Ephesians 6:1-7 in Pictures

Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right.
Honor thy father and mother; which is the first
commandment with promise.

That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live
long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath; but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Servants, be obedient to them...

...that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eye service, as menpleasers; as the servants...

...of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men;

Passionate About Puppets

This is "Sparky" that I made for an Awana group.

This is Sparky's cousin, "Sparks."

This little girl is "Melody." She taught her grandpa what Christmas was all about, among other stories.

These are 3 of my 5 frogs hopping on their lily pads.They were made from frog puppets that had only heads and croaker noise makers in their mouths. I took out the croakers, made the mouths bigger, and added bodies. I wanted to have a tongue shoot out of their mouths to get bugs, but I couldn't figure out how to do it.

These guys are my first black light people puppets.












This chubby guy was one of my favorites, but I sold him to someone.

This puppet, being one of the oldest, has been many characters;

one time he was "Christian" in Pilgrim's Progress.

Why go to Church?

I've heard it a lot: "No, our family does home church." "Sorry, Sunday is my day to sleep in." "I work on Sundays, too bad." Whatever the reason, I've gotten to know some people who don't go to church consistently. (That is the key word. These people may go to church two or three times a year, but that's all.)

It's been a different experience, growing up with families who are consistent Church-goers. Whenever I think of this, I always come to the why. Why are these people not choosing to fellowship with God's people? Now, don't mistake me, these people may be Christians and I believe they probably are (however, that's not for me to say). The more important question is why some would think it right to deprive themselves of such a good gift from God. They all have various reasons: Church is hypocritical, can't find one that I like, I had a bad experience, my relationship with Christ is more important.

The sad thing is, this all starts with the Church. Is she accurately representing who Christ is? That's her job, after all. So, in some ways, it is her fault for not acting like the bride of Christ. But, I would also add, that those who are not attending Church, are not off the hook. Why would you want to "date the church" instead of making a commitment to her (as Josh Harris would say in his book: Stop Dating the Church: Falling in love with the family of God.) and sticking with her in the hard times and the good times.

Going to Church is not only important for your spiritual growth, but also for the edification of others at your Church. You will bring something new, challenging, and encouraging to your fellow believers. That is what the Church is all about! More importantly, why would you not want to spend time with your God? You say you're a christian? Good!

"But someone will say, 'You have faith, and I have works.' Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." - James 2:18

Going to church is not about you and what you want, its about following and trusting God in all things.

Happy Birthday Mommy!

You are the best Mommy ever! :) I hope you have a fun day and that you have the best birthday! Love ya!

Happy Birthday, Molly darling!

It's hard to believe my daughter is no longer a teenager! She is a beautiful young woman inside and out and a blessing to our family! I'm thankful to the Lord for giving her to us 20 years ago. Molly, may you continue to serve our Lord and Savior with all the time that you are given to live on this earth. Keep smiling too!

Cleaning out the bedroom...remembering...

There's a feeling of accomplishment when you can actually get your bedroom organized. Having 2 new bookcases (his & hers- guess which is bigger?!), I've been able to clear off the night stands and move books from our office/school room to the shelves. It's great to have a place to put things (books and more books)!

When cleaning out I stumbled across a box of old photos. Here's one of my favorites. It's my dad in his younger years. I remember when I was little he would play a small accordion that we had. I would watch in amazement how he could pull it out and push it in, all the while coordinating the fingers on either side! My dad was quite talented! I don't know whatever happen to that accordion, but years later Dad bought himself an organ and once again amazed me, this time with his feet moving and coordinated fingers playing on different levels. It was a strenuous workout for that middle-aged man, as he filled the home with strands of "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree" bringing joy to his family!

Will You Have This Dance, Anyone?!

Alright, all you Austen lovers, here's a new quote from Emma, Chapter 29:

It may be possible to do without dancing entirely. Instances have been known of young people passing many, many months successively without being at any ball of any description, and no material injury accrue either to body or mind; but when a beginning is made-- when the felicities of rapid motion have once been, thought lightly, felt-- it must be a very heavy set that does not ask for more.

Dancing is for old people too; it keeps them young! When we had our Resurrection Ball at a retirement home, it was a joy to see the residents sitting around the dance hall where families were taking part in the dance. I spoke with several elderly asking if they would like to dance, and they said no because they were participating while watching. Many reminisced about their younger days doing the swing or foxtrot. They seemed surprised that even the 6 yr olds (or younger) were getting into it. It gave them a few hours of reliving a happy time.

I enjoy watching couples that know how to dance well. They move together with fluid movements and unity, which amazes me. Knowing what the other is doing, they move simultaneously as one. The beat of the music drives them on. I have to be careful not to stare with my mouth open in awe! The Jane Austen books bring us back to that recreation and entertainment enjoyed for centuries; surely not only young people like a dance, but all ages enjoy the felicities of rapid motion!

I'm looking forward to the next ball and trying again some basic steps, hoping not to step on my husband's feet!