Hello again!

Wow, it's more than a week after the 4th of July, and we haven't posted! No particular reason, it just hasn't happened for a while. We had a great Independence Day, with family, American Trivia, homemade ice cream and "fireworks" being the highlights of the day. Here are my Beloved and I dressed in patriotic colors - Alaina's outfit lasted about 25 minutes. ;-)


Speaking of family, we got to see the D. family, and had a lovely time!


Alaina was pampered by her cousins Taylor and Troy. You two are very entertaining, and you have a hilarious dog. ;-)


It was great to see Sheila and Doug, the only downside being the shortness of our visit! I'm glad we'll be seeing you again soon.


Thanks you guys for being such wonderful hosts! We love you guys!

Remember

"Bad men cannot make good citizens. It is impossible that a nation of infidels or idolaters should be a nation of free men. It is when a people forget God that tyrants forge their chains." - Patrick Henry

Little Look Alike

Before Alaina was born, I told Kyle that I thought it would be fun to have a girl that looks like him and a boy that looks like me. Well, it looks like I might have gotten half of my "wish"! I've thought Alaina favored different people in different stages, but now that she is getting her own look, I'm seeing a lot of Kyle in our little sweetheart.

As for a boy who looks like me - well only the Lord knows what will happen down the road!

Who do I look like?

Here's my Mom at six months.

The littlest one on the left is my Dad around six months.

Here's me doing my newest thing - I'm almost six months!

What do you think?

Father's Day on the Farm

Over Father's Day weekend, we got to go down to the farm to visit and help plant. It was such a nice time! Alaina got to see Mimi, Papi and some of the Aunts and Uncles.

We're so glad you were up, Renee! Alaina just soaked up all the attention.

Alaina thought Papi was pretty interesting to watch, and I think he was impressed by her little chunker legs! We girls did get out to the farm for a couple of round of planting with the menfolk, so we got to ride in the big tractor! I didn't have my camera with me. :-(


All the adults were well entertained with Alaina's newest antics - getting on her hands and knees and putting her toes in her mouth. She makes it look so easy!


Mimi and Alaina really got some good bonding time. It took Baby a little while to warm up, but by the second day she was giving her Grandma the biggest smiles!


Fresh toes, anyone?

Getting in some girl talk with her Auntie.

Somebody took pictures of his girls giving him his first Father's Day card! Alaina loves her Daddy so much and thinks he's a wonderful Daddy! Her Mommy agrees. ;-)

Happy Father's Day to all our wonderful Dads! We love you!

Meditations: A Divine Surprise

Recently I was reading in the book of John, going very slowly. I've been taking things in bite sized pieces so I can really slow down and see what's there. Sometimes I've read through a paragraph until something hits me. Sometimes I've simply meditated on one verse. It's been challenging and encouraging.

A while back, I came across this verse.

Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.

That got me thinking. What would I do if all authority had been given into my hands? If I could fix anything, change anything? If I knew that I had that kind of power? The verse said that Jesus knew that he had come from God. What if I could know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that I had been sent as God's messenger and that my words were directly from God? (In all honesty, the first thing that popped into my mind had something to do with public speaking or writing a book.) What if I also knew that my time was limited. Soon I would be returning to God. What would I do?



What about you? What would you do?

Then I read what Jesus did. He got up, got into his grubby work clothes and did the ancient equivalent of scrubbing toilets.

Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

Since I didn't remember that it was coming, his action struck me with the same force of surprise that it must have had for his disciples. Knowing that he had all authority and all truth and that his time was limited . . . he served. He loved. He gave of himself in this most humble way. What a gracious, holy and beautiful God we have!


What a reminder this was to me of what is truly important. I can do and know all sorts of things, as it says in 1Cor. 13, but if I don't have love, it's all for nothing. And how different God's love is from the "what will it do for me?" love we see around us - and inside us - everyday.

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. - Mark 10:45

Our definition of an important job usually amounts to "Something that will be seen by many people". God's definition of an important job is something closer to "Something done out of love for God through the power of Christ". How incredible to know that He has given me the opportunity to copy Christ in loving and giving every single day!

There's something to think about the next time you find yourself scrubbing toilets. :-)

Quote of the Week: Home's Purpose

The primary purpose of a home is to reflect and to distribute the love of Christ. Anything that usurps that is idolatrous. - Ravi Zacharias