"Where the pickin's good"

That's what the sign at Beechwood Farm said. :)

I took my friend Kristin's advice and Jake and I went and picked strawberries this past Friday. It was a very windy day, but we had a wonderful time. :)

(Jake's facial expression is only because of the wind - not because of who is taking the picture. My dear friend, Alaina went with us.

He actually picked one strawberry himself, and immediately wanted to eat it. . . he has enjoyed several since then and also made a beautiful fingerpainting of strawberry juice on my refrigerator when I allowed him to sit on the kitchen floor and eat some strawberries. :) (didn't get a picture - sorry)

Nana's visit

Jake's Nana came for a visit last weekend. We had a wonderful time. . . just too short. :)

On Saturday evening we had a picnic dinner at Furman by their lake. After dinner we noticed several turtles swimming close to shore and the only thing we had to feed them were doritos. They didn't seem to mind. . . so Jake got to feed some turtles. He loved it.

Here are some picture from our picnic.

(The sad thing is we don't have any pictures with Nana :()

Reasonable realization

For those of you who frequent my blog, I need to ask you to forgive me. I was very convinced and convicted last week about my complaining spirit. I like to think of myself as pleasant and joyful, but friends dearest and nearest to me as well as my sweet hubby can tell me otherwise. Phil 2 talks about believers NOT GRIPING and complaining.

In light of my condition outside of Christ, as Ephesians says "dead in trespasses and sins" and now my acceptance as a child of God as Romans says "received adoption as sons whereby we cry 'Abba Father'" and made alive by the Spirit in order that I may please God and not myself "the Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies by His Spirit who lives in you, so then we are debtors not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh" I really have NOTHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT.

I deserve God's wrath and judgment and instead I am dressed in the righteousness of Christ, I am a fellow heir with Him, and daily receive the benefits of being a child of God.

The only thing reasonable for me is to give thanks in everything.

The best. . .

Does anyone else think Jake has the best Daddy?

This is a frequent after dinner male bonding ritual between father and son that I finally caught on tape. :)

The Jakesters journal

I have tried numerous times to get the best video of Jake to load, but it is 18MB too large and I am having trouble chopping part of it.

Here are some recent photos in the meantime.

A charmer at heart - this is going to make correction very difficult in the future - well it actually already does. He flashes that grin and it's hard to be firm.

Jake is getting into everything. He scared the daylights out of me the other day when he took a toy apart and I found him chewing on one piece with the tiny nickel-sized battery on the floor beside him. I praise God for watching over my child! (And I've been accused of being over protective! I'm wondering if I'm not protective enough. I'm thinking I should not let him out of my sight.)

My growling Goliath! Jake is almost 30 inches long. (They measured him wrong at his 9 month check-up as only 28 1/2 inches) and weighs 19 lbs and 4 oz. He is crawling over me here and growling with glee. I thought I was having a baby, not a monster! :)

And one more:

Here he is with his beloved and beautiful, Aunt Emily. He adores her and she him, I dare say. :) She and Aunt Clare came for a visit and homemade pizzas yesterday. We had a fun time.

Me and my little man!

As Long. . .

How long does it take before you begin to doubt God's goodness and love in His dealings with you? I have already shared in the past that my trust in God lasts about as long as things are going the way I think they should, the way I have planned they should.

Sadly I must admist that I frequently find myself questioning God's love when my plans fall apart, when things don't happen on my timetable, or when I am faced with an unforeseen difficulty. I fail to realize that all of these are opportunities for me to display the power of the gospel in my life - to respond with supernatural power, to live radically differently because of Christ and His supreme sufficiency not only for our salvation but for every day, for eternity.

"What I am going to inherit in eternity is so superior that it makes any sacrifice in this life insignificant. I must be so heavenly minded that I am free from this world and it's stuff."- John Piper

How long can I trust God?As long as He is!

"For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations." - Psalm 100:5

As Long as You are Glorified
Mark Altrogge

Shall I take from Your hand Your blessings
Yet not welcome any pain
Shall I thank You for days of sunshine
Yet grumble in days of rain
Shall I love You in times of plenty
Then leave You in days of drought
Shall I trust when I reap a harvest
But when winter winds blow, then doubt

Oh let Your will be done in me
In Your love I will abide
Oh I long for nothing else as long
As You are glorified

Are You good only when I prosper
And true only when I’m filled
Are You King only when I’m carefree
And God only when I’m well
You are good when I’m poor and needy
You are true when I’m parched and dry
You still reign in the deepest valley
You’re still God in the darkest night

© 2008 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI)