Merry Christmas, From All The Crazies!

Merry Christmas! I hope you all remember who is the Reason!

Love from this crazy family!

Singing the Cross to Myself

My God You Are My Stronghold

This is one of my most favorite worship songs. I have lately clung to this song as a cry unlike my oftimes muddled thoughts. I Hope that you will be burdened to pray in your worship as I have been lead to prayer in my own times of song. I am so thankful for people who are gifted in these ways to bring God's word to us in such times as makes the words that much more meaningful!


Send Out Your Light and Your Truth
Psalm 43

1 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause
against an ungodly people,
from the deceitful and unjust man
deliver me!
2 For you are the God in whom I take refuge;
why have you rejected me?
Why do I go about mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?

3 Send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling!
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God my exceeding joy,
and I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.

One thing I have to remember. Is not so much understand the whys and werefores of a certain situation or condition, but I am called on to worship and enjoy my Savior forever, because He is worthy to be praised and because I was created for worship! How often I am distracted by "issues" when my concern should be greatly overshadowed by my overflowing worship! O God, I desire to be ravished by Joy in You! Delighted by your glories alone!

Our First Time

We had the boys first halloween celebrations at school this year. We have never done anything for halloween before. So we were nubies at this whole dressing up and trick or treating thing. But it came off well and the kids had a good time. I enjoyed going and helping out in their classes and seeing all the cuties dressed up. And the costume parade was great! We also spent about 2 hours trick or treating on saturday night and the boys got a boat load of candy. We came home and had hot chocolate together after the cool walk and helping daddy with the "truth or treat" at church. It was a good time together. Now we are looking forward to thanksgiving and putting the tree up for Christmas! I am sure you will see a whole lotta pictures from us in the very near future!

Around Our House

Grams and Gresham are "resting" while she visited with us! So comfy!



Silas and Kace were sick recently and so we spent some time taking photos and all three boys "did" my hair (although I won't burden you with those photos!) it was fun to be sick together!



Winter seems to be in the air and we busted out the winter coat and hat for my girl!

I think she enjoyed it, in spite of the fact it lasted all of five minutes in the car!

I am tenacious though, I don't give up too easily!

These faces are the cutest I know, How can you resist a grin like this?

Okay couple it with a giant mess and it makes it easier!


Cuteness seems to be genetic! I think both faces are sooooo CUTE!

How could you not want to kiss these fellas? I ask you!!!

Are Children Really A Blessing?

I hope that your answer to this question is a resounding “Yes!” However, the troubling reality is that many in our nation would not only give a different answer but would also offer up a host of pathetic reasons why children are a bane and not a blessing. With such insane sentiments abounding we would do well to be reminded of the many ways children are indeed blessings from God. In this post I have no intention of providing an exhaustive list. Rather, I merely want to offer up 5 reasons why children have been and will always be blessings.

Children are blessings:

1. Because life is precious.
This is a simple truth but one I believe many Christians have expressed verbally yet denied practically. So many say they believe life is precious, yet they want very little to do with any life that makes their life uncomfortable. We need, now more than ever, to affirm by our actions not just our words that all lives, even the youngest of lives, are precious -- precious enough to trade our comfort and quiet for diapers and colicky cries.

2. Because they present the greatest opportunity to fulfill the Great Commission.
Where is your greatest opportunity to make disciples? It is not first and foremost in your neighborhood or in your community. It is not first and foremost in a village tucked away in the Ukraine. It is under your very own roof. Do you realize the blessing this is? For better or worse your greatest sphere of influence is your home. Make it count for the Kingdom. Love your children deeply, teach them God’s precious word, model humility, spend more time crying out to God for the souls of your children than whining about your 401k, and let them know every chance you get that they are desperate sinners in need of a Savior.

3. Because they are professional idol-demolishers.
The statement I am about to make may be a stretch but I doubt it. You probably have a lot of things around your house that are idols you didn’t even know you had. Am I wrong? Junior will vindicate my proposition the minute he slams into your 52 inch flatscreen and smashes it up. What do you have around your house that is so precious to you that you just can’t do with out it? Your child will help you find out. Now, you can either lash out in anger or stop and appreciate an unsolicited reality-check. I am not advocating allowing your children to be destructors but you miss a redemptive moment when you yell at them for jacking up one of your things instead of repenting for clinging more to junk than Jesus.

4. Because they drive us to prayer.
Nothing can bring a man or woman to their knees in prayer like a child in need. I have seen people who ordinarily want nothing to do with God all of the sudden become self-professed prayer warriors. Unfortunately, many of these “prayers” are pleas for some sort of physical deliverance. But what our children help to show us is that their real need is not Cipro but Christ. Do we pray for their eternity or simply focus on today’s emergency room visit? Our children drive us to prayer and we ought not squander such an opportunity. May God help us to passionately pray for their souls not just their bodies.

5. Because they comfort us in our old age.
Before I comment on this last reason I want to state an important preliminary fact -- no matter what their age the only person anyone ever needs is Jesus. Having said that, it never hurts to have adult children who comfort, encourage, visit, and speak truth in one’s twilight years. Though I have yet to experience these benefits first hand, I have witnessed the joy of old dads and the loneliness of childless old men. Contrary to much selfish rhetoric abounding today, children truly are a blessing. Not only as five year olds, but also as fifty year olds.

Be Bold...and Yet Grace Filled

Wrote this post several months ago and although a little dated I still believe the points are true! So here goes....

In light of the many abhorrent realities of our current state of culture, I have truly felt burdened to encourage many of the people of the Church. I know that the recent elections and inaugurations have left many of us feeling dissatisfied, no matter who you voted for no one ended up with every choice they wanted. But as believers in the cross we are often scared to engage the problems that are very apparent in our culture, more now then ever. God has in many ways given our nation over to it's sin. Open and flagrant disregard is not only practiced but heralded in the guise of personal freedom and moral plurality. Truly the base truths of the Book of Judges are manifesting themselves in our culture..."Everyone did what was right in their own eyes."

A Must Read!

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Jesus Is Not Ashamed I'm His Brother

Does your family ever embarrass you? If you are like me, your "Yes!!" answer was more an involuntary reaction than a well thought out response. I mean, who needs time to contemplate the obvious. Nearly all of us have cousins or uncles that we are sure were adopted into the family. Perhaps, some of us have even wondered about relatives a little closer to our own branch on the family tree.

The truth, however, is that all of us have been an embarrassment to somebody at some time. When sinners sin it is always embarrassing to somebody. Being a sinner is a shameful thing BUT for all those sinners who have been made saints we have reason to hold our heads high.

Hebrews 2:11 says that Jesus is "not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters". "Them" the context tells us are "the ones who have been sanctified". This means Jesus calls every believer his brother or sister. He does not roll His eyes at the thought of me. He has not proposed any conspiracy theory about the "adoption agency" that made me a part of His family. He has not (and never will!!) deny that I am His brother. Nor is He at all ashamed about this fact. Despite the everpresent truth that I do much that is shameful, He is not ashamed that I am His brother.

Now, I could end the post at this most encouraging of realities but there are two things I don't want you to miss. First, if Jesus is not ashamed of me or any other believer, what right do I have to be ashamed of the siblings His death made possible. Now, I am not talking about unconverted church-goers. They are no more my relation than an anthiest. I am talking about genuine brothers and sisters in Christ. If Jesus says they are His siblings than who am I to treat them any different! Do we really treat other believers as brothers and sisters? Do we really view the church as one big family? If we don't, we must. Secondly, this word "ashamed" is the exact same word used by the Apostle Paul in Romans 1:16. If you don't quite remember what this verse says, take the time look it up. Are you "ashamed of the Gospel", the very message of the One who is "not ashamed" to call you His brother? I wish it were true that we could honestly say that we are not ashamed of the message of our Brother who is not ashamed of us. But the sad truth is that our lives often reflect the embarrassing reality that we are ashamed. If this is true of you don't be discouraged. Simply repent. Turn to your Brother Jesus and know that he will forgive you not disown you. After all, that's what true brothers do.

A Grief Sanctified Passing Through Grief to Peace and Joy (9780892838417) J. I. Packer, J. I. Packer, J.I. Packer, Richard Breviate of the Life of Margaret, Daughter of francis Baxter |PaperBackSwap.com

A Grief Sanctified Passing Through Grief to Peace and Joy (9780892838417) J. I. Packer, J. I. Packer, J.I. Packer, Richard Breviate of the Life of Margaret, Daughter of francis Baxter |PaperBackSwap.com

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This Book is amazing! It is basically an excersize in grief by a husband who deeply loved his wife, but it recounts her Christian walk with such tranparency that is touched my heart and life deeply! I LOVE this book and have since come to admire and cherish this woman who lived so long before me! Purchase this book! You won't regret it!!

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Two Months of Smiles

A hodge podge of recent pictures with only one

thing in common, faces and smiles that I love!

I hope you do too!

note: not really sure how silas fell back into the bath after he was dressed (nearly for bed time) not even sure he knows how he fell back in. HAHAHAHA!

Our Children

(J. R. Miller, "Home-Making" 1882)

Parents! You are fashioning the destinies of immortal souls!

What we want to do with our children, is not merely to control them and keep them in order—but to implant true principles deep in their hearts which shall rule their whole lives; to shape their character from within into Christlike beauty, and to make of them noble men and women, strong for battle of life. They are to be trained rather than governed. Growth of character, not merely good behavior—is the object of all home governing and teaching. Therefore the home influence is far more important than the home laws; and the parents' lives are of more significance than their teachings. Whatever may be done in the way of governing, teaching or training—theories are not half as important as the parents' lives. They may teach the most beautiful things—but if the child does not see these things modeled in the life of the parent—he will not consider them important enough to be adopted in his own life.

www.gracegems.org

The Hypocrite in the Pulpit and Pew

Some time ago I wrote the following post for my ministry blog and since then it has gotten a fair amount of hits. So I thought it would be helpful on some level for our family, friends, and visitors who frequent this blog. I hope you find it encouraging ~ WD

“I have no desire to go to church and be with all those hypocrites!” Have you ever heard this statement or something very similar to it? My guess is you have. Probably so many times, just thinking about these words makes you want to vomit. What is your response when people say this? Maybe you just shake your head in disgust and walk away. Maybe you just completely shut down without another word. For those of you that desire to do more than shake your head or shut your mouth I encourage you to read on because we can say and do much more than that when people play the hypocrisy card.

The first thing we must tell someone who makes this statement is that they are very insightful for noticing the presence of hypocrites. In fact, every single one of us are hypocrites. Every pastor, every church member, and every person who says they don’t want to be with the hypocrites at church is a hypocrite. Every one of us has said we do such and such but there are times when we simply don’t. You may say that you are faithful in reading your bible every day, but on that one day you fall asleep just as you were preparing to do it you have officially become a hypocrite. Personally, I am okay with acknowledging my hypocrisy and you should be to. I don’t like my hypocrisy but if I refused to acknowledge it than I would be missing an opportunity (more on this in a second). We need to tell people they are right in their assessment of the presence of hypocrites in church, but we need to tell them that they, too, are just as hypocritical. The conversation might go something like this:
Joe: Go to church with you. No thanks, I know some of the people there and they are a bunch of hypocrites.
You: You must know everyone at church then?
Joe: What? No, I only know a few people there but the ones I do know say that they do this and that but I know for a fact they don’t always do that.
You: Well, Joe, based on how you describe a hypocrite, I don’t know anyone at church who isn’t a hypocrite. In fact, I, too, am a hypocrite.
Joe: I didn’t mean you, I meant some other people I know.
You: Well, now, you can count me in that number of hypocrites you know at my church.
Joe: I didn’t mean you, I really did mean some other people.
You: No matter what your opinion may be of me, Joe, I am a hypocrite and if you were honest you would have to acknowledge that you, too, are a hypocrite. We all say we are going to do certain things but then find ourselves doing the opposite. Wouldn’t you agree, Joe?
Joe: I never thought of it like that before but I think you have a point.

But our conversation should not and must not end there. The second thing we must do is explain that there is a difference between our hypocrisy and the other person’s hypocrisy. Here is the opportunity you have that I mentioned earlier. For a church-goer (and by this term I mean a church-goer that truly loves and lives for Christ), their occasional hypocrisy has no power to condemn them. As the apostle Paul says (quoting David from Psalm 32) in Romans 4:7-8 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” You see, the difference between a Christian and the one who pulls the hypocrisy card on that Christian is not that his or her hypocrisy is worse than the Christian’s. Rather, the Christian knows that their hypocrisy cannot condemn them because Christ’s death and resurrection was more than sufficient to secure their right standing before a Holy God. In Christ every believer’s hypocrisy has been forgiven. Does Joe have that same hope? Hopefully, the conversation can continue along these lines:
You: We all are hypocrites, Joe. The Bible calls this sin and we are all guilty sinners in the eyes of a Holy God. The only difference between you and me is that I am trusting that Jesus Christ’s death secured forgiveness for all my sin and that my hypocrisy will not condemn me. Do you have that hope for your hypocrisy, Joe?
Joe: I mean I think I am a pretty good person so I am just trusting in that.
You: Part of the reason there are so many hypocrites at church is because these hypocrites have realized that their good is only a mirage. The Bible says “no one does good.” Just read Romans 3:10-12. People are not good people, they are rebels, specifically rebelling against the One who made them. Your “good” is not what you think it is Joe and it definitely isn’t good enough to eradicate your hypocrisy. Only Christ can do that. That is why I am at church. I want to worship my Savior whose death has provided me forgiveness, not just for my hypocrisy but for all my sin.

This dialogue would never be possible if we choose to allow the comments of others to disgust us or discourage us. The best thing for us is to seize such an opportunity and be honest about ourselves, all the while being forthright about our Savior. I don’t want to be a hypocrite. I don’t rejoice in acknowledging my hypocrisy. I don’t set out to play the hypocrite. But, nevertheless, some days I am a hypocrite and I do rejoice in knowing that I won’t stand condemned by that hypocrisy. Instead, I will bow and worship as a forgiven hypocrite made a saint by the blood of Christ Jesus!

10 Reasons Why...

10 Reasons why I love my husband so much and know that he is the greatest blessing that the Lord has seen fit to grant a superior sinner like me.

1) He is the best friend I have ever had--bar none. He has absolutely proven that it is possible to be a completely loyal, loving, sacrificial, kind, sympathetic and tender friend. Only a good God could have interviened in the life of my husband so completely to bless me so deeply. He has been and continues to be the best friend God ever brought into my life, even when he drones on about the genetive or ablative cases in greek (or at least that's what I think I hear!) he is still a fabulous friend!

2) He is patient. I think that my husband is simply THE most patient man ever! Especially since he still loves me!

3) He is smart. My husband has learned a whole lot over the time of our marriage and has had the grace to share that knowledge (in my own language) with me! Even when they are concepts that are eons outside of my understanding he takes time to explain these things so I can understand. Bless him!

4) He is generous. Let's face it, we aren't getting rich by worldly standards in the ministry, but he still trys to be generous with the money we do have. Not just to me and the kids, but to many others. It is such a reminder to me to be a good steward and have a generous heart.

5) He is merciful. Honestly there have been times and situations where, had it been me in the midst of them I would have given as good as I got, but he has not done so. He chooses frequently to pursue relationships and situations that are not easy (as I am daily proof) with an exceedingly merciful heart. Have we mentioned that mercy isn't my greatest spiritual gift?

6) He is funny. Even though often I DON'T laugh, he is still funny. Unless the jokes on me...well then....it's not that funny. ;)

7) He is a reader. If my husband didn't pursue a book often I doubt I would have read even an iota of the books I have been exposed to and absorbed. He is always reading something to challenge him and strech him and I admire his dilligence.

8) He loves our family. If my husband never gets all the things I ask from the store, forgets to refill the toilet paper, and even leaves his socks on the floor for the next 60 (here's hopin'!) years, the fact that he loves spending time with us would be enough! I love spending time with him, but I Love even more that he loves hanging with a bunch of crazy nuts like me and my four munkins!

9) He is quick to seek reconciliation and quick to forgive. I, admittedly, am not so quick, but I am always hearing his words in my head when situations crop up (as they inevitably do) where I am involved in a disagreement (often not with anyone in my household). "What does it help to prolong forgiveness, Larissa, you're gonna do it anyway so why not do it quick? Jesus forgave you!" Yeah, yeah, yeah....So it turns out I am listening!!

10) I just do. It may sound simple and unromantic, but I just love the big goof! I don't know how we came together, unless it is a work of an almighty God and I don't really know why I love him so fiercly now, but the fact remains that I simply do. I love him deeply and I know I always will.

AND A VERY HAPPY 31ST BIRTHDAY, WILLIAM!

Went in AGAIN today...

So we had another appointment with the doc to check on the progress of Kace's broken arm. It is healing better this week but they informed me today that after the full arm cast they will put him in a half arm cast for another 6 weeks and then either a removable cast or a splint until they are comfortable that his arm will not break again. This means over 3 months in this thing! I can hardly wait for the scent of his arm to start permeating the house we all live in! We might be thrown us out for being unsanitary! I cannot believe how well he has broken the arm! Jeese, I suppose he had a mind to make sure he did it right. Or at least in a manner that was going to be memorable! I sure hope it will be strong when they finally remove all the contraptions, just imagine how much paraphernalia we will have at the end of this process, but as I told a friend, I am not one to keep a smelly cast for sentimental values, why you say? Have you met my son? Have you ever smelled his FEET?

Transparency: Is it really worth the risk?

"...Your intimate knowledge of about even your friends and family members is usually far less than you realize. Most of us have very few relationships that break the surface" --Robert Jones, Uprooting Anger Page 140.

Now I know this is a provacative statement that is meant for us all to sit up and think about how many people actually know our hearts? How many people know what is tempting you to sin today? How many people know what you are fearing today? How many people know what you are hoping in today? Oh, so many questions could be linked to these few. Does even your spouse know what is really happening, or simmering, or blooming in your heart? I want to challenge all of you to be transparent! Not on the internet alone (especially since that is what we are using as a medium right now), talk to the people around you and say something that is of deep importance to your own heart. No more "how are you's" just simply pricking the surface! Ask and answer questions that will draw you into community with other believers that will make you more real, more relatable. How can you pray for someone else in a manner that will true change you or them, unless you allow your heart to be probed and also engage in probing others hearts. It is of vast importance that we take the great risk of opening our hearts to one another.

Jesus: A Purifier of the Putrid

"...having made purification for sins..." Hebrews 1:3

What has Jesus done for you? Has He become a granter of covetous wishes for you? Lord, my car is 5 years old so can You please give a new one. Has He become the chariot that will whisk you away from the fires of hell? Some 20 years ago, Lord, I walked that isle at church and prayed with the pastor so even though my actions reveal I never really loved You, I know Your goodness will take me to heaven in the end. Sound familiar? If not, take a seat this Sunday in a chair at a mainline evangelical church. Listen to the pastor and scan the prayer requests. To many pastors and churchgoers Jesus is a genie who came to make possible whatever we want to indulge in or escape from. Is this really what Jesus has done for you?

This Sunday morning I hope to answer this question as I preach through Hebrews 1:3-4. Though there is much more to this passage than answering this question, I could not resist writing a short post on the perfect, once for all, cleansing act of Christ.

Let's begin with the word rendered "having made." This is my translation. If you have a translation that makes this word seem like Jesus is still "making" purification or cleansing for sins then the impact of this word is lost. Jesus is not continuing to make purification for sins because He has already done so. The text does not say how He did it, it simply says He did. According to the writer of Hebrews, it is a finished act that occurred in the past. What the Old Testament priests had to do over and over, year after year, Jesus, as the best and greatest Priest, did in one fell swoop.

And here is what He accomplished -- "purification for sins." In the 3rd Edition of A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (BDAG for short) this word translated "purification" is said to mean "cleansing from inward pollution." I love this definition. Do you see what Jesus has really done for you? He purified your putrid soul. If our souls could be laid bare before our very eyes, we would forget about that new suit we obsess over or that get out of hell free card we want because neither could do anything about our sinful hearts that are black as coal and more foul than the nastiest septic tank. We need inward cleansing for our sinful hearts and we need it now. But you need not look any further. It has already been done.

Thank You Jesus for doing what we really needed done the most. Outside of your cleansing we stand condemned before God. Give us the eyes to perceive this time-bound but timeless truth. We know if we really do believe you made us pure then we will live for you and not abandon the relationship You made possible for us to have with You. Help us Jesus to cut through our self-deception and see ourselves as You see us. Helpless sinners who must turn to You, the only One who provided a perfect purification for our sins. Amen.

Post Op

Kace's Operation went well. He had to be intubated which I think made him more grumpy than he would have normally been, but he came out 15 minutes before expected. He is a bit swollen and also very tired. We are on strict rules to keep him immobile for the next day or so. And Parks are stricktly off limits. We are thankful for all your thoughts, calls, prayers (especially) and all of you who have helped us during this time.  Thanks so much!

Larissa (for all the crazies especially Mr. Kace!)

No More Monkies Jumpin' On The Bed

the night the break happened.

The xrays showing the severity of his break.

this morning before nap time.


Yesterday our family minus one went to the ortho clinic in Overland Park's Children's Mercy Clinic. There we found out from the doctor that Kace has a serious break in his arm. It is called an angulated fractor of both bones in his left forearm. This means that the only way to set this fracture is a surgery. We go in tomorrow morning early, but he will still be hungry by the time they put him out, to have this procedure done.

Please be in pray on our behalf at this time. That we will not be tempted to worry and when tempted (as I am right now) we would fight that temptation through prayer. Also please pray that this procedure would "take" if it doesn't take we will have to repeat this next week. Please pray his bones would heal this first time. Please also pray for comfort for my little guy. I love my babies so much and I hate that they are at times in a lot of pain. He has been given some serious meds but it still doesn't hurt to petition the one who made his body to bring comfort to his body.

Thanks! Larissa for the Clan.

Luck of the Draw

During th tour of Missouri Assembly at school today silas won this awesome bike! Who would have thought he would have his name drawn!

School Days

Make a Smilebox photobook

Treasures of Encouragement Women Helping Women in the Church (9780875520971) Sharon W. Betters |PaperBackSwap.com

Treasures of Encouragement Women Helping Women in the Church (9780875520971) Sharon W. Betters PaperBackSwap.com


Any lady who wishes to grow her intimacy with women in her church body needs to purchase and read this book! I have enjoyed every minutes of reading it.

What Will You Say?

On the way home from a quick supermarket run after dropping my first kindergartener off at his first day of school (man did I cry! Such a wusse!), I was listening to Bott Radio. The speaker for the program was Woodrow Kroll and he asked a great question! What are you going to say to the Lord God Almighty when you appear before His judgement seat and He asks:

Have you read the only book I ever wrote?

Or are you going to say this or something like it?:

Well, you know, God, I don't read.
I have a bible, but it's so hard to get into.
You wrote a really boring book!
God, it's just SO LONG!
You know I learned to read in kindergarten and am now above 80 but I still didn't have the time. (that was an option Mr. Kroll offered) I mean if I have just lived a little bit longer...

Now you and I both know how lame this sounds, but I know that in our culture today it is totally "uncool" to be well read. Bible illiteracy is at an all time high, and we aren't one of the thousands of people groups without a Bible in our own language. What are we doing? We have the bible or have had the bible since 1610 or thereabouts and still we fail to read the only written account of the faith we claim to hold? SHAMEFULL!! And I am not trying to be harsh, it's TRUE and You know it!! But my intention isn't to guilt you into it, I am not the holy spirit, but I wanted to give you a little perspective on what we have and absolutely distain the importance of.

We have a Bible in our own language.

Here are some statistics from Wycliff Bible Translators.
6,909 ...the number of languages spoken in the world today

2,393 ...the number of languages without any of the Bible, but with a possible need of a Bible translation to begin.

According to WBT that means over 200,000,000 people still DON'T have a bible they can read in their own language. I hope that makes you look at the bible you own in a different light.

What others gave for you to have a bible.

Wycliff had the first hand written copy of the bible. Imagine hand writing the bible for the express reason of letting you and me read it. Or William Tyndale who spent his entire career translating and printing the bible into english "so every plow man would have the benfit of reading the bible in their own language." Aren't we the target audience and he was burned alive for you to read what you have. Here is the Link to a great timeline that documents the entire history of the Bible in English. Just imagine what it meant to those men and women who went through so much to read and learn their bibles.

In the face of a sad bible knowledge can't we decided that no matter how long it takes (and trust me leviticus is very hard to get through!) or how hard it is, we MUST read our WHOLE bibles! We are without excuse! Those of you who are parents know what happens to the child who is without excuse. I plead with you to read your bibles! Read them and profit thereby!

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Move it, Move it!

Quiz Time!!

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Larissa's Reading List!

Books I wanna read in the next year ......

Starting Now:
Classics:
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle*
A Tale of Two Cities
Alice in Wonderland
Rebecca

Fiction:
Moonspinners*
The Neverending Story

History:
Killer Angels*
Bonhoeffer
Troy*
Schindler's List*
The Pianist*
All but My Life

Children's fiction:
Savage Sam*
Silver on the Tree*
The Mysterious Benedict Society*
Dealing With Dragons *
the forgotten beasts of eld*
A Wrinkle in Time*
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey*

Christian Living:
Cost of Discipleship(again)*
Mortification of Sin
Treasures of Encouragement*
On Christian Liberty*
Saved From What*


Even though we all know I am a chronic list maker, this really helps me to do my reading more intentionally! I hope you are motivated to do the same thing! (even if yours is much shorter--I have a lot to read!) Reading is such a great thing we can do with our extra time! This also means that these are books I want to finish this year between August 2009-August 2010, it isn't exhaustive. Seriously I doubt you would be interested in each and every book I read. :)

Note: The * means finished.

Need Help Pointing A Child To Christ?

The Gospel never has been rocket science. The Trinity's work of bringing life to the lifeless has been and always will be something that is as understandable to a child as it is to an adult. So why is it a challenge sometimes to cogently explain something so easy to comprehend?

Well, such a question would form a nice backbone to another post. My hope at this moment is simply to provide some help if you are someone who has found it a struggle to tell young people about Christ.

Some of you may be familiar with the Matthias Media's gospel presentation entitled "Two Ways To Live". In fact, the online version of this presentation is the one Larissa and I have had linked from this blog since we started blogging. It is an excellent Gospel presentation to memorize and the tracts by the same name are handy to keep in a purse or back pocket to share with others. Even if you are familiar with "Two Ways To Live", you may not be aware that Matthias Media has a children's version of "Two Ways To Live" in tract form entitled "Who Will Be King". On their website, the good people at Matthias Media state that this tract is for children ages 7-11. I have used this tract before and intend to use it long into the future. I highly recommend you order as many as you can and give them to your young family members and neighbors. Here is the link to this tremendous resource.

You and I Must Have Our Heads Pounded!

"Here I must take counsel of the gospel. I must hearken to the gospel, which teacheth me, not what I ought to do, (for that is the proper office of the law), but what Jesus Christ the Son of God hath done for me: to wit, that He suffered and died to deliver me from sin and death. The gospel willeth me to receive this, and to believe it. And this is the truth of the gospel. It is also the principal article of all Christian doctrine, wherein the knowledge of all godliness consisteth. Most necessary it is, therefore, that we should know this article well, teach it unto others, and beat it into their heads continually.”



--Martin Luther, from his commentary on the book of Galatians.

Get In The Middle Of This "Mess."

After completing a sermon series on Philippians earlier this summer I decided to spend the rest of June, July, and August preaching on some of God's attributes. This week's sermon is entitled "God is Relational". Despite many biblical texts that beautifully solidify the reality of this precious attribute, I have been somewhat surprised by the relative lack of literature on this character trait. However, there is a book on God's relationality and its implications for our existence as relational beings that is nothing short of phenonmenal. There are no doubt other good books on this topic but this one in particular is a must-read! I wanted to mention it on the blog simply because it is a book you should purchase, read, and then share with your friends. In fact, I was going to write a lengthy review on the book but then decided you would be better served to read it instead of my review. So here is a link to the book (just click on the link, immediately purchase the book, read it, and then drop me a comment when you finish.) Enjoy!!

Who's Your Homeboy?

For those of you who name your kids after crazy dead guys like we do. Here is an awesome website where you can purchase t-shirts for your kiddos in honor of their name-sakes....well kinda! But it is worth a good ole laugh!! HAHAHA!!

Here's the Link.


Make sure you have a good time while contemplating ways to waste your mula! Just kidding, because I am seriously thinking about shelling mine out!!

A Few Laughs

The things we do to our children! Oh how this makes me laugh! Almost to tears!!

I wish I had the guts to post the picture of Kace in the outfit! He had it on backwards! But I think those photos are just for us!

Blogging, Twittering, or Conversing Over Coffee: Some Thoughts on the Sovereignty of God and Our Friendships

Whew! That title could probably be a blog post in and of itself. Despite its length, however, this title reflects some musings on relational intimacy that have occupied my mind of late. So much of the Internet connectedness we have come to know and love over the past few years has enabled us to renew contact with long lost pals from yesterday and maintain relationships with distant friends all across the globe. Though the unanimous consensus is that all of our renewing and maintaining of relationships is a good thing, there are some detrimental consequences that must be heralded.

Whether we mind or not, all the Internet based social networking sites take time. Time to figure out, time to maintain, time to use, ad nauseam. Now this time it is argued is well spent since it is meant to be an investment in our friendships. Such is certainly true, but the reality is that our most immediate relational opportunities (fellow church members, neighbors, co-workers, essentially anyone within a few miles drive of our home) get short shrifted when we spend TOO much time on social networking sites. More often than not the end result of all our blogging, twittering, and skyping is that our porch rockers and kitchen tables are all too often empty. This is NOT the way it is supposed to be!

The answer is not to go off the grid and completely separate ourselves from our old friends, but rather to trust a little more in the sovereignty of God. Wherever you currently live right now is exactly where the bulk of your relational investments ought to be. It is an unwise endeavor indeed to relationally invest most of your time in the past while neglecting the friendships of the present. God has providentially placed you exactly where you are right now. He also providentially had you where you were but by His good design you are no longer there. You may miss and even long for some of those close relationships you had while you were in college or living in your hometown, but those relationships never became what they were via a wireless connection. They came from living, working, worshipping, crying, and laughing face to face and shoulder to shoulder. These kind of relationships are still possible but they will take time, the kind of time you will never have as long as tweeting and facebooking our more important than having your neighbor over for dinner.

Consider going low-tech and telling someone in your Sunday School class to join you for coffee at your house or inviting your neighbor to come over for football one day (preferably a Saturday so they have the opportunity to watch some real football). Having said that, don't neglect those long-distance friends you can only chat with through Facebook or Gmail. First and foremost, let the bulk of your time be spent pouring out your life for those in your church and community but never forget to jump online from time to time in order to love on those who will always be your cherished friends.

Our Day Out!

Our family went out for a day together and here are the photos and some thoughts.

The Four Crazy Monkeys!
He's getting too big for his britches!


Nice Goats, Silas was much more enthused then Kace!

My middle men! Aren't these faces the cutest??

One thing I have been pondering over the last several weeks is my own attachment to my children. My love of them is one thing, my expectation is totally another. Often I am drawn into the trap of desiring already sanctified children. I love them so much and I know that the Lord is what is necessary for them therefore their sin is often more then I "expect." But why don't I "expect" sinners to sin and to do so in HUGE amounts over long periods of time? I do so because I to am a sinner in need of grace. I hold my children to a higher standard than my God holds me. I need to remember in humility and grace that my children are a work in progress and I am not above them as the wise old sage, but I am still learning the same lessons of relying on and trusting my savior. I may be a bit ahead because the work of redemption has been active in my heart and mind in a more real way then in theirs. But I am still a sinner daily battling with the sin of my flesh. With Anger, pride, selfishness and sloth. How then am I always so tempted to think they must not and cannot fall prey to the same?

One statement I read in a book (I think it was Richard Baxters Book on his wife Margaret, she says and I am paraphrasing....) that the sources of our greatest joy are also the sources of our greatest disappointment. Therefore we must temper our love that our eyes might be fixed with more devotion on the One who truly satisfies our needs, Our Savior and God Jesus Christ! Jesus more then our children or husband or any other object is what gives us lasting joy. This is a hard concept to grasp and it is often bandied about in a flipant way that we cannot really understand, but we have all been disappointed by the things we have set our greathope in.

For Example: Our husband forgets that we like thin crust pizza and only orders hand tossed. We are hurt not only by the fact that we haven't recieved what we had set our hearts on but also that this person we have lived with for years doesn't remember who we are. (Am I right? this may sound petty, but I know that not just me is like this!) Or our child disobeys in some manner that not only embarasses us but also grieves us. I personally hate it when my boys have a melt down in the store! I am literally mortified, especially with all the accusing looks you recieve. I would honestly pay my child a million dollars to get them out of the store in about a millisecond. But what do we expect? Our chilren are not as able and willing to hide their sin as we are and thus it is more obvious. But even more then that...they ARE SINNERS, and in need of the same Grace we were in such need of. We must bear with them in patience and love.

We must temper our love. What I mean by temper is that we must get our love inline with the love depicted in the Bible. 1 Corintians 13-- We have all heard this! "Love is patient, love is kind, it doesn't envy or boast, it isn't arrogant (or prideful ie. I am better than you, I am further along then you), It does not insist on it's own way, it isnt irritable or resentful, it doesn't rejoice in wrong doing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love Never fails."

Uggg! That is what the writer of Hebrews means when he says the Word of God is sharper then any two edged sword able to cut to the bone! I am undone! I am not like this with the ones I love. I set up expectations, I lose my cool, I am prideful, I insist we do things my way or the highway. Oh, How much work there is left to do in my own sinful heart and this TRUTH will temper our love as well as humble our hearts. Like Paul says in Galatians if a person thinks he is something he deceives himself and the truth is not in him (6:3). We are called to love in a manner that would honor our Great God, let us do so with abandon to Him alone and in great Humility and joy.

Update: Our Summer So Far

We took a long vaca and drove through 11 states! I can hardly believe we made it 4700 miles!

My big man FIVE! FIVE! How does the time pass so?!

My baby sister got hitched! I had to attend! :)

VBS! It was such a good time!

William managed to eek out a masters of Biblical languages degree after four years, four kids, a full time and part time job....oh yeah and lil ole me!

Though I haven't yet gotten a picture of it! (Yeah I am a slacker!) My girl is standing on her own and even trying to walk!

We are trying the swimming thing a whole lot this summer! My Poor whitey! What shall I do with thee? How cute is this face?

I figured after a two month hiatus a picture (or several) was worth more then words! Am I right? We have been a busy bunch and I am guessing that things will only get worse as the school year begins and my big man goes off to kindergarten and my middle man starts pre-school! Some times I look at them and they are so cute and I think there is no way they are even mine on loan. But then they come in the house after a half hour in our yard, covered in a literal inch of dust and I remember..."Oh yeah! they're mine, alright!"

Many blessings!

The crazy douglas fam