I read this really amazing post several weeks ago that my old friend Kirsten wrote and it’s really stuck with me. I have found myself thinking about it quite often. This post will not be nearly as eloquent or much of an apology or reconciliation — I’m just not there yet. However, I was inspired by her and thought I would note it. I have been thinking for a while that I should, in some small way, document my journey with Pain. I think it may be easier to start with the present and work my way backward. read more…
The snowy and rainy weather today makes for a couple of stir crazy kids. Caleb was cartwheeling through the living room a few minutes ago. I complemented him on how well he could cartwheel and he replied with, “Grandpa (great-grandpa) Larry taught me how. First he taught me how to do handstands and then cartwheels!”
How often do you hear “My 72 year old great-grandpa taught me how to cartwheel!”?
I love our family! I am so thankful that Larry and Dianne come to live in Bellingham for the summer. I love that Sean and Caleb know them so well. I love that, as a family, we take advantage of every opportunity to share meals together and connect while they are in town. We are very blessed.
Cam and I are changing the look of this site a bit. It will be a slow process I’m sure (you know the saying about the cobbler’s kids having no shoes…). Anyway, for now check out the most recent Flickr photo set in the right margin!
As we sat at church last night I was once again amazed at God’s restorative work in our family. Then as we sat around a table of 13 (wow, our family has more than doubled in size!) last night to have dinner, I was again overwhelmed at what a work God has done. As Cam prayed at dinner last night he thanked God “for a family that loves Jesus”. Jesus is the only reason we gather, we are thankful and that we love each other the way we do. I was telling Sara this morning that my favorite part of it all is that our kids get to grow up saturated in love and JESUS.
Jesus death and resurrection still change families, communities, moments, hours, days, lives and eternities.
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29
“Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:7-10
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” John 10:14-18
“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us ALL our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; He took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” Colossians 3:13-15
“He still raises the dead. Saves the lost. Heals the weak. Sets prisoners free. He never misses a tear. Never let’s us go. He was lifted up so we could be drawn to Him. Killed so we could live. Beaten so we could win. No matter what stone seems to have you entombed, He can roll it away. Nothing can stay in the grave when God has resurrection on His mind. And, Sweet Thing, God has resurrection on His mind right now. “ ~Beth Moore
Last night I watched Mars Hill’s message from last Sunday on the Day of Atonement. Wow. Graphic and intense. It was really good though, giving a complete explanation of both the Day of Atonement and Passover and how both of those foreshadowed Jesus and the sacrifice He would make once, for us all. I would recommend watching it but be warned it’s not for the faint of heart.
Our family is participating in and raising pledges for the 2008 Walk For Life benefiting the Whatcom County Pregnancy Clinic in Bellingham. W.C.P.C. is a local nonprofit that gives caring support through hundreds of client contacts every year! 100% of donations go to provide free services including pregnancy tests, ultrasound exams, counseling and best of all the unconditional love and support of Jesus.
If you are interested in giving a tax-deductible donation to this organization by sponsoring us you can click the link below, sponsor us and leave a message if you’d like. It is not a per-mile pledge but instead your pledge is a flat amount.
Please click the link above to visit our e-walk page. You can give by credit card or choose to have a reminder of your pledge sent by mail. Or, if you would rather not go to their Web site, and if you have any questions, you can contact me at betsy@h2os.org.
This weekend I spent time putting together a plan for the boys for the rest of the school year. We have only about 13 weeks of school left (10 weeks til we leave for Disneyland — Yipee!). The boys are learning so much and I am astounded at what we have accomplished this year! I feel more sure all the time that teaching them at home was the best choice for our family. I love that we have flexibility and that the boys can learn at their pace (which is quite a bit faster than they could go in public school). I have learned so much throughout this year and I feel confident in our curriculum choices. I am so thankful for the privilege of being able to be home with the boys. They are so great! I totally enjoy them and love the time we spend together.
The next couple months are going to fly by. Spring soccer season starts with a practice this week and the first game will be next Saturday. Sean tries out for baseball this Saturday morning and will begin practices and games shortly after that. We’ll once again be spending a lot of time out at Northwest Fields.
Cam is super busy (but it’s all really great stuff). He’s coaching Caleb’s soccer team (taking a class this weekend to become a licensed coach), covering the car wash by himself for the next month while Mike and Cory head out to Guatemala for a mission trip, he’s reading about 4 different challenging books, working, leading small group, participating in a couple things at church, putting together a new running schedule for another half marathon and just putting in the time and effort to be a great dad/husband. I am really proud of him.
Tuesday I began training at the Whatcom County Pregnancy Center to become a peer counselor/mentor. I am really excited about this opportunity. God has been nudging me for the past 10 years to take this step and I am looking forward to see how He will work through me. It’s a full circle thing for me/us. Cam and I went to WCPC when we found out we were pregnant with Sean (almost 10 years ago now). We found so much support, encouragement, love and acceptance in our counselor there (she even came to our wedding). God is very alive and active in the ministry that happens at WCPC and I am honored to join their team. Each of the women I met on Tuesday love Jesus with all of their hearts. I was pleased to see hearts that desire to love and treat the women who come through the doors with dignity and respect. My next bible study will start in April and I am really looking forward to that as well. In the meantime I have picked up (again) My Utmost for His Highest, which I am loving and I started 90 days With Jesus The One and Only. If I don’t have some structure to my quiet times they fall apart!
As we look at our schedule and see how full it is and how much we have taken on it seems kinda crazy, yet it’s not, it’s just our life. We have enough time if we use it wisely. Cam and both feel like we are right where God wants us to be and for that we are grateful. Now we need to make sure that we operate in God’s strength and not our own, consistently asking Jesus for what we need for that day/hour/moment.
The boys are playing Star Wars Lego this afternoon and I overhear: The Emperor (Sean) says to Yoda (Caleb), “You sound like Fozzie The Bear”. This is really funny to me because it actually shows how closely Caleb was getting Yoda’s voice (Frank Oz was the voice for both characters).
The boys crack me up! I love to listen to them play and hear how creative they are.
Now they are moving on to Star Wars Trivial Pursuit and I bet I am going to get recruited to play too. I often surprise them (and myself) with my knowledge of Star Wars trivia, although I will never even come close to Cam’s level of knowledge on all things Star Wars. I just answered a “yellow pie question” for Caleb without even thinking about it! Oops!! Sean isn’t too happy with me.
Wow, we really sound like a bunch of geeks — but I think we are alright with that.
Where does it go?
I love that we have flexibility and that the boys can learn at their pace (which is quite a bit faster than they could go in public school). I have learned so much throughout this year and I feel confident in our curriculum choices. I am so thankful for the privilege of being able to be home with the boys. They are so great! I totally enjoy them and love the time we spend together.
The boys are playing Star Wars Lego this afternoon and I overhear: The Emperor (Sean) says to Yoda (Caleb), “You sound like Fozzie The Bear”. This is really funny to me because it actually shows how closely Caleb was getting Yoda’s voice (Frank Oz was the voice for both characters).
The Eleventh Hour
See the Morning
Roots
Furthermore: From the Studio, From the Stage
Vintage Jesus: Timeless Answers to Timely Questions (Relit Theology)
Jesus: 90 Days With the One and Only (Personal Reflections)
The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome
The Phantom Tollbooth