Thursday, December 20, 2007

Nutcracker Ballet today!

A young lady at church is in the ballet company and is going to be one of the rats! So, we are going to a performance this morning with about 50 other folks from church, it should be great!



On Tuesday I made 120 ginger snaps and about 60 sugar cookies. The kids had a great time icing them. I wish I had taken pictures! Gaelan sat at the table with the children (Steven was at work) and iced police cars and very fancy elephants. Hoppy (my niece Hannah) used three colors almost exclusively, pink, purple and light brown! Elena was into quantity and iced the most cookies. It was a great time. I do feel like I cleaned up more than I baked, but them's the breaks! I did get all of my cards and packages out, which is a big relief!



Yesterday, I cleaned my oven, so now it's all ready for my marathon baking starting this afternoon. I also finished several sewing projects and wrapped some things. Gaelan took the younger two out shopping in the afternoon and I think they had a good time. Isaac is still feeling under the weather a bit. Last night, Conrad and I went out with another couple for a nice dinner and to answer some questions in light of their joining the church. It was a very nice time and we got to know one of our newer couples.



When I get home today, I'm going to start baking cakes for gifting.

Tomorrow, after sitting for Mel, I will dive into the cookie baking and packing (the cookies, not us).

I'm thankful today for: The new families who are in our church, even though it is very crowded. A chance to go out with my daughter and friends today. My husband's wisdom and shepherd's heart. Family and friends coming in for the Christmas holiday.

Today I'm praying: For the peace of Christ to reign in our home. For us to be future focused, learning how to serve Christ better each day. For my children, that they will be caught when they sin. Psalm 119:71.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Today is Cookie Baking Day!

Well...one of them. Today we work on our sugar cookie cut-outs. One year when I asked the kids which Christmas Holiday tradition they most enjoyed they said this one. I thought, "Oh great, the one which is most work for me!" It is great fun though! We have a terrific recipe and lots of cookie cutters, some left from when I was a child.

THEN we ice them with the kind of icing that gets hard (royal icing) in about a dozen different colors. The boys have great fun using the cookie cutters in unusual ways - like turning the bell upside down and making an alien. It's a big mess and of course, we have to eat them all because who wants to give the neigbors a Merry Christmas alien?

Kathryn, Mom and the girls are going to come over and help before ballet class. And Steven hopes to join us when he gets home from work in the afternoon.

The rest of the week, I'm going to be working on baking the variety of cookies that we give to neighbors and friends.

I'll try to post this evening and let you know how much I got done and perhaps recipes, if anyone wants them.

I've also got to get out Christmas cards and packages this afternoon! And company's comin' soon!

The focus of the day: Well obviously, it's cookies and packages...but we are not going to skip our holiday school time.

What's for supper: I promised the kiddos party food...so we are having a croc pot full of meatballs with rice pilaf and cooked carrots and salad. I definitely think cookies are for dessert!

What I'm thankful for: Our health, even with the occasional cold it really is excellent! That we have company coming soon and I can't wait to hug niece and nephews and sisters and brothers. That our friends in Holland are coming soon for a visit, I miss them! That God is blessing our sons in their chosen professions and in their pursuit of the responsibilities of adult life. I'm thankful for my husband, he is one of the hardest working people I know.

What I'm praying for: Consistory meeting tonight. For Micah's precious family. That my husband would get done what he needs to at work before Christmas shut-down. For the Crisis Pregnancy Center. For my children: That they will hate sin. Psalm 97:10

Monday, December 17, 2007

Thanks for praying for our week, it went much smoother after cancelling the party. I think everyone here is on the mend. Steven as always has been sick longest and is still coughing quite a bit. He starts his new job today, so I'm sending him off armed with cold meds and a hot lunch.



The funeral was just beautiful! We sang some of Micah's favorite songs and his father spoke about what a privelege it has been to care for Micah, and about the fact that exactly what God planned happened, and Micah ran his race accomplishing the will of the Father. Then the brothers and sisters had written what they most loved and will most miss about Micah and it was read by one of the young men at church. Then two of the men at church whose families are especially close to Micah's family shared some thoughts. The Pastor gave a message and Conrad spoke on the sanctity of life. Conrad made it through the whole thing with only getting a little choked up! That is amazing because he is famous for getting choked up during nearly every sermon he has preached and at Baptisms too! At the end, we were invited to come up and share about Micah or to say a blessing to the family. I got up and shared what I had been praying for each of the children during the time I was praying for Micah and his parents. It was a wonderful time of rejoicing in God's goodness and remembering Micah's special smile. There was plenty of food afterward, too.



This is a hymn that our pastor chose for us to sing at the funeral. I thought it was very sweet.:

Children of the Heavenly Father

Children of the heavnly Father

safely in his bosom gather;

nestling bird nor star in heaven

such a refuge e'er was given.



God his own doth tend and nourish,

in his holy courts they flourish;

from all evil things he spares them,

in his mighty arms he bears them.



Neither life nor death shall ever

from the Lord his children sever;

unto them his grace he showeth,

and their sorrows all he knoweth.



Praise the Lord in joyful numbers,

your Protector never slumbers;

at the will of your Defender

ev'ry foeman must surrender.



Though he giveth or he taketh.

God his children ne'er forsaketh;

his the loving purpose solely

to preserve them pure and holy.



More secure is no one ever

than the loved ones of the Savior;

not yon star on high abiding

nor the bird in home-nest hiding.

Monday, December 10, 2007

When it rains...

Can you believe it? It's 73 degrees here! What's with that?



Our precious pastor's wife's grandmother passed away last night, so she is flying out to be with her family this week. Many of us are stepping up with childcare and meals for her family while she's gone.

So...I've decided to postpone our little party here on Friday. Many of the people invited to it drive a long way to come to church - 1-1 1/2 hours, and since they will come to the funeral and perhaps the visitation as well, that is too often to have to drive that far in one week. Also, this will free me up to help with the above need.

I had no idea, when I sent out invitations a month ago that I would still be battling these headaches as well.

So, my hubby has decided that this is a good plan. I'm much relieved, having more time to prepare food for that which it is most needed. AND, my family can relax and get over the various minor illnesses they are dealing with without Mom being to busy to bring orange juice, and more importantly, a sweet smile!

Phew! Now if the temperature would only drop about 15 degrees...;)

Please pray for our week.

This week is stacking up to be exhausting. Please, if you think of it, pray for us.

Today, we have the visitation for Micah. We will be getting to meet a lot of the family's family and friends who are here for the funeral. Several families in the church are hosting people who are traveling here. Conrad has to prepare to speak at the funeral.

Tuesday is the funeral. We are making food to feed lunch to about 300 people. (So today is shopping and baking day!)

Wednesday is the internment in the countryside at a private cemetary.

Thursday is a baby shower for someone else at church (the first of our next "rash" of babies, hurray!)

Friday, our family is hosting a homeschool presentation day and Christmas party, just for our shepherding families, but that is a lot of people! So, somewhere in the busyness, I have to make the food for that event and keep the house clean. And I know Isaac doesn't have his piece completely memorized (he's hoping I'll forget, I think!);)

We need to find time to meet with a few people, too, this week. And Conrad and I need to go shopping for the volunteers at the Crisis Pregnancy Center.



You know what, though? I tend to really shine when things get crazy. I'm one of those people who works better with a deadline. Headaches? Who has time for those, when you're this busy? It is my down time that I am really tempted to complain about such things.

Oh... I just realized that it is really high time I get presents in the mail, and though I am not very good at getting Christmas cards out every year, I had planned to this year.

Mostly, pray for the funeral and the things surrounding that event. Pray that God would be glorified in the service and people attending would be convicted of the truth of the Gospel, that there is a sure hope in Christ, and that there is a literal heaven and hell. That God's people love Him and submit themselves to His perfect plan for them.

Micah's family wants to make sure that everyone knows that God had a perfect plan for Micah, and accomplished that plan. There was no cruelty or mistake. And that they rejoice in God's will for them, though they miss Micah's presence very much.

Friday, December 07, 2007

Precious in the sight of the Lord...

Little Micah went to be with the Lord last night. Thank you for your prayers for him. Please continue to pray for his precious parents Pete & Suzanne, and his sisters and brothers, Samantha, Ben, Rebekah, Philip, James and Grace.

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Hurray!

Steven got the job! He is very thankful and so are we. He will be the "part-time shipping/inventory assistant".

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Isaac's Memorywork

Praise for the Incarnation

by John Newton

Sweeter sounds than music knows
Charm me in Immanuel's name;
All her hopes my spirit owes
To his birth, and cross, and shame.

When he came, the angels sung,
"Glory be to God on high;"
Lord, unloose my stamm'ring tongue,
Who should louder sing than I?

Did the Lord a man become,
That he might the law fulfil,
Bleed and suffer in my room,
And canst thou, my tongue, be still?

No, I must my praises bring,
Though they worthless are and weak;
For should I refuse to sing,
Sure the very stones would speak.

O my Saviour, Shield, and Sun,
Shepherd, Brother, Husband, Friend,
Ev'ry precious name in one,
I will love thee without end.

Sunday, December 02, 2007

We're home from a lovely Lord's Day celebration. We have a little of time to rest and then we have a parenting class here tonight- always lots of fun.

Warning: the remainder of this post is about health issues and not really very interesting, you have my permission to mose on over to someone else's blog!:
Just for clarification. The headaches I am experiencing are not new to me, though having them for such a long time is. I have had hormone related headaches since I was 14 and used to have them about every two weeks. Since my operation, I have been experiencing them more and more, culminating in one that I have had (sometimes less, sometimes more) for several weeks. I have had a couple of shots following my surgery to completely flush my system of any estrogen because of the endomitriosis. When this is over (late January) we will begin to find out how to get my hormones in balance (through hormone therapy) in order to get me headache free. What a change THAT will be!

Since I have had these headaches for almost 30 years now, I have had several MRIs as well as examinations to check for other causes such as TMJ. I will be calling my Dr. tomorrow to see if I can try yet another headache medicine since what I have been taking isn't making a dent (in fact, I am trying not to take anything, right now, since I don't like the nausea that the prescription meds cause, and the over the counter migraine medicine doesn't do much and I'm concerned about taking too much too often.)



I hope that that helps those who wondered understand a little better (thanks Dawn for calling!).

I do just fine, I am not stuck in bed, just made less effective in my day-to-day work. My family is gracious and understanding and help me when I seem to be having a harder time than usual, but they have had lots of practice over the years.

I'll keep ya'll posted if there's any change. Thanks!

P.S. Please don't forget to continue to pray for the Parkers and little Micah!