Family Tooth Saga

Well - it finally happened. One of the twins lost a tooth. Before I declare a winner, there is some back story (as usual)....

Last visit to the dentist we were told that the twins adult teeth were "on the move". This was a surprise to us - not because we didn't know that teeth fell out eventually, but because at a previous dental visit we had been told that Chris had no adult teeth. He had them on the bottom, but not on the top. We had also been told they don't "grow in later". He simply wouldn't have them (dental implants would be used - which we already knew would be necessary for some of them). It was a bit of a surprise (Praise GOD!!) that he even had adult teeth to be "on the move". Some friends of ours had prayed through this time with us, so this was huge news for us. That was last December.

So, we wiggled those teeth. In the meantime, Michael has been losing some of his "bigger" baby teeth (and won't have fillings anymore once he looses them all....), and that has been a bit traumatic. Katie has had teeth growing in over teeth, so we have been working on those as well. All in all, there has been a whole lot of wiggling, fear, competition, and fatherly extractions going on. Mike is our "OK - let's do this!" tooth puller extraordinaire (and the kids have learned early to stay away from him unless they are desperate....).

The twins, since birth, have always had this competitive nature about who does what first. So far....

Stephen walked first, crawled first, and read first.

Christopher wrote first, is a better speller, and did math first.

Stephen wins for having the first adult tooth come in (behind his baby tooth), but the winner (with a little help from dad) of the first tooth out twin contest is....................

Christopher!!!

Congratulations buddy!

Family Update

Well - we have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that Mike will not be able to drop down to part time come July. It turns out that he is enrolled on the 10 week program (to start on June 8th), not Summer 1. He will still graduate in December, but will have to continue full time until then. This is good news because we will be able to be a little more realistic with our schedule - and that is going to be so much better for our family!!

Michael B. is doing well. He is building LEGO cities now. School is over, and we are starting to get bored more and more easily. It is tough because it is his allergy season, so we have to be careful with his outdoor time. He has had no issues so far this year praise God!!

Kate is growing taller and taller. She is reading everything she can get her hands on and is currently working on the Narnia Series. We have them in one bound book, so she says she is on book three chapter 6. She is a fast reader!!

Chris and Stephen are crazy! They are really starting to come into their own as far as personality. They are so different from each other! And.... THEY BOTH HAVE LOOSE TEETH. They are so excited!

I am starting to collect my thoughts toward next year's schooling. I would like to start up again in July. We also need to get our portfolios submitted for this year. I would have liked for it to be a bit different than it turned out, but we try again next year for the "perfect" year. :) They all love to learn, and for that I am grateful. If that is all we accomplish, that would be a good foundation!

All in all, normal stuff..... :)

Of First Importance

This is a post from the blog "Of First Importance". http://firstimportance.org/

They send out a daily email, and it has touched our hearts more than once! Definitely worth checking out!


Together at the Cross
Posted: 24 May 2009 07:22 AM PDT
“We stand as sinners together at the cross needing to be cleansed. When true love shines, we find it easy to share with and trust one another as we repent together and find grace in the sinner’s place. We grow to understand and feel safe with one another. There is nothing so sweet on earth as this simple fellowship of Christians who repent. Jesus stands among us shedding His holy light until it seems that nothing evil or unreal can linger there. It becomes easy to repent but hard to hurt one another. Our hearts are melted together and we lay down our lives for the brethren.”
- Stanley Voke, Personal Revival (Waynesboro, Ga.: OM Literature, nd), 77.

Still working on my other post.... :)

Blog post brewing...

So many thoughts are running through my mind right now. The last few weeks have been very full - full of learning, full of challenge, full of life! Today it seems I am in day 2 of a virus of some kind that makes me fall asleep every time I sit down (maybe the full part contirbuted a little....), and very weak with a sore throat and headache. Hey - while I am falling asleep I can sift through the last weeks and start to put together a real post.... if I can stay awake! :)

Big Truths for Young Hearts

WOW!!! We started the book "Big Truths for Young Hearts" by Bruce Ware this week. It is amazing! Michael Ben and Katie are getting the most out of it, although the twins sometimes surprise me with what they have caught. Here is Crossway's summary of the book:

"Equips parents to guide their young children through all major doctrines in an understandable, chapter-a-day format.
Sure, it’s easy to teach your children the essentials of Christian theology when you’re a theology professor. But what about the rest of us?
With Big Truths for Little Hearts, Bruce Ware, (you guessed it!) a theology professor, encourages and enables parents of children 6–14 years of age to teach through the whole of systematic theology at a level their children can understand. Parents can teach their children the great truths of the faith and shape their worldviews early, based on these truths.
The book covers ten topics of systematic theology, devoting several brief chapters to each subject, making it possible for parents to read one chapter per day with their children. With this non-intimidating format, parents will be emboldened to be their children’s primary faith trainers—and perhaps learn a few things themselves along the way."

http://www.crossway.org/product/9781433506017

So far, we are studying the character of God. There are two questions at the end of each chapter for discussion, and a memory verse. We are doing a chapter a day. It has been a really enriching time for our family. Definitely worth checking out. If anyone wants to look over our copy let me know!!

A Confession

I haven't posted for a little while - and so very much has happened. I had made a promise to myself that I would not post if I was emotionally unstable (HAH!!), so, now that I am a little more stable, I am going to "sum up" the last few weeks. Two songs come to mind:

Grace unmeasured, vast and free

That knew me from eternity

That called me out before my birth

To bring You glory on this earth
Grace amazing, pure and deep
That saw me in my misery
That took my curse and owned my blame
So I could bear Your righteous name

Grace

Paid for my sin, and brought me to life

Grace

Clothes me with power to do what is right

Grace

Will lead me to heaven where I'll see your face

And never cease to thank you for your grace.

Grace abounding, strong and true
That makes me long to be like You
That turns me from my selfish pride
To love the cross on which You died
Grace unending, all my days
You’ll give me strength to run this race
And when my years on earth are through
The praise will all belong to You

(“Grace Unmeasured,” Words and Music by Bob Kauflin c. 2005 Sovereign Grace Praise)

I don’t deserve to be Your servant
And how much less to be Your child
Anger and wrath, sure condemnation
Should be my portion, my just reward
Never have seen it, never will know it
Your loving kindness enfolds my life

All You have shown me is
Grace, love and mercy
Now and forever, I am Your child
Freely You pour out Your loving kindness
Father of Grace, You welcome me in

All of the sin I have committed
Was placed upon Your righteous Son
And now You see me through His perfection
As if I’d never done any wrong
Always forgiven, always accepted
No fear of judgment before Your throne

(“Always Forgiven,” Words and Music by Jonathan and Ryan Baird c. 2004 Sovereign Grace Worship )

We had Care Group last night, and one of the lines from a song we had sung called "We Bow Down" also fits:

"And as I behold your beauty I'm undone"

Over the last few weeks, as things have gotten a bit harder in some areas, it feels like I have been taken apart piece by piece - completely undone.

We are doing a sermon series on James (which has been excellent!!). We just did week two - here is the link : http://www.gcchurch.org/pages/index.php?pID=37

James is a tough book. Looking back over my posts I have been focused on James for a little while now ,but having it be the focus of our sermon series definitely rounds out perspectives a little. This past week's sermon hit more than one nerve - and it came at the end of a very bad week (as in a no good, very bad week.....). Have you ever walked into church and wondered if they had tailored the sermon for you? It was one of those weeks. I don't think our pastor missed a moment. It did not feel kind. It's funny - I listened to it again yesterday, and it had changed. Perspective has a way of doing that, doesn't it?

So - what made it a no good, very bad week? I did. We have been in a holding pattern for a little while now. Mike has finals next week (8 more days!!!), then a week off, then a really packed out 6 week semester. He is still working on top of school. I am tired, things are crazy, and, well, down I went (do you hear the excuses?). I heard something I didn't want to hear. It wasn't something unexpected, it wasn't something traumatic. I felt I needed some clarity on something, and it was denied. There was no clarity to be had. So, since I didn't get what I wanted, I threw a full blown temper tantrum. I mean the scary kind. The kind with phrases like:

" Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live." (Jonah 4:3)

Fully knowing the response:

"And the LORD said, "Do you do well to be angry?" (Jonah 4:4)

Yes!!! I do very well to be angry. And that lead to a whole new level of "sinning left and right". God, in his kindness, used so many things from Thursday through Sunday morning to gently, patiently , and lovingly correct me. The heading for that Jonah passage in the ESV is "Jonah's anger and the LORD'S compassion". Praise God for His mercy!!

"The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust." (Psalm 103:8-14)

By Sunday, I finally was "undone". The sermon covered the passage about desire giving birth to sin. That "simple" desire for clarity had given birth to a whole lot of sin. It isn't the desire itself that is sin - it is what happens when that desire is denied. God didn't let me go - he was compassionate. He used scripture, devotional readings, the sermon, His people, and prayer to help me to realize what posture my heart was in - and frighteningly enough - it had been that way for a good long time. Why had He been so gracious and patient with me for so long? Why had He allowed the people around me to be so loving and patient when I was so self centered? So many I had contact with over last week should have just slapped me (I am sure you will all have another chance in the not too distant future)!!

The sermon also encouraged us to look back over the mercy and kindness of God. He is orchestrating my life every moment. He isn't trying to keep up with the circumstances in my life to use them for my good - He is ordering the circumstances in my life to change me into the image of His son. Even reading back over this blog brings such conviction. I forget so easily. And when things don't seem to make sense, I see so much evil waiting in my heart! That revelation is such a mercy to my soul. It drives me back to Christ, throws me at His feet, and forces me to lay my life down again (now - if I could only remember to stop picking it back up... ). Thank you for your mercy and grace Lord!!!

Still here!

This week has been a little crazy. One high point was our trip to the aquarium (we have 2 days of school left, and this was one of them!). We got there at 9:30 AM which is opening time (Mike had school, so we had to get there early so we could get home in time for him to make it to school on time!), and were the first patrons through the door. It was really nice!!! We had the pet a shark exhibit all to ourselves -and if you have ever been to the Camden Aquarium, you know how hard it is to do that!! We were followed in by at least 10 school buses, so we went to the things that draw crowds first. It felt rushed, but it was a nice trip (our pass expires today, so we wanted to get one more trip in!). We came home exhausted, but happy!