The Big Picture: California Wildfires

I have family in LA so I'm staying up-to-date.

HT: Pictures can be seen at The Big Picture: California Wildfires


Angeles National Forest, in the hills outside of Los Angeles currently has several wildfires tearing through it, the largest of which - named the Station Fire - has so far burned over 140,000 acres, destroyed nearly 100 structures, and claimed the lives of two firefighters whose vehicle fell from a road into a steep canyon. Evacuation orders are in place for thousands in communities around the city, and residents of Los Angeles itself are contending with thick smoke and ash hanging in the air, causing air quality to drop to unhealthful levels in many parts. Currently, the Station Fire is estimated to be 22% contained, and favorable weather appears to be aiding the efforts of the firefighters.

Wordless Wednesday

What humility looks like

Thanks to JT for posting this summarization below:

From a new sermon by John Piper on humility, summarizing what humility is and does:

1. Humility is glad that God gets all the credit for choosing us so that we boast only in him and not man.
2. Humility happily admits that everything we have is a free gift from God, so that we can’t boast in it.
3. Humility is glad to affirm that God sovereignly governs our heartbeats and safe arrivals, or non-arrivals.
4. The root of Christian humility is the gospel that Christ died for our sins. That’s how sinful I was. That’s how dependent I am.
5. Humility gives itself away in serving everyone, rather than seeking to be served.
6. And humility is glad to affirm that this service is true greatness.

He also answers three worldly objections to humility:

1. Humility makes a person gloomy, dismal, downcast, unhappy
   
2. Humility makes you fearful and timid
   
3. Humility makes you passive and removes the driving motor of achievement

[JT] especially appreciated this quote:

Gospel humility frees you from the need to posture and pose and calculate what others think, so that you are free to laugh at what is really funny with the biggest belly laugh. Proud people don’t really let themselves go in laughter. They don’t get red in the face and fall off chairs and twist their faces into the contortions of real free laughter. Proud people need to keep their dignity. The humble are free to howl with laughter.

It grows stronger each day

Mitch and I met in early March 1999 in a hallway at seminary. We were engaged three months later in early June and married four months later in mid-October that same year. So, we knew each other almost 8 months when we took our vows (give or take a few days/weeks - the math is not worth figuring right now. It's 2:49 a.m. as I type). We never felt any hesitation during this short and fast time. We were both students in grad school and were very busy with our studies and jobs, but we knew the Father was leading us toward marriage so we wasted no time in preparing to make that happen.

We enjoy the fun aspect of country music but we also appreciate the talent in Nashville as well as the sense of family that country music portrays. I'll admit that the local country station isn't the first programmed button on my car radio setting but it's definitely within the top five. I sat with Mitch on the couch tonight and we watched the CMA Music Festival together. Soon, it was Brad Paisley's turn to sing his #1 hit, "Then". Watch out...I'm about to get cheesy, romantic, and mushy - As I listened, I started tearing up and then looked over at my husband. We smiled at each other and knew what the other was thinking. Our love for one another today is stronger than it was ten years ago when we married - and that's a huge statement because I was madly, deeply, crazily in love with him then.

For me, loving Mitch gets better, deeper, stronger, easier every day.

You are my bestest buddy, Babe. I'm sorry I don't tell you that enough. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE BABIES TOGETHER!

Listen (read) to the lyrics.

Playing on the Chattahoochee River

The Luther family invited the boys out for an afternoon on the river. They had a blast tubing, riding in the boat, and swimming in the water. Thanks, Luther family!

Thank you, Montgomery family!

Abigail loves her birthday gift from our friends in Wisconsin!

Choosing Thomas

I'm in tears as I've just finished watching this video of a couple from Dallas, TX, give birth to their baby boy who was told had Trisomy 13. They were given the option to terminate but chose to give their son life, even if would be short lived.

I think of my friend, S, who is presently pregnant with her little girl who has the same genetic condition. Our prayers are with you, dear one.

A belated Father's day gift

So, we've have this stepping stone kit in our garage for two years now. It was a freebie from Michael's (after coupon, of course!) but I've purposely neglected it, waiting for just the right time to make it as well as waiting for my kids to come of age when they would appreciate their result. Not to mention that the kit comes with a wimpy bag of stones, each the size of a dime - and only about 20 inside!

One day after picking the kids up from school, I noticed a HUGE pile of junk on the side of the road that someone was tossing. After asking permission to "dig", I found a bucket full of blue/green colored glass pieces deep down under. The bucket has kept the kit company in the garage for far too long. It was time for us to hunker down and get messy - the kids were all for it!



I wish I had captured the kids actually dropping their rocks and glass pieces in the mold but I had fingers covered in mud and I wasn't about to run inside to retrieve my camera and risk getting concrete on it.

I think the stepping stone turned out quite nice. The kiddos love it, Daddy loves it, and it's now resting in the grass beside our front porch for all our visitors to see.

Happy late Father's Day, Mitch!

10 Digit Lumber blog

1 0 D I G I T L U M B E R

I've spent way too many minutes this afternoon laughing my booty off while reading this blog. My finger hurts from clicking on all the archives. Seriously, you're gonna love it. Blogs with humor are my favorite reads!

Mom, I think you'd especially enjoy her blog. She's a limmerick writer!

Thanks, Jenna, for sharing this blog with me. And, I agree with your most recent post!

Randomness makes me feel like I've accomplished a good post

Ok, I've got a few random pictures on my memory card. I don't HAVE to post any of them but I want to yet don't want to take the time to explain them all in 4-5 different posts. Here they are in no particular order (that would be pointless since this is a RANDOM post):

This is the pottery Andrew has completed in his summer class. We just signed him up for four more classes this fall. I hope they don't make any more bird related items.

Just in case you can't figure them out: (L to R) birdhouse (which is broken on top due to me knocking it off the counter on accident), a bird bath, and a bird feeder.

This is my daughter. Isn't she lovely?

Here are my two crazy sons playing inside on a rainy afternoon. I refused to give them another snack so Andrew resorted to eating a plastic pastry.

Wordless Wednesday: Sunday at Butts Mill Farm

Homemade Oreos

The Pioneer Woman does it again. Time to make these tasty treats. I know my kiddos will love them! Me, too!

Rock, paper, scissors, lizard, Spock!

This show cracks me up everytime...even the reruns make me laugh, no matter how many times I view an episode. This is one of my favorite scenes - the argument over whether Deep Space 9 is better than Saturn 3. Sheldon rocks!

A La Carte: ART

I have been teaching art to the students at my children's school going on four years (with a small maternity break somewhere in there). Sometimes ideas for this class come quickly, with ease. Other times, I'm pushing it to the limit to come up with a project that is educational, fun, and simple to prepare. So, I thought I'd share a few links to show you where I get most of my ideas. Yeah, I know I'm a copycat.....but, in this case, I've got no shame in that!

Art Projects for Kids
Art teacher, Kathy, from California, shares many ideas and pictures of various art projects she's completed with her students. I love this site so much that most of my lessons from last year came from Kathy's brain.

Oodles of Art
Projects and art lessons taught by elementary art teacher, Katie.

David Lubin Arts Program
A blog about the artistic adventure of the students of David Lubin Elementary School.

The Ramblings of a Crazy Woman
A great resource for alphabet/letter crafts, geared toward preschoolers.

A lazy Sunday afternoon

Just chillin' in the water with my tube and my dad.

Her favorite book

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

The pictures are captivating and the writing is easily memorized because of it's rhythm. We love Bill Martin and Eric Carle.

Want a personal challenge?

In the mood for a challenge?
Try one of these.

I like this: Thumbs Up: Poke, Poke, Poke

No more TV?

I've been thinking about this lately but I'm not sure how much thought my husband has given to the subject. It would be a good way to save money, though....that might win him over!

Any thoughts, Damon?

Climbing the walls

It's been raining alot here lately. This is what we've been doing since we're stuck inside.

No, I have no pictures of me attempting this feat. Are you kidding?