Chicken

100th post

This is my 100th post and I am taking this opportunity to say that I will be leaving the blogging world for a while. Responsibilities at home and with my family are such that I barely have time to shower let alone blog. Thank you to all of my friends in the bloggy world, I will miss you all dearly and wish you only the best.

Kim

Am I dreaming?

I don't normally make political comments on my blog but this stuff is just to silly.

http://www.beatricedailysun.com/articles/2007/09/17/ap-state-ne/d8rnhec01.txt

Nebraska State Senator Ernie Chambers of Omaha filed a lawsuit against God. He claims that God has caused "fearsome floods ... horrendous hurricanes, terrifying tornadoes,"

This guy is a goober. But let's play Devil's Advocate so to speak, the guy is an avowed agnostic, so how does he have any legal standing. I mean if you are not sure whether or not the defendant exists how can you sue him?

But beyond that this is just stupid. Have you ever heard of the term shooting yourself in the foot? I don't understand. He says he wants to prove anyone can sue anyone for anything. Isn't that the problem?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118998388438429143.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Next we have this little item about Senator Clinton. Seems the Senator thinks it would be a good idea to "require all Americans to get health insurance". Yeah that worked so well with auto insurance. Premiums went down, yada, yada, yada. Give me a break.

It would be so easy. . .

It would be so easy to just quit. . .

• quit homeschooling because this is hard.
• quit cleaning the house because I never seem to get anywhere.
• quit trying to teach my children right from wrong and just give them whatever they wanted.
• quit submitting to my husband and stand up for myself.
• quit trusting anyone.
• quit loving my neighbor.
• quit pushing through the physical pain and just lay down to sleep.
• quit, quit, quit, quit.

It would be so easy to just crawl into bed and pull the covers over my head.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

I will press on, and trust in My Abba, who I know has my back.

Pachelbel Bedtime

This is just a cute song a Dad made up. The video is kinda grainy, but still. . . it's cute.

I suffer. . .

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you. . . Psalm 42:5-6a (NIV)

For as long as I can remember I have suffered from bouts of depression and migraines. I don't know if the depression comes from the migraines or if the migraines come from depression. I despise myself when I become depressed. I have no reason for it, it is a weakness in me that makes me loathe myself. I'm sure that this loathing only adds to the depression. Anyway I have been having one of these pity parties for the past couple of weeks, maybe blogging about it will help.

Does anyone else suffer this way?

Two things

I have found this Yahoo! group called freecycle, you can see if there is a free cycle Yahoo! group near you by going to www.freecycle.org. According to their website Freecycle is :

Welcome! The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,111 groups with 3,818,000 members across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by entering it into the search box above or by clicking on “Browse Groups” above the search box. Have fun!

It is fantastic, the people are really nice and there really are people out there who want your junk.

With that being said, I posted that I needed a chicken coop and got many replies. I'm going sometime this weekend to pick up a rabbit hutch which we are hoping to recycle into a coop. I am really excited.

So now can you guess the second thing? Yes we are getting a chicken. I think it is a Rhode Island Red pullet. Pictures will follow.

Thankful Thursday

For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. Ephesians1:4-5

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." Matthew 10:42

I am thankful for my children. I have posted their adoption story here http://soloved77.blogspot.com/2007/05/adoption-story.html.

Today I found out that a fellow blogger, Terri, just got a referral for a baby from China. Visit her blog http://riobello.typepad.com/adventures/2007/09/miss-ella.html, to see her reaction, it is priceless.

I am thankful and overwhelmed by God's grace, love, mercy, loving kindness, good gifts and forgiveness. We are His adopted sons and daughters and I simply cannot express the joy that brings me.

Chesterton

The problem with Christianity is not that it has been tried and found wanting, but that it has been found difficult and left untried. - G. K. Chesterton

The Cookie Monsters

Add to My Profile | More Videos

This video is from back in January. I don't who is greener the cookies or the boy and his dad.

The girl with no eyebrows

From the bathroom I hear this. . .

Gabrielle: Mom, do you think my eyebrows are too bushy?
Mommy: No honey they are just fine . . .
Gabrielle: Danielle says they are bushy. . .
Mommy: She is just being mean. . .
Gabrielle: I think they are bushy. . . can I use the tweezers?
Mommy: (Thinks to herself just one pluck and she won't want to use them anymore, but thinks
better and actually says) No sweetheart only old ladies like Mommy pluck eyebrows.
Gabrielle: Silence
Mommy: (Has her hands in dishwater and is almost finished with the dishes)
Gabrielle: Silence
Mommy: (Finishes the dishes and goes to check on Gabrielle, who is standing at the mirror
putting on lipstick.)

Suddenly the child emerges from the bathroom with a scarf wrapped around her forehead. I ask her to remove the scarf and discover that she has SHAVED off her eyebrows with Daddy's electric shaver. Her explaination? She thought they were electric tweezers. Good thing eyebrows grow quickly.

Distraction

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Revelation 2:4 (NIV)

Isn't it amazing how little it takes to distract us from our first love? I'll be the first to admit that I have been distracted these past few months. My prayer life has suffered, my church life has suffered and my devotion has suffered. It is so easy to get off track, to suffer from the "I'll do it laters" of life. Perhaps that is why I have been so terribly exhausted lately.

A question about chickens

Can you keep just one chicken or do they need companionship? I just got off the phone with our local animal control board and they told me that you were allowed to have 5 non-crowing and 1 crowing chicken here. I thought we would start extremely small as in one chicken and see how it went. Is that possible?

Thankful Thursday

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

Today I am thankful to our Lord for this verse, even though quite often I forget it's promise.

I was reading the news and came across the story that Owen Wilson had attempted suicide. My first reaction was what reason could he possibly have to do that he has everything. Then the Lord whispered to my heart. . . "Does he really?" Then He brought to mind a time that things were so dark that I felt I had no where else to turn. Let's pray that Mr. Wilson finds a place to turn, to the Healer of hurts, the Lover of souls, the All in All.

I am thankful that in my time of dark and swirling despair that Our Father was there, even though for a while I couldn't seem to find Him.

What do you do?

What do you do when faced with a decision and there is no clear leading one way or the other? Do you continue to wait? I suppose I just answered my own question.

Ode to a dishwasher

Well I seem to have MUCH MUCH less time these days. With Homeschooling I am now minus 6 hours give or take, a day. So now I need a new dishwasher. If it isn't one thing. . . . well you know the rest. I spent much of the day yesterday looking online at portable dishwashers. And the winner is. . . .

Hot, hot, hot.

I know everybody is saying it but darn it, it sure is hot. We went for a nature walk the other morning and it was 85 degrees at 9:00 am. Needless to say being the delicate flower that I am (ha, ha) I turned those kids around and marched them right back home. Seriously, I was beginning to wonder if global warming was real for a while. Then I got to talking to my next door neighbor and he said that this summer reminded him of summers when he was a kid. We broke a record here in Kentucky the other day. The most consecutive days in the 90's or higher. Yesterday we broke a record temperature that was set way back in 1888. Well there was no global warming in 1888 was there. So I still really have a hard time believing in global warming.

Here is a tree we saw on our nature walk. We were really looking for birds, but for some reason they wouldn't hold still. It couldn't have been the fact that the kids were running and hollering and generally acting as if they had never been outside a day in their lives, could it?

Still here. . .

I'm still here I've just been trying to get this homeschool thing going. While I was gone I found this . . . as the person who sent it to me said "I dare you not to cry. . ."

Charlotte Mason to the rescue

I have been swimming around trying to keep my head above water. I knew that I wanted to give my kids a home education with substance. I looked at the ABeka curriculum, the Bob Jones curriculum, etc. The ones that are used in our local Christian schools. I'm just not really a fill in the blank kinda of girl. I wanted a curriculum that would make my children think. One that would be well rounded with art and music, latin and so much more than these curriculum offered. Don't get me wrong, we are going to be using the ABeka math and I'm still looking for a handwriting program that I love, but I wanted more than just reading, writing, and arithmatic.

Enter Charlotte Mason and http://amblesideonline.org/. I am really praying that this is what I have been looking for. So far it looks very promising. I am super excited.

Does anyone else use Charlotte Mason?

Jeff's Birthday

Today would have been my brother Jeff's 37th birtday. He passed away almost 4 years ago. I really miss him.

Homeschooling my crazy kids

Ok, we've been doing "informal" homeschooling all summer. You know finding learning wherever we were. We looked at the beach and learned about dolphins. We watched the space shuttle and learned about rip currents at the beach. We named lots of different birds in Florida that we don't have at home. This week was the week to knuckle down and hit the books. I think my kids thought that homeschool was going to be all field trips and fun, which we will do plenty of, and no books.

Well since the weather has been 100 degrees or more in the shade I decided that it was time to come inside and get some of the serious things out of the way. Hey, I must tell you that I prefer the "informal" myself, but I can't have kids who can name EVERY bird in the whole world and not be able to read or add. I just had to seperate them all. I put them together and they play and nobody gets anything done.

Has anybody else had this problem?

Count your blessing Monday

Count your blessings with us. Go on over to http://amazinggrazefarm.blogspot.com.

Today I am counting as my blessing our family vacation. We had a wonderful time.

Farms Questions Part 1

I want a farm. I want to be able to raise chickens and cows and grow enough vegetables and fruits to almost sustain us. So my question is what is the right size for a farm to be able to do that? Should it be 10 acres? 20? 30? I have no experience with this sort of thing but I know it is something I want very much. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Home again

More pictures to come.

Leaving Tomorrow

I'll be leaving for vacation tomorrow. I will miss you all. Have a great week while I'm gone. Lots of pictures when I come back.

Count your blessing Monday

Wanna count your blessings with us? Head on over to http://amazinggrazefarm.blogspot.com/.


Today I am counting as my blessing the capacity to dream.
Not sleepy dreams.
Grand, Huge daydreams.

Dreams of children growing in the love of our Father.

Dreams of a farm.

Dreams of Heaven.

Dreams of Friends and Family.

Dreams about life, and happiness. The Lord gave us the capacity to dream and the desire to grow and I thank Him for it.

Quotes

I know the world is more than sound bites. I know that sometimes wisdom comes from a thousand words and not from little snippets. However, here are some of my favor quotes.

We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution is designed only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for any other. John Adams(1735 - 1826)

Old minds are like old horses; you must exercise them if you wish to keep them in working order. John Adams

I must take care, on the one hand, never to despise, or be unthankful for, these earthly blessings, and on the other, never to mistake them for something else of which they are only a kind of a copy, or echo, or mirage. I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others to do the same." - C. S. Lewis

I have found a desire within myself that no experience in this world can satisfy; the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. C. S. Lewis

God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing. C. S. Lewis

You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body. C. S. Lewis

A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell. C. S. Lewis

The trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed. C. S. Lewis

This year, or this month, or, more likely, this very day, we have failed to practise ourselves the kind of behaviour we expect from other people. C. S. Lewis

We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be. C.S. Lewis

Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.
C. S. Lewis

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You too? I thought I was the only one. C. S. Lewis

Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow. Aesop

We have too many high-sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them. Abigail Adams.

It isn't that they can't see the solution. It is that they can't see the problem.
G. K. Chesterton

To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it.
G. K. Chesterton

If there were no God, there would be no Atheists. G. K. Chesterton

Here's the truck.

Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!" Do you have a something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, an antique find. Your show and tell can be old or new. Use your imagination and dig through those old boxes in your closet if you have to! Feel free to share pictures and if there's a story behind your special something, that's even better!

Join us at Kelli's place to Show and Tell your favorite things. http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/

In one week we will be setting off for the beach. I must admit I am a little trepidatious, I'm not much of a world traveler. Honestly, it's a good thing I wasn't one of the pioneers or we would still be stuck on the east coast. LOL. But, the kids and my husband are excited so I'll go along for the ride (actually I'll be driving most of the way, I get terribly car sick when I just ride.)

Here is a picture of the room we will be staying in. You can't see the little kitchenette, we will be eating most of our meals in the room.


Here's the pool and the view of the Atlantic.

I'll be fine once we get there, and I am hoping that the change in climate will do my arthritis some good.

Thankful Thursday

I am a bit down this week. I'm not feeling well (tired, achy, and a little depressed) the kids are a bit too rowdy and well my giants are back.

However, I'm thankful that God is a conqueror of giants. If God be with us who can stand against us? Thank you Father, for loving the unlovable. Thank you, for being a Big God who can work in my life without any help from me. Thank you, for being there when I run to you, and when I don't. Thank you for loving this imperfect woman.

I would die for that

This song, well it made me cry and it made me feel very blessed at the same time.

I found it at http://proverbs14verse1.blogspot.com/2007/07/i-would-die-for-that.html and she found it at http://www.ccostello.blogspot.com/

Gabrielle and packing

In less than 10 days we will be setting off for a wonderful treat. We will be going on a family vacation. My husband and I, the kids and my parents are meeting on the beach in Florida.

Yesterday, the kids were getting a bit rowdy, so I told them to sit down and make a list of the things they wanted to take with us to Florida. Well my youngest daughter decided that she isn't much of a list maker, she is more of a doer, so she got out her suitcase and proceeded to pack it (for the 4th time). She packed her clothes very well, then she decided that clothes just wouldn't be enough, so she packed a box of Mac & Cheese. In case she got hungry. I laughed until I cried. She got angry, but I couldn't help myself.

Count your Blessings Monday - On a Tuesday

Today, my blessing is my husband. He says he loves me more than fishing. So he must love me alot.

Ain't he cute?

Wanna Count your Blessings with us head on over to http://amazinggrazefarm.blogspot.com/

Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!" Do you have a something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, an antique find. Your show and tell can be old or new. Use your imagination and dig through those old boxes in your closet if you have to! Feel free to share pictures and if there's a story behind your special something, that's even better!

Head on over to Kelli's place and join the fun! http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/
Yesterday the old Taurus finally broke the camel's back so to speak. Every 6 months for the past 3 of the 6 years we have owned it we have had to do MAJOR repairs, so when my husband called me yesterday and told me that it would require another very costly repair which wouldn't even fix all that was wrong with it I was at the end of my rope. I asked him what he wanted to do. He said trade it in. Now I was dubious to say the least. I did not want a new car payment and I doubted very much that we would qualify for anything but an extremely high interest rate. But I bit my tongue and swallowed my pride and did the submission thing. (Why not follow my own advice right?) Well, the Lord blessed me for doing it. We got a very low APR 2.9% and after A-Plan (my dad works for Ford), trade and rebates we got close to $9,500 off the trucks price. The payments are still going to tax an already over-taxed budget, but they are manageable. Now we have a new Ford F-150 XLT SuperCrew cab (we can all fit in the truck and we couldn't all fit in the Taurus). While the above is not an actual picture of it (it was very late when we got home and my husband drove it to work so I didn't have time to take a picture), it is the best I could do from the web. The truck is 2-toned Forest Green and Tan. My husband is happy, no more costly repairs, at least on the Taurus, and I did the submission thing which throughly please my husband.

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful for. . .

1. The Lover of my Soul
2. The Rock of my Salvation
3. The Prince of Peace
4. The Avenger of the Saints
5. The Water of who quenches my soul
6. The Deliverer of the captives
7. The Wellspring of Wisdom
8. The Indescribable Master of eternity
9. The Incomparable Maker of the universe
10. The Beginning and End of all things

All this adds up to a Matchless God.

Laurel Wreath is guest hosting TT this week head on over http://www.laurelwreathsreflections.com/

Count Your Blessing Monday

Head on over to http://amazinggrazefarm.blogspot.com/ to participate in Count Your Blessings Monday.

I am blessed. . .

Silly as it may seem I'm blessed by indoor plumbing. No trips to the outhouse for this delicate flower.

Good Manners Monday

Today Home School begins after a brief break. We are going to be learning to set a proper table. Now this isn't going to be how we eat every night (since we don't have a dishwasher I really don't want to wash all these dishes), but I wanted to have them learn that Sunday nights and when we have company this is how the table should be set.

Show and Tell Friday

Wanna share the fun? Go to http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/ .

Submitted for your approval, a silver tea service set. It isn't like tea sets I've usually seen, I'm honestly not sure exactly where it came from, I believe it used to belong to my Nana, but I'm not 100% sure of that. Anyway it looks wonderful in my newly painted kitchen. We replaced all the fixtures with brushed nickel and silver so this go very well with it.

Thankful Thursday

1. I'm thankful that someday Jesus is coming back to set up His kingdom.
2. I'm thankful that we serve a God who wants a relationship with us.
3. I'm thankful that the Bible is the literal word of God.
4. I'm thankful that He pours His perfect Love into our imperfect hearts
5. I'm thankful that the kitchen is finally painted.

The kitchen's done.

The kitchen is done. It took forever, and even though I say it's done there are still a few touches here and there that need to be accomplished. Like hanging pictures, and putting on a door pull here and there and a couple of drawers that need to be repaired, and a new floor would be fantastic, but as for the all out painting thing, I think it's finished. The colors don't show up very well in the photo, the top and cabinets are painted in a Behr paint called Popped Corn and the bottom is a color called Daredevil.


Yes that is a rooster hanging from the ceiling. I had Bunco here last night and I won 2nd prize, I wanted to win 4th prize. Fourth prize was the rooster wind dancer so the girl that won 4th traded with me.

The tablecloth is a JCPenny clearance item. I love a good sale and the table is so long that normal table clothes don't usually fit on it, 104', so I lucked out on it.

If you look closely on top of the refrigerator is Ugly Roosters brother. It seems a sales associate at the Hallmark store my mother works at dropped him and chipped his tail, so now I have a new Ugly Rooster.

Behind the curtain is my washer and dryer.

5 Random Questions Meme

Ok Lana G. over at http://airmiles.wordpress.com has tagged me for a meme, so here goes

Her Random Questions were


Are you a morning person or an evening person?

I'm a morning person. My husband is an evening person.

If you had the chance to travel by boat, train AND plane on your next vacation, name the destination you would choose for each of these methods of transportation.

By boat I would go to Jamacia. By train I would go to Chattanoga, (you know Chattanoga choo, choo). By plane I would go to Paris I suppose. I'm really a homebody though. I really don't like to travel.

Other than Jesus, which biblical character would you like to meet and why?

Job. Sometimes I feel like we have a lot in common only he did a better job at it than I did.

Do you have any brothers and sisters and if so how many?

I had a younger brother. He passed away about 3 years ago from a dissecting aoertic anureism. I miss him a lot.

Do you prefer the beach or the mountains and why?

Again I'm a home body but I like both the mountains for the hiking and the beach for relaxing.

I tag anybody that wants to answer these five random questions. Just post the answers on your blog and I will post your link here.

1. What is your favorite movie?
2. What is your favorite line from your favorite movie.
3. Who is your favorite female from the Bible and why?
4. How long can you hold your breath?
5. Paper or Plastic? Why?

Happy Fourth

Still Painting

We are still at it, I can't wait to show you all pictures of my beautiful new kitchen. On another note, we had another miracle. Yesterday, when we got home my husband's car wouldn't go out of park, we were devastated. We spent the whole rest of the day, praying, and lamenting over what we would do since my van is parked and undrivable. Later in the evening my husband saw a neighbor who has the same make and model of car was pulling into her driveway. My husband walked over and asked her if she had ever had this problem. She said that she had and showed him how to fix it. Praise the Lord. The car is fixed, well at least it will go into drive. Thank you Jesus. Again for being the one who provides for all our needs.

I am overwhelmed!!!

We had a financial emergency this afternoon. A large check that was supposed to be here didn't come and they said that it would be next week before it was processed. This threw us into an unimaginable tail spin. I put out an email requesting prayer. Within in one hour our short term needs were met. The God we serve is AWESOME. Don't get me wrong. Even if He hadn't provided for my short term needs, He is still AWESOME!! I can't imagine life without the Lover of my Soul.

Show and Tell

"Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!" Do you have a something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, an antique find. Your show and tell can be old or new. Use your imagination and dig through those old boxes in your closet if you have to! Feel free to share pictures and if there's a story behind your special something, that's even better!

If you wanna join the fun go over to http://www.kellishouse.blogspot.com/.

I'm not very original today, but here goes. . . . I'm getting ready to paint my kitchen, cabinets and all so here is . . .

My show and tell today . . . this book. I was doing another Beth Moore study and this one caught my eye. I have always been drawn to the book of Daniel, as a matter of fact I even named my daughter Danielle. It is a very good study and I am really learning a bunch. I am also on the look out for a really good study of Isaiah. I just love digging into the word.

With this study you can download the video and audio sessions from www.lifeway/women

or you can download the audio sessions on your iPod from the iTunes store for $3.99 a session, that's what I did and it works out quite well. Wow I sound like an infomercial. Gotta go clean and paint. Have a great day.

Thankful Thursday

1. I'm thankful for the lean times, so we can enjoy the times of plenty.
2. I'm thankful for the sad times, so we can enjoy the times of joy.
3. I'm thankful for the night, so we can enjoy the morning.
4. I'm thakful for rain, so we can enjoy the sun.
5. I'm thankful for hectic times, so we can enjoy the rest.
6. I'm thankful for the cold, so we can enjoy the warmth.
7. I'm thankful for the weeping, so we can enjoy the laughter.
8. I'm thankful for the mess, so we can enjoy the tidy.
9. I'm thankful for the lonely times, so we can enjoy the friendship.
10. I'm thankful for a Father in Heaven who knows how to give us balance so we can enjoy all of His good gifts.

The Lord's Prayer

I received this in an email and I thought it was very good.

Our Father Who Art In Heaven.

Yes?

Don't interrupt me. I'm praying.

But -- you called ME!

Called you? No, I didn't call you. I'm praying.

Our Father who art in Heaven.

There -- you did it again!

Did what?

Called ME. You said, "Our Father who art in Heaven" Well, here I am.What's on your mind?

But I didn't mean anything by it. I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day. I always say the Lord's Prayer.

It makes me feel good, kind of like fulfilling a duty.

Well, all right. Go on.

Okay, Hallowed be thy name .

Hold it right there. What do you mean by that?

By what? By "Hallowed be thy name"?

It means, it means . . good grief, I don't know what it means.

How in the world should I know? It's just a part of the prayer.

By the way, what does it mean?

It means honored, holy, wonderful.

Hey, that makes sense. I never thought about what 'hallowed' meant before. Thanks.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done,on earth as it is in Heaven.

Do you really mean that?

Sure, why not?

What are you doing about it?

Doing? Why, nothing, I guess. I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control - of everything down here like you have up there. We're kinda in a mess down here you know.

Yes, I know; but, have I got control of you?

Well, I go to church.

That isn't what I asked you. What about your bad temper? You've really got a problem there, you know. And then there's the way you spend your money -- all on yourself. And what about the kind of books you read?

Now hold on just a minute! Stop picking on me!

I'm just as good as some of the rest of those people at church!

Excuse ME. I thought you were praying for MY will to be done.

If that is to happen, it will have to start with the ones who are praying for it.

Like you -- for example.

Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups.

Now that you mention it,

I could probably name some others.

So could I. I haven't thought about it very much until now, but I really would like to cut out some of those things.

I would like to, you know, be really free.

Good. Now we're getting somewhere. We'll work together -- You and ME.

I'm proud of You.

Look, Lord, if you don't mind, I need to finish up here.

This is taking a lot longer than it usually does.

Give us this day, our daily bread.

You need to cut out the bread. You're overweight as it is.

Hey, wait a minute! What is this? Here I was doing my religious duty, and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang-ups.

Praying is a dangerous thing. You just might get what you ask for.

Remember, you called ME -- and here I am. It's too late to stop now.

Keep praying. ( . . pause . . )

Well, go on.

I'm scared to.

Scared? Of what?

I know what you'll say.

Try me!

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

What about Amy?

See? I knew it! I knew you would bring her up!

Why, Lord, she's told lies about me, spread stories.

She never paid back the money she owes me.

I've sworn to get even with her!

But -- your prayer --What about your prayer?

I didn't -- mean it.

Well, at least you're honest. But, it's quite a load carrying around all that bitterness

and resentment isn't it?

Yes, but I'll feel better as soon as I get even with her.

Boy, have I got some plans for her. She'll wish she had never been born.

No, you won't feel any better.You'll feel worse. Revenge isn't sweet.

You know how unhappy you are -- right?

Well, I can change that.

You can? How?

Forgive Amy.

Then, I'll forgive you;

And the hate and the sin will be Amy's problem -- not yours.

You will have settled the problem

as far as you are concerned.

Oh, you know, you're right. You always are.

And more than I want revenge, I want to be right with You . . (sigh).

All right . all right . . I forgive her.

There now! Wonderful!

How do you feel?

Hmmmm. Well, not bad. Not bad at all!

In fact, I feel pretty great! You know, I don't think I'll go to bed quite as uptight tonight. I haven't been getting much rest, you know.

Yeah, I know.

But, you're not through with your prayer are you? Go on.

Oh, all right. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Good! Good! I'll do that.

Just don't put yourself in a place where you can be tempted.

What do you mean by that?

You know what I mean.

Yeah. I know.

Okay. Go ahead. Finish your prayer.

For Thine is the kingdom,and the power,and the glory forever.

Amen.

Do you know what would bring me glory --What would really make me happy?

No, but I'd like to know.

I want to please you now. I've really made a mess of things. I want to truly follow you. I can see now how great that would be.

So, tell me .. . . How do I make you happy?

YOU just did!

What is a Covenant?

Covenant - n - 1 : a usually formal, solemn, and binding agreement : compact 2 a : a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action b : the common-law action to recover damages for breach of such a contract.

Binding agreement. Binding. Bound.

I would rather be bound to God than any other.

ABF Picnic

Today was the ABF Picnic.


When we got there it was cold, overcast and there was a mist on the lake.

Greg got the little john boat ready.

Mike cooking the burgers, boy were they yummy. Keith wouldn't let me take a picture of him. Larry is patiently waiting for his burger and keeping the cook company.

I don't think this is Alex's best side.

I don't know what they were all looking at but it wasn't me.

Tommy and Austin watching a snake eat one of their fish.

Danielle a.k.a. Pochahantas and her new obsession, kayaking thanks to Mildred.

Alex and Josh in a pond prowler.

Greg praying for bigger fish.

Some cows came to get revenge for us eating thier cousins.

Gabrielle grubbin' on watermelon.

Noah grubbin' on watermelon.

Ashley, Austin, Tommy, Pam and Jodi getting a drink during the little summer shower.

Waiting for the rain to stop.