ICE

On Tuesday, we decided to head to Orlando and have a day with the family. We went to Gaylord Palms Resort and saw the ICE exhibit (which was a chilly 9 degrees), then walked around the atrium in the hotel. Afterwards, we went to Downtown Disney for dinner at the Rainforest Cafe and to walk around a little. Everything was wonderful except for one small thing. Our youngest daughter has mastered the art of a high pitched scream at a very high decibel level when she is unhappy. Not so fun. I guess we are entering the toddler phase sooner than I thought.

winterfest

Debbie and Melissa, this one's for you. We were jealous of your snow days, so we had our own. We stood in line for 20 minutes in 80 degree weather so the kids could play in a pile of snow for two minutes in their flip flops and t-shirts. It was pretty humorous, especially when climbing down from the pile into the mud-Mackenzie wasn't too happy about that. Gotta love Florida at Christmas time.

happy birthday kylie!

Our little sweet pea celebrated her first birthday yesterday! We had Grandma and Grandpa and the Blunts over for pizza and cake. I don't have any good pictures of her eating her cake because she wouldn't have anything to do with it. I've never known any child to turn down sugar. But she sure loved her stroller from G & G.

cookies

I can't believe we found time to do this, but we did! We're planning to give the cookies to our neighbors tomorrow and invite them to Christmas Eve service. And tonight is the big party for a certain little one-year old!

just trying out my new toy

Donathan gave me an early Christmas present: a new camera! So I thought I'd treat you to some more pictures of our little peanut, who happens to be only two weeks away from her first birthday!

Her first taste of spaghetti-I think she likes it

Oh so close to walking

way behind

Well, I've been meaning to post Thanksgiving pics for a week, but it hasn't happened yet. I can't even manage to keep on top of the laundry and cleaning around here. Our family has been passing around some virus for a couple of weeks now. I got to be the lucky one to get it again. Just praying that Kylie won't get it again! Ah, 'tis the season...

how firm a foundation

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said—
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

I was struck by the words of the old hymn as I was looking through the hymn book the other day. I had just received a catalog from the bookstore I ordered our homeschool materials from and noticed there are literally hundreds, even thousands, of "Christian" books on the market. Now, I'm an avid reader and have shelves full of books, but I certainly don't find life's answers in them. Certainly God has gifted authors to illustrate the truths found in His word, but not to rewrite them. This has been so heavy on my heart that I had to write something. In the midst of the world's upheaval, everyone is concerned about the economy, etc., but my great concern is for the church. So many authors and pastors embracing postmodernism and trying to be "relevant" and in the process, denying truth; claiming to follow Jesus, while not cherishing His Word. Jesus is the Word become flesh. We cannot be followers of Christ and not cling to His Word. No doubt this labels me as "narrow minded" or "in the box." This "labeling" used to bother me, but what does it matter? I suppose I am in a box-it's the box that God designed for us to live in. Will we ever understand God or His ways fully? No, but I trust that He will reveal to me all I need to know in the pages of His Word. Let us be like the Bereans and test everything by searching the Scriptures.

If we are His followers, we will not fit in with this world or feel comfortable in it. The words of the song "Heavenlies" have been in my mind a lot lately: "I'm living for the heavenlies...when all of You is all I see." It is my prayer that we not lose sight of the eternal. May we live with the purpose of pleasing Jesus. We are coming into troublesome times, so let's point others to the true Jesus who offers us refuge!

Here are the rest of the words to that great hymn:

“Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand.

“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee thy trouble to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not harm thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

“The soul that on Jesus doth lean for repose,
I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”