Family Fun

I swear I don't know what happened to all the pictures that I thought I was taking. I guess I just got so caught up playing, I forgot to take pictures. It was a crazy, chaotic, noisy week. Just what vacation should be when there are 20+ people sharing a house! The cousins had a great time playing together and the adults got to catch up. Despite some disappointments (who closes main attractions in August???) we did all sorts of fun things in Branson. Here are some of the highlights: The fish hatchery at Table Rock Dam- fun for all ages!

Marshmallow roasting amongst the poison ivy- fortunately we didn't seem to have any cases of that.
Celebrating Nana's birthday- complete with balloons, elk heads, peach cream pie and singing! Oh, and don't forget the 20 loved ones surrounding her!

And totally random fun-ness!
I will try to get the rest of the pictures from vacation up on my shutterfly site this week, so look there for more!

Slow Down

We had a wonderful time visiting Ev's parents. It was really nice to have a week where we were on country time. The weather was gorgeous- we even got some rain. Yeah, for us that's good news! In fact, it was Fiona's first time in the rain. The boys were so excited they ran around like little maniacs just soaking it up!







We did some good, old fashioned yard work. Ev ran the chainsaw while the boys and I picked up sticks and branches. Even Fiona got in on the work. It was great to be outside! I think we were outside from morning until night with only mealtimes inside.




We worked hard, but we played hard too. Trevor & Braden climbed trees, ran in the corn, caught small animals and generally wore themselves out while getting thoroughly dirty from head to toe.






Of course we left time for those things we never get to do like seeing family, riding 4-wheelers and tractors and looking at cows. Fiona met lots of people for the first time!

Vaca

We're back and we're trying to get into some kind of rhythm. For some reason, I thought it would be a good idea to come home from a long vacation on Saturday and start the new school year on Monday. School is going great, but picture editing is going S-L-O-W! Yes, I know this is the second week! I am trying my best to make some progress, though, and here are just a couple to whet your appetite or in case you didn't know where we've been!

rejoicing

Several months ago, Braden started asking about being a Christian. He talked about it to his teacher in Sunday School, he mentioned it to me at home. When Everett sat down with him to talk about it some more, he didn't seem to understand what it was really about. So we set the topic aside for a while. Every so often the subject would come up again, in passing, and we could tell it was on his mind. A few weeks ago, he told us that he wanted to be a Christian. So Everett talked with him again.

They talked about how we cannot live up to God's standard of perfection. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

He explained the Bible's plan for saving us from the penalty of sin, which is eternal death and separation from God. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

What can we do to deserve earn or deserve this gift? Nothing! Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us

How did he save us? John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit

So now what? Romans 10:9 If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Braden said that he understood and that he believed, so he prayed and he did! Amen and praise the Lord! We're so thankful to God for this blessing. We have prayed for each of our children, from birth, that he (or she) would put their trust in Jesus Christ at a young age. We prayed that his faith would grow, just as he grows, and that he would be used by God to do great and mighty things for the kingdom of God. Praise God, we know that God is already working in Braden's heart and can already see evidence of his growth in God as he has become more sensitive to his sins and more teachable when he is corrected. As the Bible says in Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

We know there is rejoicing in heaven when even one sinner repents, and we are rejoicing here too!