Friday, November 30, 2007

Getting back into the swing of this blog thing...

Today is Friday. On Fridays Shayna is a "mother's helper". I drop her off at my friend Mel's house and she does whatever is needed. Actually, I think Mel is too easy on her. When I go to pick her up, I usually find her holding one of the precious twin babies and giving them a bottle. I want her to be scrubbing the tub, or wearing the 3 year old out, something that will really be a help to Mom. She really enjoys her time there, though she is usually a little tired. I am so glad that she has this opportunity to work, since she is the youngest in our family and hasn't had the privilege of putting up with annoying younger siblings and figuring out what to do to help Mom when babies are screaming and pots are boiling over!



Today, Steven has an interview for a job that he would like to have very much, would you pray for him? It's at 2:00.



I have had a nasty headache for going on 4 weeks, now. It is starting to take its toll on me in the sense that I haven't had much sense! Ha! I find it hard to concentrate, though I can get small things done. Well, I'm starting to find appointments forgotten and little organizational things undone. I feel as though I've gone back in time about 15 years, to when I didn't have a clue how to run things! It is very distressing. Oh well, I'm just going to have to rely heavily on my organizer and pray that God will help me remember what I need to. Meanwhile, I have to call the Dentist and apologize for totally forgetting an appointment yesterday, and will miss out on a wonderful party tomorrow night because not only did I not RSVP, and forget that the thing even existed, but can't even remember what I did with the invitation!



I'm glad that the kids have so many of their subjects as routine in their schoolwork (the goal has always been to get them to the place where they are "self-educating"). We can do the real learning as it comes up in the day, the colloquium type learning that is just our habit as a family. What is really neat is that though I'm not up for much of that kind of thinking now-a-days, our older children just naturally engage in that kind of discussion with the youngers. What a blessing it is to have the older guys at home (though not as much as before, but they're around.)



We are praising God for His daily protection of Gaelan while on the job, but especially for protecting him last Saturday night. He ended up totalling a squad car while avoiding hitting people who just walked into the path of his unmarked car. As he swerved to avoid them, they continued into that path and he had to run up onto the curb, hitting a tree! We are not only thankful that he was not going that fast, and everyone in his car was not hurt too badly, but that there was another officer in the car with him to collaborate his story. There were also outside witnesses. I think he has recovered from the shake-up that that caused. I know that he felt better just getting to church and asking others to pray for him. Pray that as the report makes its way up the chain of command that all involved in decision making will still see it as an unavoidable accident.

Today's Focus: Focus!?! Are you crazy? I'm going to try to just hold things together and make sure we all have clean socks.

For Dinner tonight: I'm hoping to make turkey soup with homemade noodles. We might end up having burgers cooked by the kids...they've been doing lots of cooking lately.

I'm thankful for: An understanding and sympathetic husband (and children). For the Parkers and the opportunity to pray for them and Micah. For friends who call and check on me, even though I don't make a lot of sense on the phone! That God's strength is made perfect in my weakness.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Shayna's Memorywork

Christ the Believer's Adorning Garment

By Ralph Erskine

"Thy Maker is thy Husband."—Isa 54.5


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Yea, thou excell'st in rich attire
The lamp that lights the globe
Thy sparkling garment heav'ns admire,
Thy husband is thy robe.


This raiment never waxes old,
'Tis always new and clean:
From summer-heat and winter-cold,
Thy husband can thee screen.


All who the name of worthies bore,
Since Adam was undrest,
No worth acquir'd, but as they wore
Thy husband's purple vest.


This linen fine can beautify
The soul with sin begirt.
0 bless his name, that e'er on thee
Thy husband spread his skirt.


Are dunghills decked with flow'ry glore,
Which Solomon's outvie: :
Sure thine is infinitely more,
Thy husband decks the sky.


Thy hands could never work the dress,
By grace alone thou'rt gay.
Grace vents and reigns through righteousness,
Thy husband's bright array.


To spin thy robe no more dost need
Than lilies toil for theirs;
Out of his bowels ev'ry thread
Thy husband thine prepares.