Chloe's beautiful hair

When Chloe was over this last weekend, I had her use my $30 bottle of magic serum on her hair, then I blew it dry.  It was so shiny and the color was so pretty--she wanted me to take a picture, only she was already in bed and it was pitch dark.  She didn't want me to get her face in on the picture.  Well, I did on the one picture and when Lena and I looked at it today, we thought it was a picture of Melanie--would you agree?

I just got back from the office where I sampled one of Melanie's jelly beans.  The flavor--vomit! I still feel like I just threw up.  Matt ate one--baby wipes.  He about threw up that one.  Crazy kids.

2nd week of Lent

Sunday:

Father of Light, in You is found no shadow of change

but only the fullness of life and limitless truth.

Monday:

Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. 

Today's lesson is about mercy - 
God's mercy for us first, and our mercy toward others.

Tuesday:

Make us instruments of Your love.

Wednesday

Help us to receive good things from your bounty with a deep sense of gratitude.

Thursday

May the Lord bless us, 

protect us from all evil 

and bring us to everlasting life. 

Amen.

Friday

Open our hearts to your love...

Saturday

In my every thought and action today guide me to the bright and loving light of your kingdom. 

 http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/secondweek.html

1st Week of Lent--Saturday

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, clothe us with compassion, kindness and humility.

1st Week of Lent--Friday

Renew us and prepare us. 


Our lesson today is about reconciliation. 
Our Lord forgives us all our sins - 
nothing can separate us from the love of God for us in Jesus. 
And we are called to forgive others 
with the same compassion, mercy, patience and love given to us.

Our Lenten practices help us to 
experience the renewing love of God, 
and they prepare us for our journey to Easter 
to celebrate the mystery of our death to self 
and rebirth in the new life Jesus won for us.

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/1st-week.html#fri

Melanie's earrings

These are quite the earrings for a one year old--Melanie had fun taking some pictures of Lil in them.

(You really must enlarge this photo to get a glimpse of how perfect this little face really is!)

"Zamma, I didn't have enough licking"

1st week of Lent--Thursday

The Conversion of Saul, Francesco Xanto Avelli, 1525

"Christ our Lord came among us as the light of the world,

that we might walk in his light,

and not in the darkness of death." 

First week of Lent--Wednesday

Lord, 
look upon us and hear our prayer. 
By the good works you inspire 
help us to discipline our bodies 
and be renewed in spirit. 
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, 
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God, for ever and ever.

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/1st-week.html#wed

Tuesday--1st Week of Lent

Agony in the Garden by James Tissot, 1896

Father of my soul,
Mother of my heart, 
I know your love for me is limitless beyond imagining. 
You care for me as a loving parent. 
Through my smallest Lenten sacrifices, 
help me to become less selfish 
and more aware of your ways. 
Fan the flame of my desire 
to draw ever closer to you. 
Guide me to seek your love.

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/1st-week.html#tue

First week of Lent--Monday

Cathedral of the Plains, Victoria, KS

God our Savior, 
bring us back to you 
and fill our minds with your wisdom. 
May we be enriched by our observance of Lent. 
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, 
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God, for ever and ever.

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/1st-week.html#mon

First Week of Lent--Sunday

Lord God, 
you who breathed the spirit of life within me. 
Draw out of me the light and life you created. 
Help me to find my way back to you. 
Help me to use my life to reflect your glory 
and to serve others 
as your son Jesus did.

May the Lord bless us, 
protect us from all evil 
and bring us to everlasting life. 
Amen.

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/firstweek.html

Saturday after Ash Wednesday

(Cathedral of the Plains, Victoria, KS)

Let me be aware of 
the many ways you reach out to help me today 
and let me stand in awe of the power 
that you use in such loving ways.

May the Lord bless us, 
protect us from all evil 
and bring us to everlasting life. 

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Amen. 

Friday after Ash Wednesday

I am weak, but I know with your help, 
I can use these small sacrifices in my life to draw closer to you.

May the Lord bless us, 
protect us from all evil 
and bring us to everlasting life. 
Amen. 

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Heal me, Lord, and help me to find you in the darkness of my life.  
Let me reach out in this darkness and feel your hand and love there to guide me.

May the Lord bless us, 
protect us from all evil 
and bring us to everlasting life. 
Amen.
from:http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/

ASH WEDNESDAY

"The ashes we use are the burnt palms from last year's celebration of Passion Sunday.

We begin our Lenten journey aware of where we are going.

We want to enter into the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus for us more fully.

That is the purpose of our journey.  It is why we mark our heads with His cross.

It is why we fast today...

Our Lenten program is not an effort to save ourselves.

We have been saved by His sacrifice.

Our self-denial helps us, in the darkness that surrounds us,

to prepare ourselves to receive His light.

For this is a journey to the Easter font."

--from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/

My favorites from last night...

Berean Academy Lifetime Achievement Awards

Betty Schrag, Jan Lewis, KT's Dad, Eli Walter, Delilah Wiebe

Senior Nite at Sterling

Jesus' Prayer for Today

That it be on Earth as it is in Heaven

    this day--February 17, 2009

Happy Birthday, Chloe!

Here are some of my favorite pictures of the birthday girl...

How could I forget?

I forgot one of my favorite quotes from the book I just read, The Secret Life of Bees:
"Lily, you are a special flower planted on the earth..."

K.--this is posted for your enjoyment.  Lili loves the dressup suitcase already!

(Sorry about the last few seconds--I don't know how to edit!)

Quotes from The Secret Life of Bees

"There is nothing perfect...there is only life."  (August Boatwright, p. 256)

"The music she played was the kind that sawed through you, cutting into the secret chambers of your heart and setting the sadness free." (Lily Owens, p. 266)

"People, in general, would rather die than forgive.  It's that hard.  If God said in plain language, 'I'm giving you a choice, forgive or die," a lot of people would go ahead and order their coffin."  (Lily Owens, p. 277)

"Drifting off to sleep, I thought about her.  How nobody is perfect.  How you just have to close your eyes and breathe out and let the puzzle of the human heart be what it is."  (Lily Owens, p. 285)

"When you're unsure of yourself...when you start pulling back into doubt and small living, she's the one inside saying, 'Get up from there and live like the glorious girl you are.'  She's the power inside you, you understand?  And whatever it is that keeps widening your heart, that's Mary, too, not only the power inside you but the love.  And when you get down to it, Lily, that's the only purpose grand enough for a human life.  Not just to love--but to PERSIST in love."  

(August Boatwright, p. 289)

What a great book--thanks Melanie-Pearl for bringing it to me!

Noisy Little Girl

new baby sister or brother for these two!

Coming on or around
September 14, 2009!

When Love Beckons

"When love beckons to you follow him
Though his ways are hard and steep
And when his wings enfold you, yield to him
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you 
But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness
and pass out of love's threshing floor,
Into the season-less world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, 
and weep, but not all of your tears."
~ from 'The Prophet' by Kahlil Gibran ~

Sterling 100 Bethel 55

Dress-up (Day #3 Mama is in California)

Day #2 Mama is in California

Little Lil came to Zamma's house today.  Matt forgot her shoes and socks.  I got into an old box of Chloe's clothes and all I could find was a pair of brand new orange booties that Grandma Moses knitted years ago.  Luckily, Lil has little feet and they fit her.  She just had a little trouble walking on the wood floor-she did the splits a couple of times.  Sophie wore an old fleece of Chloe's--she didn't want to take it off.  Can you tell they come from a TV-free family?  I let them watch a short program--they look pretty well glued.

Naptime...

They don't look too sleepy, do they?

Cell phones in the toilet

This photo was taken the other day after Lili threw both of her parents' phones in the toilet. She looks so innocent--I'm sure it was an accident!

"Consider the Lilies"

Flower in the crannied wall, 
I pluck you out of the crannies, 
I hold you here, root and all, in my hand, 
Little flower--but if I could understand 
What you are, root and all, and all in all, 
I should know what God and man is.   (Tennyson)

"Consider the lilies...

How much more...

O you of little faith."   Luke 12:27-28

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SOPHIE!

You are so beautiful!  Zamma loves you--to the moon and back.

You were so little:

Breakthrough Party--January 2, 2009

It was great to see the friends we made through our experience at Breakthrough--what a fun party!

New Year's Cookies

I think I miss my Mom the most on New Year's Day. I suppose it is just knowing that this will be another year without her presence. See that plain one in the middle? Sometimes she would make me some without raisins. Boy, does the house smell like her place today!

Happy New Year!

"This day is new, it comes from God.

It is a gift from Heaven's hand.

Let troubles held from yesterday

Melt in the grace that comes today."   

--Unknown

Dallas Willard Quote

"...Jesus did not send His students out to start governments

or even churches as we know them today...

They were, instead,...

to bring the Presence of the Kingdom and its King

into every corner of human life 

simply by fully living

in the kingdom with Him."

(as seen in the "Breakthrough Calendar")

More Christmas Pics

Lili on the Baby Roller Coaster

Merry Christmas!

"And the angel answered her:
The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; 

therefore the child to be born will be called holy—

the Son of God." 

Anniversary Party

                                                                (Patsy, Jean, & Pam)

Congratulations, Jerry & Jean, on 50 years of marriage!  

We heard some funny stories at the party.  Jerry told us about Jean telling him that she was 15 when he started dating her.  He asked Aunt Helen if he could throw a surprise party for Jean's 16th birthday.  "She told you that she is 15?!  She is 13!"  They got married when Jean was 17.

What a cake--Italian cream cake frosted with shaved white chocolate.  

Chant

This day is new, it comes from God.
It is a gift from heaven’s hand.
Let troubles held from yesterday
Melt in the grace that comes today.

--Renee Miller (explorefaith.org)

Thou art our need; 
and in giving us more of thyself 
thou givest us all.—Kahlil Gibran

Little Lil is 1 today!