Apr. 13, 2008
The Progress of one Pilgrim!
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Nik and I have been reading Pilgrim's Progress for school this year. This book has been by far one of the highlights of our school year. We only read about 800 words each sitting, but honestly, if you have ever tried to tackle this book that is about all you need to really digest it. John Bunyan really had it going on. The fact that he knew scripture like he did is amazing to me. Its my goal. But beyond that, he was able to take what he knew and make a story from it. If you know it, you can teach it (and sometimes in my case, you learn along with one, so you can teach the rest;). I cannot tell you how many good theological conversations Nik and I have gotten into because of this. Conversations that I would never have thought to have with him otherwise. It has facilitated so much. Recently, Christian (the character in PP) was walking on the narrow way, when two men (Formalist and Hypocrisy~ I almost want to say that Bunyan was before his time, but are 21st century sinners really more creative than 17th century ones??) crawled over the wall of the narrow way. Nik had a TON of questions. We talked about what the cost of being a follower of Christ means, and that there are tons of benefits, but NOT all roads lead to Christ. It was a conversation that freaked me out a little, since he is only 11. Today in church, the Gospel reading was from John 10:1-10. The first verse is "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber." Since we spent so much time on that particular passage in PP a couple months ago, I immediately looked at him after that first verse, and he mouthed to me: "Pilgrims Progress!" I know this seems so little and doesn't seal any future in stone, but he is getting it; at a MUCH MUCH earlier age than I did. I was just so proud of him. I don't care if he is a Priest or preacher when he is older, but I do want all my children to be able to articulate the GOSPEL, no matter what the wind of doctrine is during his time. (breath...) I do know this, it won't be anything NEW! |
Apr. 12, 2008
I Am Published;)
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My Pastor asked me to consider writing a personal article for our church's newsletter and immediately I panicked. Mostly because I get a little long winded when trying to explain things, and just don't do it very well. But it was a good exercise for me to see God's faithfulness to us, and to try and encapsulate 5 years into 500 words (I think I did 700 |
). And of course to practice my grammar that I need to teach to my children~ha! Anyways, Apr. 3, 2008
Things I am thinking about...
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We are not saved by our changed lives, the changed life is the result of being saved and not the basis of it. The basis of salvation is the perfection of the life and death of Christ presented in our place. Graeme Goldsworthy |
Mar. 24, 2008
Week in Review
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From Palm Sunday to Easter was one packed week for us! My little brother was here visiting, and he kept getting extended (which was of course fine with us!!)because of flying standby and Spring Break. I love sharing our life here with our family back home. Monday was St. Patricks day and my daddy's birthday! I also got to experience my first Maundy Thursday service as an Anglican. SO powerful!! We did our Spring Celebration this week also, to free up Resurrection Sunday for the resurrection! The Easter Bunny came Friday morning, so that morning we decorated eggs, found baskets, ate chocolate, etc. Then by noonish on Good Friday we were trying to bring it in a little for some contemplation on the cross. Full gamut of emotions on Friday;) It just all happened in the same week, so I don't know how separated it seemed to the kiddos. Good Friday ended up so good. We took our time throughout the day to do the Stations of the Cross, have some quiet time, make our playdough tombs, and barely make it to our Service that night because of a snow storm. But even that service was worth the struggle to get there. God met me in ways I haven't experienced in a LONG time! The next couple weeks are going to seem anti-climatic in comparison. Of course Easter Sunday was wonderful. We made Resurrection Cookies on Saturday night, pulled out our Alleluia banner on Sunday after church. We worshipped the resurrected Christ on Sunday. After listing it all, it sounds like a crazy busy week, but it really didn't feel like it. God's grace I think;) I took my time with the kids at the end of the week to get across what I thought was worth their attention. Here are our pictures, what would be a post from me without them?
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The kids watching Father Jack anoint the Palms with Holy Water.
Our awesome Pastor's wife Amy doing the children's sermon~the kids love this time!
My little helper!
Our green pancakes with bacon...not so good;)
Uncle Mike and Shaye enjoying the green;)
Stinkin' cute Shaye
Made Corned Beef and Cabbage with Guiness for the first time without my mom;)
Me and my baby brother Mikey;)
The stripped altar on Maundy Thursday!
Celebrating
Spring!
Niky's egg creatures;)
Watching daddy be creative;)
Making our clay tombs.
Rolling our saved change to give to 
Making our 
Sealing the tomb! 
Christ has Risen! He has risen indeed!
Happy Resurrection Day!Mar. 20, 2008
Our Journey...
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My friend Char has this on her blog. Piper is one of our favorite preachers, and the seeds of adoption has been placed in our hearts! Here the two merge to bring me to mush. Please pray for us as we begin our journey, that I think will take some time! Here are the only things we know: ~we are affiliated with Rwanda with our Church family ~it is expensive ~we are taking care of Steve's Grandma ~we are reading about the Rwandan genocide and can't stop talking about the children I have a feeling that this will be a lengthy journey, but not many are short ones;)
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Mar. 19, 2008
The Glory of It All~my current repeat song;)
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At the start He was there He was there In the end He’ll be there He’ll be there And after all Our hands have wrought He forgives Oh, the glory of it all Is He came here For the rescue of us all That we may live For the glory of it all For the glory of it all All is lost Find Him there Find Him there After night Dawn is there Dawn is there And after all Falls apart He repairs He repairs Oh He is there With redemption from the fall That we may live For the glory of it all Oh, the glory of it all We will never be the same After night Comes a light Dawn is here Dawn is here Its a new day, a new day Oh, everything will change Things will never be the same We will never be the same ~David Crowder~ |
Mar. 18, 2008
Ugh Brennan Manning
Posted in Theology
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I am doing a lenten book study with a small group of people from my church, and the book that was chosen is called The Signature of Jesus by Brennan Manning. The only description I have is UGH! He is clear that the Signature of Jesus is the cross on our lives, but God Bless him, I have wanted to throw this book more times than I can count. I just FEEL that he is dishing out a different sort of works in a Roman Catholic sort of way (he was a Franciscan Priest). Its just WAY WAY simpler than how he presents it. The signature of Jesus is all about what this week represents, and that is IT! We either *get* God's propitiation or we DO NOT. If we do not it is ALWAYS Christ's blood +++++ something else. And I do think that as believers, we are all at different stages of this. I think THAT is our life struggle, to NOT help Christ redeem us. Or to not work at being worthy for it. I do understand that there is a journey, everyone has one. But I feel that this book just tried (because I did not fall for it~kuddos for me;)) to give me something ELSE to be guilty for. I already have that problem in *other* areas of my life, I certainly don't need more. This book was muddy water. Never really clear *what* he was trying to say. I had this feeling that I wanted to slap him on the back to help him to just get it out...pure frustration. It did have redeeming values! I got to host and have people over every week, got to know people in a more intimate way, and it did spurn some good conversation! I just felt like I had the same thing to say over and over...the Gospel is the answer, the Gospel is the answer, the Gospel is the answer. And I admit that I didn't even really understand THAT until a few years ago. But the WAY to understand God's signature, and to have a MORE intimate passionate love for Christ, and to want to serve Him more and want to make sure we love our neighbor as ourselves, and to want to deliver the good news to the unbeliever (whew) is to better understand what he did on the CROSS. Thats it, its all encapsulated IN that. If we think we totally get it, we cut ourselves off from learning more! This is another off the cuff, venting sort of post. And I apologize if you totally like this book, but as my hubby says, I think he went around his elbow to get to his thumb! (and landed on the wrong thumb;) |
Mar. 15, 2008
Happy Birthday Grandma
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Its been almost six months since Henry's Grandmother moved in with us. His parents were going to move her all the way to Michigan from Fresno to put her in a nursing home, and Henry freaked! So since then, she has lived with us;) It hasn't been all peaches and cream, but I can say it has been GOD!!
Baby Girl with Grandma Jean She lived in an Assisted Living facility with her twin sister June for three years in Fresno. (They both lived in and around Fresno all of their lives.)
The move was very hard on her, but necessary. What she has added to our lives has been amazing. Each of my children are building their own relationship with her, and watching that happen, and watching them serve her is so blessing me beyond belief! Alexandra will take her coffee and breakfast every morning if I have already started school with the boys. She will also go in at night and turn down her bed and make sure her water bottle is filled. It is just so normal for them for her to be here, I appreciate that about them! We had a fun time with her birthday. Alexandra wanted to make sure we had chocolate at every meal, so we had chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, chocolate covered strawberries with lunch (with a chocolate protein drink courtesy of me;) and chocolate bundt cake after dinner! Fun and calories were had by all!!
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Grandma Jean and Aunt June
Blowing out the candles!
Dressing up to send pictures to her sister after receiving her birthday box;)Mar. 8, 2008
Homeschooling In California
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To my small readership, please fill out the petition from the Home School Legal Defense Association to help them fight the court of Appeals. This could eventually affect every state if this is not stopped and the opinion depublished. Focus on the Family did a radio show and interviewed HSLDA Chairman Michael Farris on the developing situation in California that you might want to check out. Got this article here: A state appeals court has decided California parents without teaching credentials do not have a right to home-school their children. The 2nd District Court of Appeals ruling could affect up to 200,000 home-schooled students in the state. “The court is guilty of an imperious assault on the rights of parents,” said Dr. James Dobson, founder and chairman of Focus on the Family. “How dare these judges have the audacity to label tens of thousands of parents criminals — the equivalent to drug dealers or pickpockets — because they want to raise and educate their children according to their deeply held values? "The case before them involved one couple — the ruling should have been confined to that one couple, not used to punish an entire class of people, the vast majority of them religious conservatives.” According to the Home School Legal Defense Association, California is set to become the only state to deny the vast majority of home schooling parents their fundamental right to teach their children at home. The group will file an amicus brief in the case. Dr. Dobson said Focus on the Family will do whatever it can to get the ruling overturned and to restore the basic rights of parents in California to determine how their children are educated. “This is an all-out assault on the family, and it must be met with a concerted effort to defend parents and their children,” he said. “We will team with key allies and use every means at our disposal to make sure that not just every Californian, but every American, is aware of this miscarriage of justice. We will encourage them, by the hundreds of thousands, to make their voices heard on this matter. "And we’re hopeful that, in the end, common sense and legal sanity will prevail.” Dr. Dobson will discuss the ruling on his Friday radio broadcast. Candi Cushman, education analyst for Focus on the Family Action, said the court's timing is horrible. "This takes away recourse from thousands of parents in California who want to escape the government-enforced indoctrination in public schools," she said. "The Legislature recently passed a law that basically ensures that students get a one-sided, positive portrayal of homosexuality and same-sex 'marriage.' " TAKE ACTION LISTEN TO THE BROADCAST |
Mar. 7, 2008
Rwanda
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Wish I would have been at this event!!! Bishop John Rucyahana is the author of one of the books I am reading right now about the Rwandan genocide. Good stuff!
Rwanda bishop moved by youth
Questions impress peace leader TIM FUNK tfunk@charlotteobserver.co TODD SUMLIN / Observer staff3/4/2008 - Bishop John Rucyahana of Rwanda speaks to 500 students and teachers from 21 regional public and private schools at Charlotte Latin School.One by one, they stepped to the microphones, peppering the African visitor with questions. About the call by Darfur activists to boycott the Beijing Olympics. About European troops in Chad. About former President Clinton's apology for not stopping the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. A news conference with a visiting head of state? No, the informed questioners Tuesday were students from 20 public and private high schools in and around Charlotte. Anglican Bishop John Rucyahana of Rwanda, who gave the answers during a two-hour forum at Charlotte Latin School, was impressed, even moved, by what they asked. "This student dialogue gives me hope," the bishop told 500-plus students gathered in the auditorium for an event sponsored by Charlotte's Echo Foundation. "You are seeking to understand the reality." Though their generation is sometimes stereotyped as one obsessed with iPods, cell phone texting and MySpace, the teens at Tuesday's forum appeared to have more global concerns. And empathy for suffering people a world away. Take Kendra McMurray, 16, a junior at Butler High School who wants to write socially conscious movies, such as "Hotel Rwanda," which told the genocide story. On Tuesday, she cried at Bishop Rucyahana's passionate response to her question about how he and other Rwandans have coped with the loss of more than 800,000 of their countrymen -- including family. "Bishop John," 62, answered by telling the N.C. high school students about a 16-year-old high school student in Rwanda -- his niece. Attackers peeled flesh off her arms, gang-raped her, then killed her. Rucyahana, whose theme was reconciliation, said Rwandans have had to forgive such barbarism and pick up the pieces in their shattered nation. "It's very painful, but I have to let go," he said. "We have a nation to rebuild. We have no luxury to hold on to our heart. ... We can't invest in our pain. We have to invest in our hope, in our future." Rucyahana, who founded a school to help some of Rwanda's 400,000 orphans, invited students to come to his country, volunteer their time, and then return home determined to unite Americans through reconciliation. "Look at what your forefathers built for America," he said at a follow-up news conference for student journalists. "They worked for it. Some even paid with their lives. You can't take it for granted. You have to sustain it." Rucyahana's visit to Charlotte, which will include a 7 p.m. speech today at Sykes Auditorium at Queens University of Charlotte, is part of the Echo Foundation's weeklong focus on genocide in Africa. The speech is free and open to the public. Before Tuesday's forum, Echo gave schools classroom materials about Rwanda and the ongoing genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. Echo was founded in 1997 to carry on the human rights message that Nobel Peace laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel brought to Charlotte that year. On Tuesday, Stephanie Ansaldo, who heads the foundation, challenged the students and their schools to contribute a total of $1,500 to sponsor two students for a year at Rucyahana's Sonrise School. The Echo Foundation is also sending 11 Charlotte high school students to Rwanda this summer to learn about reconciliation there. Kristine Sowers, 16, of Providence Day School, went on a similar trip last summer, retracing Wiesel's footsteps from his native Romania to the Auschwitz death camp in Poland, where his parents and a sister were murdered by the Nazis. On Tuesday, she got to introduce the bishop. "There are students today who really care and are inspired by people like this," she said after the forum. "One person can change the world." Julie McConnell, a biology and chemistry teacher at North Mecklenburg High School, said kids from all over the world coming to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools have helped native-born students develop a keener interest in global issues. Among Tuesday's questioners: Students who moved to the Charlotte area from the Ivory Coast and from Bosnia and Congo -- countries that, like Rwanda, have seen genocide. |
Feb. 29, 2008
Prince Caspian
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The boys and I are reading through Prince Caspian before it comes out in May. C.S. Lewis is simply brilliant! One of the chapters we read tonight was "The Return of The Lion". I had to make Nik stay up for it, he was so tired. I am so mean!! But we had a *moment* when we read about Lucy meeting Aslan again after hundreds of years...
There is of course WAY more to this chapter, but Nik got it. I didn't have to be wordy, or actually even explain. I love how sharing in other great literature is preparing us for moments like these! (Reason 178,637 that I will kiss Miss Charlotte Mason when I get to heaven!)
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Feb. 23, 2008
Having compassion
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I have been following the news of the Compassion Bloggers this past week and have been so blessed! I have read Shannon over at Rocks in My Dryer for the past year, so I was familiar with her. But I was introduced to Carlos over at Ragamuffinsoul.org and between these two blogs, the boys and I have been in tears for days!! They spent an hour on the Compassion site and picked out two boys to sponser! Carlos' videos (just start here!) and all that the other bloggers shared really communicated concepts to the boys that I wouldn't have been able to do otherwise! Lord, where are you taking us... |
Feb. 22, 2008
Priceless!
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While we were home, we got to have Family Prayer with my family. There are some good times in my parent's front room with our prayer books. One thing that I appreciate is teaching our children to use it, and the valuable resource that it is. Whenever we tell our kids we are going to pray, BabyGirl says, should I get the books?? Makes my heart proud! This visit, we were without our children, but we did get to kiss all over our godson and godneice, when they let us of course!! They are definitely learning to love their prayer books!!
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Harrison & Izzy
I had to insert this one in, its not a great picture of anyone really, and I was kinda bummed that this is the only group shot we got, but then I saw where *officially that day* Harrison IS, and I cracked up! He wasn't trying to get Izzy under there with him was he?!?!?!Feb. 22, 2008
Got My Husband Back!
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As many of you know, Henry has Torticollis (a type of Cervical Dystonia) that came on Summer of '06. It has been a very tedious, trying couple years for our family and mostly for my wonderful husband! Well, after many, many doctors, drugs, procedures etc, I am happy to report that he is so much better as far as symptoms go. Most of the spasms that were in his neck have moved to his face. Its a little less severe for him but still a pain none the less, and something that he really would rather do without, to say the least. But its better, its progress, its God working in our lives, its wholeness. A recent blessing that has transpired is, a friend of ours from our old church in Maryland, tried cosmetic botox on Henry (he was getting medical grade stuff in his neck last year, ugh... makes me shudder) in October when we were back in MD to see if it would help. It really did help him have control, to feel relaxed and not have a surprised look on his face all the time. So now I am totally jealous that he will end up wrinkle free when we are old and 90 and I won't;) It was only put in his forehead, but really helped around his eyes also, and just helped him relax. We looked around here to see if we could get it covered and we couldn't, so Dr. Ross let us know that if we could get to MD, he would help! Such a huge blessing to us. Such a HUGE blessing! Another blessing that I see is, he is enjoying life more! He is involved with things he enjoys more than he has in many, many months! He loves soccer, has played on a couple mens/over 30 leagues over the years, and he is helping coach our homeschool clinic. I get so much feedback from the moms about how their kids love him and enjoy him being their coach. It sounds like such a small thing, but its something he hasn't experienced for so long, and of course, I love to be proud;) He also enjoyed a cigar and beer with a friend from work today. I just can't say what it does to my heart. Again, something pretty small, but its been absent from his life. I am so thankful that he is at the place to even desire these things. God is so good to us!! |
Feb. 14, 2008
Not Misplace Anglicans anymore;)
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Some have asked about the blog name change and so since I cannot get away with just taking on a new identity, I thought I would share a bit. When I first started blogging, we were truly Misplaced Anglicans. I guess Displaced was more like it, but it just didn't have the ring to it Well, a job transfer brought us to Michigan. We moved to small town USA from a crazy crowded Maryland suburb. For SURE there would be a conservative Episcopal church for us to join. Oh how naive we were... We did find a church home, but it was so hard to not pine for what we really wanted. It was basically 3 1/2 years without experiencing the Eucharist...not fellowshipping with people who understood what we wanted... Then we found Christ the King Anglican Church a little over a year ago. It started with lay-people who knew what was going on in ECUSA was simply not the Gospel. We are honored to be a part of this mission church with AMiA and serve with our wonderful Pastor! I am starting to feel a little connected to Rwanda and the amazing (and horrific) things that have gone on in that little country! All of that makes us PLACED Anglicans again!! God sooo has a plan for our little church, and I am priviledged to serve with the church family we call home! Dulce Domum is Latin for Sweet Home, or Sweetly at Home. Besides being on a liturgical journey, I am also on a journey of the heart to be home (and being satisfied there). It has been a change, but I have to say, I think I am adjusting well. Besides serving at our church home, God is teaching me to serve whole heartedly here! I am trying not to make it complicated and difficult;) |
He made for the cellar-door, and presently reappeared, somewhat dusty, with a bottle of beer in each paw and another under each arm, `Self-indulgent beggar you seem to be, Mole,' he observed. `Deny yourself nothing. This is really the jolliest little place I ever was in.Feb. 7, 2008
My little brother turned 30!!
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We had to wish him happiness across the miles!
He is such a great dad, and hubby, and uncle and of course brother! And of course I miss him very much! He is a wealth of knowledge and has taught me many things about: theology, Scotch, music, computers, beer, politics, mixed drinks (get the picture?? I love you Joshy!! Love, Shanaenae |
), apologetics, poetry, CS Lewis and how to stay hip at my *older* age. Feb. 6, 2008
An Anglican Family Lent
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The Anglican Family Lent Carnival is up!! Please go over to A Ten O'Clock Scholar and check it out. Kerry and Jeanne have done a great job! Be prepared to spend some time, many many good links and info. God Bless you Lenten Season!!! |
Feb. 5, 2008
Shrove Tuesday
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Our Shrove Tuesday festivities turned out to be quite memorable and fun. Henry brought home Paczki (pronounced Punch-key) when he came home from work (at 5am), so they were waiting for us on the counter and I made some pancakes before we started school.
I assured them that there was nothing healthy about these pancakes, so they were safe to eat
The kids have some cousins visiting from Fresno, so they got to join in on the festivities. We read a little about what Shrove means, and learned that the term *Spring Cleaning* originated during this time because of all the household (as well as the spiritual) cleaning that goes on during Lent.
I found the Alleluia Banner idea over at Kerry's, and we decided to make one big one we could hang over the fireplace. PrincessDahling (DD5) took the most time decorating it, and really enjoyed that part. That was very instrumental for them and helping them to *get it* a little deeper. I also attempted (I know, so many hands on activities for this bookworm of a family...) at making Faschtnacht Kuecheles. Its a fried dough recipe I remember making with my Grandma! I have never attempted these on my own, but they were pretty easy. The kids absolutely loved them and they gave me warm fuzzy feelings;) Here is the recipe as my mom had it: Faschtnacht Kuecheles 1 yeast cake 1 tablspoon shortening 1 1/2 tsp salt 2 tblspoons of butter 1/4 cup sugar 2 cups of scalded milk
1 egg cooled to luke warm
5 cups of flour
Place flour in bowl & let stand 'til room temp. Push flour to sides of bowl to make a well in the center. Soften yeast & 1/2 tablespoon of sugar in a 1/2 cup of the luke warm milk. Pour into the well of flour & let it rise (don't mix) cover with towel & put in warm place. Add remaining ingredients milk, egg, salt & melted shortening. Work together kneeding thoroughly into a dough adding flour as necessary. Place in greased bowl, cover & let rise in a warm place. Roll 1/2 inch thickness on floured board into diamond or square shapes. Deep fry at 375 until golen brown, drain while still hot on paper bags, coat with powder sugar or cinnamon sugar. Makes 3 dozen.
Needless to say, I couldn't fry them fast enough. The kids were shaking them in the sugars and eating them right out of the bowl. I did have to cut them off, but we all had fun.
We did end the night rather late with The Litany of Pentinance. It is such a sobering Litany. The way Jeanne at At A Hen's Pace, describes Lent in this post hit the mark for me. Then, we rolled up the Alleluia banner and tucked it away until Easter. All in all a successful day (even with guests, soccer and art classes away from home...). I think the kids sense a feeling of going *deeper* this year. That to me is the best part of all!
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Feb. 2, 2008
Preparing for Fasting
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Fasting is, as much as lies in us, an imitation of the angels, a condemning of things present, a school of prayer, a nourishment of the soul, a bridle of the mouth, an abatement of concupiscence: it mollifies rage, it appeases anger, it calms the tempests of nature, it excites reason, it clears the mind, it disburdens the flesh, it chases away night-pollutions, it frees from head-ache. By fasting, a man gets composed behaviour, free utterance of his tongue, right apprehensions of his mind. ~John Chrysostom
The past couple years Lent has snuck up on me and I wasn't prepared at all to be a true participant of the season. For some reason I am a little more on top of it this year, nothing obvious stands out to as why, except that God really sees that I need this season right now My awesome daddy sent me this sermon by Pastor John Piper. Isaiah 58 is the text and its a very good reminder of what Fasting should be and shouldn't be. I need to listen to it again, but needless to say I was challenged to fully take part this Lenten season and not blow it off. I am sure I will process more somewhat before Wednesday, but I have an excitement that I cannot articulate yet. Which probably means I need to listen again, because I am not sure that that is the emotion I should be feeling going into Lent~ha! Last year, some changes that we did make during the Lenten season was to celebrate *Spring* and have the Easter Bunny and Easter Egg hunts etc., the week that Spring comes instead on Resurrection Sunday. The kids responded so well, and not sure they even noticed any change of timing at all. But as parents, it really freed Henry and I to focus on the Resurrection and not on anything else. Yet, we get to do all the fun egg dying and hiding baskets, but now the two days are separate and not competing in our minds. Most of these ideas are not mine, but how grateful I am that the Lord allows us to share our ideas to help shape our children!! |
Jan. 30, 2008
An Anglican Family Lent
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I had a few minutes to check out some of my favorite blogs this morning and found this over at At A Hen's Pace. This is very cool! I am not sure if I will be able to contribute anything, but I know I have a few Anglican friends that read here;) Here are the details. Sunday is the last day for submissions! So crazy that Lent starts in a week! OH, and its being hosted by A Ten O'Clock Scholar |