John 15:13

The verse that has been in my head all day is John 15:13, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

I don't know that this scripture completely applies to soldiers, but Memorial Day always makes me reflective of the sacrifice that so many have given to preserve our nation's freedom and protect us from harm. Politics aside, there is evil in the world. I am grateful for the brave men and women who give up their comforts, conveniences, safety and sometimes so much more to keep some of those evils as far from me and my family as possible.

Multitude Monday ~ Memorial Day

87. Freedom

88. Brave men and women who sacrifice their own comfort and safety to ensure mine.

89. Government of the people, by the people and for the people

90. Memorial Day services

2 Corinthians 3:5

My devotion this morning was from 2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.

I know I can tell when I am trying to run on my own strength. It isn't long before I crash and burn.

There was another suggestion that I think I am going to try. We obviously need to ask for God's help in areas that we struggle in, but also we need to remember to give give God praise for enabling us to do the things that come easily to us. The book suggested making a list of things we do well, whether throwing great birthday parties for our kids or cooking meals for our family or whatever-and then next to each one write "thank you God, for enabling me to do this." We can't allow ourselves to take credit for anything good we do. It's all Him.

Psalm 51:10

This morning my devotion was on Psalm 51:10, "Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me."

I am sometimes guilty of going through my day doing all the things I should to serve my family, but doing those chores with a very grumbling spirit. (hmm...there is that gentle spirit issue again)

I also was reading in James and came to chapter 3 where he talks about the tongue, which is usually where my grumbling spirit vents at my family. Good verses to meditate on today.

Luke 10:41-42

I am detecting a theme in the verses God keeps putting before me during my devotional time. Tonight's was especially convicting since I was finally sitting down to have my devotional time at 10:00 p.m.

Luke 10:41-42 "Martha, Martha" ... you all know the rest.

Anyway, it seems clear that the Lord is wanting me to re-examine my priorities and probably re-focus my energies. OK, Lord, I'm listening.

Colossians 3:2

My devotion this morning was on Colossians 3:2, "Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things."

This is something the Lord has been really speaking to me about recently, mainly in the discipleship of my family. We so easily fall into a pattern of focusing on academics, chores, ball practice, music lessons and on and on that I worry that I am missing my opportunity to really disciple them. I want to take full advantage of these precious years that they are with me, and train them to be soldiers for Christ.

Multitude Monday ~ 5/24/2010

73. ceiling fans

74. a cup of hot tea in my favorite mug

75. this face:

76. the smell of sheet dried on a clothes line

77. the dear friends in our online accountablity group, Good Morning Girls, who help me be consistent in my walk with God.

78. The joy of having a garden to plant

79. the untold potential of freshly tilled dirt




80. prayers answered in a mighty way

(that slab of granite will read "Krabel" soon!)


81. Bath & Body Works' "Twilight Woods" ~ my new favorite!

82. family reading before bedtime

83. blueberry muffins on Saturday mornings

84. the way Constance's hair smells after a bath

85. listening to Katie practice Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu

86. a decade of homeschooling with no casualties

1 Peter 3:4-5

This morning my devotion was on 1 Peter 3:4-5.

³Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. ⁴Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

Verse 3 is fine, I don't think I'm especially vain about my physical appearance, but verse 4 is tough for me. A gentle and quiet spirit comes about as naturally to me as breathing underwater. But, it is of great worth in God's sight, so that is what I want. I know it is something I can never accomplish on my own strength, so I am praying and trusting the Lord to accomplish in me.

just for fun

Sunday night Elijah got his first hot weather buzz cut. We had a little fun before we finished the job.

Isaiah 40

This morning I read Isaiah 40, which is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. I love the imagery of God holding the waters in the hollow of his hand and calling out all the stars by name.

As I read, I was reminded of incredible, how infinite and how awesome our Creator is. He sits enthroned above the earth while we are like grasshoppers, and yet he not only knows me, but he loves me. Wow. It is more than my feeble mind can comprehend.

It never hurts to be reminded...

As I went to use my calculator, and the one Katie and Mackenzie sometimes use for school, I found this message :

It reads: "Don't cheat! God is LOOKing at U! God is watching you! Don't cheat at your math!"


Only Mackenzie would do this.

I love how the "O"s have eyes.

When I asked her if the message was meant for her or for Katie, she didn't really have an answer. In either case, I guess it is good advice.

In case you are wondering, I haven't erased it. It never hurts to be reminded. :)

Psalm 127

My reading this morning was Psalm 127 "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain."

As you all know, there are a gazillion things clamoring for our attention and efforts in every day. I need to let the Lord set my priorities for my time and energies. If he is telling me something is important (like spending time in his word, ) I need to do it, and make it a priority in my day. And if he isn't telling me that something is important, I need to reconsider how much priority I am giving it.

Psalm 121

Tonight I am reading Psalm 121. It has always been one of my favorites, but tonight I am really thinking about the first two verses-"Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord..." Closing on the funeral home today has left me just completely in awe of how gracious God has been to our family. My prayer is that I will never forget what He has done, that I will never be tempted to take credit for any success we have, that I will never look back at anything good in my life and think, "look what I did." It is all Him. God deserves all the praise and all the glory.

Psalm 20:7

The kids are in bed and the house is finally quiet. My thoughts are going a million miles an hour thinking about closing on the Oakland funeral home tomorrow morning. I think most of you are aware at least to some extent of how precarious our business situation has been for about the last year. Until this opportunity came along, we were facing a very real possibility of forclosure, losing everything, and probably having to move away from the area so Dan could find work.

As scary as it is to think about having two businesses to manage, I am sure this is from the Lord. It is humbling to consider how he has answered our prayers in such a mighty way.

I was reading in Psalms again, and Psalm 20 really spoke to me tonight. Verse 7 says "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." We put our confidence in so many things--jobs, business plans, bank accounts--but the only thing we can really count on is God.

Multitude Monday ~ 5/17/2010

62. Nine pounds lost!

63. Toddlers in fuzzy footed pajamas

64. The chorus of birds outside my window at sunrise

65. This little bluebird, who visited our roof this week to the delight of us all.

66. Sleeping in on rainy mornings

67. a ray of sunshine through the rainclouds

69. Finding love notes that Mackenzie leaves around the house for me.

70. Snuggling on the couch with the kids and reading books

71. The smell and feel of potting soil as I am planting flowers

72. A daughter who shares her faith and invites a friend to church

Multitude Monday ~ 5/10/2010

51. the sound of Katie practicing Bach's cello Suite no. 1 ~ so pretty!

52. spring rains

53. fresh berries for dessert, arranged beautifully by Mackenzie

54. Coming home to a spotlessly clean kitchen on Saturday after a day of running a million errands. Thank you, Mackenzie!

55. My newest kitchen helper, Constance, who helps me unload the silverware out of the dishwasher every morning.

56. a day when everything on my "to-do" list got done

57. laughter

58. not waking up to an alarm clock

59. These beautiful flowers Dan gave me for Mother's Day

60. Precious hand-made cards from my precious children


61. the privilege of being a mom to the five most wonderful children I could ever ask for.

Multitude Monday ~ 5/03/2010

36. These trees that were blooming in my neighborhood this week. Someone told me they are jasmine, but I don't really know what they are. What I do know is that they are beautiful, and their fragrance is divine.


37. the way Eleanor's hand fits in mine

38. a husband who keeps my truck full of gas because he knows I hate to pump gas

39. Maple seeds. I know they make a mess, but they just looks so whimsical and cheerful as they twirl to the ground.

40. ice cream before bed (even if it is low-carb)

41. weather warm enough for sandals

42. This gleaming white moon against a twilight sky. The picture does not do justice to how beautiful the moon looked the other night as it rose. It took my breath away.



43. little sprouts of green peeking up in the farmer's fields

44. bleeding hearts

45. the smell of freshly mowed grass

46. libraries

47. Facebook. It's a total waste of time, but I love it.


48. four leaf clovers

49. memories of Aunt Catherine, who made us baskets of fudge and cookies every May Day

50. the best mother-in-law ever (Happy Birthday, Carolyn!)