Halloween Fun

Here are a few pictures- the cupcakes came from a neighbor. Faith asks me to make them every day. If you can't tell, Hope is Cruella DeVil and Faith is a dalmation.

Confusion

My kids are little confused, I think. . .

The other day I was sitting at the table playing with stickers while Faith was playing in her own little corner.

While speaking out loud to myself, Faith heard me ask, "Why am I sitting here when I should be working?"

Faith respond, "Because He made me and takes care of me."

No, Faith, that is the catechism answer to Why do we glorify God.

THEN-

I was being silly and quoted a line (from the movie, Pride and Predjudice, I think) and said, "You don't know what I suffer!" I then asked, "Where did that line come from?" To which Hope replied, "That's James 1:19, isn't it?"

No, Hope, that's not a Bible verse, not a Bible verse. :)

The Lovliness of Christ

Look at the King in his beauty!

"Your eyes will see the King in his beauty and view a land that stretches afar." Isaiah 33:17
(David Harsha, "Wanderings of a Pilgrim")

Contemplate your blessed Redeemer, seated on his great white throne, encircled with heavenly glory.

Look at the King in his beauty!

It is the sight of a glorified Savior that will make the heaven of the believer.
Endeavor now, by the eye of faith, to behold the Lord Jesus in all his matchless beauty and excellence.

Contemplate.... his glorious character; his infinite mercy; his unparalleled condescension, and his boundless love.

There is enough in Jesus to employ the soul in rapturous meditation through a vast eternity!
His excellence, his goodness, and his love can never be fathomed!

O keep your eye fixed on this adorable Savior, while you sojourn in this valley of tears; and in a little while you shall see him as he is; face to face, and ascribe to him unceasing praise!

Ladies' Night

Once a month, a few friends and I meet for fellowship. The hostess provides soup and everyone else brings something. We begin the evening with practical/silly conversation topics so that we can get to know each other better. Then, we come together for a time of testimony. After that, we receive a challenge. Last month's challenge was to write a "psalm." I already shared mine and will share two other psalms which were very encouraging.

Note: Next month's challenge is to listen to a good sermon (Paul Washer/John Piper were in the pick) with your husband or a mom or friend- and the second part of the challenge is NOT to nag your husband about it- just lovingly ask him once and if it doesn't happen- just love him more and let no bitterness enter in but trust the Soveriegn Father and listen to the sermon by yourself and be encouraged.

Anyway, I've been tremendously blessed by this time together. I pray the Lord will protect it. I pray Christ's love will grow in each of our hearts personally and for one another. I also hope that the Lord may see fit to add to the numbers- for His glory.

The first song/psalm:
Oh, how my soul is troubled,
And nearly drowning in the deep wells of despair.
I feel as if I am engulfed in darkness.
My heart, at this moment, would rather
Be suffocated under the weight of this heavy burden
Than to cry out to the Lord.

Oh, Holy Spirit! Draw me into my Savior's arms!
Compel my heart to cry out to the one who
Made me and knows me and loves me
Beyond all comprehension.
For my Redeemer has purchased me,
And He will never abandon me.

The morning will surely come, and the night
Will flee before it.
But even now, in the night,
I will sing praises to my God,
In the midst of my tears.
He will hear me.
He will comfort me and strengthen me.
He will renew my strength, for He is faithful
And knows my weakness.

I will rejoice for my weakness,
When I see His grace and power abound.
For then I learn more how to trust Him,
How to love Him,
And how to worship Him in
Spirit and in truth.
For it brings Him glory
To lead me through every valley on this journey,
And the glory of my King is all I am called to live for.

The next:
When my joy bursts forth, and my
laughter fills the room

This is my song to You

When a sunset holdsmy breath
captive and my thoughts turn
to You

This is my song

When I squeal with delight, like a
young child at the sight of a lizard,

When geese flying south hold my gaze
in the sky

This is my song to You

As tears fall to the floor when you
bring Me to the end of myself and I surrender
my will to Yours

In grief, when I cry out to You, knowing
You alone can bring complete comfort and healing

My life is my song to You

When I can love others, simply
because You first loved me

As I draw near to You, because
You bid me to "come"

From morning to evening, and evening
to morning, may my life be a
sweet, sweet song to You my Lord.

May my life sing ever so loudly to You.

Song of Deliverance

To be all of Thine

O great Creator, Designer of all time,
You formed me to be all of Thine.

Yet born was I, daughter of Eve,
a sinner, perishing, who could not believe.

Loving myself and preserving myself- a must
Enslaved to sin, to Satan, to lust

When young, I was taught to "believe" and then I was "good."
They said to have a daily intake of Your food.

Tried did I and failed.
Tried again and then rebelled.

"I cannot be this bad!" I spewed.
"I do! I must have something to offer You!"

My pride enraged, "But I 'believed'!"
But You, O God, had not set me free.

"No one seeks after Me, not one.
You are dead. It's not you who pleases Me, but My Son."

And then You began in Your great grace to show
there is nothing good in me but to know

Christ.

He in love did chose me.
No good in me did He see.

But for His good pleasure
and endless grace, love beyond measure

He rescued me from despair,
from love of myself and the prince of the air.

I am empty; I am bankrupt.

But for whatever is left in me
I want to be deliberate to dwell upon Thee

in every waking hour, in each moment of the day
may I love as You love me, I pray.

And in this journey still I find
my soul for sin does still repine.

At times, I grasp the filth that fills this place
instead of seeing it as a wilderness

where I am just passing through
to catch a glimpse of You, just You.

And thankfully You chide and say, "This stuff, My love, is not bliss
no, no, My child, it is emptiness."

So each moment in which You enable me to think of You, it's grand
as I travel through this barren wasteland.

Do not let me go, but let me be
Heavenly minded- longing for You to see,

and in Your loving hand I rest
trusting that in Christ I'm blest.

Let me no sin conceal
but ever be humbled as You reveal

the beauty of the rescue

of the great Design

that You formed me and before time
chose me and called me to be all of Thine.

I like this quote-

"A government big enough to give you what you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have."

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures

Picture Crazy

More pics

Pics of the Trip

My husband

I read a post where a lady who lost her husband was writing about things she missed about him

and

I was reminded of my husband- just today I was running errands, when I returned home- I found a clean kitchen, Hope and her cousin playing ping pong, Faith sitting on her Daddy's lap at the school table making a picture. He even made me a Pepsi float.

I don't say it enough- but I'm so thankful for- not only all the things he does for us but also for the fact that God put us together ultimately for His purpose.

Anyway, I've got it good- and I don't say it enough! Thanks, Will and thanks to the Lord who brought us together.

Politics

I'm driving in the car today, and I hear an Obama soundbite. I can't believe my ears! Did he really say that? I called my husband to confirm- and yes, Obama said what I thought he said. He said, "I have two girls- 6 and 9. If one of them makes a mistake, I don't want them to be punished with a baby."

I was/am mortified.

And to think- last night's debate questions were about our pocketbooks- pocketbooks and not the value life.

Laura Ingram pointed out that there was once a time in our history when the color of a person's skin disqualified him/her from liberty. . . now it appears to be the age of a person which determines if he/she even has the right to live.

Personally, I must vote for the persons who protect life, even if there is a woman on the ticket.

Here are my views on that- The ten commandments state- Do not murder- to me, these are the "laws" that God has placed upon all people. . . "the" governing guidelines, if you will. There is not a commandment which states "Do not have a woman as leader."

HOWEVER, God has given strict rules to His families and His church and in THOSE institutions absolutely- the woman is not to be in leadership (and I would prefer that those standards follow through, even in government) but we do not live in a theocracy- we do live in a nation founded upon the principles of the Ten Commandments

so- I must uphold the underlying commandments first and foremost- fear God and protect life- and I believe that the McCain ticket is much closer to that statement than the Obama ticket.

I need to go and read Animal Farm.

uugh.

God is in control- I know. . . sometimes I just get worked up!

more pics

What a Wonderful World

My family (dog included) NEEDED some time in nature! Will took us to some reclaimed coal mine land which is now a wildlife refuge and we took a LLOONGG WONDERFUL walk! The dog ran, we gathered treasures, Hope climbed a "mountain" and OF COURSE Faith got stuck in the mud ("like Boots- she said). Unfortunately, she was wearing my favorite shoes. Anyway, I never knew all of this beautiful land with wide, easy trails existed and it only took about 30 min. to get there. It would be great to take four wheelers- go fishing- hunting- and to take pictures.

Faith- the budding photographer

At Hope's football game, Faith grabbed the camera and began snapping pictures. What better subjects for a photo than the sky, the grass, flip-flops and her chair? I don't know- I think these pics could be classified as art. . . . the flip-flop pic could be called "Good-bye summer." The sky pic could be called "sky." :)

I'll have to get a few videos of Hope's games. Will is coaching this year, and I have admit- they're doing GREAT. They've won their games- Hope makes touchdowns, tackles- you name it- and all that makes for fun a fun morning for mom.

The Girls

The girls were upstairs together, but they were unusually quiet. So, I assumed they must be on the computer. To my surprise, they were not on the computer but were snuggling in bed together just talking- I LOVE it when they do that.

Next, I know Faith doesn't understand Halloween and costumes, etc. However, I think she created her own costume idea yesterday. She walked into the pantry and came out wearing a Wal-Mart bag. I liked it better when she went back in and came out wearing a PINK Schnucks bag- especially since she's our girly girl and we're doing most of our shopping at Schnucks now.

Little Faith is pretty high maitenance. The other day I was cleaning and remembered that I needed to put my clothes from the washer into the dryer. I went to the laundry room and there was Faith in the washing machine. She had stopped the machine's cycle by opening the lid and getting in with the clothes while the machine was FILLED with water.