Nut House Chatter

The Journey Into Never Ever Land, part one

2012-01-15T10:22:00.000-07:00

Someday I’m going to learn to stop saying “Never. No way. Nuh-uh. Absolutely not.” I’ll realize that I send out some sort of cosmic red flag, the proverbial matador cape or signal flare to the fates that says “Okay, she’s ready! Send it on in!” I can see God up there, watching me and hearing me utter my denials and bowing his head and shaking it, probably much like my husband does when I do something really stupid. He probably chuckles like Lee does, too. :)

Once again I find myself at that place where I am doing the very thing I vowed I would never, ever do. I’ve been here before. I would never work at a church. I wasn’t going to have kids. I wasn’t EVER going to have two boys. No freaking way would I EVER be a stay-home mom. Absolutely impossible to believe I would even LIKE it. :)

And I would have SWORN that pigs would fly before I would EVER consider schooling a child of mine from home.

EVER.

Yeah, folks, better be checking your bacon for feathers because it’s happening. :)

How did this happen, you ask? Ha ha ha Let me tell you…

First, I just want to note that I am writing from my own perspective here, using “I” instead of “we” not because Lee and I as parents are not in agreement, but because I want it to be clear that I am speaking for myself alone. Thankfully, Lee and I share the same perspective here, so technically I could just say “we” but it just feels kind of presumptive.

Secondly, I want to make sure that it is CLEARLY understood that I do NOT hate the public school system or its teachers. FAR FROM IT.

I am not an angry parent who hates the public school system and teachers. In fact, I have several friends who are teachers in the public school system and I admire them profoundly. I believe that they – along with firemen, policemen and other public servicemen - are tragically overlooked, undervalued, and oftentimes vastly underpaid heroes. These people make a living out of putting other people first and they too often get the last of our resources, our attention, our respect and our thanks. (I could go on and on about this, but I will save my soapbox for another blog and move on to the issue at hand.) Today’s public school teachers are dealing with issues and conditions that most of us don’t even realize. For most of them, resources and funding are dropping out from under them but their class sizes are rapidly increasing. More and more of their students are struggling with various disorders and are in desperate need of more help than the teachers can give.

Teachers are also being asked to add more and more non-classroom tasks to their already full schedules - such as IEPs, 504s, special trainings, etc. We are giving these individuals more to do with far less resources and they are struggling and being hung out to dry when they don’t perform up to the standards that we believe that they should be. Really? Do ANY of us perform well when we’re stressed out, tired and don’t have the basics that we need? As a parent, I know I am at my worst when my kids are acting out and I’m tired, need to get a million things done and don’t have the time or the resources I need to get them done. And teachers are doing it with far more kids than the two I have. Every day.

So no, I do NOT hate public school teachers. I applaud them. I understand that the public school system is struggling and some of that is its own fault and some of it is the economic situation, etc. Even though it struggles and is an imperfect system, I still believe that public schools provide an invaluable service to millions of children.

Now on to why we have made this particular decision for our particular child at this particular time.

Most of our family and friends know that our boys are two amazing dudes. And most of you also know that they each have some particular struggles that trip them up from time to time. These are struggles that may very likely be life long, so one of our goals as a family is to help them learn to navigate the world using their particular strengths and develop skills and strategies to help compensate for the particular struggles that they face. We use several approaches for both boys to accomplish these goals.

Some of the things that Shaun struggles with are sitting still, staying focused, curbing impulsivity, and staying organized. The flip side to those struggles is that he is full of energy, ready to go, creative, funny, an out-of-the-box thinker, and never boring. In some situations – like an overcrowded classroom with a lot of other kids like him who are being asked to sit still, listen and learn – the combination of his strengths and struggles can be toxic to him and those around him. These are the times when he can be his own worst enemy. We have employed a variety of approaches to help him with these issues: sensory strategies, reward systems, redirection, gentle reminders, not so gentle reminders, and medication (another never-ever issue). It requires a concerted effort with very clear expectations on the parts of EVERYONE involved and A LOT of follow up, follow through and regular communication.

Shaun also struggles with anxiety. It has plagued him on and off since he was young. Most of the time you would look at our bold and daredevil son and say, “Seriously? He has ANXIETY issues? NO WAY.” But anxiety doesn’t always look like the scared child sitting in the corner, cowering and afraid of his own shadow. Anxiety can be loud and aggressive; lashing out at the people you love the most. Anxiety can be twitchy and nervous or even sullen and sulky. Anxiety has a lot of faces and we have seen them all with Shaun. When his anxiety levels are up, he becomes moody, mean, clingy, antagonistic, loud, sullen, angry, withdrawn… you name it. We’ve seen it. He also gets twitchy and will rub his nose constantly, often developing sores that are painful and huge. We have learned to look for these when behaviors increase as a possible sign that it’s anxiety rearing its ugly head again. (Though sometimes it is just puberty or lack of hygiene. :) )

Knowing these things, we entered the junior high arena with some trepidation but still hopeful. Foremost on our minds was that we were no longer interfacing with only one or two teachers; now we were dealing with seven or more. In previous years, we’d been blessed with amazing teachers who had been able to bring out the best in Shaun through tapping in to his strengths and unique interests as they spent time with him and got to know him. Now, he would be with seven or more different people every day, with 30-40 other kids at the same time. We knew that this would be a difficult hurdle for Shaun but we didn’t believe it would be impossible. We also knew that the coursework and assignments in junior high would dramatically increase from what he was used to and that this would also be a hurdle for him, but again, did not think it would be impossible.

The first quarter of the semester, Shaun loved the social part of being with so many of his friends, and he loved being able to move around from classroom to classroom throughout the day. He loved the electives and the opportunity to learn about more than just the usual math and English, etc. He loved the variety of what he was learning. But he began to struggle with the amount and speed of what was being thrown at him – more than any of us realized – and he got overwhelmed. We noticed right off that he was having a difficult time keeping up with taking notes. He has very poor handwriting and for him to write neatly, he has to go very slow and concentrate. In order for him to keep up with the teacher, he had to write fast. That meant he couldn’t read his notes. Thankfully, his IEP and the fact that he had amazing teachers enabled him to get fill in the blank notes so that he could still take notes but also get all the information he needed. That solution helped some. Unfortunately, we didn’t discover that this had been an issue soon enough.

In his efforts to try to stay on top of things – or at least give the appearance of staying on top of things – Shaun began to let things slide and would put them off until later but would never actually get around to doing them. Although he is a master strategist (play chess with the kid and he’ll beat the pants off you), figuring out a plan for his day is mind boggling. Although he can manage to build an entire civilization in a computer game (where you will note that structure is already provided for him), breaking down a homework assignment into workable pieces is overwhelming.

The thing is, the kid is brilliant and he KNOWS he should be able to do these simple things. He sees that it’s “just” a homework assignment or what have you, but he doesn’t know how to start it. All he sees is the giant wall in front of him and no way to climb it. He just knows he has to get over the damn thing and everyone is on him to get it done NOW. Imagine yourself in that situation. You see the wall. You know you HAVE to get over it and you SHOULD be able to get over it. And you have everyone around you saying “come on, already, get over the wall” but you can’t find a way to do that, and man, that wall is HUGE. Would you feel a little anxiety there? Now imagine that you’ve faced this situation over and over and over again and every time you hit the wall, those people around you get more and more impatient, angry, loud and demanding. They tell you that you are not climbing that wall on purpose. You might start to get a little jumpy every time you see a wall. In fact, you might get a little crazy about them. You might start having panic attacks when you saw them. Or you might just shut down and walk away and avoid walls all together.

I think Shaun thought he could coast through on his charm and charisma but he got further and further behind, deeper and deeper into an abyss and began to basically disintegrate. He was at a massive wall and he had seven teachers, two parents and a host of other peoples all breathing down his neck to get it over it. What we saw was a moody, defiant, irresponsible, lazy, manipulative, frustrated child whom most of us thought just needed to buckle down and get his nose to the grindstone and he’d be fine. What was happening was that Shaun was standing in front of this massive wall, much of it of his own making and he knew it. He was frustrated, ashamed, scared and had given up and no one was listening. In fact, we were all just yelling at him. All the time.

I was on the phone with or emailing with most of his teachers at least once or twice a week, trying to keep tabs on what he needed to do and turn in because getting information out of him was impossible and assignments and projects were forever getting “lost” between school and home. We took away privileges, we tried everything we could. Nothing helped. We got more frustrated and angry and frankly, incredibly anxious ourselves. Peace in our household dissolved like snow in Phoenix in the summer.

During the second quarter, under threat of permanent misery at home, Shaun started off well and wanted to do better and stay on task. He realized that if he failed that quarter, he would have to repeat classes over the summer or next year which he did NOT want to do. So he tried. But there was still enough gray area around him that he was still able to work the system and do as little as possible to get by. It didn’t work for him. He continued to not turn stuff in, not do his work in class, bomb tests, etc. I think he never believed he could do it all so he never tried. We talked with his teachers. We made contracts. But he continued to struggle academically. And we watched as he become more deceptive, more moody, more withdrawn, more anxious and no longer cared about any of it. We had him tested for drugs. (Negative.) We changed his meds.

And nothing improved.

As Christmas break approached, Lee and I began to sit and really talk about how much our family was just disintegrating. We were all tired of the fights, the yelling, and the constant conflict. We were both deeply concerned about the direction his character was going. We no longer felt like we knew our son. We couldn’t believe anything he said.

We prayed. A lot. And cried. And sweated. And began to realize that we as a family needed to make changes. We needed to CALM things down in our home and refocus on the things that were most important to us as a family – God, love and family. Yes, our son was struggling academically. Yes, our son was overwhelmed. Yes, our son’s character and integrity were disintegrating. But he was still OUR SON. And we, as his family, had to DO something about it.

About this time, Shaun had a couple of episodes where he had chest pain and couldn’t breathe. At first, I thought he was just being dramatic and seeking attention. But he kept having them and I saw him trying to deal with them on his own at home, without trying to draw my attention to them. I casually asked him about them and found out he’d had them at school, too. So we had an EKG done to make sure it wasn’t from his medications, which it apparently wasn’t. I also noticed that the sores on his face were getting worse.

I found myself with a 12 year old having panic attacks and realized that it wasn’t about just increasing his meds to take care of it. We needed to deal with what was CAUSING the anxiety to skyrocket out of control. And that was easy enough to answer.

School.

(Stay tuned for part two of The Journey Into Never Ever Land...)

Can you help us?

2011-11-18T19:14:00.000-07:00

Please help us find a new loving home for our Juno!

(join us in prayer, pass this along, or consider him for your family?)

Juno is an affectionate and playful 3 ½ year old, mixed breed, neutered male. He is great with adults and older children and is generally good with other dogs (he currently lives with another neutered male dog his age and they get along very well). He will be very protective of his family but can scare smaller children with his bark and playfulness. He is in good health but does have some allergies (food allergies have been mostly ruled out). He needs plenty of room to play and regular exercise. A home with no or older children and plenty of room to run and play with opportunities to go hiking and exploring would be ideal. Juno is housebroken and knows how to use a doggie door.

We would LOVE to talk to you about Juno if you have any questions.

Please contact us at:

Andie and Lee at nuthousemama@yahoo.com

Halloween 2011

2011-11-02T15:00:00.001-07:00

Pumpkin carving a la Nut House...

And a little monkey Mason to keep it real. :)

the little monkey and his beautiful mama, Jayme

Andrea and Will's Wedding!

2011-11-02T14:45:00.000-07:00

A beautiful day in southern California was the setting for a beautiful wedding for a beautiful couple. We had a blast celebrating with everyone before, during and after the wedding festivities! Congratulations, Andrea and Will!!! We wish you a LIFETIME of LAUGHTER< LOVE and JOY!!! :)

blooper picture... i just love this one anyway :)

Cody, Hollie and Shaun

Lee and Traci, siblings that like each other

Me and the boys, who were getting really sick of having their pictures taken

Traci and Hollie

Andie and Traci

gazebo for the ceremony

Uncle Terry and Andrea

beautiful bride and her daddy

beautiful bride

the kiss

wilting flower girl, but still dang cute :)

the happy couple

Aunt Dolores and Uncle Terry (parents of the bride)

Natalie and Gary (parents of the bride)

Uncle Terry gives a toast

Cody and Mom dance a little jig

Andrea and Will cut a little cake

Father and Daughter dance


Hollie writes her well-wishes

Katy, Kyle and very wilted flower girl, Addi

Shaun and Cody and the previously wilted but newly revived flower girls, Hollie and Addi

the mouse that all the kids managed to miss but Lee got a picture of it

More cousin mischief


the bride and groom strike a pose

Family Football Fun in California!

2011-11-02T12:04:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, we took a quick out to California for the wedding of Lee's cousin, Andrea and her sweetie, Will. We had a BLAST with all the family and friends out there! The first day we were there, we played football with the kids at a family picnic...

Hollie slips past Uncle Lee...

...and she makes it to the end zone!!! Touchdown for the girls!!!

Hollie and Addi discuss strategies

Addi successfully avoid being tackled by Cody!

Cody's Personality Pumpkin Project

2011-11-02T11:57:00.000-07:00

Last week, Cody turned in his "Arizona Personality Pumpkin" project for school. The students in his 4th grade class had to pick a famous Arizonan (or American Southwest person) and do a report and decorate a pumpkin like that person. Cody chose Father Eusubio Kino. Not only did he do ALL of the research himself AND he put together the ENTIRE thing ON HIS OWN, he finished the whole thing EARLY. :) We are so proud of him!

Fall Break Adventures... Ally & Matt's Wedding

2011-10-16T18:27:00.002-07:00

Yes folks, they did it! Beautiful fall colors and perfect weather made this impromptu wedding in Pagosa Springs absolutely memorable...

Ally and Andie before the wedding

Cody and Andie

Lee walks Ally up the "aisle"

Lee gives Ally away

exchanging rings

lighting their unity candle

Sundae naps through the prayer

communion blessing

sharing communion

Mom... she's a little happy

The Kiss

happy family

a quiet moment

signing the papers

Cody and Ally

Married Matt

Happiness

Ally and Shaun

Ally's bouquet

acorns, part of her bouquet

Matt has a weird moment

the guys

the girls

really, the whole family is just weird

Ally gets silly!

Mom and her best friend, Dottie

Dottie and Gary and Hershey (the dog)

Ken, Mom and Sundae

Ally and Shaun

The wedding group

Matt gets weird again...

Classic, Matt.

Fall Break Adventures - Day 6

2011-10-16T10:51:00.000-07:00

Day 6: We take a nice long drive out to see Buckles and Harris Lakes. The trail is beautiful with tall, colorful aspens and complete with the beautiful views we remember from last year. Except this year the lakes are gone. Instead of lakes, we find open, muddy meadows with splotches of water here and there that draw curious children to them like moths to a flame, with nearly the same results. Thankfully the boys now have concrete examples of why we DO NOT LEAVE THE TRAIL OR OUR GROUP. :) 'nuff said.

"V" rock

along the trail

looking up

Where Buckles Lake should be...

What we saw when we rounded the corner where Buckles Lake should have been... They couldn't hear us because Cody was crying so loudly but somehow got the message to STOP MOVING in the quicksand/mud.

Cody was stuck up to his knees, Uncle Matt and Daddy head out to rescue him before he wiggled his way any deeper.

"What were you thinking?????"

Up to his knees... but thankfully no further.

Rescue mission begins

It took both of the guys and two logs for leverage to pull Cody out of the sucking mud.

And he's out...

Daddy's lecture

Mud management

Uncle Matt's lecture

hunky rescuer :)

Shaun

stop for a snack

Shaun chasing butterflies

Shaun catches butterflies... and they're mating. Seriously.

A view of what is left of Buckles Lake

Sundae takes a swim and thankfully doesn't get stuck in mud

Matt and Ally

Forest floor

Colorado blue skies

Grammy and Sundae

Where Harris Lake should be (note that there are NO CHILDREN STUCK IN THE MUD HERE) :)

The really cool "peeling" rock

My favorite part of this hike is the twined aspen trees.

Fall Break Adventures - Days 4 and 5

2011-10-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

Day 4:
Impromptu Wedding in the Meadow... details and pics to come...

Day 5:
We take a walk along the river by the hot springs with Grammy, hang around the condo and enjoy roasted marshmallows

view from the condo balcony

Shaun gets ahold of the camera

just one frame of a "movie" Shaun made when he got ahold of the camera

the final "scene" from Shaun's "movie"

view from the condo

view at night

night lights on the lake

roasting marshmallows

some of us never outgrow the joy of stuffing our mouths with roasted marshmallows

it's all in the family

Shaun, the Victorious Marshmallow Impaler

Fall Break Adventures - Day Three

2011-10-16T09:56:00.000-07:00

Day Three:
We visit another favorite, Silver Falls, and drive up to Quartz Meadow for a look

Silver Falls

Shaun

Shaun's "really big" heart rock

view from the falls

a man and his dog

a girl and her dog

Cody

me and my boys

me and my honey

dang cute couple

on the road to Quartz Meadow

view from Quartz Meadow

Fall Break Adventures - Days One & Two

2011-10-16T09:42:00.002-07:00

Ahhh... the wonderful beauty of Colorado aspens in the fall! Cool weather, abundant golds, oranges and reds to warm your soul, family time, marshmallows roasted by the fire, clear mountain air, marathon Uno matches, stomach bugs and colds passed around, toe breaking falls down the stairs, successful rescues of children stuck in quicksand/mud and impromptu weddings.... What? That's not what YOU did? ha ha ha

Day One:
No pictures because Lee and I spent this day at the condo sick as dogs while Ally and Matt escaped with the children. I guess I could have taken a picture of the (thankfully) brand new toilet in the condo because that's what I remember from Day One the most. ha ha ha

Day Two:
Day begins with me taking a slide down the spiral staircase of the condo and promptly breaking my toes. We ice it, take ibuprofen, tape them up and go hiking anyway. :) We visit Piedra Falls and hike along the Piedra River.

Beautiful Piedra Falls...

"Instructing" my son to get off the slippery wet boulder before he falls to his death (which he completely ignored and yet didn't fall)

Grammy enjoying the mist

Lee... Stud muffin

Me, Mom and Ally

Such a cute couple...

The view

Grammy and her boys

Boy humor... never gets old for them

Cool dudes

Me and Mom


Piedra River

Chalkboards

2011-10-03T13:54:00.001-07:00

Sooo... if you know me, you know I love to make things and my recent discovery of Pinterest.com has given me a whole new slew of ideas. As I've browsed the Pinterest boards, I realized, maybe other people want to make what I've made too. So I'm going to post some of my creations here.

Door Chalkboards
Until we are able to afford new interior doors for our home, we wanted to do something to "dress" up the cheap, flat ones we do have. I REALLY wanted to paint many of the doors completely with the chalkboard paint but was willing to compromise with my sweet honey who was a little overwhelmed with that idea. So, I painted chalkboards on each door so we could leave notes for each other or share scriptures or draw pics.

It's actually very easy and all you'll need is contact paper and chalkboard paint! Just cut a stencil out of contact paper, apply contact paper to to the door surface (be sure it is clean) and paint in stencil with chalkboard paint (available at Lowe's or Home Depot). * go lightly around the edges so you don't get blobs of paint under the contact paper. Let dry and enjoy!

Chalkboard Planks
We made these easy to make chalkboards for our boys to use for spelling lists, to-do lists, special notes to each other, etc. over the years. You will need:
wooden plank in the size of your choice
acrylic paint in color of your choice
sandpaper
wood stain (water based works best)
painters tape
chalkboard paint
letters (metal, chipboard, wood, etc.)
hot glue...

1. Sand wooden plank surface smooth and wipe with damp towel to remove sawdust.
2. Paint plank with a couple of coats of acrylic paint and let dry completely.
3. Use sandpaper to remove the paint or "distress" edges of plank and other desired areas. Wipe off sawdust with damp towel.
4. Wipe on a wood stain (I used golden oak) with a rag and wipe off with a clean rag to complete the distressed effect and let dry completely.
5. Mask off the edges of the area you want for the chalkboard with painters tape.
6. Apply a couple of coats of the chalkboard paint to desired areas. Be sure to let dry between coats.
7. Remove the painters tape.
8. Use hot glue or other adhesive to attach letters (I used metal scrapbooking letters and hot glue).

Amazing Adoption Speaker Opportunity!

2011-09-22T16:34:00.003-07:00

Arizona Adoptive Families along with
Arizona Transracial Adoptive Families Proudly Present:
with nationally renowned author and speaker

Rhonda Roorda

Please join us for an informative afternoon with
one of the nation’s leading adoption advocates

Saturday, October 29th

2:00-3:30 pm - Feature Presentation
3:45-4:30 pm - Open Discussion/Q&A
4:30-5:00 pm - “Teen Talk” with Rhonda
(for both adopted & non-adopted teens ages 12+)
4331 North Central Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85012

Rhonda is coauthor of a groundbreaking and award-winning series of books on transracial adoption. These books are the first and only of their kind to follow white families who have adopted black and biracial children, listening to not only the adult adoptees who grew up in those families, but also to their parents and non-adopted siblings.

Rhonda’s first book, In Their Own Voices: Transracial Adoptees Tell Their Stories, features interviews with twenty-four black and biracial children who were adopted into white families in the late 1960’s and 70’s. In this original collection, the author presents the personal stories of now-adult adoptees who hail from a wide range of religious, economic, political, and professional backgrounds and explores the effects of the adoption experience on their racial and social identities, adult lifestyles, and choice of friends and marital partners. In addition to the interviews, this book includes an overview of both the history and current legal status of transracial adoption.

The second book in the trilogy, In Their Parents’ Voices, presents firsthand accounts of these adoptees’ parents and their experience raising children across racial and cultural lines. Their candid interviews shed light on both the joys and challenges of their parenting efforts as well as illuminating the impact of race on their families’ day-to-day lives.

The final book, In Their Siblings' Voices, offers the compelling perspective of the non-adopted siblings in the transracial adoption equation. This thought-provoking read recounts the varied and often complicated experiences of white children living in multiracial households, including the reverberating effects on friends, school, and community. Additionally, it explores what (if anything) adoption professionals and agencies did to prepare these children for the inherent challenges of racially blended families and offers important insight into ways this process can be improved in the future.

Note: This October speaking engagement will include highlights from each of the books followed by a Q & A session. As parents or adoption professionals, it is difficult to comprehend the unique challenges facing both transracial adoptees and their non-adopted siblings. Rhonda’s passionate sharing of both her personal story and that of those featured in her books will provide critical insight into the keys to forming strong and healthy families…with children secure in their racial identity as well as their place in larger society.

Rhonda Roorda was raised in a white family with two white siblings in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. Rhonda’s firsthand understanding of both the internal and external implications of transracial adoption provides the background for her work in today’s adoption arena. In addition to serving as international author and lecturer, Rhonda mentors fostered and adopted children and continues her role as an advocate for adoptive families.

Questions or comments? Please contact us at: aztaf150@yahoo.com

Defining Moment

2011-09-11T09:07:00.000-07:00

Smoke billowing. Papers fluttering in the air like ticker tape. People running, screaming. People jumping. Sirens. Bullhorns. Airplanes. Explosions.

Noise and chaos and then… silence.

A wintery white wasteland of shell shocked, ghostlike souls stumbling through unimaginable debris.

I watched it happen on TV. It wasn’t until 5 years later that I would walk those sidewalks and look upon that very skyline and hallowed ground, but the impact of the moment was profound, nonetheless. A wound made deeper as the news came in that the scene was repeated in Washington, D.C., and again in a field in Pennsylvania.

Tragedy. Unfathomable loss. Grief. Anger. Devastation. These words just never seemed to fully capture what we experienced, even thousands of miles away.

Ten years later and the scenes are repeated endlessly on the tv screen, interspersed with the narrative stories from those who were there, their voices now speaking for all of those who were silenced that day. I watch each scene after familiar scene unfold, still mesmerized by it all. It still just feels like it was yesterday.

My boys pause at the tv and ask me, “Is that 9/11?” and I do my best to answer their questions of “What happened? Did ALL of those people die? Where were you? Was Daddy at the airport? Can it happen again? Why did those people do that?” I can’t stop the tears from falling and for the most part, I don’t want to. I don’t want to cause them panic or anxiety but I do want them to understand the impact that it had on me, our family and friends and on our country. The impact this day had on the world at large. I want them to understand how it happened, why it happened, and who was involved. I don’t want them to grow up in this video game driven world and not realize that it was real people who died and who lost their moms and dads and sons and daughters and friends. I also want my post 9-11 children to realize that although it scarred us more than we probably ever fully comprehend, it also changed many things for the better.

We remembered that life is fleeting and that people matter. We reached out to strangers and lent a hand. We got down on our knees and prayed for people we’d never met and would never know. We remembered how to look someone in the eye and smile as we passed by them on the street.

Our broken hearts began to beat again as we heard about the heroes – from the people who fought back on the plane to the firefighters who went back in to the burning buildings before they collapsed. The people who stopped to help those less able than they were. The service dog who wouldn’t leave his master in the crowded stairwell.

We realized that we’d begun to take our freedom for granted and forgotten that freedom, at its very core, is not free. Countless individuals stepped up to join the forces to defend our country and would die heroes themselves in the war on terror that ensued. Many others would scour resources to help families touched by the attacks and those impacted by the continued war afterward.

We were reminded that it was the little things that most often mattered most. The time it took to make a phone call to tell someone “I love you.” The note left the night before someone left for work or to catch a plane. These became the last tangible memories of some of our loved ones.

We were humbled but not humiliated. We were taken to task for the times that we got carried away by our own grief and bloodthirsty need for justice. We learned that just because someone dresses a certain way or worships a certain god, it doesn’t always mean that they are out to get us. Many of us began to realize that we needed to confront some deeply ingrained assumptions about “different” people, because it was that same kind of thinking that drove the events of that day that shocked our nation to a temporary standstill.

We realized that each and every one of us – military personnel, first responders, teachers, accountants, doctors, secretaries, pastors, moms, dads, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, etc… every everyday ordinary person – has the power to make a difference. We were inspired by ordinary individuals who boarded a plane one day as strangers and who chose to act together and sacrifice themselves to save countless others in an incredibly rare and powerful act of selfless courage.

That inspiration has moved some of us to stop and help at a traffic accident or to travel to distant cities to help rebuild after natural disasters. Others have offered to babysit the neighbor’s kids while their parents work multiple jobs to provide whatever they can in a bludgeoned economy. Still others have changed careers completely or put themselves in the line of fire day after day after day, for the cause of freedom and the humane treatment of people in foreign lands. Many have stood up for the stranger or neighbor next to them who is being harassed, mistreated or misunderstood.

It was – and still is – a horrible day, a devastating loss and a national tragedy. That is undeniable and should never be dismissed or forgotten.

It is also our defining moment.

Never forget.

Mason's First

2011-07-25T12:24:00.000-07:00

Mason's first birthday... :)

Peace

2011-07-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

"Peace: It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart."

Beachy Good Time!

2011-07-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

Our recent trip to the California coast...

Character Building Rough Times

2011-07-16T15:36:00.001-07:00

Recently I was asked by a friend to answer the question: How did you become a “Woman of Character?” Her bible study was studying Proverbs 31 and the assignment was for them to interview someone they felt was a woman of character. The question stopped me in my tracks. My first reaction was to list out all of the reasons I AM a “character” (I have this massive aversion to spilled milk; I collect acorns, squirrels and American flags; chocolate, popsicles as well as those cracker and cheese Combos are my weakness and I adore Jane Austen as well as Dean Koontz…) but not, necessarily, a woman OF character.

However, the longer I thought about it, I realized that not acknowledging what God has done in me would be like denying His very existence. Late one night as I continued to wrestle with the question, I was hit with the realization that this wasn’t just a question from my friend for her bible study – this was God giving me a midterm review. This was Him saying “Hey, you’re getting ready to head into the next stage of your walk with me so let’s review what we’ve done so far so you’ve got it fresh in your mind.” I could feel the blood rushing through me, pounding through my ears to the beat of my heart. The heart that He had made and held while it broke into pieces. Pieces He was now mending back together, each one bearing scars. I realized that He had been fashioning those scars into a beautiful pattern, one that would tell of His amazing love and power and grace. Who was I to hold that all in to myself and not share it? This would be the beginning of the next leg of my journey with Him and it was time to start taking inventory of what I’d learned.

I needed to rephrase the question for myself: What has been a key factor in developing character in my own walk/life?

After three days of mulling it over, I finally arrived at one conclusion that sat right with my soul: Trials. Suffering. Difficult times. Rough patches. Hard knocks. Mistakes. Whatever you want to call them. Whether the situation was of my own making or due to circumstances out of my control, the strength of my character has been tested in the decisions that I made in those hard times and the actions that came out of them, because it has been in those times where I've most clearly been faced with the opportunity to respond in either a godly way or not. I would love to tell you that I always chose to respond in a godly way but that would be a bald faced lie. In fact, I would probably have to say that I’ve learned MORE in the times that I haven’t made godly choices. Let’s just say that learning the “hard way” is not a strategy I’ve managed to “unlearn” easily.

There are several experiences that I believe have been very affecting, not only emotionally but spiritually as well, but one in particular that I would call profound. A few years ago, I lived through the most difficult time of my life to date. Lee and I and the boys had been a foster family to a little girl, Kaylee, who had come to live with us shortly after she was born. She had a variety of obstacles to overcome and at one point had even been given the “failure to thrive” label. We fell in love with her, took care of her, nursed her through surgery, held her and watched her grow, bloom and thrive into a healthy, rambunctious little blue-eyed toddler. After two years, we began to hope we’d be able to adopt her. However, on her third birthday, February 7, 2006, we handed her over to her birthfather who had only recently discovered she existed. He had been working for over a year at that point to prove he was a suitable parent and capable of taking care of her, at the expense of living away from the rest of his family in another state while doing so. The situation was complicated and difficult for everyone involved and looking back, I can only give credit to God for the fact that any of us actually survived through the ordeal and that anything positive came out of it.

To call what I experienced “grief” somehow doesn’t seem to do it justice. It was grief, desperation, devastation, anger, frustration, terror for her sake (Who would be taking care of her? What if they didn’t watch her closely? What if they didn’t realize she missed us, too? How would they know what to do if she got sick? How would they know what she liked? Would she feel like we’d abandoned her? That we’d given her over to complete strangers?) and pain, pain, pain. The anxiety of not knowing and then knowing that we would soon lose “our” little girl (because after three years, she was absolutely “ours” in our hearts) often struck me to my core. It ate at me emotionally and physically long before she left my care. I couldn’t eat and lost too much weight. I was stricken with migraines. I was plagued with vertigo, acid reflux and probably the beginnings of an ulcer. I don’t know how many of our friends and family realized the actual physical toll on me because I barely realized it myself, I was so wrapped up in the details of taking care of the three kids and my husband and my ministry. Added to all of that was the complexity of being a foster parent and the varying opinions and comments that were made to us throughout the entire ordeal. There were (and still are) many people who felt that as foster parents we shouldn’t have been so attached to this little girl and that we had no right to grieve over her absence in our family and home. (For the record, I do not and probably never will agree with that perspective.) Many people meant well, but often their comments and advice struck straight into my heart and my soul and to be honest, it was most often just plain shock that kept me from responding in ways I would have surely regretted later. I was so stressed out and strung so tight, I think you could have played my nerves like a harp.

A few months before Kaylee left, my doctor had told me that if I lost any more weight, he was going to have to hospitalize me. Suddenly I was faced with the very real reality that I needed to start facing the fears and anxieties and possibilities head on and deal with them or I would be completely crushed, shattered into a million useless pieces. I began to sift through all of the bible studies I had done and all of my devotional journals, looking for the notes and passages that I knew would speak to me and help guide me through this crucible.

I don’t remember exactly how or when I ran across it, but I remember focusing on a scripture about the importance of “capturing” and “taking hold” of my thoughts and to focus on God and His Word. That was huge for me. It was a hands-on, straightforward, totally practical tool that I could begin employing immediately. I remember specifically hanging on to "my" scripture: For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you nor abandon you... (Joshua 1:5) Believe me, there were times I absolutely felt abandoned by God, and by people. I felt like God had abandoned Kaylee too. I can't tell you how many times I had to stop that thought process from running to its crazy end. Countless times, I had to literally speak to myself out loud and say "No, you're not going here. He has not abandoned you, nor has He abandoned Kaylee. You have chosen to trust God in this and when you trust Him, you don't worry about it." I often had to rebuke the enemy away from me to get the internal monologue to stop.

I also learned that every day – and for a while, every hour - I would have to actively CHOOSE to trust God's plan for her life, even though that plan looked anything BUT "good" for her. To trust Him, and then, at times, be forced to defend that trust to others who didn’t believe in God or His sovereignty was very difficult. What I wanted to do in my flesh was run out screaming to the world that this was wrong, wrong, wrong and do everything I could – even if it meant lying or grabbing her and running away and hiding – to keep her with the only family she’d ever known. But I never stopped hearing His quiet still whisper inside telling me to trust Him and His plan, even though I tried to ignore it. In my weakest moments, I’m pretty sure it was just the fact that I was too exhausted to figure out the details to actually go through with any of my fleshly plans so in the end, I just gave in and gave it up to Him. And He got me through it. He always gave me the strength to keep trusting Him AFTER I took the first step (which more often than not meant NOT doing something). Every time, though, I was faced with a “leap of faith” moment. The scary moment of "I'm leaping off a freaking cliff here God, you ARE going to catch me, right?" as you go screaming into the unseen depths. It was never easy. And it still isn’t. But it does seem to get less scary with practice.

I’m happy to report that Kaylee is well and happy. Two summers ago (three and a half years after we’d said goodbye to her and watched her leave) Kaylee and her family came to town for a family event. Her dad let her stay the night with us and we all had a blast together. We played games, looked through pictures, watched a movie and snuggled like no time apart had passed. She was doing so well and whatever anxieties and fears were still skittering around in my heart were finally put to rest. I was so grateful to have that chance to see her and spend time with her and honored that her family trusted us with that opportunity. It was an unexpected blessing and reminder that the Lord did, indeed, know what He was doing after all.

There are many other things that I know have been character growing - infertility, raising two special needs boys, ministry, marriage, and just LIFE in general! Those are all times when God has laid a lot of groundwork - or the foundations - in trusting Him, following Him, walking with Him and more. Then often it’s in "regular" life that God teaches me how to put those foundations to work. So it's the "big" trials, yes, but also the everyday "little" trials that become just as character shaping if I stay alert for them. Going through the “big” stuff, I learn the lesson (trust God’s plan rather than my own because He knows better and does better). Then I learn to put that lesson into practice for the rest of my life (learn to let go of the need to control every detail of my kids’ lives and the anxiety I feel for their futures). Which seems a little bit backwards. Maybe for the rest of the world, it’s the little things that train you up for the big things. But I know that in my life, it’s in the "easier" times that I get lazy. Besides, I live in the Nut House. Where doing things backwards is just our way of life.

Right now I am really learning to "take captive" my anxiety and fears and give them to Him instead of running them through my head over and over again. This is an hourly process but - and I say this carefully - I have been able to cut my anxiety medication by a full half and I feel better than I have in YEARS. :) My circumstances haven't changed. Not at all. But actually TRUSTING Him, actively, searching down deep and rooting out the doubt that keeps me captive to the fear and anxiety and applying His Word to my circumstances and situations instead - THAT is what is healing. Putting into practice those lessons I have learned in the hard times.

Do I dread the hard times? Yes! But I know that these days the time between when the hard times hit and the point at which I can say "Okay, God... show me what You want me to learn here, what to do..." gets shorter. :) Most of the time these days I can actually get to the point when I can say "this trial is an opportunity for my character to grow, for my endurance to develop and a chance for God's glory to shine"... Eventually. Someday I hope to reach the point that when trouble strikes, my immediate response will be genuine joy for the opportunity to be a part of God’s glory in the process, but I figure that day may be a bit far off yet. That’s okay with me. That’s more time I have to BE a character and develop my character in Him.

Photos from around the yard...

2011-06-10T11:32:00.000-07:00

Just some photos from around the yard here...

Shaun's Last Viola Concert

2011-06-10T11:19:00.000-07:00

Well folks, they're a little late, but here are the pics we got of Shaun at his final viola concert at his elementary school... he's in Junior High now and not currently planning to continue with the viola. :( However, he has just taken up water polo, so off to new adventures!!! :)

Shaun School's Out Video

2011-06-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

I think Shaun is enjoying the summer.

Mobile Mason

2011-06-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

Just had to post this short video of our adorable nephew, Mason, now that he's MOBILE. :) He started crawling on Saturday and was here with us today... he's pretty proud of his new skills. :) :) :) (and we're scrambling to remember what it's like to have a mobile baby! ha ha ha) :)

Keeping Our Mouths Shut

2011-06-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

Well... it's summer break around here at the Nut House and so far it's actually been pretty good. The boys are older now, they have friends of their own and entertain themselves pretty well. I, for one, am thankful for the computer and the television because there is only so much the boys can do outside in 110 degree heat. This is the first year I've longed for a pool... however, Shaun, who is just this side of albino on the pigment scale, HATES sunscreen and getting it on him is a battle. Of course he needs a lot of it. Applied often. So maybe not having a pool just right now is a blessing in disguise. Maybe.

Part of the plan for us here at the Nut House this summer is to get into the Word more... Digging in, memorizing, teaching, learning as a family. Up 'til today I have had computer glitches that kept me from posting on the blog but I'm hoping to be able to get back into posting them once again! ha ha ha

Anyway, with the arrival of summer has also come what I will kindly call the Mouth. The most disruptive part of this particular visitor has been how it takes over the boys and causes them to antagonize each other verbally. Constantly. They both always have to have the last word and it has to be the loudest. Things will be going along pretty peacefully and suddenly the Mouth joins the fun and one of them will say something slightly inflammatory to the other. Never to let a chance for verbal sparring slip by unacknowledged, the intended victim jumps at the bait and it's not long before we have a full-on feeding frenzy that would rival Jaws and any of his man eating relatives.

Desperate to find as peaceful an extermination method as possible for the Mouth, I ran up on Proverbs 21:23 in my devotional time a few mornings ago. I kid you not, this is the exact verbage in my New Livng Translation and it is absolutely perfect. :)

If you keep your mouth shut, you will stay out of trouble.

Yes. Isn't it fabulous? :) :) :) I wrote it on the chalkboard in the dining room - as the family's current "verse for the day" (only it's been there for more than a day and might just wind up being there all summer) :)
Other translation are:

Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity. (New International Version)

Watching what you say can save you a lot of trouble. (Contemporary English Version)

Those who are careful about what they say keep themselves out of trouble.(New Century Version)

Watch your words and hold your tongue; you'll save yourself a lot of grief. (The Message)

The day I found it and wrote it down, it wasn't an hour before the feeding frenzies kicked off. I calmly walked over to the boys, told them to come into the dining room with me and their father (where we were working on our studies) and sat them down. I handed each of them their bible and a sheet of paper and told them to look up Proverbs 21:23 and to write it down several times. After that, we had this brief conversaton:

Mom: "So, what do you think that verse means?"
Cody: (recites the verse verbatim)
Shaun: "It means we need to shut up."
Mom: "Okay, why would it say that? Why would that be important?"
Shaun: "well, if we don't want to get in trouble, we should keep our mouths shut."
Cody: "yeah, it means Shaun shouldn't say mean things and I shouldn't either."
Shaun: "well if Cody wouldn't say mean things first or be so annoying, I wouldn't say them..."
(you see... this is how things get started)
Mom: whistle to get attention "Okay, let's start with this. What is this book the verse is in?"
Cody: "The bible."
Mom: "Okay and who wrote it?"
Shaun: "God."
Mom: "So is what this book says important?"
Cody and Shaun: "Yes."
Mom: "Should you listen to what it says?"
Shaun: "Yes."
Mom: "hhhmmmm... and when we don't do what it says, what is that called?"
Cody: "Sin."
Mom: "So, doing what God tells us NOT to do is sin, right?"
Shaun: "Yes."
Mom: "So, if God tells us in the bible to keep our mouths shut and also to be kind to others and we aren't, that would be....?"
Shaun: "Sin. Okay Mom, We get it."
Mom: "Good. Okay. So from now on, instead of yelling at you or arguing with you, we'll just say 'Proverbs 21:23' and you can repeat it back to us. Okay?"
Cody and Shaun: (grudgingly but relieved conversation is nearing the end and they don't have to write anymore) "Okay."

I am pleased to report that they still remember it and have only had to repeat it for us a few times ever since. each time they have, the situation is diffused, which makes Mom and Dad much happier. :)

And we've all memorized one very relevant scripture, in just the second week of summer vacation! yahoo!! Go Nut House! :)

2011-06-05T15:49:00.000-07:00

Shaun was playing with Lee's new computer a few months ago and Lee only just now discovered this video he made... why this kid won't go into acting, I don't know! ha ha ha :)

Mother's Day at the Park with the Endersens

2011-06-05T15:44:00.000-07:00

Justin, Jayme and Mason

Mason

Shaun and Cody, the weird Hendrickson boys

Mason

Cody's close up

The same expression, 25 years between...

Shaun's close up

Faithful With Abilities

2011-04-02T11:39:00.001-07:00

God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God’s generosity can flow through you. Are you called to be a speaker? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Are you called to help others? Do with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then God will be given glory in everything through Jesus Christ. All glory and power belong to him forever and ever. Amen.

- 1Peter 4:10-11 NLT

So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. Then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts. And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

- Ephesians 5:15-20 NLT

“Why have you disturbed me by calling me back?” Samuel asked.

“Because I am in deep trouble,” Saul replied. “The Philistines are at war with us, and God has left me and won’t reply by prophets or dreams. So I have called for you to tell me what to do.”

But Samuel replied, “Why ask me if the LORD has left you and has become your enemy? The LORD has done just as he said he would. He has taken the kingdom from you and given it to your rival, David. The LORD has done this because you did not obey his instructions concerning the Amelekites. What’s more, the LORD will hand you and the army of Israel over to the Philistines tomorrow, and you and your sons will be here with me. The LORD will bring the entire army of Israel down in defeat.”

- 1 Samuel 28:15-19 NLT(emphasis mine)

Whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, you must do all for the glory of God.
- 1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT

And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father.

- Colossians 3:17 NLT

Preach the Word of God. Be persistent, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke and encourage your people with good teaching.

     - 2 Timothy 4:2 NLT

Do not be afraid or discouraged,
For the LORD will personally go ahead of you.
He will be with you;
He will neither fail you nor abandon you.
     - Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT

Keep a clear mind in every situation.
     - 2 Timothy 4:5 NLT

Lord, you have graciously given me certain abilities. May I always be faithful and responsible to live in such a way that You would be honored and glorified. Speak to my heart and may Your Spirit forever guide my thoughts. Help me as a mother, wife, sister, daughter and friend to use the gifts you have given me in ways that are pleasing to you. This I ask in your precious name. Amen.
     - From An Invitation to Prayer for Mothers by Jack Countryman

My Personal Psalm

2011-02-01T15:27:00.002-07:00

I wrote this personal psalm a year ago and ran across it just recently. I had been reading through the Psalms and felt led to write one of my own as a personal prayer and song to God from my own experience.

My Personal Psalm
(February 12, 2010)

LORD, I cannot conquer the beast of sin within me.
I watch it leap out and tear at the ones I love.
I know it must be tamed and yet sometimes
the thrill of the kill stops me from taming it.
My soul cries out in horror and I am filled with shame.

Each burst of anger, every oath and curse is sin.
Every moment of envy, hatred, bitterness and resentment
A battle of rebellion against You.
Every selfish, greedy, deceitful deed
A consuming blemish that turns you away
From my wicked heart.

These moments; no, hours; no, YEARS! of hate and anger
I cannot hide any longer.
The resentment, lies, bitterness, rage, abuse, cursing and wounding.
O God! They are all mine.
I have left a wake of pain behind me,
Loved ones caught with me in my sinful snare.

You, O LORD, are the merciful and gracious God.
You are slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness.
You show your unfailing love to all
by forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion
To all who turn to you.

O merciful and loving God! Forgive my sins!
Separate them from me and run them out of sight.
So that I may approach you and fall at your feet.
O God, I trust in your forgiveness, though I cannot understand it.
I cannot make it, I cannot grasp it fully but I trust in You.
I trust in You and in Your Word and Your holy consistency and promises.

Giving Life to Truly Live

2011-01-22T07:50:00.000-07:00

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.” (Matthew 16:24-25 NLT)

The possibility of losing their lives was very real for the disciples as well as for Jesus. Real discipleship implies real commitment – pledging our whole existence to his service. If we try to save our physical life from death, pain, or discomfort, we may risk losing eternal life. If we protect ourselves from the pain God calls us to suffer, we begin to die spiritually and emotionally. Our lives turn inward, and we lose our intended purpose. When we give your life in service to Christ, however, we discover the real purpose of living.

“If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give it up for me, you will find it.” (Matthew 10:39 NLT)

This verse is a positive and negative statement of the same truth: Clinging to this life may cause us to forfeit the best from Christ in this world and in the next. The more we love this life’s rewards (leisure, power, popularity, financial security), the more we will discover how empty they really are. The best way to enjoy life, therefore, is to loosen our greedy grasp on earthly rewards so that we can be free to follow Christ. In doing so, we will inherit eternal life and begin at once to experience the benefits of following Christ.

“Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who despise their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:25 NLT)

We must be so committed to living for Christ that we “despise” our lives by comparison. This does NOT mean that we long to die or that we are careless or destructive with the life God has given, but that we are willing to die if doing so will glorify Christ. We must disown the tyrannical rule of our own self-centeredness. By laying aside our striving for advantage, security, and pleasure, we can serve God lovingly and freely. Releasing control of our lives and transferring control to Christ bring eternal life and genuine joy.

Funny family videos

2011-01-21T21:20:00.000-07:00

We've been capturing some funny videos lately and have shared some on Facebook and wanted to post them here, too. :)

Shaun playing peek-a-boo with Mason (our nephew)...

Mason discovering the webcam on Andie's computer...

a few of the photos Mason managed to catch of himself while discovering the webcam:

Mason and his daddy, Justin, having a "twitch off" (sorry it's sideways!) Justin used to do this in the bathtub when he was a baby and get us all wet!

Lastly, the reason why Shaun is sleeping on the couch and NOT his bed. :)

Heiroglyphic Trail

2011-01-16T18:09:00.001-07:00

The Superstition Wilderness Gate

This past weekend, Lee and I took the boys on a hike up along the Heiroglyphic Trail in the Superstition Mountains. We've decided that this is the year to get back into shape and to break in those Camelbak packs and other gear, so off we went with all our "supplies." Cody even donned his hunting camoflage gear and facepaint to ensure that he would be at his most "authentic."

At the beginning of the trail, we had to pass through a gate where a sign announces the beginning of the Superstition Wilderness. Cody walked up to it, cocked his head and studied it, turned to Lee and said, "Dad, is this the gate that keeps all the wildness in?" I HAD to take a picture. :)

We also saw the usual tons of cactus - so, Mom, I took pics of some for you. :) Since you love them soooo much!

Lee and Shaun

Saguaro

Prickly Pear

Cholla

Cody... can you see him?

Shaun taking a rest

Ancient "sperm" hieroglyph? :)

Promise of Protection

2011-01-16T13:48:00.001-07:00

The LORD God is our light and our protector.
He gives us grace and glory.
The LORD will withhold no good things
From those who do what is right. (Psalm 84:11)
God does not promise to give us everything we think is good, but he will not withhold what is permanently good. He will give us the means to walk along his paths, but we must do the walking. When we obey him, he will not hold anything back that will help us serve him.

Serve the LORD with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of your pursuits – for his anger can flare up in an instant. But what joy for all who find protection in him! (Psalm 2:11-12)
We must surrender fully and submit to the Son. Christ is not only God’s chosen King; he is also the rightful King of our hearts and lives. To be ready for his coming we must submit to his leadership every day.

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Protect them, so all who love your name may be filled with joy. (Psalm 5:11)

Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who trust in him! (Psalm 34:8)
“Taste and see” does not mean, “Check out God’s credentials.” Instead, it is a warm invitation: “Try this; I know you’ll like it.” When we take that first step of obedience in following God, we cannot help discovering that he is good and kind. When we begin the Christian life, our knowledge of God is partial and incomplete. As we trust him daily, we experience how good he is.

But the LORD will redeem those who serve him. Everyone who trusts in him will be freely pardoned. (Psalm 34:22)
The Bible often connects the fear of the Lord (love and reverence for him) with obedience. “Fear God and obey his commands.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13); “All those who love me will do what I say” (John 14:23). David said that a person who fears the Lord doesn’t lie, turns from evil, does good, and promotes peace. Reverence is much more than sitting quietly in church. It includes obeying God in the way we speak and the way we treat others.

You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness. (1 Peter 2:2-3)
One characteristic all children share is that they want to grow up – to be like big brother or sister or like their parents. When we are born again, we become spiritual newborn babies. If we are healthy, we will yearn to grow. How said it is that some people never grow up. The need for milk is a natural instinct for a baby and it signals the desire for nourishment that will lead to growth. Once we see our need for God’s Word and begin to find nourishment in Christ, our spiritual appetite will increase, and we will start to mature. How strong is your desire for God’s Word.

Be to me a protecting rock of safety,
Where I am always welcome.
Give the order to save me,
For you are my rock and my fortress. (Psalm 71:3)

And the Father leaves all judgment to his Son, so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. But if you refuse to honor the Son, then you are certainly not honoring the Father who sent him. (John 5:23)
Because of his unity with God, Jesus lived as God wanted him to live. Because of our identification with Jesus, we must honor him and live as he wants us to live. The questions “What would Jesus do?” and “What would Jesus have me do?” may help us make the right choices.

I love you, LORD; you are my strength.
The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
My God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the strength of y salvation, and my stronghold. (Psalm 18:1-2)
God’s protection of his people is limitless and can take many forms. David characterized God’s care with five military symbols. God is like 1) a rock that can’t be moved by any who would harm us, 2) a fortress or place of safety where the enemy can’t follow, 3) a shield that comes between us and harm, 4) strength of salvation, a symbol of might and power, 5) a stronghold high above our enemies. If you need protection, look to God.

Prayer and Persistence

2011-01-12T15:34:00.000-07:00

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7)

Jesus tells us to persist in persuing God. People often give up after a few halfhearted efforts and conclude that God cannot be found. But knowing God takes faith, focus, and follow-through, and Jesus assures us that we will be rewarded. Don't give up in your efforts to seek God. Continue to ask him for more knowledge, patience, wisdom, love, and understanding. He will give them to you.

But I tell you this, though he won’t do it as a friend, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you what you want so his reputation won’t be damaged. (Luke 11:8)
Persistence, or boldness, in prayer overcomes OUR insensitivity, NOT God’s. To practice persistence does more to change our heart and mind and his, and it helps us understand and express the intensity of our need. Persistence in prayer helps us recognize God’s work.

One day Jesus told the disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up. “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who was a godless man with great contempt for everyone. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, appealing for justice against someone who had harmed her. The judge ignored for a while, but eventually she wore him out. ‘I fear neither God nor man,’ he said to himself, ‘but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests.’” Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this evil judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end, so don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who plead with him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when I, the Son of Man, return, how many will I find who have faith.” (Luke 18:1-8)
To persist in prayer and not give up does not mean endless repetition or painfully long prayer sessions. Constant prayer means keeping our requests continually before God as we live for him day by day, believing he will answer. When we live by faith, we are not to give up. God may delay answering, but his delays always have good reasons. As we persist in prayer, we grow in character, faith and hope.

Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. (Romans 12:12)

Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. (Hebrews 10:36)
Hebrews encourages believers to persevere in their Christian faith and conduct when facing persecution and pressure. We don’t usually think of suffering as good for us, but it can build our character and our patience. During times of great stress, we may feel God’s presence more clearly and find help from Christians we never thought would care. Knowing that Jesus is with us in our suffering and that he will return one day to put an end to all pain helps us grow in our faith and our relationship with him.

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. (Matthew 21:22)
This verse is not a guarantee that we can get anything we want simply by asking Jesus and believing. God does not grant requests that would hurt us or others or that would violate his own nature or will. Jesus’ statement is not a blank check. To be fulfilled, our requests must be in harmony with the principles of God’s Kingdom. The stronger our belief, the more likely our prayers will be in line with God’s will, and then God will be happy to grant them.

Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it! (Mark 11:24)
Jesus, our example, prayed, “Everything is possible for you… Yet I want your will, not mine” (Mark 14:36). Our prayers are often motivated by our own interests and desires. We like to hear that we can have anything. But Jesus prayed with God’s interests in mind. When we pray, we can express our desires, but we should want his will above ours. Check yourself to see if your prayers focus on your interests or God’s.

The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father. Yes, ask anything in my name, and I will do it! (John 14:12-14)
When Jesus says we can ask for anything, we must remember that our asking must be in his name – that is, according to God’s character and will. God will not grant requests contrary to his nature or his will, and we cannot use his name as a magic formula to fulfill our selfish desires. If we are sincerely following God and seeking to do his will, then our requests will be in line with what he wants, and he will grant them.

I write this to you who believer in the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. And we can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will. And if we know he is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for. (1 John 5:13-15)
The emphasis here is on God’s will, not our will. When we communicate with God, we don’t demand what we want’ rather we discuss with him what he wants for us. If we align our prayers to his will, he will listen; and we can be certain that if he listens, he will give us a definite answer. Start praying with confidence!

IEP Basics Training - Gilbert Public Schools, Arizona

2011-01-08T10:05:00.000-07:00

(okay folks, shameless plug here for an event I am helping to organize for families in my area... please please PLEASE pass this along if you know someone who may benefit from it. I can tell you from experience that this training was INVALUABLE to me as a parent of two kids on IEPs.) :)

If you have a child (or children) with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), you may have experienced feeling overwhelmed, frustrated or confused by the various meetings, people, assessments and paperwork that come along with it. You are not alone - help is here! The Special Education Parent Council for Gilbert Public Schools is hosting a special IEP Basics Training on Thursday, February 10th. This incredibly valuable training is offered free of charge through Raising Special Kids (http://www.raisingspecialkids.org/) and will give you a clearer understanding of the IEP document and process, the purpose of IEPs, the parents’ role in the process and how to prepare for meetings as well as provide you with valuable resources to help your child succeed.

Please RSVP so that we can be sure to have enough materials available for everyone attending.

IEP Basics Training – free of charge!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
6:30-8:30pm
GPS Community Education Building
6839 E. Guadalupe Road
Mesa AZ 85212
(southeast corner of Power Rd and Guadalupe Rd)

To RSVP or for more information, please contact:
Andie Hendrickson,
Superstition Springs Elementary Special Education Parent Council Representative
nuthousemama@yahoo.com

Humbleness

2011-01-08T09:08:00.001-07:00

God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. (Matthew 5:5)

Jesus began his sermon with words that seem to contradict each other. But God’s way of living usually contradicts the world’s. If you want to live for God, you must be ready to say and do what seem strange to the world. You must be willing to give when others take, to love when others hate, to help when others abuse. By giving up your own rights in order to serve others, you will one day receive everything God has in store for you.

Those who are gentle and lowly will possess the land; they will live in prosperous security. (Psalm 37:11)

Being gentle and lowly (humble) hardly seems the proper demeanor to deal with enemies. God’s warfare, however, must be carried out with calm faith, humility before God, and hope in his deliverance.

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers – the moon and the stars you have set in place – what are mortals that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us? (Psalm 8:3-4)

To respect God’s majesty, we must compare ourselves to his greatness. When we look at creation, we often feel small by comparison. To feel small is a healthy way to get back to reality, but God does not want us to dwell on our smallness. Humility means proper respect for God, not self-depreciation.

As God’s messenger, I give each of you this warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others. (Romans 12:3-5)

Healthy self-esteem is important because some of us think too little of ourselves; on the other hand, some of us overestimate ourselves. The key to an honest and accurate self0-evaluation is knowing the basis of our self-worth – our identity in Christ. Apart from him, we aren’t capable of very much by eternal standards; in him, we are valuable and capable of worthy service. Evaluating yourself by the worldly standards of success and achievement can cause you to think too much about your worth in the eyes of others and thus miss your true value in God’s eyes.

Don’t be selfish; don’t live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. Don’t think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing. (Philippians 2:3-4)

Selfishness can ruin a church, but genuine humility can build it. Being humble involves having a true perspective about ourselves. It does not mean that we should put ourselves down. Before God, we are sinners, saved only by God’s grace, but we are saved and therefore have great worth in God’s Kingdom. We are lay aside selfishness and treat others with respect and common courtesy. Considering others’ interests as more important than our links us with Christ, who was a true example of humility. Paul encourages us here to guard against any selfishness, prejudice, or jealousy that might lead to dissension. Showing genuine interest in others is a positive step forward in maintaining unity among believers.

For the proud will be humbled but the humble will be honored. (Luke 14:11)

Jesus advised people not to rush for the best places at a feast. People today are just as eager to raise their social status, whether by being with the right people, dressing for success, or driving the right car. Whom do you try to impress? Rather than aiming for prestige, look for a place where you can serve. If God wants you to serve on a wider scale, he will invite you to take a higher place.

Mason fun

2011-01-07T19:21:00.001-07:00

Today we were able to get a couple of videos of Mason while we had him... He always smiles when we make a funny popping sound with our mouths and gets his feet kicking so fast... what a cutie! :)

Here is Shaun playing peek-a-boo with him with a napkin:

This is Mason's directorial debut... he figured out that the camera phone is a little heavier than he originally thought, I think!

Living and Loving

2011-01-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to My message and believe in God who sent Me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.” (John 5:24)

If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to eternal life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another Christian is really a murderer at heart. And you know murderers don’t have eternal life within them. We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters. But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help – how can God’s love be in that person? (1 John 3:14-17)

John echoes Jesus’ teaching that whoever hates another person is a murderer at heart (Matthew 5:21,22). Christianity is a religion of the heart; outward compliance alone is not enough. Bitterness against someone who has wronged you is an evil cancer within you and will eventually destroy you. Don’t let a “bitter root” (Hebrews 12:15) grow in you or your church.

Real love is an action, not a feeling. It produces selfless, sacrificial giving. The greatest act of love is giving oneself for others. How can we “give up our life”? By serving others with no thought of receiving anything in return. Sometimes it is easier to say we’ll die for others than to truly live for them – this involves putting others’ desires first. Jesus taught this same principle of love in John 15:13.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. Loving God means keeping his commandments and really, that isn’t difficult. For every of child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory. And the ones who win this battle against the world are the ones who believe Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:1-5)

When we become Christians, we become part of God’s family, with fellow believers as our brothers and sisters. It is God who determines who the other family members are, not us. We are simply called to accept and love them. How well do you treat your fellow family members?

Jesus never promised that obeying him would be easy. But the hard work and self-discipline of serving Christ is no burden to those who love him. And if our load starts to feel heavy, we can always trust Christ to help us bear it (see Matthew 11:28-30).

Behavior Lights and Mealtime Manners Gems

2011-01-05T19:52:00.000-07:00

A couple of friends recently asked me to send them some of the strategies we have used with the boys in dealing with unwanted behavior issues. I finally got them written up and took a couple of photos and figured maybe it was a good idea to share them here. :) Maybe they'll help someone else! :)

Behavior "Lights"

This strategy follows the same “traffic light” pattern that is used at school to help children monitor their behavior. It’s simple: the kiddo moves up and down the chart as dictated by his behavior. In our home, only the parents or other adults can touch the light charts or decide if the child moves up or down. If the kids touch the chart, they immediately drop to red.

Moving down the chart is obvious – poor behavior. Give a warning and if the behavior(s) continue, they drop down to the next level.

Moving up the chart can be done either by improved behavior (the child stops the unwanted behavior) or by doing something to “earn” their way back up the chart (such as helping with a chore – taking out the trash, cleaning the bathroom, etc.) We’ve found that having a “list” or “menu” of chores/jobs to choose from is helpful. 

Here are the privileges/consequences we have for each level:

Green: all good! Friends can come over, can watch TV, play Wii, use the computer, use ipod, play outside. Can have and choose own breakfast, snacks and desserts (within reason). Can go out with family if family goes out. Can also earn $ for doing extra chores or helping out (which on yellow or red would only move them up a level).

Yellow: No computer, no Wii, no playing outside, no friends over. Must stay in the house. Can watch TV but ONLY if someone else is already watching it and they can NOT pick what is watched. Can watch ipod. No choosing breakfast or snacks. No dessert.

Red: No TV, no computer, no Wii, no ipod, no friends, no going out, no snacks, no dessert, no choosing breakfast. No playing outside. Must stay in room.

For our charts, I used colored paper and markers to make the chart and “rules” sheet and then covered them with clear contact paper. To make the chart itself, I used sticky backed Velcro circles so I could move each kid’s “initial” up and down as needed. Then I attached magnets to the back of both the chart and the “rules” list so they can stick to the fridge door, the nerve center of our home.

This is NOT a perfect system but it has definitely helped us by making consequences clear for everyone.

Mealtime Manners "Gems"

We use this strategy in helping reinforce better mealtime manners without us as parents having to constantly address issues. It gives the kids a chance to start internalizing and remembering the rules on their own (and keeps the peace a lot better).

For each kid, we keep a small glass like a shot glass with 5 of the flattened glass marbles they use in decorating and silk flower arrangements, etc. We also have a laminated list of the reasons why gems would be taken posted in the dining room. As “unwanted” behaviors occur, the child loses gems from their glass. Only the adults take the gems out (not other kids) and the kids are responsible for paying attention to why they have lost their gems (adults shouldn’t need to tell them since the reasons should be posted).

Start each meal with 5 gems.
• Need to eat all your dinner and still have 3 gems left to have dessert.
• Need to have at least 1 gem left to have snuggle time.

Reasons why gems can be taken:
• Talking with mouth full
• Whining
• Chewing with mouth open
• Stuffing mouth too full
• Complaining
• Elbows on the table
• Goofing off (gargling, blowing bubbles, spitting, etc.)
• Inappropriate table talk
• Interrupting
• Reaching over others’ plates (not passing)
• Antagonizing (bothering) others
• Knees or feet up by the tabletop
• Leaving without being excused
• Eating with hands (non finger foods)
• Being rude or insensitive to others
• Touching, coughing, breathing, etc. on others’ food
• Or any other disruptive or disrespectful behavior not listed

Listening for Leading

2011-01-03T09:52:00.000-07:00

The LORD is my light and my salvation – so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? (Psalm 27:1)

LORD, you have brought light to my life; my God, you light up my darkness. (Psalm 18:28)

Fear is a dark shadow that envelopes us and ultimately imprisons us within ourselves. Each of us has been a prisoner of fear at one time or another – fear of rejection, misunderstanding, uncertainty, sickness, or even death. But we can conquer fear by using the bright liberating light of the Lord, who brings salvation. If we want to dispel the darkness of fear, let us remember with the psalmist that “the LORD is my light and my salvation.”

My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” (Psalm 27:8)

Teach me how to live, O LORD. Lead me along the path of honesty, for my enemies are waiting for me to fall. (Psalm 27:11)

Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD. (Psalm 27:14)

Waiting for God is not easy. Often it seems that he isn’t answering our prayers or doesn’t understand the urgency of our situation. That kind of thinking implies that God is not in control or is not fair. But God is worth waiting for. Lamentations 3:24-26 (“I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!’ The LORD is wonderfully good to those who wait for him and seek him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD”) calls us to hope in and wait for the Lord because often God uses times of waiting to refresh, renew, and teach us. Make good use of your waiting time by discovering what God may be trying to teach you in them.

Search for the LORD and for his strength, and keep on searching. (Psalm 105:4)

If God seems far away, persist in your search for him. God rewards those who sincerely look for him “So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Jesus promised, “Everyone who seeks, finds” (Matthew 7:7). The psalmist suggested a valuable way to find God – become familiar with the way he has helped his people in the past. The Bible records the history of God’s people. In searching its pages we will discover a loving God who is waiting for us to find him.

Lead me in the right path, O LORD, or my enemies will conquer me. Tell me clearly what to do, and who me which way to turn. (Psalm 5:8)

Show me the path where I should walk, O LORD; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. (Psalm 25:4-5)

How do we receive God’s guidance? The first step is to want to be guided and to realize that God’s primary guidance system is in his Word, the Bible. Psalm 119 tells of the endless knowledge found in God’s Word. By reading it and constantly learning from it, we will gain the wisdom to perceive God’s direction for our lives. We may be tempted to demand answers from God, but David asked for direction. When we are willing to seek God, learn from his Word, and obey his commands, then we will receive his specific guidance.

So be strong and take courage, all you who put your hope in the LORD! (Psalm 31:24)

Hebrews & Holy Discipline

2011-01-02T10:07:00.000-07:00

Let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him. For our evil consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22)

Jesus guarantees our accesses to God the Father. He intercedes for us so we can boldly come to the Father with our needs. When we are weak, we can come confidently to God for forgiveness and ask for his help.

And have you forgotten entirely the encouraging words God spoke to you, his children? He said,
My child, don’t ignore it when the Lord disciplines you,
And don’t be discouraged when he corrects you.
For the Lord disciplines those he loves,
And he punishes those he accepts as his children. (Hebrews 12:5-6)

My child, don’t ignore it when the LORD disciplines you, and don’t be discouraged when he corrects you. For the LORD corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights. (Proverbs 3:11-12)

Discipline means “to teach and to train.” Discipline sounds negative to many of us because some disciplinarians are not loving. God, however, is the source of all love. He doesn’t punish us because he enjoys inflicting pain but because he is deeply concerned about our development. He knows that in order to become morally strong and good, we must learn the difference between right and wrong. His loving discipline enables us to do that.

It’s difficult to know when God has been disciplining us until we look back on the situation later. Not every calamity comes directly from God, of course. But if we rebel against God and refuse to repent when God has identified some sin in our life, he may use guilt, crises, or bad experiences to bring us back to him. Sometimes, however, difficult times come even when there is no flagrant sin in our life. Then our response should be patience, integrity, and confident that God will show us what to do.

I am the one who corrects and disciplines everyone I love. Be diligent and turn from your indifference. (Revelation 3:19)

God would discipline this lukewarm church (Laodicea) unless it turned from its indifference toward him. God’s purpose in discipline is not to punish but to bring people back to him. Are you lukewarm in your devotion to God? God may discipline you to help you out of your uncaring attitude, but he uses only loving discipline. You can avoid God’s discipline by drawing near to him again through confession, service, worship, and studying his Word. Just as the spark of love can be rekindled in marriage, so can the Holy Spirit reignite our zeal when we allow him to work in our heart.

Happy HOLY New Year! :)

2011-01-02T09:44:00.000-07:00

Last year, I read the bible. Yep. :) All the way. NOT an easy feat. It was not, however, without MASSIVE rewards. I REALLY feel it when I miss a few days (and, unfortunately, so does everyone around me... the attitude takes a dive, the sailor mouth reappears, and hopelessness returns). So one of my major goals this year is to continue on in my daily/regular quiet time in the Word and sharing whatever insights I manage to stumble on here. Just in case anyone out there who stumbles on our blog here might be in need of it. :)

God bless you all and here's to an amazing 2011!

Faithfully yours,
Andie

Christmas 2010

2010-12-30T11:09:00.000-07:00

the tree

the fab four

Fushigi Shaun

Cody

Mathew

Ally and Hunter have happy holiday snuggles

Andie and Matt high five the stocking stuffers

Excited about his Reese's!

Shaun enjoys his new blanket from Aunt Ally

Ryan loves Christmas

Bethi loves Christmas too!

Ryan and Ken share a holiday moment

Love my butterfly earrings!

Don't be taking Mom's Reese's!

Qi-Qi, the Wonder Fluff

Hunter enjoys naptime

Sammy, always alert

Yummmm....

Mom models her Aunt Ally made alpaca hat and scarf

Boys in the debris

Matt the Fushigi Master

Ally gives samples of her amazing buttermilk syrup

Military Cody

Military massage

Tradition...

Keep those goblets singing!!!

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-12-29T20:13:00.002-07:00

Fab Four

Shaun

Cody

Traci and Sean

Turning the world upside down!

Hollie

Wehmeyer fun

Ally and Matt

Hot chicks

Hendrickson and Wehmeyer Clans

Silly siblings :)

Word for the Day - Dec 23

2010-12-23T08:12:00.002-07:00

He heals the brokenhearted,
Binding up their wounds.
He counts the stars
And calls them all by name.
How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!
His understanding is beyond comprehension!
     - Psalm 147:3-56

The LORD’s delight is in those who honor him,
Those who put their hope in his unfailing love.
     - Psalm 147:11

Let every created thing give praise to the LORD,
For he issued his command, and they came into being.
     - Psalm 148:5

As the beating of cream yields butter, and a blow to the nose causes bleeding, so anger causes quarrels.
     - Proverbs 30:33

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those who are perishing. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.
     - Proverbs 31:8-9

Word for the Day - Dec 22

2010-12-22T08:07:00.000-07:00

This is what the LORD Almighty says: Judge fairly and honestly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and poor people. And do not make evil plans to harm each other.
     - Zechariah 7:9-10

Take note: I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their robes ready so they will not need to walk naked and ashamed.
     - Revelation 16:15

See, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me, to repay all according to their deeds> I am the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the beginning and the End.
     - Revelation 22:12-13

Teach me to do your will,
For you are my God.
May your gracious Spirit lead me forward
On a firm footing.
     - Psalm 143:10

O LORD what are mortals that you should notice us,
Mere humans that you should care for us?
For we are like a breath of air;
Our days are like a passing shadow.
     - Psalm 144:3-4

The LORD is kind and merciful,
Slow to get angry, full of unfailing love.
The LORD is good to everyone.
He showers compassion on all his creation.
     - Psalm 145:8-9

The LORD is faithful in all he says:
He is gracious in all he does.
The LORD helps the fallen
And lifts up those bent beneath their loads.
   - Psalm 145:13-14

The LORD is close to all who call on him,
Yes, to all who call on him sincerely.
     - Psalm 145:18

The LORD protects all those who love him.
     - Psalm 145:20

It's not just us... :)

2010-12-21T18:47:00.002-07:00

You've had them. One of THOSE kinds of days. Where EVERYTHING seems to go wrong. Murphy works overtime on all your carefully constructed plans. Some of us get more than a fair share of those days. I do. I'm sure they teach us to be flexible - but good criminy, there are days when I feel like God wants me to be Gumby and I'm more like the wooden toy soldier.

For the most part, I've just accepted that this is just a fact of my life. There is a family joke that Endersens just have bad luck. Our percentage for random catastrophe is higher than average. Getting married and changing my last name to Hendrickson didn't somehow alter my genetic material and sweat out the bad luck gene. Most of us Endersens just learn to laugh and roll with it. Eventually.

Now recently I've gotten into the show Gene Simmons' Family Jewels on MTV. I've never listened to KISS, nor could I probably tell you the name of ANY of their songs. I'd probably be shocked to recognize one if I had. I wasn't looking for the show. I just happened across it one night when I couldn't sleep. I love that family. They are so real... flaws and all. It's all out there. And they are HYSTERICAL!!! Gene in his feetie pajamas has to be one of the funniest and most adorable things I've ever seen. None of these people are perfect and I love that they're not really trying to be or make you believe that they are. Finally. Celebrities who are "real" people. ("Real" people with millions of dollars, a plastic surgeon, a house the size of a WalMart and who knows how much STUFF, true, but they're still pretty "real." )

But even they have THOSE kinds of days. Yes. The other night I was laughing so hard as Gene's car broke down on his way to Vegas for a premiere show starring him. There he was, stranded in the desert with no cell service and 6 hours 'til showtime. Now mind you, he'd decided to DRIVE himself (not use a driver) so that he could have "quiet" time to learn the words to the songs he was supposed to sing that night. Even though his "wife" and his assistant begged him to have someone else drive him.

There he was. No one would stop for him (maybe they were put off by the camera crew with him). He starts walking down that hot highway and FINALLY someone stops. A lady truck driver who recognizes him instantly and manages to finagle getting him to stop by her house to meet her boyfriend who is a HUGE KISS fan. That 2 minute drags out as they take pictures and Gene asks to use their phone (which they don't have because no one ever calls them). With his characteristic class, Gene manages to extricate himself from the house and gets to the nearest phone at a truck stop and calls someone to come and get him. Who shows up? Carrot Top. Who promptly gets them lost on the way to Vegas. Gene FINALLY shows up nearly an hour late to his show (where the audience is chanting "we want Gene!" and his managers are sweating and cursing like crazy, leaving him message after message after message...)

Meanwhile, back at his house, the girls (Shannon, Tracy and Gene and Shannon's daughter Sophie) discover a massive water leak in his office that has ruined several of his prized KISS artifacts. It wouldn't have been so bad if it hadn't been because Shannon had been trying to do plumbing repair herself earlier that day and Gene had been giving her crap about it before he left. So the rest of the show - as we are watching Gene slowly NOT make his way to Vegas, we get blips of his drowned office and the girls' mad rush to nearby KISS fan collections to see if they can replace what has been damaged before Gene gets home.

In the end, Gene gets to his show and pulls it off. The girls get the stuff replaced and the office cleaned up in time. But somehow they miss his office chair so as he walks in and walks by all the replaced stuff not noticing that they are replacements, he sits down and a wave of water hits the floor.

I was laughing so hard... How many days have I had like that? How many times have I had to eat crow because I did it "my" way when I was wisely advised to do it a better way and I totally paid for it. How many times has one thing after another gone wrong?

Yeah, it's not just us. These things happen to everyone. Even the God of Rock... Gene Simmons.

Maybe I need to get some feetie pajamas to wear on days like that. :)

Merry Christmas from the Nut House

2010-12-21T10:07:00.002-07:00

Merry Christmas!

Greetings! We hope that this finds you healthy and content and somehow managing to carve out some peace and quiet in the busyness of life (because we are trying to and we are hoping that SOMEONE OUT THERE is having success at it)! As usual, it’s been a busy year full of changes, challenges and adventures here at the Nut House but as we reflect back, we can say it has all been worth it. The economic crunch has hit us a bit harder than we’d hoped this year and yet God has provided for us in ways we never expected – growing our faith once again. (God always does amazing things, even with the ugly stuff, doesn’t He?) More than ever these days, we are reminded that we have all we need in Christ and each other – so we continue to do all we can to reach out to those around us whose needs are even greater.

Happily, we’ve enjoyed some particularly special blessings this year: the arrival of Justin and Jayme’s son, our nephew Mason (aka: “Boo Smoochie” ); Ryan moving here from Colorado; Thanksgiving with Traci, Sean and Hollie (how’s that thumb, Uncle Sean?), more building on Bobby Robert’s Party Farm and some beautiful time spent in Colorado. This year, Grammy and Grampy Rogers will be joining us for Christmas!

We love hearing from all of you, especially through emails and Facebook. Please keep in touch and send along any prayer requests our way. We are always more than happy to lift our loved ones up when they need it!

Blessings, Love and Peace to you all,
Andie, Lee, Shaun & Cody

Silly Siblings - Ryan and Andie

Mason, the "Boo Smoochie"

Uncle Sean, the Thanksgiving Casualty

The Hendrickson & Wehmeyer clans

16+ years and counting...

In an effort to give Mom a hand this year, we drew names and each wrote 6 sentences about that person instead of having Mom write the whole thing herself. (Really, this is a secret strategy to keep things shorter and at a readable font size. We let Mom blabber on the blog now instead of the holiday letter.)

Lee, by Cody

Daddy is 41 and he works for US Airways. Daddy is calm. Daddy is funny. He feeds us. Daddy tickles us a lot. Daddy sings “Jesus Loves Me” to me.

Andie, by Lee

This year has been a very busy one here in the Hendrickson house. Andie has been going all day and night keeping the Nut House running. Keeping us healthy and happy by making sure we are get to all of our family and friends’ events and doctor appointments. On top of that, she is the greatest mom and wife us boys could ever ask for. The amount of love that she shows and gives is enough for 10 families! We love her very much. Thank you, Mom!

Cody, by Shaun

This year Cody is 9 and wears glasses. He has a helper named Adam. He is in third grade. He likes nachos and cheese. He is funny and happy and calm. He likes games.

Shaun, by Mom

Shaun is 11 years old and in 6th grade – next year he will be in junior high! He is growing his hair out long, almost as tall as me and his shoes are bigger than mine now. This year Shaun got to go to Science Camp where he enjoyed riding the zip line upside down (of course). He has really grown up this year and is more responsible and helpful than ever. He loves to play video games, get the dogs to chase lasers, be outside and hang out with his friends and his Uncle Ryan. Thankfully for me, he still enjoys his bedtime snuggles, too!

Word for the Day - Dec 21

2010-12-21T08:01:00.000-07:00

How wonderful it is, how pleasant,
When brothers live together in harmony!
     - Psalm 132:1

Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His faithful love endures forever.
     - Psalm 136:26

When I pray, you answer me;
You encourage me by giving me the strength I need.
     - Psalm 138:3

O LORD, you have examined my heart
And know everything about me.
     - Psalm 139:1

You know what I am going to say
Even before I say it, LORD.
     - Psalm 139:4

You made all the delicate inner parts of my body
And knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous – and how well I know it.
     - Psalm 139:13-14

How precious are your thoughts about je, O God!
They are innumerable!
     - Psalm 139:17

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Test me and know my thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you,
And lead me along the path of everlasting life.
     - Psalm 139:23-24

But I know the LORD will surely help those who are persecuted;
He will maintain the rights of the poor.
Surely the godly are praising your name,
For they will live in your presence.
     - Psalm 140:12-13

Take control of what I say, O LORD,
And keep my lips sealed.
Don’t let me lust for evil things;
Don’t let me participate in acts of wickedness.
Don’t let me share in the delicacies
Of those who do evil.
     - Psalm 141:3-4

I cry out to the LORD;
I plead for the LORD’s mercy.
I pour out my complaints before him
And tell him all my troubles.
     - Psalm 142:1-2

If you assist a thief, you are only hurting yourself. You will be punished if you report the crime, but you will be cursed if you don’t.
     - Proverbs 29:24

Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but to trust the LORD means safety.
     - Proverbs 29:25

O God, I beg two favors from you before I die. First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” and if I am too poor, I may steal and insult God’s holy name.
     - Proverbs 30:7-9

The eye that mocks a father and despises a mother will be plucked out by ravens of the valley and eaten by vultures.
     - Proverbs 30:17

Word for the Day - Dec 20

2010-12-20T14:00:00.000-07:00

I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the world of the dead, and LORD, you heard me!
     - Jonah 2:2

When I had lost all hope, I turned my thoughts once more to the LORD. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple.
     - Jonah 2:7

O people, the LORD has already told you what is good, and this is what he requires: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
     - Micah 6:8

The LORD is slow to get angry, but his power is great, and he never lets the guilty go unpunished. He displays his power in the whirlwind and the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath his feet.
     - Nahum 1:3

The LORD is good. When trouble comes, he is a strong refuge. And he knows everyone who trusts in him.
     - Nahum 1:7

Look at the nations and be amazed! Watch and be astounded at what I will do! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.
     - Habakkuk 1:5

I have heard all about you, LORD, and I am filled with awe by the amazing things you have done. In this time of our deep need, begin again to help us, as you did in years gone by. Show us your power to save us. And in your anger, remember your mercy.
     - Habakkuk 3:2

Gather together and pray, you shameless nation. Gather while there is still time, before judgment begins and your opportunity is blown away like chaff. Act now, before the fierce fury of the LORD falls and the terrible day of the LORD’s anger begins. Beg the LORD to save you – all you who are humble, all you who uphold justice. Walk humbly and do what is right. Perhaps even yet the LORD will protect you from his anger on that day of destruction.
     - Zephaniah 2:1-3

For the LORD your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness.. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult you by singing a happy song.
     - Zephaniah 3:17

Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins?
     - Haggai 1:4

Word for the Day - Dec 16

2010-12-16T10:27:00.000-07:00

Do what is good and run from evil – that you may live! Then the LORD God Almighty will truly be your helper, just as you have claimed he is. Hate evil and love what is good; remodel your courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the LORD God Almighty will have mercy on his people who remain.
     - Amos 5:14-15

How happy are those who fear the LORD –
All who follow his ways!
     - Psalm 128:1

From the depths of despair, O LORD,
I call for your help.
Hear my cry, O Lord.
Pay attention to my prayer.
     - Psalm 130:1-2

LORD, my heart is not proud;
My eyes are not haughty.
I don’t concern myself with matters too great
Or awesome for me.
But I have stilled and quieted myself,
Just as a small child is quiet with its mother.
Yes, like a small child is my soul within me.
     - Psalm 131:1-2

There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.
     - Proverbs 29:20

Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.
     - Proverbs 29:23

“I am the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come, the Almighty One.”
     - Revelation 1:8

Look how far you have fallen from your first love! Turn back to me again and work as you did at first. If you don’t, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.
     - Revelation 2:5

Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The Devil will throw some of you into prison and put you to the test. You will be persecuted for ‘ten days.’ Remain faithful even when facing death, and will give you the crown of life.
     - Revelation 2:10

Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends. I will invite everyone who is victorious to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
     - Revelation 3:20-22

Word for the Day -Dec 11

2010-12-11T06:54:00.000-07:00

O our God, hear your servant’s prayer! Listen as I plead. For your own sake, Lord, smile again on your desolate sanctuary.
     - Daniel 9:17

Don’t be afraid, for you are deeply loved by God. Be at peace; take heart and be strong!
     - Daniel 10:19

Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of my love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.
     - Hosea 10:12

So now, come back to your God! Act on the principles of love and justice, and always live in confident dependence on your God.
     - Hosea 12:6

Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those who are discerning listen carefully. The paths of the LORD are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But sinners stumble and fall along the way.
     - Hosea 14:9

But you, dear friends, must continue to build your lives on the foundation of your holy faith. And continue to pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit. Live in such a way that god’s love can bless you as you wait for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy is going to give you. Show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. There are still others to whom you need to show mercy, but be careful that you aren’t contaminated by their sins.
     - Jude 20-23

Word for the Day - Dec 10th Psalms

2010-12-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

I look up to the mountains –
Does my help come from there?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made the heavens and the earth!
     - Psalm 121:1-2

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
May all who love this city prosper.
O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls
And prosperity in your palaces.
For the sake of my family and friends, I will say,
“Peace by with you.”
For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem.
     - Psalm 122:6-9

Restore our fortunes, LORD,
As streams renew the desert,
Those who plan tin tears
Will harvest with shouts of joy.
They weep as they go to plant their seed,
But they sing as they return with the harvest.
     - Psalm 126:4-6

Unless the LORD builds a house,
The work of the builders is useless.
Unless the LORD protects a city,
Guarding it with sentries will do no good.
It is useless for you to work so hard
From early morning until late at night,
Anxiously working for food to eat;
For God gives rest to his loved ones.
     - Psalm 127:1-2

Word for the Day - Dec 9 Proverbs

2010-12-09T12:29:00.002-07:00

Blessed are those who have a tender conscience, but the stubborn are headed for serious trouble.
     - Proverbs 28: 14

In the end, people appreciate frankness more than flattery.
     - Proverbs 28:23

Greed causes fighting; trusting the LORD leads to prosperity.
      - Proverbs 28:25

Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be broken beyond repair.
     - Proverbs 29:1

Mockers can get a whole town agitated, but those who are wise will calm anger.
     - Proverbs 29:8

Word for the Day - Dec 8th 1,2, 3 John

2010-12-08T18:29:00.000-07:00

Anyone who loves other Christians is living in the light and does not cause anyone to stumble. Anyone who hates a Christian brother or sister is living and walking in darkness. Such a person is lost, having been blinded by the darkness.
     - 1 John 2:10-11

So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will continue to live in fellowship with the Son and with the Father.
     - 1 John 2:24

This is the message we have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
     - 1 John 3:11

Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions. It is by our actions that we know we are living in the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before the Lord, even if our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
     - 1 John 3:18-20

This is the way to find out if a prophet has the Spirit of God: If a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ became a human being, that person has the Spirit of God.
     - 1 John 4:2

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won your fight with these false prophets, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
     - 1 John 4:4

Dear friends, let us continue to love on another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God – for God is love.
     - 1 John 4:7-8

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.
     - 1 John 4:16

Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us. We love each other as a result of his loving us first.
     - 1 John 4:18-19

If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen.
     - 1 John 4:20

Loving God means keeping his commandments, and really, that isn’t difficult. For every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory. And the ones who win this battle against the world are the ones who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
     - 1 John 5:3-5

I write this to you who believe in the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. And we can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will. And if we know he is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for.
     - 1 John 5:13-15

Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.
     - 1 John 5:21

Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.
     - 3 John 11

Word for the Day - Dec 4th 1st & 2nd Peter

2010-12-04T08:10:00.002-07:00

These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold- and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

     - 1 Peter 1:7 NLT

So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the special blessings that will come to you at the return of Jesus Christ.
     - 1 Peter 1:13 NLT

So get rid of all malicious behavior and deceit. Don’t just pretend to be good! Be done with hypocrisy and jealousy and backstabbing.
     - 1 Peter 2:1 NLT

You are not slaves; you are free. But your freedom is not an excuse to do evil. You are free to live as God’s slaves. Show respect for everyone. Love your Christian brothers and sisters. Fear God. Show respect for the king.
     - 1 Peter 2:16-17 NLT

You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.
     - 1 Peter 3:4 NLT

Finally, all of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate when people say unkind things about you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God wants you to do, and he will bless you for it.
     - 1 Peter 3:8-9 NLT

The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.
     - 1 Peter 4:7-8 NLT

Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.
     - 1 Peter 5:8-9 NLT

So make every effort to apply these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better. Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. Godliness leads to love for other Christians, and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone.
     - 2 Peter 1:5-7 NLT

Word for the Day - Dec 2 James

2010-12-02T15:27:00.000-07:00

Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.
     - James 1:2-4

God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
     - James 1:12

Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven’s lights. Unlike them, he never changes or casts shifting shadows. In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possessions.
     - James 1:17-18

My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Your anger can never make things right in God’s sight.
     - James 1:19-20

If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are just fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.
     - James 1:26

For there will be no mercy for you if you have not been merciful to others. But if you have been merciful, then God’s mercy toward you will win out over his judgment against you.
     - James 2:13

So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all – it is dead and useless.
     - James 2:17

So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
     - James 3:5-6

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no partiality and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness.
     - James 3:17-18

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.
     - James 4:7

Don’t speak evil against each other, my dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize each other and condemn each other, then you are criticizing and condemning God’s law. But you are not a judge who can decide whether the law is right or wrong. Your job is to obey it.
     - James 4:11

Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
     - James 4:17

Are any among you suffering? They should keep on praying about it. And those who have reason to be thankful should continually sing praises to the Lord.
     - James 5:13

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.
     - James 5:16

Word for the Day - Dec 1 Psalm 119

2010-12-01T15:22:00.000-07:00

Oh that my actions would consistently reflect your principles!
Then I will not be disgraced when I compare my life with your commands.
When I learn your righteous laws, I will thank you by living as I should!
I will obey your principles. Please don’t give up on me!
     - Psalm 119:5-8

Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your law.
I am but a foreigner here on earth;
I need the guidance of your commands.
Don’t hide them from me!
     - Psalm 119:18-19

Help me to understand the meaning of your commandments,
and I will meditate on your wonderful miracles.
I weep with grief;
encourage me by your word.
Keep me from lying to myself;
give me the privilege of knowing your law.
I have chosen to be faithful;
I have determined to live by your laws.
     - Psalm 119:29-30

Teach me, O LORD,
to follow every one of your principles.
Give me an understanding and I will obey your law;
I will put it into practice with all my heart.
Make me walk along the path of your commands,
for that is where my happiness is found.
     - Psalm 119:33-35

You have done many good things for me, LORD,
just as you promised.
I believe in your commands;
Now teach me good judgment and knowledge.
     - Psalm 119:65-66

The suffering you sent was good for me,
for it taught me to pay attention to your principles.
     - Psalm 119:71

You made me; you created me.
Now give me the sense to follow your commands.
May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy,
for I have put my hope in your word.
     - Psalm 119:73-74

Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.
     - Psalm 119:105

LORD, sustain me as you promised, that I may live! Do not let my hope be crushed.
     - Psalm 119:116

I am your servant; deal with me in unfailing love, and teach me your principles. Give discernment to me, your servant; then I will understand your decrees.
     - Psalm 119:124-125

As your words are taught, they give light; even the simple can understand them.
     - Psalm 119:130

Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by any evil. Rescue me from the oppression of evil people; then I can obey your commandments. Look down on me with love; teach me all your principles.
     - Psalm 119:133-135

As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands. Your decrees are always fair; help me to understand them, that I may live.
     - Psalm 119:143-144

I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words. I stay awake through the night, thinking about your promise. In your faithful love, O LORD, hear my cry; in your justice, save my life.
     - Psalm 119:147-149

I rejoice in your word like one who finds a great treasure.
     - Psalm 119:162

Those who love your law have great peace and do not stumble.
     - Psalm 119:165

O LORD, listen to my cry; give me the discerning mind you promised. Listen to my prayer; rescue me as you promised. Let my lips burst forth with praise, for you have taught me your principles. Let my tongue sing about your word, for all your commands are right. Stand ready to help me, for I have chosen to follow your commandments.
     - Psalm 119:169-173

Word for the Day - Nov 30 Proverbs

2010-11-30T14:17:00.000-07:00

Don’t praise yourself; let others do it!

     - Proverbs 27:2

Wounds from a friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.
     - Proverbs 27:6

A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.
     - Proverbs 27:12

As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend.
     - Proverbs 27:17

Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.
     - Proverbs 27:21

Word for the Day - Nov 29 Psalms

2010-11-29T14:14:00.002-07:00

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out!
Tell others he has saved you from your enemies.
     - Psalm 107:1-2

Happy are those who fear the LORD.
Yes, happy are those who delight in doing what he commands.
     - Psalm 112:1

When darkness overtakes the godly, light will come bursting in.
They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.
     - Psalm 112:4

They do not fear bad news;
They confidently trust the LORD to care for them.
     - Psalm 112:7

I love the LORD because he hears and answers my prayers.
Because he bends down and listens,
I will pray as long as I have breath!
     - Psalm 116:1-2

Praise the LORD, all you nations.
Praise him, all you people of the earth.
For he loves us with unfailing love;
The faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
Praise the LORD!
     - Psalm 117

In my distress I prayed to the LORD,
And the LORD answered me and rescued me.
The LORD is for me, so I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
     - Psalm 118:5-6

It is better to trust the LORD
than to put confidence in people.
     - Psalm 118:8

This is the day the Lord has made.
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
     - Psalm 118:24

Thanksgiving 2010 Casualty

2010-11-28T18:57:00.000-07:00

Poor Sean... but he did get out of dish duty! he he he