Our Pursuit

On the Move

2007-04-23T20:43:00.002-05:00

I'm back, but I'm not back. I'm back among the bloggers, but I'm leaving Blogger and moving over to WordPress. Just wanted to freshen up a bit.
Please look in on us at www.ourpursuit.wordpress.com . We would love the visit; leave a comment and let us know you stopped by.

Yummy Valentine's Day

2007-02-14T15:05:00.000-05:00

We tried something new for Valentine's breakfast. It's a lazy girl's version of cinnamon foccacia. Normally you would make your own dough, but to save time we bought some refrigerated pizza dough and made some yummy breakfast treats. We rolled out the dough - shaping it into hearts - and pricked it with a fork. Then brushed it with melted butter, sprinkled a sugar (1/3 cup) and cinnamon (1 tsp) mixture on it, topped that with chopped nuts and baked it in the oven at 375 degrees for about 8-12 minutes (time depends on size of hearts). After it came out of the oven and cooled we drizzled icing on it. I would show you a picture, but it was gone way too fast!

I do have a picture of the cookies we decorated after lunch (even a number of those are already missing). It definitely has been a SWEET day!

Our Crazy Caregroup

2006-12-04T13:15:00.000-05:00

This year marks the third annual "hit and run" caroling by the Fox Caregroup. Greg our fearless leader loves to drop in on unsuspecting caregroups in the midst of the meeting and wish them a Merry Christmas with songs and silliness. Armed with directions and song words to "Mele Kalikimaka", we were able to hit 5 other caregroups with our surprise attack. It was a lot of fun and sanctifying (as a good dose of humility always is!)

Here's some photos - before, during, and after:

Click on one of the pictures below to see more.

Chubby!?

2006-11-03T12:36:00.000-05:00

The big guys love to go up to Gabe, squeeze his cheeks and say "Hello, chubby cheeks."
Yesterday, Gabe snuggled up to me. He squeezed my arm and said "Hello, chubby arm."

Well, I have to go exercise now!

A Fall Day

2006-11-02T13:01:00.000-05:00

Wordsmith

2006-10-18T22:51:00.000-05:00

Suzanne challenged me to come up with definitions for the following words:

Curratow, Scarpetti, and Desman

Curratow - n. a type of cart used in India to transport items; similar to a wheelbarrow, but with two wheels and usually pulled behind a person

Scarpetti - n. a pasta dish made with scallops, artichokes and spaghetti

Desman - n. doorman in Finnish

I was pulling my curratow down the street when the desman tripped me and I landed in a vat of scarpetti!

Why do you. . .

2006-10-16T10:24:00.000-05:00

. . . go to the movies? Easy date - no probing questions? Really admire a particular actor/actress? Heard the special effects are awesome? I like that guy - last time I saw a movie directed by him, I laughed so hard soda came out my nose!?

Second question: how do you critique a movie? Cinematography? Score? Costume or set design? Factual? Funny? "A feel-good ending"?

I have a proposition for you. Don't worry, I'm not knocking movie-going. I went this weekend and that's why I'm talking about it. I know at times movie-goers are forced to make a choice between impecable work (directing, acting, design) and story. I don't mean an interesting story, I mean a God-glorifying story. There have been many times that I have seen a preview for a movie that looks incredible, but on further investigation I find that it glorifies sin. No, it doesn't say that mass murderers are cool - it says that adultery is ok if its your "true" love and your spouse is cruel, or rebellion against your parents is ok because they just don't understand. It's subtle sometimes, implying that you get more satisfaction from a promotion than your child's smile.

Therefore, we don't just walk into a theater anymore and pick a movie because it's at the right time or has a cool poster. We do some studying before we go. Believe me, we don't do it perfectly, but by the grace of God we have the desire to try and the help to persevere. Our entertainment time on a Saturday night is not our own anymore than the time on a Sunday morning is, so we want to use it wisely. Sooooo last week we heard about a movie and started studying. We discovered that this movie had no professional actors in it. It had a very low budget - considering how movie budgets usually go. The costumes all came out of the actors' closets. It only took 4 weeks to film. (6 weeks with a 2 week break in the middle.) So what did it have going for it? The story. Here was a story written and filmed by folks who love God and want to honor Him. A story of a man struggling through everyday life and wrestling with the Scriptures to find some hope.

It was not a difficult decision. So we went, and I never left a movie theater more grateful for the time spent there.This movie probably won't be nominated for any awards. It's not "impecable" by any means. But we've discovered in the past that incredible special effects or fascinating scores, although admirable, don't necessarily make for a good evening.

So, now finally, my proposition: Instead of choosing form over substance, switch it, and choose substance over form! If you are a movie-goer and are planning on seeing one in the near future, study for yourself Facing the Giants. Read about the folks who made it and why. Find out that they all have other jobs and are sacrificing their spare time and energy to share truth with as many people as possible. I won't tell you the story - you'll hear enough about it from the website. By the way, none of these comments are meant to insult the talent and ability of the folks who made the film. They did a great job. They are made instead to help all of us think about why we go to the movies.

This Week's Special!

2006-09-29T07:55:00.000-05:00

Why is this week special? Gabe is running through the house sword fighting with Noah! What makes this special? Last year (this week) Gabe broke his leg and couldn't run - now he can. Four years ago (this week) we moved into our new house - the one they are running around in. Six years ago (today!) Noah was born!!

Happy Birthday, Noah Boa! Thanks for always turning everything upside down and in the process putting a smile on our faces!
We love you!

Noah with Josh the day he came home from the hospital.

Noah's first birthday!

Noah in his favorite 3-year old outfit: a cowboy hat and boots

Upside down!

Entertaining a little brother in the tub

Yes, this is the way he played baseball - that's one reason we made the move to gymnastics

My handsome boy!

Josh's Hair

2006-09-14T15:21:00.000-05:00

Josh has thick, soft, wavy hair. The kind most girls love and most boys hate. Sam and Noah like their hair kept short, but Josh likes his longer. Everytime it's time the other two are ready for a haircut, he wants to let his grow some more, so last time I let him. I had a feeling he wouldn't go too long, because even though I don't have that gorgeous thick hair, my mom does and I know how it gets when you wait too long for a haircut. Well, yesterday he came begging for a haircut. That thick, wavy stuff was just piling up on his head like a football helmet. I should have taken a before picture - the closest I have is Suzanne's picture below, but it's wet there so you don't get the "full" effect, so I'll add it and another after shot.

before...

after.

Leisure

2006-09-10T20:36:00.000-05:00

Leisure. That's a term I am trying to get a handle on. I seldom devote any time to leisure. It's not that I don't have time to devote - I don't work that hard! It's just that when I do have spare time I don't "do" leisure activities. You know, activities that refresh my mind and body; activities that stir my gratefulness to God for giving me the opportunity to do something I enjoy. Instead my tendency is to waste time. So in an effort to change that, Matt and I tried to carefully plan how to use today's free time - trying to think of something that would be "refreshing." It took Matt and I so long to decide that Gabe took it upon himself to find something refreshing to do while he waited!

Promised Pictures:

2006-09-02T14:37:00.000-05:00

Click on the Capital building and you will see the rest of our pictures.

Can You Hear Me Now!

2006-09-02T03:45:00.000-05:00

Well, I've been trying to find time to post again and here it is. A sleepless night. These are getting more frequent for some reason, so maybe that will be my blogging time. Usually I go in the living room to read, but one of the boys is asleep on our sofa, so that probably wouldn't be a good idea.

So, what's been going on in the Cormany family?! School has started. Samuel is in 4th, Josh in 3rd, and Noah in 1st. As my mom used to say, "I feel like my head is on ball bearings" spinning around constantly to keep up with everyone. (Of course she used to say that about me alone - I must have been some crazy kid!) We do the majority of our schoolwork in the afternoon while Gabe is napping. We started this because Matt works 2nd shift currently, but may even continue when he goes to 1st shift in a couple of weeks simply because GABE IS NAPPING! When he is awake during school, he doesn't appreciate not having his brothers' attention - although he does appreciate having all the toys to himself!

Shortly after we closed the blog for the "season," Matt and I went away for a week BY OURSELVES!! To celebrate the fact that we have been married for 10 years (without major injury to one another,) we went to Williamsburg, Va. We had a blast traveling, hanging out together, fixing our meals together in the tiny kitchen! We missed the boys, but it was good to get away together.

Sunday was our first full day in Williamsburg. We got up that morning and headed to the Sovereign Grace Church in Virginia Beach. It was so much fun and a great opportunity to see "church" from a visitor's perspective - very helpful. The next day we got a huge discount on Busch Gardens tickets and spent the day there. It was a hot day, so the water rides turned out to be our favorites. The next day we were off to spend the day in Washington D.C. perusing museums and monuments. This was the only place where we took our camera so I'll post some pictures below. After walking through Busch Gardens and D.C. we were pretty beat so we stayed close to home on Wednesday only going to Market Square to enjoy the Air Force Band that night, and really stayed close to home on Thursday enjoying a 24-hour stomach virus! Finally a trip home on Friday and the beauty of seeing our fabulous foursome!

Other highlights: Hannah coming for a visit, Fruit and Berry Patch, Mom's Birthday, visiting the Cherokee Indian Village, etc. But my sleeplessness can't go on forever, so I'm off to try again. Of course, if I did list everything we've done for the past month, it might help with YOUR sleeplessness!

Closed for the Season

2006-07-28T20:43:00.000-05:00

Well, for a time this little blog will be rather quiet. It's time to focus my attention elsewhere for awhile. To be honest, I'm not exactly sure how long of a break I'll be taking. So if you are interested in returning once posting starts back up again, you might want to sign up for a feed through bloglines (see sidebar) or some other preferred site. That way you can know when new posts are up without having to check back. Feel free to get in touch with me through commenting because that goes straight to my email. Thanks so much for taking an interest in our family and our adventures. We love you!
Kristie

Who's Anniversary Is It?

2006-07-20T19:00:00.000-05:00

Ours?

Theirs?
Or both?

8 Years Ago

2006-07-20T05:41:00.000-05:00

Eight years ago today, when I was about 38 weeks pregnant with Josh, I was having a lot of strong contractions. They weren't very painful, but still long, frequent, and consistent. I had experienced contractions like this before and had even gone to the hospital to get checked. After a lecture from the dr. (not my OB) about how to know when you're in labor, I came home very discouraged. Now here they were again. This day however was my 2nd anniversary and there was no way I was going to ruin our day with another trip to the hospital for the joy of another lecture. I was too proud and wasn't going to budge. My mother and Matt were both encouraging me to go, but I didn't want to. (Beautiful submission, eh?) So even though the contractions would sometimes take my breath away, I stubbornly continued to get ready for our date that night.

Finally, Matt and Mom convinced me that I could get checked before we went to the restaurant. Jennifer (Trent) Lowe came to babysit early - what a sweetie. I Packed a bag - not because I thought I was going to deliver, but simply because I was 38 weeks and it was good to have one ready - and we called the Dr. The office was closed already so they sent us on the hospital.

When I got the hospital (we didn't even take the bag in with us) the nurses laughed at me and told me to go on to the restaurant. They said if I wasn't in pain, I wasn't in labor. Well, Matt and I decided to stay and get checked anyway. My Dr. came over since her office was right beside the hospital, checked me and said, "Well, girlie, we're having a baby!" Within 25 minutes the painless contractions had turned into very painful ones and after about 20 more minutes I was holding our second baby boy, Joshua.

When the nurse asked us if we wanted to take a picture of him before his bath, we realized that hadn't even brought our suitcase in yet! We didn't have a camera in the room! Well, we didn't make to the restaurant for our anniversary dinner, but what a wonderful anniversary gift.

Happy Birthday Joshie Otter!!

2006-07-20T05:00:00.000-05:00

Joshua is such a gift to our family. He has such a tender heart and sweet affection for others. Anytime I'm discouraged Joshua notices and comes with encouragement in the form of kind words, a sweet card, some humor, or even a reminder to pray. I think his tenderness and humor are what make him so appealing to younger children. He has always enjoyed playing with and caring for babies and toddlers, and they absolutely love him.

Not everything comes easy to Josh. There have been times in school or in sports that he has had to persevere through a difficult task. At first I wanted to protect him from this and try to find an easier way, but now I see that God has been using these times to teach him humility, self-control, perseverance, contentedness, and patience.

Josh has a sense of justice that I love. It has not always endeared him to his brothers, however! I was initially afraid that Josh would follow wherever Samuel led, not learning to be a good leader himself, but this has not been the case. Many times when there is conflict or abundant sin going on in the brotherly ranks (and when isn't there?), Josh steps forward to encourage change or confession and is usually the first to repent or apologize.

Josh loves the Bible, and he thinks long and hard on the things he learns, usually asking very difficult questions. Recently he asked us about God's omnipresence. He wanted to know how God could be everywhere and yet our sin still separate us from Him. Fortunately for him and for us, Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology was on the bookshelf! Never expected to be using that with my 7 year old.

Thanks Joshie for being such a blessing to our family. We love you! (more pics below)

More Pics

2006-07-20T04:30:00.000-05:00

Cute Conversation

2006-07-19T13:46:00.000-05:00

Our local Target closed yesterday because another much larger one is opening nearby. As we walked through the aisles this past weekend looking for bargains, Noah picked up a Magic 8 Ball.
"What's this, Mom?"
"Oh, that's just a silly little game. You ask it questions then shake it and it gives you answers."
Noah, then precedes to ask it a question, shake it then look for the answer.
"You're right, Mom it is silly. It doesn't work at all!"
"Why?"
"I asked it, 'What is a walrus?' and it just said 'yes!' It's silly."
"Yes, dear, I agree."

Curriculum Stuff

2006-07-18T15:23:00.000-05:00

A couple of years ago, I was getting very frustrated with my search for a history curriculum. I wanted something that tied in other subjects with history for reinforcement; I wanted something that taught chronologically; I wanted something that would work with three very different boys, and I wanted something that was not intense (I was pregnant!) Well, I got a postcard in the mail from My Father's World and thought it looked interesting. I checked out their website and Matt and I decided to give it a try. We've used it for 2 years and have really liked it.

Now I not trying to talk anyone into this curriculum. It's not perfect! It has pros and cons just like all the others. It would definitely not be for everyone because thankfully everyone is different. But since I am the only person I know who is currently using this curriculum and most people I talk to haven't even heard of it, I thought I would let you know that they are coming to Knoxville to display their wares, so to speak.

Here's the info:
A MFW homeschool display and seminar in Knoxville, TN
July 24; Monday 10:00am – 5:00pm
Marriott Knoxville; 500 Hill Avenue S.E.

From what the flier said you can drop-in at anytime. If you're interested, they are having a couple of seminars: 1:00pm—Combining Classical Education, Charlotte Mason, and Unit Studies with a Biblical Perspective; 3:00pm—Occupying Preschoolers while Teaching Older Children.
I can email you the flier if you like - I didn't know how to get a copy of it on here easily.
If you check out their website and decide to drop-in, please let them know (if possible) at the following e-mail address: info@mfwbooks.com. Don't let forgetting to RSVP keep you from coming; they just want a rough number so they will have plenty of materials available.

Nephew Time

2006-07-17T15:13:00.000-05:00

Sorry, for being so boring lately. Surely these pictures of "pac-man" will help! Don't I have an adorable nephew? (Oh yeah, he's Matt's nephew, too!)

Things Change and Things Stay the Same

2006-07-07T21:17:00.000-05:00

When I used to babysit for the Bowmans, I had one weakness that got us in a lot of trouble when Mark and Terri would come home: bedtime inforcement. Matthew learned early on that asking me to read to him at bedtime was the same as a "get out of bedtime free" card. "One more chapter, please" or "Just a little more?" were requests I hardly ever refused. That all changed, however, once Matthew was old enough to suffer the consequences of not abiding by the lights out rule. Bedtime was strictly enforced from then on.

Now as a 9 year mommy veteran, bedtime has been pretty consistent. Of course, there are caregroup nights or other events that wreak havoc on the schedule, but overall it's been good. That is until this summer. Matt's work schedule has changed and evenings are a bit loose (to put it mildly.) It seems that the boys have gotten some secret information about me and my old ways. Tonight, for example, I heard the old pleas: "one more chapter, please" and "just a little more?" I looked at the clock after finishing an entire Boxcar Children book and it was 10:10pm - quite a bit after their bedtime. It was fun. I kinda felt like a babysitter instead of a mommy for a moment! Maybe I should give them soda and cookies in bed the next time I do that - NAH!

Sergeant York on Life

2006-07-06T15:08:00.000-05:00

We just finished watching (in pieces) Sergeant York, a 1941 movie about Alvin C. York who was a famous World War I Congressional Medal of Honor recipient from Tennessee. In a bio that I read about him, I found an interesting quote. He had just become an elder in his local church, obtained for the first time a good paying job ($1.60/day), and was recently engaged when he got his draft notice. He describes the way it feels when you have your whole life mapped out and out of the blue something changes.

"Life's tol'ably queer. You think you've got a grip on it, then you open your hands and find out there's nothing in them. It doesn't go in straight lines like bees to their hives or quail from the covey. It sort of circles like foxes and goes back again to where it began."

Well said. I've been told by many wise men and women to hold life and it's "accompaniments" open-handed (because none of it really belongs to us anyway!) Thankfully, the One who does hold it all knows exactly where the bee, the quail, and even that circling fox (life) is headed.

The Unveiling!

2006-06-27T11:20:00.000-05:00

OK, with a little help from the Target Clearance aisle, yardsales, mom's antique stash, and some Japanese wrapping paper, we've pulled our bedroom together. We still don't have one of windows finished, but you can get the idea from the pictures below. I wish I had a before picture of our pale pink walls and floral linens - you would see how dramatic the change was.

An overview: you can see our $10 prints from Target (one over the desk and one over the bed) and our yardsale linens - thanks Judy!

The two little prints are the wrapping paper Matt still had from his stay in Japan in 1995!

The desk

One window covered

One window not covered

and finally our little suitcase that I swiped from Mom a couple of months ago now matches perfectly!

Painting Roulette

2006-06-25T06:20:00.000-05:00

Why is the color in the can never the color on the wall? Instead of spending all that time matching color samples why not just go to the paint store and say "Surprise me!" because that's what really is going to happen anyway. It's like painting roulette. Now granted this has always worked out well for me in the past. It seems God sovereignly matches colors better than I do. But this time, well I'm sure there's a good reason for the new color on my walls, I mean Matt and the boys like it, it's just that. . .well . . . it's orange!! Oh, call it what you like: "rusty peach", "pumpkin", "warm yellow" everyone knows what you're talking about. It's orange. It's orange in sunlight, it's orange in lamplight, it even glows orange in the dark.

Now orange is not a bad color per se, but you have to remember where I live. I live in Knoxville. Home of the University of Tennessee Volunteers; Vol Country; The Mecca of Volism. Orange means something in this town. At the sight of orange, men grab their beers and their remotes, while women put on their tackiest earrings and burst into "Rocky Top!" (OK, perhaps a slight exaggeration - but not by much!)

Well, I tell you one thing. It's much harder to sleep-in now. Hey, wait a minute - maybe that was God's sovereign plan!

What did you say!?!

2006-06-21T07:28:00.000-05:00

My friend Ara sent me a link to a speech evaluation test. It asks questions about how you pronounce certain words or what descriptive phrases you use. Then it scores your speech for it's "Yankee" or "Rebel" influences. Pretty cute. I only scored 73% Dixie which must be the influence of my English teaching Grandma and my Midwestern husband. (Note: for any international visitors this probably won't be appealing unless you want to know what a "crawdad" is. Sorry, I couldn't find an Aussie test, Terri!)

If you take the test, leave a comment and let us know your score.

Happy Father's Day

2006-06-17T18:05:00.000-05:00

Thanks Dad for teaching me many things - especially how to find the humor in most any situation. I'll give a little humor back to you on Father's Day! Thanks for being a great dad.

. . . part 3

2006-06-16T16:07:00.000-05:00

The justification was complete, but now the sanctification began. God was turning this immature, self-absorbed teenager (sweetie, you know it's true) into a godly man. How? Well, God definitely does the work of our sanctification by His Spirit, but he has tools in his belt which He uses at His discretion. One of these tools is relationships. It's one thing to believe scripture in the quiet seclusion of your home. It is quite another to walk out those truths in relationships. So along came accountability, encouragement, godly examples, and good ol' fashioned conflict to shape Matt - as iron sharpens iron!

Now to what relationships do I give the most credit? Yes, roommates, accountability partners, bible study leaders, caregroup leaders, and pastors have all been vital, but in Matt's life there are 4 men (little, yes) who have done the most to encourage the sanctifying process in his life. They are Samuel, Joshua, Noah and Gabriel. From the day he laid eyes on Samuel, Matt has desired to be a godly example for his boys. That desire has motivated him to die to his flesh in order to glorify God in their eyes. Where once selfish ambition reigned supreme, he now sacrifices his wants daily to benefit his family. He loves his little men with such affection. They have a wonderful dad.

Matt, I don't pretend to know God's full purpose in the invitation you received for a movie night 15 years ago, but I do know that part of it was to start a process of sanctification (not done of course) that would be a blessing especially to your family. Thank you for your affection, patience and kindness toward us. Thanks for having a great sense of humor and adventure. Thanks for perservering with us through difficult times. We love you!

Samuel: "I like having dates with you, Dad."

Joshua: "Thanks for working hard and not complaining."

Noah: "I have a great time with you, Daddy."

Gabriel: "I wuv you, Daddy. Daddy at work."
"Let your light so shine before men that they may see you good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Matt. 5:16

. . . part 2

2006-06-15T14:39:00.000-05:00

So this Matt fellow shows up on the 11th floor of Andy Holt Apartments. The movie that night was The Cross and the Switchblade starring Erik Estrada and Pat Boone. (I'll leave the movie reviewing to Cap.) Although he was not necessarily impressed with the movie, there were a couple of things that stood out. One was a "devastatingly" beautiful girl (but that's another story) and the other was authentic Christianity. The people Matt met that night were passionate about God, the gospel, and the church. They weren't like most of the folks he had met at U.T. They were endeavoring to live for others, instead of themselves, and to invest in eternity, instead of today's pleasures.

God was drawing Matt to himself. God was showing Matt through various circumstances the futility of the things he had pursued and at the same time was showing him the great value of knowing God. He heard, understood, and by God's grace, responded to the gospel. God had captured Matt's heart. He started reading his Bible. He began attending Cornerstone Church of Knoxville and Volunteers for Christ, Cornerstone's campus outreach.

Then the real work began.

As Sands Through the Hour Glass . . . (part 1)

2006-06-14T18:16:00.000-05:00

In January of 1991 a thin, bushy headed fellow who worked in the University of Tennessee bookstore was invited by two co-workers to a movie night in their apartment in Andy Holt Apts. This fellow, named Matt, jumped at the opportunity. He was a freshman at U.T. and had endured a difficult first semester. He was looking for friendship and just plain old something to do. Well his plan was to occupy an evening and make some acquaintances, but God had a different plan (or at least a much more developed one) in mind.

To be continued . . .

Gabe and Marshall

2006-06-10T15:07:00.000-05:00

Gabriel and Marshall had a joint birthday party today. Even though we don't watch the show, we thought that a Thomas the Tank Engine party was a good idea since both boys have the middle name "Thomas." Here's some pictures:

The two birthday boys

A bench full of 2-year olds

The Cake

Marshall's sister, Ashlee

Brother 1

Brother 2

Brother 3

We're tired and we're hot (and one of us is 36 weeks pregnant), but we're smiling!

Who's driving?

2006-06-08T06:20:00.000-05:00

Samuel has recently moved up from the back of the van to the middle. He can now see the dash and his overall interest in driving has increased. This new interest has resulted in some new comments/questions.
"Mom, what's the speed limit?"
"Mom, I think you may be going to fast."
"Mom, did you put the signal light on when you changed lanes?"
"Mom, don't you think we should get gas now?"
(After rain) "Mom, the road may be slick so please drive carefully."

There is hardly a time that we go anywhere together that I don't get some direction now from my middle-seat driver. His tone is usually very respectful and his desire most times is to be helpful, but occasionally he can forget his inexperience and presume that he knows more than mommy. His tone instead becomes condescending and his desire is to accuse mommy. When these times occur he is reminded of his job to honor mommy - not because mommy is a perfect driver, but because that is the job God has given him.

I saw these interactions in a different light this morning. When I awoke this morning, I immediately thought of a conversation I had with someone yesterday in which God was being accused. This person felt that God had not answered prayer and had instead been neglectful. I, too, have had these opinions before. I have felt that God was overlooking my troubles, either abandoning me to my circumstances or even creating difficult challenges for me that would hurt me. Then I thought of Samuel, sitting in the middle of the van, having a bit of knowledge as to how to drive a car, but having no control over how the car he is riding in is driven. The desire rises up in him to exert some control, to instruct the driver on how it should be done. Hypothetically, what if Samuel got out of his seat, accused me of poor driving and tried to take the wheel from me? Or alternatively, what if he got out of his seat, jumped out of the van and refused to get back in until I agreed to drive the way he wanted me to? Would he be safer driving the car himself? Would he be safer left on the side of the road? No, of course not.

Do you see where I'm going with this? I don't care for analogies that have God in a car so I won't spell it out, but you can see it I'm sure. Aren't we like my hypothetical Samuel at times? We demand that God do things our way or let us drive ourselves. We threaten to abandon what God's doing rather than patiently riding along to discover the lovely destination He has planned for us. What's painfully obvious is that I am not a perfect driver and sometimes Samuel's comments are helpful, but God's ways are perfect. He is never in need of my counsel, and especially not my criticism.

This God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. For who is God, but the Lord?And who is a rock, except our God? --Psalm 18:30-31 (All of Psalm 18 is very helpful in this case.)

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 'For who has known the mind of the Lord,or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?' For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. -- Romans 8: 33-36.

If you are struggling with these thoughts: accusing God of neglect or even cruelty, questioning His character, please consider Job 38:1 thru Job 40:5. I'm not saying that we cannot go to God with our questions and confusion, but I am saying that we should remember our proper place. We are not able to control creation on our own. We do not have the knowledge of how things should be as we often think we do. Our job is to honor the God who loves to be our refuge in difficult times. When we consider Him, His power, His character, His authority, we will lay our hand on our mouth as Job did:
Then Job answered the Lord and said: 'Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further.' -- Job 40:3-5

Gabriel

2006-06-03T20:21:00.000-05:00

The boys favorite song about Gabriel to the tune of "Rubber Ducky" as sung by Ernie on Sesame Street:

Gabie Baby you're the one.
You make having a baby fun.
Gabie Baby we're awfully fond of you.
(Doo doo doo be doo)

Gabie Baby, joy of joys,
You make lots of baby noise.
Gabie Baby you're a very good baby it's true.

Everyday when I make my way to your bedroom.
I find a little fella who's hungry and would like to eat soon.
("bwekfist time" he's hungry!)

Gabie Baby you're so cute.
Even when you burp and poot!
Gabie Baby today you turn two. . .
Gabie Baby I tell you it's true. . .
Gabie Baby we're awfully fond of you!!

Happy Birthday little cutie pie.

Mansuetude

2006-06-01T12:12:00.000-05:00

I'm intrigued by one of the words in the National Spelling Bee yesterday. Mansuetude means "gentleness of manner, mildness." Obviously not a common word in our culture or they wouldn't have used it in the Spelling Bee. Ironically, most folks would equate that word with weakness, but I submit that it takes a lot more strength to exhibit mansuetude than to scream and throw a fit when things don't go your way. Who is the stronger? the one who has self-control or the one who doesn't? the one who is ruled by truth or the one who is ruled by circumstances and emotions? Seems like it wouldn't hurt to get to know this word a little better.

Samuel

2006-05-29T12:06:00.000-05:00

I am so grateful for our sweet, sweet Samuel. It was a bit overwhelming when he came just 10 months after our wedding day, but I wouldn't change a day of it. He has grown from an adorable baby (with colic) to a handsome young man (without colic!) I just can't thank God enough for this guy and what a gift he is to our family. He has taught us a lot as our first son, helped us a lot as a servant, and made us laugh a lot usually unintentionally.

As for the laughter, my favorite examples follow:
Every mom knows this, but it still surprises me how much time you spend picking out your child's name, and then you can't seem to remember what it is when you call them. For example, when Samuel was 3 and Josh 2, getting their names mixed up was an hourly occurrence. I would start to call Samuel "Josh" then switch in the middle and vice versa. I didn't realize how bad it was until Samuel, who had just learned what a nickname was, told someone that his nickname was Samuel, and his real name was "Ja-Samuel"!

One of Samuel's favorite things to do is to help in the kitchen. He thoroughly enjoys anything to do with cooking or baking. When he was 3, he stopped taking naps. We lived in an apartment so I needed to find a quiet occupation for him while his brothers were sleeping. We started making stuff in the kitchen. I would ask Sam for an ingredient, measure it and then give it back to him to pour in the bowl. Once when I asked for All-Purpose Flour and then handed it back to him to pour, he stood in stunned amazement. He grabbed the bag it had come from and looked inside. "Why isn't it purple?!" he asked. "Because it's white. Why did you think it would be purple?" I responded. "Because it's all-purple flowers!" he said. Even after I tried to explain, he just looked at me like I was the one who didn't understand.

As for serving, he's a real trooper. All I have to do is say "Ugh!" and he's there to help. (It doesn't hurt that he's nosey, too!) Whenever someone at the dinner table mentions that they need salt, milk, a napkin, etc., he's there immediately with whatever they need. To be honest, he inspires me more than anyone in this area. He just loves to help people. The most dramatic examples of his servanthood come when we are sick. A couple of years ago when we were all sick with some funk. Samuel (with the immunity of steel) took care of all of us by getting drinks, changing Gabe, fixing food, getting pillows and blankets, anything we asked! Shortly after, when the little guys were still sick, but Matt had gone back to work, Samuel was still my right hand man. He was bathing his brother when he mentioned that his ear hurt. Since we were going to the doctor anyway I asked Dr. Green to look at his ears. Dr. Green checked him and said he had a very severe double ear infection. I know what those feel like and can assure you, I would not have been cheerfully bathing and caring for my little brothers in that condition.

Thanks Samuel for being a faithful servant, who loves God's word (he's farther along in his Bible reading plan than I am!), worships passionately, serves his family, puts up with a lot of joking from his little brothers, works diligently in school, and makes life more joyful! Happy Birthday, Son!

please comment on things you love about Sam.

Warranty's Up

2006-05-26T12:27:00.000-05:00

I'm changing my toddler's sheets yesterday and notice that the crib mattress has an 8 year warranty on it. I remember when we bought that mattress I thought "Why in the world would a crib mattress have an 8 year warranty? Who uses a crib for 8 years?!" Well, now I know. The mattress is over 9 years old and we're still using it!

Welcome . . .

2006-05-26T11:13:00.000-05:00

to the Land of Hand-Me-Downs!!

Noah wanted to play outside today in sandals. Last year's sandals no longer fit. So he asks:
"Do I have any sandals in the box?"
"What box?"
"The box in the garage."
"What box in the garage?" (OK, I admit; I'm slow.)
"The box where all our shoes come from."
Yes, folks we have a magical box in our garage where sandals, dress shoes, and even cleats appear just in time for growing feet. (And ironically they look an awful lot like the shoes their brothers wore just a few years ago.) We have magical boxes for coats, clothes, and hats, too!

The Zoo

2006-05-25T10:45:00.000-05:00

We went to the zoo this week. Matt hadn't been in over a year so it was his first time seeing the new Kid's Cove. When they showed him the pretend cow you can "milk", Noah briefed him on it.

"It's not a milking cow. It's a watering cow!"

We learned about the tortoises.

2006-05-25T10:42:00.000-05:00

and watched the bird show.

Rub-a-dub-dub Three Boys in a Tub

2006-05-21T13:48:00.000-05:00

The Park (II)

2006-05-19T19:39:00.000-05:00

A few more pictures because

they're just so cute!

The Park

2006-05-19T13:30:00.000-05:00

A trip to the park was on schedule for today. Below are some of my favorite pictures. You should be able to click on them for larger versions! (note I said "should")

Actually, I had more favorites, but I'm having technical difficulties and will try again later!

My Little Nephew!

2006-05-14T16:32:00.000-05:00

Here's some new pictures of Paul! Isn't he a cutie?

Our Flower Garden

2006-05-13T13:54:00.000-05:00

Mom and Dad came over to help us get a fresh start in the flower garden. Last evening we tackled some holly tree stumps that were cut down before we moved in but keep sprouting. (We'll see in a few weeks how we did.) This morning we planted and mulched. As you can see, we had lots of great help!

Quote of the Week

2006-05-11T19:09:00.000-05:00

Noah is really on a roll today!

Me: What are mommys for?
Noah: To love . . . and to keep the house.
Me: Do you mean mommys are for you to love.
Noah: No, mommys are to love me.

Just warms your heart, doesn't it?

Question of the Week

2006-05-11T11:54:00.000-05:00

Noah: Mom, if you had two heads, could you remember better?
I guess he thinks I need some help in that department!

Busy Bees

2006-05-05T10:11:00.000-05:00

While we were paying for our strawberries, the farmer told us about a swarm of bees that had come in just a couple of hours ago. They came in like a big, black cloud and were looking for a place to "set up housekeeping" so to speak. Fortunately, he has a number of hives set up and had more spaces for them to use. He was going to raise a pallet up to them on a forklift to try to tempt them in - a space for rent!

Spontaneity, Strawberries, and Suzanne

2006-05-03T18:36:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm not a very spontaneous person (right Terrie?), but when I saw Shelley's post on ripe strawberries at the Fruit and Berry Patch, I took off. Well, I didn't actually take off. I called my mom to see if she wanted to go - because the only strawberries I've ever picked before were in our backyard with mom or dad; I called Suzanne to see if she would keep Gabe - because he's a strawberry stomper not a picker; I fed the kids breakfast; did the dishes; made some phone calls; dressed Gabe; checked directions; searched for my camera; searched for batteries for my camera; loaded the van with some things I needed to take to Suzanne's house and then (2 hours later) took off!! Talk about spontaneity!

The strawberry patch was perfect. The weather, the fruit, the kids, mom - It was a blast. My favorite part was that Joshua went cheerfully to pick strawberries for the rest of us, even though he doesn't like them. Let me rephrase that - He didn't like them. After we picked for about 10 minutes, Noah and Sam were already asking to eat the strawberries. I told them they could have a couple, but after that they would have to wait until they had been weighed. Noah was praising them so effectively that Joshua just had to try one. The only strawberries he had eaten recently were store bought and not very tasty. He was so surprised when he bit into one that he exclaimed, "Wow, these are a lot better than home-made!" I guess he thought I had made the store bought ones and obviously had not done a good job.

Well, the thing that really helped make the day a success was Suzanne being willing to keep Gabe with Henry and Jonathan for the morning. Not to mention that she also had lunch ready for us when we came to pick him up. Definitely a spontaneous gal!

Regifting

2006-04-28T11:57:00.000-05:00

Yes, we've all done it. Regifting - taking a gift that we have received and giving it to another person. But have you ever given it back to the same person you received it from? I have, and I bet many of you have without even realizing it.

I was reading about Lilias Trotter last night. Lilias was born in England in 1853 and as she grew so grew two passions: one art, one ministry. Lilias was a very talented artist and was fortunate to find a teacher who saw her potential. She trained under Professor John Ruskin who said that if Lilias would focus on her art, "she would be the greatest living painter and do things that would be immortal."

However, Lilias was also a Christian who was passionate about Christ and serving the lost and poor in London and eventually Algeria. She did not devote herself completely to her art but divided her time between art instruction/assignments and caring for women in the slums of London. At 26, her teacher pressed her to make a decision - to choose between art and ministry.

Now you may think that is an easy decision, but not so. First, Lilias knew that her artistic talent had nothing to do with her. It was completely a gift from God. "I know that I have no more to do with the gift than with the colour of my hair" she said. (natural hair color that is!) She also knew that it was possible for God to use her art to glorify Himself and encourage others. As she prayed for wisdom she came to the conclusion that "I cannot give myself to painting in the way he [Ruskin] means and continue still to 'seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness'"

As Noel Piper says in Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God, "[s]he was free now to throw herself wholeheartedly into her ministry in London" and eventually wholeheartedly into the country of Algeria as a missionary. She still enjoyed her art and still painted, but she had made a decision to keep it subservient to her passion for the lost - to give it back to God so to speak, instead of clinging to it and demanding her own way with it.

We all have gifts. Things that we have received from God - talents, resources, relationships, degrees, or positions that we could cling to and throw every ounce of time and energy into. Or we can take those gifts and give them back to the One who gave it to us in the first place. Remember we come to God with nothing of our own. Whatever we do have to give came from Him in the first place. I believe that by seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness, Lilias Trotter did just what her teacher said she would do . . . "things that would be immortal."

I can post some of Lilias' art, but I'm afraid there wouldn't be enough room to post all the lives she touched.

Gross Again

2006-04-19T15:51:00.000-05:00

Ok, the same little guy who caused the trash can fiasco just pulled up a big handful of the table cloth and used it to wipe macaroni and cheese off his mouth. Help me!

Resources

2006-04-19T07:45:00.000-05:00

I found a helpful spot for children's book reviews: The Children's Hour

Gabe's New Bed

2006-04-17T07:26:00.000-05:00

Here's Gabe showing off his new bed! He's very excited about his "big boy bed" and a little possessive. When Noah gets in, he says "No, wowah, my bed." What he doesn't know is that all the boys have slept in it at some point in the past 8 years. We go with the motto: "If you've not slept in it, it's new to you!"

Just Call Me Minnie Pearl!

2006-04-16T14:43:00.000-05:00

My hubby generously gave me a new skirt which I wore to church this morning. I was in a rush to get ready this morning since I had worship practice at 8am. Obviously, too rushed. I didn't notice that the price tag was still on my skirt until I got home at 3pm. Oh, well. I may not be wearing flamingo shirts anymore, but I'm still a geek! (This is not meant to imply that Minnie Pearl was a geek. Wearing price tags on her hat was her signature. I can't claim to be that creative.)

Who's Up to the Challenge?

2006-04-12T14:17:00.000-05:00

Here's a link to "A Challenge to Women" by John Piper. First of all, let me say to those who don't know John Piper, he's an equal opportunity challenger and is just as challenging to the men. Pick up his book Don't Waste Your Life for a taste. Secondly, let me also say, he challenges himself just as well, look here for an example. Lastly, remember - it's called "A Challenge to Women" for a reason. Don't attempt this on your own. It's hard. God is our helper and sustainer. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10.

Flashback 2

2006-04-05T06:51:00.000-05:00

Sorry, I've not been posting much. Lots of stuff going on right now with the Women's Conference, baseball season, etc. I just couldn't resist another flashback though. A little guy that I used to babysit, who's not so little anymore, turned 21!! The young men in our church are great. They are definitely guys who I can point to and tell my boys, "Follow that." But every now and then I still picture them like this:

My Big Boys!

2006-03-28T14:28:00.000-05:00

Well, we seldom check height and weight. My guys can even get competitive about that! Someday it'll switch though - being the heaviest won't always be such a thrill. But today after a discussion on healthy weight ranges, we decided to measure up.

The results are in.

Sam:
54.5 inches
58 pounds

Josh:
52 inches
63 pounds

Noah:
44 inches
43 pounds

Gabe:
35 inches
27 pounds

Kristie:
not on your life!

Wedding Picture

2006-03-21T09:33:00.000-05:00

Hooray! Suzanne sent me a picture - hopefully she'll send some more (hint, hint).

March Madness I and II

2006-03-20T08:53:00.000-05:00

March Madness is over!

No, not the NCAA Tournament . . . Zerita's wedding week! It was beautiful, emotional and exhausting. Suzanne's blog will give more details. She was the one with the camera. I was the one with the ring bearer.

Now on to the tournament. Every year we fill out brackets, but this year we added a new twist. We are competing with another family in our church. Losing family makes dinner for the winning family. (It's really a win/win situation) It's great when you can humiliate yourself beyond the confines of your own home, don't you think? Right now, I'm seventh out of nine. That's including 3 children who don't have a clue what they are doing. It hasn't stopped my trash talkin' any, though. Actually, it's more fun to talk trash when your losing - it's less offensive that way!

Does anyone have a recipe for "humble pie"? I think I'm going to need it.

OK, this is just gross!

2006-03-10T18:35:00.000-05:00

Don't read this near meal time. A child who will remain nameless - you know the third one - decided it would be interesting to conduct a science experiment in the bathroom. The really gross part of it was that I didn't know he had done it, so when one of the other boys told me that the stuff in the trash can was wet I went to empty it and find out what had happened. I'm pulling stuff out of the trash (assuming that it's water) and asking questions like:
"Well, who spilled something?"
"Did you throw a cup of water away?"
"Did the toothbrush holder turn over?"
when the nameless one comes up and says,
"I think I did it."
"What do you mean, You think you did it"
"Well, I sorda used the bathroom in it."
"How do you sorda use the bathroom in the trash can?!?"
"I peed in it"
"UGH!"
"Don't worry mom, it was only half. The other half went in the potty."
"MATT! ! Come look what your son did!"
I'm not sure that child will ever be ready for marriage.

The Shower Curtain

2006-03-09T11:00:00.000-05:00

OK, I found a picture of the shower curtain. Don't you miss it Suzanne? Oh and yes, that's another flamingo shirt I'm wearing. What a geek!

Flashback

2006-03-08T09:43:00.000-05:00

Laurie's comment on the last post reminded me of a picture I saw recently when going through photos for our church's grand opening. Here you go folks! Who can tell me something about this picture? (Suzy-Q, wait a while because I know you know when, where, who, and why I'm wearing that shirt!) If anyone in the photo wants me to remove it - no problem, just let me know.

Don't Come One Step Closer!

2006-03-07T10:20:00.000-05:00

This is the sign I'm considering posting on our front door. Inside there are runny noses, sore throats, vicious coughs, ear infections, a sinus infection and to top it all off one case of pink-eye! Our kitchen looks like a pharmacy. We had escaped the winter virtually untouched by the colds and stomach viruses so rampant around us. And yet here we are, on the verge of spring with the blankets up over our heads.

Well, thankfully these are minor and temporary trials. However, these colds and infections are why you have not and will not hear much from me for a while. I must say that it reminds us how exciting it will be when we have new bodies in heaven one day - Noah grinned from ear to ear when I answered his question about runny noses in heaven with a big "No way!" (His nose was raw and bleeding because he had wiped it so much.)

Anyhow, have a good week. Stay away from us. Or if you do come around, wear one of these:

Edit: Dr. says Matt has the flu. Temporary. Temporary!

Happy Birthday!

2006-03-01T12:54:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Hope you have a great day!

(so, are you going to tell us how old you are?)

It's Official

2006-02-24T23:21:00.000-05:00

I'm an aunt! I've been an unofficial aunt for over two years, but now I'm an official card-carrying member of the "spoil them, photograph them, and send them back to their mommy club." We'll add "feed them sweets" to the club title in about a year.

Adam and Ann's little baby, Paul Adam, was born on Wednesday in Indianapolis. He was 21 inches and 8lbs 3oz. He's a real cutie - or as his Grandpa says "He's a dandy!" Here are a few pictures:

As you can see Gabe was having fun getting to know his new little cousin! Pictures of baby Paul and Mommy (Ann) to come later.

A Day for "Z" Bride!

2006-02-21T10:22:00.000-05:00

As most of you already know, we had a great shower for Zerita on Sunday! See Suzanne's blog for some cute pictures. Thanks for letting us invade your home, Mom and Dad. Here's some more pictures (I especially like the one at the end - uninvited guests with "Z" bride)

Here are some of us holding white ribbons for Zerita to cut when she arrives. It's a French custom for the bride to cut through white ribbons on the way to the wedding, so we adopted it for our shower.

Here are my favorite guests. They were tucked away in a play room upstairs for most of the event. They did get to come down at the end to help carry presents to the car and eat leftovers!

Who me?

2006-02-13T22:51:00.000-05:00

I really didn't think about folks not knowing what I look like! I put my profile pic back up.

Also, here's one from the McTwins birthday party in December

(l to r: Melissa, Suzy-Q, Me, and Chandra)

Nice hats!

Simmerings

2006-02-04T16:17:00.000-05:00

I have come across several articles, conversations, posts, etc. recently that have simmered in my heart for a while. I'm quoting one of the articles almost in its entirety because I think it is beautifully and eloquently written and I think it reveals better than any other our selfish arrogance. I'm quoting it rather than putting up a link because I know that you are more likely to read it that way; plus, it's my blog and I can do it that way if I want to!

Patricia Bauer, a former Washington Post reporter and bureau chief, now living in CA, writes about her daughter, Margaret, who has Down's. Margaret is a student in the post-secondary program at the Riverview School in East Sandwich, Mass., from which Margaret received her high school diploma in 2004. She also takes classes at Cape Cod Community College.

"Whenever I am out with Margaret, I'm conscious that she represents a group whose ranks are shrinking because of the wide availability of prenatal testing and abortion. I don't know how many pregnancies are terminated because of prenatal diagnoses of Down syndrome, but some studies estimate 80 to 90 percent.
Imagine. As Margaret bounces through life, especially out here in the land of the perfect body, I see the way people look at her: curious, surprised, sometimes wary, occasionally disapproving or alarmed. I know that most women of childbearing age that we may encounter have judged her and her cohort, and have found their lives to be not worth living.
To them, Margaret falls into the category of avoidable human suffering. At best, a tragic mistake. At worst, a living embodiment of the pro-life movement. Less than human. A drain on society. That someone I love is regarded this way is unspeakably painful to me.
This view is probably particularly pronounced here in blue-state California, but I keep finding it everywhere, from academia on down. At a dinner party not long ago, I was seated next to the director of an Ivy League ethics program. In answer to another guest's question, he said he believes that prospective parents have a moral obligation to undergo prenatal testing and to terminate their pregnancy to avoid bringing forth a child with a disability, because it was immoral to subject a child to the kind of suffering he or she would have to endure. (When I started to pipe up about our family's experience, he smiled politely and turned to the lady on his left.)
Margaret does not view her life as unremitting human suffering (although she is angry that I haven't bought her an iPod). She's consumed with more important things, like the performance of the Boston Red Sox in the playoffs and the dance she's going to this weekend. Oh sure, she wishes she could learn faster and had better math skills. So do I. But it doesn't ruin our day, much less our lives. It's the negative social attitudes that cause us to suffer.
Many young women, upon meeting us, have asked whether I had "the test." I interpret the question as a get-home-free card. If I say no, they figure, that means I'm a victim of circumstance, and therefore not implicitly repudiating the decision they may make to abort if they think there are disabilities involved. If yes, then it means I'm a right-wing antiabortion nut whose choices aren't relevant to their lives.
Either way, they win.
In ancient Greece, babies with disabilities were left out in the elements to die. We in America rely on prenatal genetic testing to make our selections in private, but the effect on society is the same.
Margaret's old pediatrician tells me that years ago he used to have a steady stream of patients with Down syndrome. Not anymore. Where did they go, I wonder. On the west side of L.A., they aren't being born anymore, he says.
The irony is that we live in a time when medical advances are profoundly changing what it means to live with disabilities. Years ago, people with Down syndrome often were housed in institutions. Many were in poor health, had limited self-care and social skills, couldn't read, and died young. It was thought that all their problems were unavoidable, caused by their genetic anomaly.
Now it seems clear that these people were limited at least as much by institutionalization, low expectations, lack of education and poor health care as by their DNA. Today people with Down syndrome are living much longer and healthier lives than they did even 20 years ago. Buoyed by the educational reforms of the past quarter-century, they are increasingly finishing high school, living more independently and holding jobs.
That's the rational pitch; here's the emotional one. Margaret is a person and a member of our family. She has my husband's eyes, my hair and my mother-in-law's sense of humor. We love and admire her because of who she is -- feisty and zesty and full of life -- not in spite of it. She enriches our lives. If we might not have chosen to welcome her into our family, given the choice, then that is a statement more about our ignorance than about her inherent worth.
What I don't understand is how we as a society can tacitly write off a whole group of people as having no value. I'd like to think that it's time to put that particular piece of baggage on the table and talk about it, but I'm not optimistic. People want what they want: a perfect baby, a perfect life. To which I say: Good luck. Or maybe, dream on.
And here's one more piece of un-discussable baggage: This question is a small but nonetheless significant part of what's driving the abortion discussion in this country. I have to think that there are many pro-choicers who, while paying obeisance to the rights of people with disabilities, want at the same time to preserve their right to ensure that no one with disabilities will be born into their own families. The abortion debate is not just about a woman's right to choose whether to have a baby; it's also about a woman's right to choose which baby she wants to have."

last, but not least

2006-01-31T09:09:00.000-05:00

Well, Gabe can say a few words about himself, but we'll have to elaborate to help you understand.

1) "book"- Gabe's favorite books are Snuggle Puppy and Blue Hat, Green Hat both by Sandra Boynton.
2) "nose" "hair" "eye" etc. - Gabe knows a lot of body parts, but his favorite one to show you is his teeth. He also likes to find your teeth which means he'll shove his hand in your mouth when you least expect it.
3) "guys" or "bwovers" (brothers) - Gabe loves his brothers and especially enjoys bossing them around.
4) "on-n-on-n-on" Gabe loves to sing. My favorite is when he sings the "on and on and on. . ." part in "Forever God" with Noah in the bathtub.
5) "eat"and "nak" - Gabe loves to eat, especially fruit snacks ("nak").

Thanks Alison, Grant, Ethan, and Trevor! You guys are super fun!

Here Comes Another

2006-01-28T13:46:00.000-05:00

Five things about Noah:
1) I snored so loud once that my brothers said I shook the bed.
2) I'm the only person in my family who can stand on my head.
3) I like baseball.
4) I've had eight stitches in my head.
5) My favorite food is corndogs.

I tag Trevor!

Another Guy

2006-01-28T10:30:00.000-05:00

Okay, now five, nope six random things about Josh:

1) I've lost six baby teeth.
2) I like to play sports. I play baseball on a team. My favorite is football and I like to wrestle, too.
3) I play the piano.
4) One of my favorite foods is brownies.
5) I like Star Wars.
6) I'm funny and a smart-alec.

(Actually, #6 made this process very long!!)

I tag Grant!

The Guys

2006-01-25T14:18:00.000-05:00

I did not tag anyone after my last post. I didn't want to put that kind of pressure on anyone!
But I did think that it would be fun to hear what my guys would say about themselves so I've changed my mind: I tag Samuel, Joshua, Noah and Gabriel. I guess I don't mind putting pressure on my own kids ;)

Samuel first!
Five random things about Samuel:
1. I like sports. Baseball is my favorite.
2. Some of my favorite foods are mashed potatoes, chicken casserole, and fish sticks. Not all in the same meal though.
3. I like to draw houses.
4. I like to do math.
5. I like to read the Bible. It's the best thing for me.

I tag my buddy, Ethan.
(Hey, Alison, Ethan can put his 5 things in the comments if you don't mind.)

Tag, I'm it?

2006-01-14T21:35:00.000-05:00

I've been tagged by Suzanne to post 5 random things about myself. I'm not a very "random" person, but I'll try.

Okay, here goes:
1) I enjoy visiting cemetaries. I find the art beautiful; I like reading the epitaphs and imagining what the people were like; and it reminds me that life here is temporary and my eternal home awaits.
2) I enjoy thunderstorms. I think this is because when I was young it was not uncommon for a bad storm to knock the power out which would send mom around the house lighting candles and would mean that we would cook hotdogs on our wood stove.
3) I don't enjoy visiting cemetaries in a thunderstorm. Self-explanatory, I'm sure.
4) I have a bunion on my right foot and a very narrow heel which makes it hard to find shoes to fit unless of course I buy clogs or mules or slides or whatever shoes like that are called which is what you'll see me in most of the time. (but they are hard to run in if a thunderstorm is coming.)
5) I had to look up how to spell "bunion" because I'm a poor speller. (I hope whoever writes my epitaph is a good speller.)

Happy Anniversary (sort of)

2006-01-14T13:23:00.000-05:00

In January of 1996, Matt and I had a little wager on the Colts/ Steelers game - a free dinner. Fortunately, the Steelers won that year and headed off to the Super Bowl while we headed to Grady's for what was to become our first date!

Matt - Thanks for 10 years of adventure, laughter, patience, affection, loyalty, compassion and sacrifice. You are my best friend!

P.S. Go Colts! (Sorry Jenn, I've turned in my terrible towel!)

More Before and After

2006-01-12T15:00:00.000-05:00

These photos are for those of you who might be worried that Gabriel gets bored while I am homeschooling the other three.

Before - Gabe's room at 10:25 am:

After - Gabe's room at 11:10 am:

Before and After Shots

2006-01-11T06:01:00.000-05:00

Nope, these are not hair photos. These are spiritual snapshots.

Kristie (over 16 years ago): "[She] has a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God and seeking to establish [her] own, [she] did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." (Rom. 10:2b-4)

Kristie (now): "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." (Rom. 6:1-4)

Kristie (future): "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first born among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." (Rom. 8:28-30)

Anybody know where I can get a groovy photo album?

"Hairy" Situations

2006-01-06T20:04:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm still here. It's not that there are no new things to blog about; it's that there are too many new things to stop and blog about them.

Two of the funniest (and humbling) things that have happened recently have to do with hair.

I am a 34 year old with significant amounts of gray hair. And by significant I mean more than my mother-in-law who is . . . well, I won't tell you how old she is. I have been graying since my freshman year of college and although I like to pretend that it makes me look wise, it really just makes me look like I'm babysitting my grandchildren instead of taking my own kids to the park.
So I've started coloring my hair recently. I was doing a half-way decent job until I decided to go a shade darker. (Yes, I hear you moaning) Anyway, I have since discovered that "black bordering on purple" hair does not look good with "olive bordering on yellow skin." Well, I spent Wednesday with Christine at Trade Secrets and she fixed it. It actually looks better than it has in years! (Hey, can I get a discount for a plug like this?)

Next hair story, actually more embarrassing than the first. Most of the time I give my boys haircuts (again "half-way decent job"), but occasionally we "splurge" and take them over to Glen, the singing barber. Glen's whole purpose for cutting hair is to hang out with his buddies. It's the closest thing to Floyd's barber shop that I have ever experienced. Therefore, Glen is intent on getting us in and out of there as quickly as possible. That leaves us with one of two options: 1) he'll shave them bald, or 2) I'll have to fix all the spots he missed when we get home. So before Christmas, Matt took the boys to Glen while I was getting ready for all the relatives. And as usual I grabbed the scissors to trim the spots that were missed when they got home. What was unusual this time was that Noah had no missed spots. It was a perfect hair cut - for about 4 days.

Later that week we went to lunch at a restaurant and there it was - the missed spot. Why I didn't see it earlier I will never know, but Noah kept pushing a section of 4-inch long bangs out of his face while he tried to eat. I tried repositioning it, combing it over, combing it back, but nothing worked. I felt for him. He kept scratching his nose because it tickled. I didn't have anything that would work - no scissors, nail clippers, nothing. So I did what any loving mother (who is a true hick) would do. I glanced around to make sure no one was looking at us, held his hair in one hand and grabbed a steak knife with the other and before you could say "What is that crazy lady doing with a knife?!" I cut his bangs. Well, Noah was grateful although everyone else at the table was quite shocked.

Yeah, I don't expect any tea invitations after this!

Treasure Hunts

2005-12-21T21:09:00.000-05:00

One of the new games at our house is "Treasure Hunt." Sounds creative, doesn't it? But really I don't have to do anything for this game to take place. Gabe has taken it upon himself to be the facilitator for this lively game - although there is the occasional guest host. You know it's time to play when you hear "Where is the . . .?" and so it begins.

The hunt for the remote ends when it is found in the refrigerator. Need a clean sippy cup? Look in the closet. Wipes? under the bed. Dad's shoe? Well, in the cabinet with the clean dishes, of course! We've found laundry on the dining room table and a dirty fork in the laundry basket. Cell phone in the toy box, lotion in between couch cushions, vitamins in the fridge, dirty socks on the kitchen cabinet.

When questioned concerning any missing items, his usual response is a very cheerful "nooo." He plays dumb, but I know better.

This post is Matt approved

2005-12-14T14:00:00.000-05:00

We are studying Old Testament History in school. Since I have only boys, there are a few topics that we can discuss that I wouldn't dare approach with little girls. One of which is circumcision. As we were reading through Genesis the question came up, and I was quite proud of myself at being able to handle the question with a clear and simple answer that would convey not only the facts of circumcision, but it's importance as a mark of God's early covenant people. I mentioned to Matt later that day that we had covered the topic. I stood by proudly as he questioned Josh and Samuel about what they had learned. They accurately explained that circumcision was to be a mark of God's covenant with Abraham and his descendants. Then Matt asked them what circumcision was. Samuel quickly responded "It's when you get your forehead cut off." Boy, that's some mark!

'Tis the Season . . .

2005-12-14T13:21:00.000-05:00

(Sung to the tune of "Deck the Halls")

'Tis the season to have colds
Fa la la la cough, fa la la sniff
Sore throats, coughs, and runny noses
Fa la la sniff sniff, fa la hack hack
Don we now our vapor rub
Fa la sniff, fa la hack, cough cough cough
Stay home now and soak in the tub
Fa la sniff hack cough, fa a a choo!

(Please hold your applause - you have to keep your mouth covered when you cough!)

It's Beginning to Look a Lot...

2005-12-03T12:28:00.000-05:00

... Like Christmas. Or Las Vegas.

This is our neighbors house.

No one else on our street does outside lights. I think it's because none of us can compare. I personally like it. (I guess that would be a little of my dad coming out.)

Noah

2005-12-03T12:20:00.000-05:00

I always knew Noah was more laid back than the others, but this proves it. This is him reclining while he practices his piano!!

The Holiday Zone

2005-12-01T11:43:00.000-05:00

Well, I haven't blogged recently because I stepped into a whole other realm (and it took me a little while to find my way back.) It seems as though I left a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner at my Aunt Brenda's, walked in the door of my home, and entered the holiday zone.

I'm not sure how it happened, I guess the realization of what the next few weeks will bring just hit me. I decided to start early, so I decorated the house, started shopping, wrapped presents, and planned menus. All of this was done so that the couple of weeks before Christmas would not be hectic and I would be able to enjoy them. Ha! What I actually did was make this past week extremely hectic and I didn't enjoy it one bit.

In essence, I succumbed to the very thing I wanted to avoid: the chaos that comes when you neglect what's important and are ruled by the urgent. I just moved the dates. I become consumed with the tasks at hand instead of the relationships involved. The holidays are an awesome time to express love for family, appreciation for friends, and affection and gratefulness toward the Lord who has saved us. And I can do that even if I don't complete my "to do" list.

If you're like me and are starting to slip into the holiday zone, check out the Girl Talk blog for wise counsel. I know there are a lot of you facing even more hectic or trying times this holiday season (ie. pregnancies, building homes, planning a wedding, caring for sick family members, etc.) Let me know in the comments (or email) how I can pray for you. Thanks for doing so in advance; it helps me stay out of the zone when I am praying for you.

Last Thanksgiving

2005-11-22T09:57:00.000-05:00

I really like the Thanksgiving holiday. I enjoy the crafts, the traditions, the way my kids respond when we talk about thankfulness. I think I'm especially looking forward to this Thanksgiving, being with family, letting my kids run around (relying on family to tell me if they are about to jump off the roof) and yummy food. Why is this Thanksgiving more exciting than normal? I think partly because of last Thanksgiving. Don't worry, nothing tragic happened but it was definitely different. In fact, it was a good lesson in contentment and thankfulness.

We were going to my Aunt Brenda's last year for lunch. It's a 2-hour drive so we were going to have a quick breakfast, jump in the van and be off. Everybody was grabbing whatever they wanted (mostly doughnuts) while I fed Gabe and tried to tame my hair. We made it to the van right on time and headed east. Joshua and Noah grabbed some handheld games and Samuel, who is a big fan of the "Which Way USA" magazines, took one to work on in the backseat of the van.

Notice the combination here: 7-year old, belly full of doughnuts, bent over a magazine, backseat of a van. Needless to say, we did not make it to Aunt Brenda's. We had traveled 1 hour when "Oh Gross!" rose above the normal chatter and alerted us to a major problem. Samuel no longer had a belly full of doughnuts but rather a lap full. We pulled over and worked for probably 30 minutes trying to clean out the van and clean up Samuel. The poor kid had to ride home in his underwear, a jacket from Josh, and a blanket from Gabe.

Once we arrived home, we stayed home, but we still had to prepare "Thanksgiving Dinner." Samuel and the rest of us were actually quite hungry by now. We feasted and enjoyed the game. The menu? hotdogs, doritos, and ho-ho's.

By the way honey, don't forget to pick-up some ho-ho's - just in case.

Yum, yum, yum

2005-11-22T09:11:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'm curious. What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish?
(Now don't get crazy on me and list the entire table. Think: when I'm driving to Grandma's, or my Aunt's, or setting my own table what's the dish I get most excited about?)

Kristie: gravy (just the right amount on the turkey, dressing and mashed potatos) and pecan pie.
Samuel: turkey
Joshua: deviled eggs (quote "and for dessert - more deviled eggs!")
Noah: rolls
Gabe: I don't know, but probably mashed potatos since he can smoosh those into his sweater most effectively.

Now somebody better comment and put dumplings on here because those are one of my favorites, too, but I had to follow my own advice and not "get crazy...and list the entire table."

Nothing

2005-11-18T08:13:00.000-05:00

No, this isn't a post about nothing; it's a post about something - which is "nothing." I mentioned in a earlier post about my new marriage motto. Now I have a new personal motto. Before I tell you what it is, let me tell you what it is not. It is not Galatians 6:9 "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." That's such a beautiful and encouraging verse, isn't it? I hope just hearing it encourages you. But I'm afraid that is not the one that I felt the Lord pointing out to me as a personal directive. The one for me (Miss Prideful) is Galatians 6:3 "For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself."

Now this verse obviously speaks for itself, but I would like to add a quote from Humility by Andrew Murray. (I am eager to read C.J.'s book, but have not had an opportunity yet, so I will have to quote from an older compatriot.) In his preface he discusses the "three great motives that will urge us to humility" I am a creature, a sinner, and a saint. He then says of humility:

It is not something which we bring to God, or He bestows; it is simply the sense of entire nothingness, which comes when we see how truly God is all, and in which we make way for God to be all. When the creature realizes that this is the true nobility, and consents to be with his will, his mind and his affections, the form, the vessel in which the life and glory of God are to work and manifest themselves, he sees that humility is simply acknowledging the truth of his position as creature, and yielding to God His place.

I like that; I want to be like that - nothing.

Isn't it Funny?!

2005-11-15T11:15:00.000-05:00

Isn't it funny how you tell someone something, or write about something that God is showing you, and it comes back on you? Just to let you know what Kristie is really like - I can post about planning my days in such a way as to serve my husband in the a.m. and then argue and pout like a baby in the p.m. because he wants me to go the dentist. Nice, eh?

I love God's sovereignty in this. "Oh, you want to serve your husband and plan your day according to his wants/needs, huh? What if he wants you to go to the dentist? What if he wants you to interrupt your plans for the week and find a babysitter and get a shot in the mouth?" My response: "Well, I didn't mean that! Oh, you meant that? Oh, great."

So check on me in a week or so and see if I've gone to the dentist with a good attitude!

Freedom! (can't you hear Mel Gibson?)

2005-11-14T09:05:00.000-05:00

I have been reading Galatians again and again these past few weeks. It is amazing how God uses His word to reveal new or clearer truth to us even if we just read the same scriptures last week. His word is definitely "living and active." (and maybe I'm just too slow to get it the first couple of times!) In doing this, I believe God has given me a new marriage motto. After Paul reminds the Galatians that Christ's justifying work on the cross has set them free from the yoke of the law (Gal. 5:1-6), he then admonishes them in the exercise of that freedom: "Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." (Gal. 5:13)

Now obviously this applies to us all: married, unmarried, adult, child, male, female, but if you are married, look at it for a moment in the context of your marriage. Our freedom is not given to us so that we can do whatever we want. Nor is it a compromise: "I'll do some things for him and some things for me." It says "serve one another." Is that what I'm doing with my freedom? When I plan my day (my opportunity to do whatever I consider important or fun or interesting) am I planning it in such a way as to serve my spouse? There are days I would not like to be asked that question, but there it is waiting for an answer.

Now, let's take it one step further. How does it say to serve one another? In duty? No, "in love!" I can't determine to serve out of some obligation or duty - just set my goal and serve, serve, serve. I must serve out of love. OK, this is where Kristie fails and the Holy Spirit must supply. First of all, He must give me the strength, brains, opportunity, etc. to serve my husband. But even more, I will never serve Him in love without the help of the Spirit. I know what you're thinking - "Doesn't she love her husband?" Yes, I do! (Are you reading this, Sweetie?) I love my husband dearly, but I tend to forget how much I love him in the midst of serving him.

My service reaches new heights when it is motivated by affection for my husband, and I need God's grace to help me do that. I don't want to just check off my list of "to do's." I want to respond to him and his needs and do my best to meet those needs because of my care for him. And again, this doesn't just apply to our spouses, but to whomever God gives us the opportunity to serve. (Bless you if you unmarried and still reading this post.) We can ask daily, hourly even, for the grace to "serve one another in love" Lord, help me!

He's Going, Going, Gone!

2005-11-12T10:40:00.000-05:00

Well, Gabe is up and going. He took a couple of steps on Wednesday which were very exciting. Yesterday, we went to visit Henry and Jonathan (Mctwins) and a couple of steps just wouldn't do. He started walking all over the place. He doesn't have much of a limp which is surprising. I tried to get some pictures of him walking, but they turned out blurry. (No surprise since he was moving!) So here are some of him trying to take apart the camera accessories.

You Ate What!?

2005-11-10T21:16:00.000-05:00

I'm eating lunch and it's dinosaur nuggets and applesauce. Yesterday, it was a corndog and cheese curls. My diet definitely reflects my mealtime companions. Sometimes I'm grateful because I can buy Froot Loops without feeling silly, but at other times I regret my "dietary choices" (like after the very green eggs and ham or the blue velvet cake - Thanks, Suzie.) I know I'm not the only one. So satisfy my curiosity, please - what's the strangest thing you have eaten while caring for children as a mom, teacher, babysitter, etc.?

How Old is Pop Anyway?

2005-11-05T20:34:00.000-05:00

Okay, from the serious to the goofy. Hey, that's what you get in the Cormany household.

I have four fabulous boys. Although the escapades of the younger two could fill a blog all their own, this post focuses on the older two. Samuel and Joshua are 13 months apart. They do everything together and are, thank God, the best of friends. They are not, however, anything alike. They don't look alike, think alike, learn alike, eat alike, grow alike, sit alike, dress alike, talk alike, nope, nothing alike.
Yes, of course they both have two eyes, two ears, a head and all the relevant body parts alike, but that doesn't count right now.

For example, they each have a very different sense of humor. Samuel's jokes are very corny (when they make any sense at all) and seldom get a genuine laugh from his audience, a polite chuckle maybe, but that's it. Of course he is laughing so hard at his own joke that he never notices that no one else is. Then there is Josh. Josh is hilarious. He has a dry, sarcastic sense of humor, great timing, and a good understanding of what a joke actually needs in order to be funny.

Over the years, I have realized that God is using these very different boys to help one another along. Sam helps Josh with school; Josh keeps Sam from dressing like a nerd; they both help each other live with Noah; etc. And now I think there is evidence that Josh is helping Sam with his sense of humor:
We love games at our house. Every member of our family likes to play cards and boardgames. (Well except Gabe who likes to bend the cards and hide all the small pieces.) The only problem is, as you can guess, we all like different games. Recently, after being told to pick a game for us to play, Sam and Josh come upstairs empty-handed. "Where's the game?" I asked. "We can't decide," Sam replies. "Why?" "Because I'm just too old to play the games Josh picks." (Remember, they are just 13 months apart!) Before I can respond Josh interjects "What are you talking about?! I picked 99. Pop Cormany likes to play 99 and he's 80 million years old!" Sam without missing a beat responds "Josh that's silly, Pop Cormany is not 80 million years old. He's only half that." I laughed. Sure, it's not the best material I've ever heard, but I actually laughed out loud. I'm so proud of him - he's come a long way. And he even managed not to laugh at his own joke, but just stood there with a smug grin on his face.

Oh, and yes, for those of you who are knowledgeable about these things, 99 is a drinking game. My 40 million year old father-in-law taught my boys a drinking game. Fortunately, they leave out the drinking part. Thanks Pop!

The Good, the Bad, and the Glory

2005-11-04T09:52:00.000-05:00

Despite the cheesy title, this is not a cheesy post. In fact, it's pretty serious. Looking over the past few weeks I've heard about marriages and divorces, miscarriages and births, sick babies and healthy babies, new houses, destructive storms, new jobs and funerals, in other words "the good and the bad." Is there a plan behind all this? Are these things random or purposeful?

The truth of God's word is the only thing that will help us here. God sovereignly directs all things: "He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand or say to Him, 'What are You doing?'" (Dan. 4:35). He directs all things according to His purpose: "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28). So everything that happens has a purpose. God directs not just the "big" things, but also the "little" things; not just the "good" things, but also the "bad" things. All the big and little events, all the good and bad events are all sovereignly heading to one very big and very good purpose.

So what is this purpose? Well, I am not a theologian in the professional sense and am pretty limited in knowledge, but I believe that it is God's glory. Definitely our sanctification is involved in this process, but it is to God's glory that it all points.

Whoa, isn't that a little self-serving of God, to glorify Himself? No!
God doesn't need our attention or our praise. He is serving us by drawing our attention to Himself - the only pure, most beautiful, only true, and completely selfless person there is. We will find peace and joy only when our gaze is fixed on Him. Sometimes something little focuses my attention on God, sometimes something big is required. Sometimes I glorify God because of something good, sometimes it is something bad that reminds me of His glory.

Now I'm not trying to downplay the pain that comes with some of the difficult events of life. I'm just saying that God plans and uses even that intense pain for a good and godly purpose. The joy of a newborn and the pain of a lost loved one work together in His hands to make a beautiful and glorious purpose. I don't understand it all, and sometimes I don't even feel like it's true, but my understanding and my feelings don't change it (thank God), but are instead slowly and surely molded by it.

In an already long post, let me just give two quick examples from Scripture. In Acts 6:8 - 8:4, the story of Stephen the first Christian matyr is told. Stephen was a godly servant, a real gift to the early church and a man full of wisdom and courage. He was, however, stoned just as the church was beginning. It must have seemed like a terrible loss, completely without purpose or reason to the friends who mourned him. We then find out that Stephen's death initiated violent persecution of the early church (another "bad" event) which scattered the young church all over the area. How could God let this happen? But as we read on, having the helpful perspective of hindsight, we find out that this scattering of Christians actually spread the gospel of Christ all over the area. God's glory spread as many men and women heard the gospel for the first time.

Secondly, in Galatians, Paul gives us a brief retelling of his conversion. Few would doubt that the conversion of Paul the greatest persecuter of the church and vehement supporter of Stephen's stoning would be a "good" event. Did this good event happen to honor Paul or help out a young church. No, Paul is clear about the ultimate purpose of his conversion in Galatians 1:24, "And they glorified God because of me."

So maybe I should change the title of this post. Not just because it is cheesy, but because it is inaccurate. Are there really any bad things? There are certainly sad events, but when all things are orchestrated to His good purpose can we call them "bad"? Maybe it should be "The Good, the 'boy it sure seems bad to me, but I'm believing by faith it will turn out for good', and the Glory" - more accurate, but a little long, don't you think?

Our Castaway

2005-11-01T07:49:00.000-05:00

Gabe's cast is gone! It was taken off yesterday morning and he is doing wonderfully. We thought he would have trouble sleeping, but instead he seems to be making up for many sleepless nights. He slept 3 hours for his nap yesterday and over 11 hours last night. His skin looks great with only a couple of calluses and one red spot behind his right knee, but no sores. His leg is weak of course, but he is already moving it and trying to learn to scoot around again.
We are amazed at God's mercy and kindness toward us! Thanks for praying for our little guy.

Encouraging Words

2005-10-25T10:45:00.000-05:00

Some pictures from a very talented friend and
some encouragement from a very wise man:

God is glorified not only by His glory's being seen, but by its being rejoiced in. When those that see it delight in it, God is more glorified than if they only see it. His glory is then received by the whole soul, both by the understanding and by the heart. God made the world that He might communicate, and the creature receive, His glory; and that it might [be] recieved both by the mind and heart. He that testifies his idea of God's glory [doesn't] glorify God so much as he that testifies also his approbation of it and his delight in it. - Jonathan Edwards (Miscellanies)

Mom on the hot seat!!

2005-10-23T13:10:00.000-05:00

Yesterday during our devotions, I asked Noah what he would thank God for, and he said "his family." I agreed whole-heartedly with him and then emphasized that children are a gift from God.

Instead of stopping there at a nice safe spot, I then encouraged him and the other boys that we could pray that God would bless some friends of ours with a baby. I said "They would like to have a new baby and have been trying for a while." (insert scary music here) Samuel then turned and looked me straight in the face and asked, "What do mommys and daddys do to 'try' and have a baby?" As my heart thumped in my chest and my hands grew clammy, I began to run through all the possible answers that I could give that would be honest and yet vague.

Thankfully, Josh and Noah began to answer the question. Noah said "Be nice to their other kids." While Josh even more accurately answered, "Daddys have to be kind to the mommys." After that, I suggested we talk about it later and finish our devotions. Whew!

I'm like a broken shopping cart

2005-10-20T06:49:00.000-05:00

We had caregroup last night and one of the wise comments (about how our natural tendency is to drift away from godliness) left me thinking about shopping carts. Really!

Have you ever had a shopping cart with a broken or stuck wheel? You have to literally fight with that cart the whole way through the store. If it's constantly drifting to the right, you must pull/push your cart to the left just to stay straight. Don't dare get distracted and forget to wrestle with your cart or you'll slam right into the shelves and canned goods will fall on your head.

Well, I believe I am like that broken shopping cart. My natural tendency is to drift away from God and godliness. To stay close in any relationship is work, but especially in my relationship to God. I have a sinful nature that constantly wants to vere away from the straight path. I have to fight that tendency - my shopping cart, so to speak. The tricky thing about my "life" cart is that it will vere off in either direction, left or right. I have to be watchful. Am I going straight or heading into the ice cream on the left or the cereal on the right? Licentiousness or legalism? Condemnation or self-righteousness? (You get the picture.)

Thankfully, there is another difference in my "life" cart - the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. The cart at Wal-Mart doesn't improve as I shop, but by God's grace and work in my life I will. I want to be watchful; I don't want to float down the aisle, banging into shelves on either side. So, If you see me holding ice on my head from a collision with the canned good section, remind me of God's available grace to keep my cart straight!

Gabe the babe

2005-10-17T09:10:00.000-05:00

As most of you know, Gabe is in a cast after breaking his femur. We went to the doctor today and got an update. The doctor said that the x-ray looked good and that his cast would come off in two more weeks. That is God's grace to us. Originally, we were told that the cast would be on for 6-8 weeks, but if all continues to heal properly it will only be 5! He's been very patient through it all and has learned to adjust extremely well. In fact, he has a new favorite position for watching t.v.

Thanks so much for the prayers and food and childcare and advice and ironing and toys and videos . . . Everything! This has been much easier than it should have been because of your care for us.

New Link

2005-10-16T13:24:00.000-05:00

Hey, I just added a new link to the "Suggested Blogs" category. It's called "Ordinary Mother" and it's the kind of blog I would like to write. It's full of wisdom, encouragement, humility, and humor. (I think I've got the humor part, but will definitely have to work on the other three.) I hope you enjoy it.

A long, lost. . . candy bar

2005-10-13T07:36:00.000-05:00

We are heading to the American Museum of Science and Energy today. To prepare, we looked at their website to decide what exhibits we would be sure to see. On their site, they have a link to a "Name that Candy Bar" game which I highly recommend (if you are a candy bar connoisseur.) Beware, however, that it may bring up painful memories. I had a favorite candy bar in college - I know I'm dating myself here - which has been discontinued! I try not to think about it when I open up a Reese Cup or a Nestle' Crunch, but the pain is still there. Well, enjoy the game and if anyone has on old BarNone in their freezer, you can name your price.

Look out Archimedes . . .

2005-10-12T12:09:00.000-05:00

It's the Cormanedes!! Archimedes supposedly set fire to the Roman fleet who was coming to invade his native Sicily before they even reached land. He did this by using mirrors to focus the light energy from the sun at points on the ships causing them to catch fire. Cool, huh? We're just trying to catch these invading leaves on fire, but there's potential here, don't you think? Hopefully, they don't try it on other parts of the house!

Sleep

2005-10-11T07:02:00.000-05:00

Wow! That word is loaded with meaning for me right now. Normally, it isn't. Normally, I take sleep for granted and don't think much of it. Every now and then, however, God uses my circumstances to teach me about His gift of sleep. A new baby, a sick child, a barking dog, a deadline - all these things (and many more) can be used as a reminder that sleep is a gift not a right. I have thought many times that I had a right to 8 hours of sleep, and regretfully made everyone around me suffer when I didn't get it. You know how it is, using the excuse of lack of sleep for a grumpy disposition.

When I remember that sleep (and my need of it) is God's design and that He is sovereign over how much I get, I'm a little more grateful. I'm grateful that I get any sleep. I'm grateful that He knows my weaknesses and supplies my every need. I'm grateful that I can call out to Him for help. I'm grateful (and my kids are, too) that I don't have to be a sourpuss.

I don't deny that a lack of sleep has a profound impact on my day, but I do deny that it's an excuse for a rotten attitude. In fact, I'm glad I've not been getting much sleep lately. It drives me to my knees and reminds me of my fraility and God's power.

Now, I'm going back to sleep.
Oops! My bed is full!

My son, the president!

2005-10-10T13:26:00.000-05:00

While visiting the Hermitage, we got into a lengthy discussion on Tennessee Presidents and which numbers they were. (7,11, & 17 I think.) After considering this for a while, Noah (5) asked me which number he was going to be when he became president. I could be the First Mom! I should keep his schoolwork and sell it on ebay someday, don't you think?