It was such a perfect... Sunday

There was lots of sunshine, a great time of worship, great sermon, a bountiful feast that followed, beloved friends...and of even a pool to simmer down the theology talk. Or wait...I guess with these particular four guys it could really be any number of things. It could be the theology, law & politics, the stock market, Microsoft... but by the way they are strangely shifting around, I fear it is gymnastics, powerlifting.... or perhaps a combination of the two???


Yes, I have the uneasy feeling they are up to one of Dave's tricks...
Oh great. And my husband is the guinea pig???ONE... TWO...

THREE
FOUR....
FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS of FALLING MEN...

COMING TUMBLING (happily) DOWN!!!But the audience was really pleased.

I call this next segment...

Men of Christ Covenant get schooled by...

"The Grey Hair"
C'mon preacha...

(I love the little boys in the back ground, battling like the big boys in the foreground.)

Essie finally got her pool party and got the whole church to boot!

"It was hotter than snot." ~Lannie Brown :)

Somehow children just know...

"whether you EAT or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Cor. 10:31

There were Lots of Children!

(who slept great that night!) Happy Menfolk

Lots of Lovely Ladyfolk

and brand new baby-folk!

And even some time for a little Sabbath
REST

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Strawberry Shortcake Discoveries

What the blazes is this stuff?
My Mom better get this recipe
Gramma is brilliant...
Where is she anyway? I'm ready for thirds...
Oh Graaaamma.....

Thank you!

Business as Usual

For those of you who may be wondering if all this song writing is affecting my mothering, I snapped a few pictures today (with my new birthday camera) to reassure you that things are running as smoothly as usual around here. There have been only a few minor...

blow ups...

Blow outs...



Only a few run-aways...


who were home by lunch...
only one severe allergy attack...

(which responded quite well to Benadryl)

only one brief moment of being locked out of my house by my naked toddler... my naked, smirking toddler...

Business as usual

...except maybe a little more fun!!!

Hannah's Dad

I have been so obsessed with writing music lately I have neglected my poor blog. (It just isn't the same without a camera). Every once in awhile, something blogworthy strikes me and I feel compelled.

Anyway, this morning my Hannah approached me while my mind was busy forming song lyrics and my fingers were busy strumming and began to ask me permission for something that I was apparently tuning out. I soon realized this poor kid was trying to speak to a mother with her head totally up in the clouds (yet in fact staring straight at her) and so I apologized. She stood there still, sweetly waiting for my permission to something seeming quite important... what? Hmm...It was something about Dad I think. I asked her to repeat the request...

"Mom? When I read my Bible and pray and talk to God...in quiet times like that...well, do you think it would be okay if ...I call him Dad?"

I sat there stunned, humbled, and amazed at how distracted we grown-up Christians can get from the point... and from the person. We have a holy, all powerful, mighty, all-knowing God...master of the universe... who let's us call him Dad. In fact, he wants us to.

Incredible.

Clean & empty homes

(NIV translation puts it this way:)

Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest. ~Proverbs 14:4

Makes sense. But sometimes you just gotta love the King James which puts it a little better (at least for the mother who struggles with keeping up with housework and seven kids underfoot):

Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much inrease is by the strength of the ox. ~Prov.14:4

Heck yes. I get it.

(Key word: "Clean" the Hebrew actually meaning "pure, clear, and empty".

Are you like me? Are you constantly trying to "purify" that slimy sink, "clear" the toy strewn floors and colored paper cuttings covering your dining table, "emptying" the always full garbage, diaper pail, lint filter, etc.... and it all just keeps coming because your stables are still full of the hungry, clumsy, busy, pooping little growing oxen that "make it" faster than you can "take it"?

Our little ones will grow strong, and like the great ox, someday bring much "increase" to the Kingdom of God. In the meantime, the cribs will neither be empty, nor clean.

Look ahead to that!

Keep shoveling, make your "arms strong", but don't break your back. The house will be empty and clean someday.

And the harvest will be great!
photo courtesy of www.worldofstock.com