Father of Glory

For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. Ephesians 1:15-17

At The All Saints Fair

Sweet

141. I'm thankful for the heart of the man who brought a treat to sick boys and chocolate for Dr. Mom.

Morning Eggs

Brown eggs make me smile... especially when they're fresh, local, and delivered by a friend.

Washing Fresh

She's a hardworking old gal, she's faithful and reliable, and she never complains. But, let's face it, from time to time she starts to smell like an overlooked dirty, wet sock. Thankfully, it doesn't take much to freshen her up. Run a clothes-free, cold water cycle carefully adding 1 cup of vinegar or bleach through the chlorine bleach dispenser. There now, isn't that better?! Everyone is happier.

Pina Colada?

Yes, please.

Author and Perfecter

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.Hebrews 12:2

Weekend Smile

{29 Weeks Old}
When she woke from her nap the afternoon light in her room was perfect. I grabbed the camera, plopped her on the bed, and started snapping pictures. I wasn't thinking about the details; I was simply trying to take advantage of the light {because one should never let good light go to waste}! As it turns out, it's the details that make this photo special to me...
I love that she's sitting on Mimi's quilt, I love that the professor's artwork shows in the background, I love that she's wearing her "little sister" shirt because that's what the boys still call her, I love that her eyes are twinkling, and I love that she's flashing her big, toothless grin. That precious smile has already started to change... the tiny tips of her first two teeth pushed through yesterday.
Have a wonderful weekend, my friends... enjoy life and smile big!

He Gives

Awake and up before morning's first light I think of my mother. On my mind are the tests she underwent earlier this week, and the appointment she'll keep with her oncologist today to discuss them. A routine check-up they say... when a loved one is post-cancer, post-surgery, post-chemo every test, every scan, every appointment can be nerve-wracking.

I pray for the peace of His presence to be with her... and me. I pray for good health. I pray for rejoicing.

Then I read this:

The best response to losses or thwarted hopes is praise: The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Remember all good things -- your possessions, your family and friends, your health and abilities, your time -- are gifts from Me. Instead of feeling entitled to all these blessings, respond to them with gratitude. Be prepared to let go of anything I take from you, but never let go of My hand! from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young; Job 1:21

Am I holding onto something besides you, Lord? Have I let go of your hand? Do I feel entitled? If You take away her health how will I respond? Will I be able to praise You?

She calls with a good report. Today, He gives! We praise and rejoice.

Tomorrow He may take someone, something that I hold dear. Am I prepared to let go? Will I praise Him then? I hope I will... only by His grace.

The Lord gives. {Today, He gives!} The Lord takes. His name be ever blessed.

Mercies Never Ceasing

132. October rain.
133. A night of good rest after several not-so-good nights.
134. Watching Big Brother really start to "come into his own" in second grade.
135. Golden afternoons spent outside.
136. Clean sheets.
137. Hot tea for early morning sipping.
138. College football -- the professor enjoys it so much and that makes me happy.
139. Kids eat free night at Moe's on a night when my dinner plan didn't happen.
140. Listening to the boys recite Psalm 23 and then ask to memorize another one.
"Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise...."

El Gato

He won!

Thankful Moments

Tonight I am tired but thankful for...
123. The first round of flooring, which arrived early {but is not yet installed}.
124. A selfless husband. He insisted on staying home with all three children when one of them became ill and we had to cancel babysitter plans so that I could attend our small group Bible study. He fed everyone, cleaned the kitchen, and all was quiet {except for the no-bottle-baby} when I came home.
125. Baby enjoying the wind in her face.
126. Boys that smell like fresh air.
127. Our small group.
128. How God continues to heighten my awareness of His fingerprints on every moment of every day. I'm seeing more and more how He perfectly orders our moments according to His plan. As He shows me this I'm learning to trust His timing and design in the small day-to-day tasks.
129. A recent fun evening for our family watching the Harlem Globetrotters.
130. These verses from Psalms: "Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim You, who walk in the light of Your presence, O Lord. They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness." Psalm 89:15-16 -- I find such hope in knowing that acclaiming God and walking in His presence is learned... it's a process. By God's grace I will continually grow in this, that I might rejoice in His name and be aware of His presence at all times.
131. How a feverish Little Brother and a blow-out baby diaper redirected our path from going to soccer practice after school today. The extra hours we gained at home were just what we needed to finish schoolwork in a timely, stress-free way, laugh with Daddy, and complete some art projects... Big Brother's drawing will be submitted in the art fair tomorrow!

Father of Compassion, God of All Comfort

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

At Sunset...

With sunset hair.{28 weeks old}

Squirrel Feeder

"Mommy, I'm going to feed da squorrels," he exclaimed in eye-sparkling, four-year-old exuberance just before dashing outdoors, slamming the kitchen door behind him.
When the baby's tummy was full I stepped outside and was surprised to find him busy collecting materials to build a fort.
"Did you feed the squirrels?" I asked.
He led me to a patch of dirt under the crepe myrtle tree. "Dis is my squorrel feeder," he said with a grin. "Won't dey be happy?!"
Indeed.

Apple Logic

When a curious, hungry boy chomps through an apple and finds the seeds... the most logical thing for him to do is plant them.

Reflection of Color

Art in the nursery.

Ten on Ten: October

I can't think of a more appropriate date to start participating in the Ten on Ten photo project! The goal: take one photo for ten consecutive hours on the tenth of each month. I'm a day late getting these posted, my timing wasn't spot-on, and I didn't haul my camera to church, but these images capture the essence of our October 10, 2010.










Every day begins and ends in the kitchen! What do you think of our vintage kitchen floor? The professor peeled up the top layer of linoleum on Saturday and this is what we discovered underneath.Nice!

God, The First and the Last

Listen to me, O Jacob,Israel, whom I have called:
I am He;
I am the first and I am the last.
Isaiah 48:12

Strawberry Cupcakes {Two Ways}

Yum.{27 weeks old}

One Sweet Moment and Thank You

122. I don't say this often enough... Thank you, dear readers, for your friendly visits. Some of you come and go with kind words, others simply slip in and out quietly. No matter how you choose to visit I am thankful for each of you and the smiles that you bring to my face.

{These three make me smile, too!}

Random Tuesday

You're probably wondering about the photo, I'm not sure what it is but I kind of like it. I was standing in the kitchen yesterday holding Baby while trying to change the lens on my camera {I know, not a very smart maneuver} when she started reaching and grabbing for the camera, the next thing I knew she pressed the shutter. At the ripe age of six months Baby Sister makes her debut into photography.

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On Friday morning the professor mentioned that he had secured the use of a friend's jackhammer and that he had weekend plans to use said power tool to remove old ceramic tile mortar from our house's foundation. It took me .287 seconds to decide that the children and I needed to get out of Dodge. Thankfully Bunny and Pop welcomed us {on very short notice} for an overnight visit while the professor stayed home and prepped the foundation for hardwood floors. Bunny fed us barbecue and cupcakes and Pop took us to the zoo; the professor filled the window sills with dust and gravel. I'm really glad that I wasn't home to witness the noise and the mess.

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Last night I made a chicken curry dish for dinner {except I didn't use red curry paste, I just mixed my own curry powder}. I was prepared to meet some resistance from the younger generation, and then I remembered that the professor had a bad experience with a currywurst while in Germany and hasn't been fond of the spice blend since. Our evening meal suddenly seemed to be headed for certain disaster. Surprise of surprises *everybody* like it. That made me happy.

Next time I make it I will add cauliflower and/or lentils. The boys won't like that but I will.

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I love watching the birds on our bird feeder. I think they enjoy watching us too.

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Big Brother has announced that he wishes his middle name was Langston. Random.

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I shopped at our community's twice-annual children's clothing consignment sale today.
Here are a few observations:

• There are too many pale pink baby clothes in this world.
• I am not going to pay $10 for a pair of boy's jeans that have holes worn in the knees, even if they are from the Gap.
• Going to the consignment sale is not enjoyable. I go because I feel compelled to stretch our dollars.
• Boys are hard on clothes. There are not many boys' clothing items that are worth re-selling.

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Baby Sister had her first taste of cereal last night. She tasted it, smiled, grimaced, opened her mouth for more, tasted, and grimaced again.

Guess who got a green sippy cup for her half-birthday? Guess who can sit up now? Guess who has discovered that rolling can be a means of mobility {and a way to get stuck under a set of bunk beds}? Guess who has figured out that she can change her mind?

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The best thing I did all day was a lay on a blanket in the backyard and laugh with my three babies. The professor found us that way when he came home.

Firstborn

We haven't seen his face around here lately. Of my three he is the most camera-shy, which is something that I try to respect {most of the time}.

He is my action guy. He has an insatiable appetite for life... and for popsicles after a soccer game.

The Lord Our Maker

 

Come, let us bow down in worship,

let us kneel before the Lord our Maker...

Psalm 95:6

Half-Birthday

Miss Strawberry you are six months old today! You grow more precious to us every day.


With a heart of rejoicing I add you to my list...
121. I am thankful for you, Baby Sister. You are a constant reminder to me that God's greatest and most tender, delightful blessings are often the ones that are unexpected. You, my dear, are a picture of grace... you are God's gift to us, an example of His unmerited favor and His kindness.
{26 weeks old}14 pounds, 15 ounces