All 10 Popes

  As the sun sets on this year 2012 and fear can sometimes  threaten to overwhelm with the unknown lets look into and start with  what is known, dear ones.   Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God 1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord , “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” 3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler [ a ] And from the perilous pestilence. 4 He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. 8 Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward

Late again...late again...for no particular reason. Just enjoying some rest and time "off" from school and the running and the going. It's sweet and good. We are blessed. Here is to finding joy in the big and small, and all those good gifts given. This boy. With the imagination as wide and far as the east is from the west. Love, love, love him.     Not-so little boy blue.      Bought this boy Adventures in Odyssey Imagination Station Books 1-3 He LOVES them. It's the same idea as the Magic Tree House books (which he's read most of)  but with a Biblical Worldview. He says these are better. What a history buff.     This is Koen's "special gift" so he says. Thank you Grandmommy!     Pasting sugary products on top of gingerbread shaped like a choo-choo train. Doesn't get much better than this. Well, other than eating sugary products on top of gingerbread.

When asked, "If ever was there a gift given or received that meant much to you" a friend e-mails back and says: "I must have been in kindergarten when this occurred.,,,,,,my family lived way out in the country, and I went to a country school, so to speak. There was a little girl from a very poor family who had little of everything which included not having her very own doll. I remember thinking, that I wanted to give her my doll that I had and loved. I must have asked my parents and they gave me the okay, because I do remember giving it to her, and she quietly accepted it. I think, she was very surprised and did not really know how to react, but deep down in my little heart, I knew she was pleased and thankful." Another shares this:   "I wanted a horse for as long as I could remember. My grandparents gave her to me for my 13th birthday. She was 1 1/2 years old and for the most part, we kept her and then a family friend kept her until her

I've done it. Taken the plunge. And it's even before the New Year. :) You see, every year I say I'm going to read through the Bible. And then I don't. Every. Single. Year. Well, for the last few years anyway. Maybe you can relate. Maybe with you though, it's working out your physical body. No, I don't usually have a problem with that. It's my spiritual body that lacks. Every. Year. And what good is a physical body if the spiritual body is a wreck? Not any, really, as I've learned....and relearned. And as important as I say the Word is to our lives here, just about every time I sit down to plink on my keyboard, I have been convicted that the things that I say here.....they are words to live by, not just nice things to say. Pointing people to Christ and living as Christ live together well just as do grace and truth. And so, a friend of mine texts me from far away. She says she's been thinking about me. And me? I've been convicted because ever s

Keeping our kids at home to school them was a decision that came with much prayer and was not made in haste. It was and is not a negative pronouncement on the public school system, it's teachers or the parents that choose to send their most precious possessions there. We started for only a couple of reasons and really, it has become a way of life for us and those reasons continue to change as the seasons in our life change and it is a way of life that we have come to love. It's that simple. A way of life. It's not better or worse, just different. Really, it IS that simple. :) It's one of those "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12) kind of things for a family of believers. I think that many people, myself included (before I started schooling my kids at home), assume that those crazy people just want to shelter their children from the world and keep them "safe"!! Nope. Well, nope for many of us anyway. It's kind of a

A little early to be posting this, perhaps, but for once I might be on top of something, well kind of anyway. I do, I do, I do love receiving and giving Christmas photo cards in the mail and I'm pretty sure we've done it once or twice, but I'm also certain that was before baby #3. I must also admit, I do try to save a buck or two hundred, and hate to think of all those Christmas card photos I ordered in someones photo box (or in the trash....yeah, you don't have me fooled ;) )  'til next year when you place new one on the fridge, hang them around the door way or on some other wall that isn't already cluttered with photos and then that photo will too... then replace the other one in a box (or, like I said in the trash...ha!) I did see once that someone had made place mats out of all of her photos and Christmas cards to use the next Christmas. I always think I'll do this and then....I forget. I know you're super surprised! So call me cheap if ya want, but

In this season of hurry, hurry, hurry and hustle and bustle would you just take a moment to worship with me Who it is that we are celebrating? Because really, this is the season of waiting isn't it? And waiting, as we've discovered, is hard, but SO worth it ! Waiting for the One who was promised so long ago to us. This gift of a babe in a manger who would one day go on to conquer sin and death! Yes, this...sit with me, it takes a few but moments.... Find this song on Casting Crowns' Christmas CD Peace on Earth  

Maybe, just maybe the hardest part about giving is not so much in the giving. It's not buying or making this thing we call a gift. It's not the money or time spent. Though a sacrifice, I usually believe it's somehow worth it. I mean, really I love to give and I think that is true of most people. Here's the hang up though (at least for me anyway): I especially like to give to those who I think deserve it AND I (if I'm being really honest with you) want something in return....even if it's just a nice thank you e-mail. Micheal Flaherty, president of Walden Media , while speaking to Marvin Olasky of World Magazine about some of the scarier scenes in the film, The Dawn Treader , explains it this way . Flaherty tells Olasky, "So we’re talking with the screenwriter and director and someone says, “Before Eustace gets un-dragoned, let’s have him fight another dragon, and as a reward for him fighting that other dragon and beating him, Aslan will un-dragon him.” I

Just a quiet note here up, up in the U.P. amidst flurries, Christmas carols sung loudly and off tune, good Advent Stories , special time spent together though it is later at night than usual, thoughts about giving and what it means and looks like to give as a believer, a sick daughter (yes, again), and readying to go out of town...this Friday favourite is the quiet times in the early morning and chats (via cell phone...yes, I love and hate them with a passion) with that man I call Love....and these....    Just this wreath, made with love and the hands of of a dear friend.   Sweet signs of the season on our front table     Brown bags filled with bits of happiness and Words of Truth for the soul.      

Many times as a little girl a magazine from the American Girl Doll Company would come in the mail. I remember it usually being around Christmas, but it could have been any time during the year. Oh, this magizine, it was wonderful! And I don't remember wanting a whole lot as a little girl, but yes, oh yes! I wanted an American Girl Doll. Samantha, to be exact. I would spend many a minute with that coveted magazine, circling little items, imagining, wondering what it would be like to have her...just her. The bed, the clothes, all the accessories, those were, I knew, just pie in the sky dreams, but the doll....that was possible....though she was ever so expensive, it was possible. Christmas' came and they went. I did get the doll that had the hair that would grow when you touched her hand to a plastic butterfly in her hair. Santa even left me a note that said I would have to wait for the rest of the accessories. One day poof! everything was there on my bed.  And that bike I

 I watch the snow fall out my picture window...again...as I pretty much do each day, I thought it would be fun to share with you some advice I got about living in the UP from a dear, and funny friend via Facebook. Keep in mind that Justin and I may or may not have dressed quite appropriately for trick or treating with the kids (and when I say Justin and I...I might mean mostly mean me) and this may or may not have been a note of encouragement to do so among other winterly advice. Enjoy! Hi friend, On the eve of your first full winter here in "God's Country" (because, you know, God's preference is for places where frostbite is common and no food can grow) and after watching you and your family valiantly shiver your way through our less than stellar attempt at trick or treating, I've decided to share with you my top secret top 6 ways to prepare yourself, mentally and physically, for the long U.P. winters 1. Despite what you were taught in school, there are n

"Why is it that we give gifts at Christmas?" This, the first line of the Christmas story board book that we received shortly after Hunter arrived in late Dec., 2008. It is this story that I read to him while he lay, all 5 lbs. of him, a blindfold covering his sensitive eyes, in a wondrous gift of an incubator. I read. He slept. I prayed. And he worked hard to breathe. And what a gift it was, that incubator. Surly, by God's grace. incredible nurses and this little incubator we have our first son healthy and happy (well, mostly :) )   Not unlike that incubator that kept our little man so safe and warm, free from the world he was not very ready to enter, sometimes gifts can be the saving kind. And as we celebrate the greatest gift ever given, Jesus Christ, I wanted to share with you some places that you can go to share the same kinds of gifts: life giving and changing gifts, in the name of Christ, with children and families across the world who are in desperate need of

As I hold and rock our two year old for a must-have-or-I'll-fall-asleep-at-five-and-not-go-to-bed-'til-11 nap, we listen to quiet Christmas music. As I hold and rock this littlest one of mine, I think about Mary, rocking her God-in-flesh baby. It is sweet. And again I am made humble as I think about this Word becoming flesh...baby flesh. You see, almost every time I want to rise up, to gain something in and of myself, to want a high accolade, it is then I am reminded things like this: that the God of the universe, He who made all things, came as a baby first. No, not as a King. No, not as a ruler, but as a babe in a manger whose every need had to be met first by his own mother. And so in this life of bending low to be lifted up, I find myself battling against always wanting a pat on the back, recognition for things done well....given well. Just this morning here I am standing in the kitchen crying out for grace to love a friend when I really want, and think I deserve, to be

We have this wonderful life in the Air Force that the Lord has given. Yes, we do! We love living off yonder (I stole this word from my mother) here and there. There are these times that come around once a year, namly the holiday season, and there in my heart...all our hearts really....this pang. A little twinge of saddness that we are not sharing turkey (or pizza if you live in our home), dressing, cornbread, mashed potatoes, and just about every dessert you can think of that you can put in a can of pumpkin into with all those around the world, friends and family alike, that we love so dearly. I once was told by a dear friend who is a missionary to military families and has see her fare share of people coming and going in her life that, "Oh, how I do wish I could gather all those that I love in one special place and live together....forever." No more good-bys or hellos for that matter. Just together. Sounds lovely. And a bit like heaven, which certainly isn't going to

Hebrews 11 is known as the "Hall of Faith" for every Christian. In it we see clearly that faith is how a person is saved. Every believer mentioned in Hebrews 11 is from the Old Testament which means that Jesus was not born on earth yet. What we also see clearly, is also what the Lord has been teaching me these last couple of weeks: "These (Abraham and Sarah) all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them,embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.  For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.  And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.  But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them." (Hebrews 11:13-16)   Recently Jordynn said absentmindedly, and more to the