clean today, disaster tomorrow

there is
carpet in
em's room.
who knew??












clean today,
destroyed in
60 seconds
or less

(it's still better
than it was)








the culprits
hiding
after causing
the above
disaster

"The road to the promised land runs past Sinai."

--The Problem of Pain cslewis

happy hearts and hands

our little hands wanted to wish all of our loved ones a happy valentines day!
we love you!

snow day blessings

a neighbor's
father came
over with his
snow blower
both yesterday
and today.










em with her
friend and our
snow turtle.
the snow isn't
the good packing
variety, so i had
to get creative.

snow day

last week the girls played outside with their girlfriends.
yesterday, mad wanted to stay inside while i shoveled. em enjoyed romping in the deep snow. she had difficultly walking through the high drifts. we'll be out again later.

our house

Some houses try to hide the fact that children shelter there,
Ours boasts of it quite openly, the signs are everywhere,
For smears are on the windows, little smudges on the door,
I should apologize I guess for toys shrewn on the floor,
But I sat down with the children and we played and laughed and read,
and if the windows do not shine, their eyes shine bright instead.

superbowl highlight

both coach dungy (colts) and coach smith (bears) love the Lord
they share their testomonies at beyond the ultimate

how great is our God!
sing with me
how great is our God!
and all (the world) will see
how great is our God!

name above all names
worthy of our praise
and all will see
how great is our God!

blessed be your name

Blessed Be Your Name

Blessed be Your name in the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow, blessed be Your name.
Blessed be Your name when I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name when the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be, blessed be Your name.
Blessed be Your name on the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord, still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be Your name!
Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be Your glorious name!

You give and take away, You give and take away
My heart will choose to say, Lord blessed be Your name!

matt redman

quote of the day

"time-outs kill the glee" - junie b. jones

i think this is from junie b jones is not a crook, but it could be from another junie b. em likes to read several at a time. it seems she's inherited some of my bad habits.

winter arrives and other updates

if you are currently in orlando - bah humbug to you!
























































































update:
em's head is healing

update:
tall red headed nephew passed his speech platforms - woo hoo

request

please pray for my mom. she is currently in the hospital in severe pain. the doctors are not sure what is causing it. thanks.

in an unexpected turn of events captain patch joins captain hook in a kidnapping plot

today the girls watched return to neverland (peter pan sequel). during one scene shadows can be seen dropping down into wendy's house.
so i ask em, "are those good guys or bad guys?"
she answered, "bad guys."
"how do you know?"
"they have swords."
"who do you think it is?"
"captain patch!"
the infamous captain patch, you got to watch out for him!

life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

what happened to the men who signed the constitution:

What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners, men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the revolutionary army, another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the revolutionary war.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers or both, looted the properties of Ellery,Clymer, Hall, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr., noted that theBritish General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. The owner quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart. Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.

Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution.These were not wild eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged: "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

interestingly enough, these men sacraficed their lives, liberties and happiness in order to endow them to us.