Romans 7:15-25

¹⁵ For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. ¹⁶ If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. ¹⁷ But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. ¹⁸ For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. ¹⁹ For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. ²⁰ Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. ²¹ I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. ²² For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. ²³ But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴ O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? ²⁵ I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Oh Father... Help me Lord.  These verses were part of the lesson you gave me at Bible Study this morning. And sadly, I put them into practice this evening. Lord I prayed asking to be more like you, asking you have more patience and kindness and gentleness; to be a better mom; to be stronger in my walk with you. And then the next thing out of my mouth was horrid. Oh Father. Thank you for Lamentations 3:22-23 that tells me your mercies are new every morning. ... as J said today, "Every minute even" ... Oh Father. Lord. Help me. Help me to DO patience. and to DO kindness.  to DO love.  Help me Father to learn from Paul's writings... Oh how I do not want to do the things I hate and not do the things I know I should.  Let me practice the things that are good. Let me practice the things that are pleasing to you. 

After a tearful exchange and a heartfelt apology, I believe we can all sleep in peace tonight Father, but only through your grace. Only with your love. Only because you erase all sins. Only because you died on the cross for me and took all my sins and see me as spotless and when I do make mistakes (and I will) Father, when I do, you allow me to come to you, ask your forgiveness and you grant me pardon. 

"You have pardoned my transgressions! You have sanctified my soul! You have honored my confession! By your blood Lord, I've been made whole!"  Thank you for making me whole, Heavenly Father. Thank you for cleansing me and thank you for your mercies, new, every morning.   Amen.

What 30 looks like

Silent Sund ...er Monday.

Meet Apples

 This is Apples.  He's my birthday present from the family. Matthew thinks that because he's my present, I should keep him in my room, but I'm so rarely in my room... I decided to share him with the whole family in the kitchen. Right now he's in central station on the island counter-top. Jamie said this evening as Micah was shrieking and Matthew and Mark were running around the island trying to "find Apples" that he felt a little sorry for him. "Poor Apples," Jamie said. "Poor Apples?" I asked him. He said "yes... he doesn't know what kind of family he's been brought home to!" Ha ha. We are loud, that's for sure. But Apples seems happy. He ate his dinner which fascinated the boys. I had even picked up Micah to see our new fish and he found him and pointed and smiled and tried to say "ish" and then when I put him down he promptly signed "more more more" so I picked him back up. Minus the amount of noise (and in truth I hope we don't stress poor Apples totally out) the kitchen will be a fun place to have him. I've walked past a few times and smiled when I see him fanning his fins and fluttering about in there. Fish are so fun. I know some people consider them boring pets, but they are so fun and so pretty. I have enjoyed three other Betta fish in years past, but it's been 6 or 7 years since we've had one. Apples is a nice addition, I've missed a little calm happy spot in our hectic mix. Hopefully he'll get used to the loud factor. Mark woke up from his nap running into the kitchen "HI-YA APPLES!" It's so worth it! I gaze over at him currently and he seems happy swimming in a circle around his little plant. What do you think?

 The kids had name choices picked out (weeks) before we ever went to the pet store today... and they were Bubbles or Mickey. I had already decided that Bubbles wasn't going to work for me... but one day this week Matthew was eating his apples and talking a lot and I said "eat your apples" and he said something else and I said "Apples" and he said "you know, that would be a good fish name" I looked at him confused and said "what? what's a good fish name? Apples?" he said "yes. I like Apples for a fish."  So in the end... Apples won out over Mark's choice for Mickey.  Mark gets to name the next fish though. We're hoping to do a big tank sooner or later (we moved the dumb thing from Kansas City over 7 almost 8 years ago!). But for now, this is fun. They get to learn about feeding it and all that. And I like him. He's pretty. He's my little Apples.

(what his home actually looks like)

Oh and I will say... going to the pet store is such a trip. It was "adopt a kitty day" and there were kittens everywhere while we were there. I mean everywhere. Big tables were set up and the kittens were stacked cage on top of cage. They were all so cute. Mark was pretty sad we weren't taking one of them home. He liked a couple of them enough to want to keep them.  Micah was pretty fascinated with the kittens too. He would stick his one little pointing finger in their cages and they'd bat at his finger. It was cute. Kittens are so playful. Mark also was pretty taken with a lizard he found. (Why am I a boy mom!?) I was sooo not interested in the lizard and had to call out both his names when I looked over and he was KISSING THE LIZARD'S TANK. He said he named him "Tootie" and was taking him home with Apples. Aren't you glad Mark didn't get to name Apples "Tootie" geeeeez.  I will happily admit that we didn't come home with a Lizard named Tootie today... Just Apples the Fish. 

the tree adventure

 someone backed up into one of the little trees on our drive way, so Jamie 

pulled it up since it was horizontal on the ground... took it to the backyard 

and chopped  it up for firewood. The boys were mesmerized. 

 what Micah was doing for most of the tree adventure...

 when he got down, he was quite upset to not be allowed

 through the gate with the big boys

what I was doing while they were having fun with the tree.... 

Try it Tuesday

Do you see that plate? Do you see it?  Carrots and Chicken and Salad (lettuce with dressing) and Macaroni and Cheese (called "cheesy noodles") ... Do you SEE THAT PLATE!?  I'm not kidding... we started OT two years ago (has it been two years!?) hiding a shred of a carrot INSIDE a GOLDFISH! Does anyone remember that?! We worked months on that little carrot goldfish scene. Then we moved to chicken. One tiny bite at a time. Weeks and weeks. Then bread products. Eventually we added salad. Translation: lettuce you dip into ranch dressing. We started with one bite. For weeks. Then two, then three. Then five. Then dressing ON the lettuce. Oh that was a day. Now, salad with no problems (as long as nothing is in the salad) 5-10 bites with no whining or even gagging or anything! Last night's "try it Tuesday" was the noodles. He was to eat three bites, since he had "tried" it before. We'd done one bite of noodles a couple times now. Well, there were tears but he pulled it together and ended up eating 3 bites but I missed the third one, so he showed me a fourth bite and waved four fingers proudly in the air.  Matthew has turned into such a good eater -- when given foods he's able to tolerate. We're still working on the crying. That has got to give at some point right.... but look at where we've come!

This is from JULY 2010 *two years ago*  juice box, bacon and apples. 

That's it. That's all I could order him out anywhere, that and croutons... 

Look at him now, smiling about SALAD! 

Hello WORLD of difference!

 

 My other eaters...

Silent Sunday (from the garden)