HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPA

We got to ride horses at co-op today. . .

It sure does remind us of the country,

and Borderline Farm.

We love you so much Papa,

and hope your day was as exciting as ours!!

Memory Work

We've just about got Isaiah 40:21-24 down and are now moving on to verses 25-26. These verses are easy for children to make motions to, for visual reminders. Even Whitney and Toby are getting some of them down.

We are still reading in 2 Kings. Today we read a story about Hezekiah that I had never heard! He asked Isaiah for a sign that the Lord was going to heal him. Isaiah suggested that the sign from the Lord be that "the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps." Hezekiah chose that the shadow would go BACK ten steps. Isaiah called on the Lord, and the Lord preformed the sign for them! How cool is that? The children could so relate and understand about shadows. . . Tomorrow we read about Josiah, who also honored the Lord and became king at age 8!

The curriculum we have used this year is called My Father's World, and we have basically studied creation through the Greeks. We've been reading through Old Testaments stories along with V. Gilbert Beers' book The Victor Journey through the Bible. It has been interesting to realize where these very well-known Bible stories fit into other historical events.

We are also about to finish reading The Children's Homer by Padraic Colum. That has been a bit of a challenge to understand, but I do think the kids are getting a big picture view of some of the epic adventures of Odysseus and the fall of Troy. . .

I thought the new Isaiah verses fit well with my sunset pictures from last weekend. Blessings to you dear ones!!

"To whom will you compare me?

Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.

Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:

Who created all these?

He who brings out the starry host one by one,

and calls them each by name.

Because of his great power

and mighty strength,

not one of them is missing.

Isaiah 40:25-26

Weekend Highlights

Friday: We had cousin Chase over for most of the day.

So much fun to see the kids lovin' on her!

She is a JOY.

That night we had community group.

Including our family, we had 13 adults and 16 kids!

Sweet time of fellowship, singing, and praying.

Saturday: The pastor had Presbytery all day.

Drew's baseball team tied 4 to 4. . . (will post pictures of him real soon)

He pitched, and once again had 3 up and 3 down!!

These games have been so good for our family, forcing us to slow down.

We often take picnic meals and just sit for two hours and talk.

I loved watching Abby's creativity while her brother played. . .

That night, some dear friends took all 5 kids to a play.

So. . . once again, the pastor and I had a date night! We had

Philly Cheese-steaks & witnessed a BEAUTIFUL sunset over the ocean.

Sunday: A wonderful Lord's day filled with fellowship and rest.

Ellie had her good friend Maddie over, and the others

played with neighborhood friends. Whit had a LONG nap :)

The pastor preached tonight on 1 John 2:7-14. To sum it up:

1-The GOSPEL is made visible by our LOVE for one another.

2-Your adoption is SECURE through CHRIST.

Counter-cultural, gospel centered love is what God calls the church to!

I pray that your Lord's Day was a blessing and refreshment to you!!

A Bit of Our Day

We are presently reading in 2 Kings. . .

How sad that God's chosen people, the Israelites,

stray from Him.

King after king after king

"did what was evil in the sight of the Lord."

And then there was King Hezekiah.

"And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord,

according to all that David his father had done"

2 Kings 18:3

O Lord, help me to teach my children

what is right,

and what is wrong,

in Your eyes.

Time For Tea

It's a rainy, cool, April day in southern California.

Not the norm for us, but perfect

for school by the fire and a tea-party with

Mama Hatcher's Haviland china!

"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!

Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!"

Psalm 34:8

Our Weekend

We had a nice, busy weekend. The pastor took off on Friday since he had been gone all week. I was able to get things done for the shower and we had some work done on our sprinklers. I got a baby sitter over for Friday night so he and I got to catch up on the week over some nice dinner! LOVE those date nights :)

Saturday was full for everyone. Drew had a baseball game. Dad, the boys, and Whit walked to the field and watched him play. He is on the Braves, Minor B. He pitched the first three innings and did fabulous. We've been really surprised at how accurate his pitching has been. He actually struck out all three batters in one inning!

While they were at the game, Ellie, Abby and I went to the baby shower. It was a very lovely time. The Lord blessed my devotional and I pray that the ladies were encouraged. . .

Later that evening dad cut the boys hair. I posted some pics down below. Yesterday was a very full Lord's day. The pastor and I both taught Sunday school. I've been teaching Toby's class the past two quarters and he does the high school one. Pastor Estell from the seminary preached on Psalm 34 and suffering. It is one of my favorite Psalms to claim for Drew who suffers physically from allergies, especially vs. 18:

"The LORD is near to the brokenhearted

and saves the crushed in spirit."

The pastor taught a communicates class after church which Ellie and Drew are attending. I went to eat Mexican with the three little ones and a couple of other friends. I got a nap in the afternoon while dad chilled and watched golf. . . We took a family walk before evening service. A wonderfully full Lord's day!! Blessings to all of you dear ones. . .

Kingdom Business

I have the privilege of giving a short devotional for a baby shower tomorrow morning at our church. I'm not so good at public speaking, but think its good for me to be stretched. I've been mulling over what I want to say the past few weeks and just thought I would share a few things.

1) My job as a mom is Kingdom Business! What do I mean by that? I simply mean that the work we are doing at home, though it is often unnoticed, is furthering the Kingdom of God!! I love how children are compared to arrows in Psalm 127:

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,

the fruit of the womb a reward.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior

are the children of one's youth.

Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!"

Psalm 127: 3,4

An arrow will NOT hit it's mark if it is not shaped and sharpened. By God's grace, we are shaping and sharpening the hearts of our little ones. Lord willing, one day they will be shot out into the world as disciples of King Jesus! We actually may never know, this side of Heaven, the impact we are having on the world. But God knows, and we are called to be faithful. Listen to this fabulous quote from the book Womanly Dominion (more than a gentle and quiet spirit) by Mark Chanski:

"I know that some jobs don't really count, don't make much of a difference, don't actually matter that much, don't have much lasting significance. Not so with mothering. I know that in some jobs the worker is only handling cleaning equipment, or car parts, or computer keyboards, or insurance policies, or court cases, or political legislation, or stockholders' funds. Not so with mothering. A mother is handling things of a far greater magnitude. She's handling never-dying souls. She's daily conducting heart surgery on eternal spirits whose forever destinies are influenced most profoundly by the hands that rock their cradles, wipe their noses, spank their fannies, open their Bibles, prepare their after-school snacks, and turn off their bedroom lights. Those motherly hands are molding characters which will become men and women who will turn the world upside down either for good or for evil. Now that's a job that counts." (pg. 108)

WE ARE ABOUT KINGDOM BUSINESS!

2) God knows and loves our little one's more than we ever will! We have such a maternal instinct to nurture. . . we were made that way!!! But I have leaned that I can only do so much. Ultimately, the health and safety of my children are in His loving hands. I can trust that WHATEVER He brings their way is for THEIR good and HIS glory!! That is so hard to remember especially when your child is suffering. . . or when you, as a brand new mommy, have to lay your little one in his/her crib for the very first time. As women we are emotional beings!!! Especially rights after a baby arrives.

I remember the first week I brought Ellie home so well. What a special, but STRESSFUL time! I would start crying when the sun went down and rejoice when I saw it coming up. That first week was such a wonderful blessings, and yet it was also so very difficult. The Lord gave me a verse that week that I love to share with new mommies:

"In peace I will both lie down and sleep;

for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety."

Psalm 4: 8

God knows and loves our children more than we ever will!! He is their Protector, their Great Physician, their Strong Provider. We can only do so much, and then we must TRUST our faithful Savior for their health and safety!

3)Last of all, I have recently been reminded, as I take on the enormous job of changing out FIVE little wardrobes for the summer season, of how fleeting these days are. My children are growing SO QUICKLY!! Perhaps that is why I let Whiney still crawl into our bed almost every night and sleep with us. Because I know this stage in life is quickly ending. Moses says in Psalm 90:

"So teach us to number our days

that we may get a heart of wisdom"

Are you numbering your days? If you are, it is going to be much easier to "seize" and "enjoy" each moment with your little one! O how I regret those moments that I have not had this God -ward focus. Whatever season we are in, it is the RIGHT season. It is the season our gracious Heavenly Father has sovereignly ordained for us, to sanctify and grow us in Him!!

"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

IN-N-OUT

We picked up burgers this afternoon

and headed for the park. . .

These are for you Num Num because we know they are your favorite!

Wish you could be here to enjoy them with us!

We miss you. . . XOXOXO.

Spring Beauty and Spring Memory Work

Thought I would share some of our backyard beauty,

along with what the kids have started to memorize this week. . .

Isaiah 40:21-24

Do you not know? Have you not heard?

Has it not been told you from the beginning?

Have you not understood since the earth was founded?

He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,

and its people are like grasshoppers.

He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,

and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

He brings princes to naught and

reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.

No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown,

no sooner do they take root in the ground,

than he blows on them and they wither,

and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

A Godly Heritage

I turned 36 a couple of weeks ago. March 30th to be exact. The picture at the top of my blog was taken on my special day. We were having a family breakfast at Denny's. Sweet times. It actually felt like I celebrated for two days. The day before my sweet hubby gave me much of the day off to get my hair cut, visit with friends, and go out to lunch and shopping with another dear friend. . . all rare treats for a busy mommy :) I came home from my outings to a birthday package from my mom (and grandmother) waiting for me. To my delight she had had my grandmother's engagement ring sized to fit me!! How incredibly overwhelmed I was at such a very special, meaningful gift.

Jo and Julian will have been married 73 years next month. Now that is hard to believe! They are both still living in the house my mother grew up in in North Carolina. My brother and I are their only grandchildren. . . What a Godly heritage they have passed down to us. My grandmother wore this ring while she changed my mom's diapers, cooked endless southern meals, and loved and served her husband. It will constantly remind me of what my job is all about. . . just like my mother's job was all about. . . just like my grandmother's job was all about - shaping and sharpening the little men and women God has blessed me with, to one day shoot off into the world as disciples of the Risen King, the Lord Jesus Christ!!

"Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers." Proverbs 17: 6

"The righteous who walks in his integrity - blessed are his children after him!" Proverbs 20:7

Thank you dear Father for the Godly heritage you have given me and my husband to pass on to our children and grandchildren. What an incredible blessing that ALL of our grandparents knew and loved You. We cling to your promises. Thank you for being with us as we seek to raise our children to know and love you. In Jesus name, Amen

This picture was taken this past Christmas in Georgia.

All 6 great-grandchildren. . .

including my brother's little girl Chase Josephine who is named after Mama Jo.

Drew's middle name, Julian is after Pop. . .

Sweet times.

My First Blogging Attempt

Soooo. . . I've been thinking and thinking about the possibility of trying to blog. . . how cool it would be to have a place that I could journal and my far away family could stay a little more connected. Well, here we go!! I'm pretty amazed that I've gotten this far, an account set up, background and title chosen, and even a picture posted. We shall see if it all sticks :)

The preacher is away at a conference in Kentucky so I'm holding down the fort this week with the kidos. I'm hoping to use the time to do some "spring cleaning," or rather "spring purging!" We did a little school today, but a lot of the day was spent going through the kids' clothes, getting rid of items that were too small or they no longer cared for. They are all growing SO QUICKLY, I can hardly keep up.

I helped the girls sort through some of their toys as well. . . Drew decided he was going to sort his LEGOS. Unfortunately he dumped all four drawers onto the ground with the goal of arranging them according to color. . . about half of them are still waiting to be put away. O the joy of itty - bitty LEGOS, polly pockets, and hair clips EVERYWHERE. Thankfully I have three more days to get everything put away!

Thank you Dear Father for the grace to get through today, for the rain, for my hubby's safe arrival to the conference. I was so very tired this morning and You sustained me! Forgive me for my short temper. Help me to be slow to speak and slow to become angry. Thank you for loving my children more than I ever could. . . You know what they need. PLEASE GIVE ME WISDOM as I seek to reflect Your Glory to them each day. In Jesus' name, Amen