Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Love,
Matt, Tara, Emily, and Baby Boy McCasland
Love,
Matt, Tara, Emily, and Baby Boy McCasland
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Gifts for Jesus
I couldn't say it any better myself. Over the past few years we have used the Samaritan's Purse catalog for gifts for Jesus ... many other resources listed. Good reading material on the links below from the blog: A Holy Experience.
Ways to celebrate Christ at Christmas
What Jesus wants for Christmas
Ways to celebrate Christ at Christmas
What Jesus wants for Christmas
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Christmas Time Ramblings....
Whose child is this? Dancing on the table tops???
Emily with her "early" Christmas present. I love this nativity set by Fisher Price. Emily has become quite enthralled with baby Jesus. The only problem is my OCD - when I clean up, I have to find ALL the pieces and neatly arrange them as a "nativity scene." ha ha.
Lots of kisses for Baby Jesus!
We went to "Balluminaria" in Eden Park this year. We had never been before... and I couldn't understand the crowd of people. It was like fighting for a spot on the wall for Labor Day fireworks. People everywhere had cameras on tripods and chairs like they had been camping out for hours..... and it was VERY COLD! Once it was dark and the balloons lit up - I could see why. It was beautiful and the relfection on the water mades great pictures - even for an amature like me. :-) ...
Emily with her "early" Christmas present. I love this nativity set by Fisher Price. Emily has become quite enthralled with baby Jesus. The only problem is my OCD - when I clean up, I have to find ALL the pieces and neatly arrange them as a "nativity scene." ha ha.
Lots of kisses for Baby Jesus!
****************************************************************
It is that time of year again. To relax. Reflect. Sit in the warm of your flannels - sip coffee or hot cocoa (if you prefer) and enjoy the beautiful lights on your tree. I love it. Such warmth. Comfort.
What? You don't feel relaxed right now? I must say that this has been one of my calmest seasons ever. Christmas shopping was finished and mailed Thanksgiving weekend. (Except two small purchases...) I know some people want to be Thankful first - but I think that you can do "Christmas Prepwork" without losing Thanksgiving. :-) And no I didn't do Black Friday nor will I ever be interested. First, I am not interested in the chaos of it all. I like calm and sanity. Second, We do not make any large purchases that would save enough money for me to be interested in losing my sanity and a night of sleep. But, kudos to those of you who find the challenge.... fun!! :-)
Also, We have been celebrating Advent for the first time as a family. How sad that some children I know receive "Advent" gifts - yet have no idea what it is all about. So, we have been lighting our candles and reading a daily devotional. Hope. Peace. Love. Joy. Christ is the focus of the season. I love some ideas and activities to do with children but we will have to wait at least another year or so for that. Emily enjoys blowing the candle out when we are finished. :-) This will become a tradition for our family - without a doubt. What else do we do that helps us really focus on the meaning of Christmas? In the hustle and bustle of get togethers, programs, dinners, etc - what really helps us focus and quiet our minds & hearts instead of just having a fun light hearted time? Let me rephrase that as a question ... what do you or your family do to focus on Christ at Christmas time?
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Almost Friday
I have always loved the books by Laura Joffe Numeroff. (If you give a mouse a cookie, If you give a moose a muffin, If you give a pig a pancake, If you take a mouse to school.....) I read this today from the Fishfamily blog... Life as Mom. I had to share this because it is sooooo true. I think this is definitely how my brain works.
If You Give A Mom A Muffin
Author Kathy Fictorie
If you give a mom a muffin,
She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
She'll pour herself some.
Her three-year-old will spill the coffee.
She'll wipe it up.
Wiping the floor, she'll find dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
She'll trip over boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan for supper.
She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She'll look for her cookbook ("101 Things To Do With a Pound of Hamburger").
The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow.
She will look for her checkbook.
The check book is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two-year-old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two year old's diaper.
While she is changing the diaper, the phone will ring.
Her five-year-old will answer and hang up.
She'll remember she wants to phone a friend for coffee.
Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.
And chances are...
If she has a cup of coffee,
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.
Count it all joy, my [sisters], when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4
If You Give A Mom A Muffin
Author Kathy Fictorie
If you give a mom a muffin,
She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
She'll pour herself some.
Her three-year-old will spill the coffee.
She'll wipe it up.
Wiping the floor, she'll find dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
She'll trip over boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan for supper.
She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She'll look for her cookbook ("101 Things To Do With a Pound of Hamburger").
The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow.
She will look for her checkbook.
The check book is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two-year-old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two year old's diaper.
While she is changing the diaper, the phone will ring.
Her five-year-old will answer and hang up.
She'll remember she wants to phone a friend for coffee.
Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.
And chances are...
If she has a cup of coffee,
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.
Count it all joy, my [sisters], when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Is anyone out there?
I think by now I have lost all of my blog followers. Why haven't I posted? I think that I have become more aware of who reads my blog. I have millions of thoughts I'd love to share but second guess myself on sharing them. Hmm..... Anyway. I decided to update my blog. Is there anyone out there? Seriously - if you read this, just say HI in the comment section. It might motivate me to blog more often!!
Matt and I recently attended a marriage conference by Les & Leslie Parrott. We try to attend one a year - although we've fallen a smidgen behind - in seven years of marriage, I think we've been to 5 (maybe 6)?! We enjoyed it (although it probably isn't the top marriage conference on our list.) Our number one pick would be the "Love & Respect" conference by Eggerich and we only saw the video conference not the live event. But, they are both excellent speakers and the truth of the "crazy cycle" is top notch. Anyway. Les & Leslie had an excellent presentation and have written tons of books. Here is a brief overview of the sessions we heard....
1. Myths of Marriage:
A. We expect the same things from married life.
- unspoken rules - Is it okay to put the ketchup bottle on the table? Or should it be in a
serving bowl?
- unconscious roles - who mows the grass? does the grocery shopping? pays bills?
B. Everything good will get better.
- The things you LOVE so much about him/her might actually drive you nuts at some
point. (Can I get an AMEN? lol.)
C. Everything bad will disappear.
D. My spouse will make me whole.
"If you try to build intimacy with another person, without doing the hard work of becoming whole on your own - all your relationships become an attempt to complete yourself."
How to know you are healthy: Realize that you have
a. Profound significance
b. Unswerving Authenticity
c. Self Giving love
2. What's love got to do with it?
- They mentioned "The Love List" - sounds like a good book
- Study your spouse's funny bone - laugh together
- Discussed how people experience time differently. I found this interesting. It's just another personality thing. But, I had never heard this before. This is a poorly constructed diagram to represent the topic. You either would fall into "unscheduled or scheduled." And then to you plan more toward to present or future. This would place you in one of the four quadrants - often overlapping into others. It seems that in marriage opposites DO attract. My DH is on the left side probably a little more of a dreamer than an accommodator and of course, I am on the right side ... probably a little more of a planner than a processor. Take their online assessment for free. This info is from their book The Time Starved Marriage.
3. Say what you mean and understand what you hear
#1 - Clarify content - words we use have different meanings
#2 - Reflect feeling - what are the emotions flowing under all the words being used
4. Love Talk
- creating emotional safe places. This is from their book Love Talk. This is one I think I want to read. Mostly because it wasn't quite clear in their presentation. Or maybe that's how they get people to buy their book. :-) It's another one of where do you fall on the grid (This assessment costs 15.oo per person - then they give you pages & pages of printouts on dos and don'ts of relating to each other with your specific talk style.
How do you say the things you do? What do you value?
-Time (You tackle problems aggressive - let's deal with it now)
- Approval (Do make decisions based on feelings?)
- Loyalty (Are you resistant to change?)
- Quality (Do you make decisions cautiously?)
I am definitely high on quality and loyalty. So I am indecisive and resistant to change. And my DH is high on loyalty. We are gonna be stuck with each other forever ;) - old and gray driving the same beat up old car, using the same old cracked dishes, listening to the same old cds, and love it. :-)
5. Share withholds -This I liked as far as a take home practical tool. Even to use at the dinner table with your kids. :-)
- Everyday we have positive and negative withholds.
- Sit down. Share two positives and one negative from the last 48 hours.
* Thank you for.... I liked it when..... I was glad that..
* I didn't like it when... It hurt me that.....
- Spouse (or child - if you do it as a family) simply responds, "Thank you."
- Cannot discuss negative (if you want to...) for 30 minutes.
Matt and I recently attended a marriage conference by Les & Leslie Parrott. We try to attend one a year - although we've fallen a smidgen behind - in seven years of marriage, I think we've been to 5 (maybe 6)?! We enjoyed it (although it probably isn't the top marriage conference on our list.) Our number one pick would be the "Love & Respect" conference by Eggerich and we only saw the video conference not the live event. But, they are both excellent speakers and the truth of the "crazy cycle" is top notch. Anyway. Les & Leslie had an excellent presentation and have written tons of books. Here is a brief overview of the sessions we heard....
1. Myths of Marriage:
A. We expect the same things from married life.
- unspoken rules - Is it okay to put the ketchup bottle on the table? Or should it be in a
serving bowl?
- unconscious roles - who mows the grass? does the grocery shopping? pays bills?
B. Everything good will get better.
- The things you LOVE so much about him/her might actually drive you nuts at some
point. (Can I get an AMEN? lol.)
C. Everything bad will disappear.
D. My spouse will make me whole.
"If you try to build intimacy with another person, without doing the hard work of becoming whole on your own - all your relationships become an attempt to complete yourself."
How to know you are healthy: Realize that you have
a. Profound significance
b. Unswerving Authenticity
c. Self Giving love
2. What's love got to do with it?
- They mentioned "The Love List" - sounds like a good book
- Study your spouse's funny bone - laugh together
- Discussed how people experience time differently. I found this interesting. It's just another personality thing. But, I had never heard this before. This is a poorly constructed diagram to represent the topic. You either would fall into "unscheduled or scheduled." And then to you plan more toward to present or future. This would place you in one of the four quadrants - often overlapping into others. It seems that in marriage opposites DO attract. My DH is on the left side probably a little more of a dreamer than an accommodator and of course, I am on the right side ... probably a little more of a planner than a processor. Take their online assessment for free. This info is from their book The Time Starved Marriage.
......................................P
......................................R
.....Accommodator........ E .................Processor
......................................S
......................................E
.....................................N
.....................................T
......unscheduled -------------------------- scheduled
......................................F
......................................U
.......Dreamer................ T .................Planner
.....................................U
.....................................R
.....................................E
3. Say what you mean and understand what you hear
#1 - Clarify content - words we use have different meanings
#2 - Reflect feeling - what are the emotions flowing under all the words being used
4. Love Talk
- creating emotional safe places. This is from their book Love Talk. This is one I think I want to read. Mostly because it wasn't quite clear in their presentation. Or maybe that's how they get people to buy their book. :-) It's another one of where do you fall on the grid (This assessment costs 15.oo per person - then they give you pages & pages of printouts on dos and don'ts of relating to each other with your specific talk style.
How do you say the things you do? What do you value?
-Time (You tackle problems aggressive - let's deal with it now)
- Approval (Do make decisions based on feelings?)
- Loyalty (Are you resistant to change?)
- Quality (Do you make decisions cautiously?)
I am definitely high on quality and loyalty. So I am indecisive and resistant to change. And my DH is high on loyalty. We are gonna be stuck with each other forever ;) - old and gray driving the same beat up old car, using the same old cracked dishes, listening to the same old cds, and love it. :-)
5. Share withholds -This I liked as far as a take home practical tool. Even to use at the dinner table with your kids. :-)
- Everyday we have positive and negative withholds.
- Sit down. Share two positives and one negative from the last 48 hours.
* Thank you for.... I liked it when..... I was glad that..
* I didn't like it when... It hurt me that.....
- Spouse (or child - if you do it as a family) simply responds, "Thank you."
- Cannot discuss negative (if you want to...) for 30 minutes.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
shopping... and other boring tidbits
Hey everyone. So, I have kind of lost my umph for blogging. But, here I am. :-)
So, here is my question for everyone. (My two or three readers that are still out there.) I have been establishing in my mind and on paper - what price I will pay for food items. I am not a "grocery game" person - I don't have the time. And to be totally honest - coupons are usually for brand name products - and I don't typically buy brand names. I know some of you are just horrified at the thought but my time & sanity is worth more than being coupon obsessed. No offense to those of you who love coupon cutting, etc. I am amazed at your "deals."
So, I tend to shop the sales. My question is do you have a max price you will pay for food? Here are a few of mine... I don't have my list near me - but here are few off the top of my head.... I won't buy unless it is this price.
Grapes - .99 /lb.
Strawberries - .99 / container (1.29 was pushing it this summer)
Plum/Nect/Apr - .99/ lb
So, list your prices below. I am still establishing my prices. This will help me. :-) Especially fruit and meat - those tend to be the biggest sales.
Thanks for your help!!
So, here is my question for everyone. (My two or three readers that are still out there.) I have been establishing in my mind and on paper - what price I will pay for food items. I am not a "grocery game" person - I don't have the time. And to be totally honest - coupons are usually for brand name products - and I don't typically buy brand names. I know some of you are just horrified at the thought but my time & sanity is worth more than being coupon obsessed. No offense to those of you who love coupon cutting, etc. I am amazed at your "deals."
So, I tend to shop the sales. My question is do you have a max price you will pay for food? Here are a few of mine... I don't have my list near me - but here are few off the top of my head.... I won't buy unless it is this price.
Grapes - .99 /lb.
Strawberries - .99 / container (1.29 was pushing it this summer)
Plum/Nect/Apr - .99/ lb
So, list your prices below. I am still establishing my prices. This will help me. :-) Especially fruit and meat - those tend to be the biggest sales.
Thanks for your help!!
Friday, July 31, 2009
You have got to be kidding me!!!
It seems that we have a reoccurring problem. It is a plague of Biblical proportions! Every spring or fall, we somehow seem to get fleas in our house. We do not have carpet all throughout... nor do we have any PETS!!! Apparently our yard is a party house for them. We treat our yard more frequently than the bag says is necessary. And yet, they still return. And we unknowingly transport them into our house! It is so frustrating.
Getting rid of fleas.... is like getting rid of lice. You miss one and you'll have a house full. Somebody shoot me now! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
Monday, July 27, 2009
our news.....
Well, the rumors are true. Emily will is going to be a big sister. It's been a scary couple of weeks but after the last ultrasound - everything seems to be healthy and on schedule. My due date is March 17th.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
a laugh
Hey Peeps! How are you doing? We have been busy here. I guess giving up blogging has sort of become a regular habit now. ha ha. Anyway. We are heading to Florida in a week and a half. Cannot wait!!!!!! I may have my computer to blog and make you all jealous. ;-)
Friday, May 01, 2009
So many pictures. So little time.
Well, Happy Friday! Here are a few pictures from April. It has been an insane but fun month.
Emily turned ONE!!! We had b-day party for her and she wasn't feeling the best. So, a few days after we let her go at her cake again. This time she was feeling much better!!! (As you can see....)
Cute as a button and stubborn as the day is long!!
I think she is my strong willed hyperactive child. She makes life interesting to say the least!!!
I think she is my strong willed hyperactive child. She makes life interesting to say the least!!!
My cousin Jeff, Andrea and their kiddos came to visit before IHC. We spent a day at the zoo.
This is Tiffany with Jayden.
Jeff & Andrea
Matt and I with our wild little monkey.
Love love love this pix. 3 little monkeys!
After IHC - Mom and Debi came by and stayed for Emily's party. I took pictures on Mom's camera. (Mom - you will have to share the other pictures too - not just the party pix. ) We had a great time. We had a Girls' Night Out and went to La Comedia to see Camelot!! It was lots of fun! Miss you guys already!!
Then, last week Matt's sister Pris & family came in to visit. This is a pix of Emily & Kineta on our way home from the Butterfly house.
Then, last week Matt's sister Pris & family came in to visit. This is a pix of Emily & Kineta on our way home from the Butterfly house.
Pris, Greg, Kineta, Wyatt
Gwamma... Look. I love my new purple shirt. :-)
I love to swing on my front porch.
And finally last weekend.... Women of Faith in Columbus, Ohio. Awesome. Awesome. I love it!!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
GO GREEN!!!
April 22, 2009. Do you know what day it it? Yes, of course. It is Wednesday. Today is Earth Day!! Happy Earth Day! (Oh, I know that just by stating that some of you are on edge.) ha ha. :-) I am not sure how thorough a job I can do but let me at least put some random thoughts out to get you thinking.
"If cleanliness is next to Godliness." Then, I believe that recycling should be next to Christianity.
Creation declares the Glory of God
Psalm 19:1-4: "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."
Psalm 96:1, 11-12: "Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth . . . Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy."
Rev. 4:11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
God is the creator
Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth..."
Isa. 40:12, 26: "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? . . . Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name."
The Earth belongs to God
Col. 1:16b: "all things were created by him (Christ) and for him."
I Cor. 10:26: "'The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it.'"
Ps. 24:1: "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."
Deut. 10:14: "To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it."
God's attitude toward His creation
Ps. 65:1, 9-13: "Praise awaits you, O God . . . You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the desert overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing."
Ps. 104:13-15, 21-24: "He (God) waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for humans to cultivate--bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart. The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens. Then man goes out to his work, to his labor until evening. How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures."
I believe that being a good steward of God's creation is a clear principle in scripture. To ignore this command, is to disobey God. Ooh. I know that makes a lot of you readers uncomfortable. We are such a wasteful group of people. We consume so much and create so much trash. Have you ever thought about where your trash is going to end up? How long it takes to break down? The rate at which we produce trash is significantly higher than the rate at which trash breaks down. Consider this:
The New York Times (Nemve E. Metropolitan Diary, October 1, 2001):
Paper- 2.5 months
Orange Peel- 6 months
Milk Carton- 5 years
Cigarette Butt- 10-12 years
Plastic bag- 10-20 years
Disposable diaper- 75 years
Tin can- 100 years
Aluminum can- 200-500 years
Styrofoam- never
I think sticking our heads in the sand is an ignorant approach. I believe that God will provide for my needs. I believe that God created nature in a self-sustaining form. BUT, man has interfered in many dimensions. I can give my daughter 100 dollars but if she doesn't spend it wisely - she will run out of money. We need to use the resources that God has given us wisely. We have been given a wonderful gift. . . nature is beautiful... it reflects God's character in many ways. If you want to live with trash in your backyard someday - it's your choice. But, don't come crying to me.... I warned you. ;-P
This is not a clear articulate argument for caring for creation but I just wanted to get you thinking.
20 ways you can help make our city green: (adapted from Creation Care Magazine Spring 08)
1. Walk or carpool
2. Turn up thermostat 3 degrees in summer, down 3 degrees in winter
3. Plant trees
4. Buy used rather than new - keep stuff out of landfills!
5. Work near home
6. Reuse, Reuse, Reuse
7. Buy locally
8. Support Farmer's Markets
9. Pick up trash
10. Use cloth shopping bags
11. Buy green power
12. Turn off lights and computers when not in use
13. Unplug phone chargers, etc when not in use
14. Use nontoxic cleaning products
15. Hang a bird feeder
16. Recycle at church, home, and work
17. Install energy saving light bulb
18. Use water saving faucets and techniques
19. Teach your children awe & respect for God's creation
20. Honor the Sabbath
Did you know that there is an evangelical group of Christians that care about environmental issues? Check it out: www.creationcare.org
"If cleanliness is next to Godliness." Then, I believe that recycling should be next to Christianity.
Creation declares the Glory of God
Psalm 19:1-4: "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."
Psalm 96:1, 11-12: "Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth . . . Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy."
Rev. 4:11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
God is the creator
Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth..."
Isa. 40:12, 26: "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? . . . Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name."
The Earth belongs to God
Col. 1:16b: "all things were created by him (Christ) and for him."
I Cor. 10:26: "'The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it.'"
Ps. 24:1: "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."
Deut. 10:14: "To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it."
God's attitude toward His creation
Ps. 65:1, 9-13: "Praise awaits you, O God . . . You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the desert overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing."
Ps. 104:13-15, 21-24: "He (God) waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for humans to cultivate--bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart. The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens. Then man goes out to his work, to his labor until evening. How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures."
I believe that being a good steward of God's creation is a clear principle in scripture. To ignore this command, is to disobey God. Ooh. I know that makes a lot of you readers uncomfortable. We are such a wasteful group of people. We consume so much and create so much trash. Have you ever thought about where your trash is going to end up? How long it takes to break down? The rate at which we produce trash is significantly higher than the rate at which trash breaks down. Consider this:
The New York Times (Nemve E. Metropolitan Diary, October 1, 2001):
Paper- 2.5 months
Orange Peel- 6 months
Milk Carton- 5 years
Cigarette Butt- 10-12 years
Plastic bag- 10-20 years
Disposable diaper- 75 years
Tin can- 100 years
Aluminum can- 200-500 years
Styrofoam- never
I think sticking our heads in the sand is an ignorant approach. I believe that God will provide for my needs. I believe that God created nature in a self-sustaining form. BUT, man has interfered in many dimensions. I can give my daughter 100 dollars but if she doesn't spend it wisely - she will run out of money. We need to use the resources that God has given us wisely. We have been given a wonderful gift. . . nature is beautiful... it reflects God's character in many ways. If you want to live with trash in your backyard someday - it's your choice. But, don't come crying to me.... I warned you. ;-P
This is not a clear articulate argument for caring for creation but I just wanted to get you thinking.
20 ways you can help make our city green: (adapted from Creation Care Magazine Spring 08)
1. Walk or carpool
2. Turn up thermostat 3 degrees in summer, down 3 degrees in winter
3. Plant trees
4. Buy used rather than new - keep stuff out of landfills!
5. Work near home
6. Reuse, Reuse, Reuse
7. Buy locally
8. Support Farmer's Markets
9. Pick up trash
10. Use cloth shopping bags
11. Buy green power
12. Turn off lights and computers when not in use
13. Unplug phone chargers, etc when not in use
14. Use nontoxic cleaning products
15. Hang a bird feeder
16. Recycle at church, home, and work
17. Install energy saving light bulb
18. Use water saving faucets and techniques
19. Teach your children awe & respect for God's creation
20. Honor the Sabbath
Did you know that there is an evangelical group of Christians that care about environmental issues? Check it out: www.creationcare.org
Monday, February 23, 2009
Lent
I have decided to give up blogging, face book, and unnecessary "Googling" for Lent. I believe that my time could be better spent elsewhere. Although I enjoy both activities - how does it really benefit me? I am going to use the time normally spent on the computer - to better myself spiritually, physically, and mentally. :-)
I will return after my 40 day fast from my computer - Monday April 13th.
P.S. For my family - I will continue to check my e-mail.
I will return after my 40 day fast from my computer - Monday April 13th.
P.S. For my family - I will continue to check my e-mail.
What is REALLY going on??
These are jumbled thoughts... overflowing on paper. They are not organized or clearly thought through... Many thoughts taken from John Eldredge Waking the Dead.
Life. It can be like standing in a boxing ring... facing a heavy weight champion... totally unprepared. You try to think positively... and muster up your courage. But... A right hook and WHAM! A young boy is diagnosed with cancer. A left jab... BAM! A single Christian girl is pregnant. A right uppercut sends you reeling into the ropes. A beautiful family with four children. The dirty ugly word... Divorce. A fast furious left-right and you are down screaming for mercy from the pain. Suicide. Babies die. People in pain. You can no longer see straight. Your vision is blurred. You stumble and fall. You scream on the inside, "MAKE IT ALL GO AWAY! Is this all there is? What is going on?" People question God. Begin to doubt. Why do bad things happen to good people? The answer is not an easy one. Certainly isn't a comforting one.
We are at war. We are caught in the middle of two warring entities. God graciously offers mankind hope, life, and freedom. Do we experience this? Or is our life more like, "The alarm goes off, and they hit the snooze button, catch a few extra winks, gulp down a cup of coffee on their way to work, wonder why there are so many hassles, grab some lunch,work some more, come home under a cloud, look at the mail, have dinner, watch a little TV, feed the cat, and fall into bed - without once even wondering how the Enemy might be attacking them. All they know is they sure aren't enjoying the abundant life Christ talked about." Waking the Dead - John Eldredge
We need eyes to see what is really going on. Satan has tried to thwart God's plan for our life from the beginning. Satan doesn't want Christians to live with hope, life, passion, and freedom. He wants us discouraged. Unhappy. Joyless. Passionless. Paralyzed with fear. He hurls his darts at us daily. Where does he start? Our thoughts. He attack us with an onslaught of vicious bullets. "You are ugly. You don't have friends. You are and always will be alone. Look at that face in the mirror. What a pathetic loser. Are you sure you can trust your husband? Was he really working late? You are no good. You aren't a real man. Look at Mr. Jones' job and house. He has it all. What is wrong with you? Go ahead... Drink... it will make it all better. You worked hard all day... you deserve this... go to that website again and take a look... you aren't doing anything wrong. Don't exercise... who cares? Just eat more chocolate... what does it matter?" Daily, the enemy of our soul attacks us. But, are we aware of what is going on?
"The world in which we live is a combat zone, a violent clash of kingdoms, a bitter struggle unto the death." - John Eldredge, Waking the Dead
Besides our thoughts and minds... at times Satan causes great heartache to cross our paths. It hits like a sucker punch. And we are left dazed and confused. The story of Job illustrates clearly what is going on when this happens. God did not cause the hard things to come. Satan did. Testing Job. Trying to persuade him to give up. To deter him from the path of life. Hard difficult times happen because we are at war.
If we aren't careful we will begin to think that God wanted bad things to happen to us. "Worse, we will begin to accept some really awful things about God. That four-year old girl being molested by her daddy - that is "God's will?" That ugly divorce that tore your family apart - God wanted that to happen too? And that plane crash that took the lives of so many - that was desired by God?" - John Eldredge
Daily we must watch for suggestions that he makes. Because if the enemy of our soul can convince us to agree with these suggestions... he has us. A.W. Tozer said, "So, it becomes the devil's business to keep the Christian's spirit imprisoned.... to keep us bound and gagged, actually imprisoned in our own grave clothes. He knows that if we continue in this kind of bondage... we are not much better off than when we were spiritually dead."
We must also live in community. Where we have a small group of friends who walk with us on our journey. A place of openness. Of watching each others' backs in this war that we are fighting.
Are you fighting for and with each other? John Eldredge says, "Most churches survive because everyone keeps a polite distance from the others. We keep our meetings short, our conversation superficial...No one is really being set free, but no one is really at odds with each other, either. We have settled for safety in numbers - a comfortable, anonymous distance."
Hmmmm.......... Maybe we should link arms with fellow believers and have a united front in this war we are fighting. Perhaps... we should stop thinking "each other" are the enemy (because of differences in standards & preferences). Maybe we are too busy checking each other out "externally" and haven't even thought of this war we are fighting. God help us.
Life. It can be like standing in a boxing ring... facing a heavy weight champion... totally unprepared. You try to think positively... and muster up your courage. But... A right hook and WHAM! A young boy is diagnosed with cancer. A left jab... BAM! A single Christian girl is pregnant. A right uppercut sends you reeling into the ropes. A beautiful family with four children. The dirty ugly word... Divorce. A fast furious left-right and you are down screaming for mercy from the pain. Suicide. Babies die. People in pain. You can no longer see straight. Your vision is blurred. You stumble and fall. You scream on the inside, "MAKE IT ALL GO AWAY! Is this all there is? What is going on?" People question God. Begin to doubt. Why do bad things happen to good people? The answer is not an easy one. Certainly isn't a comforting one.
We are at war. We are caught in the middle of two warring entities. God graciously offers mankind hope, life, and freedom. Do we experience this? Or is our life more like, "The alarm goes off, and they hit the snooze button, catch a few extra winks, gulp down a cup of coffee on their way to work, wonder why there are so many hassles, grab some lunch,work some more, come home under a cloud, look at the mail, have dinner, watch a little TV, feed the cat, and fall into bed - without once even wondering how the Enemy might be attacking them. All they know is they sure aren't enjoying the abundant life Christ talked about." Waking the Dead - John Eldredge
We need eyes to see what is really going on. Satan has tried to thwart God's plan for our life from the beginning. Satan doesn't want Christians to live with hope, life, passion, and freedom. He wants us discouraged. Unhappy. Joyless. Passionless. Paralyzed with fear. He hurls his darts at us daily. Where does he start? Our thoughts. He attack us with an onslaught of vicious bullets. "You are ugly. You don't have friends. You are and always will be alone. Look at that face in the mirror. What a pathetic loser. Are you sure you can trust your husband? Was he really working late? You are no good. You aren't a real man. Look at Mr. Jones' job and house. He has it all. What is wrong with you? Go ahead... Drink... it will make it all better. You worked hard all day... you deserve this... go to that website again and take a look... you aren't doing anything wrong. Don't exercise... who cares? Just eat more chocolate... what does it matter?" Daily, the enemy of our soul attacks us. But, are we aware of what is going on?
"The world in which we live is a combat zone, a violent clash of kingdoms, a bitter struggle unto the death." - John Eldredge, Waking the Dead
Besides our thoughts and minds... at times Satan causes great heartache to cross our paths. It hits like a sucker punch. And we are left dazed and confused. The story of Job illustrates clearly what is going on when this happens. God did not cause the hard things to come. Satan did. Testing Job. Trying to persuade him to give up. To deter him from the path of life. Hard difficult times happen because we are at war.
If we aren't careful we will begin to think that God wanted bad things to happen to us. "Worse, we will begin to accept some really awful things about God. That four-year old girl being molested by her daddy - that is "God's will?" That ugly divorce that tore your family apart - God wanted that to happen too? And that plane crash that took the lives of so many - that was desired by God?" - John Eldredge
Daily we must watch for suggestions that he makes. Because if the enemy of our soul can convince us to agree with these suggestions... he has us. A.W. Tozer said, "So, it becomes the devil's business to keep the Christian's spirit imprisoned.... to keep us bound and gagged, actually imprisoned in our own grave clothes. He knows that if we continue in this kind of bondage... we are not much better off than when we were spiritually dead."
We must also live in community. Where we have a small group of friends who walk with us on our journey. A place of openness. Of watching each others' backs in this war that we are fighting.
Are you fighting for and with each other? John Eldredge says, "Most churches survive because everyone keeps a polite distance from the others. We keep our meetings short, our conversation superficial...No one is really being set free, but no one is really at odds with each other, either. We have settled for safety in numbers - a comfortable, anonymous distance."
Hmmmm.......... Maybe we should link arms with fellow believers and have a united front in this war we are fighting. Perhaps... we should stop thinking "each other" are the enemy (because of differences in standards & preferences). Maybe we are too busy checking each other out "externally" and haven't even thought of this war we are fighting. God help us.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
sadness
Dear Baby Straight,
We loved you us from the minute your little life began. You brought us hope and excitement at what the future would hold. We had plans and dreams for you. We all thought of times we would spend with you in the future. Our new niece/nephew, cousin, son/daughter ... you were an answer to prayer. Formed. Fashioned. Created by God. But, you were so special... God chose to take you home. God wanted you to live in the beautiful home of heaven. We will miss never getting to look into your eyes. Hold your little finger. Hear your little cries and coos. We trust God and His plan. He knows what is best. Although our hearts ache and tears fall down our cheeks, we know that God is always good. And we love Him and trust Him. Someday, we will be meet you in heaven.
Love,
Your Family
p.s. Give Grandma & Grandpa Straight a big hug & kiss from us. We miss them so much.
We loved you us from the minute your little life began. You brought us hope and excitement at what the future would hold. We had plans and dreams for you. We all thought of times we would spend with you in the future. Our new niece/nephew, cousin, son/daughter ... you were an answer to prayer. Formed. Fashioned. Created by God. But, you were so special... God chose to take you home. God wanted you to live in the beautiful home of heaven. We will miss never getting to look into your eyes. Hold your little finger. Hear your little cries and coos. We trust God and His plan. He knows what is best. Although our hearts ache and tears fall down our cheeks, we know that God is always good. And we love Him and trust Him. Someday, we will be meet you in heaven.
Love,
Your Family
p.s. Give Grandma & Grandpa Straight a big hug & kiss from us. We miss them so much.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
phew.... I cannot seem to blog these days....
Hey! Just wanted to post a few pictures. Don't have much time to verbally blog. Hope all is going well. LOVING the 60 degree weather.... yeah.... hoodies & flip-flops!!! Here are 9 month pictures of Emily.... and skiing... and random pix.
Well, the big news is the last Saturday night Emily took her first step (at 9 months 4 weeks old). Then, on Sunday she took 3/4 steps. Monday night she took probably 5/6 steps. Pretty exciting stuff.
Take care. Gotta run. ;-)
This is what I found after putting Emily down for a nap... 30 minutes later....
Well, the big news is the last Saturday night Emily took her first step (at 9 months 4 weeks old). Then, on Sunday she took 3/4 steps. Monday night she took probably 5/6 steps. Pretty exciting stuff.
Take care. Gotta run. ;-)
This is what I found after putting Emily down for a nap... 30 minutes later.... 
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Pix
Hello Everyone out there! It has been a crazy week. First, we had the big snow storm. Second, Matt got a piece of rust/metal in his eye so he has been off work since Wednesday. He's okay - the eye doctor pulled it out and buffed his eye. He has been doing two different eye drops. Third, our medical insurance is changing ... so we are losing dental. We made appointments to get the dental work done that we needed ... we have been procrastinating. Anyway - the dentist came in to his office on Wednesday in the bad road conditions - JUST TO DO OUR TEETH - no one else was in there. Very very nice but I thought he was crazy! It is only 1/4 of a mile from our house. Wow - I hope life is back to normal next week.
Here are a bunch of random pictures. Hope you enjoy them.
Here are a bunch of random pictures. Hope you enjoy them.
Despite that fact that I like things neat & organized... sometimes you just gotta let kids be kids. This is Emily after a tactile activity... in other words... playing in her food.
Huh? You talkin' to me?
Emily & Auntie
Jackie & her new little one - Kelsie
Congrats to my best buddy Rachael - with her little man Connr
Emily really wants to walk... She pulls herself up on the "walker" & races to the other side of the room.
9 months old
Emily and her new friend, Conner
Last - this is for Matthew. This is his wood stove that he nearly killed himself with last year. REMEMBER?? We use it to help heat the house. It is really nice... I have to admit. Instead of just heating the air like a furnace - it heats the floors and stuff... very nice. I even throw wood in there sometimes... I feel just like a pioneer woman.
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