What Once Was Lost

My camera has been found! The weekend it went ‘missing’ my parents were in town for a visit. My Dad has 2 cameras (one for personal use and one for church use). Both of his cameras look similar to mine. I thought he might have mistakenly taken mine home with him. But my parents looked through all of their stuff and couldn’t find it. So I just chalked it up to pregnancy brain and restricted myself from handling expensive items.

This past weekend I even got out on black Friday to get a good deal on a camera, but they were all sold out. (Hey – I wasn’t getting up at 3 am, even for a camera). I tried to buy one online Monday and couldn’t because it was out of stock. My Mom called Monday night to let me know they found my camera stuffed in between the back seats in their truck. I refrain from using those 4 words – (you know what I mean, right?) I am just thankful they found it and that I didn’t have to get another one.

We had a great Thanksgiving and I hope to post some pics when my camera arrives in the mail.

Advent

We are enjoying some much needed vacation time with family down in South Gerogia. I have been keeping up with all of the blog-reading while down here and have read a great deal about everyone's holiday traditions. This Thanksgiving my mother actually tried (unintentionally) to alter the Thanksgiving menu. She mentioned an already-prepared dressing, a soufle, and an orange coconut cake. What? It didn't take me too long to set her straight and remind her that Thanksgiving dinner isn't something you mess with! Remember the good ole cornbread dressing I was craving? Well, it's back on the menu - along with broccoli casserole, squash casserole, carrot casserole and real desserts (you know, ones with some chocolate)!

Speaking of traditions ... we started a new one last year for Advent. We ordered The Advent Book as a devotional book. It is great for toddlers and preschoolers. You read it together each night as a family, adding a door each night. The review really helps children remember the story. Order it now and you can probably get it before the beginning of December.

Obedience

We have been in the midst of sickness here this week. Two of my babies have had coughing, fever and snot. Mommies, you know how it goes: they sneeze and you have to grab whatever is available ... Everyone is improving though. Although I hate to see them not feel good, I DO enjoy all of the extra holding and cuddling time I get. This afternoon I was able to read over one of Piper's sermons and I want to share it with you.

Is our obedience known to all? Here is an excerpt from a sermon by John Piper:

That’s what we saw last week. Now in verse 19, Paul commends the Romans for their obedience and mentions this as a reason why they need to be vigilant over error and why he is so happy about them. He says, “For your obedience is known to all.” In other words, if false teachers get the upper hand among you, then all the more reproach will come to the name of Christ because your obedience is know everywhere. The greater your reputation for obedience, the more damage can be done if you get sucked into false teaching. So be vigilant “for your obedience is know to all.” You have a great responsibility.

And, he says, I want you to know that your obedience brings me great joy. Verse 19: “Your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you.” Paul had not founded this church. He had never been there. He was simply joyful over the reputation of a church that walked in obedience to Jesus. When you rejoice in churches, is it because they are big or have good music or because they are obedient to the radical demands of Jesus?

Go here to read the rest of the article…

Blessing My Husband

*Update below

I read Leslie’s post today about the Discipline of Marriage. I took her challenge to bless my husband in some way. Thinking of a way to bless him has been harder than I thought. I even emailed him at work to see what I could do to bless him today. I’m sure he laughed out loud when he read that. I haven’t been too on top of that lately!

I haven’t heard back yet. But I have a couple of ideas in mind. His parents ate out last night and got steak sub sandwiches. He mentioned how much he loves those because they use real New York strips. So, we may run out before he gets home and have that waiting for him for supper.

I’ll let you know how it goes or if I have to go to plan B (which I haven't thought of yet)!

Update: Well, Brian emailed me and told me that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, so I knew I was on the right track. We ended up with Chinese though. Yummy! Tomorrow we are off to see the Wiggles in concert! The kids are excited. Thanks to my great MIL who is letting us use her camera for pics and videos. I'll try to post some later!

To Build a Church

This past year we have been a part of a church plant. This plant started with the desire to be a church that treasures the teaching of God’s Word. There are not many churches in our area that actually live out this conviction in practice. Of course, every church ‘says’ that it reveres God’s Word, but how many actually practice that truth?

Many churches today make the mistake of comparing a church to a company or a business, thinking with the CEO mentality. In The Deliberate Church Dever teaches that ‘a church is not a Fortune 500 company … a healthy church is unlike any organization that man has ever devised, because man didn’t devise it. It only makes sense, then, for us to revisit God’s Word to figure out exactly what He want us to be building.”

God wants us to ‘build’ a church that teaches the Word, reveres the Word, and lives it – no matter the cost. Many people today are saying that we have to make the message attractive – that we have to do certain things to bring people in – but in reality that compromises the Message. “God’s Word has always been His chosen instrument to create, convict, convert, and conform His people … Preaching the content and intent of God’s Word is what unleashes the power of God on the people of God, because God’s power for building His people is in His Word.” (The Deliberate Church)

We don’t have to change the message or make it more relevant to people. We need to go back to the Bible to see how He wants us to build up His body. “God’s Word builds His church. So preaching His Gospel is primary.” (The Deliberate Church) May we be faithful to protect the preaching ministry of our church!

Holidays

The holidays are coming so quickly this year! In 2 weeks we will head down to Georgia to spend the entire week with my parents and my younger brother and family. It should be a great time of relaxation while we spend time getting hair cuts, playing golf, shopping and of course, eating. I am already craving Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, broccoli casserole, carrot casserole (kind of like sweet potato casserole), and homemade cornbread dressing. Now all of you out there that think Stove Top is dressing, you need to eat some of my Mom’s cornbread dressing. That’s real dressing – it is sooo good. Once you try it, you’ll never go back. I’ll try to get a copy of her recipe and post it soon.

Baby update: This weekend we have completed 12 weeks! I am starting to feel less “yucky” although I am still tired, but that could just be from having 3 other children. But I am finally catching up on some house-cleaning that has been neglected the last few weeks. My bathroom is hoping that I get to it very soon! (So is my sweet husband).

I must go and get ready to greet the Pizza guy who is graciously bringing us supper tonight. Then my husband and I are doing another 24 marathon. We watched it for the first time this past season, which was season 5. So we have started to rent the previous seasons from the library. We are now on Season 2. But I have cheated some. The episodes are on-line so when I can’t stand to wait to find out what happens, I look online. My husband thinks I’m crazy but it doesn’t take anything away from my experience. That’s just how I am. I used to unwrap my Christmas gifts and rewrap them. I was still very excited on Christmas morning even though I knew what I was getting. That’s why I want to find out the sex of the baby in a few weeks. But I had told Brian we could wait if he wanted to (what was I thinking?) So, we’ll have to just save this conversation for another day.

Have a great weekend!

Fridge Meme

Ok. I was actually tagged twice (by Amy and Leslie) to do this fridge meme. Now I still don't exactly know how you pronounce this word (meme) but I am going to do it anyway. I still haven't found my nice camera. I am thinking I need to face the fact that I probably lost it, althought I would rather blame my 4 year old. I found my old one but it's not as good. It has a couple of pixels, but there's no zoom and you can't tell how the picture looks until you download it. It takes regular batteries, of which we have none, so I took some from the remote. And as you can tell, the date stamp is wrong. Oh well.

So here goes ...


I didn't clean up the fridge, but like Leslie, I am SOOO glad the pics are supposed to show the outside and NOT the inside of the fridge. On the front of the fridge, I have my monthly calendar, family pics, magnets, and the graph we made in school which shows the number of girls/boys in our family.


On the side are more pics of friends and our trusty alphabet letters. We try to keep the magnets up high because Calvin likes to eat the magnet part off the back of the magnets. I guess that's why all the paper clips are sticking to him!

I tag Kim and Kelly!

LOST

Well, I have been looking for my camera to post some pictures of the last couple of weekends but I still haven’t found it. My parents came up from Georgia the weekend before last for a visit. I’ll try to post some pics when I find the camera.

I asked my 4-year old daughter if she had used Mommy’s camera and if she knew where it was (since she sometimes 'borrows' things like my car keys). She told me it was in the attic. Later she came and told me that the camera was outside in an airplane. So, she hasn’t been much help.

I sure hope it’s somewhere around here. Nothing is where it normally is since I have been feeling pretty “yucky” for the last few weeks. I hope to be able to catch up on housework soon – but at least Calvin likes to eat the crumbs off the kitchen floor! That sure has helped! But I think I may be taking a turn for the better. I think I am usually rid of the “yuckies” by 11 weeks (I will be 11 weeks this coming weekend) and then I am just plain tired.

My husband has been a trooper. He hasn’t complained when the choices for supper have been: frozen corn dogs or frozen pizza. He hasn’t complained when he had to get his clean clothes out of the huge pile on the chair in the corner of our room (at least they’re clean, right). And he hasn’t complained about “taking over” the house and kids when he gets home from work! I am a blessed woman. (But I am carrying HIS child, ya know!)

This past weekend the kids spent Friday night with Granny and PawPaw so we had the house to ourselves! We woke up (blissfully late) on Saturday and spent the day in Colonial Williamsburg. It was a fun and relaxing day. We missed our babies but enjoyed being able to spend some time alone together.

I hope I can post some pics soon.