This is Mom and Dad, getting ready to leave for Mom's 25th class reunion.


Daniel came downstairs to sleep in the guest room, since it was hot upstairs. Then he fell asleep while reading his book and his mom and sister snuck in to take a picture of him. :P


These pictures are of Dad's new invention, 'fish-immin'. It happened like this: Dad told the kids they were going fishing. They get to the lake, and Dad wades out in the water with his fishing pole. All of the kids happily follow suit. And eventually half of us were actually fishin' and the other half were just swimmin'. So we've gone fish-immin' a couple of times in the last week or so ... though I don't have any pix of the swimmin' part. :)

This is Emily's hair done in a five-strand braid ... Emily and Lydia love to have their hair braided.

Lydia playing hide-and-seek ... she's hiding from Robbie ... who, of course, pretended to be completely mystified as to her whereabouts. :)

Friday, July 16, 2010

Independence Day & MOMS birthday

4th of July weekend.

On the 4th of July, we walked in the parade at 1:30, Sunday afternoon, in the 90 degree weather handing out flags and candy. (FUN) So instead of doing fireworks Saturday night, before church at 10 and parade at 1:30, we did fireworks friday night over Coldwater lake. On Saturday we went to the air show in Battle Creek.
For Mom's birthday, (July 5th) we just stayed home and did nothing and had fun!

-Daniel

Megan and Matthew

Matthew turned 9 on May 23 ...




And Megan turned 19 on June 12 ...




Birthday cakes:

Father's Day

"What's your favorite thing about Dad?"
Lydia: "That he takes us to see deehr and wabbits."

Ben: "When he takes me on dates."

Joey, Matthew, and Daniel: "He takes us hunting."

Robbie: "He spends a lot of time with us."

Megan: "When he does Bible studies and preaches."

Mom: "All of the above!!!" (With three exclamation points, of course. :)

Picture from last night and today:

Piano Recital

Some of you may have already seen these videos or were at the recital, but I figured I'd put 'em on here anyways. :) This was my fourth student piano recital, and there were 20 of us who played. :)

Joey played 'Malaguena' and 'Camptown Races', by Stephen Foster.

Matthew played 'Jesus Loves Me', arranged by Faye Lopez, and 'Loch Lomond'.

Emily played 'Trumpet Tune', by Henry Purcell, and 'Puck', by Edvard Grieg. Mom said she's really glad that recital's over so she doesn't have to hear Puck banged out constantly! ;-)

Daniel played 'Flight of the Bumblebees' by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Daniel played this music for the first time 22 days before the recital - he seriously spent hours working on this piece.

Then Robbie and I played C.S. Theme and Variations, by Randall Compton. I heard this piece while I was at music camp last year, and I knew I had to get the music so Robbie and I could play it. :)

New day, new mercies!

Today turned out to be pretty exciting! I had my heart check up with the Dr. who did my ASD closure it's been 7 months. They did an ultra sound and an EKG to make sure there were no problems, no leaks or overflows, and all looks good! Their is now scar tissue surrounding the amplatzer forming a good seal.

Before my surgery my right side of my heart was enlarged. Usually when they seal a hole in a child's heart as they grow their heart adapts and gets back to normal rather quickly. They didn't think this would happen to me because I'm done growing and changing. However, by the grace of God, mine has gone back to normal! The Dr. was very impressed! ;-) This is very good news!

I'm down to 4 symptoms now, migraines, chest pain, dizziness, and fluttering, but they all seem to be gradually getting better with time for which I am so grateful for! So I'm excited to see what the next 6 months will bring!

It is so humbling being in a children's hospital. I can only pray for those who I see are bearing far worse hardships and greater trials. It breaks my heart to see so many children suffer and I pray that God will use such things to bring them closer to His Word and to saving faith. I don't have any idea how we would have made it through this without Him!

So thank you Jesus for each new day! God has done and is doing amazing things!

Lamentations 3:22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end;
2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

Urgent!

This past week friends of ours buried their 23 year old son. He collided with a pedestrian on a bike. He left this earth with an incredible testimony for knowing and living for Jesus Christ. What peace it brings to know that a sweet reunion is in their future! His family has strong hope and faith that brings a peace that passes all understanding.
So it causes me to be a bit bolder, more serious in my witness. I refuse to feel guilty for sharing such truth about salvation, and what the Bible really says about how to get to heaven. I can no longer tolerate the ache in my stomach when I hear of someone professing to go to heaven, but are not living a life evident of a relationship with Jesus Christ. I can't stand it when a church will spread lies from Satan himself that contradicts what the Bible says is true. Though I know that everyone is accountable to read God's Word, examine themselves that they be in the faith, I do not want to stand before God with regret that I should have told someone the truth that He directly put in my path to do so.

Matthew 7:13-23 "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
"For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
"You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
"So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
"A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
"Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
"Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
"On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'
"And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

Even Satan 'believes' in Christ. James 2:10 "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all." If you are in a church that teaches any deviance from the Bible - get out! Find a Bible believing church that believes all of God's Word is true, teaches it and lives by it. 2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
So it's out of love that I will continue to stand for truth. I am ever grateful for those who shared it with me! I will take a cold shoulder, blatant persecution, if it will help save a soul from hell. Please take the little bit of time to watch this video. It's not me speaking, but it comes from my heart! Life is way too short not to tell everyone you love, everyone, the truth!

Church

Dad started a church on May 16th. We were renting a vacant church building that was part of the underground railroad. It's small and antiquish! We love hearing Dad preach!
~Emily



This is Ben and Lydia sitting in the bay window at the church building



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We passed out flags at the 4th of July parade, thanks to our good friends who helped us make them!


In September we are moving to a new, permanent building in town, right off the main highway, and will be able to meet during the week as well. Jeff has a heart to reach and disciple men. He is starting a M.I.T. (Men In Training) program working with teenage boys, their dads or other men, and discipling them. One man already got saved so we're excited to see what the Lord will do!
~Karen

Ben's Birthday!

Ben turned 5 on April 11! That means we're only one month behind in posting birthdays, here. :P

We made an alligator cake for his birthday party, and then cupcakes for the actual day. Ben and Lydia did the decorating - they had so much fun! I honestly think they ate more candy then they put on the cupcakes ... and by the time we were done, they both had smidges of blue, yellow, and green frosting from head to foot!











Love you, Benny boy!!