Psalm 84

Psalm 84

1 ¶ To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.
How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!
2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD:
my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.
4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.
5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.
6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.
7 They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.
8 ¶ O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.
9 Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.
10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand.
I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield:
the LORD will give grace and glory:
no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

Oh, Lord, when I think about heaven, knowing that right now I am IN CHRIST, and heaven is my dwelling place, I long to know you more. I want to live with You this day, moment by moment. My heart and my flesh cry out for the Living God!

Those who have gone on before me are truly blessed - they are dwelling in the house of the Lord. 4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. But I, too, am journeying towards my real home, and my strength is in You. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee. I am truly blessed.

The Valleys are designed by You, and I have experienced the joy in fellowship with those who know You like I do. No matter how dreary the valley, we who know You have Your strength, and there is joy in the journey.

Jesus is my Shield. I can appear before God, and the door to His House is open to me because of the Anointed One. Praise HIM.

I truly would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than dwell in a mansion anywhere else.

Father, you are the Light that shines, no matter how dark it is. You are the Protector of Your children. You are completely trustworthy. In Your time, you will bestow favour and honour to Your children.

We are truly blessed, because we trust in You.

Lord, help Nicol, help all those who have lost their children, to think about verse four: those little ones are dwelling in Your house, ever praising you! Help these hurting moms and dads to make their Valleys into a place of springs. Be their Sun and their Shield, and let them dwell with the birds in a place near your altar. Draw them close, Lord, and help them to go from strength to strength.

In Christ, I pray.

Amen

Fatty the 'Fraidy-Cat

I am sitting at my desk, and my huge dog, Fatty is keeping me company. He is under my desk with his body wrapped around my feet. He's not there because he likes my company. He's not one of those "loyal companion" type of dogs who always wants to be in the same space as its master. No, Fatty is plastered against my legs because he is downright terrified.

There's a storm a-brewing. This is nothing new. We've had plenty of thunderstorms in the past couple of months, and lately it's been an almost daily occurrence.

You'd think Fatty would be used to them by now. But, oh, no...each rumble and flash brings with it the certainty of sudden death, according to Fatty.

He's always been afraid of thunderstorms, ever since he was a pup and was born outside during a raging storm. His brother, Abraham, is only 6 months' difference in age, and doesn't give a hoot about a thunderstorm. So, it must have been his traumatic birth that did it.

Now, if Fatty were a reasoning sort of creature, I would have to tell him that he ought to consider the evidence. Yes, he's been scared of thunderstorms for a long time, but have they ever actually HURT him? ("Well, no...not really...I guess not," he'd have to reply.)

I'd continue, "So, all the rumblings and vibrations and the loud noise and flash in the sky haven't HURT? Tell me why you are terrified, then."

Fatty would look at me with a dumb look on his face, and shrug. He'd have nothing to say, because we both know he has nothing to fear.

People are a lot like Fatty. Whether they're young or old, male or female, strong or weak, they all have irrational fears. Critter (nearly 9) didn't want to go up to bed this evening, because his sisters are away, and he didn't want to be alone. He asked me if Dan and Pat were coming to bed soon. I reminded him that Jared (25 year old brother, about 6 and a half feet tall) was upstairs already. I could tell by the look on his face that Jared's presence wasn't good enough. He was still scared. He wanted his brothers, in the same room, and nothing else would do.

One of my daughters told me about her irrational fear, experienced just this morning. Her baby slept in longer than usual, and she had a momentary panicky feeling as she went to the baby's room to check on her. We all experience those kinds of "what ifs" from time to time.

I, too, have some irrational fears. Even though I know that God is the Provider, the Creator and Sustainer of all life, I still wonder sometimes if He is going to take care of me. Will Rick get the work he desires? Will we be able to pay our bills and put groceries on the table?

The truth is that I am a lot like Fatty. I KNOW that God has always provided for me and for my family. We have never missed a meal. We've always had a roof over our heads. He has never, ever left us, nor has He forsaken us. He always keeps His promises. So why do I allow myself to fear?

I gave Critter a hug as I sent him to bed this evening. I told him that the Bible has a good verse for times when we're afraid. "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee!"

Psalm 56:3 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.
4 In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear.

I wish I could explain that to Fatty.

Stubborn Old Lady

Ya gotta love her! The little old lady who lived in this home and drove the small blue car, died on Sunday of pancreatic cancer. It's intriguing to read her obituary. "Money isn't everything," she had insisted when the developers offered her a million dollars to move. She absolutely refused.

When they started banging and clanging in the process of erecting the huge buildings around her, she simply turned up her opera and figured they'd be done some day. She kept on living in her home, feeding her birds, and coming and going as she pleased.

Good for her, I say.

Lady Linda

Our beautiful daughter is now 20 years old! We went to the Medieval Times show in Toronto, thanks to a good friend who bought her the tickets.

Steve and Heather, the Green Knight, Linda and me.

Linda with the King and the Princess.

Linda looking at the Knight in Shining Armour.
I wonder what she's thinking...

Linda is interested in all things Celtic, and that includes much about Medieval History. She was thrilled with the horses, the "fighting", the jousting, and the competition to win the fair lady's heart. However, her greatest thrill of the night was watching the Falconer do a demonstration. Afterwards, she was able to approach him and ask him to sign her crown.

Here, I know what she's thinking... "I wish I could hold it!"

Maybe, some day, Linda will get to train a falcon. For now, she must be content to be a daughter, a sister, a friend, and most of all, a follower of God. That she does very well.

We love you, Linda! I am so glad that your birthday was special.

Chickens and Anniversaries

We picked up 130 chicks today; 30 went to my eldest daughter. We've got them inside the front porch, in a bathtub (rounded corners) with a heat lamp, feed, and water. They are chirping happily, napping lots, eating and pooping. In a couple of months, we'll butcher them and put them into our freezer. In that regard, I want to keep the following website handy.

How to Butcher a Chicken: Go here for step-by-step instructions.

Today was Heather and Steve's 9th anniversary. God has blessed them with four beautiful children, and a lovely home in a tiny town close to us. We are grateful for their marriage, and it was a blessing to have them as our guests for supper this evening.

Nine years has flown by! Before we know it, they'll be married 18, then 27 years...it's going to be quick!

Ask me how I know.

Soccer

Christopher is in his second year of soccer. Not a practice or a game goes by that he doesn't announce, "I'm SO happy that I'm in soccer!" He loves the game, the running, the competition, the rules, the coaches, and his team players. He rejoices when he sees someone do a good job, and takes defeats without a ruffle in his feathers. He's in it for the fun of it, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't care about winning.

Tonight they won, 16 - 0. One of the moms on the other team told me they were calling our kids the "Steroid Kids". Bah, humbug. They just did well.

Steve, my son-in-law, is in his umpteenth year of soccer. It doesn't matter that he's about 10 years older than the rest of the guys on his team. He plays, rain or shine, year round (indoor soccer in the winter). When he was planning his wedding to my daughter, he had to check the soccer schedule to fit in the wedding and the honeymoon. After all, he couldn't miss a game!

Steve plays hard. He plays to win. He sacrifices his own glory for the good of the team. I watched him tonight, and could tell that he knew where every man was, and he anticipated what they were about to do. He "headed" the ball at least 7 times - hard enough that I teased him about being able to do his paperwork and studying tomorrow.

At one point he was all the way down the field, open to get a goal if someone just passed him the ball. Then the play went the other way, and he high-tailed it all the way back, arriving in time to make an amazing move to stop a man from scoring against his team. We cheered! It was terrific!

I can learn something from both Christopher and Steve. Critter teaches me to relax, to have fun, to try my best, but not to take everything too seriously. He is the epitome of enthusiasm.

Steve, on the other hand, teaches me to ignore the pain, to press on, to work together with others on my team, to sacrifice, and to always, always do my best.

Hebrews 12:1 ¶ Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Take a look at these links

The Truth about Global warming: Jeff's Blog. A bit of a rant concerning Al Gore's deception of the American (and unfortunately, Canadian) people.

Counter-cultural homeschooling blog: Worth taking a look at. While you're there, pray for Knox, the 8 year old son of the author. He has a serious abscess and has been hospitalized.

A clearing house of feminine articles: Prairie Muffin.

Yahoo groups on raising poultry: Yard Poultry and Pasture Poultry

It's raining (again) and I am reminded of the blog that has most touched my heart this past month. I was able to tell a gas station attendant today that there is a spiritual lesson in all this rain. "It takes a lot of rain to make the grass green," I quoted. "And, God sends a lot of 'rain' into our lives to mold us into the image of His dear Son." Gas station man agreed, and that blessed me. I can't remember a rainier late spring than what we are experiencing this year. It may be global warming (snicker), but instead of being petulant about all this rain, I find myself contemplating our Beautiful God and His mysterious ways. There's been a lot of spiritual rain, too...but I know that God is working to produce the greenest grass possible. It's all good.

Monday - Busy Day!

I had every intention of starting my day with reading the Bible and communing with God. I am reading a book by D. A. Carson which discusses the importance of prayer, so I headed out to my computer desk to get myself a notebook in which I could keep notes about the book. The next thing I knew, I was checking email and signing up on Yahoo groups for raising poultry and keeping dogs healthy.

I got my tea drawer cleaned out. I read the Bible with the children (Matthew 10) and prayed with them. Rick phoned, asking me to make some phone calls and compile a list of stores for him. That took a couple of hours. I folded laundry, managed the children and encouraged them to finish their jobs, and before long it was time to take Critter to his soccer game.

I dropped in at Heather's to borrow some chairs to use while watching the soccer match, and found her discouraged with the tasks at hand. She had done a deep cleaning of her kitchen cupboards, but had SO much to do before bedtime. So, I helped her with her dishes, then headed over in time to catch the second half of the game. Critter's team lost, 4-2, but he told me again how happy he was that I had signed him up for soccer. "I had so much fun," he announced.

After taking the chairs back (actually Elena carried them back across the road to Heather's while I stood and watched an older team play) I popped in at Heather's again, and Steve showed me his course material on Critical Thinking and Sociology. I showed him how to add a shortcut onto his desktop, and we figured out a logic problem together.

We got home around 9. I sat with Rick for a bit, and visited with the older kids, then came back out to my computer to check my email. Watched a video of an ex-polygamist.

Now I am heading to bed. It wasn't a bad day, but all day I felt something was missing.

Tomorrow I will start with the Word of God, and prayer.

Idleness

I think all video games are like the one, above. They may be a bit more exciting, but they accomplish just as much.

Against idleness and mischief

by Isaac Watts


How doth the little busy bee

Improve each shining hour,

And gather honey all the day

From every opening flower!


How skillfully she builds her cell!

How neat she spreads the wax!

And labours hard to store it well

With the sweet food she makes.

In works of labour or of skill

I would be busy too:

For Satan finds some mischief still

For idle hands to do.

In books, or work, or healthful play

Let my first years be past,

That I may give for every day

Some good account at last.

We've had an incredibly busy week, but when I sat down this evening at the computer, I couldn't recall what took up most of our time. We did some gardening work, some housework, some yard work. We went to a piano recital and a soccer game. We shopped for groceries and watched a bit of television in the evenings.

The week just flew by, and I really don't know how the days disappeared so quickly.

Part of the reason is that we've been helping a friend who is selling most of her worldly goods in order to relocate. That certainly cut into our routine. But when I try to remember what tasks occupied my mind this week, it's all a blur.

I prefer weeks that start with a checklist of things that need to be accomplished. I love to check off the tasks, one by one. However, this week didn't seem to run that way. It was made up of a million little interruptions.

Lord, I give it all to You. I thank You that most of this week was spent serving my family or friends. I thank you that even when my life is a blur and I feel harried, You are calm. You have it all under control.

Thank You for ordering my steps. May my day tomorrow with friends and family be a blessing, both to me and to them. And may you be glorified in all that we say and do. In Jesus' name, amen.

Poetry and Ponderings

Poetry of James Montgomery. (1771 - 1854)

The first selection tells us, as the Bible does, to live in the moment. We are instructed to redeem the time, and to not waste our time worrying about tomorrow. "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

Tomorrow, oh, 'twill never be.
If we should live a thousand years!
Our time is all to-day, to-day,
The same, though changed; and while it flies
With still small voice the moments say:
"To-day, to-day, be wise, be wise."
~James Montgomery

At the end of life's journey, all that will matter will be hearing those words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord!"

Servant of God! well done;
Rest from thy loved employ;
The battle fought, the victory won,
Enter thy Master's joy.
~ The Christian Soldier, by James Montgomery

Beyond this vale of tears
There is a life above,
Unmeasured by the flight of years;
And all that life is love.

Heaven will be glorious. No eye hath seen, nor ear heard, the things God has prepared for those who love Him.

Here in the body pent,
Absent from Him I roam
Yet nightly pitch my moving tent
A day's march nearer home.

Meanwhile, we journey on, knowing that this world is not our home, but that we are just passing through. On the way, we fellowship with one another, but best of all, with our God and Saviour, through the reading of the Word, and prayer.

Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
Uttered or unexpressed;
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles int he breast.

Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear;
The upward glancing of an eye,
When none but God is near.

He promised never to leave His children, nor forsake us. He is a breath away. Even if family members or friends let us down, God is near. The Lord is at hand!

I take great comfort in knowing that my God is near. I can read poetry written more than 100 years before I was born, and I know that the poet experienced a similar walk with God. There is joy in resting in the fact that others have trod this path before me, and have reached the end of their journey successfully. Some day, I will join them in the Celestial City, where there will be no more tears. Until then, I soldier on, living one day at a time, trusting my God to order my steps as He sees fit.

They shall see His glory...

On the way home from the Recital last night, this is what the sky looked like.


Mark 13:26
"Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27 "And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.

It does not take a lot of imagination to picture Jesus coming in those kinds of clouds.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

When I can read my title clear
To mansions in the skies,
Ill bid farewell to every fear,
And wipe my weeping eyes.

To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
Be honour, praise, and glory given
By all in earth, and all in heaven.
- Isaac Watts

Musicians

Mrs. Lear's piano students at the 2008 Recital in Londesboro, Ontario:


The girls attended and performed in their recital this evening. Even though they were extremely nervous, they did very well, and made their Mommy proud!

We got to the church early, so they had a quick practice, then played when their turn came. They each did a solo, a duet, and a trio.



I love to hear the kids practice their songs each week. I love to watch them burst through the door with the latest news from Mr. and Mrs. Lear. It's a joy to see how they've learned so much in these past two years, and I look forward to many more years of hearing those ivories tinkle!

Win a Reformation Blank Study Bible!

Matt Blair is giving away a Bible that he constructed from a Reformation Study Bible. It has alternate blank pages. All you have to do is write a short essay telling WHY you think you should win.

Oh, and then you must be chosen.

Go here.

He also has directions to make your own Blank Study Bible, in case you don't win.

Spring Rain

We've been getting a lot of rain lately.

Yesterday, we were on our way home and we could see a black bank of clouds, ominous, hanging in the west ahead of us. It didn't help that Heather had phoned to warn us of tornadoes that had touched down in Lucan. She had seen spiraling clouds right above her house, too. So, I scanned the sky as Daniel drove into the rain, which pelted the van for three or four minutes.

On the other side, it was light! What looked like miles of black storm turned out to be just a temporary inconvenience.

When we got home, we could see that there had been plenty of rain. We aren't complaining, even though every single Monday night since Critter started soccer has been rainy. We know that the plants won't grow without the rain.

The grass is particularly green this year. And, like Angie said, "It takes a lot of rain to make grass this green."

We've been getting a lot of storms lately. The kind that come with rain descending, winds beating against the house, and floods rising. Let's see: The engine blew. The well had to be replaced. Rick had an abcess. I had a few migraines. The job is ending. The bills are not. Yep, rain, wind and floods have been beating against our house.

Matthew 7:24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."

Thank God, our house is built on the Rock.

So, we persevere, knowing that God is doing His work in our lives, and trusting that no matter what, He will work all things together for good, because we are people who love Him. We love Him, because He first loved us.

We've been getting a lot of reminders lately.

The rain and the storms don't bother Him. It's not that He's apathetic. He is so very much in control. God reminded me of that fact when I was watching "Prince Caspian" yesterday. There is a scene that shows Lucy meeting with Aslan, and the mood is joyous, bright, and peaceful. Meanwhile, the battle is raging a short distance away. Aslan doesn't move, yet you know that he is in complete control of the situation, and nothing is escaping his sight. He will act when the time is right.

Aslan is a picture of Jesus. When Lazarus died, Mary ran to Jesus and told Him that if He'd been there, her brother would not have died. Jesus knew Lazarus was dying, but took His time. He had a greater plan. There was no need to hurry. He would act when the time was right.

When the storms blow, we do well to remind ourselves that Jesus will act when the time is right.

Matthew 8:23 ¶ Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.
24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep.
25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"
26 But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

We were reminded in our Bible reading that Jesus will rebuke the winds and the sea, when the time is right.

27 So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" This is Jesus! The Lord of Glory. The Watcher of men. The Saviour of our Souls. The Shepherd Whom we follow. The Master Whom we obey, along with the wind and the sea.

People have asked me, "How can you praise God with all you've gone through?" And I say, "How can I not?" He's my only shelter from the storm.



Bring the Rain by Mercy Me

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I've gone through.
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You?

Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind,
To turn my back on you, oh Lord-
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through this time...

So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace,
Bring the chance to be free,
Bring me anything that brings You glory;
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain-
But if that's what it takes to praise You,
Jesus, bring the rain!

I am Yours regardless of
the clouds that may loom above
because You are much greater than my pain.
You who made a way for me
suffering Your destiny.
So tell me what's a little rain?

[1st Chorus]

Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty
is the Lord God Almighty
I'm forever singing

[2nd Chorus 2x]

everybody singing
Holy holy holy
you are holy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8HgAVenbUU

Ava Grace is one today!

Ava is a little imp. She looks incredibly like her mommy did when she was Ava's age. Her eyes are always twinkling, whether she's sitting in the stroller while we plant the garden, learning to crawl with some help from her dad, or waiting happily in Mommy's arms for the next adventure.

We love you, Ava! Happy birthday, Babycakes.

Either you do or you don't.

I spent a good part of this morning reading this blog. It's about a mother who discovered that her precious unborn daughter was not going to live for long after birth. It's about her struggles and tears, joy and fears. It's about faith. And about grace.

Spend some time there. I know you'll be blessed.

Angie (for that is her name) has gone through this difficult journey trusting in the Lord on the path. She is a great communicator, and has shared her days with great vulnerability.

Sometimes, when we are called to suffer, and make it through great trials, we tend to think that we should have an easy path for a time. That's foolish thinking, of course, because God doesn't owe us anything. Not a child; not a house; not a favourable report from the doctor... not even our next breath. He does know what is best for us, and what will bring Himself the most glory - and in that, we will rejoice, for all eternity.

Troubles come in waves, one after the other. The wind and the rains, the floods and the waves beat upon our house. And those that are built on the Rock, stand.

Angie suffered the loss of her baby girl, then just a few weeks later, her wee nephew died of SIDS.

Read part of her post:

At the end of the day it comes down to this, and for years, when I have been faced with any difficult situations, minor or major, I have told Todd that I have heard God said to me:

Either you do or you don't.

I can't tell you how many times He has made it that simple. Either you believe in Me, or you don't. There is no grey.

And so today, locked in the embrace of my sweet sister-in-law, standing in front of her son's casket, I had to answer...I do.

Nicol and I still bear wounds from our surgeries, and we have no babies to make the pain feel worth it....Lord, I do.

Nicol sang at Audrey's funeral while holding Luke...that image has brought tears to my eyes, none of us knowing what was ahead.....I do.

I stared at his sweet face, and I kept wondering in my head, "What is she doing up there Luke? Tell me what she is like...who she is....what she loves..." I do.

There are no words to express what my eyes have seen today, I feel that even attempting it would be a disservice. It was holiness I have rarely experienced, and I am grateful, so grateful to my Lord, Who loves us enough to make Himself known.

I know that for some of you, it may seem that "luck" is not on our side as a family, that we are victims of chance. I want you to hear me say this loud and clear.

God Himself chose this to happen. Trust me, that is not the easiest sentence I have ever written, because I am human, and I am a grieving mother. I know that none of this is a surprise to Him. That doesn't mean we don't feel every bit of the loss, or that we just go about our lives because it's all okay now. It just means that we are steady in the belief that God knows what we don't, and none of this changes Who He is. None of it.

God Himself Chose This To Happen. Do you believe this?

Either you do or you don't.

When the bills are piling up, and there's no job in sight, I do.

When my health is threatened, and my joints ache, and my neck doesn't seem to be getting better, I do.

God has ordered our steps and ordained what will come to pass. This I believe. This I know.

Immanuel

Tim Challies, meditating on the word "Immanuel", God with us.

"To so many others, . . . Jesus appeared just as a man, walking the dusty roads of Israel. No angels foretold His coming; no trumpets blew as He approached. Even today, Jesus is present with us through the Word of God. He is quietly but powerfully present there, though just as when most people looked at Jesus and saw only man and not God, today most people look at the Bible and see words but not Word.

But this will not always be. God gives us today, He gives us now, to understand who Jesus is and to humble ourselves before Him. He tells us that today is the day we need to put our faith in this God who came as man. When Jesus returns to earth, He will not come incognito. He will come with all of the power and the glory and the honor that are rightly His. When He returns to earth, there will be no mistaking who He is. When He comes again, every knee will bow before Him and every tongue will confess that He is Lord. And God will be glorified in every one of us.

There will be no mistaking who He is."

Twin Pics

Poppa and Heidi.


Matthew and Granny.

Heidi, just watching.

Matthew is exuberant! Heidi is more contemplative. You can see their personalities in this photo.

Sunday Stroll

The twins in the stroller. Big Matt in front, tiny Heidi in the rear. That`s because Matthew would bop Heidi just for fun, if she were ahead of him. Heidi was patient about being a bit squished in the back!




The beautiful day beckoned us outside yesterday. We have a creek that runs under a bridge only half a mile from our house, and it's a perfect place to explore. The kids often see deer tracks, or raccoon tracks. Minnows flit through the shallow water, which only a month ago was a raging torrent. Granny and Mommy stayed on the bridge, but the adventurers went below.



"Me, too, Linda!" Three year old Stewie insisted on going in the long grass down by the creek. Linda patiently went with him, even though she knew she`d end up having to carry him out!



There`s nothing like a Sunday stroll with family and friends on a beautiful spring day. When combined with a bit of adventure, it`s the stuff memories are made of.

My life is like a stroll upon the beach,
As near the ocean`s edge as I can go.
- Henry David Thoreau

Sigh...

I was going to write about our Sunday Stroll, but I can't do it justice, because I gave my camera (full of great pictures) to my son, so he could put it on my computer desk. All of the household is quietly sleeping, except me. I spent a good half-hour looking for the camera and becoming increasingly frustrated.

I now quit. I am going to bed, to sleep, perchance to dream.

The soul of man is like the rolling world,
One half in day, the other dipt in night;
The one has music and the flying cloud,
The other, silence and the wakeful stars.

~Alexander Smith