big things come in small packages

Here are a few pictures of our foster children.....

back by popular demand....ahh, well, michele's demand

 

Since everyone is sick and tired of seeing the terrible hairstyles of the 80's, I am taking Michele's advice and posting a few pictures of our recent vacation to Disney World.  I hope this provides new images for your minds! We gave the kids a little spending money for souvenirs and our daughter Abigail refused all "princess suggestions." Instead, she chose a Peter Pan sword and hook which she was eager to use in this photo.

best apple pie

I'm answering my own blog.  I found what seems to be a great recipe for apple pie.  Check it out!

http://www.myhomecooking.net/apple-pie/

random thoughts

Everyone else seems to do these on their blogs so why can't I?

1- Flylady kicked my butt on baby step 2. Apparently getting organized begins with getting dressed in the morning and washing your face and fixing your hair. Of course this happens only after you have shined your sink! I felt like a loser sitting there at my laptop, in my pj's with my greasy hair and dirty face, searching for an organizational tip I could begin on while the kids were doing their school work. I wasn't expected to be told the obvious: get dressed! In case you were wondering - I did close my laptop and take a shower. Off to step 3.

2- Matt and I watched the movie "Thr3e" last night. It's based on the book by Christian author Ted Dekker and it has sort of freaked me out.

3- Stephen and Abbie both have a Webkinz and they have entered the world of Webkinz to which I fear they will not return. Whoever came up with this idea is brilliant and I have no doubt that they are rolling in the dough!

4- In my stack of coupons, I found what appears to be a great recipe for 1-Dish Caramel Pecan Coffee Cake. I'll post the directions later - but I'm about to eat the picture of the finished product - if that gives you any idea of how great this looks.

5- At what age does your son stop falling down on purpose?

6- On the last few car rides I've had with my kids, Abbie has asked me some good but very random questions: What is the importance of trees? What does it mean when Daddy says that my heart is deceived? What does it mean to repent? I can't leave out Abbie's great observation at yesterday's family date at Five Guys: "I love Cherry Coke Mom. Do you know why? (a slight pause for me to guess) "Because it tastes like cherry!"

7- I'm so thankful and happy that I am no longer addicted to any particular tv show or soap in light of the writer's strike. I was reading in a magazine yesterday how fans of "The Young and the Restless" are going to be very uptight b/c a main character was in a coma right before the strike took place. Without any new episodes being written, viewers are left with a huge, unwanted cliff-hanger. lol.

8- Eight is my favorite number. I like the way it looks and I like to write it. I do not write "8" in one smooth stroke. I choose to go the two circle way.

9- Matt and I went to NYC to see the off-Broadway production of C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters. In addition to seeing an amazing show, we also found ourselves walking around Queens and stumbling upon a movie set for the upcoming movie "Ghost Town". We also passed right by actor Ben Affleck. Well, Matt passed by. I stopped, looked, pointed, and then tripped on a curb.

10- Does anyone have a good apple pie recipe?

hello 37 1/2

Here's the update: After lots of hard work at avoiding donuts, butterscotch krimpets, soda, sweet tea, and chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream (Breyers, of course), Matt has successfully made some wonderful progress.

He has lost about 14 lbs. knocking sugar out of his life and the largest part of his gut is now 37.5". The best thing is that he feels better and by the grace of God, he did not get one headache from the sugar withdrawl.

It's hard to believe that my husband is eating wheat bread and putting splenda in his coffee!

goodbye 39?

Nope, you haven't missed my 40th birthday. That event won't happen until 2010, God-willing.

Thirty-nine is the number of inches that measure the circumference of my husband's protuberant abdomen, i.e. potbelly. Protuberant: it's times like these that I love the dictionary. After months of experiencing some discomfort while trying to bend over to tie his shoes, Matt has decided to do something about these 39".

Anyone who knows Matt is aware that the main ingredient of just about everything he consumes is sugar. The first two weeks of South Beach eliminates all sugar from your diet, which means that my husband will be going through some serious withdrawl. Pray for me. Pray for anyone that comes in contact with Matt over these next two weeks.

This whole concept of eliminating sugar and eating healthy is a new way of life for the man who can survive on vanilla cream donuts from D&D and hot cinnamon rolls from Bob Evans. Matt was always a stick growing up. When I first met him and began spending time with him, I remember seeing his belt laying somewhere and stammering at how incredibly short it was. It was more like a necklace, seriously.

Those days are gone now and despite the fact that I think he gets better looking as he gets older, (I like him beefier and it's nice for once to weigh less than your husband) I want him to be healthy. His body is not his own. His body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. He has been bought with a price and as a result, he is called to glorify God with his body.

If you get a chance, read 1 Corinthians 6:12-20. Paul's command to glorify God with our bodies flows from his strong exhortation to flee sexual immorality. He's not talking about food and the need to eliminate sugar but I think there is still application we can make in regards to our eating. In verse 12 and 13a Paul says:

"All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything. Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food - and God will destroy both one and the other."

The key here is that we are not to be enslaved by anything. Why? The answer rests in the truth of the gospel found in verses 19 and 20:

"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

When I come face to face with such a clear gospel connection in the Word, I try to slowly walk myself through the truth, allowing each point to sink in. Here's how this one would go:

Because I am a Christian, the Holy Spirit resides in me. He lives in me. I am not my own anymore. My life doesn't belong to me. I can't do whatever I feel like doing whenever I feel like doing it. I belong to Another. I belong to Jesus Christ, who shed his blood on the Cross to redeem me. He paid the full price for me by standing in my place and receiving the full wrath of God that I deserved. He bought me. All that I do in this body should aim to glorify Him - to make much of Him. Father God, thank you! Show me the things in my life that are not helpful and reveal to me the things that are enslaving me (v.12) so that I might adorn the gospel and bring glory to You.

Will Matt's 39" gut shrink?

I'm not sure, but what's most important is that he has chosen to respond to the reality that sugar has enslaved him. His heart is to please God and to bring Him glory, even in the area of his eating. :)

get off your bahonkers!

When I think of Holly Kent, this is the first phrase that comes to mind! Yesterday we lost a dear sister in the Lord, but no doubt she is raising the roof in heaven! I am so thankful for the precious gospel and for the promises that it secures!

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? John 14:2

A place has been prepared for us! By our Savior! What could be better than that? Check out this great message on heaven from 1SingleDay by C.B. Eder: http://www.crosswaypa.org/pages/index.php?pID=207