Thursday, August 27, 2009

Where did all the pictures go?

I remember a day when I used to post pictures on this blog. Hmm. It's been such a long time though! Sorry about that. I hope to get back into taking pictures. My children do confiscate the camera often, so I don't usually have the means to post pictures.

However, the update for the moment is:

Lorien is going to Breakaway for the next two days, which is something of a camping trip for all the high schoolers to start off the school year. It is lots of fun and she is excited about it. She should be back, Lord willing, tomorrow afternoon.

Aleya is getting used to her classroom, and her classes, and liking it very much. She has a delightful teacher, and we are thankful for the situation thus far. She seems to really like the history and the reading.

Kayren begins DMACC tonight - for sure! She tried to start on Tuesday, but classes hadn't yet begun, so tonight when she drives out there, she should actually have a class! She is taking Spanish.

Kyrie is packing things up today and tomorrow and setting back out for Grove City early on Saturday morning. She starts classes again, DV, on Monday! She is excited about getting back to school, and away from work.

Jathan is set to come home on Labor Day weekend, and we are excited about seeing him for the first time in several months. Sonya is hoping to visit that weekend too, which is great!

Kesse is settling in at Bryan. She was sick at the beginning of the week, but hopefully is doing better now. I haven't heard that she is better, but usually that means that she is :)!

Tom is working his regular hours, and just stays steady in his work. I am thankful that he has a good job.

I am learning students' names, and working on labs, and trying to get to know my students for the year. I am praying that they may come to know the Lord while at Faith.

Well, I need to get to work, but I hope to start posting pictures again. I need to get that camera back!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Short Post

I don't have much time to post this morning, but wanted to let you all know that the girls are doing well at Grandview so far. They have good teachers and good friends. Aleya seems to have a really good class.

Anyway - we are grateful that they get to go this year.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

My sweet husband

I know that blogging is out there for the world to see, but sometimes, you just want to stand up and let the world know something that it on your mind.

I just want the world to know that I have one of the kindest and most thoughtful husbands in the whole world. He would probably not relish the thought of me blogging that sentiment, but in a time when people can be so mean - even fellow Christians, I am blessed with a husband who is caring and kind. It isn't just something he does for me and others, it is something that he is in Christ. To hear of his past without Christ, he didn't used to be nice. But the grace of God changes us - thankfully, and we become new creatures in our Lord.

I have never known the unbelieving Tom, so I don't really have anything to compare him to, but he is such a wonderful blessing now!

I love you Tom!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Quick news from Iowa

I am on lunch break at the moment, so I only have a minute, but I thought I would let you all know that we are sending Aleya and Lorien to Grandview - at least for the first semester. The financial aid was big enough to have us reconsider, and there were many good reasons to try it.

Please pray for them as they begin this coming Monday.

I had to laugh as my husband whacked me sometime in the middle of the night last night. He was dreaming about fighting an ostrich that was chasing him and pecking at him. I don't know if he was flailing, but I know that I would have been. Where do these dreams come from? I was musing at the expanse that our brains cover, even when we haven't been to the zoo recently, or had dinnertime discussions about huge, ferocious birds that peck at you in the middle of the night. Hmm.

Jathan's spider bite has healed, so it wasn't a brown recluse! Yea!

Kesse made it back to Bryan for the fall semester.

Kyrie will be leaving next Saturday morning early to go back to Grove City.

That leaves Kayren, Lorien and Aleya. Aleya moved upstairs, to have windows and a lighter place to study, and also some oversight to make sure that she does :) !

Kayren is taking her first college course this semester. She'll be taking Spanish at DMACC. Lorien has a full schedule and hopes to play basketball again. She'll need to do some running first and get into shape!

Faith Academy started last week, and is doing well so far. We are thankful for all our students.

While we have been so saddened to leave our church family at Grace for a time, we have been encouraged to find a Bible-believing, reformed church where we have worshiped these past few Sundays. Jody Lucero is the pastor, and he is a good preacher. We are learning a lot about the Heidelberg Cathechism and the three forms of unity, and it is always good to review what you believe and why. We are trusting that the Lord is working out our church situation for His glory, and are thankful for His grace.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Blogging

I love to come to work, drink my coffee, and read the blogs of my family and friends as a morning ritual. This morning, however, when I was reading the blog of my sweet sister-in-law, I was so saddened by the willingness of an anonymous writer to be mean.

I have been astonished to see not only the willingness of people to be mean through e-mail and other electronic messaging, but the extent of their meanness. In the end, the electronic age has given us a means of writing the depravity of our thoughts, with anonymity and forcefulness, and just downright ugliness. Mostly, I have been surprised by the commonality of this pattern in the church. What people would never say in person, they will say in an e-mail. They justify their writing, claiming that they are simply stating "truth." Somehow they are missing the biblical command to say such things in love. Perhaps, such things needn't be said at all. If we were honest about what we are writing and why we are writing it, we might find that we are simply satisfying our sinful desire for striking back, or getting the last word, or better yet - to somehow masterfully set our opponent speechless with our impressive verbiage. I have seen some justify their meanness by signing their name to their nasty letter, and "standing by their words."

A couple of weeks ago, we heard a wonderful sermon on James, talking about the tongue and the relationship between our words and our hearts, especially in the process of sanctification. How amazing it is that James so succinctly shows the bridling of the tongue as evidence of maturity and growth in Christ.

RC Sproul aptly renounces the children's rhyme "Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me." He laughed after he quoted it, and said, "My mother lied to me!" Words not only hurt, but they can hurt for a long time. James spends a lot of time talking about our words and our responsibility to manage them biblically.

I have only known one person who thought he wasn't responsible for the way that his comments are received. He objected to censoring his comments because he thought that the sensitivities of others would overrun productivity and truth. James is clear however, and commands us to bridle our tongues. James 4:11, "Brothers, do not slander one another."

Shall we consider the impact of our words before we write them? Shouldn't we consider the person to whom we write, as made in the image of God (James 3), and worthy of our care and kindness?

An OPC minister recently noted that of all the qualities required to be an elder in the church (over 20 qualities), only one was doctrinal. I Timothy 3:2 and 3, "Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money." And that is not the whole list!

Gentleness, kindness, and compassion for others are evidence of the believer's heart which has been changed by the Holy Spirit, washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, and made clean through Christ's righteousness imputed to him. Shouldn't we examine our e-mails and blogs and see if they show a humble gratefulness for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in our lives?

I am sorry for the unkindness that Mary Kathryn had to read this morning. Perhaps the anonymous writer will consider his thoughts more carefully next time, and realize that his words, in voice or pen, are laid before the Savior, who loves His children dearly.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Long time no blog!! Again -

Was it really June when I posted last? Wow. Time flies. I am already back at my desk at work with ten minutes to spare before I need to quit doing my personal stuff, and get to the math.

We just got back from a wonderful vacation with the Robinsons, Christiansens, and Louisville Keisters. It was short but delightful! We were wined and dined the whole time we were there, with amazing breakfasts of homemade scones, homemade cheese danishes, elaborate bacon and eggs and toast, Mama's homemade bread, tilapia (one of Tom's favorites), and a wonderful pedicure with Debbie while Tom went to the bookstore. Believe me - he was just as happy as I was!

The kids had a great time and are so thankful for time with aunts, uncles, counsins and grandparents. It was a great trip!

Kesse is leaving on Saturday to go back to Bryan, and in God's providence, she was able to earn enough for another year! We are so very grateful for that. Kyrie too managed to earn enough for this coming year, and the two girls will be able to continue their education for another year. God is so gracious! We are thankful.

Jathan called yesterday and asked for prayer for Sonya ( his girlfriend), who was in a car wreck yesterday. She is okay, but the car was damaged, and it was the car that she was to take back to college with her this week. She was shaken up, but Jathan thought she was okay. Also, Jathan got a spider bite on his arm that might have been by a brown recluse. He is going to the doctor today to see. Later in the evening, he said he thought it seemed very localized, but needed to get it checked out all the same. He is supposed to come home in about 3 weeks.

Kayren starts school today, and Lorien kind of does. I am starting her on her Faith Academy stuff, even though she might be going to Grandview. We haven't heard yet whether she will be getting financial assistance or not.

Anyway - the school year begins! Wow - what a quick summer!