Altogether Adam lived 930 years, and then he died.
So, do you think Adam planned ahead by hundreds of years?
You know, like, "Lets plant wheat this century, honey, then in the next two hundred years, we'll plant corn." Or, "Hey, we really need a new house. We've lived in this one for four hundred years now. Let's plan on building a new one and moving in another hundred and twenty years or so." And then did Eve start considering the packing?
Let's say you have the lifespan of Adam. If you know you have about 120 years at your current job/house, but then for the next 400 years or so, you're going to be at a new one, wouldn't you start planning for those 400 years now? That's a big chunk of time!
Friday, April 30, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
He got a kick out of it.
"Hi Sam! How was school today? Wait...what do you have stuck to your back?"
The little yellow sticky note read, "Kick me!"
I really wish I had a picture to do this justice.
Sam laughed and laughed.
The little yellow sticky note read, "Kick me!"
I really wish I had a picture to do this justice.
Sam laughed and laughed.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Teacher workshop
We attended a homeschooling conference this past weekend in Rochester, MN. It was wonderful! Yes, a lot of that wonderful-ness came from having NO children with us. But also because the conference was so affirming that this is what the Lord wants us to do.
Top favorite gleanings from the workshops:
- No, we're not afraid our children won't fit in! We're scared that they WILL. Train your children to STAND OUT!
- Putting your child in a room full of other kids his age is not good social training.
- Giving each child one of those mesh lingerie bags to hold dirty socks (then to the washer, and the dryer) saves time on sock-sorting.
- Make time each morning for blessing your home (cleaning). Thought this was cute.
- Keynote speaker was just phenominal. He brought in real horses to demonstrate how training a horse paralleled training children and also our relationship with God.
- Apparently, our family is small! (Comparatively speaking)
- Train your children. Don't just tell them not to do something and then punish them when they disobey. Train them to obey. I personally like the locomotive train method the best. But we're talking amusement park train. You know, the slow one that tours the park.
As you can see, only a few of these are homeschool-specific. Because homeschooling families have kids in their home all the time, the discipline and organization become very important. I learned so much!
Anyone else who went want to share their favorite moments?
Oh, and if you happen to want to be talked into homeschooling, let's talk!
Top favorite gleanings from the workshops:
- No, we're not afraid our children won't fit in! We're scared that they WILL. Train your children to STAND OUT!
- Putting your child in a room full of other kids his age is not good social training.
- Giving each child one of those mesh lingerie bags to hold dirty socks (then to the washer, and the dryer) saves time on sock-sorting.
- Make time each morning for blessing your home (cleaning). Thought this was cute.
- Keynote speaker was just phenominal. He brought in real horses to demonstrate how training a horse paralleled training children and also our relationship with God.
- Apparently, our family is small! (Comparatively speaking)
- Train your children. Don't just tell them not to do something and then punish them when they disobey. Train them to obey. I personally like the locomotive train method the best. But we're talking amusement park train. You know, the slow one that tours the park.
As you can see, only a few of these are homeschool-specific. Because homeschooling families have kids in their home all the time, the discipline and organization become very important. I learned so much!
Anyone else who went want to share their favorite moments?
Oh, and if you happen to want to be talked into homeschooling, let's talk!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
And the two will become one!
Opening their first birthday present (Josiah/Isaac)
Little books from Grandma Sarah and Papa George (Josiah/Isaac)
And summer outfits too! (Josiah/Isaac)
We did a Noah's Ark theme for the party
Josiah liked his first taste of chocolate
They each got an individual monkey cake (banana of course) to eat
Red things with spots (Isaac)
The birthday boys! (Isaac/Josiah)
Mmmm....I like the chocolate frosting the best! (Josiah)
Can we have this every day? (Isaac)
Don't touch my cake! I'm not done! (Isaac)
It not only tastes good, but it has a great texture! (Josiah)
More milk please! (Isaac)
Playing with the party favors
New friends! (Isaac)
It's time to say Goodnight!
I want to put them in my mouth.
Big boy Josiah!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Grace is not like dessert
Has God ever spoken to you through your own mouth?
This happened to me today. In our ABF (sunday school) class at church, we were briefly talking about forgiveness, and I actually can't remember exactly what I said. Something about how when we forgive others, we are the most like Jesus. Yet many underestimate the importance of forgiving and don't do it, or they only do it with their mouths and not their hearts, continuing to carry bad feelings or a bad attitude toward the person who offended.
And God spoke to me. Instantly.
Do I forgive my children their little sins and "offenses" (as I suppose, against me) during each day?
Do I realize how crucial and absolutely important it is for them that I do so?
No.
He broke my heart over it.
I remembered specific words I have spoken to Sam about lying and about earning trust.
Wow. Do I want him to grow up feeling like he has to earn God's "trust" or love after he fails (even if it is the hundredth time)?
God's grace is limitless. Is mine? Not in relation to my children. But it should be. After all, I am striving to be more and more like Jesus. And I'm telling my children each and every day to show Jesus and His love to everyone they meet.
My children will understand the fullness of God's grace first through me. I want to provide them with as TRUE a picture as I can. Not judgmental, angry, annoyed, reluctant. But grace poured over them like I poured water over their heads as babies during their baths. Like a baptism of grace. Not like a cookie I give them after lunch as a well-earned treat. Can we overdo this? I don't believe so. If our children are corrected and brought to repentance (for we are the ones that tell them to apologize at this point in their life), this grace should be given freely and abundantly. Like Jesus. Always like Jesus.
God reveals Himself to our children through us as their parents. Yes, it is scary. Yes, it is TRUE. My daily prayer is for Spirit-filled parenting.
And God also reveals Himself to us through our children. As I had demonstrated to me this morning.
Lord, give us the grace that it takes as parents to respond lavishly even to the grudging, "I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?" from our children. May they understand and accept Your grace more readily because of the grace they received from me. And please love them through me and let them see that love, not the frustration of the mom ready to send them to their room for the rest of their lives.
Kind of like getting to eat dessert after you threw your plate of uneaten food against the wall in anger. Not that this has ever happened at our house. Yet. I'm just saying, that's extravagant grace. Actually, TRUE grace is always extravagant, isn't it? That's it's nature. His nature.
This happened to me today. In our ABF (sunday school) class at church, we were briefly talking about forgiveness, and I actually can't remember exactly what I said. Something about how when we forgive others, we are the most like Jesus. Yet many underestimate the importance of forgiving and don't do it, or they only do it with their mouths and not their hearts, continuing to carry bad feelings or a bad attitude toward the person who offended.
And God spoke to me. Instantly.
Do I forgive my children their little sins and "offenses" (as I suppose, against me) during each day?
Do I realize how crucial and absolutely important it is for them that I do so?
No.
He broke my heart over it.
I remembered specific words I have spoken to Sam about lying and about earning trust.
Wow. Do I want him to grow up feeling like he has to earn God's "trust" or love after he fails (even if it is the hundredth time)?
God's grace is limitless. Is mine? Not in relation to my children. But it should be. After all, I am striving to be more and more like Jesus. And I'm telling my children each and every day to show Jesus and His love to everyone they meet.
My children will understand the fullness of God's grace first through me. I want to provide them with as TRUE a picture as I can. Not judgmental, angry, annoyed, reluctant. But grace poured over them like I poured water over their heads as babies during their baths. Like a baptism of grace. Not like a cookie I give them after lunch as a well-earned treat. Can we overdo this? I don't believe so. If our children are corrected and brought to repentance (for we are the ones that tell them to apologize at this point in their life), this grace should be given freely and abundantly. Like Jesus. Always like Jesus.
God reveals Himself to our children through us as their parents. Yes, it is scary. Yes, it is TRUE. My daily prayer is for Spirit-filled parenting.
And God also reveals Himself to us through our children. As I had demonstrated to me this morning.
Lord, give us the grace that it takes as parents to respond lavishly even to the grudging, "I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?" from our children. May they understand and accept Your grace more readily because of the grace they received from me. And please love them through me and let them see that love, not the frustration of the mom ready to send them to their room for the rest of their lives.
Kind of like getting to eat dessert after you threw your plate of uneaten food against the wall in anger. Not that this has ever happened at our house. Yet. I'm just saying, that's extravagant grace. Actually, TRUE grace is always extravagant, isn't it? That's it's nature. His nature.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Where did I stick my other sandal?
We are currently reading through the book of Exodus for family devotions.
Last night:
"And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites -- a land flowing with milk and honey." Exodus 4:6
Sam: "Sounds sticky!"
Last night:
"And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites -- a land flowing with milk and honey." Exodus 4:6
Sam: "Sounds sticky!"
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Does God write amendments?
Here are some passages that perplex me:
1. "The midwives answered Pharaoh, `Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.'
So God was kind to the midwives...And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own." Exodus 1:19-21
2. "In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?" James 2:25
In both cases, women are justified, and considered righteous by God because of a lie.
How can this be explained?
In some cases, apparently, lying is justified (by God, in fact, not just by your fellow man) if you use it to do the right thing. Like hiding Jews. Or not killing babies.
If anyone has any further insight, I'd really appreciate you sharing it.
1. "The midwives answered Pharaoh, `Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.'
So God was kind to the midwives...And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own." Exodus 1:19-21
2. "In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?" James 2:25
In both cases, women are justified, and considered righteous by God because of a lie.
How can this be explained?
In some cases, apparently, lying is justified (by God, in fact, not just by your fellow man) if you use it to do the right thing. Like hiding Jews. Or not killing babies.
If anyone has any further insight, I'd really appreciate you sharing it.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
How delightful!
At lunch today, we were discussing Creation, and life before Adam and Eve chose to sin. I was sharing with the boys that God actually had daily walks with Adam, and I imagine took such delight in hearing Adam's questions and thoughts on many things.
I added, "Just like I delight in hearing your thoughts, even more so."
Noah chimes in with, "I peed in my pants."
Sam, in hysterics, turns to me and says, "You don't delight in hearing those thoughts!!"
I added, "Just like I delight in hearing your thoughts, even more so."
Noah chimes in with, "I peed in my pants."
Sam, in hysterics, turns to me and says, "You don't delight in hearing those thoughts!!"
Friday, April 2, 2010
Praise God it's Friday (PGIF)
Genesis 1:31
"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good."
And then Adam and Eve chose to rebel against God. They knew good and evil (Genesis 3:22).
Good Friday allows for a return of the "good" - through His amazing grace, covering our wickedness and rebelliousness with His blood shed on the cross.
Is it a Good Friday for you?
"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good."
And then Adam and Eve chose to rebel against God. They knew good and evil (Genesis 3:22).
Good Friday allows for a return of the "good" - through His amazing grace, covering our wickedness and rebelliousness with His blood shed on the cross.
Is it a Good Friday for you?
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