za8CVavQlJmaZxxxOvLBCDXhTY3mU8BOkuPENghXjWlboZmo9gVUPNzC9Ev8fJ0hP8Bm29/s1600-h/ChasesBDay3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403757567203295954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwCwZnH3SKo1Nl7Iqy8AegT2IfTg7G2BgoEuv3p7BgqNt9-qxXmgWX5iDHKwSXZw3_NiIVi3za8CVavQlJmaZxxxOvLBCDXhTY3mU8BOkuPENghXjWlboZmo9gVUPNzC9Ev8fJ0hP8Bm29/s400/ChasesBDay3.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxQPj0aftrMn30xF2shc-t3eikQJgL8Sj7AIZdg0vUbwydUo2sHIjKoB8iPoGR1KxZ_xKsHS9FyZBVkXXio_ic_CMF_KJitS0cm_P0xnX74zvvF3KiPOTM3cH4Cy_h00bszTUe_nu1CGS/s1600-h/ChasesBDay5.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403757417511074034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxQPj0aftrMn30xF2shc-t3eikQJgL8Sj7AIZdg0vUbwydUo2sHIjKoB8iPoGR1KxZ_xKsHS9FyZBVkXXio_ic_CMF_KJitS0cm_P0xnX74zvvF3KiPOTM3cH4Cy_h00bszTUe_nu1CGS/s400/ChasesBDay5.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="color:#ff6600;">I'll be back tomorrow with some shots of our day :)</span></p>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-32648850079081554442009-11-11T22:02:00.007-06:002009-11-11T22:09:29.831-06:00My Little Cy-Guy<span style="color:#33ccff;">Can you resist this little guy?!? I love his playful ways. These pictures are from our trip to see the family this past summer. What a cutie!</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFExwnjWecuIRW_NPVNrEBAP_9INjEz_0eU1UyibakoEg5pVTaZLR8C5hO9on1zLn8ZoM9u9BHKHKMyI1nK6rbKaFC4B_RcEHSuMlAi_9q2B0Dv0efLCptL4aDDlVZQOxPaNdQf-fQ-diB/s1600-h/faces9.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403064015287082818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFExwnjWecuIRW_NPVNrEBAP_9INjEz_0eU1UyibakoEg5pVTaZLR8C5hO9on1zLn8ZoM9u9BHKHKMyI1nK6rbKaFC4B_RcEHSuMlAi_9q2B0Dv0efLCptL4aDDlVZQOxPaNdQf-fQ-diB/s400/faces9.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQZ3xbDkf1ademGWKoaHYxayP6QqprvWSB9cYaZentYQ2aE7Ybgiee2Z7_SO1cROrd9CmsKk60iOwtIX32COQU1OQAbioduNU0Y6wujTY4_nQjQvBG_eciNBdt0dbEiQVfuto_qjT0QCq/s1600-h/faces8.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403063891302111586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQZ3xbDkf1ademGWKoaHYxayP6QqprvWSB9cYaZentYQ2aE7Ybgiee2Z7_SO1cROrd9CmsKk60iOwtIX32COQU1OQAbioduNU0Y6wujTY4_nQjQvBG_eciNBdt0dbEiQVfuto_qjT0QCq/s400/faces8.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0i85uHmzzuFydVec3yK4s7Mwb6q2OKOuip3NYvKOaVuRG6CAF_T4EftKDq7bhOpNmnY8XWXWwT17spJR-J6Q-mr_5d-BikSJ88eLvAn4W7D5cOX_wBT6QijCMyJgkJCTc5PL-0Zsw8IE/s1600-h/faces12.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403063774149361026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0i85uHmzzuFydVec3yK4s7Mwb6q2OKOuip3NYvKOaVuRG6CAF_T4EftKDq7bhOpNmnY8XWXWwT17spJR-J6Q-mr_5d-BikSJ88eLvAn4W7D5cOX_wBT6QijCMyJgkJCTc5PL-0Zsw8IE/s400/faces12.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIdKRNQtsMZ4D-gncUf91wqaGeAKqcSzvMReXZgR18TQmD65d1Q9QU6F2HtwnQb_3JLGHrgbcLWV1zrGv2FuD44otDD1XRj7o9403TFv-zMj__axdNdfHwE6nDExz9LDh31GTnEdKMhiS/s1600-h/faces13.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403063647482617618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIdKRNQtsMZ4D-gncUf91wqaGeAKqcSzvMReXZgR18TQmD65d1Q9QU6F2HtwnQb_3JLGHrgbcLWV1zrGv2FuD44otDD1XRj7o9403TFv-zMj__axdNdfHwE6nDExz9LDh31GTnEdKMhiS/s400/faces13.jpg" /></a> </div></div>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-45942742096826005952009-11-11T20:22:00.003-06:002009-11-11T21:15:08.658-06:00Last Night<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCetuHHpiQH_kYe4-kMN_H7v4u6MfUEtEWrrN_1rii1u1RAlNTpYNhW2kGSQkGlEsH8_ViReGp82Jgd7b3Wfk1aMzfsOViVCTvBaQqjD7ZWVHDLE2Yyr55uaH7Q8t-u0t4T-tBTDfGeGy/s1600-h/GraceAbounds.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403048600342322818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCetuHHpiQH_kYe4-kMN_H7v4u6MfUEtEWrrN_1rii1u1RAlNTpYNhW2kGSQkGlEsH8_ViReGp82Jgd7b3Wfk1aMzfsOViVCTvBaQqjD7ZWVHDLE2Yyr55uaH7Q8t-u0t4T-tBTDfGeGy/s400/GraceAbounds.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color:#663300;">I finished up my bible study with these gorgeous, beautiful-hearted ladies last night. I am so thankful for all of the time, words and prayer they all poured into it. What an awesome time of growth it was :)</span>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-48373715696704033542009-11-04T11:15:00.010-06:002009-11-04T11:32:55.673-06:00Cole's Seven!!!<span style="color:#663300;">I can't believe my baby Cole is seven years old!!! I threw a little family surprise party this year. Daddy took the boys out so I could set everything up.<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3_rB-pGucxWzBm3aKh-JWUB0jEaKyvVzqMS059mcfWhvcFNfQXbm-Dn4wtI0ht_gsiDpinPTorZ1zsJKRNqQby8f9FjiLPjrMp_ng0bCqkIRyW8bjJGZoWNhYnXBvXEwbt2O9LW1Tiss/s1600-h/ColesParty.jpg"><span style="color:#663300;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400300718509137074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3_rB-pGucxWzBm3aKh-JWUB0jEaKyvVzqMS059mcfWhvcFNfQXbm-Dn4wtI0ht_gsiDpinPTorZ1zsJKRNqQby8f9FjiLPjrMp_ng0bCqkIRyW8bjJGZoWNhYnXBvXEwbt2O9LW1Tiss/s400/ColesParty.jpg" /></span></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yPtVgVdHyb3IK1UtQvpz2DeOBRPo_Wtfc50eNLplrZ-jfznOwD9_9hrE-lVyB43LmbsBqbWH7BWjp3ap5cEctB7vwusXa-DmnzcNhLcgBVB3jQSJ4eZBakRQkzwNfCpAPYu0zpVlFx92/s1600-h/ColesParty1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400298948205079970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yPtVgVdHyb3IK1UtQvpz2DeOBRPo_Wtfc50eNLplrZ-jfznOwD9_9hrE-lVyB43LmbsBqbWH7BWjp3ap5cEctB7vwusXa-DmnzcNhLcgBVB3jQSJ4eZBakRQkzwNfCpAPYu0zpVlFx92/s400/ColesParty1.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="color:#663300;">We played the donut game (this video makes me laugh every time!)<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzCojJfFu63-1rPzPKmpejQmFA9dhjVMVelfOyzIc07lKcyPUJbx40MTgeXCKsq3WhUfHIJ71P1nTY6E3MluA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />Cy, after playing the donut game </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAS3HzdMq_twwRVFARvWlWXY-al9jGkSPSRXNVEYNwJsHDQH1xvmJYr2E0eo6MAGi4WIbsgfybSB8K4wgW9ytbU0RfXP1j0B4l5ObLtYCPpW51vlxlizSPi7Dn0mWH3uRJ0nmSnVyCC4qB/s1600-h/ColesParty3.jpg"><span style="color:#663300;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400299830344392866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAS3HzdMq_twwRVFARvWlWXY-al9jGkSPSRXNVEYNwJsHDQH1xvmJYr2E0eo6MAGi4WIbsgfybSB8K4wgW9ytbU0RfXP1j0B4l5ObLtYCPpW51vlxlizSPi7Dn0mWH3uRJ0nmSnVyCC4qB/s400/ColesParty3.jpg" /></span></a><span style="color:#663300;"><br />. . . and we bobbed for apples<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_iPkPS_yF4DUfcd8u8Hv9sKuZ_9SXVBjZBzK4h_q9Q4tRs0KGXm9rNHBsww7ClcEclKvMatkTwOoJhdSDB8wnyPvVOFYV2bIMNTEAjQ0s6JDjidrEr0TwWxerqlcxELh9Cp9Mn7nePnK/s1600-h/ColesParty5.jpg"><span style="color:#663300;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400301392472050146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_iPkPS_yF4DUfcd8u8Hv9sKuZ_9SXVBjZBzK4h_q9Q4tRs0KGXm9rNHBsww7ClcEclKvMatkTwOoJhdSDB8wnyPvVOFYV2bIMNTEAjQ0s6JDjidrEr0TwWxerqlcxELh9Cp9Mn7nePnK/s400/ColesParty5.jpg" /></span></a><span style="color:#663300;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtbfc6Sg4j8n3w148rK8a5bYyl23WfnTUKTDyc0NYLfNFqeKDnRH9dY6aR_POBYC0yMX1eF_Bl5l-vdC7tOZg3uYwpDfz7YIV71WqfMLTPISGnJN8BEqmKf66CUq2FW7_UP7dLDSuXdCl1/s1600-h/ColesParty4.jpg"><span style="color:#663300;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400301306773124050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtbfc6Sg4j8n3w148rK8a5bYyl23WfnTUKTDyc0NYLfNFqeKDnRH9dY6aR_POBYC0yMX1eF_Bl5l-vdC7tOZg3uYwpDfz7YIV71WqfMLTPISGnJN8BEqmKf66CUq2FW7_UP7dLDSuXdCl1/s400/ColesParty4.jpg" /></span></a><span style="color:#663300;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_4sp2c4magtDvKH21FqL1hFtmxWd6ZjoGRTRZLBAEqDdg7nBA0I82OoWKbjph7MSfGraBs70VphVVm66yaqBvpTZJfZKWIethVfxQMv6ueiyfkm4q2Skm3LLiwhHsx9ChV4e8poIhXPk/s1600-h/ColesParty6.jpg"><span style="color:#663300;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400301211975762930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_4sp2c4magtDvKH21FqL1hFtmxWd6ZjoGRTRZLBAEqDdg7nBA0I82OoWKbjph7MSfGraBs70VphVVm66yaqBvpTZJfZKWIethVfxQMv6ueiyfkm4q2Skm3LLiwhHsx9ChV4e8poIhXPk/s400/ColesParty6.jpg" /></span></a><span style="color:#663300;"> Happy Birthday Cole!!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPSz0b5x_ZY7vY4OffESdiEKiuXEMrn91w0pnJAnZmomP1__9j7K3fWqfvRx1o8oGIcgPJ6kmKvV9fKJ8CZrbdi9FJrRzJDI96kuZsRFQMFoGA2zwF2aNTNAitaCZ9yWzVKdzcytBvkOay/s1600-h/Cole'sParty7.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400301921016688930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPSz0b5x_ZY7vY4OffESdiEKiuXEMrn91w0pnJAnZmomP1__9j7K3fWqfvRx1o8oGIcgPJ6kmKvV9fKJ8CZrbdi9FJrRzJDI96kuZsRFQMFoGA2zwF2aNTNAitaCZ9yWzVKdzcytBvkOay/s400/Cole'sParty7.jpg" /></a><br /></span><span style="color:#663300;"></span>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-42514821025534105402009-11-04T11:05:00.004-06:002009-11-04T11:12:56.838-06:00Pumpkin Patch<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9tqQVTb9Go0YndovnTVD_iV8-PUPSE9gs4bAJ8Z-nEfZnFDiepwZMObkhdPrr6u7H7XB9Kva6Xup-W2WFleDznCQgXa9fpFUOFJPdD5whUHd0IOK-CLyXLkHarEzUnrTlEF0CO6qivOE/s1600-h/Halloween1.jpg"><span style="color:#ff6600;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400296083713659554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9tqQVTb9Go0YndovnTVD_iV8-PUPSE9gs4bAJ8Z-nEfZnFDiepwZMObkhdPrr6u7H7XB9Kva6Xup-W2WFleDznCQgXa9fpFUOFJPdD5whUHd0IOK-CLyXLkHarEzUnrTlEF0CO6qivOE/s400/Halloween1.jpg" /></span></a><span style="color:#ff6600;"> Yay for everyone looking and smiling at the camera at the same time!!! It even caught me by surprise ;)<br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVuCjeiiDf_kxzXGm-n-GoJkv38fgAHmeh5PysRxe68-GGIQQ8eKadPmwb_uYzUmNhEqOwm3udaZYhACCV5xv1NOFD9ibsBj5DHWeHoAaIi-wxZUl81DROfZfEDJEqYxb0hNbvpR4Dabq/s1600-h/Halloween2.jpg"><span style="color:#ff6600;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400295944613018850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVuCjeiiDf_kxzXGm-n-GoJkv38fgAHmeh5PysRxe68-GGIQQ8eKadPmwb_uYzUmNhEqOwm3udaZYhACCV5xv1NOFD9ibsBj5DHWeHoAaIi-wxZUl81DROfZfEDJEqYxb0hNbvpR4Dabq/s400/Halloween2.jpg" /></span></a><span style="color:#ff6600;"> I made Kenadi's little outfit! I made a little wrap around skirt and connected one of the shabby flowers at the top. It was also my first try at a little headband - I had to have something for her hair ;)</span></div>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-15974781859843817942009-11-04T10:42:00.007-06:002009-11-04T11:00:30.863-06:00Kenadi<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLWyXFjEapoja2wrFBT-u5fb6uTHKz3p0zn1SlVAp_GA0oaHnTjnmnntebiClT6sNL5UvyYrWyLB7M9lXNkJoMwjBLkpnMI8XEMNvUTtc-2aUVWcwu_0KJcqShZpexf76G3Ig_pK7UIvX/s1600-h/browndress7.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400290688512004402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLWyXFjEapoja2wrFBT-u5fb6uTHKz3p0zn1SlVAp_GA0oaHnTjnmnntebiClT6sNL5UvyYrWyLB7M9lXNkJoMwjBLkpnMI8XEMNvUTtc-2aUVWcwu_0KJcqShZpexf76G3Ig_pK7UIvX/s400/browndress7.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYzG4l4jS2WvAmDLxAv_-Ct0NCJx2BHebgmMQ3W22aBZUCuPLSproUYkClcnXy9dHTYA-Y72Qob8z9PYnd-SHJyfxD32nQ__Chv814swZhaHNmyR1hwWyaCBhW4NQREFvXAtpTKsCq8r8k/s1600-h/browndress1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400290566971737298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYzG4l4jS2WvAmDLxAv_-Ct0NCJx2BHebgmMQ3W22aBZUCuPLSproUYkClcnXy9dHTYA-Y72Qob8z9PYnd-SHJyfxD32nQ__Chv814swZhaHNmyR1hwWyaCBhW4NQREFvXAtpTKsCq8r8k/s400/browndress1.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBV3XTuy0DPhfyG3M2Xcu6edRqGxyusR9nVVkVnRJVMCIHSKbw8EjWRgRt-qShpZS8NnB0H-CoWL_i2-7Spe4ljSx8t77lJnLcu3hxI_cRr9s3UTBVZXFFMcoueUNTIneSevRj-2IOk7N0/s1600-h/browndress4.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400290351274651330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBV3XTuy0DPhfyG3M2Xcu6edRqGxyusR9nVVkVnRJVMCIHSKbw8EjWRgRt-qShpZS8NnB0H-CoWL_i2-7Spe4ljSx8t77lJnLcu3hxI_cRr9s3UTBVZXFFMcoueUNTIneSevRj-2IOk7N0/s400/browndress4.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;color:#663300;">Kenadi's Favorites:</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663300;">Thing to Say: da da da da</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663300;">Thing to Eat: Wagon Wheels - aka - cookies</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663300;">Thing to Crawl After: Dakota's bones and doorstops</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663300;">Thing to Laugh At: Her brothers jumping up and down</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#663300;">Other Favs: Being pushed on her bike, singing, standing up, being outside :)</span></div></div>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-26758226328897060302009-11-02T16:39:00.006-06:002009-11-02T22:19:51.289-06:00Pumpkin Carving<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-WGfGZdqMScfzHh4oYheTD_6sGszC4Bupa6j8TrXfoInQ1rggzYgFibjlsKUBz1GYMpHUFVS1D4flrqz1PhLUm3TLLDh5Jkv8YmjAb9x8bBmkcCuRIfwBG2XVWpYCy6fCozHIOJ5u7Gx6/s1600-h/PumpkinCarving1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399640053517893394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-WGfGZdqMScfzHh4oYheTD_6sGszC4Bupa6j8TrXfoInQ1rggzYgFibjlsKUBz1GYMpHUFVS1D4flrqz1PhLUm3TLLDh5Jkv8YmjAb9x8bBmkcCuRIfwBG2XVWpYCy6fCozHIOJ5u7Gx6/s400/PumpkinCarving1.jpg" /></a> <span style="color:#663300;">We dug all the goop out of our pumpkins Wednesday afternoon. Cole and Chase eventually liked getting all messy. Cy wanted nothing to do with it :) </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibC5TFsEURaNL1Hjnnm2dNqF0J8fzHlM7LS9PwVIrPvTpjTf9XnfMUvmuSr_marY-QiP73qCb8Y70Kw2gboLwlorCZLw4c7eSieuT9qgWPX0GoH9a5yWOWyOFDGFRnPQBIuVY46ovWFlKQ/s1600-h/PumpkinCarving2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399640625147479746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibC5TFsEURaNL1Hjnnm2dNqF0J8fzHlM7LS9PwVIrPvTpjTf9XnfMUvmuSr_marY-QiP73qCb8Y70Kw2gboLwlorCZLw4c7eSieuT9qgWPX0GoH9a5yWOWyOFDGFRnPQBIuVY46ovWFlKQ/s400/PumpkinCarving2.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2-A2hQcwNytgns7QIHQJjdDzfplEfA0lFRRY1_MLNk4OJcA1V_wREVfo-j4qo4858IDkcQOkRLoyNXQeNU6YmQUbN0Cwx6Mix6aP8rAUX6zGQNK8UwfyHiE1ubupX3I1qD6gVyUrLKu6/s1600-h/PumpkinCarving3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399640947068990322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2-A2hQcwNytgns7QIHQJjdDzfplEfA0lFRRY1_MLNk4OJcA1V_wREVfo-j4qo4858IDkcQOkRLoyNXQeNU6YmQUbN0Cwx6Mix6aP8rAUX6zGQNK8UwfyHiE1ubupX3I1qD6gVyUrLKu6/s400/PumpkinCarving3.jpg" /></a><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dySEL4B26RrNW8hS4loADgzcZHk2XEHHumPlcgd8ZdnlKSER2cDuKqUMVJYfyK7AC3-3ZMNS26dl-ewopV8yA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><span style="color:#663300;">We didn't actually carve our pumpkins till Halloween morning - of course, they were already starting to rot :( at least they smelled like it. . . we still had fun. Cole carved his pumpkin all by himself and helped Chase with his too - what a little man ;)</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFupIrRre78MzWTyb-fv3lSFWCZQp7Qj6nsIQqYk4-TgPbnB_qJ98uE7NzbToAmZoPNiTLLVB-j82yaW7uDE9lgqRGSop52xyQ38H18wTRtg49mgbHrU7aiA9-Mbo37hVo5U581LlVdQX/s1600-h/PumpkinCarving4.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399649738298680962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFupIrRre78MzWTyb-fv3lSFWCZQp7Qj6nsIQqYk4-TgPbnB_qJ98uE7NzbToAmZoPNiTLLVB-j82yaW7uDE9lgqRGSop52xyQ38H18wTRtg49mgbHrU7aiA9-Mbo37hVo5U581LlVdQX/s400/PumpkinCarving4.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYD3KgmzDNUL3MZ6zo1DBfyMNFDDb6lPW6B4nuCdllm_Ysdo4NHO0jpSp5zJjgXvY6rasK-ZeESZvQ01fqamJYC5kW5Sb21I0AxcX3dQWq0qxXCKtOEv6y7x-hmCSKURzCfXi3YIIch865/s1600-h/PumpkinCarving5.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399649556019982274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYD3KgmzDNUL3MZ6zo1DBfyMNFDDb6lPW6B4nuCdllm_Ysdo4NHO0jpSp5zJjgXvY6rasK-ZeESZvQ01fqamJYC5kW5Sb21I0AxcX3dQWq0qxXCKtOEv6y7x-hmCSKURzCfXi3YIIch865/s400/PumpkinCarving5.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUHVQVmH5pNKQVsYHeSZ_U5l2OGbr3dmRlzKcXqXrB7bTaNALOE-6MxDRWrD23C_dD_Z3cwV6N7X2twwakmfXm8Ag2TDBtxpOcGcCTCF1CjQ0ffHsGtlPHOju7UUI57brHwOCxN9omnOg/s1600-h/PumpkinCarving6.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399649393388655186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUHVQVmH5pNKQVsYHeSZ_U5l2OGbr3dmRlzKcXqXrB7bTaNALOE-6MxDRWrD23C_dD_Z3cwV6N7X2twwakmfXm8Ag2TDBtxpOcGcCTCF1CjQ0ffHsGtlPHOju7UUI57brHwOCxN9omnOg/s400/PumpkinCarving6.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33E5292PdZjC399PlG_ph12sgx2XD2D8Tz7rZA3xzlsAfn3AiYIuZLbgCB6dEFkbQ9gu6-NzbvGocIR3Tf1Sh6qKrlUbtzK-u1cIhVnjzFSBAsipTs1m0_s9ocn6OTGCtVgfARSvgHQOK/s1600-h/PumpkinCarving7.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399649205764143138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33E5292PdZjC399PlG_ph12sgx2XD2D8Tz7rZA3xzlsAfn3AiYIuZLbgCB6dEFkbQ9gu6-NzbvGocIR3Tf1Sh6qKrlUbtzK-u1cIhVnjzFSBAsipTs1m0_s9ocn6OTGCtVgfARSvgHQOK/s400/PumpkinCarving7.jpg" /></a><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399648911426562898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIgwXq5F_CoZxsDYN1ncs4bc16cHYbM8_IuJ0Kr1mp2bKgz4Hm7t8nvUpCYvilcmL2ZJqSXLtNMpbKF_OLQj_-RUmlia3e2z_sUJG7N1OyCTwDCxoGJuOxMlf4c8kKTeOu-AhbkCsBHPQ/s400/PumpkinCarving8.jpg" /> </div></div>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-52476902739864559632009-11-02T14:01:00.009-06:002009-11-02T16:20:45.176-06:00Halloween<div align="left"><span style="color:#ff9900;"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Halloween night . . .</span><br /></div></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Tk74WK78WS2-JR6c0f-BkXm0JH7MkEiGuPkwYtxeFtP_Y3EOujPhTpCzrSa6hg-Rtx-bq4YblJ9Wb39lkeF7JTJfDzZGbSjOIQKrH-G86ejIOGes9aNAkXnrTI_EfFb4IRudnR5etIfO/s1600-h/Halloween3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399605908540089970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Tk74WK78WS2-JR6c0f-BkXm0JH7MkEiGuPkwYtxeFtP_Y3EOujPhTpCzrSa6hg-Rtx-bq4YblJ9Wb39lkeF7JTJfDzZGbSjOIQKrH-G86ejIOGes9aNAkXnrTI_EfFb4IRudnR5etIfO/s400/Halloween3.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a><span style="color:#cc6600;">Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Batman and Catwoman<br /></span></p><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2h58Ib4SfTe4Lqs4t7NKIWyAg2zgCIc1MbEVPWVAYvhpyZxOTnLd45xi-zYM0k800ACENNS0CXWoTd-0iOVPWKlwYYTWQdNK-O-Sub4FF5uyzuclRq41SQayBE8Ts8EfueYfEsoe5Qm6/s1600-h/Halloween4.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399605768972771234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2h58Ib4SfTe4Lqs4t7NKIWyAg2zgCIc1MbEVPWVAYvhpyZxOTnLd45xi-zYM0k800ACENNS0CXWoTd-0iOVPWKlwYYTWQdNK-O-Sub4FF5uyzuclRq41SQayBE8Ts8EfueYfEsoe5Qm6/s400/Halloween4.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#cc6600;"> First stop: Mark and Sherry Bigham's<br /></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDT6QN8ci-ZM2Z8867WDD17QrL2nqxNI_Lxmx_uETuOnCUjTwiJmixXV0_f06IgOgKoFEbwzoNwqgvfzCXALNAst3Ci1WHHklpz1u_PjnJywjU9q8blPDI-23leKWXqVzWkKvrH1kFWoR/s1600-h/Halloween5.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399605537550479794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDT6QN8ci-ZM2Z8867WDD17QrL2nqxNI_Lxmx_uETuOnCUjTwiJmixXV0_f06IgOgKoFEbwzoNwqgvfzCXALNAst3Ci1WHHklpz1u_PjnJywjU9q8blPDI-23leKWXqVzWkKvrH1kFWoR/s400/Halloween5.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399605426349662898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1fzwhjik50qMUKB8oaUzElzn1nM554FCCvt13Wt_b4T9WJ9zBKS9ArjvFk0uMMj3tC8m3d5kDSt04z5Du0Spu6TzcJEfQTljPMMk5NnrvyJlxrc8VtDzDY12uxnjqIiDmon9mjOfdpWU/s400/Halloween6.jpg" /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrOb1KzXYup8ZR9Wer_teGMQ3SWGmxtFWO1pcE2RS3K3oBt2h-Igoqunq1qYKgqrouQHWu7VWw_7PO9TcYrUPeyScXndN_eYDrGgwab1s4T-ysg1WzpaA19TZ2THPkhcF_MD4Dmd2vaLk/s1600-h/Halloween7.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399605275889180242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrOb1KzXYup8ZR9Wer_teGMQ3SWGmxtFWO1pcE2RS3K3oBt2h-Igoqunq1qYKgqrouQHWu7VWw_7PO9TcYrUPeyScXndN_eYDrGgwab1s4T-ysg1WzpaA19TZ2THPkhcF_MD4Dmd2vaLk/s400/Halloween7.jpg" /></a> <span style="color:#cc6600;">Cy loved the vampire fangs</span><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9tIov5KkPFXdfCaek3pIm_6U-hbB5HXsFOw8Mkc-IwaPpw2FKepZhNdC_-_vnSKaNlSyZ6GgquLpFgxpFvQSfhW1DlcCqnzQ60O32QmT00iLHwdyNhdcGhgT9fmGn5AbMHq9k6-OfvtF/s1600-h/Halloween8.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399605177466989730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9tIov5KkPFXdfCaek3pIm_6U-hbB5HXsFOw8Mkc-IwaPpw2FKepZhNdC_-_vnSKaNlSyZ6GgquLpFgxpFvQSfhW1DlcCqnzQ60O32QmT00iLHwdyNhdcGhgT9fmGn5AbMHq9k6-OfvtF/s400/Halloween8.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="color:#cc6600;">We spent most of the night trick-or-treating in Mrs. Roni's neighborhood. Grandma, Auntie Kristin, Uncle Nick and Anthony all met up with us there.</span> </div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03ON4GTKAJowNGZ4CDWu4-3FU4ujk5qlxwZ3tc-PczOhzo8am7eKpXbzg6oK-GZQxx5hRKfpi5mHNhHaVhRzjyaa3NQpR3U5LfwoHnm0s-eMwFcmEu39AEdIE0UvkHxa5IB8p0AOr7utm/s1600-h/Halloween9.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399604937582069218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03ON4GTKAJowNGZ4CDWu4-3FU4ujk5qlxwZ3tc-PczOhzo8am7eKpXbzg6oK-GZQxx5hRKfpi5mHNhHaVhRzjyaa3NQpR3U5LfwoHnm0s-eMwFcmEu39AEdIE0UvkHxa5IB8p0AOr7utm/s400/Halloween9.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#cc6600;">It was a beautiful night and perfect weather (I wish I would have gotten more pictures!). I'm looking forward to next year - maybe we can do some Star Wars or The Wizard of Oz :)</span> </div></div></div></div><br /></div>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-36198379770778282932009-10-21T09:46:00.008-05:002009-10-21T10:55:45.270-05:00Things I Need to Remember<span style="color:#663300;">A couple weeks ago Matt talked about the art of remembrance. These are things that I know I daily need to remind myself of in order to have the right perspective and therefore make better decisions.<br />The art of remembering either pushes us toward Christ or it inches us away<br /><br />"Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead."<br />Philippians 3:13<br /><br />Paul's not meaning forget everything but rather forget the things behind you that Christ has already paid for and that would hinder your relationship with Christ.<br /><br />So, how you go about remembering and what are you supposed to go about remembering.<br /><br />1. Remember what God has done<br /></span><span style="color:#663300;"><em>"I will remember the deeds of the Lord;<br />yes, I will remember your wonders of old."</em> Psalm 77:11<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#663300;"><em>"Remember the wondrous works that he has done,<br />his miracles, and the judgments he uttered" </em>Psalm 105:5<br /><br /><strong>We’re going to remember how God has interacted with His people and behaved in the scriptures so that as our life plays out we can have the confidence that He delivers, that He saves that He’s in and around even the worst of circumstances.</strong><br />Not only do we see it biblically but in our own lives He has shown us a thousand mercies. Some of us walk in a level of idolatry that everything that is good and right in our lives we take credit for and anything that goes wrong God gets blamed for. When everything goes right you’re the one that pulls it off and you let one thing go wrong and God’s the one that did this to you. You’re a blasphemer and you have a wicked heart and that’s why you respond that way.<br />No one in this room got up this morning and went, “Oh my God everything’s working!” But you let yourself get up tomorrow and have chronic pain that doesn’t go away for a year or two, maybe ever, you watch how quickly will go, “You tricked me, you betrayed me.”<br />We should be constantly overwhelmed that He’s given us these gifts but our flesh doesn’t allow most of us to think that way. We need the Holy Spirit to really do a work in our heart because we are not constantly aware of the wonderful gifts that God has given us.<br /><br />2. Remember the resurrection of Christ<br /><em>"Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel"</em> 2 Timothy 2:8<br />Why this is so important: Because the scriptures say if Christ has been raised then we too will be raised.<br />I Cor. 15 - our physical, perishable bodies will give way to a new, PHYSICAL, touchable, moveable body that is imperishable. You, at your healthiest, are a shell of what is to come.<br /><strong>Don’t forget that there’s a resurrection coming. If you forget then you’re going to live as though this life is it.</strong><br /><br />3. Remember that at one time you were outside the covenant promises;<br /><em>"Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world."</em> Ephesians 2:11-12<br /><br />and remember that you’re part of something much bigger and historic than you can fathom.<br /><br />The metanarrative . . .<br />A creator God created all things. The fall occurred and breaks everything and then we’re isolated from God. But then God come to a man named Abram and He tells him, I’m going to create a people and through that line of people I’m going to raise up a Messiah and through that Messiah I’m going to reconcile all things to Myself and all nations on earth will be blessed because of it. He gives the law to Moses.<br />He gives the law not so that we would be perfect but to reveal to us that we cannot be perfect. He gives the law as the first blow to destroy and kill religion. It becomes evident that they can’t obey the law so He gives them a sacrificial system to show that God is righteous and sin will need to be atoned for; innocent blood will have to be shed to cover (propitiation), and then the sin will have to be taken away (exviation), and the whole sacrificial system is built around communicating to Israel that their sin costs. All the prophets and psalms testify to this. Christ shows up and says I am He. He lives the perfect, righteous life that was imparted/imputed to you and I; He dies our death on the cross. All of your sin, past, present and future, nailed to the cross of Jesus Christ, with Christ. God makes Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him; we become the righteousness of God, He becomes our sin, dies, is resurrected, ascends, makes intersession for us, sends the Holy Spirit, we become not only beneficiaries of the cross but agents of it, and this is the way we live our lives.<br /><br />Our life has one purpose: the Name and the renown of Jesus Christ. Your money, your job, your house, your children, your hobbies - everything is about the gospel of Jesus Christ and God reconciling all things to Himself. The man who understands this lives out the epic. The man who gets the metanarrative lives life intentionally<br />Paul says, don’t forget what you’re caught up in. Don’t forget God’s been doing this thing a long, long time and that you have a part in pushing it forward.<br />Play your part well.<br /><br />But above all and in all and through all,<br />4. Remember the cross – for without it you no longer have Christianity. Without the blood-splattered, wrath-absorbing cross of Jesus Christ you no longer have our faith.<br /><br /><em>"For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” </em><br />1 Corinthians 11:23-25<br /><br />What keeps us from being proud people? The cross. We’re an interesting dynamic because we are horrific, wicked sinners; so horrific and so wicked that Christ had to die for us and at the same time so loved by God that Christ was glad to die for us. So we don’t walk with a swagger but we don’t sniffle either. The cross is constantly in our hearts. When it’s not and you stumble about, you will run from Him and not to Him. If you understand that it’s His sacrifice that gives you right standing with God, when you stumble and fall, you can approach the throne of grace with confidence because you know it wasn’t your merit that got you in to begin with.<br /><br />Remember.</span>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-58517220635267756612009-10-20T22:01:00.002-05:002009-10-20T22:11:45.915-05:00A Parable . . .<span style="color:#663300;">"Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.<br />“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”<br />Matthew 18: 21-35</span>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-35434143507890470192009-10-17T22:49:00.002-05:002009-10-17T22:53:29.247-05:00Restoration<span style="color:#663300;">You bring restoration,<br />You bring restoration,<br />You bring restoration to my soul.<br /><br />You've taken my pain And you call me by a new name.<br />You've taken my shame And in its place you give my joy.<br /><br />You take my mourning and turn it into dancing<br />You take my weeping and turn it into laughing<br />You take my mourning and turn it into dancing<br />You take my sadness and turn it into joy.<br /><br />Hallelujah, hallelujah, You make all things new.<br /><br />Written by: Audra Harke, Clay Edwards<br /><br />Psalm 23:3 - He restores my soul.<br />Psalm 30:5 - Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.<br />Psalm 30:11-12 - You have turned my mourning into dancing, loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord, my God, I will give thanks to you forever.</span>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-2584439486458154202009-09-24T22:57:00.000-05:002009-09-24T22:46:07.282-05:00This Year?<span style="color:#663300;"><strong>{Thoughtful Thursday}</strong><br />This year? Seriously, where has it gone. I can't believe next week we'll be starting October. Then we'll be in the holiday season when things will really fly by. </span><br /><span style="color:#663300;"><br />Here is us at the beginning of this year (not the best background but that's what you get when fall lasts for three days here in Texas and you waited till the weekend to take pictures!!!):<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#663300;"><p></span></p><span style="color:#663300;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgonVpK-vg_Vi-9MKLz-R4LQHJMr9X95MSVrf4qd9qDNoCFD9QSUCfhoW0VTcYU_l0Un6AP-yCj0Bh5QunnmPMFldsmkudpQKR_aX6pCqEXurmft-fxanrhhdQfJhTrtMOEM8zjg3cjDcAm/s1600-h/Calendar4.jpg"><span style="color:#663300;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385235872505059954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgonVpK-vg_Vi-9MKLz-R4LQHJMr9X95MSVrf4qd9qDNoCFD9QSUCfhoW0VTcYU_l0Un6AP-yCj0Bh5QunnmPMFldsmkudpQKR_aX6pCqEXurmft-fxanrhhdQfJhTrtMOEM8zjg3cjDcAm/s400/Calendar4.jpg" /></span></a><span style="color:#663300;"> How things have changed! And fast! The boys have grown up so much and Kenadi is no longer kicking the inside of my ribs! It just makes me wonder we're we'll be in a year from now, and a year from then, and so on. I love how no matter what can and will happen, God will always be reminding us that He remains the same and promises us things through who He is: </span><div align="center"><span style="color:#663300;">"I love you, O Lord, my strength. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663300;">The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663300;">my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663300;">my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663300;">I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663300;">and I am saved from my enemies."</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663300;">Psalm 18: 1-3</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663300;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663300;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663300;">"Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663300;">and He delivered them from their distress.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663300;">He sent out His Word and healed them,</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663300;">and delivered them from their destruction.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663300;">Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love,</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663300;">for His wondrous works to the children of men!</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663300;">Psalm 107: 19-21</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663300;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#663300;">He makes the promise to always be our Strength, our Rock, our Fortress, our Deliverer, our Refuge, our Sheild, our Salvation, our Stronghold, our Healer, our Steadfast Love.</span></div><div align="left"></div>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-89925530981444825042009-09-22T21:58:00.007-05:002009-09-22T22:11:53.221-05:00Fabric<span style="color:#00cccc;"><strong>{Transaction Tuesday}</strong></span><br /><span style="color:#00cccc;">So, I have some new fabric! So far I finished an order for another tie shirt (I love these - perfect way to feel like you dress your little man as cute as you did your little girl :) and a hooter hider.</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj949FJeePm3fSqQhQ33snoaQeTPRUjzVecFvk8eMrIR45-eyIftwi7VWfflmqn4qbEJXe6BSS7ZueLdpZ6VLrrz_4xud0bfB7LtcZlNnXM1-F8pReSqsBx9sQkr6FhuadM4ppj6q3vg2G/s1600-h/Hooter+Hider1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384494049726764770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj949FJeePm3fSqQhQ33snoaQeTPRUjzVecFvk8eMrIR45-eyIftwi7VWfflmqn4qbEJXe6BSS7ZueLdpZ6VLrrz_4xud0bfB7LtcZlNnXM1-F8pReSqsBx9sQkr6FhuadM4ppj6q3vg2G/s400/Hooter+Hider1.jpg" /></a> <span style="color:#00cccc;">Also, just in case you didn't know, we can make our flower hair clips into pins to attach to your shirt. I love it! I'm about to make some bigger ones with the new fabric so stay tune :)<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6pCcbMvJwSFj50pp2hyIb6cVnZHqd4E1zvJi6Z1wrTpEkODT226lmM1yricLhwUJM1w6iMGb7u1Jd72ZP4RFX1P3ZTH8JZWUyjiRFKv6Qk27f6GXUo5mdQ_gD7JRClEW60aCgYyptb3pP/s1600-h/FlowerPin1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384493830770456386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6pCcbMvJwSFj50pp2hyIb6cVnZHqd4E1zvJi6Z1wrTpEkODT226lmM1yricLhwUJM1w6iMGb7u1Jd72ZP4RFX1P3ZTH8JZWUyjiRFKv6Qk27f6GXUo5mdQ_gD7JRClEW60aCgYyptb3pP/s400/FlowerPin1.jpg" /></a>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-64174869952632670882009-09-21T10:13:00.003-05:002009-09-21T10:27:33.024-05:00Training?<span style="color:#00cccc;"><strong>{Inspiration Monday}</strong><br />I haven't been thinking about it much but I know I've missed running/cycling/swimming when something little like this makes me want to get up and go work out!<br /></span><br /><div><iframe height="339" src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/32951879#32951879" frameborder="0" width="425" scrolling="no"></iframe><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN-TOP: 5px; WIDTH: 425px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; COLOR: #999; FONT-SIZE: 11px">Visit msnbc.com for <a style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #999 1px dotted; HEIGHT: 13px; COLOR: #5799db !important; FONT-WEIGHT: normal !important; TEXT-DECORATION: none !important" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/">Breaking News</a>, <a style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #999 1px dotted; HEIGHT: 13px; COLOR: #5799db !important; FONT-WEIGHT: normal !important; TEXT-DECORATION: none !important" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507">World News</a>, and <a style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #999 1px dotted; HEIGHT: 13px; COLOR: #5799db !important; FONT-WEIGHT: normal !important; TEXT-DECORATION: none !important" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032072">News about the Economy</a></p></div><br /><br /><span style="color:#00cccc;">Soon and very soon! In the past I've trained for triathlons but have never actually competed. I think it's time to go for it!</span>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-90168900976406889512009-09-19T22:17:00.010-05:002009-09-20T04:16:13.831-05:00Impossible???<span style="color:#ff9900;"><strong>{Family Friday}</strong> </span><br /><span style="color:#ff9900;">(yes I know it's Saturday - I'm a little late)</span><br /><span style="color:#ff9900;">So, whenever I tried to take pictures of the boys when it was just them, I thought I had a hard time trying to get a good picture. I eventually gave in to the fact that the pictures I got, though they may not be perfect, reflected where we were at/what things were like at that time. Well today I let it get to me AGAIN. All I want is some nice pictures for around the house of the kids all together; all LOOKING and SMILING at the camera. Of course this is a lot to ask with a six month old but I know I can get her to look at me and smile and every time I did someone else would be looking the other way or be giving me some crazy goofy smile. So again, I have to remind myself these turned out great because it shows us:us.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ff9900;">This is the best one of everyone together although that smile Kenadi has is not her real happy smile. It's an inbetween smile that actually turns into screaming crying in less than a second.</span><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFq1Y5FYP3MocfSTWHxosBwwFXeA8f6tJGKftctM639INSM9UW_DEA_F7ENs_N23lJ4yGUewLspgPhddc9yHslmlcV5eLlHAC4RQ8OA_Jl0on7_4_X9Ere_7-FDxTMg1jSm7dpdw6tr-6x/s1600-h/ShopsatHV7.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 309px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383386079416067538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFq1Y5FYP3MocfSTWHxosBwwFXeA8f6tJGKftctM639INSM9UW_DEA_F7ENs_N23lJ4yGUewLspgPhddc9yHslmlcV5eLlHAC4RQ8OA_Jl0on7_4_X9Ere_7-FDxTMg1jSm7dpdw6tr-6x/s400/ShopsatHV7.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuShb6xJjoMIvSWs1Ykhed59Z33g2ZlYDU8WA-VuwOK8RUjMV5BswprYQTM73fxeaZ8XbReEVzZ0SvLiXsSzfyN99KHkLKv51JpbDlnRIhenVdsnTxLvbqOvqKSNZ3DugVDBNNhOx1csr/s1600-h/ShopsatHV8.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383387002305583906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuShb6xJjoMIvSWs1Ykhed59Z33g2ZlYDU8WA-VuwOK8RUjMV5BswprYQTM73fxeaZ8XbReEVzZ0SvLiXsSzfyN99KHkLKv51JpbDlnRIhenVdsnTxLvbqOvqKSNZ3DugVDBNNhOx1csr/s400/ShopsatHV8.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHAYfb2tzZv1pa1IzK5BPX8_YgM0jGWs8-o6DDKLNgwYScfTtKZhGdOVMFg87yH1VgV01GUM_uQy8k9I5TGbplKEboc5yhIGmDgcvEdSmZimzQAqw25JeW5sSf76TC7at3lo12xn_KA2P/s1600-h/ShopsatHV4.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383387660668360770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHAYfb2tzZv1pa1IzK5BPX8_YgM0jGWs8-o6DDKLNgwYScfTtKZhGdOVMFg87yH1VgV01GUM_uQy8k9I5TGbplKEboc5yhIGmDgcvEdSmZimzQAqw25JeW5sSf76TC7at3lo12xn_KA2P/s400/ShopsatHV4.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgML_vtpK9VlsOUzdKfUoMU-JncWpya1TEMvcwkGNpgRN15IsOhsxzTd5UalF7XO8mfR8t7k9PAJQhMNU3OSrNBV1TnDzUs5kq6SDKT5WL4UGB1v79-Sv2PCGPKemhGhIu-7wIH6OzgoLvD/s1600-h/ShopsatHV6.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 308px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383387532463264386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgML_vtpK9VlsOUzdKfUoMU-JncWpya1TEMvcwkGNpgRN15IsOhsxzTd5UalF7XO8mfR8t7k9PAJQhMNU3OSrNBV1TnDzUs5kq6SDKT5WL4UGB1v79-Sv2PCGPKemhGhIu-7wIH6OzgoLvD/s400/ShopsatHV6.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjphrBp_mYdPzZE-zNX8iv9uLLwKjyaVRFVStafyJVjg4s1o3mmrIq3Go6vBy0ee-AC9LNqYUsuiFivgFawyqySU6H17zH3OtM7hkSKd4rDY-TSbdIdfOeBJ4B78BpANAUDBPsp4qtZZQIm/s1600-h/ShopsatHV3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383388004838798018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjphrBp_mYdPzZE-zNX8iv9uLLwKjyaVRFVStafyJVjg4s1o3mmrIq3Go6vBy0ee-AC9LNqYUsuiFivgFawyqySU6H17zH3OtM7hkSKd4rDY-TSbdIdfOeBJ4B78BpANAUDBPsp4qtZZQIm/s400/ShopsatHV3.jpg" /></a> <span style="color:#ff9900;">I'll try for some more later . . . trying to get a good pic can be exhausting :)</span></p><p><span style="color:#ff9900;">And yes Kenadi is getting 4 of her top teeth right now but you can really only see one in the pictures.</span></p>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473664942440039285.post-85718578923368186802009-09-17T21:11:00.002-05:002009-09-18T22:27:59.451-05:00Sweet<span style="color:#993300;"><strong>{Thoughful Thursday}</strong></span><br /><span style="color:#993300;">This will be short and sweet :)</span><br /><span style="color:#993300;"></span><br /><span style="color:#993300;">Lately I've needed to remind myself more of the character of God. Since I was a little girl I heard the story of Moses and the bitter water at Marah . . .</span><br /><span style="color:#993300;"></span><br /><span style="color:#993300;">"Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people complained against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet." Exodus 15: 23-25</span><br /><span style="color:#993300;"></span><br /><span style="color:#993300;"> . . . naturally, I couldn't relate that story to my own life experiences back then. We can see through what happened in Marah that God is our provider and healer. In the next verse God promises "For I am the Lord who heals you." (v.26). Just as Moses threw a piece of wood into the waters to turn the bitter water sweet, the cross of Christ can turn your bitter life experiences into something sweet for Him.</span>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04546594595774974320noreply@blogger.com0