Easter Eggs

After much debate, we went with the Mini Monster kit this year...



Gemma did not enjoy waiting on the eggs while they were in the dye.


She knows how to flash a smile though, when she knows she's on camera.

The results.

The one on the left was one of the only surviving eggs of Gemma's. I could actually feel the eggs cringe when she went to grab one to decorate. :-)

The green one in the middle was inspired by Uncle Wade. The pink one on the right was inspired by Indiana Jones. Notice his mustache is below his mouth.

Entryway Fort

I think I've written about the water heater box before. Well, the great entertainment of it had started to fade and maybe more, I was tired of seeing it take up a lot of space in the basement. So, I had Bryce bring what remained of it upstairs last night, so that we could put it in the dumpster in the morning. As soon as Zane and Gemma were up they discovered it and went right to work.

So, not the most convenient spot for a fort, but it's a rainy day and they're having lots of fun, so it will stay...one more day.

Spring Day

The first beautiful spring day that called for some new spring clothes. Aren't they precious?!

We made homemade popsicles with orange juice and banana slices for a treat.

Gemma had to lose her outfit for the occasion. Trust me, this was a good idea.

Kitchen Hockey

With a little imagination, a hockey game can take place about anywhere. Zane has found that the arm for his easy bake oven is a great stick and the cap to an old bottle is a perfect puck. Bryce and Gemma were goalies and clearly in the ready position.

Runaway Coin

When twirling a coin, avoid vents. However, with a little concentration and a helpful sister, you might be able to recover it.

I needed this today

1 Peter 4:8-11
"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."

It's humbling and awesome to open the Bible and read something meant exactly for you. God is good.

Gratitude

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

My life group at church is studying spiritual disciplines. The discipline we are finishing up right now is Gratitude. I learned a long time ago that being thankful is an attitude saver. I was looking forward to dwelling more deeply on gratitude the last couple of weeks. In fact, I felt like I had an upper hand in this discipline, due to our water heater just going out. There's nothing like the icy chill of winter water gushing through your pipes to remind you of the blessing of warm water! It's easy to take things for granted and there's nothing like the awe of looking over your life and seeing God's hand of guidance and blessing. Our sinful nature makes it so easy to get bogged down with our selfish desires, pain and stress.

God opened my eyes to more than I expected along this gratitude journey. The first week when we began, I had been struggling with a disappointing encounter with someone at our church. I had been praying that God would help me to forgive this person completely, as the situation kept creeping into my mind day by day. I was pleased to find that God completely healed my heart of any resentment within the first day of my focus on counting my blessings. It's easy to keep a clean heart when it's overflowing with thankfulness.

The next week in particular created an emotional challenge I was not expecting. Although I was feeling very blessed, I was starting to become very burdened about a lot of pain around me. The news was full of coverage concerning the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile. My next door neighbor, a single mother of three young girls, was dealing with the loss of her sister from a recent car accident. A blogger friend of mine, who is a cancer survivor, was watching her own daughter struggle to live in the ICU, from a virus that was attacking her organs. There are several other things I could name. There is heartache all around us everyday. I began asking myself, "Could I be thankful in these circumstances?" I pray that I will be. My greatest blessing is Jesus and the hope of salvation through Him. It's only because of Him that we can find joy no matter the circumstance.

So, while I'm thankful today for my family's health, safety and many blessings beyond our needs, I find myself also thankful in the midst of chaos. I'm thankful that I read this morning that there has been an uprising of Christianity in Haiti since the earthquake. And if you know Haiti, this is a miracle; there is an incredible amount of spiritual warfare in that country. I'm thankful that I can pray for my blogger friend and that she shares the same hope I do. I'm thankful that maybe someday she'll pray for me in a time of need. And I'm thankful that I was able to spend some time with my neighbor yesterday, that God gave my family the opportunity to invite her to church and to grow our relationship with her, even amidst tragedy.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." Psalm 136:1