Roofing Picture

We just had a new roof installed and a sky light replaced due to hail damage. This is a picture of two of the workers from our dining room window perspective. We just thought it was too cute!

We have one question though. It was hot all week, they drank plenty of water while working, but they never went to the bathroom? Hmmm!

Vacation Project

This is our before picture of our backyard. The circle in the yard is where we cut the grass low to serve as our guide for the firepit we wanted to put in.

This is a in progress picture! The girls really had fun helping my husband. Good thing, too, since we have no boys to help!

And, here is the completed project! The fire bowl is in the middle (it looks small) and the pea gravel is being watered down to cut down on the dust from just shoveling it in! Needless to say, my husband is now napping while I am posting these pictures.

The girls said they would rather undertake this project instead of going somewhere on vacation. It was nice to work together as a family and it will be really nice to enjoy this area with friends and family. We're hoping to get to know some of our neighbors better now too!

Tonight we're are off to the Timber Rattles baseball game. The T-Rats are a minor league team for the Milwaukee Brewers. We're hoping the rain by passes the field. It's dollar night. Dollar hot dogs, beer, and soda. It's a little cooler this week than last with less sunshine but a summer baseball game is always fun!

The King Dies

My daughters are too young to really know what an impact Michael Jackson made in the music world. Michael Jackson was a pop icon to my generation and I give him props for the innovation, creativity, and work ethic he brought to the industry. His music will live on and his name will be remember in the cultural history books.

All the evening television programs focused on the life of Michael with statements both visual and oracle saying, 'The King is dead'. I remember as a child the reaction my mother had on the day Elvis Presley died, also touted as a King.

Both 'Kings' seemed to bring the world together both in life and death. At one time, the world was screaming in adoration and, too soon it seems, the world collectively grieved. The power these men held on the culture was beyond compare and they will be missed.

The followers of these Kings have nothing more now then memories. There will not be another curtain call. No surprise performance. No coming out of retirement. The future goes on without them. Another will now have to rise to fill the hole left by bringing something new to the table. So, grief sets in because something has been lost forever.

My mother's generation lost a king and now mine has, too. However, there is another King that links our two generations together. In fact, this King links all of humanity's generations together-past, present, future. This King is Jesus Christ!

Jesus is the King of Kings who reigns eternal! Jesus, too, died but unlike Michael and Elvis, who will not come back, Jesus did! He rose from the dead and brought hope to all people who will call on him as King. He is able to offer us the gift of eternal life in heaven - in his Father's Kingdom-we just have to receive the gift.

Earthly influences will come and go. Jesus will remain forever!

So, when my kids ask why the television reporters are saying a king has died, I will use the opportunity to turn the spotlight back to the King who lives and reigns forever, Jesus Christ.

Summer Time = Busy Time

I feel like I have neglected my blog since the kids have gotten out of school but my priorities clearly change during the summer. I have to find ways to keep their minds occupied and learning and their hands working and constructive.

Although my kids go to public school, I home school in a way over the summer. We're learning how to be critical thinkers, how to outline notes and prepare better for tests, expanding our vocabulary, and improving our writing skills.

We use articles from the Internet to discuss current events and form our own opinions or predict outcomes. We then try to filter what we have read and learned against what the bible teaches on these subjects. We are developing biblical discernment this way.

We are reading the Charles Dickens classic, Great Expectations. From this book, we are getting our vocab words and learning how to outline notes, answer questions, and prepare for test.

We are studying the book of Psalms and learning about the character of God.

In practical matters, they are learning how to meal plan, create grocery list, and price comparison shop. They are learning how to read food labels and make healthy choices. They are learning how to maintain a home through daily chores and meal preparations.

One daughter has used her creative abilities to make flash cards of the numbers 1-10 and the alphabet for our 20 month old daughter to use. The other big sister will be creating a picture book for her soon as well. They both take turns reviewing these flash cards with her and reading books to her. So, even our youngest is in a deliberate learning environment.

It requires a lot of effort on my part to coordinate all of these learning opportunities. I have to read everything ahead of them to create the questions and vocab list and then read it again with them. There is much planning and preparation involved and so I am busy. I hope to blog as much as possible but fear this may be less than I am use to over the summer.

Daddy has six weeks off from his master's program in Business Administration so he is homework free for a little while and soon will have a few weeks of vacation, too. We are looking forward to having more of his undivided attention and having fun as a family, too!

I hope your summer is impactful and fun, too!

Communication

My children think I am old fashioned when it comes to the communication outlets available on the Internet. Although I blog, they still think of me as not up to date and out of touch with reality.

Today, young adults and teenagers have various options to choose from to communicate with others on line. Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, and the list goes on and on. I suppose as they mature into young adulthood the online generation becomes more discerning and able to make better judgement calls on how to conduct themselves in online situations but it still doesn't make me any more comfortable.

My daughter recently shared a blog post with me another young lady praising the online communication tools available to them and why they were good for you. I think my daughter shared this information with me in support of her choice to use some of these online tools for herself and may have hoped I would 'see the light' by reading the opinion of this young lady. She was wrong. I don't feel any different about them.

First of all, this lady commented on how Facebook can make your marriage better by reading your spouses' Facebook entries and learning things about your spouse you never would in face to face contact with your spouse. That's sad!

The most intimate relationship you will ever have with another human being is being reduced down to online blurbs of information posted for anyone to read. How is that intimate knowledge? I want a deeper, more satisfying knowledge of my spouse and I want that information just between him and I. I don't want to share that with the rest of the world. That's why it is an intimate relationship.

I also don't think it is appropriate for a woman to have intimate conversations with a man who is not her husband or vise versa. When my husband and I were married there were clear boundaries. Any women friends he had prior to our marriage were no longer people he would confide in himself and he no longer would be for them the one to which they would confide in. The same went for me. My husband is the only male I should confide in and I am the only female he should confide in. We became one flesh, one heart, one soul. It is dangerous behavior to bring another into that intimate relationship whether it is in person or online.

Women tend to become very dependent and attracted to men who listen to them. If I start talking to other man about things that should rightly be discussed only with my husband, I run the risk of becoming dependent or attracted to someone other than my husband. If my husband allows another woman to discuss with him things she should only be discussing with her husband, he runs the risk of her becoming attracted to him. If compliments are exchanged and an ego built up or stroked or a man feels needed by a woman then he becomes at risk of being dependent or attracted to another woman. I do not consider this being old fashioned or untrusting of my spouse but rather selfishly and jealously protecting my marriage vows and the blessing God has given me in the form of my spouse.

The young lady also said that in real life she only had a few friends but in her virtual world she had hundreds of them. I find this sad, too. Since when did a few close friends become not enough? I think this stems from that drive for significance that whispers to us that we need more exposure and deceives us into thinking we can create a new persona that everyone will love. Behind a computer we can be whoever we want to be but I'm afraid we begin to lose ourselves in the process.

It was also noted that the social wallflowers didn't have to worry about body language or appearance in online situations. I wonder if we have forgotten that God has created us and that we have been endowed with all of these quirks that make us who we are. When we begin to push aside parts of us that don't seem to fit in with the world's view of who we should be and only focus on what they find acceptable we put the emphasis on man's view and not God's.

God created our eyes to see each other as we are but also to see those words left unspoken, the feelings beneath the surface, or the body language that speaks volumes about where we are at right now. God gave us ears to hear the voice as it breaks in grief or hurt, as it speaks sarcasm to cover anger or hurt, or as it whispers in lost strength. God gave us a voice to touch another's heart and soul with sounds of calm, reassurance, and support. God gave us the sense of touch to communicate love, acceptance, comfort, and security. All of these senses are important in communicating with our family, friends, and spouses. The online world doesn't allow us to communicate the way God intended us to do. I view the online world of friendship making as a celebration of man's efforts and not God's and excludes the intimacy and friendship potential we can have as creatures of God's humanity.

Although, the Internet can be used by responsible people for lots of good things, I think it also can be irresponsibility used for bad things or can create poor situations that are not the ideal. I think with all things, discernment is in order and always a reflection given of what God's values are and how would he want me to use these tools. I also caution against losing the human element of all that we are called to be in our relationships with others. All we do should bring glory back to God. This includes how we present ourselves to the world, how we care for the people God has placed in our lives, and how we honor the covenants he has entered into with us.

Persecution.com

Persecution.com

Christians in Nepal need our prayers!

Psalm 107

I've been preparing a summer bible study for my daughters on the book of Psalms. As a result, I am truly learning to appreciate the beauty and wisdom of this book and am learning more about God's character, his attributes, and his love for all of us.

This morning I was reading Psalm 107 and it is about how the redeemed are to give thanks to God for his love that endures forever.

Verse 1-3 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say this- those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east, west, from north and south.

The text goes on the give four examples of situations people might be in.

1. Desert Wasteland: I believe this to mean an unbeliever who has not yet met Jesus. An unbeliever has no rest for his soul, no where to pull living water from or to get spiritual food that will sustain him and give him life. Instead, he is wandering around trying to fill himself with all kinds of things that will not sustain him and thus he is dying.

2. Darkness/Deepest Gloom- Prisoners in Chains: I believe this is someone who knows Jesus and his word but has found themselves enslaved to sin. They have rebelled against God's word and despised the counsel of the Most High. They have gotten so far into the sin that they can't find their way back out of it. Addictions, hatred, adultery are all sins that keep us in chains and in despair.

3. Foolishness: I believe this is the man who knows Jesus but has made a conscience decision to follow his own path instead of the way of Jesus. The sinful path he has chosen leads to unbearable consequences and he is losing all hope. He hates God and spends a lot of energy blaming God for his own self created situation.

4. Out At Sea in Ships: I believe this describes the good guy. The guy who would give the shirt off his back to someone in need and is always doing good things for his community. He stays out of trouble and others think well of him but he has not come to a saving belief in Jesus. Then, tragedy hits his family or a major set back happens and he doesn't know how to stay afloat. He is sinking in the storm.

In all four situations it says, 'Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble'. Last resort, maybe. Nothing else worked. I'm desperate. I can't do it myself. Help!

In all four situations, God's response was, 'And He delivered them from their distress'. He gave them rest. He gave them his Holy Spirit. He brought them out of their darkness and broke their chains. He healed them and rescued them from the grave (salvation). He stilled the storm to a whisper and hushed the waves. He guided them to safety.

God's love endures forever. No matter what we do outside of Him or for how long we do it he will come to us when we call on His name. In fact, he is constantly pursuing us, trying to get our attention, drawing us to Him in all kinds of ways.

In verses 33-34, it says because of wickedness He will turn . . .
a. rivers into desert
b. flowing springs into thirsty ground
c. fruitful land into salt water

In verses 35-36, it says he turns . . .
a. desert to pools of water
b. parched ground to flowing springs
c. hungry to live

He uses situations to draw us close to him. He desires to be in a relationship with us. He knows we are dying without Him and He wants to save us from that eternal death. He makes Himself known to us and offers freedom, forgiveness, and life to those who will call on Him. To the stubborn and foolish he will humble, oppress, and bring calamity and sorrow in the hope they will come to Him and accept what He has to offer.

Most of my life was spent in the desert wasteland, in chains, and in foolishness until I was completely broken. In the depth of my despair, I called out to God and He answered my prayer. When I finally turned to Him, He flung open His loving arms and accepted me in, faults and all. He had faithfully pursued me and has been beside me ever since, even as I learn what it means to be a child of God and don't have it all together yet. For that, I rejoice!

Let the redeemed say, 'Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his love endures forever'.