Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

We had 18 inches of snow and some huge snow drifts. The kids began working on an igloo last night but didn't accomplish much today as we went to breakfast at Papa and Gramommy's and then they rode around with Peter helping some family and neighbors dig out. Breakfast was fun as Papa and Gramommy made egg in the hole (you may know this as eggs in a basket) using a reindeer for the hole. What a fun Christmasy surprise! We also started our Christmas celebration with Dad and Mom yesterday, opening stockings and sharing a few gifts. Peter is on call on Christmas Day so our snowy celebration was perfect yesterday. We had my sister, her husband and their daughter there. We were missing my brother as he couldn't make it over from downtown. I was just informed that the igloo only needs a little more work before it is inhabitable. Since we spent part of the day helping others, we didn't get to do our own driveway. Dad just walked his super-duper-imported snow blower down the street and took care of it for us. We are now doing a 5 minute pick-up around the house as it has totally fallen apart between yesterday and today. Then it's on to reading and snuggling on the couch. We feel so blessed that our Sabbath was surrounded by God's blessing of beauty and a sweet reminder that when we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful to wash us white as snow.

What are you doing for Halloween?

We don't do it. Usually we hide in the basement, lights off out front, gate closed to the porch, eating candy and watching a clean movie! This year we had planned to host a Reformation celebration, talk about Luthers 95 thesis and eat good German food. However, my husband is working. We were invited to a bonfire out in the country where noone but God and those invited know where we are! So, we may do that or we may do the usual. Either way we have a strong conviction that light and darkness have no fellowship together. Before we had children we would pass out candy and tracks. No more. We do not even frequent the stores that are decorated. We have been known to not go into certain stores for the entire month of October. Instead I would drive a little further to pick up whatever we needed.

Our almost 5yo son has a birthday this Thursday. Last year we went shopping for fun plates for his party. Where do you think we went? Yep, to the dreaded, fully decorated, Party City! I wasn't even thinking about the fact that it too would be decorated (I had already driven 10 minutes pass the store we were boycotting due to their decorations). We took a step in the door and a human sized half zombie-half man yard ornament "spoke" to my then 3 yo son. I covered my sons face, turned around and hurried from the store. My son has talked about it for an entire year!

We need to be aware of to what we are exposing our children. For us, it is not enough to "play down" Halloween. We just have to call it what it is and do something else. I understand the shying away from the "what are you going to be" or "do you want to hear my best witch laugh?" UGH. Umm, no thank you and Jesus loves you!

Extravagant Worship

What does extravagant worship look like to you? To me it is not worrying about what others think. I only want to worry about what my Lord and King thinks. I can't feel self-conscience if I feel pulled to my knees in worship at my occasionally-a-few-people-hand-lifting-church. I enjoy worship at my church. It is good. People just need to get outside themselves and give God "the glory due His name." (Psalm 96:8) Extravagant worship will cost you. It will not be easy. You may be criticized. You may be rebuked. But you will be remembered by our great God! (John 4:23)

Bible in a year

As part of our family's "new year resolution" we decided to read through the Bible in a year. We have completed Genesis and Exodus. Just yesterday we began Leviticus. We gather together after breakfast or before bedtime and I read aloud to the children. When Peter is home he facilitates our reading time. It has been enlightening for all involved. This week was the first time we missed a day. The day completely got away from us and I was disappointed that we allowed that to happen. The next day Daniel was walking with me to do a load of laundry. He stopped and said (remember he is only 4 and you need to read this in a 4yo voice), "Mom, we forgot to read the Bible yesterday." I said, "I know, I am disappointed that we missed it." Daniel questioned, "Are we gonna go to Heaven now???" Me: "Yes, Sweet Boy, we are gonna go to Heaven. God wants us to read His Word, but He won't keep us out of Heaven because of missing a day. We have to believe that Jesus came, died for our sins and rose again in order to go to Heaven." Daniel: "Oh, okay Mom. But why did Jesus have to die on the cross for our sins?" "Because He had to reconcile us to the Father and it could only be done through His death on the cross. Now we can go to Heaven." Then, today while reading the sacrifices in Leviticus we were able to discuss that without blood there is no remission for sin. Jesus blood was the final sacrifice; the final blood sacrifice needed to reconcile us to himself. How wonderful to get to discuss these things with my children! God is so cool. He orders our days so perfectly.

March for Life

The annual Pro-Life march is tomorrow in Washington, DC. Hubby and I will be taking the kids. I didn't get around to making my "Adoption is an Option" signs today.

Yesterday was very educational for the children. My kids were able to witness the swearing in of the first half-black, half-white President. I say that because it gets so tiring to hear everyone only comment about his being black. It neglects half of him. It was a monumental day and so exciting to tell the children that they can be anything...even President. We do not agree with Obama's stance on pretty much every issue. However, we will pray for him as he leads our nation. We do not want the change that he will probably bring as it is not the kind that we think our country needs. However, we will pray for him. Our country needs to acknowledge the true King, the Lord of heaven and earth. Obama is not "messiah." Messiah has come, was crucified, dead, buried and rose again. He is seated at the right hand of the Father.

Tomorrow will once again prove to be an educational experience for my children. They will see the harsh reality of the pain of abortion. They will be grateful to be a part of our family. They will be grateful they were not aborted as 1/3 of their generation have been. Pray for those attending the march tomorrow. Pray that Obama would see that people still care about this issue. Pray that his heart would be open to the One who sets the captives free. Pray that Obama would not be captive to his current ideas.

Happy New Year!

Is it hard for you to imagine that it is really almost 2009?

We had a wonderful Christmas celebration. Happy Birthday Jesus!!!
My children didn't wake up yelling and jumping. Rather, Daniel awoke first and asked for something to eat and I responded with "Merry Christmas." He said, "Merry Christmas Mommy, I'm hungry. You make me something to eat please?" We woke everyone else up and all snuggled in our bed while Peter read the story of the birth of Christ from the book of Luke. After that we are prayed together. The children waited patiently at the top of the stairs while we went down and lite the fire and poured a cup of coffee. I remember my parents doing this when I was a child and my siblings and I were so anxious to run down the stairs. It always seemed like they took forever. Now that I am the Mom, I understand why it is nice to take 3 minutes to yourself before the rush of the morning. The children came down the stairs and went to their stockings. We had one gift per child set out with their stockings and had them take turns pulling one thing out at a time. After all was opened they were so thankful. It was sweet to see them appreciate all the goodies and the one gift. But we were done only in appearance! We handed one last gift to them. It was the same thing for everyone so they all opened them at the same time. It was a Wii remote. Peter and I had set up the Wii in the basement so that it would be ready to go. They ran down the stairs and started bowling. We have had such a great time with it over the past few days. My parents bought us Wii Fit and we are all enjoying that as well. What a great morning with my wonderful children! Although Peter was on call for work, he didn't get called in until yesterday. He was able to be with us during the 25th and 26th. Such a blessing!
I am a bit tired after running here and there for the several days of Christmas get togethers. Someone at church told me that I looked tired this morning. Don't we all love the honesty of fellow believers?! At least they didn't tell me that I had gained a few pounds from all the holiday cheer. :)
The children and I are off to my parents to watch Polar Express this afternoon. We will relax, snack and recover from running around the past few days. Peter will be home this afternoon and we will play Wii late into the night. We have quite a competition going...well, at least I do, I am not sure he knows about it yet. Heehee. Last night I played Wii Fit for 23 minutes after the kids were in bed. I know the exact time because it keeps track for you and you earn points for how long you work out. I beat his high score on one of the strength exercises. I can't wait for him to see it. If the "surprise" is ruined and you are reading this, don't worry Babe...you will always beat me in Jiu-Jitsu!

Gingerbread Train

Peter has been gone so much lately we decided to have an extra fun family night of make-your-own pizza. We had a meeting yesterday that turned into a trip to Costco, which turned into a trip to Outdoor World, which turned into a longer drive home, which turned into a later night! So, being the smart parents that we are, we decided to have pizza at Costco (definitely not the same, but the kids still liked it). While there the smart Mommy decided to purchase a Gingerbread Train kit. Now, I need you to know that I am a make-everything-from-scratch kind of person, ie no boxed cakes, no boxed brownies, no boxed gingerbread, etc. But, it was $7.00 and included everything! I just couldn't pass it up. My wonderful husband looked at me a bit cross-eyed because he likes me to make everything from scratch as well. I reassured him that it was a good plan, so we went with it. It came with all the candy, 2 gingerbread men, pre-made frosting (yes I usually make this too), the train cookie parts and a stand to build it on. I thought about who would do what while we were driving home. Which of my older four children should get the gingerbread men? Well, another example of God's goodness and how He cares for even the small things in life...we opened our box to discover they had mistakenly put 4 gingerbread men in our box. Yea God! Thank you for caring about the small things. We love you Jesus!

Expelled

Peter and I went to see Ben Steins Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed on Monday evening. We had the theater to ourselves and although we liked the freedom, we were disappointed that the theater wasn't packed. Now, of course we did go to the 4:20 showing on a Monday afternoon...I know, I know, that explains a lot!

We really liked the film. You already know from my blog that we are Christians. We love the Lord and we know that Jesus came to die for our sins, was buried and resurrected three days later. We believe He is seated with the Father in heaven and that the Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit are one. We believe in the hypostatic union (that Jesus is both fully God and fully man and is in no way inferior to God).

All that being said, we loved this movie! We were watching it from a Christian perspective, but Mr. Stein is Jewish and he doesn't focus on religion, nor does he argue his points with the scientists whom he interviews. He asks plain and simple questions and gets some extremely interesting answers. Go see the movie!!! If you are a Christian, go see the movie. If you are Jewish, go see the movie. If you are Agnostic, go see the movie. If you are a Humanist, go see the movie. If you are Muslim, go see the movie. If you are Hindu, go see the movie. Ok, stopping here. I do not mean to leave out a particular group of people, I just don't want to get dull. Besides, this is not a politically correct blog. So, basically, if you are alive, breathing, have a few bucks for a movie (face it, you can forgo the popcorn no matter how great it smells) and are AT ALL curious why scientists are choosing to totally ignore intelligent design as an option for how we began (except for aliens placing their seed here of course), then GO SEE THIS MOVIE! Now I do warn you, it's a documentary. However, Ben Stein is creative, makes you think, makes interesting correlations between the Berlin wall and lack of ID in science and really put himself on the line to bring this movie to the public.



Ben Stein interviewed on Fox:

Jesus and Oprah...Opposite Directions

Jesus is the ONLY way, the ONLY Truth and the ONLY Life.

You may have heard of Oprah's new online study.
Watch the video to see it in her own words.