Debagain

2010-02-10T21:01:00.000-08:00

It's. A. New. Post.

New Post.

Christmas Joy

2010-01-03T15:42:00.001-08:00

A Letter to Family and Friends

2010-01-01T14:15:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share the following letter I sent out:

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Happy New Year to all of you as well! We share a common hope in Christ and that is the bond that ties us together. I praise God and thank Him for you and that you are striving to live for Him. I'm thankful I have you all to share my praises with.

Many of you know that my father past away a week before Christmas. I know you have been praying for me and my family. Thank you so much for the time you have spent in prayer. It is a sad time for me, but also a time of great rejoicing! I do believe that on my father's death bed he truly became born again!

Some of you would say, huh? What!? My dad was an Independent Fundamental Baptist preacher for 30+ years...and I'll tell you with as much honesty, but also with as much respect as I can...my father had RELIGION and not a relationship with Jesus Christ! I do not say this lightly, but with firm conviction and a warning to all of those who call themself a born-again believer and also for those who may be pretending or led astray in a man's false teaching...BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN AND YOKE OF THE PHARISEES! It almost dragged my father's soul to hell.

I have been praying for my father since I was a little girl and before I was even born again from my own sin. I have cried tears that could fill oceans and begged God to show my father the truth of repentance in Christ and the relationship and fruit and gifts of the Spirit that follow. There were times of great apathy in my Christian life where I said...I've prayed enough!!! I'm tired of praying for my Dad! But again and again God would smite my heart to pray more for my dad.
Well, God provided a way for me to see him the week of his death. I spent time caring for him as he laid helpless in bed and in pain. He couldn't eat and was now refusing water. Every bad feeling I had and reservation to truly love my dad was gone when I saw him lying there in that bed. Death was imminent now. Day was fading fast. Sin had paid it's wages and life would soon be past. (lyrics from a Ron Hamilton song flood my mind.) But then...

My dad asked me to pray for him. I prayed and he said..."I'm not sincere." He said it once, twice and then over and over again as if he were a broken record. "I'm not sincere, I'm not sincere." I asked, "You think I'm not sincere in my prayer for you?" He said, "No, no me! I'm not sincere! I have been rotten!" I fumbled for words and I sadly gave a pat answer, "No, Dad, God is on your side." He said, "No! God is NOT on my side!" I could not believe(I believe Lord, help my unbelief!) what I was hearing, I thought I would never see this day. Finally, God gave me a word..."Dad, you can pray right now and ask God to forgive you for not being sincere and He will forgive you." He insisted on praying right then and there. And for the next several minutes my father cried out to God in a way I have never seen before...He cried out for forgiveness of sin, he had prayed for my forgiveness specifically and our family's forgiveness. Tears streamed down the side of his face. I wailed and wept like Hannah at the altar.

Immediately, where once lived a haughty, prideful, religious pretender now presided a humble, redeemed servant of Christ who was now asking for hugs and telling me he loved me...
I AM COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY BY THE POWER OF GOD AND THE POWER OF PRAYER!

Throughout the brief time he had left on the earth my dad encouraged us to forgive one another and to love one another. I didn't want him to die...I wanted him to live, to now live his life for Christ instead of living his life to fulfill the law. I cried as he slept and asked God to let him live. He died, but NOW he is born again. I do believe my dad is now in heaven where there is no more pain. That brings my heart much relief in this New Year.

And may you all be encouraged to keep on praying for those who are lost and in their sin. We get tired, we wonder, when Lord? You may think, "I've been praying all these years for my Mom, my friend, my co-worker." ...KEEP PRAYING! And keep on trusting in the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT to call people to conviction of sin and lead them to salvation. Our faith may be weak at times, but His word still stands pure and true!

May God renew your vision for His kingdom this year and give you a fresh burden for those who are dying in their sin with no hope. May God bolster your families as you serve Him. Keep praying over those children and God will raise up servants for His glory. We love you and thank God so much for you!

Ephesians 3:20,

"Now to Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us!"

In Christ,
Deb Paul and Family

Dusting off the Blog and My Heart

2009-12-01T21:58:00.000-08:00

Wow.

Life has been a rolling along and my poor blog has been entirely neglected by it's owner. Poor little bloggy. Welcome to the world of facebook. Blogs are nice for people who can really write, but facebook is where it is at for those who have a very, very short attention span. Eh, hem.

*long thoughtful pause followed by a sigh* I can't believe all that has taken place in my life in the last six months. One mentionable high on the list in the part of my mind that never sleeps is, well, my Dad.

I do feel numb that my Dad is going to die soon. It feels weird and strange for me. I can't imagine what it might seem like for him. For the Christian, is death really that joyous thing that happens when you are safely ushered into the arms of Jesus? I'd like to believe that, but as I sit here and think of what it would be like to die when I still have kids and a husband to love, sadness overwhelms me at the thought of it(the "d" word), even as a Christian, dare I say.

I'm dusting off my blog to tell nobody, somebody what I feel about this death thing. Personally, and without much "pat-answer, Christian reason" I don't think death is fair sometimes. I don't think it's fair that little children have to suffer and die in this world. Many or most of you would agree. On the same level of unfairness, I think is my Dad being broad-sided, without warning, by cancer and impending death at 69. I have no intention to shake my fist at God. I trust His judgement on the whole, but in times like these I wonder, well, the proverbial question: Why?

There is much unfinished business and much to understand and to forgive. Is it fair that he should slip away, peacefully in his sleep without coming to grips with all that he has done? Most of you don't understand where I stand or where I come from, but I need to know why people die and leave behind so much unfinished business behind them. I guess it is not for me to know, maybe. And, at this point, does it really matter?

As I write all this in my attempt to dust off my blog I realize that I need to dust off my heart as well. I have become callouse towards my Dad. I don't hate my Dad, but the trap of holding on to the past and the present, for that matter, keep me in a place of indifference that I don't want to be, especially now since these could very well be the last days that he has on this earth.

So I'm asking God to help me. I need help loving him and letting my heart be affected by his sufferings...because I am a Christian. I struggle to have the mind of Christ. I know I can love my Dad without a return of that love, but it is hard. It's hard not to have your father's love, in life and in especially in death. It's very, very hard. I'm a non-person to him and I have to let all the pent up emotion and feeling that surrounds that thought...I need to let that go.

And by God's grace I will. I surely will.

My One and Only Sister

2009-09-14T21:22:00.000-07:00

In about 57 minutes it will be my sister's birthday.

I wanted to write some things about my one and only on the eve of her 35th year.

When Beth and I were little we always had to share a room. What with 5 children and seemingly always a small space for us to fit in, that was inevitable. I'll say it's partially what helped bring us close when we were little...having to share a lot of things, not just a room. I will never forget the nightmares I had as a child that sent me running into my sister's arms for comfort. She would protect me from the monsters by laying her arm across my chest the whole night through. She didn't know it, but I would wake up and when I could feel her arm there I knew it was alright to go back to sleep again...I was safe.

We spent many nights hiding behind the sofa where mom sat to relax and get a few evening shows in. She'd eventually hear us behind her and we would dash to the bedroom all while laughing and yelling, "Book, Momma's coming!" It was a joke...mom never really cared that much that we were up that late on a school night. Mom was laid back when it came to that kind of stuff, but shoot, don't you dare make her late to anything! I remember getting left at the house one time when I didn't get ready quick enough. Mom went around the block and I was in a panic. I thought she wasn't going to come back around, but she did.

Beth was always the good kid in the family for the most part and in some ways I wanted to be like her. She was my big sister. I also remember fighting over who got showers, curling irons and a certain shirt first. One time me and my sister were at my brother's house visiting when we were still in high school. Well, we both decided we wanted to wear the same article of clothing that morning. An all out brawl insued over who was going to have it. I think I won. I can laugh my head off about that now!

We never had a lot of money to buy a doll house for our barbies, so we made our own house out of books, cardboard or whatever we could find. My mom would let us take blankets and some furniture outside in the summer time and make rooms on the lawn and we would pretend we owned our own house. Guests (neighbors) were invited over to our "house" and it was so much fun. We went to a neighbor's house and played "pageant". We dressed up in different clothes and walked down the made up runway to show off our stuff. I was always the chubby kid in the bunch, so when it was my turn to walk down the runway the kids laughed and poked fun at me. I ran away and cried. My big sister was there for me and I think I remember her consoling me.

We sang together, laughed together, cried together and fought together. I don't know what I would do if I ever lost her. She's my friend like no other friend. I can't totally be myself around anyone else that I know. I don't have to put it on, gloss it over or fake it up when I am with her. That kind of relationship is priceless. What can I say? I miss her and I love her. Cheers, Bethy, and may it be the happiest of all birthdays.

Pizza Picnic on the Beach

2009-09-07T13:00:00.000-07:00

Hodge Podge

2009-09-01T13:30:00.001-07:00

Lauren has gotten into the habit of taking pictures with my camera. She loves it and has taken many, really good pictures like this one here. I think I might have a photographer on my hands.

Well, homeschooling the kids has started back up again and I think it is going to go quite well this year. I have a better plan and I am definitely going to keep it simple with the two younger ones, focusing on the three R's and a little cursive, spelling and some science. For them it will be mostly Abeka. I love Abeka's phonics program and their readers for 1st-3rd grade, so we try to stick with this curriculum for the most part for the first three grades.

Ian's schedule will be somewhat different. He is in 4th grade now and does so well with school that we are going to do some more for him this year. For science we are going to do Abeka 4th grade. Math will be Saxon 4/5 this year and it has turned out to be much better than Abeka for us. I love Abeka's colorful pictures and even the neat quotes included, but it is just WAY too much for a little kid to get accomplished. I mean he was doing big, long division problems by the middle of his third grade year. Give me a break, right? Gheesh, I went to public school in the third grade and remember just barely getting the basic multiplication problems memorized by the END of the year and I went to a good school.

Anyway, Saxon is boring to look at, but it's much better and goes much slower and more incremental instead of exploding into 8 different concepts on one worksheet. For spelling, a friend gave us a comprehensive spelling book that we will use, just some public school book. It's older and looks really good concerning how they get the kids remember the words, meanings, etc. I found a neat history book at the goodwill store that we will use. For tests in that subject I will use the chapter reviews. For our baisc reading it will BJU's I Met You in a Story for fourth grade. He will also be reading missionary biographies of Gladys Aylward and William Duncan.

I will be doing cursive with all of them as a group. I haven't really pushed cursive that hard yet. I like the idea of them having beautiful cursive handwriting, but wonder if it is necessary if they can write neatly in manuscript. Things have changed in our society and I think they will be using their computer keyboard more than their pen. I would like them to become proficient in typing. I have them type emails to their friends when we get a chance. I personally don't remember handwriting papers in college. I had to type most of the time because that is what the teacher required. I also remember the kids in high school receiving kudos for typing their papers instead of writing them.

Anway, Fridays will be our creative writing day. They all do copywork everyday, but we really struggle to creatively write. I think I will keep the writing to any subject they choose or out of something they read. We used to google pictures of interest, then copy and past them to my documents then we would print them, cut them out and paste them to lined paper, then they have to write a story about their pictures. Brian will be studying the bible with the kids when he is able during the day.

He started picking up his guitar again and getting us all around for singing praise and worship songs. I look forward to us singing more together. I would love to get the kids down to a nursing home to sing for the elderly someday. Maybe we could get good enough for Christmas time. We'll see.

Also, having an acre of land has it's benefits. We explore the yard often for bugs, spiders, *snakes(yes!), flowers(we have several kinds in our large yard), frogs, rabbits, possums and many kinds of trees. In the winter we may see deer and coyotes. We are waiting for the weather to cool down so we can really enjoy being outside for longer periods of time.

Anyway, on top of homeschooling we have been trying to get ahead financially. We got seriously behind when Brian switched shifts which dropped $1200 of our income a month and also we spent the months of June and July making unexpected visits to family for a couple of weeks. Needless to say all that set us back. We are really concerned about this economy and wonder where we are headed in this country. I know I shouldn't worry, but I really want to stay informed and be prepared in any way that I can be. I have friends and some family that are stockpiling guns, ammo and have fire and tamper proof safes. I have other friends who are stockpiling buckets of wheat, rice and oats, etc. I know, it makes me start to freak out, because these people aren't the type that you would peg to do this sort of thing.

Some men trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. I realize that, but I wouldn't mind putting my trust in the Lord while I have a few of those other things to go with my trust. Until next blog post...

Divine Brownies and What Else Could There Be?

2009-08-27T15:13:00.000-07:00

Okay...I love brownies. Who doesn't? But when you take the ordinary brownie and turn it into a divine explosion of chocolate in your mouth it brings a whole new meaning for the love of all things brownie. Here's what you do:

-Buy one of the above brownie mix and three of the above chocolate bar.

-Mix the box mix as directed(I use the cake recipe)

-Then put half of the mix in a 13x9 pan

-Unwrap the chocolate bars and layer them on top of your brownie mix in the pan (and, hey, if you want to use cheaper candy bars, go ahead!)

-Then pour and smooth the rest of the mix on top of the bars

-Bake as directed and then...

Die from deliciousness!

Maybe this is an old trick, but I have never tried this before and I wish I had.

2009-08-23T07:57:00.000-07:00

Facebook Faux Pas

2009-08-20T07:20:00.000-07:00

Thought this article about Facebook was good from cnn.com:

Here are 12 of the most annoying types of Facebook users:

The Let-Me-Tell-You-Every-Detail-of-My-Day Bore. "I'm waking up." "I had Wheaties for breakfast." "I'm bored at work." "I'm stuck in traffic." You're kidding! How fascinating! No moment is too mundane for some people to broadcast unsolicited to the world. Just because you have 432 Facebook friends doesn't mean we all want to know when you're waiting for the bus.

The Self-Promoter. OK, so we've probably all posted at least once about some achievement. And sure, maybe your friends really do want to read the fascinating article you wrote about beet farming. But when almost EVERY update is a link to your blog, your poetry reading, your 10k results or your art show, you sound like a bragger or a self-centered careerist.

The Friend-Padder. The average Facebook user has 120 friends on the site. Schmoozers and social butterflies -- you know, the ones who make lifelong pals on the subway -- might reasonably have 300 or 400. But 1,000 "friends?" Unless you're George Clooney or just won the lottery, no one has that many. That's just showing off.

The Town Crier. "Michael Jackson is dead!!!" You heard it from me first! Me, and the 213,000 other people who all saw it on TMZ. These Matt Drudge wannabes are the reason many of us learn of breaking news not from TV or news sites but from online social networks. In their rush to trumpet the news, these people also spread rumors, half-truths and innuendo. No, Jeff Goldblum did not plunge to his death from a New Zealand cliff.

The TMIer. "Brad is heading to Walgreens to buy something for these pesky hemorrhoids." Boundaries of privacy and decorum don't seem to exist for these too-much-information updaters, who unabashedly offer up details about their sex lives, marital troubles and bodily functions. Thanks for sharing.

The Bad Grammarian. "So sad about Fara Fauset but Im so gladd its friday yippe". Yes, I know the punctuation rules are different in the digital world. And, no, no one likes a spelling-Nazi schoolmarm. But you sound like a moron.

The Sympathy-Baiter. "Barbara is feeling sad today." "Man, am I glad that's over." "Jim could really use some good news about now." Like anglers hunting for fish, these sad sacks cast out their hooks -- baited with vague tales of woe -- in the hopes of landing concerned responses. Genuine bad news is one thing, but these manipulative posts are just pleas for attention.

The Lurker. The Peeping Toms of Facebook, these voyeurs are too cautious, or maybe too lazy, to update their status or write on your wall. But once in a while, you'll be talking to them and they'll mention something you posted, so you know they're on your page, hiding in the shadows. It's just a little creepy.

The Crank. These curmudgeons, like the trolls who spew hate in blog comments, never met something they couldn't complain about. "Carl isn't really that impressed with idiots who don't realize how idiotic they are." [Actual status update.] Keep spreading the love.

The Paparazzo. Ever visit your Facebook page and discover that someone's posted a photo of you from last weekend's party -- a photo you didn't authorize and haven't even seen? You'd really rather not have to explain to your mom why you were leering like a drunken hyena and French-kissing a bottle of Jagermeister.

The Maddening Obscurist. "If not now then when?" "You'll see..." "Grist for the mill." "John is, small world." "Dave thought he was immune, but no. No, he is not." [Actual status updates, all.] Sorry, but you're not being mysterious -- just nonsensical.

The Chronic Inviter. "Support my cause. Sign my petition. Play Mafia Wars with me. Which 'Star Trek' character are you? Here are the 'Top 5 cars I have personally owned.' Here are '25 Things About Me.' Here's a drink. What drink are you? We're related! I took the 'What President Are You?' quiz and found out I'm Millard Fillmore! What president are you?"

You probably mean well, but stop. Just stop. I don't care what president I am -- can't we simply be friends? Now excuse me while I go post the link to this story on my Facebook page.

Hey, it's a free country and you can facebook however you want. I plan to break a few of these rules every now and then, but not too much. :)

Summertime, Summertime, Sum-Sum-Summertime

2009-07-29T14:08:00.000-07:00

Conviction in the Midst of Confrontation

2009-07-20T13:46:00.000-07:00

"Although I may be a gifted speaker and can pray in tongues anytime, anywhere, and yet I don’t love others, I am only making noise without substance. And though I seem to have an answer for everything and people come to me for my opinions, and I am a dynamo of spiritual power with many spiritual victories, and yet I have no love, I am a zero. And though my generosity is well known, and I have sacrificed all for God with wounds and scars to prove it, yet I have no love, God hasn’t profited from me at all.

“So, how can you tell whether or not you have real love? See for yourself how love behaves by the following list:

“Love smiles through the pain of being hurt, criticized, misunderstood and ignored without constantly complaining. Love never confronts anyone unless it is with a kind, well-considered word without blasting them out of the room. Love doesn’t judge or want what others have—-clothes, car, job, wife, husband, money, personality or even spiritual gifts. It doesn’t go around talking about God being unfair or people being uncaring when the real problem is envy and jealousy. It shuns the limelight and recognition. It doesn’t have “I” problems.

“Love declines to make a scene about everything and won’t make mountains out of molehills. It will not choose inappropriate and disruptive ways to make a point. It doesn’t have to be right all the time and it is slow to get stirred up about every tale spread through the ever-active grapevine. Love doesn’t wear its feelings on its sleeves, and it doesn’t assume that others are thinking, doing and intending the worst. It gives people the benefit of the doubt.

“Love suffers when someone fails or when tragedy strikes. It takes no pleasure in sin or wrongdoing of any kind. It is most interested in the truth winning out, even when the truth hurts. Love lends its shoulder to bear the burdens of others and never breaks their confidence. It believes the best in people and tries hard to trust them. Even when love feels someone is wrong, lying, or making a huge mistake, it still hopes for the best possible outcome. And when love is disappointed and crushed by bearing, believing and hoping, it endures the hurt and embarrassment with cheer and restraint, always continuing to be itself—-love.

“Three great forces motivate the church: faith, hope and love. These powerful attributes are the basis for everything the church is doing in the world today. But even when you narrow it all down to these three, at the top of the list you’ll find love.”

-J. Mark Jordan, Thought Sculpting

I found this paraphrase of I Corinthians 13 online and it is as convicting as it is beautiful. So powerful, don't you think?

Ny Times Interviews Supreme Court Justince Ginsburg

2009-07-17T19:08:00.000-07:00

Q: Are you talking about the distances women have to travel because in parts of the country, abortion is essentially unavailable, because there are so few doctors and clinics that do the procedure? And also, the lack of Medicaid for abortions for poor women?

JUSTICE GINSBURG: Yes, the ruling about that surprised me. [Harris v. McRae — in 1980 the court upheld the Hyde Amendment, which forbids the use of Medicaid for abortions.] Frankly I had thought that at the time Roe was decided, there was concern about population growth and particularly growth in populations that we don’t want to have too many of. So that Roe was going to be then set up for Medicaid funding for abortion. Which some people felt would risk coercing women into having abortions when they didn’t really want them. But when the court decided McRae, the case came out the other way. And then I realized that my perception of it had been altogether wrong.

Do I hear a littel Eugenics in the mix here?

Hmmm...

2009-07-17T18:54:00.000-07:00

"Naturally the common people don't want war: Neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, IT IS THE LEADERS of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is TELL THEM THEY ARE BEING ATTACKED, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. IT WORKS THE SAME IN ANY COUNTRY."

--Goering at the Nuremberg Trials

Wedding Bells and Flower Girl Bloopers

2009-07-13T18:12:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a whirlwind trip to Loo*e*z*anna to see Brian's youngest brother get married. Lauren was the flower girl and she was so cute. Shortly after we arrived we went to the wedding rehearsal where Lauren got to practice slowly walking up and down the aisle several times. Well, I didn't explain to her in fine detail that she would have a basket with flower petals in it and that she would have to throw the petals on the aisle while she walked down it. So....right before it was her turn to come down the aisle the lady that cues her told her to throw the petals as she walked, but she paused because she didn't understand. Then she proceeded and did what she thought she should and stopped every couple of feet, bent down and placed the petals on the floor all the way down the entire aisle. Well! That took a while and I'm so glad that everyone thought that was so cute. I was a little embarrassed because I didn't explain all that to her better. What was so funny is that the ring bearer came down the aisle arm in arm with her and he was so confused as to what she was doing. Very cute. I wish I had video of that one. Anyway, it was a nice wedding and I wish Justin and Stephanie all the best. :)

Fourth of July Fun

2009-07-05T11:47:00.001-07:00

When It Rains, It Pours

2009-06-23T17:33:00.000-07:00

When it rains, it pours.

I say that as large, black, ominous clouds pile
up over the roof of my house. The wind is beginning to pick up and it looks like we're in for a real storm. It seems scary, almost as if a tornado could jump up from nowhere at any moment. *Think Dorothy when she couldn't get into her cellar.* One thing is, we sure do need the rain...there has been a drought here for a while.

I remember telling my husband in January, "This year feels like 'the' year." The year for things to go wrong. Well, I was right, but not gladly. These are the times when I wish I was wrong. I really don't know why I would think something like that, but I do believe God put that in my mind and heart for as preparation for all that was coming.

At the top of my long list of things going wrong is my Dad. He has cancer. Cancer in his kidney and possible cancer in his lung and who knows where else. I don't know what to think or say. I feel disconnected from the reality that my Dad could really be sick. I want to see my Dad be okay and to be healed by God. I also want to allow this rain to help quench my own personal drought.

Drought. It's a place many live and sometimes stay for a very long time. I've been there a while myself. Stagnant. Thirsty. Empty. A spiritual wasteland. When in drought, there's not much to get by on. No rain, no food. No food, no growth. No growth, no life. Then comes the rain. It knocks you down with it's weight and you feel like you are being pummeled. It may rain one day. It may rain a whole month.

That rain, the storm, those trials bring life into perspective. It awakens a new sense of what really matters to God and a question of why there is a neglect of what matters to Him. It is a good place to be and in this place a child of God can move forward instead being stagnant or falling back. The rain can drive us headlong into a deeper dependance on Him. Isn't that the best place in the storm? Under His wings? Safely abiding. Constantly abiding. When it rains, it pours and I am thankful for every drop because it is there that we grow the most.

Beauty in the Midst of Sadness

2009-06-11T19:36:00.000-07:00

We lost another grandpa, father and father-in-law. Brian's stepfather passed away last Thursday. We made it just in time to see him before he died. Brian's family was waiting for us at the hospital at 12 midnight. They were taking Daddy Joe off of life support and it didn't take long for him to drift off into eternity. He was such a kind man. Not one for words, but he was a hard-working, gentle grandpa. My only regret is that we did not get to spend as much time with him as we could have over the years.

If only we could keep the TV off and talk more. There's not much time. If only we could stop texting and laugh together in person. There's not much time. If only we could realize every day could be our last. We'd focus on what *is* important and let all that other stuff go. Did you show love like you wanted to? This is what I'm thinking about.

In the middle of sadness I was able to get this picture of Sophia. Just another reminder of the beauty of life. The Lord gives and takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

What Little I Know

2009-06-03T19:33:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm sending out an S.O.S. I'm asking all of whoever you are to pray for my father-in-law. He fell four days ago and injured his head. They rushed him to the hospital to surgically remove a hematoma that he developed in his brain as a result of his falling. Today we got word that he flatlined yesterday and lost oxygen to his brain while the doctors tried to revive him. The doctors also found another hematoma on the stem of his brain and they say that even if he survives the next surgery that he will possibly be a vegetable for the rest of his life.

I'm praying for a miracle.

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to wish all you mothers a Happy Mother's Day! There's nothing easy about being a mother, but when we nurture, love, discipline and raise our children the rewards are endless. I pray God gives all of us a renewed vision and an added measure of grace to be the best mothers we can be. Blessings to all of you!!

I Wonder

2009-05-07T19:52:00.000-07:00

I wonder why the government is going to give big banks more money they don't have to continue to help bail them out. Where does all that "money" come from anyway?

I wonder if I am ever going to lose any weight. I guess I should try first. Ehem.

I wonder how I am going to homeschool three grades next school year and keep two toddlers out of trouble in the process. I'm riding on the Lord's all sufficient grace so I should be alright if I keep my mind on that thought.

I wonder when I will be able to go to the Galapagos Islands. I hear they are rather enchanting.

I wonder what my husband and I will do on our up and coming 10th Anniversary. Maybe visit the aforementioned breathtaking paradise? Wouldn't that be, uh, nice.

I wonder how my son accumulated so many presents for his birthday. Ach! I can see the materialism oozing out of his little ears. Ah, well.

I wonder where all the lovely Spring weather has gone. If only April could last forever.

I wonder why God chooses to bless us so much. Such an added benefit to every day, isn't it?

I wonder if anything we are told by the media can be believed. Swine flu...what's all the fuss? Turks are being blown to bits at their own wedding celebrations and the Taliban are causing people in Pakistan to flee for safety by the thousands. Oh, and the government is taking more money from you to give them(you know, those bank people). Do I smell a cover up, folks? Great timing, too, btw.

I wonder if we will ever get more time with man of the house. In he walks a few hours sooner than usual. Nice, rare treat.

I wonder how stars twinkle and what they are and all that. No, really. Oh, that's right the gases and the glowing and such. I remember now.

I wonder if this post will ever end and stop boring you. You know, all of you out there. May you all out there do well out there in your world and may you find rest tonight.

I guess I can stop all my wondering for now.

Frozen Strawberries

2009-04-24T21:15:00.001-07:00

It's strawberry season again. Sophia is chomping on some frozen strawberries. Lauren calls them shawberries. It's really cute the way she says it. You say tomayto. I say tomato. Let's call the whole thing off. Once again, I don't know what I am talking about. There's something about doing this blog thing. Some people get on here (actually there...over there at their blog) and have lot's to say and write it well. I have little to say and write it horribly. Tisk, tisk. I'll say I'm glad I have this beautiful, strawberry juice-filled face to enjoy life with. Ain't life grand?! Don't you think that little curly cue snippet of hair is just precious or what? Her hair is like poker straight and then this cutesie little curl in back. Ah, well.

So, how are all my peeps out there in blog a do land? We are faring well despite all the busyness. I don't know about you folks, but April is hopping and talk about gorgeous weather. It's like God knew just what I needed and gave it to me in the weather. It's been gorgeous almost every day this month. Oh, and we've been blessed above measure. We had this refund check from our mortgage company sitting in our bill box for months now and I just figured out that it was there. I popped that in the bank account thanking God all the way to the bank. Oh, wait, Mr. Paul went to the bank. I lost my head recalling the whole wonderful event. Another blessing, is that after much deliberation over getting a highly expensive riding lawn mower that we couldn't afford, my husband bought a cheap push mower at Walmart that we could afford. Well, he was thinking he could use a second mower and attach it to the one he bought. He found a pretty nice self-propelled mower on the side of the road and picked it up. It works just fine. Thank you, Lord, for that.

Unexpected money and free stuff. It's easy to thank God for the blessings. Trials are another thing. I have to pull myself past the way I feel to get to the gratitude I should have for something that is difficult to deal with. But they're kinda' like frozen strawberries, your trials. Once you get past the cold hard texture you begin to taste the sweetness of the strength that comes as a result of enduring the trial God allowed you to go through. "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory will be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy." I Peter 4:12-13 Hmmm... I'll have to keep those two in mind for future reference. Until then, good night and good luck.

Quotable Quotes

2009-04-15T16:25:00.000-07:00

I love quotes. Here are some good ones:

"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing."
-Phyllis Diller

"Parents have become so covinced that educators know what is best for children that they forget that they themselves really are the experts."
-Marian Edelman

"What the vast majority of American children need is to stop being pampered, stop being indulged, stop being chauffeured, stop being catered to. In the final analysis it is not what you do for your children but what you have taught them to do for themselves that will make them successful human beings."
-Ann Landers

"Well done is better than well said."
-Benjamin Franklin

"The mother's heart is the child's schoolroom."
-Richard Henry Dana

"We are always too busy for our children; we never give them the time or interest they deserve. We lavish gifts upon them; but the most precious gift- our personal association, which means so much to them- we give grudgingly."
-Mark Twain

"The parents have a right to say that no teacher paid by their money shall rob their children of faith in God and send them back to their homes skeptical, or infidels, or agnostics, or atheists."
-William Jennnings Bryan

To Everything a Season

2009-04-04T18:22:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you all, but this month so far has been super, ultra, way too busy for me. I am trying to start somewhat of a garden and it takes some doing for a new timer like me. My homeschooling needs to be vamped up a bit and also more simplified at the same time and we need to be getting five days in a week done instead of three. Yikes! Oh well, they are all progressing and that is the key to teaching. When a child becomes stagnant in their learning then you need to be concerned I think.

Yeah, progress. As homeschooling progresses our house and some of life's things have deteriorated. Our van is in my husband's shop. Yeah, he fixes our cars and has since day one in our marriage and figures out what he doesn't already know. I'm a little nervous seeing a fourth of our engine in peices all over our driveway. He figures it's the water pump or the radiator. The clincher...it's buried beneath three layers of parts. He can do it, I think. He's saved us thousands over the years. I think that's darn near neat.

Our fridge is acting strange. Cools when it wants to. Not good, I know. We have a pestilence in our yard and under our house that defies understanding. If we spray any more chemicals we're all gonna' hafta' be admitted to the ER. You think I'm kidding. Well, we try to keep it all under wraps. My nephew Matthew, who I haven't seen in years, has been stationed in MS and not too far from here, so I'm trying to persuade him to let us pick him up and stay for a weekend. That'll be nice if we can get it all worked out. Sarah broke our front living room window just by pressing on it a little too hard. It's an old house, but we like it. It has these neat old windows that are due for a changing out anyway.

Broken old windows, distant relations, a smart husband, falling behind, growing stuff...it all has a purpose, doesn't it? To every thing a season. This is a busy season. It's Spring and the big fat bees are out and my cherry plums are in full bloom. The Azaleas came and went so fast this year. The nasty torrential rain stamped them out before their time. Ah, well. All things work together...for...good to those that are in Christ Jesus. I've been thinking about a season a distant cousin of mine has been going through. She had her dear little boy three months early and the ride to save his life seems to have been a rough one, but he is coming out shining for now. The every day heartache and hope of her season of life has a purpose. To everything a season and a God in the midst of it all in whom we can trust and even cling to and depend completely upon. Wow. What more could a child of God ask for? I wonder if there could be anything better than that. Nah, no never.

A Lovely, Much Needed Day at the Beach

2009-03-19T19:55:00.000-07:00

Nobody is sick. The sun is shining and the temperature is just right. The Daddy has an unexpected day off. God is good. Need I say more? The smiles say it all. :)

Rainy, Dreary and Sickly

2009-03-14T14:42:00.000-07:00

I guess these photos reflect how we are feeling today. I feel sick and blah. The kids have had rounds of fevers for a week now. I think we are on the last kid to have this virus so that is one side of optimism for you. It has been rainy all day and is it me or does that make a sick person feel worse? I feel worse but I do so love to open the windows in the sunroom and hear the rain pitter patter all of the yard. Now, there is something soothing about hearing the rain. I'm growing weary...hopefully just a few more days of this. One thing about sickness is that it forces you to slow down to a stop and realize what is most important in that moment. In a world of such busyness that's a good thing.

You Give Me...What?

2009-03-13T20:30:00.000-07:00

It's sneaky. You can't see it so you don't know it's there unless you feel it yourself. One minute you think it's gone and in the next it's back again. It goes up and then it comes back down again. It likes to trick me by allowing energy to be produced then it takes back it's own power. It can make you change colors or suck the color right out of you.

In the last week it has turned my life upside down.

Can you guess what "it" is?

How Smart is Your Right Foot?

2009-03-07T19:13:00.000-08:00

HOW SMART IS YOUR RIGHT FOOT?

You have to try this , it takes 2 seconds. I could not believe this!!! It is from an orthopedic surgeon............

This will boggle your mind and you will keep you trying over and over again to see if you can outsmart your foot, but, you can't. It's pre-programmed in your brain!

1. Without anyone watching you (they will think you are GOOFY......) and while sitting at your desk in front of your computer, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.

2. Now, while doing this, draw the number '6' in the air with your right hand. Your foot will change direction.

25 Things

2009-03-06T17:03:00.000-08:00

Miss Mismatch

2009-02-23T16:43:00.000-08:00

Okay, we are not quite matching today, but you have to admit that the hat is cute. Can you tell that my kids dress themselves? :)

I love my new camera!

2009-02-20T16:04:00.000-08:00

Just want to say that I love my new camera (canon powershot sx110 ls)!

To all you family members, who do you think Sophia looks like in the bottom photo? Definitely a Rehfeldt, don't ya' think?

Blogging for the Sake of it

2009-02-18T16:01:00.000-08:00

Okay, I'll post something.

Something.

See there, now don't you feel rather enlightened?

Happy Birthday to You

2009-01-26T16:36:00.000-08:00

Sophia and Sarah both had birthdays recently. There are now 1 and 3. We had our cake and ate it too! :) We bought an ice cream cake and then realized that it was just ice cream and no cake in the middle of it. Brian had to have cake with his ice cream so we went and got a cake to go with the just ice cream cake. Go figure. :) I really can't believe all the time that has passed since the day Sophia was born. How can she be one year old? I can't believe that it is already the end of January. Cliche of all cliches: time flies. Well, it is so true. The older I get it becomes truer and truer all the time. Well, my girls, happy, happy birthday!

Who Says Ya' Can't?

2009-01-10T21:17:00.001-08:00

The camilias are blooming early again this year and who says ya' can't pick 'em when there is so many of them and their mine? The poor dears can't figure out that it's really winter and not spring. The camilias, that is. Around here all the seasons can be interchangeable and that's down right weird for a northern chick like me. We have distinct seasons where I come from. Well, I am enjoying our weather no matter how extreme. 70 degrees and no snow...I like it. I like it a lot.

I'm Walking on Sunshine

2009-01-03T14:36:00.000-08:00

Just two weeks shy of one year Sophia is walking and quite well. Here at this house it's a big deal for all of us to see the littlest one in the family begin to walk. For weeks we have seen her take a few steps and fall down again and again. Debagainandagain. Ha. She actually started this whole process at about 10 months and we have been rooting her on ever since. There'll be screaming in the other room, just enough to give a mother a heart attack. I'd run back to the room to find out who was bleeding or broke a bone and it was just some kid going nuts over Sophia taking a few steps again. Whoever it was at the time wanted to make sure I didn't miss it. Now it's common place to see Miss Sophia go on foot all over the house. She prefers it over crawling any day. She still falls down all the time, but it doesn't phase her...she just gets back up again and again. Debagainandagain. Ha.

Isn't that how we all should be? Hey, you fall down, just get back up, determined not to fall again. Then you fall again, but you put your hands behind you, get a grip and pull yourself off that floor. "A just man falls seven times and gets back up again." And when you get back up, there's someone better than your own mother cheering you on to keep trying. Keep on dying to that flesh. Keep on living for Me. The God of heaven and earth loves you with open arms. You can do it...through Him.

You can do it...through Him. I HAD to say that again for my own benefit and it's also a family tradition to repeat one's self. I've fallen and failed so many times, but here I am again, it's 2009 and I gotta' keep going for the Lord. "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Each day is sprinkled with hope, mercies and joy for all those who are in Christ Jesus. His faithfulness is great and new every morning. A fresh batch there awaiting for you. If that doesn't grip you...hey, what will? Happy New Year, folks. Hey, remember, each day is new. You don't have to wait for the new year to get here to begin again.

I Thought I was Gettin' Nuttin' for Christmas

2008-12-24T18:19:00.000-08:00

Yeah, we cheated and had our Christmas early because Brian has to work on Christmas day. Bummer. Oh well, he's home today and that's better than nuttin'. Speaking of nuttin', my kids had absolutely no idea that they were getting any presents this year. Things are tight for us lately and they knew it. They still had at least one thing they really wanted this year and I kept those things in my mind secretly. The whole month of December they knew that they probably weren't going to get any presents on Christmas and they had such good attitudes about it. The only one determined to figure out how to get the present he wanted for Christmas was Jacob. He stood by the road with a jingle bell in hand, fake reindeer antlers on his head and a container held out to the road over our fence. He sang jingle bells to whatever cars went by, hoping for a little something to jingle in his pocket. Another bright idea of his was to go out and collect lizards and frogs and sell them. I burst his bubble by telling him that those animals were probably hibernating for the Winter. And then to top it all off, he made one more thing to sell. Plant seeders. Don't know exactly what they do, because plants have already grown from their own seeds. :) Too cute. And the thing that melted my heart the most this Christmas was when Ian brought over his money jar and offered it to Brian and I to help pay the bills. "Really, Mom, take it. I don't mind." Well, sniff, sniff.

Anyway, I did end up getting them all that one thing they really wanted and another secondary gift. Brian took them out last night for three hours so I could wrap all the presents without them knowing a thing about it. They came home, went to bed and we put the presents under the tree.

On Christmas Eve morning Lauren was the first one out of bed. She sat on the couch and just stared at the gifts. "Mom, where did they come from? Did the delivery man bring them?" Jacob got out of bed and sat next to me on the couch to have some morning snuggles with Mom. He didn't see our tree directly in front of him and the presents under it. He got up to walk to the kitchen and then it dawned on him: THERE WERE PRESENTS UNDER THE TREE! His mouth dropped. All the kids were so happy to see the unexpected gifts.

The morning was crazy with all the kids wanting us to put their toy together or get it out of the box(with a jack hammer, saw, etc., you know the drill). Then they were all fighting over who was going to play with what and how and with whom. That's where this cozy, little Christmas story comes to an end. I wasn't too happy after putting this Rose Petal Cottage House nightmare together. We must have taken the thing apart three times to get it to work. Yeah, I read the directions. I checked 'em twice. I was cooked, fried and baked after this morning. I was getting stressed out. Why? Because my focus was on the wrong thing. I had an expectation about how this morning was going to go and my expectations were dashed. Kids were crying, the toys weren't working and the house became a wreck in the process. In my heart I had nothing but a complaining spirit, to my shame. My kids wanted me and my time. They didn't care if everything was perfect and neither did God. I lost my focus on what mattered today.

Later in the afternoon, I saw an old peice of wood backing that used to hold a puzzle in it. Now all the peices were gone and just that peice of wood was left, an old Christmas toy forgotten by the son it was bought for a few years ago. God spoke to me when I saw that peice of wood and He said, "That's what these toys will be in a few years, forgotten, but their memory of what kind of mother you were will always be with them." Those words hit hard because they were so true. I had lost my temper and snapped at my kids today. I was irritable and complaining. I confessed my sin and the Lord forgave me. We began to have a better day and I only hoped that I could make up for how I had treated my kids and the example I had set out for them.

And what about all of you? What kind of Christmas will you have? Just keep in mind what really matters in this life. Love those around you and be thankful for the time you have with them. The memories you make will last and those presents you get(or didn't get) will be forgotten. Christmas Blessings to all of you!

Lord, Come

2008-12-18T20:48:00.000-08:00

I gotta' share this "song" my eight-year-old wrote today. I couldn't believe what I reading when I came home from a grueling Wal-Mart shopping trip. A bent up peice of paper laying on our back room floor with some powerful words on it. Here's what he wrote:

Lord, Come

Lord, come to your children. Come in the world. We need help. We need Christ. We need a Savior for all. It is you, Christ Jesus. How can He help us? Jesus can help us by Christ, by saving the world, because we are from Jesus. The world is full of sin and He is the only one who could save us from sin. Because He is the master of the world and that means that He can save the world from sin. So, Lord, Come. Lord, please come. Please! (grammar corrections included)

It's been one of the most moving things of my life, seeing my son grow in the Lord. I do believe that he has become a Christian and their has been much fruit and also much spiritual warfare going on in his life as well. He sang the song to me later in the evening and I gotta' say I like the lyrics more than the tune, but hey, a little work and it could be a catchy little song. :) Just seeing him desire the things of God on his own makes my heart sing. This is what I prayed for before my children where ever born, before I was ever married...that my children would see Christ for who He is and just follow after Him because they want to, because they can't wait to.

I don't want my children to be forced to believe the way I do about Jesus Christ. I want the Holy Spirit to speak to my children, yes, through me and my husband, but ultimately spoken directly to them by Jesus Himself. How much better is that than coaxing, forcing and beating over the head with for my children to desire God in their lives. They must see their own need for salvation and not ride on the coat tails of how their parents believe. We want to trade outward stagnent results for the complete, transforming grace of Jesus Christ to come flooding into the lives of each of our children. Hey, that's my prayer, before they were ever. born. That'll preach I think.

Hallejujah for Jesus, the Spotless lamb of God!

Merry Christmas, people!

A Page

2008-12-12T08:34:00.000-08:00

I thought this was cute...It's Ian's first page of his journal:

I have a great memory in my family. I hope I have a great family of my whole memory of my life.

Yeah, we hope you do, too, Ian! :)

While You Were Sleeping

2008-12-08T19:58:00.001-08:00

While you were sleeping

Your Mother's brain

Had many thoughts about

Her very busy day

Christmas is coming

Things need to be done

Write out the Christmas cards

Have the family picture taken

Then I stopped for a second

And saw you in your bed

Sound asleep like an angel

And to myself I said

I need this moment for keeps

For when I'm old and gray

A picture for tomorrow

Of what is happening today

You are here

You are healthy and whole

You have a heart and a mind

And most importantly a soul

I pray that God

Who granted me this time with you

Would give me the wisdom

To point you to what is true

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life

I want you to know

If you seek him

He'll never let you go

There you'll be

In the palm of His hand

Trust Him with your life

Your ways and your plans

This is my prayer

While you were sleeping today

That someday you'll give Jesus your heart

And forever in His will you will stay

A Lovely Thanksgiving Day

2008-12-02T18:45:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving Day was such a lovely time with our friends who really are our spiritual family here in Florida. I believe the Lord brought each one of us together and I am so thankful that He did. The day brought beautiful weather as we hopped from friend to friend to chat and enjoy each other's families. We praise God for all these little children and desire each one to come to know the Lord as their personal Savior some day soon. I pray for the hand of God to be on each child and each parent. Help us all follow your path and give us wisdom, Father.

Wonder of Wonders, Miracle of Miracles

2008-11-26T14:43:00.001-08:00

I was reminded today of that song from Fiddler on the Roof: Wonder of Wonders, Miracle of Miracles. I just got back from my sister's house two days ago and I was just processing all that just happened to my little nephew Zach and his family. In all this time of knowing where he was and where he is now in his health I hadn't really taken a special moment in time to really thank God for how He had healed and is healing Zach. He seemed to be a normal boy when he finally came home from the hospital. He could have been handicapped for life or not even with us right now. The effectual, fervant prayers of a righteous people yields much, doesn't it? God's grace is poured out so abundantly when His people are unified in prayer. It's truly a wonder of wonders, a miracle of miracles and miracles should never be taken lightly. We praise you, Lord, for this miracle that you chose to perform in our midst.

It's Thanksgiving Day tomorrow and I love this holiday more than most because it actually encourages you to do something good. Being thankful is something I struggle with and it is nice to have a little boost in my spirit to be with friends at this time of year and just sit around being thankful. It's been quite a year for us with many bends and twists in our road, painful and prosperous. We may not see the benefit in all that God works in our life. It may seem so very hard, the things we go through, but we know that He is working all things together for our favor. He loves us more than any and His ways are perfect.

As you enjoy your day, think back over the year and think of all the miracles God chose to perform in your midst both great and small and let the praise of the Lord just pour out of your heart. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

I've Got Quite a Man

2008-11-14T14:03:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to boast about what a great husband I have. While I write this he is outside preparing his Jeep for my long journey up to my Sister's house. He took the Jeep down to a mechanic and got it completely serviced and maintenanced for me. He changed the oil and filter and is making sure the spair tire is raring to go in case it's needed. He's out there scrubbing it down and making it look brand new for me. He has taken off work indefinitely for me to be with my Sis and her family during this time. I know...*for some of you who pay attention to grammar*...He, He, He. Yeah, and a Ho, Ho, Ho and a Who, Who, Who! Ha! Yup, HE's the best husband I ever had or will ever have, rather. I fell asleep in creative writing 101. Pray for wisdom for us because Brian may take a travel nursing job in their area so that we can be close that for as long as they need us. It really is good timing because his job is cutting his hours way back and we can't keep putting up with that. Travel nursing seems to be lucrative enough for us to pay our bills here and there. They pay for furnished housing, travel expenses, utilities, sign on bonuses and in some cases Brian would be paid more than double than he makes now. So this might be a good thing for all of us and I could also be close to my sis. We have some time to think about it and pray over it. Either way he will have to find another job or this one has to get better or something. Anyway, pray for me. I leave tomorrow. Thanks!

Beth's Latest Blog Entry for Zach

2008-11-14T10:43:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share something with all of you about Zach that might help in your understanding of his condition. It is probably very hard for someone who has not been with him from the beginning of this to realize that the great progress he has made is not equivalent with him being normal and going home in a few days. Way are so optimistic and we pray that God would heal him, but we also realize that it is a baby step process.

When Zach "played basketball" the other day, it wasn't literally playing basketball. We were excited because he could pick up the basketball and purposefully throw it. When he says words, they are often slow and slurred and hard to understand. When we make him get up for a walk, he cries almost the entire time he is up. When he stacks blocks in the playroom he also cries while he's doing it, and he is very weak and slow in his movements.

I write this because I want all of you who are praying along with us to understand as we have come to understand that this could be months of hard work and therapy for our little guy to come completely back to us. And the truth is he may be a little different when he does come back. That is okay-he is alive, he is awake, and he is improving every day.

What we need to pray for now is that he will begin to really eat. He gets 75 percent of his food at night so we have to try to get him to make up the 25 percent that he needs during the day.

I am about to go do laundry so I will see you all later!

Blessings
Beth

Amazing Progress for Zachary!

2008-11-13T16:02:00.000-08:00

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/zacharyjames

Click on this link to check out Zach's amazing progress!

I thank God that he is healing and getting better!

It Just Keeps Getting Better Folks!

2008-11-12T14:41:00.000-08:00

This is another update on Zach. Things are on the up and up, but this is still a tall mountain to climb. Here is Brad, his father talking:

Hallelujah! What a Saviour! I have some news to share with you all. My son, who just five days ago could not communicate with me or look at me or any of the things that we take for granted just took a walk to the play area. While in this area, he was able to take a basketball, pick it up off the ground, and then take a shot at the hoop. I must confess, he has a great looking form. He probably gets that from his dad. After making these shots, he showed up Michael Jordan by doing some pretty awesome dunks. YES, you read right! My son who was in semi-coma five days ago was showing us how to dunk a basketball. All I can say is TO GOD BE THE GLORY! Now he has not completely come out of the woods per say. He still has not clearly talked to us, but the time will come. Just thought you all would be excited to hear the good news.
TO GOD BE THE GLORY! - Brad

I second that, Brad. He is worthy of all of our praise!

We Plead for Mercy and Justice and Help for this Lady

2008-11-12T08:42:00.000-08:00

10-year-old boy injured in crash transferred; condition upgraded - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

I couldn't believe this when my cousin in Rockford blogged this article(click on the link above) in the paper about my nephew. The first half of the article is about Zachary and the lady who hit the car he was in. I am so angry. She could have killed these kids(not to mention the people in the OTHER car she hit) if they weren't wearing their seatbelts and yet they let her out of jail on $100 bond. She is a loaded weapon and what if she does this again before her trial begins? The holidays are approaching and it could take months for the state to produce a court date. I know this lady probably needs Jesus, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't be sitting in jail right now where she cannot harm anyone else. I pray for her that she would come to know the Lord personally and also that she would seek the help that she needs for her drinking. Church, please continue to pray for Zach. It still may be a long road ahead for my sister, Beth and her whole family. Thanks again.

Deb Paul

HUGE UPDATE FROM BETH ABOUT ZACH!

2008-11-11T16:57:00.000-08:00

I have to update everyone on our HUGE news. Zachary went to the bathroom, not once but twice! Yep, that's right.

I really should start at the beginning. Zach is officially not in any kind of coma. Just overnight it seems he has moved out of the state of non responsiveness, into the next stage of the recovery process. He began to get really fussy this morning around 8:30, and sat up on his own several times, only to lay back down again. He would fuss, and open his eyes for a short time and look at me. I got to hug and hold him a few times while he was sitting up, then I would try to get him to lay back down. He would just cry and cry, then he finally decided to turn his whole body around and try to get out of the bed. He is a very strong little guy so the nurses came in and helped me get him back in bed, however he just kept trying to get out of bed. Finally it dawned on someone that he may have to go to the bathroom, so they brought a portible toilet in here and we helped him get to it, and at that moment all the fussing ceased, and boy did he have to go! When he was done, we got him back in bed and he conked out for a long time. We were all jumping for joy around here, and are still very thrilled.

We also saw the neuropsycologist. She explained many things to us and I will do my best to explain what I can here. Our brain has a lining around it that has three layers. The layer touching the brain was where the bleeding occurred and the bleeding touches the brain and so the brain kind of has to work around that. Now the blood will be absorbed by the body and disappear but there was also another type of injury called diffuse axonal injury or DAI. The cells in the brain are called neurons. They kind of look like a flower with a head and a stem. The stem is the axon and it's what carries the impulses from place to place kind of like a cord that carries electricity. Well thes axons in Zach's brain were stretched and bent, and could become broken or frayed.

It's amazing how the brain works! What happens is, the brain tries to find a detour around the damage! And it also seeks other cells that can take over the job that the damaged cells used to do. While his brain is working hard to do this, it shuts everything else down. This makes Zach very sleepy and in need of lots of sleep and quiet.

Right now, zachary has made great strides just overnight and this stage that he is now in is the hardest stage because he can be very aggressive and restless, or combative. It's hard for us but wonderful for him because he is progressing in the right direction. The doctor said that this stage means there is no going back!! Every one who makes it this far, never stays here. They always move forward, it's just a matter of time and patience. Out of the 8 stages of recovery, this is stage four, so he has come so far in 5 days. Praise God.

Thank you all so much for keeping in touch with us and praying for us. Just remeber also Julie, Jeremy, Maddie and Nathan in your prayers as well. They have their own trials to overcome and they need our prayers too! Blessings to you all and we'll be in touch!

Beth

Beth's Blog for Zachary

2008-11-11T07:55:00.000-08:00

This is Beth's own blog about Zach's updates and information:

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/zacharyjames

Please go there and encourage her with notes!

Still Waiting on God

2008-11-11T06:11:00.000-08:00

It's so hard to wait. It's so very hard to wait and see or hear that Zach is or isn't going to be his old self again. We pray and we wait on the Lord. In all this waiting we also know that God has made some promises to His people from his word. These verses flood my mind:

"I say to you, that if two of you will agree on earth as touching any thing that they will ask, it will be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matthew 18:19-20

"And we KNOW that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

"Now unto Him who is able to do EXCEEDING ABUNDANTLY above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." Ephesians 3:20

"They that wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings as eagles, they will run and not be weary. They will walk and not faint."
Isaiah 40:31

We all want answers, but God gives us promises and He asks us to wait. Prayer pulls us in closer to Jesus as we pray to Him for this little one who so desperately needs our prayers.

My eight-year-old son Ian gave me a letter he wrote to the Molander Family and I want to post it:

Dear Molander Family,
I heard the news about Zachary. But I wonder how well Zachary is. But I hope God sends Miracles to your house. And I also hope that God answers your prayer and heals the pain and sickness.

Love your nephew and cousin,
Ian Thomas Paul

P.S. Will you answer me?

It seems Ian has the same question we all have. God please hear and answer our prayers. I KNOW He will.

MRI for Zach in the morning

2008-11-09T21:08:00.000-08:00

The latest on Zachary:

He is scheduled for an MRI this Monday morning. This will show more detailed imaging(more than a CAT scan) on what parts of his brain have been affected. Overall, he is still in the same condition. I will update with his MRI results as I get word. Isaac, Mikayla and Austin are staying with a family from Berean Baptist Church for this coming week who will make sure that Isaac gets to school every day. I am glad to know they will all be together because they need each other right now. Beth and Brad are watching Zachary in shifts to make sure he doesn't pull any of his tubes out involuntarily. Also, little Maddie Swanson was released from the hospital last night on crutches. She had a fractured pelvis in two places. I'm so glad that she is going to be okay. Julie, if you are reading this: Beth told me that you were her lifeline in the hospital and that she is already missing you being there. One last thing is that my mom is planning on going to be with Beth and the family soon and I am still trying to find out if I can go with her today or tomorrow. Please keep praying for Zach. Thank you all so very much.

ANOTHER UPDATE ON ZACH MOLANDER

2008-11-09T08:43:00.000-08:00

I talked to my sister this morning and things were still the same with Zach. His body is having involuntary movements where he will open his eyes or move a part of his body unconsciously. He has not awaken yet fully conscious and responsive to those in the room. He did scratch his knee once and open his eyes really big one time and they he closes his eyes and goes out again. Beth asked the nurse if she could just prepare her for the worst in Zach's situation and she said she couldn't do that, but that the doctor was going to take Zach in for another CAT scan and let Beth and Brad know if any other damage shows up in the brain that may have developed. It really is such a time of waiting for everyone now. Pray for Beth hard. She is exhausted, numb and just wants her sister there with her during this time. My mom will be going back up there later on this week or next week to be a pair of hands for Brad and Beth. IF any of you family members or friends out there can bring their family a meal or put some money in their pocket please contact the Pastor at Berean Baptist Church over in Beloit, Wisconsin, 608-365-5878. I can imagine their church has been a blessed help and will continue to be, but she may need on going help for weeks ahead after the church runs out of help for her, etc. This accident happened in IL and their insurance covers them in WI but I'm not sure about IL, so can you imagine...all the kids had all sorts of tests. The life flight itself I have read on the internet could be 10,000 dollars all by itself. We will touch on that topic later. Please just keep praying for Zach, the Molanders and the Swansons, too. Thank you!

UPDATE ON ZACH MOLANDER

2008-11-08T16:53:00.000-08:00

I talked to my sister Beth an hour ago to ask her how her son Zachary was doing and she said that he had moved his body some and had moaned. He also opened his eyes for a short time and immediately closed them and became unresponsive again. He has not spoken at all yet and has not become responsive fully or focus on the people in the room. The doctor had reassured her that this is normal for someone who has suffered the kind of brain trauma that he has. It could take days for him to fully come out of sedation. So right now we are playing the waiting game to see what he will be like once he is aware of his surroundings. The doctor had said he could see him coming out of this and being okay. Beth sounded exausted and numb when I spoke with her. Please continue to pray for her and the whole Molander family. Thanks for your prayers. I will update you all whenever I get word.

PLEASE PRAY!

2008-11-08T09:39:00.000-08:00

Please pray for my sister's family, the Molander's and Julie and Jeremy Swanson's family. Julie and Jeremy were driving home with all four of my sister's kids and their two kids from Chucky Cheese last night and they were hit full speed by a drunk driver who ran a stop sign. Zach, my sister Beth's eight year old is the one who seems to have recieved the most injury. He was unconscious at the scene and remained unconcious until he came to the hospital. They had intubated him and he came to and realized where he was and he began to scream and tried to take out his intubation. They sedated him and ran tests and gave him a cat scan. The cat scan revealed that he had suffered from a major concussion and some bleeding in the brain. The last I heard, he was still in intensive care and they had taken the intubation out and was taking him off the meds that were sedating him. They were all waiting for him to wake up from the sedation to access what exactly, if anything is wrong with his brain function. Please pray for little Zachary and the whole family. If I know Zach at all, I know he is fisty enough to come out of this on the better side.

Maddie, Julie and Jeremy's daughter has a factured pelvis in two places. Poor Austin, I was told, looks the most battered and brusied externally and also has a factured hand. Jeremy had some disorentation and could not remember what had happened, but I think he is okay. Julie's neck is hurting her, but it may be whiplash. Mikayla is sore and has burns where the seatbelt were. Nathan and Isaac are totally fine as far as I have heard.

It turns out that the driver at fault was a thirty-something lady who was drunk. She actually hit someone else before the Swanson's car was hit by her twice, once before the car hit a pole and once after the car spun around.

My heart aches for my sister and her husband, Brad and the kids as they go through this. Thank you all for your prayers. I will have a post with updates soon.

A Day Out

2008-10-30T20:59:00.001-07:00

We had a really neat day out to Fort Morgan Beach in Alabama a few weeks ago. An old ship that was lost at sea more than 150 years ago was washed ashore. I heard about it on the news and thought it might be cool to go check it out with the kids and let them take their own pictures. My Mom pointed out that the ship had burned because the remains look so charred. It was such a nice day out with the whole family and neat to look at the remains of this curious boat. The beach is such a wonderful reminder of God's handiwork. Every time I go I am in awe of the vastness of the ocean. It's seems to go on forever even though I know it runs into another continent somewhere. Ah, Lord God, Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by Thy great power.

Yes, Mom has been with us for a while and it has been nice having her here. I think I have gained 5 pounds from all her baking. Ugh! She has made some dresses for the girls and has been such a help to me. She has organized my cabinets and done chores that I just haven't gotten around to doing in th grand scheme of things. Today I wasn't feeling well and I crashed for 4 hours to sleep in the middle of the day and she kept the ship afloat and everyone alive while I rested. I don't know what I'll do when she goes. It's nice having someone around all day for moral support especially when it is your mother.

The Oldest One

2008-10-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd take a little break from the daily grind, the campaign politico and whatever else that ails me to put up some thoughts about my first born.

How can I describe my boy the best?

Stubborn. From the moment he came into the world this boy was born with a boulder for a head, hard as a rock. No room for budge. I wonder where he got that from. Hmmm... He was a good baby, but definitely wanted to do everything his way from the start and steely determined to do so. I was exhausted with the discipline process he had to be put through and is still being put through. I will say that his stubborness has saved him in some ways as well. He's not a quitter. He'll sit and figure something out until it's figured out. He's independent and not afraid to be alone in his stubborness. Let's hope he gets over some of this before he ever gets married. Heh.

A hard worker. With some prodding or a little incentive, he's not afraid to work hard. I've relied so heavily on him that I need to learn how to delegate some work to the other older children. Call it a trickle down philosophy. I'm ready to move up to full time management if you know what I mean. He really is my right hand little man.

So creative. He amazes me with all that he does to be creative. Maps, charts, museums(yeah, he created his own in his closet...move over hangers, here comes the future Smithsonian), lego creations, imagination plus duct tape and his writings. I really could see him inventing something. Crazy kid, he reminds me often that "if at first you don't suceed, try, try again." Now, there's a thought. He loves science, geography and history the best and finds some way to weave his creativity into his favorite subjects.

Tenderhearted. He can be pretty crass and unkind at times(I wonder where he got that one, too, uh...), but he has such a soft heart and is pretty quick to repent from the error of his way. He even cries over some of his wrong doings. That's something I could definitely do more of.

Open. Something I am the most thankful for about my first born son is that he is open to the Lord and the wooing of His Spirit. He has opened up his heart to Jesus and put his faith and trust in His forgiveness of sins. I am the one that should be discipling my son, but sometimes he ends up discipling me through such simple, child-like faith. He prays in his room when he thinks no one is looking and at times, opens the bible to read it to me just because he wants to.

There are so many things to share about him. There's so many reasons why I love him and many more for why I am thankful to God that he was given to me to give back to Him.

Click On This

2008-10-11T06:54:00.000-07:00

http://onething.typepad.com/one_thing/
Click on this and be encouraged.
His Yoke is easy and His burden is light...
Aren't you glad?

Political Cartoons

2008-09-26T21:05:00.000-07:00

http://www.cafepress.com/unclerons

Click here for some interesting and eye-opening political cartoons...

Jacob the Cub

2008-09-22T20:26:00.000-07:00

Funny Jacob was messing around with the camera taking pictures of bugs and himself. Those are some interesting faces, I'll say.

In Light of this Election, Part II

2008-09-17T21:11:00.000-07:00

Could it be God's will for Obama to be voted in as President? Who can know the mind of God? Christians know what His word says in the Bible or least we should, but yet would put so much upon whether or not we make the right decisions in life. The Sovereignty of God is coupled very ingeniously with our decision-making process.

As an example, I would say that God's Sovereignty is in the driver's seat and the decisions we make are in the passenger seat. We make decisions every day and God's Soveriegnty takes our life decisions wherever He wants them to go for His glory. Proverbs 16:9 says, "A man's heart devises his way; but the Lord directs his steps."

Obvioulsy, God would not allow Obama to be voted in as President of the United States for reasons of his being a great Christian candidate to rush in and save America, but what are the other possible reasons?

Maybe there is a trial by fire that must come upon God's people. Look at the oppression of the Jews by the Roman government which was a judgment to the Jews in the times of Jesus. Yet, Jesus never commanded His disciples or His followers to change society by interfering with Roman government, running for political office or establishment of an anti-Roman campaign. Jesus did however obey the laws of the land to maintain the testimony of the Gospel. Jesus never gave any commands to vote for government officials, so we should be careful as Christians not to assume that certain civic responsibilites are binding for all Christians.

So, having said that, where does that put me and my vote? God will have His way with or without my vote. He is Sovereign with or without my vote. I can vote for McCain and maybe I will, but that does not mean that Obama won't get in. The polls people might just lose my ballot, and what then? I really don't think God would put the entire weight of what happens to America on the shoulders of Christian voters who vote the right way or whether they vote at all.

And what about the deceiving spirit of which political campaigns seem to thrive on? God says that He uses the wicked as tools for His purposes(Proverbs 16:4). In John 18:36, Jesus answers Pilate and says, "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence." Never does Jesus mention in any of the Gospels an obligation to the world's kingdom, except to render to Caesar what is Caesar's, to honor civil authorities and submit to their laws, inasmuch as our conscience can cooperate with them. In Christ, we are obligated to His kingdom to carry the Gospel to all of the earth and to keep our testimony unsoiled by the world. Other than that, we are not under the bondage of thinking that the judgments of God on this country can be stopped by our vote. Ultimately, this country is to come under the power of the Beast and the one world system. It is the will of God and it will come to pass, no matter what we vote.

The only thing I am commanded to vote for is the renewing of my mind and the indwelling of God's Holy Spirit (Romans 12:1-2). I am confident that in Jesus Christ I am free from the guilt imposed by others who say it is my Christian duty to vote, which is really the conscience of other people. There is not any clear scripture on voting that I am aware of. Again, I say clear scripture; not the conscience of another person. We need to respect each person's leading of the Holy Spirit and yes, He does lead us in different ways for different reasons.

I will close with this verse and a final thought, "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power, but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God." Romans 13:1

And thus, I will let God be in the driver's seat and I will ride shot gun and cup my hand over my left ear and try to listen to His still small voice while those in the rear attempt to do the back seat driving.

In Light of this Election

2008-09-15T07:03:00.000-07:00

The Life of a Democracy

It has been said that “eventually, all democracies commit suicide.” Since history bears this out, what is the average lifespan of a democratic society? How long will it typically last before forces within it topple or implode it? What are the limits beyond which it cannot survive? What forces threaten it?

The following quotes from well-known American patriots demonstrate the short-lived nature of democracies and why this is so. Wise King Solomon wrote that “Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people” (Prov. 14:34). If a democracy has any chance to survive longer than normal, it will only be character found in its citizens that permits this. Consider these statements in light of the severe, fast-increasing moral decay that looms as the very greatest threat to the democratic nations of the West.

“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising them the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over a [lousy] fiscal responsibility, always followed by a dictatorship. The average of the world’s great civilizations before they decline has been 200 years. These nations have progressed in this sequence: From (1) bondage to spiritual faith; from (2) spiritual faith to great courage; from (3) courage to liberty; from (4) liberty to abundance; from (5) abundance to selfishness; from (6) selfishness to complacency; from (7) complacency to apathy; from (8) apathy to dependency; from (9) dependency back again to bondage.”
-Alexander Tyler, in his 1770 book, Cycle of Democracy

George Washington referred to the United States as “a great experiment.” And in his farewell address he said, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.”

“Is there no virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. No theoretical checks—no form of government can render us secure. To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without virtue in the people is a chimerical [an illusion or fabrication of the mind] idea.” And “Democracies have always been spectacles of turbulence and contention and as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.”
-James Madison

“Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.”
-Benjamin Franklin

“We have no government armed with powers capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice [greed], ambition, revenge or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our constitution as a whale goes through a net.”
-John Adams

“Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis? A conviction in the minds of the people, that these liberties are a gift of God? That they are not violated but with his wrath?”
-Thomas Jefferson

“Men are not flattered by being shown that there has been a difference of purpose between the Almighty and them. To deny it, however, in this case, is to deny that there is a God governing the world.”
-Abraham Lincoln, March 15, 1865, letter to Thurlow Weed one month before his assassination

Compiled by David C. Pack

Me talking now:
I've always been a voter, but I do believe I may sit this election out. There's no way on earth I am voting for Obama. I respect Senator McCain for all that he was put through for our country, but I cannot vote for him based solely upon his tortuous time during the Vietnam war. Palin had me standing up and cheering when I heard her Convention speech, but I am just too old-fashion to think it is a good thing for her to put her pregnant daughter, down syndrome baby and the rest of her family in the back seat for four years(maybe eight depending on if they get re-elected). Just my humble opinion. I haven't made a completely solid decision about it, but I'm pretty sure that I won't be voting.

The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord and He turns it wherever He will.

Ripe Plums Anyone?

2008-09-14T20:54:00.000-07:00

Pool Time is Anytime Here in the South

2008-09-11T18:52:00.000-07:00

Terrible pictures, but still cute!

Wow, It's Been a While...

2008-09-08T16:23:00.000-07:00

Let's see, we've been busy. Busy homeschooling Ian, Jacob, Lauren in 3rd, 2cd and K5. Busy worrying about hurricane Gustav. One of our big pine trees fell down, but only because it was eaten by termites. Good thing it didn't land on the roof. Now we have to worry about hurricane Ike. What a name! How do they come up with these names?! Hannah, Ike and Gustav? Bible character, former Presidential candidate and a french name meaning the staff of the gods. Hilarious! Yeah, I looked that one up. You thought I was smart for a minute there, didn't you? Well, they say that Ike is moving toward Texas, but they don't know completely for sure. Sometimes a hurrican can have a mind of its own. I hope they are right for my sake, but wouldn't it be nice if it fell apart in the gulf and no one is affected by it. The Lord is in control of all that I know.

We are also facing another dilemma. Brian's hours have been cut. He will have to look for another job in his field, Registered Nursing. If he can't find one here that is decent, then, we'll probably have to move to a big city where there is a guarantee of many RN jobs being available. I don't know what my husband's thinking is yet, but I've got my sights set on Nashville. It's a huge city with lovely rural areas surrounding it and it's midpoint between both of our families. Well, at least the ones in WI, IL and LA. If any of you think of it, please pray for us. We may have a ton of decisions to make soon.

And yeah, it'd be nice, too, if this hurricane doesn't knock all our trees into our roof, then we would really have to move.

Sophia's Cutting Teeth!

2008-08-16T12:38:00.000-07:00

If you look really close you can see Sophia's first tooth coming through. Sophia is seven months old now and is sitting up on her own, crawling with ease and is pulling herself up on the coffee table and standing. Yeah, she's cute and growing up way too fast. I can't believe it...this year is just flying. Each year time goes by even faster. It's crazy...

Beach Days

2008-07-31T14:35:00.000-07:00

Sprouting Wings

2008-07-30T19:37:00.000-07:00

Pray for my Mom, she is leaving Connecticut tomorrow to visit with my sister for a while and then she'll be down here in Florida to visit me. I know she would appreciate any prayers for safe travel, as she travels alone. Thanks.

How can it be??????!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-07-22T13:51:00.000-07:00

As a 1930s wife, I am
Very Superior

Take the test!

What a Sight!

2008-07-21T16:10:00.000-07:00

Okay, like(gag me with a spoon), this is the third time today that I have tried to fix my 2 year old Sarah's clothing and each time I have she strips down in another room to change them back to the way she had them. There must be a method to her madness because she keeps putting them back exactly the way she intended them to be. Both legs are through one side of her shorts. The shorts are shoved up so high up under her shirt that it looks like she's not wearing any shorts. Her shirt is methodically taken off and turned inside out and Blue on the front is a shadow of the dog he is when she wears the shirt right side in. Her flip flops are on the wrong feet (foot?) separating the wrong piggies. That's gotta' hurt. The next time you wear your flip flops take the piggy divider (or whatever it's called) and shove it between your pinky toe and the one next to it(ya' know... the one that didn't have any roast beef). Yeah, ouch. Needless to say, she's loads of laughs on a regular basis. Soph says, "By my peeps and hopes y'all be having a groovy Summer so far." You didn't know she was saying that? Well, uh, she was thinking it, I can read her mind...

Seeing Things From a Different Perspective, Part Two

2008-07-19T08:40:00.000-07:00

Article by Colin Thompson

An Open Letter to the Church in Gateshead, England.

You may be asking yourself, who is this letter addressed to? Who or what is the Church in Gateshead?

Let me ask you some questions that may help.
How many churches are there in Gateshead?
Answer: One.

Who started this church?
Answer: The Lord Jesus Christ.

Who defines this church?
Answer: The Lord Jesus Christ.

Who gets to say who can be a member of this church?
Answer: The Lord Jesus Christ.

Who is the head of this church?
Answer: The Lord Jesus Christ.

Where does this church meet?
Answer: The Lord Jesus Christ says; “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst.”

How does one become a member of this church?
Answer: By believing upon the Lord Jesus Christ and living in Gateshead.

So. Are you a member of the church in Gateshead?
If you are, then this letter is addressed to you.

If you believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ and live elsewhere, then you are a member of the local church where you live. You may wish to carry on reading and apply the spirit of the letter to your own context, substituting the name of your locality for Gateshead.

I hope you are aware of the local church that you are a part of.
Jesus Christ is the cornerstone, the builder and maker of this church.
It is His body here in Gateshead.
Jesus laid down His life for this church.
This church is His representative and witness to the people of Gateshead.
No other body, organization or party can be the church of Jesus Christ in Gateshead!

Brothers and sisters, fellow members of the church in Gateshead, we are meant to continue together in visible, practical community.

I don’t even know who most of you are! We don’t seem to be aware of one another.
While we may occupy ourselves with commendable pursuits within many various organizations, we don’t seem to be involved with one another within the one body of Christ as we should.
The fact that I have to try and define the local church in un-ambiguous terms demonstrates that we have a problem here in Gateshead.

We have inherited a scenario filled with a plethora of groups and organizations largely independent of each other, mostly acting as if each were a self contained body of Christ.
Personally, I am not a member of any separate group or grouping of believers, other than a member of the church at Gateshead. But I am not trying to criticize those who are.

We may not be responsible for how the church has come to be in its present sorry, divided state.
But we do have a responsibility to Christ to receive one another and to submit to His headship.
We also have a glorious opportunity to confess our division, repent and receive one another as He received us.

The enemy of unity within a local body may not be sectarianism, but indifference.
What is my appeal?

That we ask our Father for revelation about the true identity and condition of the church at Gateshead.

That we be willing to do His will, knowing that His thoughts are not our thoughts.
That will mean that everything may come up for examination by the Spirit.
In Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth he asks “while you are divided, are you not still carnal?”

We may not fix our problem of division by our own efforts, but by depending on Christ and His life in us.

I was given the following instruction some time ago.
‘Don’t try to make the group of folks you are in fellowship with into the local church.
Make the local church the group of folks that you are in fellowship with.’

Please get in contact with the saints who live nearest to you, rather than just those with whom you share common goals.

My prayer for the church in Gateshead is that we will find one another, receive one another, continue with one another and forbear with one another.

‘By this the world will know that you are my disciples, that you have love, one for another.’

Feel free to contact me at colin@cthompson.org.uk
All the best,
Colin Thompson, Gateshead, England.

Malachi 3:16-18
16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another,
And the Lord listened and heard them;
So a book of remembrance was written before Him
For those who fear the Lord
And who meditate on His name.
17 “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts,
“On the day that I make them My jewels.
And I will spare them
As a man spares his own son who serves him.”
18 Then you shall again discern
Between the righteous and the wicked,
Between one who serves God
And one who does not serve Him.

Seeing Things From a Different Perspective

2008-07-12T15:28:00.000-07:00

Today I took pictures of the kids upside down. I mean, I was upside down. It's neat taking pictures from all different perspectives. It puts things or in this case, my sweet Sarah, in another light altogether. Speaking of seeing things in a different light, my family and I have been on the outside of the church doors for a year and a half now. Talk about seeing things in a different perspective, the view from where we are sitting has been rather awe inspiring. I would like to share what we have learned from being on the outside looking in.

When my husband made the decision to take our family out of the church we attended faithfully for 8 years (at that time the whole of our married life), it was a decision two years in the making at least. He never took leaving that church lightly and really had every desire to "join" another church when he left that he would consider more like minded.

Well, a year and a half has flown past us and we have visited many churches and have finally come to these conclusions:

1. We (Christians every where) are the church. A building, programs, pastors and methods should not confine the believer to its way of thinking or doing, but a believer should freely move in the Spirit that Christ granted him through salvation. Christ tells us in the New Testament that He came to do the will of the Father that sent Him. We are priviledged to have that same freedom even if it goes against the confines of the religious institutions of our day.

2. Christians should actively seek fellowship with the body of Christ, but it should not matter what the setting is. Jesus Christ never "went" to church regularly anywhere in the New Testament. He freely moved and ministered to others in all settings and was never restricted by God or others...only the religious Pharisees of the day attempted to curtail and restrict Christ's personal ministry.

3. Denominations really divide the body of Christ in a terrible way. Many are on the inside looking out proclaiming how right they are in their particular denomination. I was among those who have done that. Where do we find Christ ever dividing the disciples and the believing multitudes that were healed into denominations? He asked them to deny themselves and take up their cross and follow him.

4. Church attending (not necessarily church-being) believers have associated faithful attendance to a builidng, their membership to that building and their un-swerving submission to it's leaders with how godly they are. We answer to God and although proper godly authority is good and necessary(if that person is even qualified by biblical standards), it should never draw the believer away from their personal relationship with Christ and His specific will for the believer's life. We have been counted as unfaithful flim flam for not attending "the building" church or becoming a member of something we already are. We can be faithfully gathering with Christians who are accountable for each other in the edification process, but still be considered unfaithful. We could reach the lost with the gospel message in our home, but we are counted as unfaithful. We could study the word, pray and teach our children the word of God, but be counted as unfaithful. We reach the poor and our fatherless and motherless neighbors, but we are counted as unfaithful. The list can go on and on. We have close friends (the church) who keep us sharpened and accountable and we do not take lightly who we are in the body of Christ and the spiritual gifts God uses in us where and when He chooses.

5. We as a family have been able to spend time together without pressure from "the church" to attend so many services, programs and functions that keep us busy and away from each other all day. Think about it...in the Old Testament the family breathed as a strong unit learning and doing everything together. Isn't it strange that on one of the only days that fathers and some mothers have off from work to spend time with their children they rush off to church and then split up in all different directions? Instead of fathers and mothers teaching their children the word of God and how to pray they rely heavily on the Pastor, Youth Pastor and the Sunday School teachers.

6. The pressure to perform spiritually for others instead of God is off. We won't be compared to the spiritually elite among us by not recieving awards for doing what only God has seen us do in our minstry for Him in private.

7. We have seen the body of Christ from all walks of life come together in unity in our homes that we share with each other. We may disagree in some areas as a whole, but the love we have for each other, God and His word is much and it movtivates us greatly to be a light in this dark world.

8. The condemnation we have felt in the past seems to have left us almost completely. We obey God when He tells us to do something. It would have been impossible to do this in the past without upsetting the leadership or others in "the church" because the will of God for our family would not have lined up with the agenda of the church. The Pharisees pointed out that Christ was healing on the sabbath day and many other things they thought that Jesus was doing that they(the highly religiously community) thought was unacceptable.

9. We have realized that we can get so fat on our fellowship (dinners, social events with each other, etc.) with believers that we don't do much else for the Lord because our time can be consumed with just being with each other in the church setting and its functions. The body of Christ should edify itself in order to branch out in their ministries to their own families, their neighbors and their community. Just doing that would keep us so busy for the Lord that we would never need to show up for the purpose of ministry in the church building again.

And so, the learning continues. We read the word for ourselves afresh and anew and our faith in Christ and freedom in Christ as the church is nothing but strengthened more and more each and every day on our journey.

Summertime

2008-06-25T20:06:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh, Summertime. Down here in good 'ol sunny Florida there is 95 degree weather in the shade and 100% humidity causing sweat to drip like a leaky faucet on your body wherever it possibly can. But ya' know, it doesn't seem to bother the kids too much. The outdoors draws them in, I mean out, no matter what the weather and even more so when I keep the TV and computer off. I remember when I was a kid we were always outside. There weren't too many other options for us when we were little. My parents were always a decade behind in getting the lastest gadget in technology whether it be the infamous VCR or a nintendo gaming system. I think that was a good thing...now. Needless to say, we kids had a ton of great times outside with our neighborhood friends. I remember mom being so lenient in letting us play with her things outside in the summertime. We used to drag blankets, furniture and all sorts of stuff out to the lawn to create whatever we wanted. It was lot's of fun. When I was a kid, the street was a place where we played kick ball, baseball and at night we hang out in the street until our parents called us in. My brothers used to buy candy bars in bulk and set up a store in front of our house where the neighbor kids would buy them. The ice cream truck would drive by and we couldn't wait to get something if we had the money. My favorite was a sherbert ice cream in a plastic cone-shaped cup with a gumball in the bottom. Another memory I can't forget is when my oldest brother would invite us siblings upstairs to the third floor where he had his bedroom with my other brother. He would blair his 80's rock music for us after dad left for work. It was his way of saying, hey, I like you guys, come hang out with your big brother. Fireworks were also a favorite part of the summer for me. They still are. :) I hope my kids have just as many good memories of the summertime as I have! Drop a comment and let me know what your favorite summertime memory is.

Father's Day Afterthoughts

2008-06-20T20:33:00.000-07:00

Father's day. This whole post is after the fact, but still needs to be written for my own sanity's sake. I had a horrible *scratch that*...uh...less than perfect father. Dad. He was a doozey. He still is, but I will say the years have mellowed him out some. I have posted about Dad in the past, but before you all gasp, this one will be different in a good way. I promise. Just give me a minute or two to get the lead out.

First, I 'd like to say that Dad could write a book about the atrocities of his own childhood. He didn't have a great foundation to build his family on. That foundation was broken and decaying long before me and my siblings came into the picture. Knowing that brings a whole lot into perspective for me and despite it all, puts much sympathy in my own heart for him. Having said that, I believe in sympathy, but I also believe in accountability and truthfulness.

Dad supposedly became a Christian(the bible says in Hebrews 12 if you do not live peaceably with all men and follow after holiness you will not see God), then a Pastor (how he was even allowed to do that given the things he was doing to his own family is beyond me), then a father...there ought to be at least a class or something you do before becoming one of these. No one is perfect, I know. I am the epitome of imperfection. I'm not even hinting at imperfection here in any small way. We are just talking about basic decency. I would never list the things my father has said and done because it would seem uncharitable on my part to do so and also it would just defeat the purpose for which I write.

My question is: how do I love someone who is so unlovely? He comes to my mind and it's hard to think of anything but hurt, anger(not bitterness, *please* understand the difference) and flat-out despair. I can only say that it must be the Lord that encourages me to look at my father through the eyes of love when my flesh drives me to the edge of hate. My heavenly Father reminds me of His infinite love for me and it can only spill over into the life I have with my earthly father. God gives me the ability to do things I could never do on my own. I can honestly say I love my Dad and not because he deserves it or because I feel like it, but that my God expects it from me and He blesses me greatly for my obedience to Him.

I have to forgive my Dad every day. I forgave him years ago in a very general way, but I have to forgive him again and again for each new transgression he commits. Grace. God expects it from me just like I expect it from Him. He fuels me with His power because He knows I could never do it on my own.

In Season

2008-06-11T07:56:00.000-07:00

I Learned Some Things Today

2008-05-29T12:23:00.000-07:00

I learned some things today.

1. I learned how much my husband loves me once again. Happy 9th Anniversary, honey bunch!

2. I learned how bored my toddler is. Well, I think a better word is creative. She crawled around on the floor barking like a dog. Every time we would call, "Sarah!", she would say, "I'm not Sarah, I'm a dog." She played the part well by literally licking my foot.

3. I learned how much I really don't know about life. I don't know if this happens to everyone, but I feel like I have just started (at the ripe old age of 31) learning about really matters and what doesn't.

4. I learned that my dogmatic ideals about life will start to burn on the pyre of self-righteounes and pride if I strike the match and throw it in. The "match" being the grace of God.

5. I learned again today how God is so patient and tender in the leading of His children. I digress in my walk with Him but He prods me gently back into the way I should go. Hey, and sometimes He gives me a whack in the head and it's always much needed and stems from his infinite love for me, His child.

6. I learned I have an atypical husband and an atypical happy beginning to what could have been a typical terrible ending. We talk endlessly about our dreams, our love for the Lord, our thankfulness, and what we want to do to fix up the house. We covet each other's company. We look at our children and think, how could you bless us so much? What seemed to be "love" in the beginning of our marriage just paved the way for the worst trials we have seen in our life. Those heart-wrenching, divorce-level, sin-inflicted, flesh-following trials led us here:

*the closest friendship that any two people can find here on earth*

To take what we had going and turn it into the above is just God. All God. I can sit and talk all day about what has happened in our marriage and how we have changed, and what God did to break us and reshape us. Maybe in another post. All I can say is, nothing is impossible with God!

7. I learned that each day is an opportunity to grow, even if it's just a millionth of an inch, there's progress.

8. I learned that God doesn't need my help to do what He's always done.

9. I learned that I can make a sentimental gift with just materials I already have in my house.

10. I learned that a pot of chili goes a long way, amen to that. Hey, even the dog gets his share.

11. I learned that I can have an impact on this world just by taking all my kids to Cracker Barrell to have lunch. It's mind-boggling for people to see mother and father happily(truth be told, there is much reluctance as well on our part) bringing their children out to eat. All of the children coloring quietly (thank you Lord for getting them to do that!) while baby coo's happily in her seat, mom and dad order for the family. We sit, leisurely enjoying our meal, as the kids remain relatively quiet. People are amazed and astonished. "It's so refreshing to see your family!" to "Wow, you are a brave woman!" to the blank stares you get from younger people(twenty somethings) that get a table right next to us. I hope whatever the case they saw God somewhere in all of that.

12. I learned that having a tupperware party hosted in my home is a lot more work than I thought it would be.

13. I learned that the effort it will take to host a tupperware party in my home will be well worth it to help out a fellow homeschooling mama to 7 children and wife to a retired military serviceman. Kudos to both recipients of my effort! :)

14. I am now learning that this post is getting too long and I have kids hanging from the ceiling.

Jesus Saved Me, That's My Secret

2008-05-21T17:16:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J471VobaZks

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-09T12:13:00.001-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!

Motherhood is a Sacrifice of Self

2008-05-04T20:07:00.000-07:00

"I just don't want the kids around me right now." my husband lamented as he sat at the computer. "I don't know why." he continued. I knew why. He had a rough week at work and needed some down time. Thoughts began to flood my mind as he was saying this.

I was instantly reminded of a friend in high school who once told me that she was never going to have children because she did not like kids or that she was not a "kid person". I think she forgot that she was once her mother's kid. With that in mind and for the purpose of giving a shout out to all mothers in the blogosphere...I write.

Let me tell my long lost friend and everyone else out there...NOBODY is innately self-sacrificial enough to be a "kid person" in and of themselves.

I have children(it doesn't matter how many) and let me tell you from first hand experience, there is nothing that prepares you for the self-sacrifice of motherhood. And who, if they are honest, really wants to sacrifice themselves to do something, that in today's society, is at the bottom of the food chain when it comes to the type of "career" they have. I gotta' tell you that if I had the choice in the flesh to make I wouldn't pursue motherhood.

I have been told you must like kids or having kids or etc. because of my brood and I usually say, "Yeah, they are a blessing!". The truth is they are a blessing, but the total process of motherhood is a lot (a WHOLE lot) of blood, sweat and tears. Needless to say, truthfully, I admit I am not a "kid person" by nature.

Who likes changing poopy diapers(try 7,000) and telling your toddler 50 times in one day not to stick her hands in the toilet? Mothers are pulled from every side they can be pulled. And worse yet...we can never have a bowl of ice cream all to ourselves (isn't that horrible!?) without sharing it. I don't always enjoy little fingers all over me all day. Kids are so messy. It's a wonder how I have all this art work on my walls. I get tired, so tired some days from all the whining, complaining and the disciplining I have to do...me, not the kids. I could go on and on and still not reach the half of all that mothers in the world do every day.

The question is...why on earth would anyone want to put themself through this kind of seemingly endless toil? Because anything that has eternal value in this life is completely worth the toil it takes to see the fruit of that toil. As a Christian, I am here to glorify God, not please myself. It brings much glory to God when Christians rise up everywhere and let God control their wombs for His purpose(His purposes are so unique to each family) to allow kids...these time-stealers, mess-makers, to become, in our eyes, little souls that need to be pointed to their need of a Savior from their sin. Why? So that they can become mighty warriors for Christ in this world. Who's going to turn this world upside down for Jesus? Kids.

Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, George Whitefield, Jonathan Wesley, Paul, Moses and Abraham were all kids. Just think! You could be raising the next generation of movers and shakers for God in the world.

I think I made my point.

Praise God for kids and the mothers(and fathers) who raise them up in the nuture and admonition of the Lord! Praise God for kids who rose up out of the ashes who weren't raised by godly parents. These kids will carry forth the beloved gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to this world.

The Lord said, "I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." One major way God builds His church is through the hands of godly parents raising up godly seed. We are not the only people on earth that are raising up seed. Muslims have large families deliberately. They have a brood of kids for the sole purpose of indoctrinating them to pledge their allegiance and self-sacrifice(martrydom) to allah. And what are Christians doing? Not having blessings (yeah, kids) so nothing can get in their way while in pursuit of the real "ministry". My friends, motherhood is a ministry! Our children our lost and without eternal hope from the day they are born unless we minister unto them and provide an environment that would be ideal for Christ's wooing of his Spirit.

I am not in my flesh a "kid person", but Christ abides in me to perform the job as mother and I reap the endless rewards and blessings on earth and in heaven for my submissive will to God. "Oh, that my children would see their need for Christ's redemption of sin in order to reach this world for Jesus!", this was my prayer before they were ever born.

So, dear mothers who are or who will be in the future...

I give this shout out to you...
You are important, needed and appreciated! Keep plugging away despite the flesh nagging you to quit. Don't cut off or inhibit in any way what God has given to bless you.

I leave you with these verses:
Psalm 127:3-5
"Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are the children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate."

Five Minutes of Hell and Peace Ensues

2008-04-25T12:15:00.000-07:00

I never thought a simple bookstore would unleash so much evil on me and my two boys in a span of five minutes!

Let me explain...

I rarely, if ever, go to very many stores that don't start with "W" and end with "T", unless I am looking for a very specific item that my favorite store doesn't carry. In this case, the item that Wally World didn't carry was a book my son requested for his birthday. So, off I trekked to Barnes and Noble Bookstore with my two boys in tow to get, Star Wars: The Complete Cross-Section Book. It's a clean and clever book with all the spaceships drawn in fine detail and then cross-sectioned so you can see everything inside and out.

Well, I opened the doors and at first glance to my right were these rather big boxes with this on them: How to Learn the Ancient Art of Tarot Cards. This was under a big sign that said, "Mother's Day Gifts". Two thoughts came to me quickly:

1. Tarot Cards would be the last thing I want for Mother's Day.

2. The last time I checked, tarot cards weren't an art, but a demonic method to determine someone's future.

So, I continued to go through the second set of doors. I should have stopped at the first set. Immediately to my left were the most evil looking series of Star Wars books. Of course, Ian went right over there and was asking about them. I must be completely in the dark, but I hadn't realized that Star Wars had taken such a turn for the worse. We have let the kids watch the classic movies but none of the newer ones and they certainly don't read these type of Star Wars books.

I went directly to an employee and asked if she could show us where the book was located. She took us to the Star Wars Isle (I didn't know there was such a thing.) and pulled out our book. She saved us from perusing all the isles, shielding us from *who knows* what else. Here we were...there was no end to what you could read. All, series of books spun-off from Star Wars. Most of it looked horrible. "Horrible" meaning painted, goth, demonic-looking faces with the most jagged weapon you could find in hand bracing the covers of each book, one out-doing the next in it's quest for evil surmisings. I hurried, got our book and rushed to the counter.

Could it get any worse? Sure. Just below eye level, there were women(always women, never men) all over the covers of every kind of magazine. One, espcially, unnerved me. She was totally bare-breasted except for a few flowers. I purchased the book, grabbed the receipt and left feeling so overwhelmed with what we were exposed to.

All this in five minutes. I fought the tears as I drove home. I'm sure some of you are thinking, "Oh, lighten up, it's this way everywhere or hey, wal-mart sells wicked things, too." I see both points of view as somewhat valid. I just wonder what the world is going to be like when my kids are my age...worry begins to plaque me. I came home completely zapped by the devil.

The day wore on and it was time for our family to study the bible together. My husband quoted(Psalm 37:1&2), " Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and whither as the green herb." and (Matthew 13:43) "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."

Those verses gave me peace. I don't know what the future holds here on this earth, but I do know that God is in control and He will hold His children in the palm of His hand.

In the meantime, I pray. I pray for the hearts of my children to be turned toward Christ. I pray for my husband to be lovingly bold in his sphere of influence on this earth. I pray that Christians would rise up as a holy nation that stands as a stark and loving reality in this darkness. I pray for this world, that men and women and children everywhere would see their wicked state as something that separates them from a Holy God, that they would repent and turn from their wicked ways before it is too late.

Religiosity or Spirituality?

2008-04-23T10:56:00.000-07:00

This is lengthy, but is worth reading. It is a chapter out of Zach Poonan's book, New Wine in New Wine Skins.

CHAPTER 4

RELIGIOSITY OR SPIRITUALITY

One of the greatest dangers that faces the Christian in his pursuit of a holy life is that of ending up being religious and not spiritual. Religiosity is often mistaken by the undiscerning believer for spirituality. But there is a world of difference between the two. The former is human, the latter is divine. The law could make people religious, but not spiritual. Religiosity is taken up with the external, visible things. Spirituality is primarily a matter of the heart.

God's word warns us that there will be many in the last days who have a form of godliness without its power - in other words, they will be religious, but not spiritual (2 Tim. 3:5). They will go religiously to meetings, pray and read the Bible daily and even attend all-night fasting and prayer meetings, tithe their income, etc. But they will still seek honour from men, live for themselves, love money and be interested in gossiping, etc. Such people are religious, not spiritual. They have a form of godliness without the power. Here are some examples.

If you are more interested in going to meetings than in crucifying the flesh (Gal. 5:24), you are religious, not spiritual. If you are more interested in reading your Bible every morning than in controlling your tongue the whole day, you are religious, not spiritual. If you are more interested in fasting and prayer than in being free from the love of money, you are religious, not spiritual. If you are more interested in evangelism than in personal sanctification, you are religious, not spiritual.
All the activities of religious people mentioned in the above examples are good. But it is a question of priorities. It is right priorities that makes a man spiritual.

Religious people are interested in the written word alone (`the letter') and end up having the righteousness of the law. Spiritual people however are interested in the Word being manifested in flesh and blood, and thus end up having the righteousness of God, the divine nature.

Religious people justify their actions by quoting the words or actions of some man of God. Spiritual people however, never seek to justify themselves before men.

Religious people are more interested in men's opinions than in God's opinion. Spiritual people care only about God's opinion. Religious people can meditate for years on the words of praise that some elder brother spoke concerning them. Spiritual people, on the other hand, like Jesus, refuse to receive testimony from men (Jn. 5:34). They know that other men do not know the corruption that they see within themselves, and so they realise that the praise of men is worth less than nothing.

Religious people are legalistic and are under the law. They think in terms of the minimum necessary in order to please God. This is why they calculate exactly how much 10% of their income comes to and then offer it reluctantly to God. In the Old Testament, this attitude finally ended up in the Israelites offering blind sheep and sick bulls as sacrifices to the Lord (Mal. 1:8). It is possible to have an identical attitude to the New Testament commandments. A sister can think in terms of the minimum necessary in order to keep the letter of the word that commands her to be subject to her husband; or the minimum necessary covering required for her head in the meetings - without the beauty of her hair being totally hidden! Men and women can think in terms of the minimum necessary in order to be 'spiritual' without altogether giving up everything. "What is the minimum that I have to give up of this world?" is a question that is always in the minds of such people. Such can never be spiritual. They can only be religious.

Jesus' attitude was totally different. He never sought to discover what the minimum requirement was to please His Father. On the contrary, He sought to find out what the maximum was so that He could offer everything to the Father. Therefore He sought to find out the spirit behind each commandment. Thus He knew that it was not enough to merely avoid adultery in the flesh (even though that was the minimum required by the law). He understood that the spirit behind that commandment was that one should not even lust (covet) in one's heart. Likewise, He saw that anger and murder were similar. And so on. Thus He understood the spirit behind each commandment.

An earthly bride who is deeply in love with her bridegroom never thinks of the minimum necessary to please her partner. On the contrary, she thinks of what the maximum is that she can do. This is the attitude of the bride of Christ too. It is here that we see the distinction between the servant and the bride. Those under the law can only be servants. The employee works for wages and is therefore very calculative in his service. He measures his work by the clock. If he works overtime, he expects extra wages. One who is a son (or a wife), on the other hand, will work for any length of time - not for reward, but out of love. Herein lies the difference between religiosity and spirituality.

The attitude of mind that thinks, "What can I get out of the Lord?", leads to religiosity. On the other hand, the attitude that thinks, "What can the Lord get out of the one earthly life that I have?", will lead to true spirituality. It will then become natural for us to go the second mile when the minimum requirement is to go just one mile.

Adam made a covering for himself with fig leaves. This is symbolic of religiosity - to make oneself presentable before men, and even before God! Jesus cursed the fig tree covered with fig leaves (Mk. 11:13, 14,21) - because there is a curse on all religiosity. God hates it. God gave Adam another covering - of skins. And this is a symbol of true spirituality - God's own nature that He gives us, not what man manufactures himself. When Jesus came to the fig tree, it was not the season for fruit. We can say that the old covenant was not the season for the fruit of the Spirit. That legalistic system that led man to bondage has been abolished now. God ordained it for a period to show man his need. The law was never given as a means for sanctification. Heb. 8:7 says that it was a faulty system - just because it could not make a man spiritual, but only religious. One has to enter into the new covenant in order to become spiritual.

God gave the law to see if man would be satisfied with an external righteousness that brought the honour of men, or whether he would seek for more. Since most believers are satisfied with an external righteousness, they remain content with the law and a covering of leaves - human religiosity. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation. It curses and withers up the leaves and gives us the true sanctification that God intended man to have.

But to receive this gospel, we must repent radically first. The word 'radical' means 'proceeding from the root upwards'. And this is exactly what is meant by a radical repentance. John the Baptist who came as the forerunner of Jesus with a message of repentance, said that Jesus would lay the axe to the root of the trees. Every sin comes forth from a root. If we repent of the sin (fruit) alone, we have not been radical. For example, backbiting comes from the root of a wrong attitude towards a brother. Radical repentance will deal with the wrong attitude, and not just with the backbiting. To deal with the external act would be equivalent to snipping off the fruit with a pair of scissors. Jesus however has not come with a pair of scissors, but with an axe (to deal with the root). He looks for genuine fruit - not just leaves. Where He sees only leaves, He curses and withers up the leaves even today (where people allow Him to do it), so that He can make them fruitful. Many other sins too are the result of a wrong attitude within us of seeking our own or of loving money, etc. The spiritual man is the one who judges the root of sin within himself, in God's light and who is not content with just snipping off the fruit to impress men.

Religious people are easily deceived. It is possible for a husband to have a wrong attitude towards his wife for 6 months and yet to have such self control that he never says anything to hurt her. But then one day he explodes in anger. If he then imagines that he had victory for 6 months but fell into sin just for a moment (when he lost his temper), he is deceiving himself. He had been accumulating sticks of dynamite for 6 months. Then at the end of that time, when a small match was lit, the whole stack exploded. He was living in sin all the time, but it was not manifest externally for a long time. It was not the matchstick that caused the explosion, but rather the dynamite that had been collected over the 6 month period.

If we don't fight the battle to keep ourselves `in the love of God' in our attitude towards others (Jude 21), then we sin, even if we continue to have a good testimony externally. Since most believers do not have discernment, they may even consider us to be spiritual. To be satisfied with their opinion is as foolish as asking someone who has no idea whatsoever of music to evaluate our musical ability!

We must call sin 'sin' if we are to be radical in our repentance and be freed from religiosity. Anger must be called by its real name - that is 'murder' (Matt. 5:21,22). If you do not do that with each sin, you are doomed to a 'religious' life all your days. You will never become truly spiritual. A religious person can be very exact when it comes to matters of external righteousness. The Pharisees even paid tithes of their mint, dill and cummin. They would not move even 1 millimetre away from external righteousness. Yet they went miles away from love, mercy and goodness. So can it be with those pursuing righteousness today. It is possible to be 100% exact in external righteousness and yet to miss the path of love altogether. The path of new covenant righteousness is the path of love - and we must be alert to ensure that we do not move even 1 millimetre away from this path. This is the way of spirituality.

More people go to hell, through false religion than through outward worldliness. This is why we must be careful to distinguish between religiosity and spirituality. Our external works, even though good, can yet be a form, if they are not motivated by a fervent love for the Lord. Such works are dead works, for the power of love is not behind them. We are commanded to repent of dead works - that is, religious works that have not come from a heart of devotion to Christ (Heb. 6:1; 2 Cor. 11:3).
God loves cheerful givers - not only of money but of obedience as well. When obedience to God becomes a burden, it is clear that we have strayed away from the path of spirituality and are now treading the road of religiosity. Everything that we give to God under the new covenant must be given out of love - joyfully and voluntarily. Otherwise we become legalistic and are back under the old covenant - with the spirit and attitude of a servant and not that of a son.

Jude speaks in his epistle of three people who were religious, but not spiritual - Cain, Balaam and Korah (Jude 11). Let us consider them, one by one.

Cain was not a godless man. He was a deeply religious man who believed in offering sacrifices to God (Gen. 4:3). Abel also offered sacrifices to God. But the difference between the two sacrifices and between Cain and Abel was the difference between hell and heaven, the difference between religiosity and spirituality. Cain and Abel symbolise two ways in which people have trodden - the way of religiosity and the way of spirituality. Cain is a type of those who offer external things to God - money, services, time, etc. Abel, on the other hand, symbolically laid himself on the altar, when he killed the lamb and laid it on the altar.

Religious people can give gifts, pray, and do many good works - but they do not understand what it is to offer themselves. They may pay their tithes exactly, But they will not put their self to death in the moments of temptation. That is the difference between the old and the new covenants. You could enter the old covenant without dying to self. But it is impossible to enter the new covenant without dying to self. Jesus did not come to offer tithes, but to give Himself as an offering acceptable and well-pleasing to God. Cain and Abel symbolise the broad and narrow ways of approaching God - the way of religiosity and the way of true spirituality. You can be a servant without death to self. But you cannot be a son without it.

God answered Abel's sacrifice with fire from heaven. But nothing fell on Cain's offering. When a man consistently dies to self day after day, there will be a fire from heaven on his life and his ministry. This is the genuine baptism of the Spirit and fire that John the Baptist said that Jesus would give, to those whose roots He had first axed. On the other hand, a brother who merely does the right things externally, may have a good life, but the fire and the anointing of heaven will be missing from his life. Satan's counterfeit 'baptism' which tickles the emotions (which is what most are enjoying today) is worthless garbage compared with the genuine baptism of the Spirit and fire that Jesus sends upon His disciples who choose the way of the cross.

Balaam was another religious man. He was a preacher who wanted to serve God, but who was also interested in making money and meeting great men in the world (Num. 22). He sought honour and financial gain for himself in the name of the Lord. There are many, many false prophets, like Balaam today. Their doctrines are all fundamentally right, according to the letter of the word. But undiscerning believers cannot recognise that they are motivated by the spirit of Balaam (loving money and honour). These are the ones about whom Paul writes in Phil 2:21, saying that they all seek after their own interests. There were people in the church in Pergamum who lived by this doctrine of Balaam (Rev. 2:14). There is no difference between seeking for honour and seeking for money in the church. Both are but different variations of the same spirit of Balaam.

Korah was another religious man. He was from the priestly tribe of Levi (Num. 16). But he was dissatisfied with the ministry allotted to him by the Lord. He desired to be more prominent, like Moses was. This covetousness (cloaked with a religious garb), was what proved to be his destruction finally. He and his co-rebels, Dathan and Abiram, and their families, are the only ones recorded in Scripture who went alive into hell (Num. 16:32,33). So seriously did the Lord take this sin of rebellion against the authority that He Himself had appointed over His people.
Most elders, preachers and pastors today are self-appointed. To rebel against them may not be serious. It may sometimes even be necessary! But to rebel against one who has been appointed by God would bring upon one the severest judgment of God. A spiritual man would never even dream of doing such a thing. But religious people will. Such is the spiritual foolishness that accompanies religiosity.

Korah symbolises those who are in an unhealthy competition with others in the church. When you find it difficult to praise and appreciate a God-fearing brother, it is an indication that you have something of the spirit of Korah in you. When you criticise him, then you are full of the spirit of Korah. If you can listen to others criticising him, then you are like the 250 rebels, who joined Korah, and who were also judged by God.

We can never become spiritual if we do not discern between religiosity and spirituality. It is the need of the hour - for it is concerning the last days that it is written that many would have the form of godliness, without the power (which is the word of the cross). The Spirit has also specifically warned that many Christians would turn away from the way that God has appointed for us to be godly, and turn to other religious means - such as avoiding marriage and certain types of food, etc.
Man has invented many other counterfeits too, such as the public confession of sin (to become 'humble') and not taking medicines when sick (to increase 'faith'), etc, etc. All these are but doctrines of demons, meant to lead Christians away from the true secret of godliness (Read 1 Tim. 3:16 to 4:5).

The only way to true spirituality is by offering oneself to death daily as Jesus did (Rom. 8:36; 2 Cor. 4:10-12). Every other way is a counterfeit.

Stories from a Second Grader

2008-04-14T16:29:00.000-07:00

Every now and then my second grader likes to write his own stories along with his own illustrations. Hey, I won't have to beat this kid over the head with creative writing. This home schooling momma says, "Hallejujah for that!" Well, I thought I'd share this one with you (May I remind you that the grammar and writing are all his and it shows.):

the treasure of past curse

By Ian

this Legend from EngLand to Egypt to find cLue for treasure

a Long time ago in a Land call England there lived Knights and a King But they have no treasure So a Knight name charLie IIII went to EGypt to get some So He set off to go to Egypt in a Boat When he got there He was by NiLe river But He solve something He solve the Pyramid of pharaoh eye When started to get there he Have to climded Pharaoh mouttain after he got to the top He Have to cross eye Bridge But the Bridge was Lifting But he grab it But He Have to Climded the Rope So He cLimded the Rope to get to the top He got to the top He grabed the gold badge But then it was Evil EYE Master Who wants it so they Both Have a fight But the fihgt was over he throw his sword at him He travel back EngLand and the king and the knights Had gold the King said you will be next king

the end

Hey, you have to hand it to him...where he was consistent, he was consistent. All the help I gave him was some words he wanted me to spell. Poor kid, looks like he needed more help than that. Despite that, I do like to see what he comes up with completely on his own. You'd think all the time spent going over capitalization and punctuation would pay off by now. :) Oh well, it'll come I'm sure. In the meantime, I am enjoying his creativity.

Great Quote

2008-04-12T09:16:00.000-07:00

"I am expecting the curses of Rome any day. .. When they come, I am girded like Abraham to go I know not where, but sure of this, that God is everywhere."

-Martin Luther

Ain't Life Grand?!

2008-04-07T16:07:00.000-07:00

Well, I am feeling ultra, way, over the top blessed these days. God always blesses us. He blesses us with trials, with poverty, death, and times of total emotional destitution. Yeah, I said "blesses us with". Lately, I have been hit with both sides of the blessing spectrum. My blessings have come in some many different packages. Praising God in the storm as well as in fair weather is the way to go. He sharpens us, breaks us and shows us how to draw near to him and become more and more like him. He wants to make us again. If we'll let Him. What a blessing! I could list all of my blessings but I wouldn't want to make any of you jealous. You might think that God loves me more or something. :) All I can say is: ain't life grand?!

Beth, Master Photographer

2008-04-03T13:28:00.000-07:00

Life and Death

2008-04-03T13:01:00.000-07:00

These past two weeks have been some of the most emotional days of my recent life. I was spending quite a lot of time the last week of March preparing for my sister and family to come and stay with us for a two week visit. She arrived for the first time ever to come and visit me in Florida. We (my kids and her kids) were looking forward to a time packed with fun. The second day they were there we recieved many calls from my husband's side of the family while we were all out having fun. My husband got home from work and called his brother and was told that his father past away.

He was blown away with grief.

My husband had just begun to have any kind of relationship with his father right before he died and there were things that he wanted to say that he didn't have a chance to say. It was a strained relationship for many years for many reasons, but after our marriage Brian's dad began to take more interest in his son. In fact, we were able to see him 4 weeks before he died. He saw our children one more time. But there was so much more my husband wanted from him...

We packed up right away and took the whole family to Dallas, Texas for the funeral. We had to leave Beth here unfortunately, but the Lord had other plans.

A few blessings that stem from this loss are that Brian was able to speak to those at the funeral about the brevity of life and things that are eternal out of Ecclesiates. May souls come to know you Lord through this loss! Also, we were able to see many family members we have not seen in a while. The Lord restored the exact amount of money to us that we put on the credit card to come to Texas! We took out 1000 when we came and the last moment we were about to leave to come home someone handed us exactly 1000 dollars! I prayed to the Lord before we left and just told him, "Please provide a way to go without puting money on the credit card." and he did in HIS own way and time. One more blessing is that I feel so close to my husband in his grief.

My husband is doing better now, but still has a lot of raw emotion. All those that read this and remember to do so, please pray for him.

We were able to spend two days with my sister and her family and it was such a great two days! They are now on their way back home.

There is a little time to sit down and think clearly about life and death...
So many thoughts...

They That Will Be Rich

2008-03-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

Just want to share what God has been teaching me in the word lately...

I Timothy 6:5-10
"Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contenment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

Romans 8:32
"He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"

Job 1:21
"And Job said, 'Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.'"

Matthew 6:19-21
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Whoa...
You can grab all kinds of truth from these verses.

Godliness:
A life manifested in repentance, faith, a hunger for prayer and God's word, obedience and worship to God, holiness.

Contentment:
A state of being satisfied with one's circumstances, stuff, etc.

G+C=GG Now, there's a formula that you can hold on to for life. The knowledge that we serve a sovereign God would lead us to the absolute truth of God owning everything and we are just stewards. Also, that God promised to provide our needs. How shall He not freely give us all things? With that knowledge, how can we not find contentment? The Lord is blessed when he gives and also when he takes away. Where our treasure is our hearts are right along side whatever we deem to be valuable to us. My question is what is eternal value?

Lately, I've gotten pretty wrapped up in the non-essentials of life. I also have not been very content with becoming more godly, but would rather fill my arms with the things of this world to find contentment. Nothing wrong with money (hey, I like it pretty well), stuff, etc., but if that is where we find our contentment in this life. Yikes! For me, I love to shop (not for groceries!) for anything and somehow it brings this rush of happiness. It's usually not stuff for me either, but I enjoy heaping up things to give to someone else. Doesn't sound so bad, right? Well, I get more joy out of someone's reaction to a gift than I do on God's own pleasure with me. What are my motivations, are they godly?

We've also been remodeling lately and my goodness, that gets expensive. You can't just throw something up and there, it's remodeled. It's gotta' be the rug, the curtains, the trim around the top, every detail needs to assimulate a house in a better homes and gardens mag. And what a lot of time it all is. My husband has been a very busy man. Now, nothing wrong with remodeling, but what would be wrong with just being content with the house the way it is? I struggle with this, because we live in a very old and runned down home. When the money runs out (and it has) I have to be content with this house by force anyway.

And may I reiterate that gain does not equal godliness. In this era of the "name it and claim it" idea, people are convinced that God has a wealthy path for all Christians. God is God despite our wealth or lack thereof. He still promised us the same things in His word. He chooses some to be rich and some to struggle to keep their heads above water. We have seen both sides of the coin for ourselves. We have had times where we had nothing and now we have too much. God was always working His plan in us. We weren't any less spiritual when we made 5 dollars and some change an hour. Nor are we any more blessed or spiritual because my husband has a good paying job. To teach that we need to have more faith to gain riches or that we need to denounce sin to be on the path of wealth is, my friends, heretical.

Just scattered thoughts on what the Lord has shown me as of late....

Warning: Funny Faces

2008-02-23T13:32:00.000-08:00

I thought this was funny. The warning label on the car seat is right next to Sophia's head. I don't know what those faces mean either. It looks like she's tooting or something. She really isn't that goofy looking in person (not that it would matter if she was!). She's definitely got the Miss Piggy look going for her in these photos. Speaking of Miss Piggy(i.e. Kermit the Frog's on again off again girlfriend), I was called Miss Piggy relentless as a child because I was always so chubby and the pug nose didn't help. But hey, that's life, right?

The Sun Refused to Shine

2008-02-18T17:58:00.000-08:00

It was a terrible day for us to take Mimi(grandma) and Aunt Gail in from LA to the beach, but so be it, we still went. Grandma and Sophia stayed in the car because it was so windy the sand was kicking up. It looked like it was going to pour rain any minute and did I mention the tornado warnings and lighting and hail? Nevertheless, the kids had a blast. We found this neat kid's playground that was right on the beach behind this cool beach barbecue restaurant. Brian's family made a quick visit to come and see the baby for three days then they had to hurry back to work. It was a very pleasant time for all, especially the kids.

Sisters!

2008-02-13T15:50:00.001-08:00

Yup, I don't know how any girl can grow up normal without having any sisters. I don't know where I'd be without my one lone sister. Having a sister is like the whipped cream on top of your Starbuck's mocha frappucino, ketchup on your french fries or milk in your cereal. It just makes life a little bit sweeter. Hey, but it wasn't always this good. I remember all the girl fights we had growing up and it got pretty ugly at times! She always hogged the shower, the curling iron and stole my clothes or shoes when I wanted to wear them. Okay, maybe I did a few things wrong, too. :) Speaking of my sister, she is coming to visit me in just two weeks! Yeah, Bob! Can't wait! We are going to an Above Rubies Retreat together. So it'll just be the three(Sophia included) of us in AL enjoying all the encouragement God has for us. Anyway, my heart goes out to all of you who didn't get the chance to have your very own sister.

Interesting Lyrics

2008-02-05T15:59:00.000-08:00

JACK JOHNSON LYRICS for

"Good People"

You win

It's your show, now

So what's it gonna be

'Cause people

Will tune in

How many train wrecks do we need to see?

Before we lose touch of

We thought this was low

It's bad getting worse so

[Chorus:]Where'd all the good people go?

I've been changing channels

I don't see them on the TV shows

Where'd all the good people go?

We got heaps and heaps of what we sow

They got this and that and

With a rattle a tat

Testing one two,

Now what you gonna do?

Bad news, misused,

Got too much to lose

Gimme some truth

Now whose side are we on?

Whatever you say

Turn on the boob tube

I'm in the mood to obey

So lead me astray by the way, now

Where'd all the good people go?

I've been changing channels

I don't see them on the TV shows

Where'd all the good people go?

We got heaps and heaps of what we sow

Sitting round feeling far away

So far away but I can feel the debris

Can you feel it?

You interrupt me from a friendly conversation

To tell me how great its all gonna be

You might notice some hesitation

'Cause it's important to you, it's not important to me

Way down by the edge of your reasons

It's beginning to show

And all I really wanna know is...

Where'd all the good people go?

I've been changing channelsI don't see them on the TV shows

Where'd all the good people go?

We got heaps and heaps of what we sow

They got this and that

With a rattle a tatTesting one, two

Now what you gonna do?

Bad news, misused, give me some truth

You got too much to lose

Whose side are we on today, anyway?

OK, whatever you say.

Wrong and resolute but in the mood to obey

Station to station desensitizing the nation

Going, going, gone.

Thought these were some interesting lyrics...

Crabby Pants!

2008-02-03T08:19:00.000-08:00

Miss Sarah has taken to crying right after she takes her nap. Go figure! She doesn't cry when I lay her down or cry while she naps for two hours, but when I go in to get her...crabby! Anyway, she's still cute, even when she's crying. :)

Early Birthday Wishes and Sleeping Beauty

2008-01-30T16:55:00.000-08:00

Happy Belated Birthday Sarah!

2008-01-26T07:16:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday 2cd Birthday, Sarah! She got some much needed shoes and dresses, but I think she likes her Dora aquadoodle the best. Sarah has taken to writing on all the walls so I figure this toy is right up her alley. She gets to write and I get to not clean up the mess off the walls.

See...I Told You

2008-01-19T08:04:00.000-08:00

Yup, Y'all want a picture of me and the baby, but I warned you. I look like a bag lady that crawled out from under a bridge (at least that's where the homeless people live here in Pensacola). My face just exudes the battle scars of a c-section birth. Hey, forget about me, look at my Sophia, now she's something, huh? I am recovering slowly, but surely. I feel somewhat normal today. Been off the heavy duty pain meds for a day and a half, so that's good. I can see why some people get hooked on this stuff. It sure does make you feel good. Don't worry, that ain't happening here. Well, keep praying for us. I am still wondering how all this is going to work when Brian goes back to work. Keeping it all together, including home schooling the two oldest ones. I'm a little nervous because there is not much of me to spread around, especially when baby wants me every 1 to 2 hours. I don't know how my friends do it that have 8 kids. Yikes! Anyway, back to my life....

Don't forget!

2008-01-16T15:06:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to click on Sophia's slideshow two posts down!

My Baby Story

2008-01-16T14:54:00.000-08:00

Hey Y'all!
Yes, I have had the baby via fourth c-section on January 10th. Her name is Sophia Grace Paul and she is beautiful and perfectly healthy...Thank the Lord! As many of you know I was shooting for a vbac at a birth center two states over, but the Lord had other plans. I went into intermittent labor on Monday January 7th and by that night I thought that I was truly in labor, having contractions 10 minutes apart from ten that evening until I drove to MS to the midwife. I met here at the birth center and the contractions died down and she sent me home. Tuesday night came and from 10pm until 5 am I thought...this has got to be it! I cannot bear these contractions anymore! We got a sitter and drove again to MS to the midwife. We spent all day at the center waiting and waiting, but eventually things died down again even though I was 100% effaced, 1-2 centimeters dilated, and baby was fully engaged and on the lip of the cervix. I went home again! Wednesday night came and the same thing happened but the contractions felt ten times worse! From 10pm until 6am I thought I was in hell...excuse the expression. I breathed through them the best I could, took baths and showers and cried out for dear life and even cried tears, but I didn't want to leave until they were five or ten minutes apart. Six and seven am came and I took one last shower and the contractions started to die down...AGAIN! I thought I was going to lose my mind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That morning I had an appointment with my back up OB here in town. I called my midwife and asked her if she wanted me to go to the appointment. She said that it would be good to get all my vitals done(especially my BP because it was running high the last month) and get a vaginal check done. I went down to the OB and the nurse took my BP...it was 180/110, each time she took it. Maybe the night of pain causing that?!! My urine was negative for protein. He gave the vaginal exam and told me that I was definitely in labor, 100% effaced, 2 centimeters dilated, but the baby became unengaged and was floating in the womb. She was not ready to come out yet. The OB was very nervous and wanted me to go down immediately to the hospital for a c-section. I still refused at that point, but went for the mag-sulfate drip to bring down the blood pressure. Well, even with the drip, it was only getting a little better so he was ready to take me right then and there for the c-section. My husband was not with me yet because he was taking the kids to the sitter. I called him and told him what they wanted to do and he said, "NO WAY" After going back and forth with him, my midwife and friends, I realized I had to make this decision somewhat on my own. I knew that something was not right in my body and I didn't want to go for the VBAC any more. I had fought a good fight for the VBAC, but I didn't want to be stupid. The VBAC was long sought after and very important to me and my husband for many different reasons and I cried many tears, but I felt a c-section was needed at this point. I had to fight off all the guilty feelings in my mind with a stick. Could it be that God had other plans, even if it was a c-section? I had peace eventually, even though everyone around me didn't...That was TOUGH! The OB came in one last time before the c-section was done and I started to weep and told him my plans of having this VBAC in another state. He had no idea what I was doing. I told him I hope he takes good care of me, he held my hand and was very sweet and reassuring to me that he would take good care of me. Mind you, all this is happening without my husband present. I felt lost...but I now see that was God's design, because if he was there he would have insisted they let me try to have the baby. They gave me a spinal block and finally my husband showed up. They began the procedure. The doctor resounded at the sight of the uterus, "IF you had waited one more day this would have been disastrous for you and your baby!" He explained to us that all he needed to do to get the uterine wall open was put his finger down and press it open and ZIP the rest opened without even a scalpel's help. In a healthy uterus you would need a sharp scalpel to cut through all of it. I was ripe for a rupture. I'm still in disbelief. Baby had quite a bit of meconium in the sack as well, more than the norm, which could mean distress for the baby. (three day's worth, I guess). The OB was having trouble controlling the bleeding at first, but he finally got it under control and sewed me up. I was in the hospital for three days, meditating on all that happened. I am so thankful that the baby is here and that we are healthy. I just wept in the hospital and held Sophia Grace and thanked God over and over again...what a precious blessing! At this point I don't care how she came! Praise God she's here! Thank you all for praying for me. Continue to pray for me. My blood pressure is still high, my iron is very low(7.3) and I am recovering from this fourth c-section. Pray for my husband, he really wanted the VBAC. We struggle with the idea of faith, doctors and God-given intuition, but the Lord is good to us, He reveals things to us in His time. It's been quite a ride and I'd do it all over again to receive the kind of reward you get in the end of it all...another arrow shooting out into the world for GOD's GLORY!

Thank you all for everything, the meals, the gifts and especially the prayers!

Blessings to each and everyone of your families!

The Paul Clan

Slideshow Courtesy of My Husband

2008-01-16T13:41:00.000-08:00

http://www.slide.com/r/8lbfNHiE6z90kNQ1jcOcSORELyJehLLy?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original

The Baby is Here!

2008-01-13T18:17:00.000-08:00

Sophia Grace Paul was born on Thursday, January 10th!

She was 9 and 1/2 pounds and 20 inches long and has cute peach fuzz for hair!

So did I have a c-section or a natural home birth?

STAY TUNED FOR ALL THE DETAILS AS I AM TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT WORDS TO EXPRESS THIS ROLLER COASTER RIDE OF A WEEK WHICH INCLUDES LIFE AND DEATH, FAITH AND DOCTORS, AND INTUTION...

Oh, and along with that, I'll include some pictures of my beautiful and *thank God* healthy baby girl.

Click back soon in a day or two....

Interesting Bit

2008-01-03T01:34:00.000-08:00

"Feminism is a political movement that seeks unlimited rights for women without corresponding responsibilities by exempting women from all criticism.

The arrogance of modern day feminism is best illustrated by the case of a feminist atheist who was mad at God after several people were killed in a natural disaster. 'How could a God who is good and just decide arbitrarily who should live and who should die?' she asked indignantly.
Of course, the feminist is pro-choice on the issue of abortion. She feels entitled to as many abortions as she deems necessary. She can abort every other pregnancy, every third pregnancy, every odd-numbered pregnancy, every even-numbered pregnancy, or, for that matter, every one of them if she so chooses.

But no one will ever confront the angry feminist with her hypocrisy. It shows more than that the modern feminist believes she is above God. It shows that the modern feminist movement is succeeding wildly in achieving its current political objectives. "

Dr. Mike Adams’ new book, “Feminists Say the Darndest Things,” will appear in bookstores across America on February 14th.

Come on baby...give momma a tax break!

2007-12-31T08:11:00.000-08:00

Yup, I told all my friends to pray for the baby to come TODAY! Feel free to add to the prayer power people! And many thanks to ya' for praying!

If she comes today that'll be another $1000 bucks on my tax return in February...hey that's one of the many great reasons to have all these kids, don't ya' know!? Okay, it's only a little kick back for the $100,000 or so (hey- I really don't think it costs that much, does it?) will be spending on her throughout her time here in the house until someone marries her. No, I don't want to think about that right now...

I'm tired and ready to be done little girl, so give momma' a break, will ya'? Or maybe I should be asking God. Lord, please? I want my lungs and stomache back and a few hours of sleep a night at least. I want to be able to eat something past 3 without it sitting in my chest like a raging fire no matter how much mylanta I swallow. I want to be able to roll over in bed again without hanging on to something or someone(thanks hubby) for dear life to do it...

Okay, I'll stop complaining. Something I will miss when the baby comes are my late night talks with my seven year old staring at my bare tummy asking me where the baby's head is and where is it's behind in there, Mom? Is that the baby making your tummy roll like that, Mom? Mom, what are those weird exercises you are doing? Pelvic rocks, to get the baby to face anterior instead of posterior. Mom, what does anterior mean? Then he puts his hand on my stomache and is amazed by the baby's movement...she really kicks me to peices and we get a thrill out of watching her do her acrobats at 10 pm all snuggled up in mom's bed. Yeah, I'll definitely miss that...I'll never forget these times with my very inquisitive second grade boy. I won't be too sad, because I do believe and hope we will be here again some day!

Thank God for all these dear, precious children! Give me grace, Lord, as I embrace the responsibility of one more. I pray my children are a blessing to you, Lord, and to the world around us...making it a better place to live. May I realize the gravity of what I do everyday in my mothering. I pray for power and wisdom and I pray for all the mothers everywhere, that you would give us all grace and help us understand how important we are to the whole world!

And to all of you...happy new year and may God bless you in your calling...whatever it is!

Beautiful Kids, Bad Picture, Stupid Camera

2007-12-12T19:57:00.000-08:00

What is up with my camera?! I could take a million pictures on all the settings from a million different angles(okay not a million, but you catch my drift!) and still get the same bad pictures! I have a Nikon Cool Pix digital camera and it stinks...it stinks or my picture taking abilities are absolutely hopeless! I'm dumping this camera and does anybody have a digital camera they love that is in the $150-200 price range? Maybe I'll be on the road to taking better pictures once I get my Christmas present! We'll see if it was the camera or me...:)