You Can't Buy Memories Like These

I have had a life long dream of touring the country in an RV. An RV, not a tent. In any event, since I have a need for every holiday to be a delightful memory for my children, I thought we would camp this weekend. In a tent.

Friday afternoon, we arrived at the lake. My sister-in-law and her husband (who own a camper) were staying at the same campground. They had just bought a scooter the night before, and so we all took turns riding the scooter.

We had brought some Jiffy Pop along and Michael tried to make some. Here are the results of his first attempt:



The second batch was more successful.



I was actually having a good time at this point.

Then:

We went to bed, only to be awoken about 3 AM to rain...a lot of rain. At 8 AM Madeline woke up, and thought she was really sweaty. It wasn't sweat, rather she was sleeping in a puddle of water. At that point I was thinking "how in the world am I going to get all of these blankets dry by tonight", and then I noticed...Jude had a water stain that looked all too familiar...you know, the kind that shows up on a little boy's shirt when he pees his pants up to his neck? I was. not. happy. Additionally, my pregnant bladder was uncomfortably full, so I put on my water logged sandals and trekked to the bathroom.

Apparently, swarms of mosquitoes also thought the bathroom would be the ideal place to hang out to avoid the rain and since I was the first to venture into the facility that morning, they were all gathered above the toilet. FAN-TASTIC! Who knew it was only the beginning of my morning of mosquitoes. We piled into the van, still in pajamas, soaking wet, and headed to the shower house. I took all of the girls, opened the door, and honestly wanted to cry. There were mosquitoes everywhere; in the lights, in the toilets, dead on the floors in droves, flying around. It was disgusting. After giving Isabella a shower, and discovering how incredibly hard it is to give a small child a shower and get them dressed while holding them aloft in the air, we went to the van and the rest of us changed in the van...with our untinted windows.

Since my sister-in-law and her family were all still sound asleep in their cozy, dry, air-conditioned camper, we decided to do the only thing possible: head to Wal-Mart. At Wal-Mart, dry sleeping bags and an extra air mattress were purchased. After killing as much time as possible, we headed to "THE VISITOR CENTER". On a good day, the visitor center may provide for about 20 minutes of entertainment, yet on this day the light bulb was burned out on the projector so we were not able to view the informational movie. We decided to visit the "museum" which consisted of, well, lots of dead animals.

And this is where the fun began.

First, Eva sheepishly began to pet the Red Fox.



This started a trend in which all of the children decided it would be fun to pose by the various deceased creatures.



It escalated when Michael decided to pose under the coyote as if it were attacking him...and Isabella broke the poor coyote's ear off. (It still hangs by a thread).



And then, there was the pose that I was certain would result in our being expelled from the visitor's center: Michael and the Beaver.



Seriously. You can't buy memories like these. (Honestly, I don't even know what that means...does one even buy memories??)

We drove back to my sister's campsite since it was STILL raining. I scrambled some eggs, and we sat around. I got a headache, and became increasingly frustrated by the dismal outlook of the forecast.

Suddenly, it stopped raining. We decided to head back to the other side of the lake and walk on the dam. Michael had a renewed interest in fishing and so we went back to Wal-Mart where he purchased some bait...live bait...and put it in my cooler of food.

And because it wouldn't be a trip with our family if it didn't happen, our van died. Michael pushed it backward so we could get it jumped and then for some reason, it turned over. We headed back to camp. His sister called and said they had a pontoon boat for two hours so we needed to turn back around and come to the marina.

The kids loved the boat.









Our evening in the tent was slightly drier than the one before, but by Sunday morning I was ready for a shower and a reunion with my toothbrush, so we packed up and headed out.

Michael says he will never take me camping again. At this point, I'm not sure I want to go again...unless there is an RV involved.

When the Valley is Deep

“Mark then, Christian, Jesus does not suffer so as to exclude your suffering. He bears a cross, not that you may escape it, but that you may endure it. Christ exempts you from sin, but not from sorrow. Remember that, and expect to suffer. God is in this life preparing his people for a better world and part of that process is affected by trial and affliction, so that it frequently happens that the godly are in adversity while the wicked are in prosperity. Our crosses are as continual as our lives; we are seldom long at ease; we are born to sorrow, and certainly it is an inheritance of which we are never deprived; we suffer continually. Will it not reconcile us to our sorrows, that they serve some end?” (Charles Spurgeon).

How can we find hope when we are hurting?

First, by understanding our suffering is not arbitrary. Our trials are not without purpose. The blow that knocks us out, the pain we aren’t sure we can endure, the loss that changes our life forever, none of these happen in spite of God’s plan, but in accordance with His perfect sovereign will.

"For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart Him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back"? (Isaiah 14:27)

"Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him". (Psalm 115:3)

"I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please". (Isaiah 46:10)

"All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as He pleases with the powers of Heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him: 'What have You done?" (Daniel 4:35)

"When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future". (Ecclesiastes 7:14)

"I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things". (Isaiah 45:7)

"Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?" (Lamentations 3:38)

The hope for the Christian lies not in circumstances, but in the One who ordains each moment of our lives; the One who recorded them in His book before any of them had yet come to be.

Second, we must trust that God has a purpose for our suffering.“As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.’” (John 9:1-3)

So much of what masquerades as Biblical teaching today revolves around the idea that God wants us to be happy, successful, fulfilled, encouraged, motivated, and generally have our best life now. Yet Scripture tells us “we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:21). We have come to believe that Jesus of Nazareth was a good man, one we should emulate, but not the Christ, not the Son of God. Even for those of us who have trusted that He is indeed the Christ and our Savior, we often live as though He came to show us the way, rather than coming to be the way. Consequently, we are surprised and feel as though God has slighted us when our “good” lives don’t prevent us from suffering. We are familiar with the God of love, but we forget the words of Isaiah 53:10 that tell us it was the Lord’s will to crush Jesus and cause Him to suffer. How can we possibly love a God who is pleased to crush His own Son?

Because we know the result of that agony.

We know His wounds paid OUR ransom.

It is His death that brings us life, and it was our life of disobedience that made His death necessary.

Jesus suffered, not because He sinned, but to bring glory to God. So too, the grace God gives us to endure our trials is a testimony of His love and mercy. “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:6-7).

Suffering has never been unfamiliar to God’s people; the Bible is full of stories of the ridicule, shame, hunger, torture and poverty of God’s people. The Apostle Paul who “five times received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one, three times was beaten with rods, once was stoned, three times was shipwrecked, spent a night and a day in the open sea, was constantly on the move, and in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from his own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers, labored and toiled and often went without sleep; who knew hunger and thirst and often went without food; was cold and naked” knew much about suffering yet he said “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10) and that he even rejoiced in his sufferings because he knew “that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4).

In all that Paul suffered he counted it a privilege, “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith” (Philippians 3:7-9).

Third, we must remember that we never suffer alone. God has promised to be with us and sustain us;
to be our strength,
our shield,
our help,
our comforter,
the lifter of our heads
and the lover of our souls.

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty…He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart” (Psalm 91:1-4).

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isaiah 43:2).

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

"I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mortal men, the sons of men, who are but grass… as a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you” (Isaiah 51:12, 66:13).

Fourth, we must rest in God’s promise that He loves us and is using the suffering for our good. Just as He took the most horrific event in history- the crucifixion of Jesus Christ- and used it to fulfill hundreds of years of prophecy and for the salvation of multitudes of people, He will use whatever hardship He allows into our lives for good.

“Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:5-6).

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

While we may never see this side of eternity what our suffering has accomplished, we must trust in the truth of God’s Word and in His unchanging character. “Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

All Things New

"...and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new" And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true." Then He said to me, "It is done I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost." (Revelation 21:4-6)

"Then the world was broken, fallen and battered and scarred
You took the hopeless, the life, wasted, ruined and marred
And made it new

You make all things new
You make all things new
You redeem and You transform
You renew and You restore
You make all things new
You make all things new
And forever we will watch and worship You"
(Steven Curtis Chapman, All Things New)

We have a name! (No, not for the baby...that's Razzle Dazzle, remember?)

All Things New- Equine Therapy and Family Respite Center

All Things New- a place for broken children and hurting families to be renewed and restored; a place where they can hear the good news of the One who redeems and transforms.

We have so many ideas in our minds right now, and we are a long way from the day we can welcome people to All Things New, but we need to start by fencing in some of the land for horses. Michael is researching cost now, but to raise money for the fence I will be selling aprons.

In keeping with the theme of All Things New, I will be making the aprons from recycled materials; namely, curtains, bedspreads and other miscellaneous items I find at yard sales or thrift stores.

The aprons are reversible, eco-friendly, and (I think) cute! The aprons are $17, which includes embroidery on both sides.

This is the front and back of an apron I made yesterday.



I will soon be opening an Etsy account, but if you are interested in an apron you can email me at allthingsnew_equinetherapy@yahoo.com and I can send you pictures of my available material.

Please continue to pray for us as we follow God's leading.

Strawberry Picking

Razzle Dazzle

Today marks the beginning of my tenth week of pregnancy. I feel terrible. This week I am also turning 30. I feel old and terrible. I am also losing brain cells at an alarming rate, and consequently have made all kinds of really stupid statements. I have forgotten how many children I have, asked if Pakistan was in Michigan, and thought the year was 2008.

We have also been tossing names around. I like Eden. Michael likes Nevaeh (Heaven spelled backwards). Obviously,we are assuming it is a girl. My Mother-in-Law says we come up with all kinds of stupid names and that we will probably name the baby something like Razzle Dazzle. It stuck. Now we refer to the baby as Razzle Dazzle. Nice, huh?

Clearly, I don't have the wherewithal to blog right now, but I was noticing that the posts on my front page were from (gasp) February, so I thought I should post something. This will have to do for now. :)

My Favorite New Blogs

Because I was too sick to finish all I wanted to finish with school this year, I decided to help the kids make their own blogs. They have to write one post (of substance)every week. They are also participating in the Summer Reading Program at the library and the big prize requires them to read 55 books by the end of July. Even though I can't really teach right now there is still quite a bit of learning going on.

Anyway, check out their blogs and leave them a comment. :)

Eliana: From Haiti to Home
Madeline: 8 and Counting
Meghan: Bunchafamily Bunchafun

Horses

A family at our church graciously allows us to visit their horses every week. We are enjoying learning about caring for horses, saddling them, riding them, etc. All of the kids absolutely love riding. Our friends have five horses of their own and stable about 34 other horses. Michael is so happy to be there that he always offers to muck out any stalls that need it. Visiting is the highlight of our week.