Psalm 150:6

I wanted to share a picture of something very cool we saw while on a youth group camping trip this summer. As we were eating our breakfast, the sunlight came through this amazing spiderweb well above our heads. One of the kids noticed it and exclaimed, "There's a cross in the middle!" Sure enough, right in the center of the web was a cross, gleaming in the morning sun. It was breathtaking. It also gave us a great impromptu devotion about how all of creation does give praise to the Creator. Jesus said during his entry into Jerusalem that if the crowds had not proclaimed his praise, the rocks themselves would cry out. On this July morning, it was a spider.

I wish this picture did justice to what we actually saw, but you'll get the idea.

"Let everything that has breath praise the Lord." Psalm 150:6

Happy BIrthday Michael!

Today is Michael's 17th birthday. We already had a party for him on Friday with friends and church family, but today is the actual day. Here are some pictures from his party:

Here is Michael finally getting to eat the BBQ sandwich he'd been begging for all day.

Michael was generously given many gifts of cash and Walmart cards to help him get the things he will need for school this year. A couple of his friends had fun with the gift cards and gave him ones with themes like Tinkerbell and Dora the Explorer.

Finally, here is the cake that a friend made for him. He loves the guitar, and even is working with a few friends to start a praise band at our church for the contemperary service.

Today we had a special breakfast. I made pancakes, even though I do not usually cook breadkfast during the week. Then Michael practiced with the praise band for a while, had lunch with friends and swam at his girlfriend's house. This evening his girlfriend came over to our house and we had pizza. Right now he is watching some guy movie with my husband that I think is about people with fast muscle cars helping police catch smugglers or some such thing. All I know for sure is that it is loud.

So, happy birthday, Michael. I hope you've had a good day. We are blessed to be able to celebrate with you!

It's a boy!

Now, before you get too excited, it's not what you think. This boy is 5'11" and probably 200 lbs. And I only get to keep him for a week.

The young man from our church that I had mentioned before has been staying with us since Wednesday while his guardian in on a trip. We have had such a great time with him. He and Dan have gone fishing, worked on the farm and even went to a demolition derby last night. He's very sweet and polite, and hasn't shown any of that teenage attitude you might expect from a 16 year old, especially one who hasn't been raised under the best of circumstances.

Ever since his situation was brought before our church on Mother's Day, before we even met him, this boy has been on my heart. When we first met him, I was so impressed by him and his courage and conviction to rise above all he has been through. Now that he's been with our family this week, he feels like one of us, and it will be hard to see him go home on Tuesday. I will miss him, and I know Dan and the kids will, too.

But I know that he's going to a good home, and not back to the hard situation he was in before. I'm just being a little selfish. I have felt so blessed just to cook for, shop for, do laundry for and just be a "mom" to a boy who I know needs some TLC. I'm not sure he's had much of that in his life, especially the last few years. And I am sure that we will still be involved in his life. He needs a godly male role model, and he and Dan have really seemed to click. I also expect he will still join us for meals sometimes and I will continue to pray for him daily just like I do my own children.

Katie's garden

A couple of weeks ago, Katie and I put in a flower garden. She picked the spot, researched what plants would grow best in a mostly shady area, and carefully chose flowers that would compliment one another in color and size. I was really impressed. Then we planted the flowers together and moved rocks for a border. The end result was very nice.

I love that as she grows we will always be able to look at this beautiful place we made together and remember the fun we had and the time we spent making it.

Mackenzie has already picked out her spot for her flower garden, too. I hope we can get it done this week. When we do, I'll post pictures of it also.

How my family spoiled me on Mother's Day

I had such a nice Mother's day. I hope you all did, too. On Friday, my husband surprised me with my present, a new bike. I was thrilled! My old bike was really old, a yard sale find from several years ago. One of the tires has been flat for more than a year and we haven't been able to find a new one the right size. This one is so nice. Unfortunately, it hasn't stopped raining here since Thursday, so I haven't been able to ride it yet. Hopefully tomorrow.

We had brunch late Saturday morning with Dan's mom, and enjoyed visiting with everyone on his side of the family. She was so happy to have us all over. I know that is something that she and her husband really missed for the year they lived away from here. Saturday evening, Dan took us out to supper, which was very nice. I sincerely enjoy cooking for my family, but going out to eat is such a special treat. The kids behaved well and we had a great time.

Sunday morning, I was treated to a breakfast of scrambled eggs, fruit salad and cinnamon chip scones. The fruit salad and scones were leftover from brunch on Saturday, but I didn't care. It was a thoughtful gesture. The kids gave me cards and pictures they'd made. So sweet! Then we spent the day with my grandma, mom and dad and extended family.

Here are some pictures:

This is the card Elijah made for me and the flower he brought me from his Sunday School class.

A front and back view of my card from Mackenzie. The back side says "I will give you a very good back rub." What more could I ask for?

And finally, my card from Katie, which brought tears to my eyes.

I am so glad God made me a mom!!!

Things are quieter around here

and that is a good thing. I could do without any more of the kind of excitement we had around here last weekend!

As an update on our incident, the man who came here was hospitalized briefly, but has been released. He called our home yesterday morning and spoke with Dan. He was apologetic and humble. Dan was able to share forgiveness with him and tell him that we are praying for him. I think there may be criminal charges filed for the\weapons offense, but we reallydon't have anything to do with that. I just hope that through all of this our family might be a witness to this man and that he will come to know the joy and peace that a relationship with God can offer.

In other news, we have been busy helping my inlaws move into their new home. About a year ago they moved 3 1/2 hours away for my father-in-law's work, but they missed their family so much that they decided to come back. They are moving to the same small town where my parents still live. My inlaws are wonderful people. We have missed them so much, and are rejoicing that they are close to us again. What a blessing for our children to have all four of their grandparents living only 15 miles away!

A cute story about when Elijah saw their house for the first time: As we were leaving, he said, "Mom,I got to go into Grandpa's den."

"You did?" I answered.

"Yeah, it wasn't underground or anything. It was just like an office," he replied.

It took me a second to figure out what he meant, but then I realized that when Nana told him that Grandpa had a den in the house, he was expecting a den like a bear or fox would live in. The room must have been a big disappointment.

A surreal and scary night

As I am typing these words in the light of morining, last night's events seem like a bad dream. I have to share what happened with you all, partly just to get it off my chest and mostly because I must testify about how God protected our family from a horrific tragedy.

We decided to have a spur of the moment cookout with our neighbors last night. We had just finished eating, and all the kids were playing and jumping on the trampoline. A car pulled slowly into our driveway, about 30 feet away from where we were sitting. Dan, my husband, recognized the car as belonging to a man who has a prearranged service with our funeral home. Even though it was a little late, I didn't think it was too unusual since people stop by frequently to talk to Dan or ask questions about their accounts. However, as I heard my husband's voice, I sensed something was wrong.

I turned back around to look at the car and saw Dan leaned into the driver's side. He appeared to be struggling with the man, and I heard him say,"What are you doing?" I got up to see what was going on, and as I got about to the front bumper of the car, I heard Dan say, "He's got a gun, get the kids into the house!" I could see that Dan was still struggling with the man, but turned and ran to get the kids to safety. As one of the other adults called 911 on his cell phone, I rushed into our neighbors's home, where I stayed with the children. The other adults were still outside. For several long and scary minutes, we waited inside, away from the windows, not having any idea what was happening outside. My daughter was hysterical, and I asked her what we do when we are scared. She answered, "pray" and my children and I hit our knees right there in the kitchen, along with our neighbor's kids, and prayed fiercely.

Finally, our neighbor came into the house and told us everyone was OK. The police had arrived and taken the man into custody. Apparantly, this man has a terminal illiness and severe mental health issues. It also appeared that he had been drinking. He told the police that he had decided to take his own life, and in his confusion and despair, believed that it would be most appropriate to commit the act at the funeral home. However, his gun was fully loaded, and we will probably never know exactly what was in his mind.

I eventually learned that when Dan approached the car, the man told him to get the kids into the house. He saw a snubnosed shotgun on the floorboard as the man reached for it, and Dan grabbed it at the same time. Dan was able to get his hand over the trigger guard, and he and the man struggled over the gun, with the man trying to pry Dan's fingers away so he could reach the trigger. Dan was eventually able to wrestle the gun away from the man and unload it just before the police arrived.

I cannot express with words how proud I am of my husband. His courage and fast thinking saved that man from harming himself. I am humbled by the knowledge that he was willing to sacrifice his own safety to protect his family. Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

Truly God's hand of protection was on us last night. Our decision to cookout was spontaneous, and if we hadn't, no one would have been outside to stop the man, or even worse, the kids might have been playing outside alone. I know God gave Dan the strength to get the gun away from that man and at the same time keep the trigger covered.

I would appreciate your prayers, in thanking the Lord for His protection, for my children as they deal with the trauma of the incident, and especially for the man and his family. He so desperately needs healing and the hope of Jesus.