family fun

Opening Day!

The field was ready - the living room

The bases in place - 2 chairs and a sofa

The players are on deck - Grant and Cole

The bats working - their arms

The balls flying - paper crumpled up into balls
The pitcher poised - the Dad

The game was on - Paper Baseball!

Opening Day of baseball for the Twins!

Posters were made by the boys and we had brats on the grill! Glenn grilled in the garage because there is still snow outside. We sat down as a family to eat and anticipated the coming season for the Twins.

We gorged on root beer floats in the third inning (because the boys had school the next day)! We celebrated the game although the Twins ended up losing. There was a rousing game of paper baseball. Paper baseball can be played in the house as it only has wadded up paper for balls. There are many "balls" as one of the rules is the pitcher can throw the ball at you to get you out! There are home runs when the ball flies into the kitchen but it's a game of fun for boys of all ages!

This is one way that we like to spend quality time as a family: Celebrating the simple and being together.

This post is inspired by the writing project by Laity Lodge Family Camp in the Texas Hill Country. The lodge is sponsoring a Family Fun Time Giveaway at their lodge. Bloggers are encouraged to write a short essay with Family Fun Time tips, and then link to this page: http://llfamilycamp.org/family-fun-time-giveaway.

Morning

The dark bank of clouds was moving steadily across the horizon. Moving at a swift pace, they ranged from wisps to heavy masses of dark. Every once in a while you could see a glimpse of pink. A jet trail behind the clouds tried to give color to the morning but the dark tried to cover it up. Then the sky started to lighten. I knew that the sun would make it's appearance but the dark clouds seemed to get taller in the sky, as if to fight off the inevitable. The dark wasn't organized enough to keep together and bright light started to shine though. Then all at once the sun broke through and a warm glow bathed the trees, grass and birds.
This was this morning. But the Son is coming back and the darkness will not be able to hold together! Praise God! Darkness tries to organize and is in full frontal attack because it knows the end. But the Light will bathe us and envelop us in Love. Praise God!
It's Good Friday next week. The clouds hold no victory. Because Sunday is coming!

Jesus and Satan

My son, Grant wrote a poem in school. I thought it was very good and I asked him if I could share it. Here is his poem:

Jesus and Satan

JESUS

nice, kind

helping, dying, rising

cross, Heaven, hatred, hell

evil, not wise, bad

dares Jesus

Satan

I thought it fit in very nice at this time in Lent.

Have you ever read The Blessing by Gary Smalley and John Trent? If you have kids, you need to read this book. I picked it up from the town library. I am not finished with it yet, but wanted to tell you all about it.

In the Bible, some of the most powerful words to a son was the blessing that was spoken at the end of life ex. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. They spoke words to their sons that were powerful and as parents we should do the same. Isaac's blessing to Jacob was this, Genesis 27:28-29 "May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness—an abundance of grain and new wine. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you."

A blessing includes:

• Meaningful Touch


• A spoken Message


• Attaching "High Value" to the one being blessed


• Picturing a Special Future for the one being blessed


• An Active Commitment to fulfill the blessing

The book goes on to discribe what each of these look like but the benefits of them is enormous. Some people never get a "blessing" from their parents and the book describes how to live without it (I'm not up to that part yet.) The chapters that I have read so far have convicted me that I as a parent need to give my blessing to my sons, so that they can grow up healthy.

So get the book - and bless your children.

Crisis of Belief!

Have you ever had a crisis of belief? Not sure if that is the correct way to label it but in my definition, it's where you either believe or don't believe.
I had one this weekend. I was at a Spiritual Retreat called Cursillo. It is a weekend where you listen to speakers, discuss their talks and learn about God. It is a "short course on Christian living." I was blessed to be a table leader, a person that engages with the table to start discussions, etc. A cracked pot if you will (2 Cor. 4:7) leading others.
I was worried about the weekend because I still get really tired yet from the surgery I had in December. The three days are big days and the rest that one gets is not like at home. But I knew that God would sustain me.
By Sat. evening, I was feeling physically sick. I was able to lay down for 10 minutes. I prayed and God helped me, and He did. Sunday morning, my body was dragging, my mind was willing, but my body was exhausted. I was able to ask some of my prayer warriors for prayer.
I felt that God was helping me, but.... I wanted them to keep on praying so that He would continue to help me get through.
I was able to talk to one of my prayer warriors at noon. I was getting by but there were waves of tiredness, just pawing at the fringes. She asked how I was doing?
I said, "God is answering, I can feel that it's working but just keep praying."
She asked me, "Steph, do you believe God?"
I said, "Yes, but just keep praying, it's working but I just feel right on the edge, the prayers are helping, but..."
"No," she said, "Do you Believe God?"
Ohh, now I get what she is asking me -- "Yes."
"Then BELIEVE HIM."
Do I believe that God is who He says He is? Do I believe God can do what He says He can do? Do I believe I am who God says I am? Do I believe that I can do all things through Christ? Do I believe that God's word is alive and active in me?
Do I BELIEVE GOD?
Yes! YES!! YES, I DO BELIEVE GOD!!!!!
Right after this encounter with my friend, I was singing a song. I'm not even sure what the song's title was. But in the song it talked about God's grace and how great it is. One line in the song said, "the weak shall lead the strong." Tears started to pour out of my eyes.
I get it God!!! I get it, --- talk about "Learnin' by Grace!" I had no inkling of tiredness after that. I was completely free! God did amazing things this weekend. I will never forget what He has done for me!
Thank you, Lord, you are amazing! I Love You with all my Heart, with all my Soul, and with all my Mind!!
I praise You for what You have done, what You are doing and what You will do!
Some of you may know that the questions that I was asking myself came from Beth Moore's Bible study, Believing God. If you have never done that Bible Study, I encourage you to complete it. Have your own crisis of belief and go from believing in God to Believing God!!

Do you Write in your Bible?

I would like to take a survey - but I'm not sure how to do that and I would appreciate your explanations anyway.
The question I would like to ask is "Do you write in your Bible?" and why or why not? So add a comment and explain.

Talking Outloud

I've been talking to myself lately.

Yep, I've been talking to myself, but it's not because of the anesthesia or that I'm crazy -- could be debated. But I have been having a lot of negative self talk and I know that the only way to combat that is by talking to yourself. The solution to negative self talk is truth. The past has taught me that my negative self talk can lead to anxiety and discontentment. So where do you get truth? There is only one thing that you can rely on to give you absolute, whole, wonderful truth -- God's word, the Bible. I can worry about a lot of things, little things, insignificant things. The anxious feeling grows and I have to talk myself down. I start talking to myself from the Bible.
8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Phil 4:8-9
Paul says in the verses just before this not to be anxious about anything:
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phil 4:6
So... I am going to think about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praise worthy and God's peace will be with me.

So... when I mess up - don't follow the Spirit's leading because it might be socially awkward..
1 John 1:9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
I am cleansed, forgiven

So... when I think I can't do it-the task is too great and I can come up with all kinds of excuses...
2 Corinthians 12:9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
God will be glorified.

So ...when I think I can do it by myself....
Psalm 73:26My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
God is my strength.

So...when I don't have the courage to do a task...
Joshua 1:9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
God will be with me.

So... when I worry about what other people think of me...
Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
God wants me to do His will.

Truth...think about the Truth.