always faithful

We heard a beautiful trumpet version of this song in church this morning.

Life gives us so many opportunities (sometimes disguised as trials) to rejoice in God's faithfulness.

 



Happy Thanksgiving!

PROCLAMATION OF THANKSGIVING

PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN - OCTOBER 3, 1863

 

"The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God..."

"No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People."

"I do therefore invite my fellow citizens...to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or suffers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and union."

"In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed."

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

truths for bumpy Rhodes

 In the midst of a busy household, I've been trying to listen for the quiet voice of God as He speaks to my heart.  This fall I've been troubled that I've not been able to give all of the kids more direction in their spiritual lives.  Making sure we are in the word and praying together as a family each morning before we start our day has become a bigger priority.

 

Enter some ideas He's given recently.

 

Stones of Remembrance

After crossing the Jordan River at flood stage in Joshua 4, the people of Israel were instructed to remove stones from the middle of the river as a remembrance of God's mighty acts among them.  He wanted this to be a testimony to their children and the generations yet to come.

 

We cut out stones and wrote down some of the mighty acts of God in our lives.  This exercise went from being mainly academic straight to my heart when I read my children's stones.

 

 

Josiah's stones

 

Rachel's stones

 

My stones

 

 

God's Names 

 

For Bible we began to work through the book God's Names by Sally Michael.  Each child is constructing a poster of His names as we learn them. 

 

Josiah's poster--he says he thinks about the names of God at night when it is dark and scary.

 

"Enlarging God in a sinful world" complete with magnifying glass on Rachel's poster. How these children touch my heart!

 

(Both of Micah's projects are still in progress.)

 

Eric has been experiencing some intense leg pain in a muscle behind his knee.  Last week the doctor sent him to the hospital, suspecting a blood clot could be the cause.  As anxiety rushed through my body, the names of God and His mighty acts entered my mind just as quickly.  The remembrance of both quieted my fears and focused me on the One who has all things in His hands no matter the outcome. 

 

Good news, no blood clot.

 

I was later able to share with the kids how our discoveries had been a comfort to me.

 

These lessons are far from academic.

having a party

Saturday was Josiah's birthday party.  Airplanes was an easy theme to choose for this boy.  The camouflage decor was a Walmart find I was not expecting but thankful to discover.

 

 

Setting the table after an evening and morning of saying, "No, it's not time to do that yet."  It's finally time!

 

Rachel brought this cake pan home from a 4-H auction knowing how much Josiah would like it.  I debated a lot about what kind of cake to make, and finally decided to do Cha Cha's coconut flour recipe.  I knew how that one would turn out!  The frosting was another story, a bit on the drippy side.  We tried pureed spinach to turn it green.  The flavor was fine--you are adding it to sugar and margarine, after all!  It really matched the camo decorations but one boy eyed it suspiciously.  "Are you sure that cake is good?"  He did try it, and the other two devoured either an entire piece or frosting only.  So really, I think it was a hit.  The rock candy rocket thrusters are almost invisible but were so fun. 

 

Two of the little boys Josiah invited burst through our door shouting "This is going to be the best party EVER!" No pressure regarding those high expectations.  It looks like they might be enjoying themselves, though?

 

Sorry about your head, Eric.  Other than that, I love this picture.  Especially M's face!

 

Micah crushed up the rock candy so everyone could have some.  Root beer from Whole Foods was another special delight.

 

Then for the best party ever moments.  I had all kinds of ideas in mind, but flying paper airplanes was first on the list.  Eric was the master designer and let the kids pick out their model from a book.

 

Oh, how they loved it!  And the weather...a perfectly warmish November day.

 

The boys came back for more and more.  It kept Eric busy.

 

And sent Eric to the roof to fetch airplanes off several times.  We didn't even get to anything else on my list, the boys had so much fun.  They flew planes for an hour and a half!

 

It was the best party ever, and the simplest one we ever hosted.  Happy birthday, Josiah!!  Just a few more days until the real thing.

 

what's under your refrigerator?

 

We had a bit of a reenactment of this one in our kitchen this morning.  Prisma's favorite toy?  Legos, which inevitably end up in the coat closet, at the bottom of the basement steps, and under the refrigerator.

Fetch!

 

 

This dog reminds us of Eddie.

never a dull moment

Josiah: "Mommy!!"

Eric: "I'm right here, Josiah, what can I do for you?"

Josiah: "No, I mean the other Mommy."