A La Carte

Three pastors were beheaded
Three pastors, taken hostage by extremists, were asked to change their faith to Islam. They refused and had their heads cut off.

Questions to ask when preparing for marriage
By John Piper. Enough said.

The beauty of God's creation
Justin shares a link to Randy Alcorn's blog where amazing photographs of God's creation are posted. Prepare to see the wonder of our Lord.

Wordless Wednesday (late evening edition)

Warrant for lock-up!

We don't know WHO (yet), but someone submitted Mitch's name to be "arrested" and locked-up for an hour today while making calls to friends and family to raise money for MDA. We witnessed the entire arrest and followed him to jail to show our support as a family. Thanks to all those who donated money to this wonderful cause!

A La Carte

Dear Twitter, Today I.....
A great post by guest blogger Robert Sagers who writes, "But what happens if Facebook shuts down? What will occur if Twitter decides to close all of its accounts? What if Blogger and Wordpress decided to close shop? Will something of the archiving of the day-to-day lives of millions of people be lost, and will something of a generational memory be lost with it?".

Do You Talk To Your Neighbor?
From Boundless Line, blog contributor and columnist Matt Kaufman writes, "I don't talk to my neighbors much, even though I work at home and take walks a couple times a day: We smile and wave and exchange a few friendly words now and then, but normally I just keep on moving. I'm busybusybusy, and I don't have time to stop and engage with the people who live around me. If I did, I'd run the risk of getting caught up in a conversation that might last more than a few seconds. I've already got friends, and I prefer to pick 'em out on my own, not get tangled up with folks just because they happen to live in my neighborhood.

I tried to become an iPhone owner but couldn't do it. I bought one and returned it 2 days later.
Abraham P. displays his frustration with his new iPhone.

Thankful for my dirty dishes

Although our house has a dish washer, there are often times when we pull "clean" dishes out only to realize they aren't really clean. One of us ends up scrapping and hand washing the yucky dried item. I usually roll my eyes at the dishwasher and sigh upon grabbing the sponge and dish detergent. Complain, complain, complain.

I saw this poem at a friend's house yesterday. She had it taped right above her kitchen sink at eye level. I'm going to do the same.

Thank God for dirty dishes; They have a tale to tell.
While others may go hungry, We're eating very well.
With home, health, and happiness, I shouldn't want to fuss;
By the stack of such great evidence, God's been very good to us.

The $13 stuffed dog

This little grey pooch was a gift to Luke on the day he was born into this world. None of my kids are very attached to any one toy but Luke just likes knowing that Mercury, his dog, is around and easy to locate. We traveled to Atlanta three weeks ago for my brother's wedding and accidentally left Mercury in the hotel room. The hotel staff was happy to send him back to us via FedEx for the low rate of $13. I would have been happy with media mail....but, Luke is no longer worried about Mercury and those 1300 pennies were well spent.

Abigail's first official haircut

Abigail is two years old and, yes folks.....she just had her first official haircut. I'm not gonna count the time a few weeks ago when a certain big brother decided to experiment with a pair of scissors by chopping off a few strands of his sister's hair. My friend, Bridget, enjoys cutting hair (she'll tell you she's no pro but I beg to diffa') so we ventured out to her house this morning for Abigail to get a few inches taken off.

First snip snip!

What is she doing with those clippers back there?

This isn't so bad.

Checking the sides to make sure they're even.

Oh happy day! Her neck if open to the breeze!
You did a fantastic job, Bridget!

Pride comes before the fall

My boys love the water

A kind friend gave us their used side-by-side fridge/freezer last week so it's now in our garage ready for extra gallons of milk and lots of frozen casseroles I plan on making. However, it needed some cleaning, so I gave the bottom drawers to the boys to have fun with while I scrubbed some of the shelves in the fridge. They had lots of fun, can't you tell?

Redbox code today only

Redbox code good today until midnight.

27HZ4KT

The National Infantry Museum

As a family, we visited The National Infantry Museum that just opened here in our town a month ago. Let me just say that I was moved to tears as I walked through this amazing place. We are not a military family but I have plenty of friends who are, some of whom have served a tour or two in Iraq. The cost that comes with being a soldier for this country is much and I pray that I appreciate them for their sacrifice of time, family, and life.

Our children enjoyed seeing the various time periods of war and differences in the uniforms. In the children's play area/dress up room, Andrew tried on some Army issued greens. There were no smaller sizes so he settled for the next best thing. I think I'm gonna cry.

Abigail is your typical girl with a thing for shoes.

Luke....well, he would rather be naked, so he didn't play soldier. Looks like he's making a gang symbol here, huh? Who knows with that kid. He's so unpredictable....and I love him!

As we exited the massive building,
we walked outside to this sight.
Incredible.

Another great thing about this amazing museum is that IT'S F-R-E-E!

White water rafting

Mitch and I had a blast rafting this past weekend with some friends. I hope we don't wait another seven years to do this again!

Colored ice for bathtime fun

Oh, I knew immediately when I saw her post on Little Hands, Big Work that I was gonna do it! I didn't waste any time....I rushed to the kitchen, filled the muffin tin with water, added four drops to each circle, and put it in the freezer. I didn't tell the kiddos as I wanted it to be a surprise when I found the right time to plop the colored ice in the bath water. Today, after an afternoon full of slip-n-slide fun, the kids needed a good rinse in the tub. Quickly, I threw the colored ice in the water (to their amazement) and listened....."Wow! Look at the colors! Watch as it melts! The water is turning blue! Can I eat it?".

Such fun!

P.S. - Typical bath water is warm to hot.....the ice doesn't last very long so don't be disappointed.

Putting on a swim cap

Putting on my swim cap before getting in the pool is somewhat difficult for me. Maybe I bought a size too small. I've heard from different people that it's best to put it on when your hair is dry and others have said that it's best to wet your hair first. Ugh. Well, as all people do when they need a tutorial, I went to YouTube to find an easy solution. After viewing the typical routine videos of "How to put on a swim cap", I found one more interesting that I decided to share with my followers. All I need now is a friend to join me in swimming so we can put each other's swim caps on!

This one's for you, Burt

Don't get me wrong, Burt....I know you care nothing for aerobics. However, I thought you could incorporate this diddly into your sermon this Sunday. I know how you appreciate a good dance groove.

My weekly A La Carte

Ok, so Challies does it and so does AHM. I think I'll join the club and do an A La Carte, too. I mean, there's so much good and funny stuff out there in cyberspace!

Our Wayward Children
Noelle Piper describes what it was like having a wayward child reconnect with their family and to God.

My Life on Antidepressants: Taming the Beast
This article was written in preparation for a magazine feature promoting my friend, Betty Smartt Carter, who released her first volume of memoirs in the same year, 2003. I think her writings are funny and full of depth. She's even more hilarious in person.

Wedding Party Gets Their Groove On
Over 12 million people have viewed it but I can't resist posting it once more in another spot on the Internet. If you haven't seen the sweet dancin' crazy wedding party procession, you should make some time for it. Afterwards, you can read Amanda's and/or Lisa's take on it.

7 quick takes

1. Mitch and I are going white water rafting this weekend with some friends. I hope we don't tip over! One of my friends is terrified of falling in the water. Watch it be me and not her. Maybe I'll buy one of those waterproof disposable cameras since it would be difficult to paddle with my Canon Rebel XTi strapped on. That would make a cool picture!

2. At age two, Abigail is almost completely potty trained. She alerts me throughout the day when she needs to tinkle and has only had one accident in the past three days. She is consistently waking from her afternoon nap and in the mornings totally dry. She doesn't like to be "dirty" so we haven't had any issues regarding #2 yet either (did I really just type that?). Wow, can it be that for the first time in five years that we might soon be a household empty of diapers? Goodbye wipes and hello flushable Cottenelle!

3. I have ENJOYED this summer immensely. We have had so much fun with our playgroup, going to various parks in our city, visiting family, doing Disney, sleeping late, and packing picnic lunches almost every day - we are always running out of bread. But, to be honest, I am READY FOR SCHOOL TO START BACK!

4. I'm still getting up in the mornings and swimming laps. I really do enjoy the time in the pool and it's nice to be able to workout in the cool water....well, they did find a small snake in the (indoor) pool yesterday but the lifeguards quickly removed it and killed the thing. I've noticed that I'm getting a wee bit faster with my time. I've been swimming for almost two months and it's encouraging to see improvement in my speed. Of course, I seem to always get the lane next to the girl who swims competitively and always brings her coach with her. I can either see her as a challenge, or give up - 'cause there's no way I'm gonna lap her.

5. I let the kids fingerpaint on their art paper yesterday in the kitchen. Let's just say that most of the paint ended up on the kitchen floor and not on their paper. However, I haven't mopped yet and I don't think I'm going to anytime soon. I like to imagine that three little Picasso's left their masterpieces for me to enjoy. No, I just don't want to mop.

6. It's 1:13 a.m. as I type this. I'm not even gonna try to trick you by setting this post in draft to appear later today. See, you need to pray for me that I will get more sleep. I need to be more disciplined in getting to bed at a decent hour. Friends joke that sleep deprivation is gonna be the death of me but it's just that my mind begins to race like crazy once the kids are in bed. My hands get busy doing things that they couldn't do when the children were awake and sometimes I want to veg and simply just sit and be lazy since I'm on GO all day long.

7. Mitch and I are about to embark on a journey we've never been on before. I can't really type details here but you can ask me privately on email and I'll be glad to share. We'd love to have friends and family praying for us.

T. Tebow

Chad, this is the only thing I like about the Gators.

He caught the reporters off guard - left them stumbling. Listen to his answer if you have 53 seconds to spare.

HT: B. Curtis

Do I display these attributes?

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved,
compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
Colossians 3:12

It's been a hard morning. I pray that I will be compassionate towards my children and to the world. I pray their little eyes will see others being kind and will want to be kind in return. I pray my children won't be arrogant but rather humble and desire no reward in life but eternal life with the Father. I pray I will display self-control and patience so that my three little ones will see the power of God at work. My heart is just as bent toward sin as theirs.

Two of many favorite hymns that are bringing me strength today:


Satisfied (1875 Clara Williams)

All my life long I had panted for a drink from some cold spring
that I hoped would quench the burning of the thirst I felt within.
Hallelujah! He has found me, the one my soul so long has craved!
Jesus satisfies all my longings, through his blood I now am saved.

Well of water, ever springing. Bread of life, so rich and free.
Untold wealth that never faileth, my Redeemer is to me.
Hallelujah! He has found me, the one my soul so long has craved!
Jesus satisfies all my longings, through his blood I now am saved.

Poor I was and sought for riches; something that would satisfy.
But the dust I gathered ’round me only mocked my soul’s sad cry.
Hallelujah! He has found me, the one my soul so long has craved!
Jesus satisfies all my longings, through his blood I now am saved.

There is a Fountain

There is fountain filled with blood, Drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood, Lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day;
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
Shall never lose its power
’Til all the ransomed church of God
Be saved to sin no more.

E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be ’til I die.

The Montgomery Zoo

No, not your house, Tera.

We are members of The Montgomery Zoo so we like to go as much as possible. The kids love seeing the animals and imitating their sounds. The weather was hot that day but nothing stopped us from enjoying wildlife and each other. Since the zoo is only a hour and half drive away, we hope to go several more times and take some friends along with us. Andrew says Chad would fit in great with the monkeys (schmell you later!).