Thoughts and Quotes to Ponder

Wherever there is a mountain, there is a life giving river running through it, and ultimately the river is stronger, so do not fear the mountains you face.

"Beauty is created with purpose....Beauty is created. It's intentional." - Lisa Wingate 

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"It's funny how what you are used to seems right even when it's really bad."  

That quote by a 12-year-old river gypsy spoken to her friend as she is helping her flee a very abusive home she is reluctant to leave in the book "Before We Were Yours" is profound. It explains how so much evil has overtaken cultures throughout history. Even God-fearing freedom fighters like George Washington who accomplished so much good for others could not see slavery for the evil that it is because slavery had been common practice around the world for thousands of years.

It explains how Hitler used propaganda and of the natural human longing to belong to a group to brainwash his people and build the cult of Nazism.

It's why Americans allowed the sexual revolution of the 1960's to take over our culture, destroying marriages and families.

It helps us understand how our nation can courageously stand for freedom, spending billions of dollars and sending our most courageous heroes into battle to rescue the oppressed while at the same time allowing and even funding via tax dollars the brutal dismemberment and brain sucking slaughter of millions of unborn babies. Instead of calling abortion the most evil form of genocide throughout all of human history, we call it a woman's right worth defending because evil seems good if you hear it, belong to those who support it, and are around it enough.

Open our eyes, Lord; give us spiritually discerning sight. Just because something is familiar doesn't make it right. Just because our people say it, do it, or defend it doesn't make it legit or good, nor does it mend it. Anchor us in Your word which shows us right from wrong. Help us stand on the Rock, upright, steady, and strong. (Isaiah 5:20, ESV)

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If we can't post the 10 Commandments on or near government buildings anymore, could we post this convicting verse instead to help temper our political discourse?

"The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45)

Identity Confusion

I keep seeing all this news about identity struggles. People are so confused over how to define themselves in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, family connections, natural abilities, and life purpose, as if any of those attributes adequately define us. Our society has identity confusion alright, but that's because they fail to acknowledge the true source of their identity. The new social order seeks to deny we are first and foremost created beings, made in the image of God. As Paul David Tripp wrote: "You and I aren’t the authors of our own stories. We are God’s idea, we reflect his design, we exist for his purpose, and we have been commissioned to do his will. We didn’t think ourselves up, and we didn’t emerge by chance out of primordial soup." Every aspect of our being, including our gender, ethnicity, heritage and life experiences are all according to His will and purpose, not our own. As long as we reject this truth, we will never fully understand or find peace in who or whose we are.

Just as a cake cannot tell its baker it is a prime rib, a biological male cannot pronounce to his Creator that he is female, wave a surgical wand, and magically become a female. Similarly, Rachel Doležal cannot become African American simply through cosmetic pretending.

We can choose unbelief, rejecting God's design and plan for our lives, but our beliefs can't change our biology in the slightest or cause us to no longer be created beings who are ultimately accountable to our sovereign, true, loving, and good Creator. When we look to Him for our identity and purpose and accept His Lordship over our lives, the truth becomes clear, and we find perfect fulfillment in our identity as children of God.

Thoughts while Spinning on the Potter's Wheel

Do you ever feel like you are spinning around and around, never getting anywhere and pressed in on every side? I was thinking about how that feeling in life is a picture of clay on a potter's wheel when our life class teacher just happened to teach on Isaiah 64:8 this morning.

"But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand."

Whether the constant spinning in circles or striving but going nowhere is the result of our own stubborn independence and unwillingness to receive direction from God or because our loving Father is intentionally taking us through a season of profound change, God is still our sovereign potter who is in the process of molding us from a lump of clay into something beautiful, fashioned for a significant, eternal purpose. We get to choose whether we will resist His work in us and continue pretending we are in control while utterly lost and helpless, or we can rest in Him, finding perfect peace in His sovereignty, goodness, and love as we let Him have his perfect way with us.

Come for Help

It can be heartbreaking when your strong-willed, independent child refuses to come to you for help, no matter how long it takes that child to figure things out on her own and no matter how many mistakes he/she may make in the process. Why won't she let me help? But I have learned that when things get bad enough, that child will come to the parents she loves and trusts for help, and once she realizes how much easier and more enjoyable life is with you there to guide her, she keeps coming back day after day, grateful for the help and support.

That realization gives me a much greater appreciation for God's love for each of His children, for the trials in life that bring us to the end of ourselves and lead us back to Him, and for the joy our Abba has when we come to Him for help and guidance. It's hard to fathom how the God of the universe could take such delight in such sinful creatures fashioned out of dust, but He calls us His children, and I know it thrills this parent when an independent, strong-willed child comes to me for help at last.

While I can help my child with math, logic, science, civics, and issues of life I have navigated myself through the wisdom of hindsight and God's word, there is so much more that I cannot teach her, for she is gifted in so many ways I am definitely NOT. But God is not weak in any area. He possess ALL wisdom, ALL knowledge, ALL authority, ALL power. He is sovereign over all, and He is all we ever need.

All of us have at some point chosen our own path and stubbornly tried to do life our way, on our own strength, without seeking our heavenly Father's input or direction. And whenever we do, we eventually come to the end of ourselves, overwhelmed and utterly hopeless apart from Him. When/if we turn back to Him, He enthusiastically welcomes us, guides us, and lavishes His infinite love upon us. There is no greater joy or security than abiding in Him in the center of His will. We need only come to Him, trust Him, and receive.

Fighting the Holiday Battles, both Big and Small

The Christmas season seems to get busier and more frustrating every year...as family needs increase and as retailers, merchants, service providers, and shoppers all grow more stressed and irritable - causing them to make mistakes or become negligent creating havoc for everyone. I've vented about my own frustrating experiences on here way too much. While I may feel the need to vent all the emotions out first so my heart and mind are open to receive the lesson or a word from the Lord, I cannot leave the venting out there without sharing the lesson or message that followed.

I have found that I have a much better attitude about frustrating circumstances, unfair treatment, or persecution, when it's obvious persecution for Christ (Matthew 5:9). If it's spiritual warfare before a mission trip, I'm usually ready and armored up. (Ephesians 6: 10-18) If I'm being ridiculed, targeted, and treated unfairly by haters of God and His word because of my faith, then I'm not surprised and know to draw my strength from Him to bear it gladly. When facing gut-wrenching pain or grief, we believers know we are powerless on our own to get through it, so we trust only in our gracious God who possesses all power, authority, and sovereignty.

But the enemy knows our weaknesses. He knows how to distract us and when we are more likely to trust in our own strength instead of looking up to God. He also knows that he is more likely to lead us astray if he chips away at us, little by little, with small irritations and frustrations. Rude drivers, no-shows for costly appointments, miserable customer service, broken promises, wasted hours waiting, last minute cancellations, flight delays, weather changes, traffic jams.....all are so tiny taken by themselves, but when compounded on top of sleepless nights, endless to-do lists, unrealistic expectations, incessant demands....it can all combine to pull our eyes away from the one focus of our entire life - the One lover of our soul - the Creator and Lord over all the universe who spoke it all into existence with his spoken word and then sent His son to die for all our transgressions against Him. When we stop looking up at how big God is, suddenly all the frustrations of the holidays seem enormous. And they all seem somehow unspiritual (yes, I made up that word)...as if we should fight them with human "weapons" instead of donning the armor of God and resisting them with God's word and with prayer.

I enjoy resistance training, but I can't expect to sit on my bum for a month, and then bench press 300#s when the big attacks come. I get the best results when I consistently train each and every muscle group, little by little, every single week. I have to resist the weight, however. I can't just lie under a barbell, defeated. I have to press against it. The little efforts to oppose that weight consistently over time make me stronger and less prone to injury than if I only sporadically lifted weights when I thought I needed strength the most.

 

So all that to say the trivial inconveniences and annoyances in this life have value - eternal value. Disrespect, offense, mistakes, lies, mistreatment, and failures are a given in this life. And while God does not tempt us or make us suffer, He sometimes allows attacks or suffering into our lives, whether big or small, to strengthen us and make us holy and for whatever greater purposes He may have which we cannot see with our finite minds. He wants to redeem that which is broken, worldly, or unjust in our lives, whether it seems spiritual or not. We have a choice, though. We can whine and complain and refuse to draw on God's power to resist it, or we can push back evil with good. We can resist hatred with love, rude behavior with kindness, greed with charity, abuse with compassion, and Satan's lies with God's truth. By relying on God and choosing to respond according to His word, we become stronger in every area of our lives and more like our heavenly Father.

While I often feel like all these irritations waste so much of my limited time on earth, I must remember that nothing is wasted with God. (1 Corinthians 15:58) May we bear it all, both the the little frustrations and the big, awful challenges or extreme persecutions life may bring us, with faith, courage, and hope, resting in His power, presence, and promises, looking not to our own interests but

only to Him.

Easter Weekend 2017

Good Friday
For family devotions tonight, I read about Jesus' crucifixion as recorded in John 17. Verse 29 records Jesus taking his last drink from a sponge on a stalk from a hyssop plant (fulfilling yet another tiny detail from ancient prophecy) right before He said, "It is finished" (vs. 30) and died. After I read those verses, my mostly right-brained, usually non-detailed kid said, "The hyssop plant may also be significant because hyssop was dipped in the blood of the sacrificial lamb and used to paint blood over the door frame in a shape similar to a cross so the angel of death would pass over their house." (She was referencing Exodus 12:21-21.) Then we remembered that King David once said, "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. " (Psalm 51:7). The hyssop references all work together to "paint" a beautiful picture of God's salvation plan and shows how inspired the Scriptures really are. 

Who needs a concordance to make Biblical connections and deepen understanding when you have kids who study the Bible? Praise God for planting faith, love for God, and His truth in their hearts.

I just had to bike back to my happy place today to contemplate the crucifixion of my Lord in my place.

My happy place on Good Friday

"It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”When he had said this, he breathed his last.

The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” (Luke 23: 44-47) #GoodFriday

Saturday 

I know some amazingly organized and ambitious Pinterest friends who are Betty Crocker and Martha Stewart (minus the jail time) all in one. But for those moms who feel like they always fall short of that perfect standard, I am here to let you know you are not alone and make you feel better about your successes. I call it my ministry of mediocrity.

I impressed myself by actually remembering to buy Easter basket gifts for the kids this year, but I forgot to get Easter baskets. I bought cards for the grandparents, signed, addressed, and stamped them a month early, but I did not remember to send them until after the mail came yesterday, so they will all be late. I bought a new Easter wreath from Pier 1 and other spring decor, but I forgot to decorate until today. I saw eggs were on sale for 59 cents a dozen at the store yesterday, but I didn't buy them because I couldn't think of a reason why we might need them. Then my daughter asked if we could dye eggs this morning. I found three in the refrigerator and she boiled and dyed them by herself while I was trying to climb out of my son's closet where a purge fest was underway in an attempt to find something that still fit him for church tomorrow. When I came out of his room alive, thanks to the Hazmat suit, I found the mantle looking cute with three colorful eggs, thanks to our dear daughter who still treasures traditions.

My mom tells my daughter that this family would fall apart if it wasn't for her here to be the mama. Why does my mother always have to be right?

Now that my husband is finally home after an unusual period of excessive (IMO) business travel, maybe I can handle this mom gig a little better.  Taking another bike ride to my happy place at sunset certainly helped clear my head.

The critters seemed excited about Easter.  Orwell wanted to look festive for the occasion, so while I was changing out the wreaths on the front door to the one covered in Easter eggs, Orwell decided to wear the other one as his Easter tu-tu, but is much too big for him.

So Orwell gave up and took a nap.  He wanted to build a fort like the kids often do, but he's much too lazy for all that effort, so he made do with a stool as his fort.

Easter Sunday

We got up early Sunday morning and rushed to my hometown, so the kids ended up looking inside their Easter bags (I could not find their baskets) in the van on the way to church.

We arrived at my home church early enough to recreate a photo we took 25 years ago at that same location.  Back then I had just met my husband during his spring break trip to our area with the USNA Glee Club concert tour, and he had returned with a childhood friend of mine (who was also in the USNA Glee Club) for Easter weekend.

Much has changed in the past 25 years, but many other things have stayed the same. My childhood church may have grown exponentially, built new buildings, and altered their format, but their love for God and others, the faithful teaching of His word, and even the landscaping around the old building remain steadfast. Our budding romance 25 years ago may have fizzled for a season, but God resurrected it, and we were married inside this old church sanctuary 9 years after this old photo was taken. I still have big and bad hair days, and my husband still doesn't smile for pictures, but at least I stopped wearing flying nun collar dresses. Each of us has been made new by Christ's redemptive work on the cross and by His Spirit's continual work within us, and we are certainly changing with the years on the outside, but our faithful God is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

After a wonderful service at church in which I was dearly touched by the number of people who recognized me and took time to "visit" with me after church, including the senior pastor and his wife, it was the kids' turn for a throwback Easter picture.  They sure have changed over the past 10 years! 

We also took a some rushed family Easter pictures before the kids changed into play clothes.

The boys played Pokemon card games, and Tessa practiced her face painting skills when the kids weren't feasting, hunting eggs, or checking out all the great gifts in their Easter baskets from Nana & Pops!  What a fun day it was!

Our boy spells happiness "H-A-M"  Nana's spiral ham made him very happy!

Hallelujah!  Christ is risen indeed!  As I wrote earlier this week, the Resurrection changes everything!

Because of the Resurrection, when we are mocked, falsely accused, or slandered, we are not shaken or offended but continue to love and pray for those who oppose us.

Because of the Resurrection, when believers around the world are persecuted, even slaughtered (just yesterday in Egypt even), the gospel keeps spreading, faith keeps increasing, and the church keeps growing.

Because of the Resurrection, injuries and diseases may break the body, but they cannot break the spirit.

Because of the Resurrection, when human liberties are trampled by corrupt rulers, the soul keeps soaring freely.

Because of the Resurrection, death means “see you later” instead of “goodbye forever”.

Because of the Resurrection, thieves may steal our possessions, and injustice may take away our livelihood, but nothing can rob us of our joy.

Because of the Resurrection, the meek and lowly will be raised up, the sick will be made well, the weak revived, the lonely comforted, and the lamb will lie next to the lion in peace.

Because of the Resurrection, love wins in the end!

Because of the Resurrection, our chains have been broken, our sins are forgiven and forgotten, and we become new creations.

Because of the Resurrection, we stand firmly on the solid rock and have certain hope in that which lasts forever. 

Because of the Resurrection, there is no fear of death or condemnation for those in Christ.

Because of the Resurrection, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us to the cross, the grave, and back to life here and to Heaven again. 

Because of the Resurrection, death has been defeated, and we get to live with Him in righteousness forever, if we so choose.

The Power of the Incarnation Means No Blanket Required

My daughter and I take turns on Sunday mornings volunteering with our church's special needs ministry. She serves during one service, and I serve during the next.  We usually work one-on-on with children to help them integrate into standard classrooms.  We've worked with kids who have Down's syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, autism, and a wide array of physical or mental handicaps.

The child we've been working with lately is gifted with an exceptionally brilliant mind.  At age four, she reads, memorizes, and comprehends at levels higher than many kids twice her age. However, she has sensory processing issues and possibly other diagnoses (TBD) that often leave her in a puddle of tears and tantrums by the end of the last hour.

This past Sunday was different. She kept telling the Christmas story (the entire story with details few adults remember to include) while moving magnetic figures on the class dry erase board to illustrate the story as she spoke. She took such delight in telling the story that when it was time to present the class lesson, we began by having her share the Christmas story with the rest of the class.  She was very dramatic in her presentation and completely captivated the attention of the other kids.  She also led us all in singing the Christmas songs from her Christmas CD at home.  That child knew every word.  While she never ceases to amaze us with her intellect, what truly astounding me this past week was that she stayed so calm, not just while presenting her portion of the lesson, but also throughout the class period.  She usually carries various therapy toys or implements in her hands which help calm her, but this time she did not want or need any of them.

She connected with me for the first time that day in a way that let me know almost intuitively what she needed and what to avoid because it might cause her stress. But the stress she usually feels was absent that day.

The miracle that morning, which flowed out of her repeated telling of the Christmas story, reminded me of the segment from A Charlie Brown Christmas when Linus tells the audience what Christmas is all about.  When Linus appears in Charlie Brown comics, he is almost always carrying a blue security blanket.  But when Linus recounts the angel's appearance to Mary and cries out, "Fear not!" (Luke 1:30), he dropped his blanket and continued telling the rest of the story without it.

   

"The birth of Jesus separates us from our fears.

The birth of Jesus frees us from the habits we are unable (or unwilling) to break ourselves.

The birth of Jesus allows us to simply drop the false security we have been grasping so tightly, and learn to trust and cling to Him instead." -  Jason Soroski

After recounting the Christmas story with great joy and leading us all in worship songs, our little friend needed no coping devices in her hands to help her stay calm.  The things that usually upset her did not phase her. She was at perfect peace.  That's the power of the incarnation at work!   No blanket required!

²⁶ And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
²⁷ To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
²⁸ And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
²⁹ And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
³⁰ And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
³¹ And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.
³² He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
³³ And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.  (Luke 1: 26-33)

A mural along the marketplace walls in Bethlehem (January 2016)

September & October 2016 - Catch-up

Labor Day

We seem to be developing a tradition of hosting a cookout on patriotic national holidays for long time friends.  Most recently, the Wises have been here for Memorial Day and Labor Day, and the Stark and Stephenson families joined us on Independence Day. The menu doesn't seem to change much each time. We grill chicken and burgers from the Fresh Market, veggie burgers, and corn with sides of fruit and my southern baked beans with bacon followed by S'mores plus cheesecake for dessert. Our daughter made a hugely popular 7-layer dip as an appetizer which everyone devoured while the meat was grilling.

We rarely get to see the Wises now that we live in a suburb so far away from them.  We attend different life classes at church, and our kids are at different schools, but we treasure their friendship more each year. They have three girls.  The two oldest girls are two grades a part with our daughter in the middle, so they make a terrific threesome. They've invited our daughter over for elaborate play dates many times over the years.  Three is usually not a healthy number since it seems one person gets left out, but for whatever reason, those girls are happiest when all three of them get together.

We had so much fun talking, I did not think to take pictures until it was dark outside and we were roasting marshmallows for S'mores around the fire pit. Their mom is gorgeous model material with perfect fashion sense, Martha Stewart domestic skills, and amazing entrepreneurial expertise.  She turned a new blog into a national sensation in less than a month and got asked to speak on national talk shows.  She turned it all down and shut down the blog when it disrupted her family time, which  she, unlike most moms, recognized as a direct disruption to her quality of life.  How fitting is her last name!   Her E-bay business is remarkable.  In this pic, she has no make-up on and had just arrived after a day on the lake.  Isn't she lovely?  I'm so blessed to call her friend.

Our poor boy was so outnumbered with all those girls there.

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Since school started the first week in August, our kids' days have been filled with school, music, church, and sports.  Out daughter stayed busy playing AAU basketball and middle school field hockey, while our son keeps up an active football schedule.

Field Hockey

Our daughter's field hockey team had the best season ever.  They won nine games, and only lost two games while one ended in a tie. They lost the first one narrowly by a one goal (and they would have tied it had a new layer not been inside some goal line) to an elite Ivy League feeder school, but they came back and beat them on their own turf during the second game.  They also lost to the top school in the state (also the most expensive) which has a feeder program that trains kids in early elementary for field hockey, (whereas our girl's team is comprised of girls who never played field hockey before). No one in our family had ever seen a field hockey game much less understood the rules when she went out for the team.  We are still mostly clueless about the sport.

Here's the team at yet another elite school with over 130 acres of land upon which to practice.  Our school owns only 10 acres and two small fields which are used for all field sports.  They beat them at home and on their opponent's turf.  So far, the team has 8 wins, and 2 losses.

Training at home, last game near the flooded region of the state, and fun bus ride home

Our daughter gives 110% at each and every field hockey practice or game.  After all that exertion, the coach and team mom noticed her wheezing, so we took her to the doctor for asthma testing.  Her other sports (gymnastics, volleyball, swimming, and basketball) have been mostly short sprints stop/start activities without the long term endurance training field hockey requires.  She did test positive for exercise induced asthma and must now use an inhaler before each practice and as needed. We were hoping she escaped all the ailments that plague her brother, but now she has asthma and what appears to be seasonal allergies (although no food allergies yet).

Football

Our son had a great first football season without injuries.  His team only won one game, the last game, but they all had fun.  He received an award for being best in defense. He may be small, but pound for pound, he was the toughest lineman on the team, according to his defensive line coach.

 Last Game

 

Awards Celebration

"Lead Linebacker" with his coach

Food

Our daughter is still enjoying experimenting in the kitchen when she has time.
The tween made homemade meatballs one night, but each person got meatballs stuffed with ingredients representing a different country. We had to guess which country she selected for each of us.

Thank you, Lord, for a daughter who likes to cook and has a knack for mixing spices and other ingredients for the perfect flavor. Thanks also for letting me forget to teach her proper food group ratios with vegetables comprising the bulk of the meal, beef secondary, and bacon added only for accent flavor because she reversed the order to create the tastiest stew I have ever had.

I was trying to talk to the kind lady at Great Harvest Bread Company one day (of many...I love that place!), but she seemed distracted. Apparently, my boy's smile had captured her attention because when she heard him say how much he likes lemon blueberry scones, she wrapped one up for him as a gift. His love language is food.

Critter Updates

Bunny Bath Aftermath

Muffin has been making up new Pilates moves again.

Orwell likes to do what Muffin does. He sits in Muffin's cage, hops around the house, and even eats Muffin's leafy greens. He has a plethora of resting positions of his own, but this pose is the quintessential bunny sprawl, likely copied from Muffin as well. Now let's see if he makes his ears lop for his next ape trick.

I buy my husband's cat all his food, litter, multiple deluxe scratching posts, litter box, toys, etc. I let him live here even after he destroyed all the carpets, expensive area rugs, leather sofas, recliners, chairs, bar stools, etc. which I spent countless hours shopping for to find just the right match for our new home. I even just bought him blue soft claws with shiny sparkles for his next spa day instead of getting him declawed. I organize play dates for him with his pal Boo. I discipline him gently and hang out with him all day long. I even let him take a portion of my husband's affection which should all belong to me. 😍 The cat sheds hair everywhere, but I'm the one to clean it all up. I even let him sleep on or under my luxurious sateen bedspread. But this cat still despises me. I try to be nice to him and play dumb cat games with him, but all I get in return are claws in my skin and sinister hissing. So how fair is it that I am also the one who gets to take this cat to the vet? This fall, he got a boatload of shots, and I continue to be his arch enemy. When can I trade this monster in for a dog?

One compromise we've made since my husband will not let let me get that monster declawed is that my husband has to keep his claws capped with soft claws.  I buy.  He and our daughter apply. This month I chose a blue hue with sparkles. Isn't he pretty with his new pedicure?

School Fun

4th Grade Science Day

4th Grade Fall Assembly

Our boy was so cute in that Neil Armstrong costume, I asked the mom who loaned it to the class if I could buy it from her. She gave it to our boy whose father's dream is to go to outerspace.

Tween Happenings

She's taking selfies now.  Have mercy!

She loves Refinery, our church's youth group program.  She enjoyed the 6th-12th grade girls' Bible study this summer and the weekly Bible study meetings during the school year.  They also do lots of fun activities as well like the Powder Puff  Bowl.  The 7th grade Green Chilis may not have won (or may have come in last), but they had fun while tailgating and playing football at the PBC Powder Puff Bowl.

State Fair

I can't stand going to the loud and crowded state fair where disgusting, dangerously unhealthy foods are overpriced, lines are long, animals are cruelly caged and make everything at the fair smell like feces, and high priced rides make me nauseous. But the kids love it.  So the best kind of friends are those who invite your kids to come with them to the state fair so you don't have to.  Some parenting roles are best outsourced.  And we all had fun!  Thank you, Christine!

Kids Disciplining Kids

I asked my kids why they didn't have as much fun at their friends' house today as the usually do, and the 9-year-old replied,"because [kid's name] would not submit to authority" despite repeated correction from his mom. (He had exceeded his daily screen time allowance and was instructed to "unplug".)

So I asked them how they responded to his behavior, and the 9-year-old said, "I wrestled him for the mouse and hid it so he could not keep playing computer games."

The 12-year-old separated the boys and took the batteries out of all the remotes and electronic devices with screens.

While giggling over their newfound appreciation for the Biblical commands to obey one's parents and to submit to authority, I made a mental note to employ their wrestle, hide, and deactivate strategies next time they abuse their screen time limits.

Then the child's parents called asking where the mouse was for their computer so the father could use it. Oops!

Great Quotes

"The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell or a hell of heaven." - Milton

I know I write about a lot of serious topics, but I hope my writing honestly about the injustice, pain, suffering, loss, tragedy, heartache, evil, corruption, and trials we all encounter at some point in this fallen world does not mask my joy. Joy comes from God and is completely unaffected by circumstances, whereas happiness is conditioned on circumstances or on getting whatever we think we want in life. This quest for happiness often leads to manipulation or coercion but never provides lasting fulfillment or true joy. As we pray for those affected by Hurricane Matthew, I am also praying for others to find true and lasting JOY, whatever the storm.
(Romans 12:2)

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"Legalism is self-centered; discipline is God-centered. The legalistic heart says, 'I will do this thing to gain merit with God.' The disciplined heart says, 'I will do this because I love God and want to please Him.' The true heart of discipline is relationships - a relationship with God." - Barbara Hughes

In other words, legalism never pleases God!

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During the long drive back from his last football game, my 9-year-pld noted all the road construction (NC road projects never seem to end) and asked, "Where does the government get the money to do all these projects?"

Imagine an election cycle in which registered voters (both dead and alive) actually pondered that question.

Articles to Ponder

God Has Not Called Us to be Nice