7th

I had to think long and hard about the next verses I want to memorize. I am already needing to go back over the first six. I wrote them all down this morning and didn't get a single one completely correct. I then copied the version I learned them from beside it. I find this contrast effective in correcting my mistakes after a break.  I had to do the same thing with the book of James, writing as much as I could and filling in the rest then comparing it in my bible and fixing errors. It is coming much more easily now as I recite it. When I saw it was my "7th" verse I thought it should probably be about Jesus and his saving grace. The verses I chose come from 2 Timothy. Timothy had a believing mother who raised him in the scriptures. I can relate to that. He also faced doubts and trials as he began stepping out in leadership. I relate to that as well. These verses have been underlined in my old NIV study bible since I was a teenager. They have always comforted me and encouraged me when I felt confused or unsure. So I share them with you:

2 Timothy 3:14-15 (NIV)
But as for you, continue is what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

I bet not many of you are familiar with those verses but most of you will know the one that follow them.
vs. 16 - All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, training in righteousness, (note a comma not a period)

I bet also you may not have completed the though with
vs. 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

In this short section of scripture God picked the perfect context for me to connect to. A believer raised in the faith facing the onslaught of the worlds "wisdom" gently being reminded that what he has learned is trustworthy. That scripture is not for judgement but for grace and truth. Applying this and especially teaching it might involve hard things but through it we are equipped for God's good work.

Shoulda Woulda Coulda

What is it about disappointment that makes us so behave so harshly to the ones we love? When I look at the grace continually offered me by my heavenly Father and I think of the way He is always willing to bring me back into communion with Him, I am disgusted at how easily I fall into the lie that my needs are what need to be met. Just as I am part of the body of Christ I am part of my own family unit as well and each of us has DIFFERENT ways of seeing things and handling things. I acted shamefully yesterday when I returned home from a trip in a perfectly happy (though sleep deprived) mood which quickly spiraled into tears and a pity party that the house was not in the order I was hoping it would be. To me the state of things said "unloved and unimportant", to him it said "been busy, not so bad". My anger put him on the defensive when a soft answer could have turned away wrath (Proverbs 15:1). My belligerence about the situation kept me from seeking reconciliation for a full day. I pouted that everything I manage is unappreciated. I sulked that if I gave in and asked for forgiveness for my bad behavior he would just think it license to continue to fall through in the areas that we don't see eye to eye. I had just finished a special project for our upcoming anniversary and I return home to give him the cold shoulder after a selfish spat? Shame on me. This is not the way of Christ. How thankful I am that even as I lay on my bed justifying my sin I felt the Holy Spirit coaching me to act otherwise. Even though I rebelliously continued in my rotten mood through this morning I was comforted because I knew that I would "let it go" at some point today, and I did. I repented of my attitude, I humbled myself before the Lord, I apologized to my husband. As the apostle Paul says, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do". (Romans 7:15) 
God is grace-full to us. I am a sinner saved by grace and my actions do not always align with His will but He as a Holy God so humbly accepts my repentance and so eagerly restores my heart and perspective that I am filled awe and can only thank Him that His ways are not mine. Drama, a loss of the bigger picture; this can get us into so much trouble. The world shrinks to a microcosm of reality and molehills become mountains and ugliness  wins. Grace pulls you up and out and asks you to love without expectations, to give without a return, to serve without compensation and though you think you give up everything you deserve you are really gaining everything that you don't. 

Spring Break - in photos

 Hello bro-in-law

 "cheese"y cousins

 Ben, I kiss you!!!!

 only cousin on that side of table

 pushed Isaac over to join her

 Ben and mommy

 left: #notenoughcaffeine  right: #toomuchcaffeine

 Mom always has some new pretties to oggle

Isaac, this way

 say what??

 being shy

 late present for Evie

 best

 shirt colors

 ever = cuteboy

 snuggs

 ta-da!

 TV. . .on

 blocks were the fave this visit

 he was practicing the letter sounds too!

 careful

 Phil boy

Animal Hospital

We just got back from Mom's. We spent our spring break there plus a few days in Chelan with Trudy and Mike. Trinity found an ACE bandage and the animal hospital was begun. She took the pictures herself, I think the handcuffs from horse to bear are a sort of sling to hold up the broken arm. Each animal was carefully bandaged with blankets and whatever else they could find to heal a multitude of symptoms but the favorite problem seemed to broken bones.  Maybe she will be a doctor some day.

Cool Find

Tonight I found a link that contained a round table discussion of how they (staff at Penguin Classics) decided on the TOP TEN PENGUIN CLASSICS.
http://www.us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/features/tenessentialclassics/

I have only read three:
Hamlet
Jane Eyre
Pride and Prejudice

I promptly signed up for the newsletter, liked Penguin Classics on facebook, and wrote an email how my mind was just recently blown by the book Adam Bede - by George Eliot. I know of (her) novel Middle March  because they did it in a PBS series but I didn't know about this book. It was really large so I was somewhat daunted to start it as a busy mom but it was Jane Austenish (my new word) in style and so I plunged in. Turns out though that the subject matter is every bit as delightful as Jane's but with some serious twists thrown in that I did NOT see coming. SO WORTH THE READ. After I told them all this I mentioned I was going to read all of them (yes I was totally hinting that maybe they could help me out). This little gem of a find has prompted me to research if others have already accomplished what I am setting out to do. That's my next rabbit trail. . . .

6th

"Whatever is true, whatever is honest, whatever is noble, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if anything is of excellence, if anything is worthy of praise, think on these things. What you have learned, and received, and heard and seen in me - practice these things. And the God of peace will be with you."
Phillipians 4:8-9


For some reason I was prompted to add verse nine to my memory work. Frankly, because it is the practical application of the heavenly mindedness of verse 8. Yes, we may focus our minds on all those things, but we remember as well Paul's incredible example of living out his faith. Being like Jesus is always the goal.

Easter

I posted them on facebook already but I wanted to put a few Easter pics here because this is really where I want to keep our family memories. The kids woke up first thing wanting to find their baskets but I made them hold off until 9:00. Then we let Jeremy sleep some more and got him up to do the egg hunt. Isaac was really cute, just taking his time. He had a funny expression the whole time which you will see in the pics. This was his first Easter on his feet after all. Trinity and Blake seemed perfectly content with their haul and it was sort of nice to not rush to church first thing. Then we headed down to see Grandpa Ray. Sue was in Arizona but he and the girls were around and since we hadn't seen them since Christmas I got it into my head to see if we could visit last minute. Called him on Thursday and set up dinner and church on Sunday. We enjoyed a leisurely meal and then headed off to our evening church service. They had a really amazing drummer! Oh man, it made me want to start lessons immediately. I tried to get a good family photo but that didn't really happen.

 the "face" for the day

 more "face"

 "cheese"