Yesterday

We had a nice lunch with Mom and Terry. Mom made tacos and enchiladas and Texas sheet cake for dessert. They always stuff us when we come over! We enjoyed the beautiful spring day and looked at their garden, orchard and sat outside and visited. Their farm is alive...so many flowers. Soon their garden will be full of goodies. They work hard but enjoy it. What a blessing to have family close after so many years apart, I am so thankful.

Farewell to Pierre...

poor Pierre lost his 9th life yesterday when he was hit by a car. He had just recovered from being locked in the camper for a month (his 8th life) and was looking good again. I will miss him. He was so laid back and sweet. Loved to be petted and cuddled. Life is so fleeting and it is difficult to lose a dear pet. I will miss you, Pierre!

Family Time..

One of our favorite spring/summer/fall pastimes is visiting parks and preserves. These were taken at Bacon Creek near Sioux City. Our favorite place is only 9 miles away, but doesn't open until May 1st...counting down the days!

Gotta love a rainy day...

it was a peaceful Monday, cool and rainy. We worked on school and made food...perfect indoor activities. Katie and Garrett are my hard ones to motivate for school, Katie gets frustrated with math. Garrett gets bored with any kind of seat work, but is doing better. Katie loves to read and do anything involving Science and read the Usborne Encyclopedia of Science with glee.

My peonies are all poking their heads up...I eagerly anticipate their blooms--my favorite summer flower. The rhubarb is looking good, too.

Spring..

couldn't be any more in bloom here... lilacs are fragrant, plum blossoms adorn the hillsides, nurseries are full of every kind of flower you can imagine. Heavenly! I am so thankful to God for the variety of gorgeous colors and fragrant perfumes that decorate the earth in the Spring. Anna is enjoying the outdoors..padding around the yard and smelling the flowers. Her little face is the cutest flower of all!

Happy Birthday..

to my mom... she turns__...well I won't say, she might not want me to:) She is still very young and has more energy than many half her age! I went to SC with her today and she took me out to lunch and shopping. So nice of her to do that on her birthday. We had a great time. Katie and Anna accompanied us. Katie bought another zhuzhu pet with her birthday money and seemed to enjoy the day, as well. It helped take her mind off of her dentist appointment which is tomorrow.

I had Bible Study tonight and it was just 2 of us. We prayed and studied--specifically, Christ's life after His ascension. So exciting to think of the ministries that are coming for Him: raising the dead with His voice, Judging all and Ruling the nations. What an incredible journey to come for those that are His.

It's Spring..

but perpetually Fall on my blog!! :)

Saturday

has been an active day. It is quiet now...well it was..now Thomas is downstairs. He keeps me on my toes **understatement**. Anna is walking so good now, she was 18 months on the 13th and still such a tiny little thing--16.5 lbs! All is good with her. She loves to go to the park and swing and go down the slides. Katie took her down the big twisty slide. (I love the above photo of Anna having fun with Julia..wheee!) It is still strange to have Jesse working nights. He will have been at his job 2 years in August and we have all grown accustomed to his schedule for the most part. I like that he has an 8 day block off each month.

Julia did her Missionary report on a man called Jonathan Goforth. He endured so many things to evangelize to the people of China. The family lost all of their possessions at least 3 times, lost 6 out of 11 children to various illnesses, were beaten by angry mobs, lived in rented huts with lice, vermin and pigs, he lost his sight, his teeth...all to bring the people of China to the Lord and he saw remarkable results. Thousands of Chinese became followers of Christ at the time of his ministry. It is an amazing life story...

Choosing Gratitude

My friend Melanie sent me this book and I have enjoyed it so much. I would highly recommend it to everyone.

Choosing Gratitude
A description from Amazon:


"Gratitude is a choice. If we fail to chose it, by default we choose ingratitude. And once allowed into the heart, ingratitude does not come by itself but with a lot of other seedy companions that only succeed in stealing joy. To not choose gratitude - daily and deliberately - is more costly than we usually realize.

And when we do choose a lifestyle of heartfelt, humble gratitude, we are mindful of the benefits received from our gracious Savior and those He has placed around us. By intentionally thanking God and others, bitterness and entitlement are replaced with joy and the humble realization of just how undeserving we really are.

Derived from a popular Revive Our Hearts radio series, Choosing Gratitude: The Path to Joy challenges and equips the reader to live a life of intention. A life based on thankfulness - for the freedom Christ has provided and for the blessings of others."

Graduation

We are starting to think about Colton's graduation party. It will be at my Mom and Step Dad's house out in the country. I bought Graduation napkins today. Sometimes it is hard to believe Colton is graduating. Those 17 plus years went fast at times but sometimes very slowly...those of you who know Colton know what I mean, lol. Colton is going to be taking electrician apprentice training at a local community college for a year and we are working on getting financial aid right now. He is taking 2 online classes this summer and hopefully making lots of money working so he can buy all the tools that he needs for his classes. I am excited for him as he becomes more independent and discovers what he wants to do in life.

Pray for peace but prepare for war...

Read Joel Rosenberg's newest post here.

What is going on..

in my household?
Today the house looks like a hurricane hit...but then again, when doesn't it? Colton, Carlina and Julia have gone off to Greek class. Jesse is making pancakes. Garrett is handing Alicia a blanket. She is on the couch with a bad cold. Anna is looking at books....she loves books! Thomas is eating bacon. Yesterday we asked Thomas about a little boy in the neighborhood that gave him a toy...we said "What does he look like?"...he answered "He looks like a human." We are trying to get ready for our Homeschool Presentation Fair on Friday. Reports on missionaries. Julia got a job at the local icecream drive-in. It is only a short walk from our home. She is so excited and already has the money spent on clothes, lol. It is an overcast day which promises rain...that is okay. Yesterday we had a beautiful sunny day in the 80's. God is good.

More on death...

From the site About Christianity:

Believers can face death without fear.

Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (NIV)

1 Corinthians 15:54-57
Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. (NLT)

Also:
Romans 8:38-39
Revelation 2:11

Believers enter the Lord's presence at death.

In essence, the moment we die, our spirit and soul go to be with the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:8
Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. (NLT)

Philippians 1:22-23
But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. (NLT)

Believers will dwell with God forever.

Psalm 23:6
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (NIV)

Also:
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Jesus prepares a special place for believers in heaven.

John 14:1-3
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (NIV)

Heaven will be far better than earth for believers.

Philippians 1:21
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (NIV)

Revelation 14:13
And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!” (NLT)

The death of a believer is precious to God.

Psalm 116:15
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. (NIV)

Believers belong to the Lord in heaven.

Romans 14:8
If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. (NIV)

Believers are citizens of heaven.

Philippians 3:20-21
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (NIV)

After their physical death, believers gain eternal life.

John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (NIV)

Also:
John 10:27-30
John 3:14-16
1 John 5:11-12

Believers receive an eternal inheritance in heaven.

1 Peter 1:3-5
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (NIV)

Believers receive a crown in heaven.

2 Timothy 4:7-8
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. (NIV)

Eventually, God will put an end to death.

Revelation 21:1-4
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away ... I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God ... And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (NIV)

Why are believers said to be "asleep" or "fallen asleep" after death?

Examples:
John 11:11-14
1 Thessalonians 5:9-11
1 Corinthians 15:20

The Bible uses the term "asleep" or "sleeping" when referring to the physical body of the believer at death. It is important to note that the term is used solely for believers. The dead body appears to be asleep when it is separated at death from the spirit and soul of the believer. The spirit and soul, which are eternal, are united with Christ at the moment of the believer's death (2 Corinthians 5:8). The body of the believer, which is mortal flesh, perishes, or "sleeps" until the day it is transformed and reunited to the believer at the final resurrection. (1 Corinthians 15:43; Philippians 3:21; 1 Corinthians 15:51)

1 Corinthians 15:50-53
I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. (NIV)

.Death

My cousin Bruce passed away last week at the age of 50. He had a massive heart attack (heart problems run in my dad's side of the family--an Uncle died at age 48 and my Dad died at age 60 from a heart attack).

It is amazing how in our youth we don't think too much about death.
We feel invincible, that we will live forever. The idea of dying really hit me hard when my dad died in 1997. Someone close to me was gone and there was nothing I could do. My grief was acute. It caused me to really ponder the eternal question...what is going to happen to me when I die? There is one place to go with all the answers...

What does the Bible say about death?

Romans 6:23a-For the wages of sin is death. Ok, so we know death is a result of sin. Everyone in the world will die because all have sinned (except Jesus).

Romans 5:12“By one man sin entered the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”. Adam was the first man to sin and all have followed after him, save one...the Lord Jesus Christ.

Adam died spiritually when he sinned (his soul was separated from God) and he hid. Genesis 3:8

Later Adam died physically. Genesis 5:5

On the cross, Jesus died. He was not a sinner but a substitute for every sinner that had existed and will ever exist...that means ME and YOU. Hebrews 2:9

Because of Jesus, death is a defeated foe!!! Hallelujah!!! I Cor 15:55

So if I have trusted that Jesus died for my sins...If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Romans 10:9-10....
what will happen to me after I die?

What about our loved ones who have not trusted Jesus as their Savior?

I will talk about this more tomorrow...

Can President Obama appease...

the Muslim countries? Will they like us (the US)?

Former New York City mayor, Ed Koch wrote this week,

"[Muslim] hatred of the US has little to do with what we do and a lot to do with what we are - a free, secular, and democratic country that protects the rights of women and minorities. No amount of appeasement will change this undeniable fact."

Ahhh...

Isn't Toothless the dragon cute?? We just saw How to Train your Dragon at our local theater and really liked it. Toothless reminded us of Stitch (of Disney fame).

My baby came home..

Jesse found my "baby", Pierre--an old scraggly tomcat (who is so dear). He was locked in a camper for a month without food or water....how did he survive? We had looked for him a couple of times in the camper but he never made an appearance. Jesse just happened to check the camper recently and there he was. Emaciated but alive. I am so thankful that God looks after us all...including the beasts.

Family Pictures....

Happy Resurrection Day!

The Resurrection

28:1 Now after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 28:2 Suddenly there was a severe earthquake, for an angel of the Lord ¹ descending from heaven came and rolled away the stone and sat on it. 28:3 His ² appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 28:4 The ³ guards were shaken and became like dead men because they were so afraid of him. 28:5 But the angel said ⁴ to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know ⁵ that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ 28:6 He is not here, for he has been raised, ⁷ just as he said. Come and see the place where he ⁸ was lying. 28:7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead. He ⁹ is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see him there.’ Listen, I have told you!” 28:8 So ¹⁰ they left the tomb quickly, with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 28:9 But ¹¹ Jesus met them, saying, “Greetings!” They ¹² came to him, held on to his feet and worshiped him. 28:10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. They will see me there.”

The Guards’ Report

28:11 While ¹³ they were going, some ¹⁴ of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. 28:12 After ¹⁵ they had assembled with the elders and formed a plan, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 28:13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came at night and stole his body ¹⁶ while we were asleep.’ 28:14 If ¹⁷ this matter is heard before the governor, ¹⁸ we will satisfy him ¹⁹ and keep you out of trouble.” ²⁰ 28:15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story is told among the Jews to this day. ²¹

Spring cleaning..

It is so wonderful to have Jesse home after a few long days of work. We had a good day cooking and working around the house...getting ready for Easter. It was supposed to be cool and rainy today but the rain missed us and it was sunny and warm! The robins, squirrels and kitties are enjoying the warmth as much as all of us. Julia made 2 ice cream cakes for Katie's birthday/Easter. They are very easy and so tasty. Here is the recipe. She also baked oatmeal/chocolate chip cookies and cupcakes. Mom stopped in today. She had altered Carlina's Easter dress...so nice to have a seamstress in the family:) She also brought a "costume" for Carlina to wear for the Homeschool Presentation Fair. She is going to be Clara Barton. The girls have been dancing and singing all day to the Disney CD that Carlina bought in Florida:)