Remembering 9/11

I don't consider myself overly patriotic.  I am an American and I do pledge my allegience to our flag, honor those who serve for my freedoms, pay my taxes, and consider myself a law-abiding citizen.  However, I do not deck out my home and yard with flags on Flag Day or dress the family in red, white and blue every July 4th.  I do not think God is American, either.  I don't believe we are a Christian nation founded on Christian priniciples.  While many of our founders were Christian and that is evident, we are a country founded on religious freedom.

However, we do remember 9/11/01.  Only three of our eight children were alive then and they were too little to remember the events of that day.  We remember the horror and terror, the utter disbelief as we watched the events unfold.  As our children watched clips last night they were struck by the "realness" of the event.  Real children missing real parents.  So many lives changed forever.  So many crying out to God on that day. . .are they still? 

It doesn't take long to forget, just a generation or two.  My mother was only a few months old when Pearl Harbor was attacked.  The tragedy of that day is remembered vividly by only a few now.  Exodus begins by telling us "Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph..."  How the lives of the Israelites changed because one generation failed to tell the next of this great man. 

How much more should we be declaring God's works and Who He Is to the next generation?  When we remember Pearl Harbor, 9/11, the earthquakes in Japan. . .we remember it is our Sovereign King at work!  All things are ordained by His hand and He can be completely trusted.  He did not spare His own son, but sent Him from the glories of Heaven to take on flesh.  He became imminent.  He is with us.  Christ bore the wrath of God for the sins of His bride. 

Let us remember all events and tragedies in light of the cross.  Let us speak of them to the next generation, so they may tell their children's children of the glories of our King.

Happy Labor Day!

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.  You are serving the Lord Christ."  Colossians 3:23-24

From Joe Thorns' Note to Self:

WORK

"Dear Self,
You need to see all of life as spiritual, and your calling or emplyment as work for God regardless of pay, position, or its connection to the church.  In other words, stop treating what you spend the bulk of your day engaged in as something divorced from God and His work in and through you.

Your work is one of the primary ways in which you will glorify God. For as you do it in faith, thankfulness, and godliness, you are serving God and reflecting His beauty to everyone around you.

Perhaps you struggle with wondering how your oh-so-ordinary and mundane work could glorify God, and maybe you even believe that translating the Bible into a language that has never read Scripture before is something that brings more glory to God than what you are doing.  You think that way because you have not yet grasped that God is glorified by His people when His people are faithful to Him. 

Your calling is to be faithful to God where you are, and in doing this all work is sacred, spiritual, and worthy of your full attention and energy.  When you get to work, you are not entering a secular environment as much as you are bringing the sacred into the world by following Christ wherever you are."


Here's my note to myself:
Dear Self:
Work today as unto the Lord.  For Christ you labor and not for men.  Praise Him for all the mundane tasks that fill your waking hours and often, hours that should be spent in sleep.  Thank Him for the opportunity to show grace and joy one more hour to those He brings into my home and life today. 

I need not the applause or accolades of the world.  The noble titles and prestige and honors many earn.  Let me hear only from my Father  "well done, Faithful One. You have cared well for the souls entrusted to you."  Let me serve only Christ, my King.

updates...

 Hannah learned to write a bike earlier this summer and has been whizzing around ever since. . .

 Joey is pretty happy with himself, too, since he learned to walk. . .he's getting everywhere now!

A family who had out-grown this passed in on!  Fun for all.

Sorry

Wow, I really am a slacker!  Well, maybe that's not the best description of me. . .but so much for keeping up on the blog thing.  My hope of persevering family memories is fading, my thoughts of communicating with extended family is failing, my attempts to even muse become folly!  I'm not big on making this an "on-line" journal kinda deal where I emote and overshare my life.  I think there are enough people making fools of themselves these days via the web, we don't need one more fool publically displaying her foolishness!  :)

The kids continue to grow, definitely in stature and I'm praying for wisdom with God and men!  We have embraced summer (not ready for the triple digits) but are still completing some various assignments. 

The kitchen is still in process.  Yes, disappointing.  We knew there would be glitches, but I guess we have been blessed to experience them in all areas:  Lowes, Kraftmaid, the installer.  It is functional and i am thankful for that.  God's timing is perfect and I keep telling myself it will all be "ok.":)

We are blessed to be hiding Psalm 103 in our hearts this summer.  Join us!  It's been a blessing already to be mindful to "bless the Lord, o my soul" in every situation and circumstance.  It was the great Dr. Martyn Loyd-Jones who exhorted believers to stop listening to themselves and start talking to themselves (talking truth, that is!).

Who knows. . .maybe I'll make a come back this summer!! 

Perhaps I'll make a come back here on the blog. . .

Oops

Well, we came home a week ago today looking for out cat, Caleb.  After searching for a bit we discovered him in the planter with four baby kitties!  Oops.  Guess he isn't the Daddy cat after all.  We are changing his name to Cayla:).  The kittens are darling: one blond, one orange, one gray striped, and one calico.  Pictures to follow...

 We're having beautiful weather this year.  I am hopeful that Easter Sunday will be just as gorgeous since we're hosting this year!  Yes, a bit daunting giving our remodeling situation but people just enjoy being together more than what condition our homes are in, right?  Tomorrow is supposed to be a day of more completion on the kitchen, so perhaps I'll have an oven and things will look a bit more "finished."

But, today we enjoyed a favorite tradition of dyeing the Easter eggs.  We have to start blowing them several weeks prior so each child has several eggs to dye.

Joey's first Easter and experience with eggs.  I've learned to dye the eggs several days prior to Easter so we don't all go to church with green/purple/blue hands and fingers!

Joey Boy

Never too young to love nerf guns!

Look, Mom, no hands!

Caught!

Joey's liking being on this side of the exersaucer now!

Hmm, what can I get to next?

Out little boy is on the move these days.  He sports his camo in honor of his Uncle Jon, who was also an "army crawler."  Joey is the fastest army crawling baby I've ever seen!  I keep saying that he's not really crawling yet, but have been advised that army crawling is real crawling!  He has now moved on to pulling himself up and trying to climb onto things.  Joey is on the move which makes it all the more necessary to finish up these home projects. . .  Our little guy is recovering from pneumonia, but he seems to be on the mend.