Almost One Year Ago

WOW!

This picture was taken just shy of one year ago! I can still remember just how MISERABLE I was...waddling around with that massive watermelon in my tummy. But, what a huge blessing from God my "little" watermelon is! James 1:17- Every good & perfect gift is from above! I didn't even realize how big I was until I looked back at pictures. It's so hard to believe how massive I was! No wonder Seth was a 9 pound baby... 3 weeks EARLY!

Just one week from today my lil' Seth will be ONE year old!! I'll have to post pics on his birthday to reminisce.

No Excuses

WOW!
I have to share today's RBC devotional!!
It has such good points in it! There really are 'No Excuses'. I squirm to think about judgement day of those who have rejected him. Judgement day IS coming. I hope & pray everyone is ready when the LORD says it's time!

Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. —Romans 10:13

People have many different reasons for rejecting the gospel. A common one is to blame Christians for something they did or did not do. These critics say, "I know a Christian who treated me poorly." Or, "I went to church, and no one talked to me."

Indeed, Christians aren’t perfect, and many can be bad examples. But blaming others doesn’t remove one’s accountability to God.

The truth of the gospel does not depend on the way others live out their faith. Salvation is about Jesus alone. Romans 10:9 says, "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

Some people may use Christians as an excuse to reject the gospel. But they certainly can’t point a finger of blame at Jesus. He is sinless and perfect in every way. Pilate said of Him, "I have found no fault in this Man" (Luke 23:14). And Jesus did what no one else could do—He suffered death on a cross to provide salvation for all who believe in Him. That makes it tough for someone to say, "I’m not going to become a Christian because I don’t like what Jesus did."
Don’t get sidetracked by looking at the faults of others. Look to Jesus. He alone is the way to heaven.

There is no excuse for saying "No" to Christ.
He is the Way, the Truth, the Life—That One whose name is Jesus;There is no other name on earthThat has the power to save us. —Sper

Brothers... Together Forever

Took this sweet picture of two brothers who are absolutely lost without one another. I hope & pray that they always remain as close as they are now. I know each of them will develop their own likes/dislikes but I don't want the bond they share to be broken. Seth is now beginning to join them, too. Nate thinks it's great that Seth is crawling and follows them around the house where ever they go. Our sweet little munchkins!!

Little Seth all wet & slimy. He's had an icky nose & he's drooling something mad! Must have more teeth coming in!

Sad Story

This is a very sad story. People like this just amaze me with their actions. I can not even begin to imagine their frame of mind when doing something like this to a child.

GLENDALE, Wis. -- A Wisconsin couple said they couldn't afford a baby sitter, so they strapped their 14-month-old son in his stroller at home while they went out, police alleged, according to WISN-TV in Milwaukee.
Rachel Anderson and her live-in boyfriend, Mitch Laputka, both of Glendale, Wis., were ordered to stand trial Thursday on charges they neglected their son, Gabriel, so badly that his body was covered with diaper rash, his body temperature was 12 degrees below normal and he stopped breathing, requiring 21 minutes of CPR to revive him.
Police said the couple admitted to leaving the boy home alone because they wanted to party.
The couple recently got jobs at Pizza Hut, police said Anderson told them, and they used the money for drinking parties. Police said Anderson told them that she often left Gabriel strapped in his stroller when the couple went out or to work, and that she changed Gabriel's diaper once per day. Police said Laputka told them that he didn't do diapers because that was Anderson's job.
Dennis Ogilvie is a neighbor of the couple and said he's saddened by the allegations. He has a daughter the same age as Gabriel.
"I knew they had a baby, but I never saw them with him," Ogilvie said.
Both parents pleaded not guilty Thursday, and they remain in custody in the Milwaukee County Jail on $5,000 bail each. They're due back in court in October to set a trial schedule.
The Bureau of Child Welfare is overseeing the boy's care but said privacy rules prevent it from commenting on children in its care, except to say that Gabriel is safe.

Blah

Got a case of the blah's today. Weather is now gloomy gus & I went to my best friend's brother's funeral today. I would have never guessed that just 2 months after I post the lyrics to "Cry Out to Jesus", that I would be suggesting that song for his funeral. But, that's one of the first songs that popped in my head when I was asked for suggestions. It just goes to show that we never know when the LORD will call us home. We just need to be sure we are set on go when He's ready. MD was a great, loving person & will be missed by many! I pray for comfort, strength & peace for the family & children he left behind. But, I know he's in a much better place than this world! And, I find great comfort & peace in knowing he doesn't have to navigate this sinful world any longer! He's with his Maker... where there's nothing but grace, mercy, and love.
Pray the words to Praise You In This Storm, SJ. He will help you during this difficult time! Allan & I love you bunches. You know if you need anything we're here for ya!

Praise You In This Storm by Casting Crowns
I was sure by now,God, that You would have reached down and wiped our tears away, stepped in and saved the day. But once again, I say amen and it's still raining as the thunder rolls I barely hear You whisper through the rain, "I'm with you"and as Your mercy falls I raise my hands and praise the God who gives and takes away. Chorus: And I'll praise you in this storm and I will lift my hands for You are who You are no matter where I am and every tear I've cried You hold in your hand You never left my side and though my heart is torn I will praise You in this storm I remember when I stumbled in the wind You heard my cry to Youand raised me up again my strength is almost gone how can I carry on if I can't find You and as the thunder rolls I barely hear You whisper through the rain "I'm with you"and as Your mercy falls I raise my hands and praise the God who gives and takes away Chorus I lift my eyes onto the hills where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth I lift my eyes onto the hills where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth Chorus

Our Sweet Boys

Yesterday, Alex came home w/ a set of Listening Ears he made in school. I thought they were too cute. Too bad they don't really work!! ;)






Then, last night I got a sweet picture of Seth. It's so hard to believe in about 19 days our BABY will be ONE YEAR OLD! Geez... before I know it, they'll all be graduating high school & off to college!

And, I can't put up Alex & Seth pics without adding a sweet picture of our NateBug!! Our Turbo... is definitely a TURBO now, but for some reason now that he's actually earned that name, we don't call him that anymore! Hmm, maybe we should.

Chilling Video

If only we could just follow the rules....

.....God's rules that is. His rules came with no ifs, ands or buts.

I came across these verses during my quiet time today. If everyone lived out these rules, without adding all the ifs, ands & buts, this world would be a much more pleasant place. However, it seems as though people are all too caught up with loving self over others. Pity on them. They have no idea how much God is willing to bless his faithful servants. I long to hear the words from God, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' Matthew 25:21 Notice how He says "few things"... He doesn't require perfection.

Love & Respect for Others

Romans 12:9-21 (NLT)
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.

Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.

Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.

Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.
Instead,
“If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

Mmm, Mmm, Mmmm... Good Stuff!

As most of you know, I subscribe to John Piper devotionals. I got one today that was just wonderful. Wanted to share a portion of it with you all! Enjoy!

God’s Commands Are for Our Good

Here’s what the Bible says: God’s commandments are for our good. Everything he tells us to do is good for us. God does not need our service to improve his attitude or his ability. So he doesn’t tell us to do things because he has needs, but because we have needs. Take a few texts as examples of this:

Deuteronomy 10:12-13: “Israel (you can insert your name here, He's addressing us), what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?”

All the commandments of God are for our good. God knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows what will makes us deeply and permanently happy. We don’t. We must learn that from him. His commands are for our good.

When we first find the kingdom of God and renounce all things for Christ, what is that like? Jesus describes it in Matthew 13:44: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Renouncing the scrap metal of this world in order to have the gold and silver treasure of Christ is such an amazingly good tradeoff that it must be done with joy.

When God commands us to serve him, what does he say? Psalm 100:2: “Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!” He does not want gloomy servants. His command is joy.

What about giving? When he commands us to give, what does he say? Second Corinthians 9:7: “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” God does not want gloomy giving. His command is joy.

What about suffering? When our paths lead through the valley of the shadow of death what does he say? Matthew 5:11-12: “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.” God’s plans for us are so overwhelmingly and everlastingly good that our temporary afflictions here should not destroy our joy. Even in trouble, his command is joy.

What about grief and loss? What does he say about our grief? First Thessalonians 4:13: “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” Yes, there is grief in the life of a Christian. But not without hope.
Which is why Paul can use this amazingly strange and wonderful phrase in 2 Corinthians 6:10: “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.” The joy of hope in the midst of misery streams from the future back into our hearts by faith and penetrates our sorrows so that we can say with Paul, “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.” That is God’s will for us. His command is joy. “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).

And in the end, when all our trials are over, what does the Bible say is coming? Isaiah 35:10: “The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”

WoW, what a weekend!!

Just kind of a different weekend for us.

First off, Thursday, we took in Baxter. He's a little black mini-schnauzer and is the cutest little thing. He's spending the week with us while his owners travel to Virginia to see family. He's the sweetest little dog and you hardly even know he's in the house. Nate & Alex have thoroughly enjoyed having him here! They *know* he belongs to Ellie & Leah, but I really wonder how well they will do with the departure on Tuesday. I love the story of how Baxter came to their family, so I'm going to share it with you. (from their family's blog)
Back in January, the girls and I started the Crown Financial for Kids curriculum. This is a wonderful resource to teach about God's intentions for earning, saving and giving His money.As a result, the girls starting praying after each lesson for God to send them a dog. They had to research the costs (we went to PetSmart and priced items) and they researched what kind of dog would be best for our family. We decided that a Yorkie, a Schnoodle, or a Mini Schnauzer would really be the best type of dog (and I even stated that I liked the black ones best.) And so we prayed. I told the girls that God knew where all of the little doggies were and which ones needed a home AND He was in charge of our money and knew how He wanted us to spend it.2 weeks ago, our friends told us about someone that had a wonderful stray dog. They would have kept it, but they already had 3 and boarded more. Would we like to look? Well, we went and there was a black, mini-schnauzer who acted like he had known us since birth. The family GAVE us the dog, a crate, a leash, a collar and food. God had answered the prayers of 2 believing little girls in a mighty way. God even provided FREE vet services and shots! (He is in perfect health!) NOW, God has revealed Himself as REAL and ACTIVE and INTERESTED in our lives. WHAT A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AN AWESOME GOD AND GIVE TESTIMONY OF HIM!

Then, on Friday morning while cooking breakfast, my back goes out. Totally! I couldn't get off the couch and I could barely walk. Seriously. Thank God Allan was home & able to help me with the kids & get me to the chiropractor. I would have never been able to climb the stairs & get Seth from his crib. I ended up having to go to the chiro 2 times on Friday. But, praise the Lord, the chiro was able to get me walking well enough to walk across the stage at church tonight to dedicate Mr. Seth. I really thought Friday there was no way I'd be able to do it. It was very scary, not to mention unbelievably painful... like 10x's worse than birthin' a 9 pounder w/ no drugs kind of hurt!! As it turned out, I have a severely pinched nerve between my last vertebrae & my tail bone. Sounds wonderful huh. Thanks to my sweet Allan for tending to me & our 3 very demanding children without one ounce of grumbling!! Big Hugs & Kisses Daddy-O! I Love You!

Saturday afternoon, while Allan was cutting grass, I was sitting on the deck reading and just happened to look over at the kids playground. There was a big ol' slimy, black snake!! EGADS!!! It was so nasty & gross & scary!. Luckily, all the kids were napping. But, we did stretch that monster out after Allan killed it & it was 4 1/2 feet long. I know black snakes are supposed to be good snakes, but a snake is a snake is a snake to me...KILL IT! LOL!! Just look at that nasty thing!!

Today we went out for a birthday lunch for Aunt Janet (Allan's sister) with the WHOLE Rainey clan. It was very nice to have all of us together at the table, again!! And, all the kids behaved... can ya believe it?!?! So, I hope we start doing lunches more often!

So, that brings me to tonight. It was Parent-Child Dedication at our church and we dedicated our sweet Seth. Ok, so he wasn't looking at the camera. But, it's all we got! ;)

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Enjoy the pics.

6 Year Anniversary of 9/11

I can remember where I was on 9/11. I was in class at Gainesville college. We went to the auditorium & watched the events unfold on the big screen on CNN. Eventually, they canceled all classes & sent us home. Shock, disbelief, anger and extreme sadness all describe the feelings of that day. It's so sad to think of how right after 9/11 we all came together as Americans. For a brief time, we seemed to be ONE. Now, 6 years later, it seems as though we're all back to living for self. The little slogan of "Never Forget 9/11".. I don't think anyone will ever forget, but I think the unity that it created and the impact it had has definitely faded. Of course we all want revenge on those who plotted this evil attack. But, we need not seek revenge. Vengence is God's alone!

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Below is a pastor Allan & I love to read and listen to. He's the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He's an awesome preacher. You can read up to 25 years worth of sermons on his website at www.desiringgod.org

Terrorism, Justice, and Loving Our Enemies
By: John Piper September 12, 2001

Someone asked me after our Tuesday prayer service in response to the terrorist attack, "Can we pray for justice, and yet love our enemy at the same time?" The answer is yes.
But let's start with our own guilt. Christians know that if God dealt with us only according to justice, we would perish under his condemnation. We are guilty of treason against God in our sinful pride and rebellion. We deserve only judgment. Justice alone would condemn us to everlasting torment.
But God does not deal with us only in terms of justice. Without compromising his justice he "justifies the ungodly" (Romans 4:5). That sounds unjust. And it would be if it were not for what God did in the life and death of Jesus Christ. The mercy of God moved him to send the Son of God to bear the wrath of God so as to vindicate the justice of God when he justifies sinners who have faith in Jesus. So we have our very life because of mercy and justice (Romans 3:25-26). They met in the cross.
So we are not quick to demand justice unmingled with mercy. Jesus demands, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Mathew 5:44-45). And, of course Jesus modeled this for us as a perfect man. "While we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son" (Romans 5:10). And even as he died for his enemies he prayed, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34).
So the resounding command of the apostles is, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. . . . Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. . . . Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. 'But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink'" (Romans 12:14-20). When we live this way we magnify the glory of God's mercy and the all-satisfying Treasure that he is to our souls. We show that because of his supreme value to us, we do not need the feeling of personal vengeance in order to be content.
But it does not compromise this truth to say that God should also be glorified as the one who governs the world and delegates some of his authority to civil states. Therefore some of God's divine rights as God are given to governments for the purposes of restraining evil and maintaining social order under just laws. This is what Paul means when he writes, "There is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. . . . [This authority is] a minister of God to you for good . . . it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil" (Romans 13:1-4).
God wills that human justice hold sway among governments, and between citizens and civil authority. He does not prescribe that governments always turn the other cheek. The government "does not bear the sword for nothing." Police have the God-given right to use force to restrain evil and bring law-breakers to justice. And legitimate states have the God-given right to restrain life-threatening aggression and bring criminals to justice. If these truths are known, this God-ordained exercise of divine prerogative would glorify the justice of God who mercifully ordains that the flood of sin and misery be restrained in the earth.
Therefore, we will magnify the mercy of God by praying for our enemies to be saved and reconciled to God. At the personal level we will be willing to suffer for their everlasting good, and we will give them food and drink. We will put away malicious hatred and private vengeance. But at the public level we will also magnify the justice of God by praying and working for justice to be done on the earth, if necessary through wise and measured force from God-ordained authority.
Seeking to magnify ALL of God's glories,
Pastor John

Indulging Laurie...

Just for you LaLa!

Indulge

Main Entry: in·dulge
Pronunciation: in-'d&lj
Function: verbInflected Form(s): in·dulged; in·dulg·ing
Etymology: Latin indulgEre to be complaisant transitive

verb1 a : to give free rein to b : to take unrestrained pleasure in : GRATIFY2 a : to yield to the desire of : HUMOR b : to treat with excessive leniency, generosity, or considerationintransitive verb : to indulge oneself - in·dulg·er nounsynonyms INDULGE, PAMPER, HUMOR, SPOIL, BABY, MOLLYCODDLE mean to show undue favor to a person's desires and feelings. INDULGE implies excessive compliance and weakness in gratifying another's or one's own desires . PAMPER implies inordinate gratification of desire for luxury and comfort with consequent enervating effect . HUMOR stresses a yielding to a person's moods or whims . SPOIL stresses the injurious effects on character by indulging or pampering . BABY suggests excessive care, attention, or solicitude . MOLLYCODDLE suggests an excessive degree of care and attention to another's health or welfare .
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Maybe I should have used 'mollycoddle' since 'indulge' isn't allowed in my small WBHS vocabulary!!! :o}
Ya see.. my sister seems to think just because I don't always verbalize certain words that I'm not allowed to use them when writing. I didn't see that rule in Bloggers Rule Book. Sorry. :-P

True Words

Came across this quote today and found it to be so true.

"Your children will see what you're all about by what you live, rather than what you say." - Wayne Dyer

How true is that!?! Guess I need to make sure I'm walking the walk, not just talking the talk! If I expect my children to live, act, and talk a certain way, I better make sure my life reflects those expectations. Otherwise, I'm wasting my time. And, we already know time is not on our side!

A different kind of TIME OUT

Can I call for a Time Out?!

It seems like just yesterday that big brother, Nate was crawling along side little brother, Alex. Now, big brother, Alex is crawling along side baby brother, Seth.

Time really scares the beejeebers out of me sometimes! I wonder why there are days that seem like they'll never end. And, then there are days that are over before I even realize they began. Even though I think we have plenty of time to teach our boys about life, in reality it's only 18 very, very, very short years. It makes me want to push the pause button, open up their minds and hearts and just pour in every ounce of knowledge and wisdom that I have to offer about life, the choices we make in this life and how those choices impact their life after this one. Before I know it, we will have 3 big teenaged boys. I pray that God will give us everything we could possibly need to raise these sweet little boys into Godly young men. It makes me so sad for my sweet little boys to grow up. A friend sent me a little blip written by a mother of boys. And, everytime I read it, it makes me cry. Thanks, Jen!

Maybe I should share it for the mothers of boys out there who need to hug their sweet little boys a little tighter today!

Crying the little-boy blues

By MARY JACOBS / DMN Contributor

Somebody stole my little boy. Somebody came into the house one night and snatched my sweet, tow-headed little fellow, and replaced him with a big beast of a guy with sprawling limbs, large feet and a deep voice that mostly says only two words: "Mom. Food."
Apparently this happens all the time, but I was unprepared. Nobody explained how, when your little boy morphs into a big 17-year-old boy, it leaves you bewildered and a little sad.
Nobody warned me that my son's group of little friends, the ones who giggled and raced through the house and played Thomas the Tank Engine, would one day disappear, like mist on a summer morning. They'd be replaced by a small herd of dinosaur-like males, lumbering about the house, foraging for food.
And nobody explained that, despite having bathed his little naked body thousands of times, I'd feel slightly squeamish when my son slouches into the kitchen, shirtless, in the morning, scratching his chest with one hand and bachelor-drinking juice straight from the carton with the other.
Rationally, of course, I knew my son would grow up, but at some level, I'm not sure I'll ever wrap my head around it. Every morning, I watch him saunter out to his car, football gear slung over his shoulder, and I can't quite feature that that is the same boy who loved to eat pancakes for "breaknast," who called me Mama and wore alligator jammies.
My daughter is 14 and almost as tall as me now, but somehow the transition doesn't feel so jarring. Maybe because she's going through the same changes I did, maybe because we still share our love of ballet and clothes, or maybe just because she's not driving yet.
Of course there are new wonders and surprises that come with this testosterone-transformed boy. I get to needle Dad that our boy could whup him any day. I take much pleasure in my son's prowess in physics and lacrosse. And he delights me daily with his sharp wit. (Mom: "Why do you listen to rap music? Why do you put such junk in one ear, while we're paying so much for tuition to put good stuff in the other?" Son: "Equilibrium?")
And sometimes it feels like old times . One night last summer, my son got together with buddies he's known since age 3. They'd all gotten their first cars within the same few weeks. They parked them in front of our house, hoods up, and strutted and gloated and whooped over their new "beasts." If men and boys differ only with the price of their toys, maybe my little boy isn't completely lost.
When my kids were little, older folks would say things such as, "Enjoy these days. They go so fast." And of course, I didn't believe them. Some days I thought they'd never end - such as when a baby was teething or my thoughts were interrupted for the 82nd time by a request for juice.
But those days did end, and now there are days when I realize I'm grieving for my lost little boy. I see mommies with sweet-faced toddlers in the store, and I blink back tears. Or I stare, unable to take my eyes off the little one.
"I used to have a little boy," I say. And when the mom looks up with an expression of consternation, I explain: "Now I have a big boy. A tall, hungry boy with big feet."
And of course, I love that young man who occupies my little boy's bedroom. But I miss the little boy. And I think I'll miss him for the rest of my life.

Preschool

Yesterday was the 1st day of Preschool for Nate & Alex. They're going to Hebron. This is Nate's second year and he was ready to go back. He's going 4 days per week. It's Alex's first year and he'll be going 2 days per week.

For breakfast, I made them pancakes in the shape of their initials. They gobbled them up while they were half asleep! **note to self: must get kids in bed earlier** We woke them around 7:45 and they looked at us like, 'what's going on?!?'

I thought Alex may be a little apprehensive about getting out of the van during carpool, since they don't allow parents to walk the kids in. WRONG! He jumped right out of the van with Nate and went on in like he'd been doing it for years. He was so excited to get to go to school with big brother, Nate. They were so cute holding hands on the way in. I wish we had the camera. Oh well, some memories are just for Mommy & Daddy! Daddy got to ride with us since he was home due to having an interview later in the day. It was a nice blessing that he was able to be a part of their first day, even though it was just a ride to the church!

They had a wonderful first day!! They have excellent teachers & it's going to be a GREAT year!! I'm looking forward to it!