tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68425294425812338552024-02-06T18:35:49.866-08:00English ClanFollow us as we learn to
see beauty in the little things,
laugh at the funny things,
cry at the sad things,
and grow in everything.Londerzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04250239235089198402noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842529442581233855.post-37728324002204189442011-12-23T08:24:00.000-08:002011-12-23T08:24:27.172-08:00Together, But Not CompleteIsaiah is home for a few weeks between semesters. It's exciting for him to be almost done college and it's fun to have him home, but it's not the same without Josiah. It's amazing how much one person can add to the fun. Late night Catan games with the older boys can't happen very well because there's only 2 people to play. Some of the younger kids sometimes play, but they can't endure the sleep deprivation as easily as the older boys so the late night games happen less often.<br />
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The other kids try to fill in most of the gaps left by Josiah who was a big fan of games, parties, films, and good food. Zachariah does his best to make sure good food is on hand and likes films nearly as much as Isaiah. Londa helps decorate and makes parties and games more fun when she's around. The younger kids also help make games more enjoyable, but it's still not the same.<br />
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This may be the first Christmas when the whole family cannot be together. Isaiah has been able to come back from college for Christmas all 3 years so Christmas has always been a time of family togetherness.<br />
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Thanksgiving has always been the extended family get-together which is greatly looked forward to by all, but Christmas for our family has been a chance to stay home and enjoy just our family. There's something precious about being all together as an immediate family and enjoying a special holiday. So any member who is absent is felt even more strongly at Christmas.<br />
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However, they say absence makes the heart grow fonder. This is certainly a time of mutual appreciation for what Josiah is to our family and what our family is to Josiah. Surely God is working good through this time of sadness for both parties.<br />
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Not to make too much of our own grief, however. So many around us are missing family members who either do not know Christ or have recently gone to be with him. Our sadness is mixed with joy because we both know we will see each other again, and most likely within a matter of months. We can still video chat Josiah and we are also strongly connected by our common Spirit dwelling in both of us.<br />
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Sometimes I wonder if God blesses us in the face of the tragedy of others just so that we can be overwhelmed with our own unworthiness. Why should we be blessed with a healthy family that all love God, especially when so many others who seem to deserve it much more don't get it? As much as we might want to sympathize with others in their misery, we must not let that get in the way of appreciating God's gifts. So we grieve with others in their sadness, and are floored by the absolute, unconditional love of our Father and our own unworthiness of his blessings. We don't envy the blessings of others, but we don't envy the trials either. Like children who know their Father is perfect we thank our him for his blessings, and ask him to be near to those who are hurting.<br />
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For now we are content to be together. Together with those around us, and with our God. Yet, we still long for completeness. The day when our own salvation will be complete, and when our number as God's children will be complete. When all the saints of all the ages can really celebrate Christmas together…forever! Until then…together, but not complete…Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842529442581233855.post-83345399992907664562011-12-20T07:05:00.000-08:002011-12-20T07:05:45.989-08:00another year has gone byIn the hectic craziness of the holiday season, as we scatter in a million directions to do a million different things, and try our best to do something a wee bit productive in-between times, there is also the constant remembering the year is coming to an end. "Can you believe it's been just one year since last Christmas?" Remember when we did <i>this</i> last year on Christmas Eve?" We reminisce and smile and laugh because the memories are happy ones, but deeper inside us, clinging under our skin is the overwhelming ache of nostalgia that comes so regularly, this time, every year, as we close another year of our lives, and resolve to do better in the next one. The year has flown like never before–they just go faster and faster, don't they?<br />
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Strange how it is easy to be sad this time of year; the memories flood us and our first reaction is sorrow that things can never be the same again. This Christmas will be our first incomplete one–without Josiah. The pain of growing up and the separation that happens with it is heightened during these holidays which are to be happy, are they not?<br />
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But we will not let our hearts grow accustomed to the sadness, because of the hope that has been given us. "There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind," and we still believe the best is yet to come.Londerzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04250239235089198402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842529442581233855.post-79893123530062453282011-03-31T06:31:00.000-07:002011-03-31T06:31:40.475-07:00Shakespeare ShowcaseSomething our family absolutely loves is theatre. This coming weekend, four of the younger kids will be in a play, and this past weekend Josiah, Zachariah and myself (Londa) were in a 'Shakespeare Showcase'.<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">We had been in a 'Way Clear Shakespeare' class taught by James Shafer, a graduate student who is getting his masters in teaching Shakespearian theatre. He is an amazing drama teacher, and we all learned a lot. The evening was a display of what we had learned in the class, as well as an 'advertisement' for the Shakespeare play we hope to do later in the Spring.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">To start the evening off, each of the students recited a sonnet or monologue in costume of their choice.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbN9iXv_lsysTq9eYYuMNwjRLet_2BNr9kuWtT1cauXtgyqWvs8wA9wEMPe__QuMhUWbqPn8M9DvG0UFWX6kA6mofZWX5ydkeCudCeEB0ed-r5zbhVsi0W-EE5sfCDj2XOuVd0ErtmR3L1/s1600/188670_180360338676625_100001079808014_395713_4694915_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbN9iXv_lsysTq9eYYuMNwjRLet_2BNr9kuWtT1cauXtgyqWvs8wA9wEMPe__QuMhUWbqPn8M9DvG0UFWX6kA6mofZWX5ydkeCudCeEB0ed-r5zbhVsi0W-EE5sfCDj2XOuVd0ErtmR3L1/s320/188670_180360338676625_100001079808014_395713_4694915_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bailey Draper performed a monologue by Ophelia from <i>Hamlet</i>. She had an awesome costume, and did an amazing job acting the part of a crazy person. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9MVn0b6i9loVkD_tHYeK05qs_LNm7zOvpv0SyQABZolm_DJ6K4OdQQUkqc0foGmYIc2gTsh3IOeYgBm76qVdM_z4AJrFq2gD_QHrbMyzzWrhMiIntwlYFxk3NjwR2doZotwXuESY6cMv/s1600/189566_180360225343303_100001079808014_395707_5929440_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9MVn0b6i9loVkD_tHYeK05qs_LNm7zOvpv0SyQABZolm_DJ6K4OdQQUkqc0foGmYIc2gTsh3IOeYgBm76qVdM_z4AJrFq2gD_QHrbMyzzWrhMiIntwlYFxk3NjwR2doZotwXuESY6cMv/s320/189566_180360225343303_100001079808014_395707_5929440_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josiah performed a sonnet that spoke of sleep. So he had the creative idea of using a pillow and blanket as his props. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYlvS_L0r4cYP1kTy-U25ID0XeYxLcmQpV7us6Al-m8DjqGO3VHoV8Ubcv1SoaquGZCSaljUM6VtlsCDQUWt56jfbWL6TZTeCpJei0-lRnpn0YHETFwA9JWxkAfYbzaeHfWcPR513XcZ-/s1600/189448_180360408676618_100001079808014_395716_5841956_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYlvS_L0r4cYP1kTy-U25ID0XeYxLcmQpV7us6Al-m8DjqGO3VHoV8Ubcv1SoaquGZCSaljUM6VtlsCDQUWt56jfbWL6TZTeCpJei0-lRnpn0YHETFwA9JWxkAfYbzaeHfWcPR513XcZ-/s320/189448_180360408676618_100001079808014_395716_5841956_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Londa performed Sonnet 106. Look it up. It's a great sonnet. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjNkkk8k_MAYz_T2wwTagGR79bW9pwlId6NHPYcyO8EMLRhy8DIZcI5bZt_bgcvHDtPajeKFVEBTdqoX6pJwBdlsrzE-zxA9mQ12pJD6YcnfbFgAoKbHWU3lgMT0xK4jH1ooJUKMqR5dk/s1600/196270_180360148676644_100001079808014_395703_6485559_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjNkkk8k_MAYz_T2wwTagGR79bW9pwlId6NHPYcyO8EMLRhy8DIZcI5bZt_bgcvHDtPajeKFVEBTdqoX6pJwBdlsrzE-zxA9mQ12pJD6YcnfbFgAoKbHWU3lgMT0xK4jH1ooJUKMqR5dk/s320/196270_180360148676644_100001079808014_395703_6485559_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharon Rohmann performed a monologue by Juliet from <i>Romeo and Juliet. </i>She did a great job and as her prop she had a picture of Leonardo DiCaprio, who, ironically, played Romeo in a film version of the Shakespeare play. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIYt-ESLHukmauZsLNbjuGZ_NA_ji4ef-d5XrX0XYY5pgCl85cbm2ZRLAalthcN1N0ZxntgsrQXw_RWgdCm_TsG_hie_VLyMspG80H_MlbLDMsWs6jMNqDL5tH9YdhHAmOJXM7OR3RVYw/s1600/199537_180360275343298_100001079808014_395709_3825606_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIYt-ESLHukmauZsLNbjuGZ_NA_ji4ef-d5XrX0XYY5pgCl85cbm2ZRLAalthcN1N0ZxntgsrQXw_RWgdCm_TsG_hie_VLyMspG80H_MlbLDMsWs6jMNqDL5tH9YdhHAmOJXM7OR3RVYw/s320/199537_180360275343298_100001079808014_395709_3825606_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tess Mendoza performed a monologue by Miranda from <i>The Tempest.</i> Tess is awesome to work with -- not only a natural on stage, but has tons of experience with drama. Her monologue was full of expression, and she has great diction and projection on stage.<br />
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The next part of the showcase was more monologues and sonnets with the class members dressed in black.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvaGNT6BwHhiEORw-YYsElpT0SbQbN9AiPZcyXJjGecs86d9oz5Dmb9vImViON1q2LnNB_k5_wp8kpUy1hnD_3qFoLvdXc73kbz9yfEjzNsRds0Z_W1qvw9BHxcYMg2zesbUQfZcKLgt3n/s1600/190697_180360725343253_100001079808014_395731_1748437_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvaGNT6BwHhiEORw-YYsElpT0SbQbN9AiPZcyXJjGecs86d9oz5Dmb9vImViON1q2LnNB_k5_wp8kpUy1hnD_3qFoLvdXc73kbz9yfEjzNsRds0Z_W1qvw9BHxcYMg2zesbUQfZcKLgt3n/s320/190697_180360725343253_100001079808014_395731_1748437_n.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Tess performed a sonnet about Time. Very well done indeed. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYRWtkgI-pf3xpsGZoAzs1xYxTtlBq3F6G_1Wxo2wycRF2Z5aleAcXQV4XJdlbTScIgpTJqiPXjVR5T4Ilupqg1BRnSGmsSiTEQHdmm8YtcVXeleVdYZsQ9tHRiRiKCfajHsKzrUS6sm6/s1600/195882_180360542009938_100001079808014_395722_7351563_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYRWtkgI-pf3xpsGZoAzs1xYxTtlBq3F6G_1Wxo2wycRF2Z5aleAcXQV4XJdlbTScIgpTJqiPXjVR5T4Ilupqg1BRnSGmsSiTEQHdmm8YtcVXeleVdYZsQ9tHRiRiKCfajHsKzrUS6sm6/s320/195882_180360542009938_100001079808014_395722_7351563_n.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Sharon performed a sonnet as well. It was beautifully recited. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJLYG0T5MDgSKtOWZ2HMapPXd9w97WPbgv2UrrAGqUP6DGUtZS40VXQSc8xZ9HcUSmhdGG2uy_yzfWgK_fZNXS2Dd05vnHJNofzZXfMy8_DBcKAgbhQvcEhNul-HJmJvB2mFvWQQ8Gn0a/s1600/196615_180360595343266_100001079808014_395725_2134720_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJLYG0T5MDgSKtOWZ2HMapPXd9w97WPbgv2UrrAGqUP6DGUtZS40VXQSc8xZ9HcUSmhdGG2uy_yzfWgK_fZNXS2Dd05vnHJNofzZXfMy8_DBcKAgbhQvcEhNul-HJmJvB2mFvWQQ8Gn0a/s320/196615_180360595343266_100001079808014_395725_2134720_n.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Zachariah did a fabulous job with his sonnet -- the funny things he did with his eyebrows kept the audience entertained. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPIAEfQIn0xxx-ODVGttZbaSmU1xYhjHtWeCZtT2lLfjjzEcAC0_xZkHgo2ahx4SJEd4EZmC0VVwj9yXBvcdYW-q20txVxG-Efy2wnjodSAhIERsc4Dg3W_RI8hucW1Yf9dQdKu2Jt65xo/s1600/196670_180360788676580_100001079808014_395734_1413542_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPIAEfQIn0xxx-ODVGttZbaSmU1xYhjHtWeCZtT2lLfjjzEcAC0_xZkHgo2ahx4SJEd4EZmC0VVwj9yXBvcdYW-q20txVxG-Efy2wnjodSAhIERsc4Dg3W_RI8hucW1Yf9dQdKu2Jt65xo/s320/196670_180360788676580_100001079808014_395734_1413542_n.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Londa performed a monologue by Lady Anne from <i>Richard III.</i> James said her performance would freak people out with her creepy awesomeness. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLx5nWuQoJMTZ06chnNuMDWWCoiKDNZKkfo7PFQ2ds2KpMmlwiw_DmqGeiHweK6FqWGJliuUMgm5RhGWtXhW6hLJCHeZlOjgPsfawy_tCABhRj4au-LTVp6fjqNeLV_tA2JsDu_sBPE83/s1600/200056_180360748676584_100001079808014_395732_7786130_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLx5nWuQoJMTZ06chnNuMDWWCoiKDNZKkfo7PFQ2ds2KpMmlwiw_DmqGeiHweK6FqWGJliuUMgm5RhGWtXhW6hLJCHeZlOjgPsfawy_tCABhRj4au-LTVp6fjqNeLV_tA2JsDu_sBPE83/s320/200056_180360748676584_100001079808014_395732_7786130_n.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Bailey performed a sonnet. She not only had a beautiful sonnet, she performed it extremely well. I loved her use of props and her expression.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD29WQu1AXYRxR8Z31Q63cc3gXqahyphenhyphenmbehzz_6jvVrkd2zSGuYG_Ua95HAc2WQBVAnzDG9e3pjeTC7KKz9o1WNb75mCGxWy3mr9u42fnr7Mxp8xIOH8aTmRqrJ9M2JWkgPDLirIcrGlSjE/s1600/188463_180360662009926_100001079808014_395728_8183381_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD29WQu1AXYRxR8Z31Q63cc3gXqahyphenhyphenmbehzz_6jvVrkd2zSGuYG_Ua95HAc2WQBVAnzDG9e3pjeTC7KKz9o1WNb75mCGxWy3mr9u42fnr7Mxp8xIOH8aTmRqrJ9M2JWkgPDLirIcrGlSjE/s320/188463_180360662009926_100001079808014_395728_8183381_n.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Josiah performed a monologue by Edmund from <i>King Lear.</i> It was powerfully delivered and gave me chills. He did an amazing job with his facial expressions and with his emotions coming through his voice. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And the last part of the show was the class (including James) performing an act from Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors. Zachariah and Josiah really stole the show and had the audience almost rolling on the floor. The gist of the story is this: Two sets of boy twins are separated at birth and have never met. Each of the Dromio twins is a servant to the Antiphilus twins. One Antiphilus is married, but the other is not. By chance, the one Antiphilus comes with his Dromio to the town where the other Antiphilus and Dromio live. They end up at the other's house with Adriana, the wife, assuming it is her husband. This Antiphilus however, does not like her a bit but falls in love with her sister. Thus we had the hilarious creepy wooing scene of the Antiphilus in love with Luciana, the sister of the woman she assumes to be this Antiphilus's wife. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The first bit of the act is Antiphilus attempting to get into his own house which has now been taken over by his long-lost twin.</span></div></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gXtJhs3xb1qn_rk_RcEuEAUohp3dH3i7FsaK-QCSZYDRVuDA7_aB4Rdc-Zb6b_XWpZtW8bskCjJ7o8y0JPcQSfOwNiVgCAWVNd-qwT2tNOfnGuW0e2EXgwq66YaxG3nwJsnaKJ3NYaTr/s1600/190665_180361628676496_100001079808014_395745_2960618_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-Xs7iqfJbnJ2P9YMNgQpt-6sKhohUm5EwzK3cnyE0dlC9bjQwO2vnf6vpMaf9P9M4j1081VpBceCdoFA0EIwdc7gzzj7f6szKIrh7iEC-MCxEVoZYFHSjsKPeSRZEDFjfYj4-VVAlVDR/s1600/197267_180360888676570_100001079808014_395739_4177400_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-Xs7iqfJbnJ2P9YMNgQpt-6sKhohUm5EwzK3cnyE0dlC9bjQwO2vnf6vpMaf9P9M4j1081VpBceCdoFA0EIwdc7gzzj7f6szKIrh7iEC-MCxEVoZYFHSjsKPeSRZEDFjfYj4-VVAlVDR/s320/197267_180360888676570_100001079808014_395739_4177400_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tess played Dromio of Ephesus and Zachariah played Dromio of Syracuse. Josiah played the part of both Antiphilus's. While Antiphilus and Dromio of Ephesus are trying to get in their house, Dromio of Syracuse, supposed by Antiphilus of Ephesus's wife to be Dromio of Ephesus stands as porter at the gate. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHhKhsPWtCaK0eDgYhzJQ9lSNfyuo8bh4BhYFQzDGgK0BSZJ08gQqPAI2QhonFmkaD0IMvOzWqRbMo4tjpEDhWzXLxBlOgDpYu7jOH7zkG-UUy_Hg7nRakkCuOQnZI-sT2mYRzrNPt3o6e/s1600/196692_180361608676498_100001079808014_395744_5380383_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHhKhsPWtCaK0eDgYhzJQ9lSNfyuo8bh4BhYFQzDGgK0BSZJ08gQqPAI2QhonFmkaD0IMvOzWqRbMo4tjpEDhWzXLxBlOgDpYu7jOH7zkG-UUy_Hg7nRakkCuOQnZI-sT2mYRzrNPt3o6e/s320/196692_180361608676498_100001079808014_395744_5380383_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Luce, one of the maidservants of the house comes out and wonders what all the noise is.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEVORiDZDkbpNX6EskQt3SgPhLzCvUyzs24CdUy-mLo4TpOHFoBM8FuaULQcLSQgGkCecgP8EaZAOFKVxwqmIyNsT9w018ZbsHxAmzm3mFWgU_PD1Yz9Fm-qgrDCXsaDIx39fqEOrFT_OG/s1600/190665_180361628676496_100001079808014_395745_2960618_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEVORiDZDkbpNX6EskQt3SgPhLzCvUyzs24CdUy-mLo4TpOHFoBM8FuaULQcLSQgGkCecgP8EaZAOFKVxwqmIyNsT9w018ZbsHxAmzm3mFWgU_PD1Yz9Fm-qgrDCXsaDIx39fqEOrFT_OG/s320/190665_180361628676496_100001079808014_395745_2960618_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">James, our director, played the part of Luce and had the audience, as well as the cast members, almost dying with laughter.</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOyVTsjlMjPDn8z9nTpkq45osPqS4mUfwdghp3QoMxslFMM9gvCbdrj2eRjFSWFXbvPH2pmkkrukSfB4wD5Yc64Yhd2XnHBjHnxR8m8k33DbwFQYJvnBTo7uKlbuQ_PQPnmxIBTffAqo-M/s1600/196793_180361752009817_100001079808014_395751_842836_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOyVTsjlMjPDn8z9nTpkq45osPqS4mUfwdghp3QoMxslFMM9gvCbdrj2eRjFSWFXbvPH2pmkkrukSfB4wD5Yc64Yhd2XnHBjHnxR8m8k33DbwFQYJvnBTo7uKlbuQ_PQPnmxIBTffAqo-M/s320/196793_180361752009817_100001079808014_395751_842836_n.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></span><br />
Adriana, Antiphilus of Ephesus's wife, played by Bailey, comes out and is thoroughly indignant when she hears Antiphilus calling her 'wife'.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipr74kw6JB7LNTjcSWQlgjwcsS1_TKsXPMN9H3lSpWk0XiQoJ8UcxGXFMMp_L6ReR-eK-XuLBl4hnvO6LMpvfEO8GinIcqrFDKnnATlcnWTDOFaVcTuEvjKCu7rDiKACIPOyFNebFWyK4p/s1600/195964_180361812009811_100001079808014_395753_2484069_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipr74kw6JB7LNTjcSWQlgjwcsS1_TKsXPMN9H3lSpWk0XiQoJ8UcxGXFMMp_L6ReR-eK-XuLBl4hnvO6LMpvfEO8GinIcqrFDKnnATlcnWTDOFaVcTuEvjKCu7rDiKACIPOyFNebFWyK4p/s320/195964_180361812009811_100001079808014_395753_2484069_n.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></span><br />
Antiphilus of Ephesus, completely frustrated, is unsure what to do, and his servant Dromio is dismayed. Angelo, played by Londa, and Balthasar, played by Sharon, friends of Antiphilus, look on in somewhat uncomfortable silence. They decide to go somewhere else for dinner and work out this misunderstanding later<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7t18GWmpI4w2jF9CFVkwccFqMgpQz_FEnDMT-wdPcoEPR7YF3_y5RgLbsFhZMYFuYWO2rpDLTg963EWjGADGPFUZyGhBNJtdZOKWHfvVqxjfVJoH8IF1-0hzZWiZy0xQf0xxr5FNB4aL/s1600/188750_180361918676467_100001079808014_395757_5404381_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7t18GWmpI4w2jF9CFVkwccFqMgpQz_FEnDMT-wdPcoEPR7YF3_y5RgLbsFhZMYFuYWO2rpDLTg963EWjGADGPFUZyGhBNJtdZOKWHfvVqxjfVJoH8IF1-0hzZWiZy0xQf0xxr5FNB4aL/s320/188750_180361918676467_100001079808014_395757_5404381_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Meanwhile... Antiphilus of Syracuse, supposed by the people of the house to be Antiphilus of Ephesus, and husband to Adriana, quite dislikes Adriana, but is quite taken by her sister, Luciana. She, frustrated that he seems not to love her sister, is lecturing him on that, telling him that if he likes someone else, at least do it stealthily! </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgSV8X8fpMd_Q8rmDySFTqTVCFfH-n8lGCHtpTRKUxHe277FOV0wHI3dhxXwMkgd4KBbHAK35wHnqdpX2mxTZv4aaAEzASerh8RXrdPtg2aagi-tR9_lXwYNokzaSCxr18RfKWqoMWY-9/s1600/200737_180362222009770_100001079808014_395773_1542373_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgSV8X8fpMd_Q8rmDySFTqTVCFfH-n8lGCHtpTRKUxHe277FOV0wHI3dhxXwMkgd4KBbHAK35wHnqdpX2mxTZv4aaAEzASerh8RXrdPtg2aagi-tR9_lXwYNokzaSCxr18RfKWqoMWY-9/s320/200737_180362222009770_100001079808014_395773_1542373_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><br />
He hangs on every word that she says, while she, seemingly oblivious, focuses on her fingernails and continues to lecture.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZWzjPxA2UOQarUpx1m5Ld2U7VUKko8OynaeJ-WD1uPXFThA0P3hIL9zBagIlgS64amkRVu3YopqYBWM5RoSjlZjiWHGtVzpF21mB3k9yMcZK-TmFBq428F8o8AvrANXU5gA4KUCxmbqc/s1600/199624_180362042009788_100001079808014_395763_6439680_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZWzjPxA2UOQarUpx1m5Ld2U7VUKko8OynaeJ-WD1uPXFThA0P3hIL9zBagIlgS64amkRVu3YopqYBWM5RoSjlZjiWHGtVzpF21mB3k9yMcZK-TmFBq428F8o8AvrANXU5gA4KUCxmbqc/s320/199624_180362042009788_100001079808014_395763_6439680_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZWzjPxA2UOQarUpx1m5Ld2U7VUKko8OynaeJ-WD1uPXFThA0P3hIL9zBagIlgS64amkRVu3YopqYBWM5RoSjlZjiWHGtVzpF21mB3k9yMcZK-TmFBq428F8o8AvrANXU5gA4KUCxmbqc/s1600/199624_180362042009788_100001079808014_395763_6439680_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span>She continues to ignore him even when he tries to hang on more than just her words.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0udY5vHlq2qZYzNi6PmwDr51-TpsuRrjlWlKE1X3fzhfe6E3aUL-Bu2exJC5BnHGUEM7xTMSLg_TzNeus73Q3h49UfcYVxdIxTssV9nJRzxjErN1dcExbN4nq1DsEHK6ag3UtkHi7F1bu/s1600/190463_180362162009776_100001079808014_395770_6094503_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0udY5vHlq2qZYzNi6PmwDr51-TpsuRrjlWlKE1X3fzhfe6E3aUL-Bu2exJC5BnHGUEM7xTMSLg_TzNeus73Q3h49UfcYVxdIxTssV9nJRzxjErN1dcExbN4nq1DsEHK6ag3UtkHi7F1bu/s320/190463_180362162009776_100001079808014_395770_6094503_n.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">As soon as Luciana finishes her lecture, he begins on a long speech displaying his ardent love and admiration for her. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">"Oh sweet mistress, what thy name is else I know not!"</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwLLJCWd5xZ42jbzGPaLZNMeN90pN9ReFr_Imb335IhPB1F7SY1A3TedoAglnJxK0oLB8SZIlvHZqRA7-Dvn8P_6YtVmCj8BKJ0T9QPxbHdIcZ6iSsc5n_uWj89ZcTGEie74n3HB66GO1Q/s1600/200496_180362075343118_100001079808014_395765_5564274_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwLLJCWd5xZ42jbzGPaLZNMeN90pN9ReFr_Imb335IhPB1F7SY1A3TedoAglnJxK0oLB8SZIlvHZqRA7-Dvn8P_6YtVmCj8BKJ0T9QPxbHdIcZ6iSsc5n_uWj89ZcTGEie74n3HB66GO1Q/s320/200496_180362075343118_100001079808014_395765_5564274_n.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">It seems he cannot control himself he is so in love with this 'sweet mermaid'. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmtvoSyZV2IFvrVc7v2F2FBChBQoiNxBC7UTZKn0Dsq5LOIrwjTa8lWSDirz6xMpp-6xhg609p8-jzDjwwJ65TdMzsilMr5Pv6SOj5KKTeh5SfmbqaeiL_hjKyTgrdYZSR9CpnmE28Ej_/s1600/198151_180362102009782_100001079808014_395767_4784824_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmtvoSyZV2IFvrVc7v2F2FBChBQoiNxBC7UTZKn0Dsq5LOIrwjTa8lWSDirz6xMpp-6xhg609p8-jzDjwwJ65TdMzsilMr5Pv6SOj5KKTeh5SfmbqaeiL_hjKyTgrdYZSR9CpnmE28Ej_/s320/198151_180362102009782_100001079808014_395767_4784824_n.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Luciana is rather creeped out by this whole affair, and is on the whole unsure of what to make of it.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1wV-U7m7vaw1O9epOYxeEHeAE-VyZ-YiBrLwSGbCKja8etnxWhi9qrMENZx8FrfuuvUF1T_rxAjHjddXi6DHbYv3rIA68kU-Z4U5g1A7lUc3KdEMAQizrrjecUG07dvI4-wMhECu5RHI/s1600/197612_180362288676430_100001079808014_395776_3393421_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1wV-U7m7vaw1O9epOYxeEHeAE-VyZ-YiBrLwSGbCKja8etnxWhi9qrMENZx8FrfuuvUF1T_rxAjHjddXi6DHbYv3rIA68kU-Z4U5g1A7lUc3KdEMAQizrrjecUG07dvI4-wMhECu5RHI/s320/197612_180362288676430_100001079808014_395776_3393421_n.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">He seeks to woo her, and she, though not altogether disliking the attention, is shocked and screams that she must 'fetch her sister and get her goodwill'.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxxAkShOSABCiwWe95eM0breQlHy8nW4ywtPMo8QyMomE7_k45UTERwU55IKTBA66r842x6N9Ebh2o6t35naaCbaKodijbQEXID2G3ScmBZRgkptKyjdQDa2CfhPpPzkDglfWB3NTFD6U/s1600/190418_180362448676414_100001079808014_395785_1346898_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxxAkShOSABCiwWe95eM0breQlHy8nW4ywtPMo8QyMomE7_k45UTERwU55IKTBA66r842x6N9Ebh2o6t35naaCbaKodijbQEXID2G3ScmBZRgkptKyjdQDa2CfhPpPzkDglfWB3NTFD6U/s320/190418_180362448676414_100001079808014_395785_1346898_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">So Luciana leaves, and in runs Dromio of Syracuse. He is running from Nell, one of the kitchen wenches, who is all grease, he says, and who lays claim to him.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZkH1jlb0lDLlaqG1Q5uJfTin5u_PAq5d5XFN3KXQ1oK3dztDpx6B8xQJkXPzC9oEcI3bbjFDvLCC4j19qL_wlKZY2ZofCDmVpeXz7riNOcmLvJcLhx68uKaf1HL9ME0E7xHO9cdz8cP0/s1600/200358_180362408676418_100001079808014_395783_1774155_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZkH1jlb0lDLlaqG1Q5uJfTin5u_PAq5d5XFN3KXQ1oK3dztDpx6B8xQJkXPzC9oEcI3bbjFDvLCC4j19qL_wlKZY2ZofCDmVpeXz7riNOcmLvJcLhx68uKaf1HL9ME0E7xHO9cdz8cP0/s320/200358_180362408676418_100001079808014_395783_1774155_n.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Dromio tells Antiphilus that this Nell is 'spherical, like a globe', and that he 'could find out countries in her'. They then go on to have a long conversation about where countries were on her body. After they have had their fun, they decide it's time to hit the road and leave town. Antiphilius says, "If everyone knows us and we know none, then tis time I think, to trudge, pack, and be gone."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUm5ptunfXWtwbDT864-ktNaVKmJAFZ4rbHSyjOYozcr9Gbju37HYYrJDo7H8kyJplSqF1FjtczyyID6ESQuSVIXk2OuEp25lkauiZVMU5tdtrWcbsTloCBgf_o1EHRXoFOmO0VVMY2SqC/s1600/199041_180362465343079_100001079808014_395786_6965777_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUm5ptunfXWtwbDT864-ktNaVKmJAFZ4rbHSyjOYozcr9Gbju37HYYrJDo7H8kyJplSqF1FjtczyyID6ESQuSVIXk2OuEp25lkauiZVMU5tdtrWcbsTloCBgf_o1EHRXoFOmO0VVMY2SqC/s320/199041_180362465343079_100001079808014_395786_6965777_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">But when he tries to leave, Angelo, the goldsmith catches up to him and gives him the chain that the other Antiphilus had asked for. This Antiphilus is thoroughly confused by this, but says, "No man is so vain he would refuse so fair an offered chain," and accepts the gift. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDR1UZZc76WjjZXrO_iW75_TkVCP2VfzQZW9o0wl6Wty7VtZUco6Ej5RAZ-4Nd1MoGa9-WlqACYfvkSNLlN-3jeACHQFCV1mcHRKjFYW9-kyj1kFlnKKHpY5UaoLFmXe-BuxNuklRBwvO3/s1600/195953_180362485343077_100001079808014_395787_464805_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDR1UZZc76WjjZXrO_iW75_TkVCP2VfzQZW9o0wl6Wty7VtZUco6Ej5RAZ-4Nd1MoGa9-WlqACYfvkSNLlN-3jeACHQFCV1mcHRKjFYW9-kyj1kFlnKKHpY5UaoLFmXe-BuxNuklRBwvO3/s320/195953_180362485343077_100001079808014_395787_464805_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">And that is the end of Act III from the Comedy of Errors. We all took a bow or two or three, and that was the finish to the evening. </span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1pcHBc_B1RWOvW8p7SGUabLgo8jBn2dRJIr1hWMYG0YbTKK7EaPMgsDW5hkA8DsTjb5V7i_xEpAwBIWJ7-DFAcWa1NijGoF8mre0WtZ2hPoDlGITa6uMx-7asWGpU4RQFSRMHO8E0SMg/s1600/189145_180362648676394_100001079808014_395794_4754213_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1pcHBc_B1RWOvW8p7SGUabLgo8jBn2dRJIr1hWMYG0YbTKK7EaPMgsDW5hkA8DsTjb5V7i_xEpAwBIWJ7-DFAcWa1NijGoF8mre0WtZ2hPoDlGITa6uMx-7asWGpU4RQFSRMHO8E0SMg/s320/189145_180362648676394_100001079808014_395794_4754213_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Londa and James, our director. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVLll2Obd_T03Zbc2PiibGr2m7OyxaBx5UdeiUkFkLQ1Bb8ET1SSdYU1bDIstV5Y7-tPagC7C-8W5MBJEDCKDPsBno4uiInLAemLPFL473r3FeV4yiIv-UvuZhiplNRPZX2Qev3rgrKDG/s1600/197366_180362795343046_100001079808014_395802_5121116_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVLll2Obd_T03Zbc2PiibGr2m7OyxaBx5UdeiUkFkLQ1Bb8ET1SSdYU1bDIstV5Y7-tPagC7C-8W5MBJEDCKDPsBno4uiInLAemLPFL473r3FeV4yiIv-UvuZhiplNRPZX2Qev3rgrKDG/s320/197366_180362795343046_100001079808014_395802_5121116_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Londa and Josiah.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXk6Hu2WVnL5srme6sd-nFxcasQV3vYPR8FF_fgMxVYaaDMWc_fxu2x9ZnSUNL8e4wv7SNgtzGpqlsUqTeeYFnnsDT-JE_V-XhjWJ776DFHTU_Vk7npq3oOUs1riiwtI0Uj35KGGvrQJY/s1600/196299_180362682009724_100001079808014_395796_8309125_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXk6Hu2WVnL5srme6sd-nFxcasQV3vYPR8FF_fgMxVYaaDMWc_fxu2x9ZnSUNL8e4wv7SNgtzGpqlsUqTeeYFnnsDT-JE_V-XhjWJ776DFHTU_Vk7npq3oOUs1riiwtI0Uj35KGGvrQJY/s320/196299_180362682009724_100001079808014_395796_8309125_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Londa and Miss Dar!!!! Our awesome Bee Creative director, and one of our very favorite people in the whole world.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBFW7Nc4YyjwFcLGC_-xJRzFGu4DlS93iHmSZv1S_0DE9wZNn5Jw0ehdNeMQO-AZW-7QMIvIqGAnTjcIeDEPym6dkto8L4KIvRMpJG6n0ZbrEcFHUqLUwV9u-k6-hYWHKPWy7cdm-iOoH/s1600/197897_180362635343062_100001079808014_395793_2583286_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBFW7Nc4YyjwFcLGC_-xJRzFGu4DlS93iHmSZv1S_0DE9wZNn5Jw0ehdNeMQO-AZW-7QMIvIqGAnTjcIeDEPym6dkto8L4KIvRMpJG6n0ZbrEcFHUqLUwV9u-k6-hYWHKPWy7cdm-iOoH/s320/197897_180362635343062_100001079808014_395793_2583286_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Zachariah and Londa.</span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All in all, it was a fabulous evening, enjoyed by the audience, and perhaps enjoyed even more by the cast members. We plan on performing an entire Shakespeare play later in the Spring -- be sure to be there! </div></div>Londerzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04250239235089198402noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842529442581233855.post-79890251231685697912011-01-28T09:37:00.000-08:002011-01-28T09:37:58.903-08:00Happy Birthday to the best dad hands down!Birthdays are pretty big at our house. When it's getting close to our birthday, we usually put up a wish list, with suggestions (sometimes it's specific commands, at least from the younger kids) for presents to get them. As we get older, we aren't quite as worried about what we'll get, and we tend to tone down our celebrations. And for both my parents, who don't like to keep track of their age, we don't have a huge party.<br />
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But, as is tradition, we always have a German Chocolate Cake for my dad's birthday. It's a tradition that his father passed on to him; his dad still has one every year on his birthday. If you've never tried the cake, go to the store right now and buy a box of german chocolate. The recipe for the cake and the frosting is on the box. Papa's birthday is the only time in the whole year that we have a german chocolate cake, and it is looked forward to by all.<br />
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For the past few years, my mom has tried her best to keep papa's birthday celebration a bit of a surprise. When my mom realized that my dad's parents as well as his youngest brother, Uncle Bill, would be visiting this week, she decided to do it Thursday night. We were in the middle of making the cakes when he came home from work, so the surprise was found out a tad bit early, but he was sufficiently surprised to make the secret-keeping up till that point quite worth it. Papa is a delight to surprise, because of how much he enjoys the surprise. When he walked in the door and everybody yelled 'Happy Birthday', the smile on his face and the 'What??' were priceless.<br />
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Supper was delicious: ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, broccoli, corn, and peas, with pomegranate juice for everyone, and wine for the older ones. Sadly, Isaiah could not be with us to celebrate, but we were all happy to have Grandpa and Grandma and Uncle Bill with us for the party.<br />
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This year, my dad said he didn't want much -- some new work gloves would be nice, and socks and some jeans from Goodwill (that's my practical father for you). He joked about getting a projector, but of course that was out of the question.<br />
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Well, we decided to get him what he wanted, and threw in with the jeans, socks and gloves, some microwave popcorn (to eat while he works his second job at Snyder Packaging) two bags of mixed nuts, and from yours truly, the film 'The Blind Side'. Underneath all those presents (wrapped in baby bags and flower wrapping paper, because we're too thrifty to spend money on appropriate paper and bags) was a large box covered with a blanket. After the other presents had been opened, with much happiness and gratefulness by the dad, Josiah gave the box to papa. Josiah, laughing, wondered (thinking papa <i>surely</i> knew) "Do you have any idea what it is?" Papa laughed, because he didn't have a clue. As he opened the box, he started shaking his head and laughing, because now he did have a clue. "No way. You're kidding me, right?" The excitement and surprise on papa's face when he realized what it was, was worth a million dollars. I wish I had gotten pictures, but even though I did not, I will never forget that look. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a memory is worth a million pictures.<br />
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Can you guess what it was? Mhmm. Yup. That's right. A projector. Purchased under the advice of Uncle Bill, by Uncle Bill, Josiah, Zachariah and Isaiah.<br />
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My father is a hard person not to respect, admire and love. As is tradition (we Englishes have more than a few super awesome traditions, in case you hadn't gathered that by now) during supper we wrote in our place cards what we like about papa, or some wise (serious, in some cases, not so serious in other cases) advice for the new year ahead of him. After the presents had been opened and admired, the place cards were read aloud. Everyone had something nice to say; some of us cool people, like Grandpa and myself, wrote a poem. (You can read my poem at my personal blog here: http://princessdaughterofthekingofkings.blogspot.com/2011/01/for-my-father.html)<br />
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Of course, to end the evening, we ate the magnificent cake. It was pitch-perfect *emphasizes with fingers, like the french people do* as always. But it wasn't <i>quite </i>the end of the evening.<br />
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Did you actually think my dad could go to bed without trying out his presents?? Of course not. So we set the projector up, using a white sheet as a screen, and after the younger set had hit their pillows, we watched 'The Blind Side'. Most of us had seen it once when it came out in the cinema, but we wanted to see it again. Grandpa and Grandma were watching it for the first time, and they enjoyed it very much. If you haven't seen it, go rent it (or buy it) now and watch it tonight. It's an excellent movie. And it's even better on our awesome new projector.<br />
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The joy we felt together as a family last night is a joy that I realize is not common in every house. Not every family has an amazing father like ours. Not every father works two jobs uncomplainingly because he loves his family so much. Not every father works from before the sun rises till the afternoon, then stays up late with us because he truly wants to spend time with us. Not every dad is quite as amazing as ours is. I realize that, though I too often take him for granted.<br />
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Thank you, God, for giving us an amazing father, and being an amazing Father, who cares enough to give us incredible joy in things as seemingly unimportant as birthday parties. It was a beautiful night.Londerzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04250239235089198402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842529442581233855.post-18596200559536574022011-01-17T18:06:00.000-08:002011-01-17T18:06:58.768-08:00Food and Friends…the Best MemoriesI believe the best memories are created by a combination of good food and good people. Isn't it annoying sometimes that we have to eat 3 times a day? However, I think one of the reasons God gave us bodies that use up our food so fast is so that we can enjoy it more. What if you only needed to eat once a month like a python? You could only get together for a meal once a month! It would certainly be quite a feast, but you couldn't very often.<br />
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Eating a meal together creates a unique bond between people. In the Bible they are always inviting people in to eat with them. Abraham when he sees the 3 angels invites them into eat with him. That was a sign of hospitality. Our family loves to have people over and share food together. We are a family full of people that love to cook delicious meals. All of the older kids are very proficient cooks (as well as Mom and Dad), and the younger kids are learning to love it also. Because our family is dominated by men the kitchen is also dominated by men.<br />
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This is why Thanksgiving is our favorite holiday. Thanksgiving is when all the Englishes (my Dad's side of the family) get together. We have a huge delicious feast and everyone that wants to gets to be a part of the preparation. Uncle Bill might be in charge of the turkey and gravy, Grandma might make an apple pie or sweat potato casserole, Mama might make pumpkin pie, I might make some rolls, Zachariah might have his hand in everything and make something fancy on the side, or maybe try some new combination that no one thought of, Josiah might make some more pumpkin pies (because you can never have enough), Papa might be in charge of the stuffing, Aunt Jenn might make the mashed potatoes, etc. You get the idea. Eating together every year like this brings a great bond between us. Not only do we have the opportunity to work together to create something delicious and beautiful, but we then get to sit down together and enjoy eating and talking together. Something about that sharing time together brings us utter happiness and bliss.<br />
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Thanksgiving is what all the kids look forward to every year, but it wouldn't be this way if we didn't have both ingredients. We have to have both the people and the food. If we just had the food it wouldn't be nearly as fun. Things are always better when you have more people to share them with. If we had just the people we could have some fun, but we wouldn't have a reason to all sit down together doing something in common. We would find something to do, but without the food we don't really even have an excuse to get together.<br />
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Perhaps that's the main reason why eating is such a bonding experience. As humans we are drawn to people only through common interests or common needs. We all have the most basic need of food so when we can all sit down together and share a meal we grow much closer together.<br />
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This is part of what sets our family apart from so many typical American families. So many of them have kids running every which way and they rarely even have supper together. We have always had supper together and sometimes several more meals than that.<br />
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The older I get the more I realize how much food and friends really do make the experience memorable to me. I went on a 3 week trip out West and it was an absolute blast (the most fun I've ever had in my life), but it wasn't because of what I saw—although it was pretty cool—it was because of who I was enjoying it with and what I was eating with them.<br />
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Food used to seem like a waste to me, you eat it once and then it's gone. However, as I look back on my memories the best ones always involve good food and good people.<br />
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What other reason do you have to sit beside your friends around a table for a couple hours? Okay, right, games do that. But you don't always have a good excuse to play a game several times a day. Eating a meal is something you have to do 2 or 3 times a day to keep up normal strength and when you share it with others it is amazing.<br />
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Food has historically been a primary ingredient of celebration. It's kind of mystery what exactly makes it so fun, but I know that it makes good times all the better.<br />
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Okay, so I've given a lot of examples of good experiences revolving around food and friends, but I've left out the most important example. Can you guess it? It's in the Bible, in the last book. Yup. That's right. The Wedding Feast of the Lamb! What's the most memorable part of a wedding here? The reception right? The same is true for the ultimate wedding. The best part will be when we all get to go to the biggest wedding reception ever! Can you imagine what kind of a celebration that will be? If the wine at Cana was the best they had ever tasted can you imagine the kind of wine Jesus will have at his wedding feast?! All I can say is that I can't wait!<br />
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So next time you want to have a really good time, make sure it involves lots of good food and people. Don't be afraid to spend money or time on food because memories last forever…toys or gadgets don't. Just sayin' ~Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842529442581233855.post-61476628711286148332011-01-01T06:30:00.000-08:002011-01-04T07:35:08.113-08:00Another Year Has Gone ByA new year is a time to think about new beginnings and a time to reflect on the past year. This has been a fantastic year for us as a family overall, but has involved some struggles.<br />
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Isaiah left for his second semester of college and we had to really learn how to function without him. He could no longer be a part of our everyday life and we really had to accept that this year with him being gone a lot. However, the younger children stepped up and Zachariah especially was soon filling Isaiah's place, perhaps a little better than Isaiah would like.<br />
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This was a year of further learning about toxins in the body and becoming more health conscientious than ever. Not only was high fructose corn syrup banned but as our knowledge grew on other toxic substances present in many everyday foods we turned to producing our meals more naturally than ever before. We had always been more or less conscious of eating healthily but this year saw an exponential increase in our health conscientiousness.<br />
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This was a year for traveling for our family as a collective group. Isaiah went to Uganda for a month right after school finished. Then Josiah and Isaiah took a 3 week road trip with their cousins in an RV touring the western part of the United States from California to the islands off the coast of Washington and many places between Georgia and there. Then in late November and early December Josiah took a ten day trip to Switzerland. So between the two oldest children, our family has been quite all over the world this year.<br />
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In Uganda Isaiah had some great encounters with God and brought some of that Christian African fire for God back to our family. Since his trip we have seen an increased interest and delight in the things of God, especially prayer.<br />
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This year has brought increased knowledge to what may be troubling Mama and although not everything was resolved this year we ended with great hope in God's using the removal of mercury fillings from her mouth to give her great respite from many of her health issues.<br />
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This year we have brought in a new member of the family. An old friend named Joshua who fell in among some bad friends for the past several years met up with us again and has now joined our church. He has begun working with Papa to take up the slack that Isaiah left. This way Zachariah can have a little time to do school and not be working all the time that Josiah is gone. When Joshua goes to work he stays at our house the night before since we leave between 3:30 and 5:30 to go to work each morning. He has also allowed us to leave as a family while he stays home and runs the route for us, which has been a great blessing to all of us.<br />
As a result he has become very much a part of our family and we have greatly enjoyed seeing the younger children love and appreciate this new family member. We have been greatly blessed to see his steady progression in his walk with God as he devours every book he can find on the subject.<br />
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Besides Joshua we have seen the new addition of Londa to the bread-route-workforce. Though by no means a regular, she went on the route for the first time this year and caught on pretty fast. Though, not as strong as her 3 older brothers she is no shrimp herself and pull her own weight on the route.<br />
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This year has seen changes as we introduce a new driver into the family. Londa took driver's education this past fall and completed half of her driving experience this past December. She did well in the classroom aspect of driver's education finishing at the top of her class and her driving instructor almost gave her a compliment on her driving—despite his own aversion to giving out compliments.<br />
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This past year Jedidiah and Elijah joined the homeschool choir for the first time and have absolutely loved it. Zachariah, Londa, Jedidiah, and Elijah have all enjoyed their choir experience this past year despite misgivings they may have had going into it.<br />
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Drama has been another addition that our family has really enjoyed as Josiah gathered some friends together and found a director to help them put on Much Ado About Nothing. The show was an absolute success and although Isaiah was not able to be there the kids had a wonderful time reliving this Shakespeare classic.<br />
This sparked interest in the director they found to start up drama classes in the area and the older children have really enjoyed being involved in his acting class. They are looking forward eagerly to a new play in the new year.<br />
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This has been a year with a lot of new experiences, but the best new experiences have been the sweet moments with the three persons that mean the most to us. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who have been faithful to their promises despite our unfaithfulness and have loved us more than we could deserve or think. This year has taught us even more about the absolutely unconditional love of God for us. He has broken our hearts with his undying love for us despite the many times we forget him in our busyness.<br />
Jesus Christ has become more real and human to us and Holy Spirit has become more personal to us this past year. We look forward to another year in learning how to love and appreciate better these three persons who have given so much to have a personal relationship with us!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842529442581233855.post-16682074866332795782010-12-04T14:21:00.000-08:002010-12-07T14:18:53.564-08:00Growing in EverythingGrowing up is something hard to do. I believe that's the title of a song, but I can't remember who wrote it. However, it's true. Growing up is something we all must do but it's very hard. Some have it easier and some have it harder, but our Father has planned each and every circumstance to make us grow. Grow in trust, love, courage, compassion, sensitivity, etc. Our whole lives are spent growing, either in good ways or bad.<br />
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The dictionary defines it first as "undergoing development by increasing in size and maturity." As we grow spiritually our hearts enlarge. Not our physical organs that pump blood, but our emotions and capacity to care about people. As Christians progress along in their lives they become more sensitive to the needs of others and their own need for God. Strangely enough when true Christians grow they actually seem to shrink in some ways. They certainly get bigger hearts that can care more about God and others, but they begin to realize how small they really are and how much they need their Father.<br />
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Thoughtful Christians almost always ask another how he or she is growing. This is because being a Christian is never a place you have reached or a level you have attained. This is because Christianity is not something you do, it is a person you know, and a person you become.<br />
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Growing in everything. That means being willing to learn, being teachable. If we aren't growing as Christians then we know everything, or at least think we. Recognizing growth in your life is part of humility. If you have a sense that you don't know it all you will be a much better listener and much better at compassionate counsel. That's why in Christian leadership position interviews they will always ask you what ways you are growing. If you can't think of anyways you are growing it's generally because you think you have already grown. Continual growth is an important part of the Christian life. If we are like plants we are dying if we're not growing. Jesus is the Son (or Sun) of Righteousness. As plants basking in the warm light of the Sun of Righteousness we are either growing or withering.<br />
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As a homeschooling family we are more sensitive to the learning that takes place in all areas and aspects of life. Notice I didn't say we're exclusively sensitive, just more sensitive. Despite your best efforts there is a tendency to see learning as bound to the classroom (and homework assignments) if you are in school. This doesn't mean that such tendency can be resisted quite well, but that is the tendency.<br />
We aren't perfect by any means, but by God's grace we are a family seeking to learn from God in the smallest circumstance or situation in life.<br />
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So growing in everything. Growing from what to what? Growing from sinful to sinless, growing from wicked to wonderful, from awful to awesome, from terrible to terrific, and from self-centered to Christ-centered!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842529442581233855.post-60776570055012637582010-11-15T10:45:00.000-08:002010-11-15T10:45:00.264-08:00Stooping in LoveToo often, we, as christians, make high standards and narrow down to a small box the people who 'fit' our standards, or who we're 'comfortable' with. We become preoccupied with how to become more godly, more like Jesus. Wait a second... isn't that a good thing? Of course it is. Becoming like Jesus is the great aim of life. The problem is when we go about it the wrong way.<br />
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The most important part of life is relationships. First and foremost, of course, our relationship with God. And our relationships with the people around us are next on the list. God's desire is for us to be set apart for him, for us to ever be drawing nearer to him. But if we create high standards, which is not necessarily wrong, and refuse to stoop, and interact with those lower than ourselves, that's about as un-Godlike as we can get.<br />
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God has high standards. Being a completely holy God, he tells us that he cannot abide our sin. But look at where we are! Out of God's abundant and <i>gracious</i> love, he made us just a little lower than the angels, and called us his very own. He <i>wants</i> to be with us, just because he loves us.<br />
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So, if we want to be like him...<br />
It is right for us to have high standards - for ourselves. We should be setting high goals in <u>our</u> life, and <u>our</u> walk with God. But we have no right to demand of everyone the same 'height' of godliness that we have, or that we think we have. That would be like the unforgiving servant. With all that God has given us in his grace -- forgiveness and love -- how can we even begin to think that we must require others to meet our standards?!<br />
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I think the first thing we must realize if we desire to broaden our horizon is our need for humility. If we think we're better than so-and-so, or if we just sit around wishing and waiting for others to be as 'good' as we believe we are, there's no way we'll be able to stoop to other's levels. When we realize that God loves the believing friend next to us just as much as he loves us, whether he smokes, or drinks, or uses awful language, it shatters the barrier between us. Is God displeased when his children do not obey him fully? Of course. Is he okay with them just staying in their same sinful pattern of life. Of course not. But try leaving the changing up to God for once. It's not really our place to change others.<br />
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Of equal or perhaps greater importance, we must be able to love. If we do not truly love the ones around us who have 'lower standards', if we do it either because we feel it's our duty, or to impress others, than we cannot hope to succeed in pleasing God. And I know it's easy to say, "You've just gotta love," and you're probably thinking, <i>Easier said than done.</i> Well, same here. How does one <i>learn </i>to love? And how do you <i>teach</i> someone to love? The best way to teach someone that is to show love to them. So think about the one who's shown you everlasting love. Learn from the best. Remember how much he loves you, and how lovely he is.<br />
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Which leads to something else that I think is vital to this lowering of ourselves. Even in all our unworthiness and filthiness before Jesus rescued us, God said of each one of us that we were beautiful to him. Everyone he chose, he said was beautiful. So if they're beautiful to him, shouldn't they be beautiful to us as well? It is so hard sometimes -- it comes more naturally to a blessed few -- to see beauty in someone who seems so much beneath you. But think back to the humility part -- we have to do as God says and count others more important, and beautiful, than ourselves.<br />
Challenge yourself to daily see little things in others around you -- it can be quirks they have, the way they do things, or a physical attribute they have that you find attractive. Tell them that you like it. Confirming to them that they are beautiful will help confirm to yourself that they are beautiful.<br />
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Of course there is always room to grow, in others as well as ourselves. I would never deny that those around you need changing, or that their relationship with God and others can and should be strengthened. But before you condemn them for what you think is sinfully wrong, take a look at yourself first. You'll realize you were just as much in need of a Saviour as they were. The fact that they are not as spiritually mature is not reason to stay away from them -- quite the contrary! We should treat them with greater love because of that fact. The best way to aid someone in his walk with Christ is not always to admonish them and to tell them of their sin. Often it simply takes bringing yourself down to their level, and forgetting for a moment your high and lofty standards. Remember that you are just as dirty as he is.<br />
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"I want to, I need to, be more like Jesus." Jesus wasn't afraid to kneel on the ground and wash his disciples' feet. Why? Because he loved them. So go wash someone's feet. And do it because you love them.Londerzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04250239235089198402noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842529442581233855.post-13852043725060179862010-10-24T18:01:00.000-07:002010-10-24T18:02:58.555-07:00Crying at the Sad Things"I will not say do not weep, for not all tears are an evil." ~ Gandalf<br />
"A time to weep and a time to laugh" ~ Ecclesiastes 3:4<br />
<div>"It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting." ~ Eccl 7:2</div><div>"Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart." ~ Eccl 7:3</div><div>"The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure." ~ Eccl 7:4</div><div><br />
"Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice." - Paul (Philippians)</div><div>How do we reconcile these two words from the Scripture? With all that the Bible tells us to be joyful about where is the place for sorrow? Is Gandalf right?<br />
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We actually live in a culture that doesn't know how to weep. When someone dies we try to brush it aside and not think about it. When a tragedy happens we rush to the scene with cameras, but find ourselves doing little more than watching with interest.<br />
Weeping with those who weep is hard, often harder than rejoicing with those who rejoice. Someone who is really happy can bring those around him into that joy, but who wants to be brought down into the sadness of another? Who wants to experience a broken heart that's not even his own?<br />
Weeping is a very important part of the Christian life because it deals with cursed life in this world honestly. If we refuse to weep we refuse to acknowledge that this world is broken and not everything that happens is good.<br />
Weeping is humiliating, perhaps that's why we shy away from it. Who wants to be seen as someone who cries in front of all his friends?<br />
Why did Jesus weep in front of Lazarus' tomb? The gospel writers say it was because He loved him. We weep because we are missing something. Jesus missed Lazarus and even though He was about to raise him in a few moments He was so overcome with the loss of this dear one that He wept.<br />
So as Christians, with out hope of the resurrection, we should not be ashamed or admonish others not to weep for the dead. We should weep freely because separation is real and hurt is deep.<br />
It is often said that the more you love the more you are able to be hurt. So how much you weep actually shows how much you loved, for better or for worse. In that sense it is a glorious thing to see Christians weeping at a tomb because it shows their love for the one passed on.<br />
Our family is not one that has experienced much death in our extended family. The older kids have been to many funerals because our church was an old one with many aged members. All the kids have been to at least one funeral, but for the most part our extended family is still with us.<br />
So our crying at the sad things is mostly in the form of sympathy to others.<br />
However, we don't just weep for the dead, we weep for setbacks for the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom is coming but that doesn't mean it's winning every battle. We weep when wicked men are put in places of authority either in this nation or others. We weep when laws are passed that go directly against God's law. We weep and we groan for the King to finally finish His conquest once and for all and restore this earth to what it was meant to be!<br />
We weep, but we weep in hope. Our grief is real, but we know it cannot last forever.<br />
"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning!"<br />
No matter how long the sadness lasts our God is there weeping beside us and when the joy comes it will out shine the sorrow.<br />
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."<br />
"Blessed are those who weep, for they shall laugh."<br />
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"I will not say do not weep, for not all tears are an evil" but we will say, weep honestly, but in hope.</div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842529442581233855.post-8368988060548134012010-09-27T16:51:00.000-07:002010-09-27T16:51:11.209-07:00Laughing at the Funny Things…Laughter is something our home is filled with. Some kids are funnier than others but all in all we are a family that loves to laugh. We laugh at jokes, we laugh at silly stories, and we laugh at silly things the others do.<br />
The Bible says a cheerful heart is good medicine. Laughter is all over the Bible, even the famous Isaac's name actually means laughter. Abraham and Sarah named him laughter because of the joy they knew from God's impossible promise coming true. They had laughed in disbelief and now the laughed at their unbelief.<br />
We like to think of the beginning of Psalm 126:<br />
When Yahveh brought back the captive ones of Zion,<br />
We were like those who dream.<br />
Then our mouth was filled with laugher<br />
And our tongue with joyful shouting;<br />
Then they said among the nations,<br />
"Yahveh has done great things for them."<br />
Yahveh has done great things for us;<br />
We are glad.<br />
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This is why we laugh, because we are a family whom God has done great things for. We laugh because we love. In a home where the parents have strife and are always arguing there is little or no laughter. However, thanks to God we have a home where His love to us is manifested in our love for each other and so we can laugh with each other. We can laugh at each other without them feeling condemnation. We all know we are loved by each one so even laughter at us is in the context of love.<br />
Another reason we always have laughter in our home is because we have such a range of ages. We have little children who do and say funny things as they learn to mature and we have older children who act immature in a funny way. Little kids act like big kids and big kids like little kids and so we laugh at the irony.<br />
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Laughter is used for three main things in the Bible: disbelief, derision, and joy. The laughter that characterizes our family is about joy. The Bible also likes to contrast laughter and weeping. Jesus says, "Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh." Of course He also follows that up later on by saying, "Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep." However, in this case He is speaking of a kind of defiant laughter against God and the coming judgment. Those who laugh like fools now will be sorrowful in the day of judgment. We as Christians can laugh now because we have no fear of the judgment. We have been made new and enabled to laugh for the joy of our salvation. We no longer laugh <i>at</i> God but we laugh <i>with</i> God because He has become united to us in love.<br />
Have you ever noticed how laughing with someone creates an instant bond? That's why many times to "break the ice" we will tell a joke or make a comment designed for amusement. Laughter has a way of opening us up. Laughing with another creates an instant bond and is a sign of love. You don't enjoy telling jokes and laughing at things with people you hate. Laughing with an enemy is something distasteful because you don't want a bond with that person and you don't want to be made vulnerable to them. You laugh with those you love, because you love them, desire a bond and do not fear condemnation.<br />
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So we laugh at the funny things, not only among ourselves, but we laugh at them with our heavenly Father who has made us able to laugh with Him. Praise be to the one who has made us able to laugh with Him rather than at Him!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842529442581233855.post-33314175024710076312010-09-20T17:18:00.000-07:002010-09-20T17:18:49.507-07:00Making it bigSo it's suppertime. Sometimes that's not so bad. Sometimes it's easy. Unfortunately, tonight was one of the not so good nights. We had to grocery shop before we had what we needed, so that made it late. Then of course, all sorts of things just had to make it later. Mom was talking on the phone, counseling a friend, while making the meatballs. And with three (or is it four?) different diets, we have a gazillion different pots sitting on the stove and counter. And the anticipation of a gazillion dishes to wash once the meal is over. And of course, the youngest kids probably won't like the food... it seems they always find something to complain about. But hey! Little sinner, meet big sinner. Who is complaining? Sounds like we are! It's so easy to go through those moments of frantic hurrying, with phone calls every other minute, and some food getting cold and other food cooking too long, and just say, "Whatever!" And not even care about making those moments count.<br />
It's easy to take those rough evenings and reduce everything that's going on, to just the fact of another rough night in our routinely rough lives.<br />
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But what about God's Kingdom? We have to live for that every day, every moment of the day, even (or perhaps <i>especially</i>) when those days and moments are rough. How do you do that? How can we even attempt to make these mundane days and moments for God's Kingdom?<br />
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Well, it starts with putting God into it. You have to pray. Pray for the ultimate strength that only He can give. Then, remember the prayer that never fails: Thy will be done. Step back from your life, and remember that God's agenda is so much more important than what you had planned. Remember that the children you are feeding will one day be grown and will leave the home, and that you cannot afford to waste a moment with them. So remember to love them. Even when they're fussing, and you just feel like fussing back, just step back and look at the big picture. God has you right where he wants you, and all you have to do is decide what to do with the time that is given you. And the three most important first things to do with the time that is given you are: Remember how much God loves you. Remember to give that love back to him. And remember to let his love fill you up and overflow into the lives of everybody around you.<br />
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Of course, it's not always that simple. Sometimes, it takes a lot of stepping back, and a lot of remembering, because you've forgotten for so long how much God loves you, and how much bigger the big picture is.<br />
But sometimes, it is that simple. Sometimes you just have to step back, and remind yourself that you're not even going to remember those rough frantic moments in a few weeks, maybe you'll even have forgotten them by tomorrow. Perhaps God is testing your strength; don't refuse his offer of power through his Holy Spirit. That power is yours, if you will ask him for it. The power to truly love; the power to step back; and the power to think big.<br />
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God is a big God. And his Kingdom is huge. So don't settle for something less. Make every moment big.Londerzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04250239235089198402noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842529442581233855.post-56915209638165762432010-09-17T20:47:00.000-07:002010-09-17T20:47:58.701-07:00Beauty In the Little things…Why does our family see beauty in the little things? Well, because the leader of our family does. Papa never seems to be bored with the little fascinations with nature. I think that's one of the reasons mama married him, because in all his high and precise thoughts he never lost his love of the little things.<br />
We have a lot of kids who are still little right now, but people rarely have trouble seeing beauty in children. Babies are always awwed, ooed, and coooed over for a couple years usually.<br />
However, not everyone sees beauty in the little things of nature or science…a mushroom on a trail, a seed pod on the ground, water reacting (or not) to oil, colors changing in flowers, bees going about their business gather pollen, ants carrying food to their home. Most of us would pass over these and consider them not important, but for us papa has taught us how and why to appreciate them. The primary way he teaches is by his example, he is genuinely interested in the stuff himself.<br />
But he isn't just interested in the things that are small themselves, but also the tasks that we consider ordinary and little in importance. Some dads won't bother themselves about house cleaning, about meal preparations, about everyday tasks, they have more important things to do. They may have very legitimate reasons for doing so, but regardless, our dad isn't. Our dad is interested and involved in everything from making supper (on occasion—not every night), washing dishes, cleaning the house before a trip, helping a kid with his math, or an older one manage his money, editing/grading a writing assignment, etc. This doesn't mean he does all that everyday or all the time, but he is willing. Because of this we are a family who is by and large willing to do even small tasks around the house. We see that there is beauty even in doing the smallest task to God's glory.<br />
Every kid has a slightly different angle on their own cleaning style whether it be Josiah who vacuumed the whole house at age 8 or something, or Zachariah with his "hurrying noise," we all have developed a sense of seeing beauty in the little things.<br />
This doesn't mean that each one of us shares the same passion for nature that papa has, but how those lessons translate to the rest of life have been more or less instilled (and are still being instilled) in each one of us as a family. Mama never seems to tire of putting the kids to bed each night, that small task which means so much to them. Beauty in the small things.<br />
Why do we see beauty in the small things? Well, one reason is that small things add up to big things. Reading to kids and putting them to bed at night is a very small thing, but when done a lot it creates big and lasting memories. What was small added up to something big and important. Papa and mama recognize that material goods are no substitute for quality time spent with children, so instead of showing the kids with gifts they shower them with little presents of their presence.<br />
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However, there is a bigger reason to see beauty in the small things and to care about them. One may concede that small things add up to bigger things, but what can possibly be the lasting value of stopping to admire a mushroom? Well, there's actually a very simply answer, our Heavenly Father values it. Did you know that? Did you ever stop to think about all the things God made just for His own enjoyment? When you stop to admire that mushroom, that ant, that seedpod, you are sharing in the delight of your Father. Do you like to watch fish in an aquarium? Think about the "aquarium" God made for His own enjoyment? We are imitating our Father when we enjoy even the smallest aspects of His creation. Sure, it's flawed, but He's going to make it all right some day, and there is still a lot of beauty left in it. Jesus was making a different point when He talked about two sparrows being sold for a penny, but He said very explicitly that our Heavenly Father cares for even the sparrows. The smallest little bird or bug is under the watchful eye of God and He is not only enjoying its beauty but also caring for its well being. A related question to ask is if God cares about the little things in life? Well, how about washing people's feet? Despite the fact that Jesus was making a specific point is washing feet really all that important? But beyond this we have Jesus telling us that even the one who gives a cup of cold water to one of His servants that one will not lose his reward. Jesus cares very much about even the smallest things in everyday life.<br />
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We are children of a Heavenly Father who sees beauty in the little things and so we cannot help but do the same. Just as the earthly father of this family has shaped us, so our Heavenly Father has shaped us even more!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">God sees the little sparrow fall,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It meets His tender view;</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If God so loves the little birds,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I know He loves me, too.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">He paints the lily of the field,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Perfumes each lily bell;</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If He so loves the little flow’rs,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I know He loves me well.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">God made the little birds and flow’rs,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And all things large and small;</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">He’ll not forget his little ones,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I know He loves them all.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">He loves me, too, He loves me, too,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I know He loves me, too;</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Because He loves the little things,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I know He loves me, too.</span></span></span></span></span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842529442581233855.post-3922025967112954972010-09-09T14:09:00.000-07:002010-09-09T14:09:47.940-07:00A Family IdolThere is a trend these days among evangelicals. It's a reaction against the undermining ideas in our culture but it has gone too far. (Just like a bunch of other ideas we could mention.) It's this idea of the close-knit family. This idea is very good in and of itself, but when lifted up too high, and focused on too much, it becomes disastrous.<br />
One might think we, of all people, would be advocates of this great focus on the close, tightly bound family. However, that's actually the opposite. Because, if having a tight family unit is your highest priority than you won't have 9 kids. No matter how hard you try you can never keep the family together very long. Before the little ones are very old the older ones are going off to college and before the youngest one is in college the older kids are all over the country, maybe even the world. Pretty scary huh?<br />
So why did we have nine kids? Because we believe that the kingdom of heaven is the most important thing on this earth. What's the first thing God said for His people to do to build the kingdom? "Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth!"<br />
Having a big family is stressful financially, emotionally, and physically. With so many mouths to feed you have to trust God a lot that He'll provide all the food and everything else that is required to support a large family. A big family is emotionally stressful because there are kids of all ages trying to get along more or less successfully. Also the more people there are around the more people you can potentially fight with. Big families are also physically challenging because of all the logistics of fitting everyone in the house, or the car, or whatever. More people by definition means more stress.<br />
So why in the world would anyone ever want to have a big family?<br />
Well, the primary reason is because God wants big families. God wants His earth full of people worshiping Him. So if for no other reason than it pleases God—we think that's a good enough reason all by itself, don't you? There are of course tons of blessings that come with big families, but we'll talk about that some other time.<br />
The Bible says that "Children are like arrows in the hand of a warrior, blessed is he whose quiver is full." This sounds like a big family is a blessing, but wait a minute. What is the point of an arrow? Does one shoot it and run back and pick it up? Perhaps sometimes, but usually arrows are shot and never seen again. Does that mean all children must leave home and never connect back with their parents? Certainly not. But it does mean that we should be prepared for our families to split up. Kids are not meant to stay at home and be close to home all their life. God may have that in store for them, but then again, He may have far more.<br />
We don't fill up our quivers with arrows and then lay them on the mantle piece.<br />
The kingdom of heaven is at stake, Jesus' return is what we are seeking, when the kingdom will be consummated! Until then God has called us to advance that kingdom, by having lots of kids (physically and spiritually). That means that having a large family isn't limited to those who are married and able to bear children. It means making friends and bringing them closer to Christ!<br />
If we idolize the physical family we will make it small so that we can all stay close together and be doing the same thing all the time. So if we idolize our spiritual families we will have only a few close friends that we can hang out with and we won't reach out in love to new people.<br />
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Having big families is hard, the more kids you have the more heartache you will feel as each one leaves home and starts his or her own life…but…the greater reward will be celebrated in heaven when all are gathered in once and for all to enjoy eternal fellowship forever! Edward Taylor very profoundly and sweetly compared our children to flowers and said this about them:<br />
<blockquote>That as I said, I say, take, Lord, they're thine.</blockquote><blockquote>I piecemeal pass to Glory bright in them.</blockquote><blockquote>I joy, may I sweet Flowers for Glory breed,</blockquote><blockquote>Whether thou getst them green, or lets them seed.</blockquote>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842529442581233855.post-318182657740654452010-08-23T08:57:00.000-07:002010-08-23T08:57:49.536-07:00Fearless......because perfect love casteth out fear.<br />
It's easy to walk through the clear water, where we can see exactly where we're stepping, and when it gets deep and where it is shallow. What takes courage is walking through the water where you can't see to the bottom. It's dark and murky, and you never know when you might go in over your head.<br />
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It's hard to believe that just a year ago, we cried and sent Isaiah off for his first year of college. It seems like so much longer than just a year. But at the same time, it seems barely any time at all since we celebrated Thanksgiving in Chattanooga, and were having a wonderful christmas holiday, and I can hardly believe we're at the end of the summer already. Life is flying by so fast I'm having trouble catching up with it, and yet, the year ahead seems unbearably long.<br />
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Life is so full of ups and downs, of joys and sorrows, and so many twisted and confusing emotions. We go so quickly from being happy to being sad, and vice versa. Even when we're happy, the water still seems dark, because we can never have any idea of what is going to happen next.<br />
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We have a couple options. We could sit in our comfortable chairs and watch life go by in a resigned complacency, content to simply let things fly past us. Sometimes I'm tempted to go with that option. But think about this...<br />
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If perfect love casteth out fear, then the knowledge that we are loved by the very person whose name is Love ensures that we can be fearless. Fearless is not just content resignation: Fearless means being bold, unafraid of what's to come, and totally prepared to face whatever happens. Are we, as the children of the King of Love, unafraid? Are we ready to boldly jump at every opportunity our King puts before us? Are we ready to courageously put God first, and let Him work out the details?<br />
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Are you ready to be dragged headfirst through life, fearless? Then let's do it!Londerzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04250239235089198402noreply@blogger.com5