Child labour

Is it wrong to take advantage of children in your home by utilizing their skills with a knife?

Okay, actually they were willing participants when told that there would be a trip to the park when we were done making jam.

It all took much longer than we thought, so there was time for a movie while the jam was cooking, but it worked out quite well because we were able to have peanut butter & FRESH apricot jam buns for lunch before we left for the park.

We took alot of really fun pictures at the park.

I will post some of them very soon!

Just checking

I'm doubtful that anyone has the patience to continue to check this blog, due to lack of bloggage, but if you do, this is your reward. Our littlest kidlet is growing (not fast, but growing never the less) and is getting cuter by the day, just like the rest of them.

Now, if only summer would get here!!! I mean, it's great not to have to water the yard, but really?!? Where, oh where is the sun?

crazy kids

What happens when Grandpa & Grandma take the kidlets to McDonalds, then back home for cookies & fruit? Why, a photo shoot, of course!

Our Six!

Natasha Faith Reid

 

As you can see, this never gets old. We were blessed this past Sunday, when Cindi gave birth to our sixth grandchild.

Natasha Faith is a perfect, tiny, beautiful girl who has captured all of our hearts. It is beyond wonderful to have another opportunity to snuggle & love on a precious new little member of our family.

Go to Cindi & Dobby's blog for more pictures & the story of her birthday if you're interested - you won't be disappointed! :)

 

encouragement from Romans 8

...simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us.
Those who trust God's action in them find that God's Spirit is in them - living and breathing God!
...attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life.

This resurrection life you received is not a timid life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?"
God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us - an unbelievable inheritance! If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him!

Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.
The Spirit of God is arousing us within. These bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us... but the longer we wait, the more joyful our expectancy.

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves... and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen?
The One who died for us - who was raised to life for us! - is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture...
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing - nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable - absolutely NOTHING can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

-taken from The Message

 

Excerpts from Psalm

...from The Message

God, make a fresh start in me,
shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.

Bring me back from gray exile,
put a fresh wind in my sails!

Unbutton my lips, dear God;
I'll let loose with your praise.

Going through the motions doesn't please you,
a flawless performance is nothing to you.
I learned God-worship
when my pride was shattered.
Heart-shattered lives ready for love
don't for a moment escape God's notice.

I'm an olive tree
growing green in God's house.
I trusted in the generous mercy
of God then and now.

You've kept track of my every toss and turn
through the sleepless nights.
Each tear entered in your ledger,
each ache written in your book.

God, the one and only -
I'll wait as long as He says.
Everything I need comes from Him,
so why not?
He's the solid rock under my feet,
breathing room for my soul,
an impregnable castle:
I'm set for life.

My help and glory are in God
- granite-strength and safe-harbor-God -
So trust Him absolutely, people:
lay your lives on the line for Him.
God is a safe place to be.

 

Before The Morning

Do you wonder why you have to
Feel the things that hurt you
If there’s a God who loves you where is He now

Maybe there are things you can’t see
And all those things are happening
To bring a better ending

Someday somehow you’ll see you’ll see

Would you dare would you dare to believe
That you still have a reason to sing
Cause the pain that you’ve been feeling
It can’t compare to the joy that’s coming
So hold on you gotta wait for the light
Press on and just fight the good fight
Cause the pain that you’ve been feeling
It’s just the dark before the morning

My friend you know how this all ends
You know where you’re going
You just don’t know how you’ll get there
So say a prayer

And hold on cause there’s good for those who love God
But life is not a snapshot
It might take a little time but you’ll see the bigger picture

Would you dare would you dare to believe
That you still have a reason to sing
Cause the pain that you've been feeling
It can’t compare to the joy that’s coming
So hold on you gotta wait for the light
Press on and just fight the good fight
Cause the pain that you’ve been feeling
It’s just the dark before the morning

Once you feel the weight of glory
All your pain will fade to memory
Once you feel the weight of glory
All your pain will fade to memory, memory, memory

Would you dare would you dare to believe
That you still got a reason to sing
Cause the pain that you've been feeling
It can’t compare to the joy that’s coming

Would you dare would you dare to believe
That you still got a reason to sing
Cause the pain that you've been feeling
It can’t compare to the joy that’s coming

Come on you've gotta wait for the light
Press on and just fight the good fight
Cause the pain that you’ve been feeling
It’s just the hurt before the healing
Oh the pain that you’ve been feeling
It’s just the dark before the morning
Before the morning


-Josh Wilson

 

Voice Of Truth

Oh, what I would do to have

the kind of faith it takes

To climb out of this boat I'm in

Onto the crashing waves

To step out of my comfort zone

Into the realm of the unknown

Where Jesus is,

And He's holding out His hand

But the waves are calling out my name

and they laugh at me

Reminding me of all the times

I've tried before and failed

The waves they keep on telling me

time and time again

"Girl, you'll never win,

You'll never win

But the Voice of truth tells me a different story

the Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"

and the Voice of truth says, "this is for My glory"

Out of all the voices calling out to me

I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth

Oh, what I would do

to have the kind of strength it takes

to stand before a giant

with just a sling and a stone

Surrounded by the sound

of a thousand warriors

shaking in their armor

Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand

But the giant's calling out

my name and he laughs at me

Reminding me of all the times

I've tried before and failed

The giant keeps on telling me

time and time again

"Girl you'll never win,

you'll never win."

But the Voice of truth tells me a different story

the Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"

and the Voice of truth says "this is for My glory"

Out of all the voices calling out to me

I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth

But the stone was just the right size

to put the giant on the ground

and the waves they don't seem so high

from on top of them looking down

I will soar with the wings of eagles

when I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus

singing over me

But the Voice of truth tells me a different story

the Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"

And the Voice of truth says "this is for My glory"

Out of all the voices calling out to me (calling out to me)

I will choose to listen and believe (I will choose to listen and believe)

I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

I will listen and believe

I will listen and believe the Voice of truth

I will listen and believe

'Cause Jesus You are the Voice of truth

And I will listen to You... oh You are the Voice of truth

....Casting Crowns

Happy New Year!

This is what happy looks like...


beautiful, healthy grandchildren plus a little snow on the hill at a nearby park...


trusting God for our sixth addition arriving in about three months...


we're blessed with treasure beyond measure!


Happy 2011

cookietime

I wasn't planning to post about today's events, but when Sabrina put on Christa's elf slippers, the camera had to come out!
Today was our second successive sunday of Christmas baking, which has become an annual reason for getting the gang together to have some fun while doing ALOT of work! I should clarify that although Behn seems to be loafing, he had already done a great deal of cookie decorating,following an early morning opening shift at St*rbucks. The fact that he brings friends along to help is BONUS!
I should mention that there were people other than those pictured also helping; it's just that these were the ones that were still hanging in there when the camera came out.

Yesterday was spent decorating the house - happily that is now pretty much completed!
Whew, I have to go back to work tomorrow to have a rest. :)

it's beginning

to look alot like Christmas!

faith

Various challenges of the past few weeks have had me listening to music with a new awareness of the lyrics. This song hit me in a whole new way a few days ago...

What Faith Can Do

by Kutless

Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think it's more than you can take
But you are stronger, stronger than you know
Don't you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining

Chorus:
I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do

It doesn't matter what you've heard
Impossible is not a word
It's just a reason for someone not to try
Everybody's scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It'll be alright
Life is so much more
Than just what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing

Chorus

Bridge:
Overcome the odds
You do have a chance
(That's what faith can do)
When the world says you can't
It'll tell you that you can!

Chorus

Even if you fall sometimes
You will have the strength to rise

yabba dabba dooo!

Fred & Wilma (aka Greg & Becky) just stopped by on their way to a halloween party & they brought a little soldier with them...

Earlier this month we made our annual trek out to Whistler. As has often been the case, we enjoyed some beautiful fall weather & this pool shot documents just how balmy it was! If you look closely though, you can see the steam rising off the water.

never too young...

...for a strawberries & cream frappacino. Thanks Grandpa!