Lucy has a home!

...and a chipper Tuesday to you! It was anything but chip and crisp here! Close to 90 again, but the breeze for some reason seemed cool and so I kept the a.c. off to save money! I even hung laundry for a change of pace.

I have good news about Lucy...we found her a place to go...We take her Sat. and I couldn't be happier for her or the boys...but I tell you what...we're not getting another dog for a long time. Ten chickens is enough.

On other fronts, this is the fifth week of 'school', if you wanna call it that. We're still finding a routine and at times, I so miss the mark. Grace is working, that I know, to change my heart almost instantly after I mess up. I have the most wonderfully forgiving boys and husband.
Well, our fellowship is having a marriage conference in a couple of weeks. Did I already say that? Jef and I are doing five short skits on different aspects of marriage...it ought to be a blast. From the beginning of marriage (honeymoon period, remember yours?), to the unsubmissive wife, to the distracted husband, to money, and, of course, on to intimacy and all that evokes...we have twenty-five years to draw on...who needs lines to look at?

Ya know...I've just had a revelation that you'd think I'd of already known since I've been walkin' this road with twins for nine years...the fruit of the Holy Spirit, you know:

love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness, faithfulness, long-suffering, and self-control can only be worked out when there is an OPPORTUNITY for it TO BE WORKED OUT...for example: mom washes the kitchen floor on her hands and knees and makes the mistake of leaving the bucket on the floor and ten minutes later walks in to a puddle of water just sitting there, actuallly it was spreading in a direction, downward...hmmm. Hence, the opportunity to allow the fruit to grow...patience, kindness, self-control...all at once...and the opportunities present themeselves ALL DAY LONG...This just dawned on me today (perhaps I just needed a refresher course!)...imagine that...pruning, pruning, pruning in order to bear more fruit...and the opportunity to practice forgiveness, as well!

How true and painful all at the same time...but every day we are being conformed to the image of Christ...what joy and confidence, eh?
Today the boys and I read Luke 11:39-the end, but I was thinking on vs. 39-40- "Then the Lord said to him, "You Pharisees are so cardful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy-full of greed and wickedness! Fools! Didn't God make the inside as well as the outside? So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over."

My question is, 'why do you think Jesus came at them from this angle'? I mean the whole giving to the poor, especially since He said that they'd always have the poor? Let's get some conversation goin' here about this matter? I do see that our actions are a direct reflection of our heart. He was discussing the issue of greed in this passage, as well.

Oh, I have an amazing rooster...he works out! Check this out! There is truly no fat on this animal...it's all muscle...he has nine hens to keep him happy. :)

This was a science project Isaac initiated...he's watching the light bulb melt the ice in his cup!
What a genius! See that face of wonder?