It has been a flurry of activity around here and I have an hour right now to slow down abit before we go off to the Verkler's for an Easter Brunch.
I hae been ever aware of my sin this week, as I am being challenged with 2 extra girls thrown into the mix. I have been called Gramma, Mommy, Mother, Grandmother, Mom, Momma in mixed up order.
Sometimes the grandgirls have called me Mommy and the girlies have called me gramma! :/
I have had tired moments and grouchy moments and moments of joy, seeing each little bundle of joy fast asleep, and moments of COFFEE! NOW! When I hear them stir in the morning.
It is funny how we can get in a smoothe routine and everything is fine, and then, that routine is broken into and our schedule different , and then everything seems "out of sorts". Our seemingly calm existence is turned on its head, and I am once again on my knees repenting for my selfish heart. That selfish heart that wants things a little quieter, neater, did I say quieter?
And the Lord speaks to my heart and lets me know....
I'm depending a little too much on myslef, and not enough on Him. His grace is sufficient for me, but I have to open up and stop doing things on my own.
I realized how much I depend upon a "well oiled ship" for things to run, and sometimes that Oil is organization or schedule instead of the oil of the Spirit in our lives.
Oh my, our sin nature is ever present, just under the surface, ready to pop out its ugly head. "Don't do that!" "No Whining!" "Did you get in the Mud AGAIN?" "Please go to sleep!" "Yes, we carry in wood, if we want to be warm! Do you want to be warm?"
Isn't that gracious? NOT....
I am so glad this week happened. I loved visiting my grand girlies, but I also know that the instruction of the Lord, chastising me for my attitude shows that HE ever loves me. The Lord Chastens those whom he loves, so I am grateful for that too.
It is with sorrow and tears that I write, confessing that I need more time with my Lord. I am thankful that I can run to him, and he lets me whine, and bring in my mud, and prefers me to be awake so we can commune, and he warms my heart. He cleanses me and then again, works to conform me to His Image.
I am Oh so far from that.
I long to be Like Christ. I long to reflect his image.
I cannot do it on my own.
Many times we hear that the Lord sends Children for us to teach; but in His master plan, He also gives us those children to teach us.
The Minich Family Blog: Every Family Has A Story...Welcome To Ours
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Ok, back to normal
A big thanks to Melissa for helping me find the little trash can. :)
We are back to normal. No moderation or word thingy. :)
We are back to normal. No moderation or word thingy. :)
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Comments Monitor On now
I love it when you comment, but on our zoo post, I got some wierd spam thing that froze my computer and said it was "scanning" for viruses. Of course it was supposedly scanning for a PC, and I have a mac. duh
So, I am now going to moderate comments. I didn't want to, but if something gets posted, it can't be deleted, so I guess it is safer that way.
So if your comment doesn't show up right away, you'll know why. I'll try to get it up as quickly as possible. :)
So, I am now going to moderate comments. I didn't want to, but if something gets posted, it can't be deleted, so I guess it is safer that way.
So if your comment doesn't show up right away, you'll know why. I'll try to get it up as quickly as possible. :)
The Zoo Trip
We started our morning early, and left the house by 8:30 a.m. so we could catch the train to the Zoo. We had a long walk from the parking lot to the train, then when we got to the zoo, I had never been so thankful that we have a zoo membership! The lines were unbelievable. It seems after all that rain, everybody had the same idea!
We spent more time in a new part of the zoo that we usually don't go to because it is so hilly, and the wheel chair on hills, well, is hard for this old body to manage.
BUT.... early! We did it. I'm not so sure at this typing it was such a great idea, BUT... I'm not complaining. We had a great time. :)
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Of Knights and Fair Maidens
Today we had lunch with our Friend Julie and her son Daniel. They are studying Medieval times, so we had a Medieval lunch. Julie worked very hard on the menu which included 2 kinds of bean soups, spices that were of the day, a salad and cake. (from today) :)
The kids had a great time making hats and doing some fun art work.
Thanks Julie and Daniel for a great time.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
I Was Missing Jim Today
That time is coming. The Anniversary of Jim going to Heaven to be with Jesus.
It has been on my mind, and then yesterday, Elayne asked everybody to write her a tribute to the famous Minich Family Dining Room Table that they are inheriting and refurbishing from Ed and Lois.
You know, nearly every memory I have of Minichs includes Jim. The first time I ever met Jim we sat at that table and played "sort of" played Spades. He was my teacher for the evening... I still can't figure out if he was really annoyed with me or just playing. :)
Jim showed up at our house in Texas one day with Cindy, before He and Cindy got married so he could introduce her to us on the way to a friend's wedding. I always thought that was so cute.
Then there were the endless water ski camping trips where I was the camp cook. :)
Then, there was the famous "get his car fixed" trip he made to Texas 5 years ago. He ran into his Mailbox and came down to get a good job done cheap. He paid for the finished job, we took him to dinner and while we were gone a major hail storm totaled his famous Hemi Truck.
He got a better one. :)
The last ski trip we went on was great. Even Lois went, which is unusual for Lois, but it was meant to be. Lots of us together... enjoyed the wonderful day. On the Way home from that trip, it was announced that Steve Irwin (the crocodile hunter) had died in a freak accident. I was so sad for his wife and children; he was such a great and active father and his children were so young.
Then, the next thing we knew, Jim was sick. He had come down ill over the holidays with some sort of flu, and didn't feel better. By February, he was in the hospital with Leukemia.
LEUKEMIA? JIM? But it was true.
We went to see him and held his hand and at the last minute made a decision to let the girls go in and tell him they loved him. I am so thankful that we did that.
Less than 2 weeks later, Jim had a complication from the Chemo that caused a pulmonary embolism (?) and he was in intensive care. We got a call to COME, and we came. On the way up to Tulsa, we had our cell phone on and sang hymns and chorusus with our other family members and prayed for Jim. When we got there, he had stabalized. After staying a few days we went back home. It was such an empty feeling. We wanted to be there, but had responsibilites here. Being so far away really stinks. Then after 6 more weeks our Sweet Jim, quietly slipped into eternity. We left for Tulsa once again, this time, for our dear brother's funeral.
And as we drove home once again, I thought about what a great Husband and Father he was to Cindy and Emily.
It sounds silly, but I also thought about the Irwin's once again. (I always admired them) I was comforted by how they had begun to pick up the pieces of their lives after such a tragic loss, and knew that Cindy and Emily would do the same.
Jim left us with so many great memories. Every time we pass a lake, we cannot pass it, without thinking about Jim; we cannot see a "Hemi", without thinking of Jim and I cannot go to Red Lobster without thinking of Silly Jim sitting there with a bunch of plastic beaded necklaces he conned off of the waitress to take home to Emily.
If you are reading this and have brothers and sisters, don't forget to tell them how much you love them.
It may be the last chance you have, until we meet again.
If you go to my side bar and scroll down to "Fellow Family Bloggers", there is a Tribute to Jim. A youtube slide show.
It has been on my mind, and then yesterday, Elayne asked everybody to write her a tribute to the famous Minich Family Dining Room Table that they are inheriting and refurbishing from Ed and Lois.
You know, nearly every memory I have of Minichs includes Jim. The first time I ever met Jim we sat at that table and played "sort of" played Spades. He was my teacher for the evening... I still can't figure out if he was really annoyed with me or just playing. :)
Jim showed up at our house in Texas one day with Cindy, before He and Cindy got married so he could introduce her to us on the way to a friend's wedding. I always thought that was so cute.
Then there were the endless water ski camping trips where I was the camp cook. :)
Then, there was the famous "get his car fixed" trip he made to Texas 5 years ago. He ran into his Mailbox and came down to get a good job done cheap. He paid for the finished job, we took him to dinner and while we were gone a major hail storm totaled his famous Hemi Truck.
He got a better one. :)
The last ski trip we went on was great. Even Lois went, which is unusual for Lois, but it was meant to be. Lots of us together... enjoyed the wonderful day. On the Way home from that trip, it was announced that Steve Irwin (the crocodile hunter) had died in a freak accident. I was so sad for his wife and children; he was such a great and active father and his children were so young.
Then, the next thing we knew, Jim was sick. He had come down ill over the holidays with some sort of flu, and didn't feel better. By February, he was in the hospital with Leukemia.
LEUKEMIA? JIM? But it was true.
We went to see him and held his hand and at the last minute made a decision to let the girls go in and tell him they loved him. I am so thankful that we did that.
Less than 2 weeks later, Jim had a complication from the Chemo that caused a pulmonary embolism (?) and he was in intensive care. We got a call to COME, and we came. On the way up to Tulsa, we had our cell phone on and sang hymns and chorusus with our other family members and prayed for Jim. When we got there, he had stabalized. After staying a few days we went back home. It was such an empty feeling. We wanted to be there, but had responsibilites here. Being so far away really stinks. Then after 6 more weeks our Sweet Jim, quietly slipped into eternity. We left for Tulsa once again, this time, for our dear brother's funeral.
And as we drove home once again, I thought about what a great Husband and Father he was to Cindy and Emily.
It sounds silly, but I also thought about the Irwin's once again. (I always admired them) I was comforted by how they had begun to pick up the pieces of their lives after such a tragic loss, and knew that Cindy and Emily would do the same.
Jim left us with so many great memories. Every time we pass a lake, we cannot pass it, without thinking about Jim; we cannot see a "Hemi", without thinking of Jim and I cannot go to Red Lobster without thinking of Silly Jim sitting there with a bunch of plastic beaded necklaces he conned off of the waitress to take home to Emily.
If you are reading this and have brothers and sisters, don't forget to tell them how much you love them.
It may be the last chance you have, until we meet again.
If you go to my side bar and scroll down to "Fellow Family Bloggers", there is a Tribute to Jim. A youtube slide show.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Lilly Meets The Fire Ants
Poor old Lilly ran into some rather unfriendly guests in the goat yard today. How dare they bite a very sweet toddler~! She sure was doing a dance when I ran to get her. I think it is the Lilly Fire Ant Dance!
Gladly, they only got her finger hand and wrist. And, Gramma has some really cool magic fire ant sting go away medicine.
Sorry Chuck and Jodie. :)
More Park Days
We had a really nice time at the park today. It wasn't warm, but it wasn't cold.
We got there before the expected rain coming. Lillian went on the swings by herself and down the big girl slide. Erika was able to go up and down the slide, YEA!
Sarah, Katie and Anna, enjoyed hanging upside down.
We are all RESTING now. :)
How This Morning Started
It started EARLY! Then, mom lowered the boom. The girlies were SUPPOSED to have cleaned under the bed and in the closet before the grandgirls arrived. Did they? They said they did. They did not.
I think they thought they would get away with it, but they did not. So, needless to say, there were a few tears and frustration this a.m. and they didn't get to run outside to take care of the animals until they were done.
Unfortunately, this took until 10:00. Mom helped, but I don't know that it was much appreciated, as mom kept finding things that were supposed to be somewhere else. :)
So, here they are cleaning and then having a late breakfast.
Don't ANYBODY go into my room right now. It is next. :)
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Big Winner!
Anna won a great big Easter Basket at Awana tonight. It seems that she guessed the exact number of Jelly Beans in the Jar.
1,088!
Way to go ANNA!
1,088!
Way to go ANNA!
AND WERE OFF......
to a great week with the grand girlies.
Here is our first video, with Lilly (3) and Anna.
Lilly just saw her video and said, "Look! It's ME!". :)
(go to the sidebar under You Tube Videos) and click on Lilly Meets the Animals.
Katie is visiting with us also, and we'll get loads of both ALL week. :)
Just gotta love those grand girls.
Chuck and Jodie, thanks for letting us keep them this week, and have a wonderful week off. :)
Love,
Mom
Here is our first video, with Lilly (3) and Anna.
Lilly just saw her video and said, "Look! It's ME!". :)
(go to the sidebar under You Tube Videos) and click on Lilly Meets the Animals.
Katie is visiting with us also, and we'll get loads of both ALL week. :)
Just gotta love those grand girls.
Chuck and Jodie, thanks for letting us keep them this week, and have a wonderful week off. :)
Love,
Mom
Friday, March 14, 2008
Spring Break is HERE!!!!
YEA! And guess who is coming to Gramma's House?????
KATIE and LILLY! For the Whole Week! YEA.
We have plans. Tea Party... A luncheon with a real Knight with Shining Armor AND the Famous Annual Zoo Trip. I gotta get the camera working! :(
KATIE and LILLY! For the Whole Week! YEA.
We have plans. Tea Party... A luncheon with a real Knight with Shining Armor AND the Famous Annual Zoo Trip. I gotta get the camera working! :(
Others May You May Not
By G.D. Watson (1825-1924)
Others May YOU May Not
If God has called you to be really like Christ in all your spirit, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility and put on you such demands of obedience, that He will not allow you to follow other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.
Others can brag on themselves, and their work, on their success, on their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.
The Lord will let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hid away in obscurity because He wants to produce some choice fragrant fruit for His glory, which can be produced only in the shade.
Others will be allowed to succeed in making money, but it is likely God will keep you poor because he wants you to have something far better than gold and that is a helpless dependence on Him; that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day - out of an unseen treasury.
God will let others be great, but He will keep you small. He will let others do a great work for Him and get credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious, He will let others get the credit for the work you have done, and this will make your reward ten times greater when He comes.
The Holy Spirit will put strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over.
So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign, and has a right to do what He pleases with His own, and He will not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle you in His dealing with you. He will wrap you up in a jealous love, and let other people say and do many things that you cannot do or say.
Settle it forever, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that others are not dealt with.
Now, when you are so possessed with the Living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this particular personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven.
Others May YOU May Not
If God has called you to be really like Christ in all your spirit, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility and put on you such demands of obedience, that He will not allow you to follow other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.
Others can brag on themselves, and their work, on their success, on their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.
The Lord will let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hid away in obscurity because He wants to produce some choice fragrant fruit for His glory, which can be produced only in the shade.
Others will be allowed to succeed in making money, but it is likely God will keep you poor because he wants you to have something far better than gold and that is a helpless dependence on Him; that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day - out of an unseen treasury.
God will let others be great, but He will keep you small. He will let others do a great work for Him and get credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious, He will let others get the credit for the work you have done, and this will make your reward ten times greater when He comes.
The Holy Spirit will put strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over.
So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign, and has a right to do what He pleases with His own, and He will not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle you in His dealing with you. He will wrap you up in a jealous love, and let other people say and do many things that you cannot do or say.
Settle it forever, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that others are not dealt with.
Now, when you are so possessed with the Living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this particular personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Sarah's Song
While I was getting ready for the Day,
Sarah Broke out into Song from her Heart....
I am happy today, I will Glorify the Lord
I am happy to Glorify the Lord
He came down from Heaven
To Forgive My Sin
He died for Me, He died for you
I will Glorify the Lord
We are glad that he came down
and took our sins away
We are thankful the Lord
We are thankful He came down
We are glad he came
We are glad he forgave
He is coming back to take us up
I am glad he's coming back
I am glad he gave me mother and father
I am glad he gave me sistes and brothers
I am glad he is coming to take me up
We can see him Shining in the Sun
We can see him everywhere.
I was trying to type as fast as she was singing without her knowing about it.
This is Sarah's heart. :)
I hope it brings as much Joy to you as it brought to me this morning.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Anna
You know, there is just something so sweet about a sweet little girl.:)
Anna has had some incredible weeks lately in her personal development. I look back on our last 4 plus years and am amazed at her progress. She continues to blossom.
Yesterday, she came and plopped herself between us and told us she loved us. We gave her a hug and we told her she was turning into a beautiful girl on the inside. She said, "you have helped me learn to be pretty on the inside". She was very sincere and innocent in how she was talking. It didn't come off prideful at all. She told us it makes her feel good, to have a changed heart.
Isn't that awesome?
Oh my, from the days of not even understanding how to hold a baby doll, from the days of a nuclear meltdown on a regular basis, from the days of not understanding what permanent or love really meant..... she has emerged....
Our first grocery trip took almost 4 hours. Now, we can run all over town together and have a great time.
Anna is growing up, on the inside and the outside and we are so thankful for her progress and that she is in our lives. She has taught us alot. :)
Sunday, March 9, 2008
The Seriousness Of Sin
I have to get this off of my mind and into writing right now, while it is freshly brewing. :)
I read some notes that a couple of little girls were writing during ministry group last week. One little girl said she was praying the that the other little girl wouldn't lie and would trust Jesus.
The other little girl replied, "I do trust Jesus, and Lying doesn't matter because I'm forgiven anyways."
Then, today, while teaching Sunday School, that same aloof attitude about sin came up once again. It doesn't matter if we sin, we're forgiven?
How's that?
It DOESN'T MATTER?
I sometimes think we have spoon fed our kids a different gospel. A FALSE gospel. The "Jesus Loves Me this I Know" gospel. The" God has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life and He loves you Just the Way you Are", veggie tale gospel.
It DOESN'T MATTER?
Are you kidding me?
That attitude, that false truth, is an affront to the Very Gospel of Jesus Christ!
What are we teaching our kids? ARE we teaching our kids?
I think sometimes as 2nd and 3rd and 4th generation Christians, we can do a poor job in helping our children understand their true condition, because many of us don't understand OUR true condition apart from Christ.
I remember as a young person, thinking, "I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs, I don't have pre=marital sex", I believe Jesus died for me, I'm ok....
WRONG....
Jesus doesn't want us to be just "ok". And what I really didn't choose to look at was my heart attitudes. I was a white washed seplicher full of dead men's bones.
I think of the words in the scripture that say, "I'd rather you be hot or cold, but you are lukewarm and I will SPEW you out of my mouth!" How's that for an after lunch thought?
Our TRUE condition is poor, and hungry and naked. We are DEAD, HELLO, D-E-A-D! apart from Christ. He comes to give us LIFE and LIFE ABUNDANTLY.
How do we have life in Christ, if we haven't even recognized the very thing in ourselves that He died for? How DARE we take His gift so lightly.
It is our job as parents to give these truths to our children. Not just our job, but a COMMAND in Scripture.
Deuteronomy 6:7-8
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart:
You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise.
During this very special time of year, where we Celebrate the Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Let's make sure that we are able to help our children understand the Gospel. The GOOD news.
Let's also take part in the NEW LIFE He has given to us. Here and NOW. It isn't a "die and go to heaven" gospel! It is a DIE AND BECOME ALIVE in CHRIST, walking in newsness of life NOW gospel. It is a "flee from pride and sin and immorality" INTO the loving arms of our Lord kind of Gospel.
Let's die to self and be alive in Christ. It is an exciting life. It is not dull. It is not burndensome.
It is true Eternal LIFE.
I read some notes that a couple of little girls were writing during ministry group last week. One little girl said she was praying the that the other little girl wouldn't lie and would trust Jesus.
The other little girl replied, "I do trust Jesus, and Lying doesn't matter because I'm forgiven anyways."
Then, today, while teaching Sunday School, that same aloof attitude about sin came up once again. It doesn't matter if we sin, we're forgiven?
How's that?
It DOESN'T MATTER?
I sometimes think we have spoon fed our kids a different gospel. A FALSE gospel. The "Jesus Loves Me this I Know" gospel. The" God has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life and He loves you Just the Way you Are", veggie tale gospel.
It DOESN'T MATTER?
Are you kidding me?
That attitude, that false truth, is an affront to the Very Gospel of Jesus Christ!
What are we teaching our kids? ARE we teaching our kids?
I think sometimes as 2nd and 3rd and 4th generation Christians, we can do a poor job in helping our children understand their true condition, because many of us don't understand OUR true condition apart from Christ.
I remember as a young person, thinking, "I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs, I don't have pre=marital sex", I believe Jesus died for me, I'm ok....
WRONG....
Jesus doesn't want us to be just "ok". And what I really didn't choose to look at was my heart attitudes. I was a white washed seplicher full of dead men's bones.
I think of the words in the scripture that say, "I'd rather you be hot or cold, but you are lukewarm and I will SPEW you out of my mouth!" How's that for an after lunch thought?
Our TRUE condition is poor, and hungry and naked. We are DEAD, HELLO, D-E-A-D! apart from Christ. He comes to give us LIFE and LIFE ABUNDANTLY.
How do we have life in Christ, if we haven't even recognized the very thing in ourselves that He died for? How DARE we take His gift so lightly.
It is our job as parents to give these truths to our children. Not just our job, but a COMMAND in Scripture.
Deuteronomy 6:7-8
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart:
You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise.
During this very special time of year, where we Celebrate the Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Let's make sure that we are able to help our children understand the Gospel. The GOOD news.
Let's also take part in the NEW LIFE He has given to us. Here and NOW. It isn't a "die and go to heaven" gospel! It is a DIE AND BECOME ALIVE in CHRIST, walking in newsness of life NOW gospel. It is a "flee from pride and sin and immorality" INTO the loving arms of our Lord kind of Gospel.
Let's die to self and be alive in Christ. It is an exciting life. It is not dull. It is not burndensome.
It is true Eternal LIFE.
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