My wonderful brother in law and my sweet little sister

My mom, my sister and me with some of our daughters

Totally fun girls day out courtesy of our dad/grandpa

My Granny Grace

Celebrating my dad’s 65th birthday

The fun was non stop.  The visits with grandparents, cousins and aunts/uncles was refreshing and encouraging.  This was a really great way to ring in the new year.  So many things to be thankful for as we start 2012.

“If you in the morning
Throw minutes away,
You can’t pick them up
In the course of the day.
You may hurry and scurry,
And flurry and worry,
You’ve lost them forever,
Forever and aye.”

A song from Jerry Barker, Black Beauty, chapter 35

#587-597
Opportunity to bless the children
And they are BLESSED by the opportunity
Spaces of time alone with the youngest
Swallows in & out of the cavity nests at God’s Garden
A robin on her nest
Chick a dee in the bird bath
Smoke has cleared from the mountain
On the day the children start their volunteer work so close to the mountain
And I feel like I can see the breath God blew to send the smoke away
Awe in the van as we all SEE the gift
Blue blue sky

What we do here is just the beginning
New life is starting at every ending
We are a part of the story unfolding
This is the weight of the world we are holding

this could be our day…

Ephesians 3:14-21

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

This is my prayer for you, dear reader.

Go here to hear new music from Shaun Groves!

China is coming to our home in just 19 days!

while my laptop lies waiting for treatment from the “puter hospital” to free it from a nasty virus, I am using others computers to check email, to watch my Simply Charlotte Mason planning dvd and reading more of actual books, and much less of blogs…

here is something I read this week while Chica worked hard on regaining strength and flexiability at gym…

“Patience following tribulation and experience following patience carry no labels as to whether they are for father or child, mother or grandchild, husband or wife.  This is how people are to get along with other people.  And it applies in the family first of all, equally for each to strive for.”

from the chapter “A Changing Life Mobile” from What is a Family? by Edith Schaeffer

DO I….

worship at my work?
work at my play?
play at my worship?

These questions were asked by a pastor at the baptist church in Chetwynd, BC last year.  I’ve carried the index card that I wrote them on with me, since, as it is something I want to continue to think on.

Today is the second Friday of the month!  The day that we as a family write to our Compassion sponsor children and draw pictures to send to them.

the beautiful Herlinda

and handsome Bryan

Over the years of sponsoring children, writing the letters has been a challenge for me.  Not knowing the child personally, and have so much distance between us seemed to leave me not knowing what to say.  But these Moody Bible Institute Scholars, Compassion sponsored children who have graduated, have some encouragement to share on the importance of writing these letters to the precious children we sponsor.  And so we just do it, and it has become a joyful activity for us each month.

Wanna join us in writing some letters and drawing a few pictures today?