J&T

February!

2012-02-08T14:07:00.000-08:00

See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.
Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
is heard in our land.
The fig tree forms its early fruit;
the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
my beautiful one, come with me.”

Song of Songs 2:11-13

This week we were blessed with a few days of sunshine!!:) Spring is such a beautiful reminder of rebirth...of growth... of warmth and the colorful creation! We were able to spend some good time outside w/ the neighbors, each cleaning up our yards...mowing...digging... letting the chickens roam free!:) Thank you Lord for your love!!

These photos are taken on a day before the major sunshine... but capture the anticipation;)AND how the chickens have completely rototilled our garden beds... bulbs and all!;)... but the bulbs we planted in the fall (crocuses) have survived in the front yard;)... so fun to see them peek up!

testvideo

2012-01-22T18:19:00.000-08:00

J's love:)

2012-01-22T18:08:00.000-08:00

My amazing husband...J!!...He is THE MOST AMAZING MAN EVER!!...and surprised me w/ a BEAUTIFUL bouquet of flowers this Friday as I came home from work:) He is so thoughtful and caring and is truly heaven-sent!!:) I can never tell God how thankful I am for His love and for sending J to me:)

11 to 12!

2012-01-22T18:00:00.000-08:00

Just realized we haven't updated our blog in forever!:) Here's a recap from Christmas '11 to now, Jan '12:) It's been rainy here so much we haven't taken many photos, but these do include H&J's Christmas program at school (Hunter had a speaking role and Jenna a solo in her first flute concert ever!:) We also threw in some of our cutie pie neighbor/bff Jillie:)...and T making Korean food;)
Love you guys!! Praying for God's blessing for you and your family in this 2012 year!:)

high places:)

2011-12-13T18:16:00.000-08:00

The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.
	Habakkuk 3:19 (a)

Contrast, if you will, two prophets who struggled with God’s will: Jonah and Habakkuk . . . Jonah ran from God when he heard what God would do. Habakkuk ran to God, wondering what God would do. Jonah saw the salvation of God to the Gentiles. Habakkuk saw the sovereignty of God through the Gentiles. Jonah’s story ends in foolishness as he worries about a gourd. Habakkuk’s story ends in faith as he trusts in God. The difference between Habakkuk and Jonah - between you and the person who’s despairing - is simply this: Jonah had to learn in the fish. Habakkuk learned in the high tower. You and I have a choice. God is going to teach us because the just shall live by faith. Where do you want to live? Where do you want to learn your lessons about faith? I have a choice. I can either seek the Lord with determination and expectation in the tower, or I can get tossed around in the storm in the belly of the great whale and wonder, “Why is my life always going through storms? Why is there always seaweed around my head? Why do I always feel cramped? Why am I always in the dark?” The reason people are always in the storm is because they’re never in the high tower. The message here is simple: Habakkuk’s problems were greater than Jonah’s, his message much more difficult, but he ends in victory because he learned the secret of seeking God. The Lord wants us to seek His face, to hear His voice, to see His vision that no matter what is happening around us, we might be oases of tranquility and peace that passes understanding. No matter how bad the news might be, He wants us to rejoice in Him. He is our strength and our joy. Have you discovered that when you seek the Lord about a problem, by the time you’re finished talking it over with Him, as you worshipped Him and spent time with Him, you forgot what you came for in the first place? His fellowship is so rich. No matter what happens, He is our joy. In seeking Him, we find what we longed for all along.

This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "Footsteps of the Flock" by Pastor Jon.

Cali!!

2011-11-18T17:16:00.001-08:00

Praise the Lord for the gift of sunshine!! I (T) seriously can't get enough of it!! J blessed me w/ 2 trips in 2 weeks to that lovely state of Cali... I seriously could live there;)

We visited SanDiego and stayed in the Gaslamp District... really a party-hub for young adults. People were up at all hours of the night walking the street, eating pizza 'til 4 am... :) It was so nice and warm out that you could do this! Crazy to think about now as we sit in our 40 degree house:)

We visited Balboa Park... the Midway ship... and J's Costa Mesa:) It was so fun to hear stories about his time in college, and then finally see it in person! So fun!:)

Anyway... it was lovely...and we were able to even fly down again to see J's parents!:) It was too long since we've been down there, and so fun to catch up, visit Santa Cruz for the 1st time!, and enjoy eachother's company:) They are seriously the best:)

October!!!

2011-10-17T11:06:00.000-07:00

October
by Robert Frost

       O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow's wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
Tomorrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away.
Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes' sake, if the were all,
Whose elaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost--
For the grapes' sake along the all.

For us, October is a time of family birthdays, pulling up our 1st ever garden:), watching our chickens eat spiders and slugs and slug eggs!!, being blessed by MammaB's visit, J's healing eye!, seeing little Jillie play w/ the girls in the culdasac...  and all-around savoring what God has blessed us with! 

Praise Him for the coolness of the morning, the crisp air and apples... the worms in our soil... and the power of prayer:)

Love you guys!!!
J&T

T's Strong J

2011-10-05T11:59:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we were blessed w/ a trip down to So.Or for a visit to our favorite Pastor's church:) WHAT A BLESSING and a half!:)...not only to hear the Word and witness baptisms, but also to spend time together talking on the road trip down there:) I (T) have an amazing husband...can't get enough of him and what he loves:)
Speaking of J!... During the start of the tournament game (his bball team had an exceptional season!!), J got elbowed in the upper eye! and split it open! Once again, I was so thankful Rob was there to take him to the ER! What amazing friends we are blessed w/!...along w/ the nurses and MD who fixed him up! I have never seen a gash like that one!...super fleshy and thick!... and they sewed him up so nice...Praise God!

Blessings

2011-09-26T12:01:00.000-07:00



	Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.
	Isaiah 55:6

Seek the Lord while He may be found. Why? Because in Genesis 6:3, God said His Spirit would not always strive with man. If you’re not saved, there will be a time when you may seek the Lord, but you won’t be able to find Him. There comes a time when all hope of salvation is lost and all that’s left is despair. Hearing the crowds gather, Bartimaeus asked what was happening. “Jesus of Nazareth is coming,” he was told. When he heard Jesus and His disciples walking down the road, he cried, “Son of David, have mercy upon me.” “Be quiet!” the crowd scolded. But Luke tells us Bartimaeus cried all the more, causing Jesus to stop and ask him what he wanted. “That my eyes might be opened,” Bartimaeus answered. And at that point, Bartimaeus was healed (Luke 18). What if Bartimaeus had said, “Jesus is coming, huh? I’ve heard He can do some amazing things. Next time He comes by, I’m going to cry out to Him. Next time He’s in the area, I’ll call out to Him.” If Bartimaeus had not cried out at that time, he would never have been healed. So too, the Holy Spirit comes by us and whispers, “Go pray. Take a half hour and read the Word. Go for a walk through your neighborhood with Me.” Rather than an audible voice, these are impressions that tug on our hearts. If you put them off, you may find you missed a unique opportunity to receive a healing, a blessing, a work of God in your life.

                     This Daily Devotional is an excerpt       from the book "Footsteps of the Flock" by Pastor Jon.

End-ish of Summer Garden

2011-09-22T14:16:00.000-07:00

We've truly been blessed by Our Lord this year with a fun, beautiful, bountiful garden... it's bitter-sweet to see it start to fade:) Our tomato crop has been providing us w/ enough ingredients for salsa and tomato-basil sauce!...and to eat plain. We have to agree the beefsteak variety was super sweet, beautiful, and juicy! Even though they took over more space than we expected, they turned out perfect!

Our chile peppers have been also never-ceasing! I (T) was skeptical that they'd even grow, but they are beautiful and fun to pick!...and chop up in eggs!! Mmmm!!

SPEAKING OF EGGS!!! Our little backyard friends have FINALLY started to produce something productive other than... very gross matter:)!! EGGS!!! Beautiful, rich-yolked eggs!! We believe our RhodeIslandRed gal is the mamma... but we're unsure if the other two have started yet. It's been fun watching these chicks grow and see how different breeds mature. For example, our Gold-Laced Wyandotte, the smallest of the three, was the first to fly out of their cute little chick penthouse box!...but it's comb/waddle is being shy so far. We also assume the RIR is laying because it is so protective of it's eggs!! We've kept one in at a time to satisfy it...hopefully it'll be happy and keep laying:)

As for the garden, it's coming nearing to an end...which means it's way easier to weed:)! Our peas have died out awhile ago, but still continued to produce a small amnt of peas for the chickens to enjoy. I pulled them out today, and I swear the chickens were mourning;)

Our little neighborhood is filled w/ cute kids... great friends for our cutest Jillie... it's been so fun watching her grow up... had to end this post w/ a photo of her feet:)

Love you guys!!!

North Cascade's Guys Trip!!

2011-09-19T10:47:00.000-07:00

Every year Alyssa, Lydie and I become backpacker-widows for a week;)...meaning the guys get some mountain time in!! This year was a trek up in the North Cascades! We still can't believe how beautiful the photos are...and they had an amazing time! God's majesty and power all around them is something they should go for as much as they can:)Praise God for His Glorious Creation!!

A: To bring pleasure to the Lord.

2011-09-05T21:54:00.000-07:00

Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.
	Song of Solomon 4:16 (c)

Take special note of this verse, saints. The key to life is saying, “I’m Your garden, Lord. Eat of me. I exist for Your pleasure and Your glory. That is why I am alive today. That is why I will awake tomorrow. I exist for one reason: not to heap pleasure upon myself, not even to please others - but to please You.” Why do you exist? To bring pleasure to the Lord (Revelation 4:11). Tomorrow will be a fabulous, wonderful, exciting, fulfilling day if you’ll say, “Lord, I’m here to please You all day long. I’m taking You out for lunch. We’ll grab a burger and then I’ll meditate on Your Word, talk to You, and worship You. Lord, on my coffee break, my thoughts and prayers will be ascending to Your throne. I’m going to carry a verse in my pocket so that my thoughts might be upon You as I meditate upon it at various intervals throughout the day.” You exist to bring the Lord pleasure, gang. You are His garden.

                     This Daily Devotional is an excerpt       from the book "Footsteps of the Flock" by Pastor Jon.

a new year!!

2011-08-29T11:23:00.000-07:00

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 

John 1: 9-13

Praise Him for adopting us as children! For knitting us together in our mothers womb... being born of God! Each year reminds us of how wise and strong and perfect our Lord is! Thank you Jesus!!:)

J & I have been blessed by having our bdays somewhat close together... and these summer months are full of celebrating our anniversary and bdays!  Bless my husband's heart for planning family get-togethers and trips to the ocean! K & the kidoes came over to bbq w/ us, and brought me THE SWEETEST ever bouquet of roses!!  and my amazing J blessed me w/ my first ever B&J's ice cream cake!! (to die for!!...ahh!!)... Thank you Handsome!!:)

The coast was, as always, gorgeous! We spent our day lying between dunes napping, climbed the dune (of course:), and ate some amazing seafood @ the PelicanPub! (one of our favorite places).

And...of course we had to add some photos of TL!! and our little Jillie:) she is A DOLL...and we love her...and her amazingly fun parents:)

Love you guys!!

Life & August

2011-08-19T11:37:00.000-07:00

But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest... :)

Shakespeare

P-town was blessed with another visit from MammaB!! She brightens up this city with her sincere heart, faithful prayer, and joy for the Lord:) We are always totally spoiled when she's here:)...and T becomes teary when she flies away;)

Mom researched, while out of state, and found THE CUTEST EVER tea house to celebrate being together!! as well as Gma's and T's bdays! This "darling" (as Mom would call it) historic home was a perfect way to dress up and have some fun w/ just the girls! What a blessing! The food was SO DELICIOUS!! and the tea was AMAZING!! We sipped on the BirthdayBlend, Apricot-Green, and Raspberry teas... Mmmm... and were filled with home made sweet cream scones, lemon curd, cream, amazing quiche, lavender chicken sandwiches, dill cucumber sandwiches (of course!), cream puffs, macaroons, fudge/raspberry little dreams!, etc, etc. The course all started off with sparkling cider and roasted red pepper soup! WOW!! What a treat:)

I love sharing the same bday week and J's Gma:) I love getting to know her more and be blessed by the celebrating the joy of life and family while sitting next to her. She is a dream... Thank you Lord for her life and her love for you:)

And...of course we couldn't help but post MORE photos of the veggies and T's new little etsy find! This artisan/college student is so blessed with her little business...and blessed T with a cute little personalized note & THE CUTEST hair ties ever! Girls, if you need hair ties for work... T recc's these! They are so cute and hand-died... and they support Olivia's small business:)
Check out her etsy page at:

http://www.etsy.com/people/ManeMessage

Love you guys!!
J&T

2011-08-18T21:17:00.000-07:00

O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. 	

	Psalm 98:1-2 	

In Luke 2, we find the story of a man named Simeon, an old man who waited day after day for the coming of Messiah, the One who would set His people free. One day, Simeon was told by the Spirit, “Today is the day. Today is the day you have been waiting for.” As Simeon made his way to the Temple that day, he was no doubt listening for the rumble of chariot wheels. No doubt there would be an awesome army that would march into Jerusalem, led by Messiah, to liberate Israel from the oppression of Rome. Simeon listened. He watched. He waited. But there were no chariots. There was no army. Instead, there was just a peasant couple who had come to dedicate a little, tiny Baby. And Simeon had a choice to make right then. He could have said, “You’re kidding me. I’ve been waiting decades for a teenage girl, a poor carpenter, and a tiny Baby?” But he didn’t. We are told he took the Child in his hands and blessed the Father for making known His salvation.

Oftentimes, we pray for and focus on a specific person or event to come our way, to solve our problem, to set us free. But more often than not, what God sends our way isn’t at all what we expect. We look for an army, and God sends a baby. We think it’s going to be a powerful presentation. Instead, it’s a peasant couple. At that moment, like Simeon, we have a choice to make. We can either say, “What’s the use of praying? God surely doesn’t answer prayer” - or we can say, “I don’t understand this, Lord. But I bless You and trust that somehow what You’ve brought to me today is going to be what’s best.”

This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "Footsteps of the Flock" by Pastor Jon.

J's 1st trip up Mt. Adams!! w/ R & JP

2011-08-07T18:04:00.000-07:00

J took his first trip up Mt. Adams w/ Rob & JP a few weeks ago! JP took these super fun videos and photos!! It was really windy that day...but the guys were troopers and still had a blast... below is a slideshow of some of the videos/photos:) You can tell by J's big smile he was totally in his element...hopefully someday that mnt. will be in our backyard;)

Tres Anos!!!!

2011-08-07T16:37:00.000-07:00

Eat, friends, and drink;
drink your fill of love.

-Song of Solomon 5:1b

The B's have celebrated our third year of marriage!! What a perfect gift it is! Not only have we had more fun than we could ever imagine, but we seem to understand God's will and Love even more... and we are SO thankful!!:) I could not even begin to imagine a more amazing, handsome, sweet, & wise husband than Mr. B himself:)Thank you Lord!!:)

J blessed me w/ a trip out in the countryside... surrounded by vineyards... sunshine... and THE best brunch EVA!!:)

The Allison Inn is rated OR's top hotel...and it's restaurant Jory is AMAZING! We were totally spoiled... and highly recommend it for any special occasion:) We chose not to take photos of the meal to not ruin the surprise for when you visit the Inn... but had to take a few snapshots of the TEA!!! and the landscaping:)

And of course we couldn't help but post some MORE veggie photos... (notice the penos!!...AHH!!!)

Praise God for His Goodness!!:)

community

2011-08-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

We recently had a block party! And not only a typical get-together! We celebrated R's bday w/ a bbq/potluck with seriously ALL the neighbors! AND the police dept., fire dept., and mayor of our little city! What a great time! What a great culdasac:)

Our garden has also been pumping out all sorts of AMAZING veggies! Praise God for His goodness!

xoxox!:)
J&T

the garden!

2011-07-28T16:15:00.000-07:00

Adam and Eve

This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens. 

Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Genesis 2:4-18

Everything about the above story blows our minds!:) Creation of the world! Creation of man! Creation of THE garden!... of the tree of knowledge of good and evil! Heavy stuff right there:)
We are so thankful God is mighty and powerful and loves us... wow.

Working outside in our tiny garden reminds us of how great and satisfying it must have been to be in Eden... plus MANY more blessings (being right there w/ God!). God has blessed us with so many reminders of His care for us... how He even takes care of the bees and makes veggies grow... beautiful:)

Thought we'd share some more picts:) Love you guys!!

flowering

2011-07-20T11:11:00.000-07:00

And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out  to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan  River. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.  And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I,  the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.  I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Mark 1:4-8

We've always loved John the Baptist and his beautiful life... what a strong man, an amazing teacher, and a humble servant. We also love that he ate wild honey!:)... What a beautiful gift! And even though we have yet to taste our gift from our little bees... it's SO fun to see them collect the ingredients they need from our flowers:) We never saw them around our yard...but boy do they love our lilacs! It's so funny to see lilacs bloom in July!... but here they are..and they are massive!!

We're also happy to see them on our lavender! Mmmm!!:)

AND our garden is a monster!! it is taking off so fast now... it's hard to keep up w/! We've had so much rain and sunbreaks these past few weeks!... we had no clue our veggie plants would grow so big! It is fun to learn...and see what things we could do for next year:)

To ADD!:) Our greatest friends G&S paid us a visit...along w/ gifts and flowers! We love you guys so much! God has blessed us w/ a great family:)

Under God

2011-07-05T11:40:00.001-07:00

Beeezness!!!

2011-07-04T12:52:00.000-07:00

Eat honey, my son, for it is good;
honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
Know also that wisdom is like honey for you:
If you find it, there is a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.

Proverbs 24:13-14

The B's have FINALLY received the most amazing gift of HONEY BEES!! What a treasure! And what an amazing creation! These little guys are SO sweet... much smaller than you would have thought... and on a mission! We bought our bees through a local bee-man who just opened his shop a few months ago. We went in to his store while he, his wife, and friends were still painting the walls! He showed us his homemade hives...and sold us on the Warre Hive right away! J had been doing some reasearch over the past couple years on honey bees...and had found that the Warre idea was the best for us. We took the bottom two boxes home, and our guy caught us a farrell swarm...wild and more healthy than some mail-order swarms. He kept the swarm in our top boxes until he made sure the queen was laying and healthy...and then called us up! We headed over to his house at night, when the bees were sleeping and slow, and took them home in our little car!! They didn't even buzz! The boxes were stapled together w/ a mesh over the opening just in case. That night we added the bottom two boxes (they were already filling the others FULL!) and they've been there ever since! The chickens are afraid of them... and that's about all who is! They aren't a bother at all!! They just fly up to the trees in a planned flight path and come back w/ tons of pollen on their cute little legs!

Honey is an amazing God-gift! Isn't it amazing how the Bible compares Wisdom to honey?!! I (T) eat a jar a month...and am so thankful for all it's properties! and it's beauty!! We're excited to learn how to harvest some this year, too! What an amazing world!

To add!! We also set up our patio furniture!!!:) It's so nice to eat dinner and sit and watch our backyard! AND to think of all the people we'll have over for dinner, and all the friendships we will have... what a blessing!!:)

love you guys!!

One

2011-06-30T23:27:00.000-07:00

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.
2 Kings 22:1-2

A whitewater river guide once told me that the secret of whitewater canoeing is to stay in the “tongue,” or the center, of the river because there are currents to the right and left that ultimately lead to a cracked canoe. That’s what Josiah did. He didn’t go to the right or the left. So often we, as Christians, can go off to the right. We can become very legalistic, thinking we alone are “right.” The Pharisees veered off to the right. Or, we drift to the left and become so liberal in our theology that we stand for nothing. The Sadducees did this. That is why the Lord calls us, like Josiah, to remain in the center.

At this point, Judah will enter a period of peace and prosperity resulting from revival and reformation during the reign of Josiah. There were four great reformers, four great kings who ushered in revival in the country of Judah: Asa, Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat, and Josiah. But the reforms under Josiah went further and deeper than the reforms of any of the other reformers.

Revival is what every one of us longs for in some way. If your own heart is dry, you need a personal revival. If your children aren’t walking with the Lord in the way you know they should, your family needs revival. If your workplace is an atmosphere of ungodliness and carnality, your colleagues need revival. Our God is the God of continual revival. And He wants to revive.

One eight year-old boy was totally in love with the Lord. And in him, the Lord had a base from which He could work. As you study history and read of revivals, you will find without exception that they begin with one individual excited about the Lord. All it takes is one.

“What difference can I make in my neighborhood or at my workplace?” we ask. “There are so many people, how could I affect that situation?” It only takes one . . .

In the late 1800s, there was a great evangelist named Gypsy Smith. He traveled the world, preaching on every continent. Wherever he preached, revival broke out. One day, a delegation of people came to him and said, “Reverend Smith, we desperately want to see revival in our area. It’s so dry and dead. What can we do?”

Gypsy reportedly said, “Go home. Lock yourselves in your bedrooms. Take a piece of chalk. Draw a circle on the floor. Kneel in the circle and pray fervently that God would start a revival in that circle.”

Revival doesn’t begin by praying for your husband or wife, or praying for your boss. It begins when you get on your face before the Lord and say, “Let it begin with me.”

This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "Footsteps of the Flock" by Pastor Jon.

Pour Out

2011-06-27T22:36:00.000-07:00

hearing Him

2011-06-27T22:34:00.000-07:00

Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.
	2 Kings 8:1

In the day of Elijah, God sent a terrible famine that lasted 3 ½ years. Here, in the day of Elisha, another famine will come - but it will last 7 years. That’s the way the Lord works. He slowly but surely increases the pressure in our lives until we bow our knee and say, “Lord, Your will be done.” When Elisha told this woman whose son he restored to life that famine was coming, he didn’t say, “Here’s a miracle to see you through.” He said, “You better do something practical. Go somewhere the famine is not going to hit.” Sometimes the Lord does something miraculous. Other times, He works very naturally. Elijah told the widow that if she made bread out of the ingredients she had, the Lord would continue to supply for her all the days of the famine (1 Kings 17). On the other hand, Elisha - who did even more miracles than Elijah - said to this woman, “I’m not promising a miracle. I’m telling you to do something practical: leave.” We can’t box the Lord in. He works differently with different individuals in different times. You’ll find nothing but frustration if you try to formulize God. God didn’t write His Word like a manual. He didn’t say, “Here’s fifteen steps for healing the sick and ten steps for helping the hurting.” I have often wished the Bible were written differently than it was. It seems there should be sections on Marriage, on Parenting, on Finances. Why did God write it this way? Because in His Word, we find general principles, but we must seek Him for specifics. Why? Because He wants to hear from us. Dear saint, the Lord truly loves you and wants to spend time with you. The only difference between a strong believer and a weak one is responsiveness. The times you’ve been wakened in the night, thinking it was the pie you ate or the problems you face may have been the Lord, tapping you on the shoulder, saying, “I enjoy your company and I’d like to spend some time with you right now.” The times you felt a stirring in your heart while you watched TV may have been the Lord calling you to spend a few moments with Him. God doesn’t have favorites. He doesn’t arbitrarily bless some more than others. No, the people who develop and mature in Him are simply those who have said, “I’ll turn off the TV or roll out of bed in response to His call.” And I guarantee not a one is disappointed.

                     This Daily Devotional is an excerpt       from the book "Footsteps of the Flock" by Pastor Jon. 

Blooming!

2011-06-10T10:50:00.000-07:00

This past week has been mostly beautiful!...and along with it came the blooming of roses!!...everything in our garden!!!!... and Gerbers inside:) We thought we'd share some photos of what's happening:) ALSO... one of our great friends snagged us some AWeSOME flagstone to put in the backyard!! It looks so beautiful all laid out... we'll be working on settling it next;)

Love you guys!!
J&T

PS: The chicks are into the next size of grain bag!:) (chicks have feed that progresses in size until they are ready for full-grown food:) They love the stuff!! AND have been SLEEPING and grazing all day outside! They've grown up so fast!!;)

the heavens!

2011-06-06T12:15:00.000-07:00

But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
	1 Kings 8:27

Solomon was right on when he said, “I realize this house I have built cannot possibly contain You, God.” How big is God? The Milky Way galaxy we see overhead is one hundred thousand light-years long and ten thousand light-years wide. This means that, cruising at the speed of light, it would take you one hundred thousand years to travel from one end of it to the other. And yet Isaiah tells us God holds the heavens in the palm of His hand (40:12). No wonder David asked, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” (Psalm 8:4). We’re so puny. And yet this God Who is so huge has chosen to relate to us in the Person of Jesus Christ. I understand the heart of the Father, the grace, longsuffering, mercy, and tenderness of God because Jesus is the express image, the exact reflection of Him (Hebrews 1:3).

                     This Daily Devotional is an excerpt       from the book "Footsteps of the Flock" by Pastor Jon. 

chicken tractor!

2011-06-05T20:31:00.000-07:00

And...here it is! A post about our amazing chicken tractor!!!:)

We've been wanting to write about this guy for awhile now!!
And alas...the time is near for the chicks to get outa the garage...so here it is... an ode to the tractor:)

J investigated some of the best ways to keep "urban chickens" and found a local VERY small company who makes these houses by hand... and even delivers them to your door! They are so beautifully made with a ton of care and pride. J found the company on the noteworthy Craigslist and all of a sudden it arrived at our door! A dad and his 14-year old daughter drove up to our driveway in an old Subaru...with a trailer hitched up!...carrying our tractor! As the dad wheeled it off, his daughter gave an introduction to our new yard accessory and mentioned how to care for it...from the cool raisable ladder...to the ease of moving with the 2 wheels and 2 handles (almost like a wheelbarrow:)

Yesterday we had the joy of having K & the kids over (they even brought dinner!!! LOVE THEM!!:) to help stain the above tractor:) They did such an amazing job and even had time to wash cars and help cut up nasty old hose:) It was such a beautiful day!!!! 82 degrees?!! WHAT?!!:) Praise God for His perfect blessings & perfect timing... we were going a little cookoo w/out the sun! I'm now sitting listening to thunder and starting to realize it's almost summer...
Bring it!:)

Love you guys!!!

sowing seeds!!:) & Mom&Dad!!

2011-06-01T21:25:00.000-07:00

While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable:  “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some  fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” 

When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,

“‘though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.’

   “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes  and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe  and be saved.  Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy  when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but  in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they  go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures,  and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart,  who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."

-Luke 8:4-15

This past week was the time for planting...:) We were hoping for a sog-free day to plant...but haven't had any luck until NOW! The end of May! We are truly praying God will bless the work of our hands... and make at least a good portion of our garden grow:)

This is the B's first attempt at a garden together... and it has been a TOTAL blast! God blesses us so much by spending time together outside... digging in his rich soil...filled with worms and amazing nutrients!...and getting some time to laugh and get a good workout:) J spent some time w/ a rented rototiller and made our soil perfect for planting! We racked our minds with memories of how our parents grew veggies and remembered the hills and mounds method:) Oh what a rake can do!:) All of a sudden we had perfect dirt places to stick our little seeds in...along w/ our tomatoes and pepper plants! The chicks were out and about w/ us too!....when we encountered our first raccoon!! And he was HUGE!!! We're keeping our eye out for him... and making sure we're around when the chicks are out.

While having our hands on the tiny seeds, we couldn't help but remember the verses posted above. The Parable of the Sower speaks even more clearly to us than ever before! And what a perfect Parable for farmers! Wow!:) Jesus was so sweet...wise...and poetic! He knew who He was speaking to! and what to teach! When we placed each seed into their little dirt beds...we knew they were being taken care of... retained... and will produce a good crop:)

ALSO!! Last but NOT least!!:)... Mom&Dad came to visit!! Yey!!:) They were SO sweet and spent a few days at our "new" home!! AND Dad met the chicks for the first time! They loved him...especially during his chicken imitations!:) It was so sad to have them leave... we always miss those two...

On a lighter note:)
Hopefully we'll have some veggies to share, soon!!
We love you guys!!

outside!

2011-05-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

God has blessed us w/ some rain-free days! Thank you Lord!!:) What a great opportunity to get outside w/ the chicks and till up some more dirt!:)

Bless Jason's heart for rototilling our garden and side yard! I'm sure if T would have done it, she'd have one foot to call her own:) We also brought the chicks out to peck in the grass! It's so fun how they find little bugs to munch on!...how fast their feathers are changing... how far they can fly!...and how they love walking on J's shoes. They follow him around the yard, knowing he's there to protect them:)

My Review of Liberty Bottleworks Lynsey Dyer Aluminum Water Bottle - 32 fl. oz.

2011-05-16T11:19:00.001-07:00

Originally submitted at REI

The Liberty Bottleworks Lynsey Dyer aluminum water bottle mixes eye-catching graphics with high-quality construction to add enjoyment to your water sipping sessions.

FABULOUS!

By PDX T from Portland, OR on 5/16/2011

Pros: Retains Temperature Well, Good Capacity, Easy To Drain

Best Uses: Day Trips

Describe Yourself: Avid Adventurer

Was this a gift?: Yes

Received this great bottle from my husband a few months ago and LOVE IT! I was skeptical of the lid at first (a little too easy to put on, it seemed....) but now love the ease of use and how it holds up! The lid also doubles as a handle and is easy to carry. I use this at work and helps keep me hydrated while being on my feet all day.

(legalese)

Jgirl

2011-05-14T18:24:00.001-07:00

Our CUTEST niece had her 10TH BDAY this week!! How could she all of a sudden be double-digit age?!!:) She has been such a joy to see grow up and become the sweet & hilarious red head we love and adore:)

K threw a friend b-day part'ay and invited T to join the festivities!! What a fun group of girls! K organized a spa-themed bday with facials... toe nail painting... games...and THE most perfect ice cream cake! The girls are growing up so smart and sweet... it's fun to see how silly they still are and how they're not so self-conscious as a lot of adults we know:)

Praise God for making Jenna:) Praise Him for teaching her and growing her up sweet as can be:)

wings

2011-05-09T21:01:00.000-07:00

Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’

who was, and is, and is to come.”

Revelation 4:8-11

It's hard to see our growing chicks...feel the spring sunshine...and not think of Revelation! Let us explain...:)

Our chicks are now a few weeks old and have moved up from the "apartment box" (one box) to the "Chateau" boxES (two boxes duct taped together)! They are growing so fast...and not only in their size...but in their feathers! All the cute fluff feathers that adorned their cute baby bodies are not being replaced by WINGS and shiny, dark, stronger feathers! They flap and stretch out those cute wings and we see the power of God in them...seriously! How they are made... how they are now helping the chicks perch!...and FLY out onto the corners of their Chateau! The first day we saw this was on Sunday... the first time we left them for a night since they came to us! And no...it wasn't the Rhode Island Red chick who conquered the perching first! It was our slower-maturing Gold-Laced Wyandotte! I was so proud of her! For some reason, I loved her from the beginning and knew she was in for something special!

A day before the "flying"...J brought a little worm into their home to see what they would do (he really wants to feed them slugs...but I think we're waiting for them to grow a little more:) Not only did they LOVE the worm...but them FOUGHT over it! and became ornery! After seeing this...we brought in yet another wiggler and they each got a taste of the good stuff...how could they NOT want to see more of the world and all it has to offer:)

Anyways...back to Revelation:) To see our chicks' wings grow so strong... how beautiful the feathers are... reminds us of angels! There is something so raw about these feathers... they help us think about how "raw" God's plan is... how it's something we long for and can never fully understand until it's here.
:) abstract thinking :)

The night away from the chicks was spent w/ mi mama! AT was able to come home for the weekend too before summer session... it was so fun! Praise God for our wonderful moms:)

And...and... I couldn't help but add the cake pop! It was Nurses' week...and my last day on my "home" unit... and my stethoscope broke in half... all a sign it's time to move on:)

xoxox!

Sunshine & Lawnmower

2011-05-06T10:40:00.000-07:00

For,

“All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

1 Peter 1:24-25

We were blessed this past week with a TWO sunny days! Happily, T had one of those days off and was able to spend it with her husband...neighbors...chicks...and lawnmower:)

Our cute city has had more than it's share of rain and we all are CRAVING sunshine... wearing shorts and t's when it probably isn't even warm enough to:)

Our flowers are surviving, though! and even growing up to the windows! And our maple tree in the front yard is actually leafing!:) (we were unsure if it would... seeing as it looked barren a few weeks ago). Seeing things like this reminds us of the above verse... how our flowers WILL fade away... our chicks will pass away... and the grass will turn to dust...BUT God's Word... will last forever! What a peace and rest to know we will be with Him in PERFECT Heaven someday!! Can't even imagine how great it will be!!:)

xooxox!

THE Garden!!:)

2011-04-30T19:38:00.000-07:00

The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

Genesis 2:15

Today was the day to start opening the Earth... to start our garden!:) We thought about doing the "rent a rototiller" thing...but then thought... hey! why not dig it up w/ our own hands!?!:)

We placed a large black tarp on a section of our yard a few weeks ago with VERY alive and lush grass still underneath...until today!

My amazing husband dug up our entire garden w/ a $6 shovel! What a workout! Being able to see how beautiful our dirt is...all the glorious earthworms swimming through it!..Ahhh!! SO EXCITING!!

God blessed us with a beautiful day, also... no rain... 58 degrees with sun... perfect.

While working in the dirt, we couldn't help but remember Eden and how beautiful it must have been...so new... SO with God! But sin came and spoiled it all!!

17 To Adam he said, “Because  you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I  commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’  “Cursed is the ground because of you;     through painful toil you will eat food from it     all the days of your life.  18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you,     and you will eat the plants of the field.  19 By the sweat of your brow     you will eat your food  until you return to the ground,     since from it you were taken;  for dust you are     and to dust you will return.” 

SO sad! But something that must be done. Verse 15 really shows why deep down in us... we all want to work in the dirt! God made us to do this from the beginning! Praise Him for giving us a backyard where we can feel this!:)

We ALSO had an opp' to take the "Triplets" as my mom so cutely calls them (our chicks) outside! We recently acquired a BEAUTIFUL chicken tractor!!!...and thought we'd show them their future home:) 

FYI: Gold chick= Rhode Island Red... Brown/Gold= Wyandotte... White/Black= Plymouth Rock:) No...we have not named them:)

I picked up all three and put them in there... and thought I'd get the inside view too... SUCH a nice place! (we'll post more on the tractor soon enough:)

Ooo! and we also found a set of keys in the yard...along with other mystery items! AND J's eye is healing so well!! Praise the Lord!:)

Love you guys!!

Trinity Chicks!!:)

2011-04-25T13:03:00.000-07:00

J&I have been dreaming of farm life for some time now... and we found that the first step is to start w/ a garden and chicks! In our city a few hens are allowed, and we are taking full advantage of this:)

We took a trip to the Urban Farm Store a few years ago to look for heirloom seeds and found chicks in the midst, too! Keeping that in mind, we traveled back to the cute little store and adopted three chicks! The employees are SO nice there and really chill...and excited for you to start a chicken family!:) We chose three breeds that are good egg layers and all-around SUPER cute! I grew up around a whole bunch of Rhode Island Reds...and couldn't help but adding her into the mix, too:)

The guy helping us at the store mentioned that a lot of times, one particular chick is more curious than the others, and almost chooses us to take care of them! How fun is that?!:) After the three "chose" us... he placed them in a little "to-go" box that looked a lot like a happy meal box... it was so funny to carry them home!

We also purchased at the store a heat lamp and bulb... some pine shavings for their floor of their box... and two kinds of chick feed (along w/ their food and water feeders). These are the first animals J&I have officially had as our own... it's been so fun!!

As you probably saw from the past post... our family was introduced to them... and also, LOVE them! They are so precious and it's so remarkable how God's made them. "We feed them...and they feed us!", as our cute nephew mentioned to us! The little ones will be in the box until at least 6 weeks...when they are old enough to find a new home in our chicken tractor! (we're sure to post about this, too:) In the meantime... we make sure their little box home is at least 85 degrees:) Their first day here was SO beautiful!! It was nice to see them out in the sunshine:)

ALSO... we added a new little plant/flower family to our front yard! J took me to the garden center and blessed me with an entry way that makes us smile:) AND our amazing sister brought us a fern plant for our table!! AMAZING!! she's THE best!!
Yey for Spring!!

xoox!:)

Christ Our Lord is Risen Today!

2011-04-25T12:44:00.000-07:00

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Lo! the Sun’s eclipse is over, Alleluia!

 Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia!

Praise the Lord for Easter! Praise Him for taking our sin away and raising up!...the Resurrection!  The amazing reentry into Heaven! Going to prepare a place that is wondrous! Alleluia!:)

This Easter we were blessed to spend some time w/ mi mama along w/ a part of J's family...and a some new little additions:) To fill a pew in church and have grandparents...parents...uncles...cousins, all together... is such a blessed thing! AND we had our first official brunch over at the B's new little home! SO fun! Homemade whipped cream... a nitrate-free ham:)... stawberries... canned pears and applesauce!...perfect!

xxooxo to you guys!

J's Eye

2011-04-25T12:15:00.000-07:00

J came home an hour early from basketball this week due to an elbow smack to the upper eye area. Thankfully it didn't hurt the eye itself (I was checking nerves, bone structures, ocular muscles:)...but it gave us some great photo opps and a chance for J to make up stories about how it happened:) My husband is such a tough guy and such a good sport! The last photo really speaks of what was inside that hematoma... our nephew Hunter said he looked like an Egyptian;)...close enough, huh?:) J's parents are trying to encourage him into golf instead of basketball... I'm doubting that will change any time soon:)

Dinner

2011-04-18T22:51:00.000-07:00

 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.  Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and  wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the  fragrance of the perfume. 

John 12: 1-3

There's something so special about sharing meals... communing...laughing... sharing stories and dreams about the future. Praising God for who He is and how He's saved us:)!!! And how He is Miraculous...indeed.

Over the past month we've been SO blessed to have our best friends living next door!! One of the major blessings is seeing their little girl grow up:) She is SO cute and SUPER smart... to see her taste things...say words... pick up a worm for the first time!! all are some of the many beautiful wonders of this world:) We believe children understand the miracles of God... how He's made the Earth and the Heavens and all in it... it's so sweet to see them wonder at what God's created... to know He's amazing!:) We pray we will not ever neglect this wonder... that we'll always hold on tight to it. 
:)

Buckets!

2011-04-13T11:46:00.000-07:00

What could the B's be doing with all these large orange buckets?!! Stay tuned to find out:)!!
xoxo!

2011-04-12T12:02:00.000-07:00

How Do You Know Song:)

LOVE THIS!!:)
xoxoxo!

Grace

2011-04-10T20:30:00.000-07:00

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

To him be glory both now and forever!

Amen.

2 Peter 3:18

To have the BEAUTIFUL Grace of our God is one of the most perfect things ever!:).... To have His attention... His thoughtfulness... His Saving Grace... how perfect is that! Grace is so poetic and strong! As a girl...I especially love how it is also a definition of elegance...beauty... a special manner or action:)...and see how important it is to have this in our lives:)

We have added yet ANOTHER addition to our little home this week!...The Gerbers!... J & I LOVE these guys and love how they're made. It's so fun to eat dinner and look at how they grow... Indeed, they are graceful:)

Love you guys!!!

Endurance

2011-04-08T10:24:00.000-07:00

And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
	1 Samuel 13:10

Samuel had told Saul to wait seven days before engaging in battle against the Philistines. When seven days had come and almost gone and Samuel hadn’t shown up, Saul said, “My troops are leaving. I’ve got to do something.” So he assumed the role of priest and offered a sacrifice himself rather than waiting for Samuel so that he could engage in battle. No sooner had Saul finished offering the sacrifice than Samuel showed up. This is so often the way of God. So often the Lord waits until the last moment to step in. Why? It’s not to tease us, but to test us. He takes us right down to the wire, not to taunt us, but to train us in order that we might have endurance (James 1:3). You see, the race we run as believers isn’t a sprint. It’s a marathon. And God knows how desperately we need endurance. The only way to get endurance is to go through testing that will force us to wait on Him in order that we might not panic, not run off the track, not throw in the towel. C. H. Spurgeon said the snails made it safely to the ark because they had endurance. You might be a snail. I might be a slug. We might move very, very slowly - but we will make it to the Ark if we simply endure. “Time is running out!” we cry. “We’ve got to do something!” Do we? I can give you all kinds of advice and recommendations, but it’s only when God steps in that there will be a real solution. The sage was right when he said that the brave man is not braver than any other, but simply braver for ten minutes longer. Who is the brave man? Who is the mature brother, the wise sister, the deep Christian among us? It’s not one who is necessarily super-spiritual. It’s simply one who has learned to wait and not panic. Has God promised to show up? Has God promised you that He is going to work all things for good? Has God promised you that He will take the cares you cast on Him? Has God promised you that He will give a peace deep within? Has God promised that the desires deep within your heart will come to pass? If He has, wait for Him. Don’t panic, dear people. Be brave. Saul thought he waited seven days - but seven days hadn’t completely passed. He didn’t wait the full course. “Lord, make me a man of God,” we pray. “Produce in me depth of character and wisdom.” “Okay,” God says. “I’m going to take you through some experiences in which you will have the choice either to panic and try to solve the problem by sacrificing this or looking to them - or to trust Me.”

                     This Daily Devotional is an excerpt       from the book "Footsteps of the Flock" by Pastor Jon.

Tomorrow!

2011-04-04T15:46:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
	1 Samuel 9:16

The day previously, Samuel heard the Lord say, “Tomorrow a man is going to come - the one I have chosen to be the captain, the king of the nation.” I find it interesting that the Lord whispered in Samuel’s ear the day before this event took place - to let him know what was ahead. In 1 Samuel 8:21, we read that Samuel heard all the words of the people and he rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord. Those who whisper in the ears of the Lord will hear the Word whispered in their ear as well. I’m convinced that many times I don’t hear what the Lord wants to say in my ear because I haven’t first spoken in His ear. Samuel was a man who understood what it meant to pray without ceasing. As a result, the Lord whispered in his ear, telling him the man who would be king was on his way.

                     This Daily Devotional is an excerpt       from the book "Footsteps of the Flock" by Pastor Jon.

From Whom ALL blessings flow....!!

2011-04-01T12:16:00.000-07:00

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; 
Praise Him, all creatures here below; 
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
 Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 
Amen.

:)

We've been blessed!

The doxology above really depicts what our day should be like... starting with this...and ending. Praise! This should start and end everything we do...

EVEN when playing in the dirt:)

Yesterday was the first day I started feeling better from a weird virus...and the first day the sun came out for over an HOUR! coincidence? I think not!:)

Our amazing neighbors helped us rip up some VERY strange and ugly plants... it's sad taking them out...but SO nice to know that whatever we plant will look be healthier...not sprayed...not eaten. Baby plants are so full of promise...and always seem to surprise you in one way or another:)

ALSO...you know I had to post these little lovelies... aka rhinoculous! :)
THEY ARE GORGEOUS and brighten up our little kitchen so much! Each layer of them is perfect...and their little buds are so cute! Spring!... we feel you coming closer!!:)

turn on the LIGHT

2011-03-31T11:58:00.000-07:00

When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
	1 Samuel 5:2-3

Half fish and half man, Dagon was the god of the Philistines. Also worshipped by the Assyrians, he was considered by the people in the region of Canaan to be the father of Baal. I once talked to a man who desperately wanted to be free from a certain addiction. Although he had tried numerous programs and counseling sessions, nothing worked. This story of Dagon proved to be a key for him. Dagon could not stand in the presence of the Lord. Therefore, I told this man that if he tried to get victory over the “Dagon” of his addiction in his own power, he would only become obsessed with it all the more. “Forget about Dagon,” I said. “Instead, bring in the Ark. Bring in the presence of the Lord. Spend time in His Word, in prayer, in fellowship with Him - and Dagon will fall.” And that’s exactly what happened. The key to overcoming darkness is not to curse, cajole, or karate chop the darkness. The key is simply to turn on the Light. Bring the Ark into any situation and watch Dagon go down because darkness and light are mutually exclusive. Light always eventually wins (1 John 1:5).

                     This Daily Devotional is an excerpt       from the book "Footsteps of the Flock" by Pastor Jon.

waking up

2011-03-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
	1 Samuel 3:11-14

God didn’t speak to Eli. He spoke to Samuel. Why? I suggest it was because Samuel got out of bed. God talks to us in the middle of the night as well. But we think it’s the pizza or our husband’s snoring or the caffeine from the double latte we ordered earlier that keeps us up. I am convinced, however, that the Lord speaks to our souls at night because it’s the only time our hearts are quiet enough to hear Him. The question is, “Will I respond?” When I do, I hear Him say, “There’s something I want to talk over with you. I have direction to give you. I have a word of correction for you.” If you want your dreams to come true, gang, you’ve got to get out of bed! Four times in one night, Samuel got out of bed to check out what was going on. On the fourth time, he discovered it was the Lord all along. God interrupts your sleep or your life, your plans and your schedule, because He wants you to hear from Him.

                     This Daily Devotional is an excerpt       from the book "Footsteps of the Flock" by Pastor Jon.

favor

2011-03-24T15:44:00.000-07:00

And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.
	1 Samuel 2:26

Samuel kept growing in God. And what happened? He not only found favor in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men. Our kids sometimes have the mistaken idea that if they stand for the Lord and walk with Him, they’ll be put down or left out. Not true. Yes, there will be a certain degree of persecution in the Christian walk, but notice what happened to Samuel. He found favor in the eyes of God and of men too. Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk with the ungodly and sit in the seat of the scornful, but whose delight is in the Law of the Lord. Whatever he does will prosper (Psalm 1). As parents, we need to remind our kids that the real key to having a prosperous, exciting life, the key to finding favor in the eyes of both God and men, is to do what Samuel did. He walked with the Lord, and God blessed him indeed.

                     This Daily Devotional is an excerpt       from the book "Footsteps of the Flock" by Pastor Jon. 

Chapels & Tulips!!

2011-03-23T22:07:00.000-07:00

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17

These past few weeks have been extra full!:)... full of family...full of basketball...full of looking towards the future... a full hospital...and full of hope for the coming Spring!

Our great sista (K) led her class in THE CUTEST ever chapel for their school...and invited Tiff to visit! What a PURE joy to see both her class (so little...cute...and growing) and the older 8th Grade class (telling a story about how God taught them that coincided with a verse they chose)!! K invited me in her class and I saw, for the first time, our amazing sister teach these cute little kids! Praise God for her again and again:)

And of course I had to add the tulips into this post! How could I not?!:) I took a trip to the store w/ Lydie and we both filled our homes with spring flowers... what a blessing! We HIGHLY recc flowers of the seasons in your home... what a beautiful gift of creation God's made for us to enjoy and wonder at:)

loss leads us to listen...

2011-03-09T22:27:00.000-08:00

Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.
	Ruth 1:6

This intrigues me because it was Naomi’s loss that led her to listen. Please keep this in mind: This story is not to show God punishing Naomi for wandering off into Moab. Her loss was not punitive - it was corrective. Its purpose was to get her back on track - back to Bethlehem, the House of Bread; back to Judah, the Place of Praise. So too, in your life and in mine, when there is loss, it is not for punishment. Why? Because the punishment for our sin could never be severe enough. I know you; you’re like me. We all deserve to be totally consumed. Whatever God could send our way could never be punishment enough for our sin. The punishment which should have come upon us was poured out upon Jesus Christ, Who died in our place. Therefore, His work in our lives is not punitive, it’s corrective. If you have been in a place of loss - materially or internally, vocationally or relationally - know this: You are experiencing loss not because God is mad at you, angry with you, or disappointed in you, but because He wants to speak to you. And He knows that sometimes the only time we will listen is when we are at a place of loss where we can do nothing else.

                     This Daily Devotional is an excerpt       from the book "Footsteps of the Flock" by Pastor Jon.

Please...won't you be.... my neighbor?!!:)

2011-02-23T21:25:00.000-08:00

NEIGHBORS!!! At last!:)

Psalm 90:17

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.

If any of you are looking for a way to have time go by SUPER fast... and want to catch up with your family and friends... PAINT!:) Paint primer...coat...trim...doors... scrub wooden floors... pull up old carpet!:)

This past long weekend we started diving into getting our CUTE place ready to move into! and the best part about it is that we're living SO close to our best friends and their little girl!! What a dream! To live next door to your best friend? When does THAT happen?!:)

Not only is cleaning up a great way to see how amazing your friends are... but also to work physically hard...so hard your hands twitch at the end of the day... and you sleep without waking up once during the night!:)

The passage above (below my amazing husband's photo:) speaks more clear to us than it ever has... to "establish the work of our hands"... what a beautiful prayer. We pray this time is the start of an establishment...one that will bless us and others more than we could dream of! ... !!:)

AMAZING LD... in her cute GI Joe shirt:) G...I.... JOES!:)

I just realized we didn't have a photo of her other 1/2 Rob!... he was there more than we were! I'll have to catch him next time;)

Awww...!! Us in paint!

K & Jenna brought us JAMBA!!! Bless these girls!! We didn't eat much and were SO thankful for these:) Pina Colada...Mmmmm!!

Seriously...could J ever have a better sister?!! PRAISE God for her!:)

Love & Basketball!:)

2011-02-14T10:36:00.001-08:00

As a little girl... you always dream of having a sweetheart to spend your life with... a handsome man to bring you flowers and kiss you! How AMAZING it is to have J... my perfect husband!:) He is a blessing beyond compare....!!:)

In the first photos above...you can see the BEAUTIFUL roses he brought home to me! They are SO PERFECT and look as if they were each dipped in pink-red! Mmmm!!:) I LOVE HIM!!:)

And for the basketball part!:) Our CUTEST ever-growing niece Jenna had a bball game this weekend! SO FUN to watch! She's so cute and tall..on a team who all seem to be trying it out for the first time! SO CUTE!

come over here, Spring!!

2011-02-09T20:21:00.001-08:00

We love rooming w/ flowers... and this month's visitor is Hyacinth!:) She's so pretty and SO amazing!! Her little green locks of buds were tucked down in the leaves... then UPROOTED completely two days later! And blossomed!!:) She's SO BEAUTIFUL and smells like Heaven! It's amazing to watch her grow... every part of her is so intricate and perfect. Even the way she leans towards the sunlight is reminding us of how much God loves us... and brings us to life:)

....and we remember these verses...

See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.

Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
is heard in our land.

The fig tree forms its early fruit;
the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;

my beautiful one, come with me.”

Song of Solomon 2:11-13

Welcome, Spring!...which is God's great gift!:)

colossal-sized faith!;)

2011-02-09T10:04:00.000-08:00

And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.
	Joshua 21:43

God gives a promise and then keeps it - but there is often a period of time between when the promise is given and the fulfillment of it is seen. Therefore, don’t give up. Don’t be cynical. Instead, keep to the course to which God has called you. Believe the promises He’s given to you in the Word. And, with faith and patience, you’ll inherit them. I wonder how many people give up a month, a day, or an hour too soon and just miss God’s blessing. In Hebrews 6:15, we read that it was after Abraham patiently endured that he obtained the promise. Abraham goes down in history and is celebrated throughout eternity as a man of faith. He heard the Word. He mixed it with faith. He patiently endured - and he obtained the promise. Believing might have been simple for Abraham, perhaps you’re thinking, but me? I don’t have faith that God will bless my marriage, my kids, or my job. I can’t believe because my faith is so weak. Are you sure? I suggest that your faith is huge, colossal, titanic in size. After all, you’re in the hall of faith, in the company of Moses and Abraham, Sarah and Gideon . . . Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Hebrews 11:3 Your belief that God created all things is itself an indication of the colossal size and strength of your faith. Believing God created the world out of nothing is the hardest thing to believe. Everything else is a piece of cake by comparison. The second biggest issue deals with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe,” Jesus said to Thomas after Thomas said he wouldn’t believe Jesus was alive until he touched His wounds (John 20:29). Do you believe Jesus rose from the dead? If so, I suggest with a sparkle in His eye and a grin on His face, Jesus would say, “Awesome! You haven’t seen Me physically, but yet you believe in Me. You are a blessed person!” Therefore, when the enemy whispers in your ear, “You’re not going to see that happen. You’re never going to see that work out because your faith is too weak,” you need to say, “I believe creation was accomplished by my Father. I also believe Jesus rose from the dead. I couldn’t believe either one of those things had not the Father given me huge, colossal-sized faith. He has given me faith for the big issues, and everything else - health, finances, relationships - is minuscule by comparison.” Mix the Word with faith. Patiently endure - and, like Abraham, you’ll obtain every promise He has made to you.

                     
This Daily Devotional is an excerpt       from the book "Footsteps of the Flock" by Pastor Jon. 

cannot go unchecked

2011-02-08T21:22:00.000-08:00

And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their suburbs.
	Joshua 21:3

Although the Levites were not given territory, as were the other tribes, they were given cities within the territories of the other tribes. The Levites were those who worked in the Tabernacle, those who cared for the spiritual life of the people of Israel. They were spread out over forty-eight cities. This meant that every Israelite was near to a Levitical community, near to men who knew the Scriptures and were dedicated to serving the Lord. Along with Simeon, Levi was to have no inheritance due to his dealing with Shechem (Genesis 34, 49). Yet the curse on Levi was reversed and transformed into a major blessing when the Lord said, “Levi, I will be your inheritance. You’ll be scattered everywhere in order to serve Me, and your cities will be protected by the rest of the nation.” Simeon and Levi were both cursed, but God reversed the curse upon Levi. Why? I believe the answer lies in Exodus 32:28. You see, the day Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments in hand, the people were dancing around a golden calf. “Who is on the Lord’s side?” Moses said. “Who will deal with this sin?” Only one tribe volunteered - the tribe of Levi. The Levites unsheathed their swords and went throughout the congregation dealing with their friends and relatives. It was painful, but they had to do it because the tribe of Levi knew, perhaps better than anyone, that sin cannot go unchecked. So too, God can take our sin and turn it around for good. He can reverse the curse even today. Wherever you’ve been, whatever you’ve done, if you repent and say, “Lord, from here on out, I’m going Your way,” He’ll turn the mistakes you’ve made around for good. Oh, the scars will still be there. But God will open new doors and do wonderful things in your life. You’ll be more blessed than you could have ever imagined if - and only if - you repent. It’s all a matter of repentance, of changing directions.

                     This Daily Devotional is an excerpt       from the book "Footsteps of the Flock" by Pastor Jon. 

Stepping out....

2011-02-02T20:53:00.000-08:00

There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the firstborn of Joseph . . .
	Joshua 17:1

Joshua 16 detailed the inheritance given to Joseph’s second son, Ephraim. Here in chapter 17, we see the inheritance given to Manasseh, his firstborn son. The Book of Joshua illustrates what it means to move into and live out the Spirit-filled life. The people of Israel were set free from bondage in Egypt the night the blood was placed on the doorposts of their homes. So too, we were set free from bondage to the world by the blood of the Lamb on the doorposts of our hearts. After they were set free, the people of Israel made their way to the Red Sea, where they were baptized when the waters parted (1 Corinthians 10:2). So too, the baptism of believers signifies death and resurrection to a whole new way of living. When their faith faltered shortly thereafter, the Israelites found themselves wandering in the wilderness for an entire generation - approximately forty years. That can happen to you and me as well. We’re born again, baptized in water, but then we get distracted. Oh, we’re still Christians, but we’re wandering in the wilderness, swatting flies, and eating dust. Things are dry, not like they used to be, not like they’re supposed to be. We wander and we wonder sometimes year after year until, like the Israelites, we come to a second baptism - the Jordan River, which speaks of the baptism in the Spirit. A new generation came to those waters, and as they obeyed the command of the Lord to put the soles of their feet into the water, they entered into the Promised Land. So too, when you and I engage our souls and say, “Lord, I want to step out. I want to press in. I want to take hold of all You have for me,” a new dimension of spiritual life begins. The baptism in the Spirit transforms those who were wandering and weak into those who are dynamic and fruitful. Maybe you’re at the point where you’re saying, “Lord, I love You, but I’m tired of the dryness of my soul. I’m tired of wandering around aimlessly. I want You to take control. I want to see Your Spirit come upon me and flow through me. I’m going to do whatever You tell me to do. I’m going to step out. I’m going to take a risk and begin to press in to what You say is available for me this very day.” As you receive by faith the empowering of the Spirit, you enter into the Promised Land - a Land where there are battles to fight and where there are wars to wage - but also a Land of milk, honey, and grapes the size of bowling balls.

This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "Footsteps of the Flock" by Pastor Jon.

TO the Ocean!!

2011-01-31T19:05:00.000-08:00

Jill wanted to play in the water...:)

LOVE LOVE this cute family!!

J's photos of moi:) and the beer bottle! how'd that get there!?

One of the best things about being married! Kissing!:)

Lost J for a second and found him up there... not surprised:)

L's amazing legs:)... Jillie's going to have them too I bet:)

Jillie and the beach! She ADORES being outside!

Jillie in ALL her cuteness!!
She loved it out there!

THE dads and future spouses:)

Jacob was so sweet to Jill!

Frisbee Rob

Running J

BATHTIME!! SO CUTE!!

They were so precious!!

This one's hilarious!!! Another one of Jill not wanting to leave:) Look at those cute chompers!

Also LOVE this one!! HILARIOUS!!! They are so cute together! I don't think Jill knows what to think of J:)

Seriously... can my husband be any more hot?!

J found a top of a dead crab and was pretending it was alive... he then picked Jill up and had her stomp on it... I'm sure she was confused.

Being on vacation literally on the ocean spoils you! Thank goodness our buddies The D's invited us down for a weekend @ their place on the Oregon Coast! We met up with another great couple and their CUTEST one year old:) The D's little Jillie is the same age... it was so precious to see them play together and how beautiful great marriages are! What a blessing to spend time w/ three couples whose marriages all rock! Praise God!:)

Amazing!

2011-01-31T18:49:00.000-08:00

I have to admit I'm usually skeptical of comedians (please click on link)... and most of all... late night comedians... BUT Mr. Conan O'Brian just seems like a great family guy... who is HILARIOUS!! I found this clip of him talking to another funny man Louis K... 
it's true... people keep themselves from being amazed... sad.

I pray I will NEVER be complacent:)

Luke 5: 22-26

Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

How many times during the day... this minute... do we lose that moment of awe God's given us? There are SO MANY beautiful and amazing things in this life we brush off as being, "just there".  I pray each morning we wake up, we see the GLORIOUS Creation! Feel the cool rain and know how intricate its design is... take a breath and know we're given life... kiss our loved ones and soak in their smile. Take the time to sit in quiet and listen for God's voice:)

Standing Still :)

2011-01-26T22:02:00.000-08:00

January 26

	And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.
	Joshua 10:13-14

Do you ever come to the end of a day feeling frustrated, tense, or anxious because the day slipped away before you could accomplish even half of the things you intended to do? Does it ever seem to you like there’s just not enough “day” in your day? There are so many obligations and responsibilities, opportunities and activities that the day seems to dissipate. And sometimes that can fill us with a great degree of frustration. Such was not the case with Joshua. With the day elongated, he was able to do what the Lord commanded him to do. How? He spoke to the sun. We can do the same. In our world, to be busy is to be important. But such is not the case in God’s economy. To Him, busyness is more of a curse than an asset. That is why Jesus says, “My burden is easy and My load is light. Come unto Me all that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Learn of Me and you will find rest in your soul” (see Matthew 11:28-30). Therefore, if, like Joshua, you and I speak to the Son, things will stand still because He’ll whisper in our ear, “Now that you’ve spent a bit of time with Me, talked things over, made confession of sin, read some Scripture, here’s a couple things I want you to do today . . .” We waste so much time trying to figure out what we should do next. And when we don’t get to it, we feel condemned about it. In reality, the decision ought to have been made early in the day. I’m not saying there’s no room for flexibility, but for the most part, I have discovered that the real key is to say early in the day, “Lord, what do You want me to do? By Your grace and with Your help, that’s what I’ll do.” And as I do those things, as I come to the end of the day, I realize the sun has indeed stood still. Therefore, like Jesus, I’m able to say, “Father, I’ve finished the work You gave me to do” (see John 17:4). The tensions disappear; the burdens dissipate; and I find myself living a life of serenity and tranquility to a much greater degree. What God gives us to do is doable. Do what our Greater-than-Joshua did day by day. Before the day begins, find a quiet place and have a quiet time with a quiet heart. Let God direct your day: you will have fewer decisions to make and you’ll be victorious in a whole new way.

This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "Footsteps of the Flock" by Pastor Jon.

SHOUTING w/ Anticipation!:)

2011-01-19T21:10:00.000-08:00

January 19

	. . . and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat . . .
	Joshua 6:5 (b)

For six days, the congregation of Israel marched around the walls of the city of Jericho. So too, God has you and me go round and round in circles until finally we get dizzy and realize the wall is too high, the breach is too great, the estrangement is too severe. Although we do everything we know how to do, the wall only gets higher. Before there can be a moment of the miraculous, sometimes there must be a lengthy season of helplessness. When their circling was complete, the Israelites were not to point, not to doubt, but to shout. So too, while I’m waiting for God to flatten the walls in my life, I’m not to wring my hands in anxiety. I’m to clap them in expectancy (Psalm 47:1). Notice that the Israelites were commanded to shout before the walls fell - not when they fell, not after they fell; the children of Israel shouted before they fell. Thus, theirs was an expression of anticipation, a proclamation of faith. Let’s join their ranks. Let’s be those who have free access to the heart of all that God has for us as we believe in Him, wait for Him, and submit to Him - for that’s where the walls begin to fall.

This Daily Devotional is an excerpt from the book "Footsteps of the Flock" by Pastor Jon.

CRUISIN' into 20-11!!!!!

2011-01-18T14:14:00.000-08:00

The earth is the LORD's and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.

Psalm 24:1‑2

Over a year ago... we conspired w/ some of our best friends to plan a cruise to the Southern Caribbean!! And what a better time than to go in January...the start of a new year!!:)...PLUS a ton of sunshine to heal our winter paleness:)

We headed out on a night flight from home and booked a spa day in South Beach, Florida, of all places!:) The Palms was our place of choice for the hot stone massages... what a great experience after a long flight! The hotel was SO cute and mod-deco... a great day to go onto the beach...lounge in beach chairs...and fall asleep while getting tan:)

We met up the next day w/ the rest of the crew and hopped on the ship!! We were SO SUPER excited!!!..and the fun thing was that everyone else was happy too!! THE ENTIRE week was filled with happy-smiling people...no one ever looked upset or frustrated... it was SO refreshing!:) The food was all-inclusive, also, which made it so relaxing...no one was ever starving!..and if they were... you could dress up, stay in your room, or eat at the buffet-style area!

The first port day was on Grand Turk! This beach was SUPER low key (besides the wave pool/bar area at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville...we skipped that stop;) and had BEAUTIFUL tropical beaches! We swam...read books...caught up w/ the friends...and when J & I felt like we were getting a little fried...started heading back to the boat. ON THE WAY there... we noticed a bunch of wild goats in the field...but a few of them were baaa-ing too much... we spotted a baby across the road that was all shiny on it's legs... I thought it got hit by a car!...but then we walked up to them (the same time a local taxi guy drove up)...we noticed THREE of them were stuck in TAR of all things!...up to their heads! J pulled out one baby while the local guy saved the second. The third goat was really large and had horns!...J held the horns and head and the two guys freed her! It was so sad to see all the tar ALL over them. Thankfully the local guy cared enough for them to get some diesel and clean them off! I was so proud of J! Rescuing goats of all things! He hears enough of me begging for some of our own in the future!...I tease him by saying that was the beginning to his goat life:)

Each island we visited was PERFECT! We got poured on only one day!..and it was SO fun running around in it... and having it be so warm out!:) Aruba's beach was our last stop and the waters were so perfect... can we go back now?:)

When asked what our favorite part of the trip was... we both agree on "The entire experience!" Just to be on a massive boat floating in the ocean... the sunrises and sunsets... the great time laughing with our hilarious friends... the turquoise ocean swimming!... not having to worry about an alarm clock! PERFECT!

The verse at the beginning of my "story":)... is SO beautiful and speaks perfectly to what we've seen. Every living thing...God created!! The more we see... the more we understand His power and love for us! Praise Him ALL creation!!:)

We love you guys!! Hope to va-ca with you in the future!:)

O Come Let Us Adore Him...!:)

2010-12-27T12:39:00.000-08:00

The B's...Christmas Eve... I love J SO MUCH!! Woo!:)

PrimeRib Christmas Dinner... photos never do meat justice!:)

the kids made us these BEAUTIFULLY precious snowflakes... we'll have these little guys forever! SO sweet!:)

Our cutest niece Jenna went around and shot some photos! We LOVE seeing what she catches!!...like Lucy above! hilarious!

and Hunter w/ his mom's shoe! DOUBLE hilarious!:)

There's a story behind this... K making some Christmas music on her little horn:)

J's parents brought up some of the ornaments from when him and K were growing up!!! My eyes teared up when she was explaining everything!:) HOW SWEET!! and the funny thing was...
K: "Oh!! I totally remember this!! Awww!!"
J: "I don't remember this one!"
This family is always laughing...:)!!

The greatest family ever!!

Hunter and Lucy!

Gma's perfect decorations:)
I always tell her she should be on the cover of Good Housekeeping!! SHE should! serious.:)

Our gift to gma...:)

Jenna & Gpa! Jenna's showing off her missing tooth:)

My little fam:) So fun to have them here w/ us:)!! They experienced a Moonstruck hot chocolate for the first time too!

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us."
-Matthew

What a beautiful Christmas!! We love this time of year!! So many songs about Joy and Salvation and Hope and..... Jesus!  Wow! How refreshing to hear it played everywhere and all the time!:) And how beautiful it is to be married, and double your family to celebrate!!:)
J's family was able to all come to P-town...along with most of mine! AND I didn't even get called in for work!! (was scheduled, though!:)Praise God for His Plan and Purpose and Love for us!!

faith!:)

2010-12-23T23:26:00.000-08:00

December 23

	Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
	Deuteronomy 31:6

Fear is to the Devil what faith is to the Lord. That is, Satan responds to, takes advantage of, and delights in fear the same way our Lord responds to, works through, and delights in faith. When I don’t know how the bills will get paid or if the relationship will be restored, the Devil will try to get me to become full of anxiety and fear. God, however, “hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). The disciples were on the Sea of Galilee, toiling at the oars. The wind was howling, the waves were rolling, and the disciples, many of whom were seasoned fishermen, were afraid of the ferocity of the storm. Suddenly they saw Someone walking on the waves, headed in their direction. “It’s a ghost!” they shouted, perhaps alluding to the legend that said when a boat was about to go down, a ghost would come to deliver the message that the lives of the men on board were over. But then they heard the words, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid” (Matthew 14:27). Faith is like a muscle. It doesn’t grow unless it’s exercised. And we need to exercise faith in a most practical way. In the midst of the storm, when it seems as though our boat is sinking, we need to choose to be of good cheer. I have discovered over and over that when I make the decision to be strong, to be of good cheer, to not give into tears and fears, that the Lord is truly near. Romans 10:17 says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. We take faith in as we hear the promises of God’s Word and the preaching of the Scriptures. Faith is worked in by the hearing of the Word - but it’s worked out by the speaking of the Word. That’s why Romans 10 also says we must confess with our mouths (verses 9–10). Faith comes in through the ear, but is worked out through the mouth. A lot of times we take in a Scripture, but then have a tendency to complain or murmur - and wonder why faith isn’t impacting our situation. Jesus said, “Say to the mountain, be removed . . .” (see Matthew 21:21). This is such a key, but is forgotten so easily. Faith that works is not only a matter of having devotions in the morning or going to Bible study in the evening, but it’s a matter of speaking out that which we have taken in. If I hear the Word in a Bible study and go my way, saying, “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know how things are going to work,” my faith is short-circuited by my words of fear and frustration. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that the power of life and death is in the tongue. How often we kill our faith either by the words we say or fail to say. For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. - Hebrews 13:5–6 “He hath said . . . that we may boldly say . . .” Next time you are fearful about the future, boldly speak out what He has already said, and watch your faith grow.

jillie

2010-12-20T21:31:00.002-08:00

We've been blessed w/ the gift of the CUTEST Jillian:) Our best friends R&L brought her into this world one year ago already! It's so fun to see how she's growing and how much she looks SO MUCH like her parents!! We were invited over for their cute party and had a lot of fun:)...We're praying God continues to bless this little girl and grow her into a great woman of God:)

blessings!

2010-12-20T21:31:00.001-08:00

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: and all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
	Deuteronomy 28:1–2

When I see the blessings in Deuteronomy 28, I can’t help but say, “That’s exactly what I want. I want to see my family blessed. I want my location to be satisfying to me. I want to see my cupboards full. I want to experience stability and spiritual intimacy. I want to see the work of my hands blessed, to have a daily routine that’s fulfilling, to know my future is secure.” But this is hardly surprising, for who of us doesn’t want these blessings? So when I hear Moses saying, “If you hearken diligently to the Lord, if you obey all of His commandments, these blessings will be yours,” I say, “Wonderful!” - until I try, but inevitably and consistently fail. You see, the key to success and blessing lies in obeying all of the commandments. It can’t be 90 percent or even 99 percent. To get the victory that brings the blessings, one must do it all (James 2:10) because the Ten Commandments are interwoven in such a way that to break one is ultimately to break all ten. Think of it this way . . . You’re out at sea, two miles from shore, when you notice that, although nine of the floorboards in your boat are shipshape, one is rotting away in the salt water. Therefore, even though only one in ten is faulty, even though nine are in perfect order, you’re sunk. So too, Moses said if you want these blessings, you’ve got to obey all the commandments. And therein lies the problem. I want to. I try. But I can’t. There is One, however, who did indeed keep all the commandments. In fact, so perfectly did He keep them that even His enemies could find no fault in Him (Luke 23:4). And because Jesus kept all the commandments, because He fulfilled every expectation and requirement of the Law, He gets all of the blessings. In other words, every Old Testament blessing, every glorious promise made to those who would walk in God’s ways, who would obey God’s Word, who would seek God’s heart is His because He did all of those things (2 Corinthians 1:19–20). And here’s the amazing news: When you became a Christian, not only did Christ come in you, but you were placed in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17). Therefore, all the promises are yours as well. we praise You LORD!:)

Tron!:)

2010-12-17T11:26:00.000-08:00

Last night J took me to see an early screening of Tron! How fun!! and it was in 3D!:) There were a ton of great chase scenes...HIGHLY recc'd by the B's!:)