How Did We Get Here, Part 2

I briefly explained our view of family planning in this post.  After having Opal 5 years ago, we stuck to our natural family planning - and figured with my advancing age, that our chances of our family expanding were rapidly declining now that I am over 40.

But God is full of humor and blessings.

He surprised us this year with our third "last child."  We now have 7 kids!  We never planned to be "one of those weird families."  (And I still don't consider us one of "those" families. We are a very normal family, that happens to have a lot of kids!)

We started marriage in 2004 planning to have an "acceptably large" family of 4 kids.  I did not have regular menstrual cycles (one or two a year), so we had to use ovulation drugs to get pregnant with the first two (boys), born in 2007 and 2009.  We had a miscarriage in 2011.  After being pregnant with a girl (born 2012), it seemed that my hormones finally figured it out and I began cycling regularly. We had our fourth (another boy) in 2013, and whereas I was "done" mentally (4 kids in 6 years), I can't say I ever truly felt like I knew we were done.  (Everyone says you know.)  

Paul was leaving it up to me, as it is my body that has to bear pregnancies, and I was leaving it up to him as it's his finances that have to provide.  We both felt that we needed to trust God, but agreed my body needed a break.  (I had been pregnant or nursing all but a few months of 8 years.)

Then we became pregnant with #5 within months of having the "let's give your body a break" talk.  Another girl was born in 2016.  (And this was after having an ovary removed due to a cyst!)

After this baby, my cycles became extremely regular, and we thought this we had this family planning thing really under control. No babies for 4 years seemed to verify that thought.  And then there was that one month in spring of 2020 (the spring of Covid lockdown)......  Our 6th was born in early 2021.

At this point we both felt we were done, but still not willing to have surgery to demand our will over God's.  Our oldest was almost done with home school high school, and our youngest was just starting.  I was managing a thriving ministry at church, and we were all involved in ministry at church and helping on my family's farm.  Life was full, and we were content and abundantly blessed.

Everything on the internet about fertility in your 40s says it is almost impossible to get pregnant.  Apparently that doesn't apply if you've had 6 babies already!  We got pregnant with baby #7 on my 42nd birthday, despite carefully tracking my cycles, and the calendar and physical symptoms showing me being days past "the danger zone."  Ironically, my sister had just given me back all the baby stuff I'd given to her.  I took it to donation, but the pregnancy center was randomly closed, so the car seat and other items stayed in the back of my van for two weeks.......where it still was when I found out I'd need them again!

Our 7th was born in March of 2025.  I've had babies in three separate decades!  ('00s, '10s, and '20s)  God is good, and never ceases to amaze us.

How Did We Get Here?

 Remember this post?

Well, it still holds true.  And we still weren't wanting more than 5 kids.  

Last spring, Paul and I had the sit-down discussion of "are we done?"  Elsa had just turned 4.  We would be starting school (preschool) with her in the fall, so all of our kids would be in school at home.  I felt like we had settled into knowing what to expect each day, and going out in public or for a vacation wasn't as overwhelming since the kids were old enough to manage themselves in and out of the car, and control their emotions (usually).

We still were convicted that it is not our right to take away God's right to manage our fertility, but we were careful to do what was in our power to manage, and felt happy in the size of family God had given us.

So we decided we were done.  Not that having another baby was outside the realm of possibility, but we thought there's no reason to hang onto baby equipment and clothes when someone else could be using it.  IF we ended up having another baby, we'd find what we needed at that time. 

So we packed it up, had a garage sale, and took stuff to LifeCare (local pregnancy resource center).

And the following week, I found out I was pregnant.

I should have started my period the Monday after the garage sale.  By Wednesday I had grown suspicious.  On Friday I bought a pregnancy test.  I took it on Sunday, and then by some miracle of God's design - all the kids were away at other houses, and I had a chance to tell Paul in an empty house.  

For the first time, I was able to surprise him with pregnancy news.  And I cried.

Not because I was disappointed - there is nothing bad about a baby coming to a couple who loves each other deeply - but because I remembered what it had been like last time I had a baby.  Debilitating lack of energy during pregnancy, and how a new baby disrupts absolutely every aspect of life, especially home schooling - and the previous year of homeschooling had been tenuous at best.  (Honestly, I had looked up how to enroll kids in public school in December.)  I was 5 years older (almost to turn 38 at that point), and 30 pounds heavier, and completely out of shape.  All these reasons pregnancy was going to be completely inconvenient and uncomfortable!

But I remembered that verse, 2 Corinthians 12:9 - But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

Nothing happens outside of God's plan.  This was God's plan.  I would make it through.

And I did!

As it was, this pregnancy didn't seem to be as hard on me physically.  Partly because I'd had my veins fixed after Elsa, so I didn't have the throbbing heavy legs daily.  (I didn't wear the stockings this time, but I did wear knee high compression socks daily.)  We bought a Bowflex Max 6 (basically like an elliptical stairstepper) in June when it was massively on sale, and I did well about using it several times a week until late fall.  I only gained 20 lbs. total.  And homeschooling all 5 was less stress than 4 the previous year.  (Elsa's fantastic cheerful attitude about school every day made all the difference!)

We did have to get all new (new to us) baby stuff, but the awesome thing about that is we were able to evaluate every piece and ask if we really needed it.  Baby swing?  Hadn't done much for 5, so we could presume it wouldn't for a sixth.  Boppy pillow?  Absolutely essential!  

We debated finding out the gender, but decided to keep this surprise a surprise.  (Besides, it kept me from collecting those absolutely adorable outfits they had out at Christmas time!)

When January rolled around, I went to Carter's and bought one girl jammies, one boy jammies, and two neutral jammies.  I procrastinated, but finally packed a bag for the hospital the week I was due.  

The baby gave us a bit of a ..... not really scare, but concern?  confusion?.... three weeks before my due date.  I went in to my normal appointment, and the baby's heart beat was in the 190s.  (Normal is 120-150.)  After several minutes, the heart rate was still up, so my doctor sent me over to the hospital to do a fetal non-stress test (put monitors on my belly and record the baby's heartbeat, usually for 20 minutes).  This crazy baby!  It was rolling and flipping the entire time and its heartbeat never went below 160 for 4 hours!  The monitors showed I was having contractions (even though I couldn't feel them), so they gave me fluids and I ended up being in the hospital all day.  (Which was not a bad thing, since Paul was home.  Although two children started throwing up with a stomach bug that plagued us all week!)

All the monitoring was for nothing, because all returned to normal after the baby finally took a nap.  My doctor wanted me to be monitored twice weekly and have weekly sonograms until my due date, but we had no other problems after that one crazy day.  We just had to wait.......

What is Awana?

I gave a presentation on Awana to our church this fall.  I did a lot of research for it, and I thought I'd pass on some of the info.  (Especially since I talk about Awana all the time!)  This is info on the international ministry, and also info on Awana as a ministry at our church.

History of Awana

Awana was founded in 1951.  Lance Latham, pastor of a church on Chicago's north side, and Art Rorheim, the church's youth director, after seeing kids lined up outside a movie theater, came up with an idea to develop a club that would appeal to both children and non-children.  They wanted to see kids as excited to go to a club to learn about the Bible as they were to go see a movie.

What came out of that collaboration was a club that looked like a lot of popular clubs of that era, complete with uniforms, handbooks, pledges, and dues.

The founders of Awana landed on a method that worked, combining large group learning, classroom learning, and fun games to get children and youth excited to come to a place where they would learn and memorize God's Word.  This has proven an effective method that discipled children and gave them the knowledge and ability to reach out to share Christ with their friends.

Within 20 years of its founding, 900 churches had started Awana programs.  Today, there are over 10,000 clubs in the United States, reaching nearly 700,000 children each week.

In 1972, Awana began its first international club in Bolivia. Today, children and youth in 121 countries participate in Awana programs.  There are over 50,000 clubs worldwide, reaching over 4 MILLION children with the gospel of Christ each week!

What Is Awana?

You may keep listening to me say this word, Awana, and wonder what kind of a name that is. Awana (AWANA) stands for "Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed," and is derived from the King James translation of 2 Timothy 2:15, which says, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

History of Awana at OBC

Awana at Ottawa Bible Church began in 1989. At that time, the clubs still very strongly resembled the original model developed by Lance Lathan and Art Rorheim. At OBC, within the first few years, we were reaching well over 100 children every week.

Over the years, numbers have declined, both in attendees and volunteers, largely due to a cultural shift in Wednesdays not being regarded as a church night, so families are forced to choose between Awana and other activities. The last several years we have averaged around 50 children in preschool through middle school.

About Awana

Whereas the basic structure of Awana has not changed - each weekly meeting is made up of large group time, small group classroom time, and game time - there has recently been a shift in the Awana method. Our culture has shifted to the thinking that spiritual education is the job of the church. Awana is seeking to change that.

Awana has changed their curriculum to strongly emphasize spiritual learning should take place in the home, with parents as the teachers. The new curriculum encourages interaction and spiritual conversations between parents and children.

This method of coming alongside parents works.

In 1990, an 8 year old girl came to Awana here at OBC. Even though she knew all the Bible stories, Awana was the first place she heard the gospel message. She asked Jesus to be her Savior sitting right here in this auditorium. The teachers at Awana engaged her family, and came along side her parents and met them where they were at. Eventually this girl's family began attending Ottawa Bible because of the relationships they had made through Awana. The girl grew up and learned her faith through Awana and this church. She married a boy she became friends with through Awana. They now have kids of their own, and Awana is a tool that their family is using to teach their children the importance of Bible study and sharing the gospel. 

I know Awana works because this little girl was me.

Awana Statistics

Of Awana alumni, which is children who were involved in Awana for 6 or more years, 92% attend church regularly, 74% volunteer at their church 11 or more hours each month, and 70% share their faith with friends at least once a month.

To make statistics like this the norm, there is one thing that makes all the difference. That is volunteers.

Volunteers Needs

To make Awana run at OBC, we need an absolute minimum of 20 serving, to keep control of the kids and listen to verses.  To make it run well, be able to build relationships with children and parents, we need many more than that.

Many think they can't volunteer for children's ministry because they can't teach.  The thing I love about Awana, is that for the vast majority of volunteers, serving at Awana is a ministry where you can show up, be blessed, and go home.  There's no studying beforehand or supplies you have to bring.  You bring yourself and a heart ready to love on some kids.

If you aren't sure that kids are your thing, there are other ways and opportunities to serve around the Awana ministry.  We have a meal beforehand, and we need help preparing and cleaning up with that.  We need people to engage parents as they pick up and drop off kids.  There are possibilities to lead Bible studies with interested parents during the time their kids are here at Awana.  If you aren't sure where you'd like to help, but want to help in some way, I'd love to talk to you about getting you plugged in in an area that appeals to your strengths.

The other two major reasons people say they can't volunteer is distance and time.  For many of us, including myself, serving in church activities means a trip to Ottawa.  In our church, 2/3 of the families that regularly attend live outside of Ottawa  But, for whatever reason, God has brought us together in this community, and for any ministry the church puts on to succeed, some of us are going to have to make the commitment to make that trip.

The last and hardest area that is a hindrance to volunteering is time.  I want to leave you with a quote.

When parents are saying “I don’t have any time” to minister to youth, and the older generation is saying, “I’ve served my time” teaching kids, it leaves a generation of young people saying, “If nobody thinks it’s important enough to make the time, maybe this whole God thing isn’t worth my time.”

Awana is a ministry that can change lives, homes, and generations.  I think it's worth the time, and I'd like you to consider giving some of your time. 
 

Update:  We have nearly 40 teen and adult volunteers serving in Awana at Ottawa Bible Church this year!  We have had over 80 children register (including student leaders), with a regular weekly attendance of about 60.  All the glory goes to God!

Rhodes Report 2017

If you haven't gotten our annual letter in the mail - don't read the below!  I'm trying to get the year wrapped up within the actual calendar year.  The letters will go out next week!

We hope that you have had some time over the holidays to sit back and reflect on your year.  As we have reminisced, our family's motto continues to be: "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  His faithful love endures forever!"

Ah, 2017…… What a year.  It seemed like non-stop busy-ness from one end to the other!

In February, my mom and sister Lurenda went overseas.  They got to do some sightseeing in London during a layover, and see all the sights of the Zimbabwe region while visiting my younger sister Carlsie and her husband Jono and his family.  My dad ended up having emergency surgery while they were gone, to repair a twisted intestine.  The doctor said that the blood supply had been cut off, and he was possibly within an hour of life-threatening damage.  We were so grateful that Dad happened to be with a friend who drove him straight to the hospital, and not working outside on the farm alone.  I moved to the farm with the kids to play nurse until the travelers returned, while my brother JC and neighbors took care of the animals.  Dad had a few "fun" months after that, with multiple trips to the emergency room (the first due to a stomach bug our kids were so kind to share), a kidney stone, and gall bladder surgery.  But now, six months later, he's going strong!  (Thanks to Mom's good care, I'm sure!)

We celebrated 13 years of marriage on March 20.  Lucky 13!  It's been the best one yet!
Carlsie and Jono moved home from Africa in March.  Later that month, Zadie, Elsa, and I took a road trip with Carlsie to northeast Arkansas (about 8 hours) for a job interview for Carlsie.  It was a relaxing time for me, not having to worry about teaching, enjoying beautiful drives, and good conversations with Carlsie.  The little girls and I browsed the small town during her interview, and enjoyed the hotel's pool and hot tub.  The ride home was a bit long with a baby who was DONE with being in the car, and a small girl who couldn't decide about going to the bathroom.  Even though Carlsie decided against taking the job, I still count it as a good trip.

Over the spring, Paul and I designed and built a patio to connect our two decks.  We used pea gravel, native rock, and lumber, and we are thrilled with how it turned out!  Paul designed and built custom patio furniture.  We bought colorful cushions for the couches, and now have a perfect outdoor oasis to enjoy.

We went on our first "real" family vacation in May (“real” in that it didn't include staying with family).  When we asked the kids what they wanted to do for a vacation, they said, "Go to a hotel with a pool!"  We went to Omaha to visit their zoo, and stayed in a 3-room hotel suite (2 bedrooms and a living/kitchen) with an indoor pool and breakfast buffet.  Everyone was happy!  Our luggage consisted of 1 duffel bag (for all 7 of us!), a diaper bag, and a stroller.  After this experience with packing light, I plan to travel that way from now on!

Two days after we returned home, we got a "hail" of a storm.  Golf-ball sized hail pounded our home for a half hour.  It totaled both cars, destroyed our brand-new roof (6 months old), and all the siding and trim on two sides of the house.  (No broken windows!)  It completely broke out the skylight panels on the barn roof, and decimated the trees, garden, and flowerbeds.  When it was over, it looked like mid-January outside - the ground was white, the trees were bare.  (And it was cold!)  It took over 24 hours for the piles of hailstones from our roof to melt.  Thankfully, no one - and no pets - were hurt.  Insurance payout wasn't as great as we'd hoped for the house, but the payout for totalling our cars will cover all the home repairs plus some upgrades.

June was busy with teaching at a Vacation Bible School in Homewood, and an outdoor Bible club in Pomona.

In July, the elders of our church asked me if I would head up our Awana ministry.  (Awana is a Bible-based children’s ministry that is held in churches worldwide.)  I head up the planning and administration, but the volunteer leaders are the ones who really carry the club, and they are doing a fantastic job!  I feel like there are some things I personally could do better, but there is the un-ending "not enough time" factor that seems to plague everyone.  But our club is operating smoothly (for the most part) and has grown, and I can only give that glory to God. I love the ministry of Awana (www.awana.org).  It had an impact on both Paul & I in our childhood and teen years.  Now our own children are growing to know, love, and serve the Lord Jesus through the ministry of Awana.  

This fall, Paul and I attended a church leadership retreat, and an Awana LEAD conference, and were challenged regarding our personal spiritual lives, and leadership methods and abilities.  We also both separately attended Encounters, and were again challenged regarding different areas of our lives.  It is so wonderful to draw closer together as we draw closer to God.  

In September, we started our home school year with 4 children.  (Yes, 4.)  What an adventure!  Gideon was only 3, but so stinking smart (and in need of something to distract him from destruction during school hours!) that we decided to put him in Kindergarten with Zadie.  We figured I could teach them both letters and numbers at the same time.  After about 2 months, I realized this was not the best situation - Zadie was learning quickly, and whereas Gideon was learning all his letters and sounds also, his motor and attention skills were far behind Zadie.  So, creating more work - by schooling them separately - has actually made my life easier.  Home-schooling has its days of absolutely maddening frustration (this year, many of them!), but it also has times of deep satisfaction, like listening to your child read or explain fractions and realizing you taught them every single thing they know.

We bought a handgun in the spring, and I surprised Paul with a shot gun for his birthday in July.  He has enjoyed practicing shooting with both guns.  (He has ridiculously good natural ability.)  In November, he went pheasant hunting with the brothers-in-law (JC, Keith, and Jono) and my dad.  We enjoyed smoked pheasant for our Thanksgiving meal. :)

At Paul's work, teams were challenged to come up with a production problem at work, and use a specific set of steps (the "Kaizan Spiral") to identify, troubleshoot, and resolve the issue.  His team won their plant-wide competition, so they went to Atlanta in November to present it at the U.S. Corporate meeting.  Paul’s team won second there, and will be going to Brussels, Belgium, in February to present it at the AGC worldwide competition!

Our family participated in the 15th annual Bethlehem outreach that our church puts on.  This year, I was "lead angel" in charge of 7 angels ages 10 and under (including 3 of our own) - oh my!  Paul was given a new part, portraying a rabbi at the synagogue, reading prophecies of the coming Messiah.  Grandma Janice kept the two littlest ones at home and out of trouble.  We really appreciate all the ways Paul's parents help us out with the kids and with projects. 

With a family this large, you knew a letter couldn’t be short!  But I won’t bore you with more details, and instead will wish you the happiest of New Years!  We invite you to stop by any time you are near, and we will catch up in person – we don’t take this circus on the road that often, so chances are you’ll catch us at home.  

Much love,

Paul & Rachel
Nathan, Jacob, Zadie, Gideon, and Elsa

Updates on the kids individually:

Nathan turned 10 in September.  It's hard to believe that we have been doing this parent thing for 10 years!  Nathan is very much a leader, taking charge during play time and even leading his brothers in Bible reading times in their room.  (He also attempts to be the teacher during school, which does not go over well.)  He excels at memorization, and does well at memorizing verses for Awana and complete poems for school.  He does very well in Math and Handwriting (hallelujah!) but struggles in Spelling.  (Details are not his strong point.)  He is an excellent help on anything we need, and loves working alongside Paul in the shop.  He and Jacob almost completely took over the yard work, and they kept it looking excellent all summer long.  Nathan says his favorite things are Legos, cats, army/military, Star Wars, and nachos.

Jacob turned 8 in October.  He is definitely a follower, which makes for peaceful interaction between the two big boys.  He does well in school, but we struggle with how to motivate him.  (He's a lot like his mother!)  He and another boy lead their Sparks (K-2^nd) group in Awana memorization, which is solely of his own, other than me adding it to his school list as a reminder to spend time on it.  Jacob wants to mow the yard constantly, which would work if he was heavy enough to hold the seat down!  So instead he push-mows and rakes.  He loves helping out, but also doesn’t want to leave the familiar (mom).  He says he wants to be a farmer when he grows up.  Jacob says his favorite things are Legos, playing outside, riding his bike, tractors, dinosaurs, camouflage, and mac & cheese.

In April, Zadie turned 5!   Zadie is definitely a princess.  She is obsessed with clothes and shoes (which we don't encourage), and has mastered issuing orders.  Yet despite this, she will often put on her hand-me-down camo and join the boys on their expeditions in the pasture.  She is a sass, but has a very tender and sensitive heart, as well.  Zadie asked Jesus to be her Savior early this year - there is no greater joy as parents.  She is in her first year of Sparks in Awana and is absolutely loving it.  Zadie started Kindergarten this year.  She eventually figured out all the sounds and names of the letters, but the more she’s learned, the more she wants to learn!  (Hooray!  Finally!)  She loves drawing pictures, writing her letters, her "girl" Legos, Beauty and the Beast, riding her bike, peanut butter sandwiches, and pizza.

Gideon turned 4 in December.  People constantly comment on how good his vocabulary is, and how quick he is to figure things out.  He drags Paul’s tools out and “builds” things most times he is outside.  He figured out his letters and sounds fairly well in school, but has no interest in numbers.  (Everything is “3!!!” – his age until this month.) But this cleverness coupled with being the 4th child (that the older 3 don't listen to) often leads to frustration and temper tantrums when he feels he is not being heard.  He is in his first year of Cubbies in Awana, and loves it!  He is a charmer, and knows exactly who will fall for his big, blinking eyes.  (Not his parents! ……usually.)  His favorite things include sugar (in any form), milk, Curious George, toy tractors, and building with "big Legos.” 

In March, Elsa turned 1!  She is a happy girl, full of cheesy grins.  She's a smart little thing, and is just as curious as her littlest big brother.  (I foresee trouble in the future when those two get together!)  She is very much a mama's girl, and wants to be near me at all times – yet when we’re home she is Miss Independence, fetching and carrying and dressing up all over the house!  She's not talking yet (sometimes I wonder if that's deliberate), except for one word – “GO!” which comes in handy, because she is potty trained!  (Her decision.)  We all love having this little golden redhead as part of our family.  Her favorite things include shoes, "cheesing" for the camera, "baby sauce" (apple sauce pouches), and watching Shaun the Sheep on YouTube. 

Quote to Consider:

Success is not helping our kids be what they want to be. Success is helping our kids be what God wants them to be.


-Rob Rienow
God's Grand Vision for the Home

Witness (Not Whining)

So, the following post could sound a lot like whining, but I am not writing it to complain.  I am writing it as a testimony.  God provides!

I'm a bit late in posting about it, as the story starts about a year ago, but here it is....

     Having a new baby always costs money.  Even before the hospital bills hit, there's the expenditures of MORE diapers, more water bills, and eating out because a sleepless mama can't bear the thought of planning meals.

     Paul's truck went in for some warranty work last February.  Initially this was a blessing, because the (FREE!) rental they supplied got better than twice the gas mileage Paul's truck did.  And then.....  A tie rod broke on Paul's truck when they were aligning it post-repair. We ended up with a $1000 mechanic bill, which kicked off the most financially stressful period of our entire marriage. 

     In addition to the baby hospital bills, we also ended up with bills from the emergency room (Gideon), another surgery (me), and procedures for treatment of my severe varicose veins. 

     Then we found out our roof needed replaced following a hail storm, and insurance was only going to pay half. Our washing machine and mower also broke down. And then I blew a tire on the van, so ended up having to buy two new tires.  In the midst of all this, our normal yearly taxes and insurance were due. 

But God supplied all our needs! About the time that all savings accounts reached empty, Paul and I had a discussion.  I felt like our finances were out of control.  But I was also being convicted because we weren't giving God his portion.  We were giving every month, but I had not been giving the FULL tithe that we had decided on a couple years ago.  (Of course, I justified it with "but I give my time" and "we give in other ways.")  Paul and I talked about it, and decided we needed to give God all of His part.  

     So.  In faith, I wrote a check.  It's faith, to write a check for a couple hundred dollars, when you know you have several thousand dollars in bills coming due within the next couple months, and that we didn't have enough in savings to cover them.

      The same day I put the check in the offering, Paul was offered a part time job helping a man with roofing, which paid for gas and groceries those few months. We had to learn humility in admitting we couldn't afford certain things, and in taking assistance through free food that was offered us. It was tight, but we made it, and continued to give our full tithe the rest of the year.  We still had Christmas!  And the children got a chance to see the blessing of passing along blessings that have been given us when we were able to help a needy woman.

     "My God shall supply all your needs, according to his riches in glory."  (Philippians 4:19)  We all know there's so much more that he supplies, things of eternal value, but this is one instance of him providing for our physical needs - because He's such a great God!

Zadie Marie: A Salvation Story

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth."
-III John 1:4


Both of our older boys prayed to accept Jesus as their Savior when they were quite young. They were 4 and 3 1/2 years old. But that has been 4 years ago, since Jacob made the decision! So it seems like this announcement is a long time coming.
Last Sunday, Zadie made the decision to trust Christ as her Savior!
This event has brought me so much joy and relief. Even though we read the Bible with our kids nightly, Zadie has shown very little interest in spiritual matters. Even over the last year, since she's been in Cubbies at Awana, we have tried to have intentional conversations with her about sin and why Jesus had to die, and she would usually change the subject. If I could engage her into conversation, the conversation would end in her refusing to admit she had ever sinned. The few times she would admit sin (usually after being caught in a lie), when we would go over the conversation about sin and Christ, she would say she didn't want to pray for forgiveness. It was becoming obvious that she knew all the pieces, but it was willful refusal to open up to God. Others would encourage me that she was still young (she's almost 5), but the hardening of her little heart was still concerning. And i was questioning myself whether we were being diligent enough in discipleship and training. Obviously I don't have as much time now to talk and teach one on one like I did with Nathan and Jacob, now that we have 5 kids.
Last Sunday, our Bible study met and since it was our first meeting since the holidays, we didn't have a study set. Someone asked, "What should we read?" And Paul jokingly said, "Jonah!" This is the answer our children always choose when given a choice of what Bible study to read in the children's Bible, so we had a good laugh. But we did study Jonah, and had good conversations about it.
When we came home and were putting the children to bed, Paul took Zadie upstairs to read the Bible in her bed. (On late nights, we'll read the children's story Bible to Zadie and Gideon alone, rather than reading as a family in the living room.) Paul asked Zadie what she wanted to read, and of course the answer was, "Jonah!"
In light of the good conversations we'd had at Bible study, Paul talked to her about why the people of Ninevah were in trouble with God, and that led to a conversation about sin, and on to talking about the fact that Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins so we can go to Heaven.
I wasn't upstairs, but I could hear that they were having a conversation. After a while, Paul came to the to of the stairs, and said, "Rachel, could you come up here?" My heart filled with hope.
I went to her room, and Paul filled me in on what they'd talked about. He asked Zadie if she wanted to pray with Mommy about Jesus talking her sins away. She said yes!
I could sense a different spirit about her. Usually she had a kind of flippant attitude when you try to be serious with her. But she was very quiet and contrite as she lay there on her bed. I knelt by her bedside and asked her some more questions. She answered all of them with assurance. Then I asked her if she wanted to pray. She nodded.
I guided her in a simple prayer to confess that she had sinned, and asking Jesus to forgive her and thanking Him for dying to pay for the bad things she'd done. When we were finished, she had a big smile on her face, and i felt like my heart was about to burst with happiness!
The next morning I asked her what she had done, and she quickly and confidently answered, "I asked Jesus to take all my bad sins away so I can go to Heaven!" I feel certain she understood and fully accepted what had happened the night before.
Paul and I noticed an almost immediate change in her, which I believe I'd evidence of the Holy Spirit now living within her. She accidentally hurt Gideon. I had her apologize, which she did, but then several minutes later, she came to him and asked him if he would forgive her. She told me when she was outside, she was singing "new songs" about Jesus dying on the cross. Instead of playing with dolls or other toys, she say quietly and listened attentively when we read the Bible the next night (and every night since). She has told most of her friends about what she did.
It is such a joy to know that one more of our children will be joining us in eternity! And the fact that i got to be with her when she made that decision makes my joy complete!

Casting Out Idols

I am reading through the history of the kings of Israel in my daily [somewhat] quiet times. I try not to use devotionals or study books, because I get distracted by the opinions of others, from what God may want to say to me.
When the Israelites settled the land God had promised, they were told to destroy all the current residents already living there. This has always seemed a bit brutal to me, and to many others, I'm sure. But as I read on in the history, I see why God wanted those pagan nations destroyed. It would have made life easier on the Israelites!
God is the one true God, and He is serious about His people recognizing His authority. When the Israelites failed to drive out these pagan nations, not only did the people remain, but their religions remained also. Time after time, year after year, the Israelites repeated a circle of falling into worshiping idols, being punished by the one true God, repenting, having life go well, then falling back to their worship of these other gods, only to be punished...
As I read, I asked myself - Beyond the history, what is something I can learn from this narrative?
Because at first impression, the Israelites are idiots. Why don't they get it, that all of their problems are because they stop worshiping God alone?
But what about me? I may not have little stone idols on a shelf in my house, or altars built under the trees in our yard, but am I worshiping the one true God, and serving Him only?
I read a quote recently, and I can't remember it exactly, or who said it, but it went something like this: To any extent you aren't as excited and on fire for God as you were the day before, or the week before, you are a back-slider. (I think it was Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest.)
Well, I'm definitely a back-slider.
And that means, like the Israelites, I have begun "worshiping" idols, and allowing other things to become more important than God alone.
Now the task is, now that I recognize it, to identify those idols and cast them out. For the Israelites it was easy. Break up the idols; tear down the altars. For us, it's a lot harder. What if your idols are food, or the internet, or coffee, or a smart phone?
But I see now why God said to completely get rid of the other nations and their idols. When you keep the things you worship side by side with your relationship with God, unless you are capable of extreme self control and diligence (which I'm not), your relationship with God - reading His Word and the privilege of talking to Him - is going to get pushed aside by these "idols" that seem more exciting and more accessible and available, more instantly gratifying.
And that is why God's Word is "living and active" - it uses a historical account from 4000(?) years ago to speak to my heart today!

Managing My Household

Something I've been struggling to figure out is how to manage my household.  Proverbs 31:27 says, "[A virtuous and capable wife] watches all that goes on in her household, and does not have to bear the consequences of laziness."
I like being lazy.  But I also like a clean house.  So I'm torn.
But now, with the balance of power shifted in favor of messy small people, something must be done.  The house can go from "not that bad" to completely destroyed during the preparation of one meal.  And I've decided it doesn't have to be my job to pick up those messes.
What does a manager do?  Constantly checks on things and delegates jobs.  And "managing" the house is going to require doing something about those areas I avoid because I don't want to deal with the filth - the kids' bedrooms and the downstairs bathroom.  And it takes a lot of my time.
I'm trying to figure out ways to "manage a household".  I've researched online, and found several ideas, but most are in favor of strictly scheduled days and checklists.  I like the idea of this (if I write things down, I can't forget them!), but I hate the strictness.  There are some days that it's okay to be lazy.  When Daddy has worked 7 days straight, and we have a day at home with nowhere to go and nothing to do....  Throw out the schedule!  But then I feel guilty that I didn't do anything and follow my own rules.
So I'm trying to figure out what works in our house.  Each house is different, made of up different personalities and different work and school schedules, so it's taking a while to figure ours out.  Especially since school hasn't started yet.  But I'm trying to get everyone used to keeping the house clean daily before we start that.
I read Proverbs 29 to the kids tonight.  Two verses speak to mothers, children, and discipline.  "To discipline and reprimand a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child." (v 15) "Discipline your children, and they will give you happiness and peace of mind." (v 17)
There are two kinds of discipline.  Discipline can be appropriate punishment, and discipline can also be self-control and responsibility.  And that's something I am in charge of teaching my kids.  When they don't have discipline, it may result in discipline.  I want them to have the self-control to not destroy an entire room, and the discipline to clean up after themselves.  But it takes constant attention and tough love.  Because children are naturally oblivious and selfish.  They don't think the "mess" of their beloved toys is a big deal, and they think Mommy is here, so she'll wave her magic wand and make it disappear.
So we're working on it.  And trying to keep the house clean daily.  And considering what type of list and schedule we need to remind us and keep us sane.

I Stopped Caring

One of the best things - and biggest challenges - about having so many young kids, is that it's made me focus on what really matters.
Which means I've had to stop caring about a lot of things......

I used to care that my kids were dressed in nice, new-looking clothes any time we went to town.  I didn't want to look like "one of those" low-income families.
Now I'm just happy if they are wearing clothes at all (Gideon), or at least have clothes on that don't have holes and stains.

I used to think I needed a closet full of nice clothes so I would have choices when I go out.  After all, having lots of clothes shows the world I am classy.
I go out so little, I could wear a different outfit every time I go out, and not repeat for a year.  So bit by bit I'm paring it down to only clothes that I love.  (And having to finally retire my 20-year-old t-shirts.)

I used to pride myself that I was "green" before it was cool.
Now I see that sometimes it's okay to make life easier for myself, and do things like use disposable diapers.  (After all, which is worse - throwing a few paper diapers in the trash every day, or wasting so many gallons of water washing tiny, incomplete loads of laundry several times per week to keep the flies from infesting the diaper pail?)

I used to care that my kids be "perfect" at church, so everyone would know what a great mom I am.
My boys' shirts are always untucked, with crooked collars.  Zadie's hair is usually doing some crazy thing, and I have to pull them down out of a tree when it's time to go home. (Usually while they're simultaneously staging an army invasion with toy guns they smuggled into the van.)
Now I see that the illusion of perfection doesn't matter.  What people see of my family is how we are all the time.  Imperfect but real.

I used to want my kids to have a chance to be involved in all those things that kids "have" to experience:  sports, reading clubs, 4-H, homeschool co-ops.
Now I see that the "home" part of "homeschool" is more important than anything else.  What values do they learn by being herded to the van constantly?

I used to want all my kids to be proficient in a musical instrument.
But forced daily practicing and arguing was killing our love for music.
Now I see that having kids that sing their hearts out in praise to God is more important.

I used to care that my kids would be the brightest, most-advanced student for their age.
Then we had a delay in reading.
Now I see that there is so much more to life and learning than what is learned in the schoolroom.  (How many 8-year-olds do you know that can build a deck, frame a room, and hang sheet rock?)

I used to care that my house was perfect whenever anyone came to to visit.
Now I want people to know that I'm real.  My house isn't always perfect.  I try to make an effort, as a way of honoring our guests, but my house always looks lived in.  Lived in by 7 people.  It will never be a Better Homes & Gardens feature.  But people know that they are welcome in our home any time.

I used to want my kids to just blend in.
But now I want them to be spiritual leaders and be willing to take a stand.  I want my boys to be men, and my girls to be feminine, and not be ashamed of how God made them!

I used to worry that everyone would think my kids are weird.
They are weird.
But so are all of us.  Yet many of us shove our true selves into a box, so that the rest of the world doesn't think we are weird.  I don't want my kids to be cookie-cutter kids.

I used to think that families need to go on vacations every year.
But even though vacations are fun, memorable experiences, do they really make kids better people?  I'd rather teach them about saving and spending money responsibly.  Which means admitting to them:  vacations cost a lot of money, and we don't have a lot of money right now.  So we do things fun and memorable and free - like fishing in the neighbor's pond, and searching for geocaches.

I used to care about our "stuff."
Now I see how little stuff we actually need.  (Did you know you don't actually need a toaster?)

I used to think I needed - deserved - "girl time" and "me time."
I don't remember the last time I had girl time. My "me time" consists of watching non-animated television while folding clothes or balancing the checkbook.
But I don't miss it.
I am living the life God called me to live.  That includes my family.  Do the kids drive me nuts sometimes?  You bet they do.  But I love spending time with them when all of us can be home together.  It is when I feel most complete.  (But I do still love those rare, deep heart-to-heart chats with true friends.)

And finally.....
I used to care what people think about me.
I still do.  I want people to like me.
But I know that what God thinks about me is more important.  As long as I'm following Him, living my life according to the way He's convicted me, it really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks about me.  I don't answer to them.  I've lost friends and had people reject me because of this, and that has truly hurt.  But I can't change that.  I have to live my life for the One that matters.


So sometimes it's a good thing to just stop caring.

Surprise..... Five!

Something I've been asked a lot since Gideon, our 4th child, (who just turned 2) was born, is the question, "So, are you done?"
I'm not sure how I feel about it.  Is it judgment?  (You shouldn't have more than four kids.)  Is it curiousity?  (Are you one of those "big family" people?)  I usually just gave a vague answer, because.....  We're weren't sure.
About a year ago, I was feeling pressure from people (and maybe myself) to decide for sure.  Everyone says, "You'll know when you're done."  But I didn't know.  There were a lot of comments about how I needed to get on birth control or Paul needed to have "the operation" done.  (Which I did consider rude.)
We had trouble getting pregnant with Nathan.  I only had one period in the year after I went off newlywed birth control.  That meant one chance to get pregnant.  I had no idea what was going on with my body or what medical interventions it would take to get pregnant.  It turned out that for me, it was relatively simple.  After one round of Clomid (an ovulation drug), I was pregnant.
But in that year, I spent a lot of nights crying out to God with many tears to give us a baby.  All I had ever wanted, my whole life, was to be a mother.  I recently found a poster I made in 3rd grade about my likes and dislikes, and what I wanted to be when I grew up.  I had written "a mommy" and drawn a picture of me with a little child.  I wrote my "career paper" for Senior year on motherhood.  Being a mom was all I had ever wanted, and all I had ever felt "called" by God to do.
And then I got pregnant.  And the hormonoes of pregnancy and nursing apparently set my body in order, because obviously there have been no problems getting pregnant since then.  (Our kids are spaced 2 years, 2.5 years, and 20 months apart.  We had a miscarriage between our 2nd and 3rd, which accounts for the longer gap.)
So, being that God not only answered our prayers, but blessed us abundantly and beyond with four children, and healed my body, I felt like it wasn't my right to tell God to quit sending blessings.  So I left the decision up to Paul, who has to lead and provide for this family.  (And deal with me when I'm losing my mind from dealing with kids! :) )  I had some minor health concerns as well, considering I've had two surgeries to repair hernias caused by pregnancy, and also have severe varicose veins.  But I felt God reminding me that He made my body.  He can heal it and help it carry another baby.
Shortly after I had gotten these thoughts in order in my head, but not really shared them with anyone, Paul sat me down on the couch, last April or so, and said, "We need to talk."  My heart dropped, because previous "we need to talks" had been about very upsetting subjects, and I was not ready for one of those talks.
Paul said, "What do you think about having another baby?"
I just laughed.
I told him that I had left it up to him and God, so this was the answer.  Paul explained, "I've never felt like we should have more.  I was good with one.  I was good with two.  I've always felt it was up to you since it's your body.  And I'm not saying right away.  Let's give you a break and get Gideon older and maybe potty trained and next spring (2016), we'll start trying."
In May and June, my cycles messed up, and in July, after several weeks of suspicion, I found out I was pregnant. (And Gideon, showing God's sense of humor, started potty training himself in August.)
So, basically, what we were saying was, "Yeah, God, we heard you.  But we'll obey on our own time."  And God, being the good Father, decided to make us obey on his time.
So.... We're going to have 5 kids!
This little one is due sometime in mid-March.  The doctor's chart says March 8, but sonograms we've had say anywhere from 3-5 days later.
I actually didn't go see the doctor until I was 30 weeks (7 months) along.  Our insurance charges us for obstetrician care in both years, if you get pregnant in one year and deliver in another.  When we had Zadie (born in April) we paid an additional $700.  Last year's insurance, we had a higher deductible and had had zero medical expenses, so we knew we were looking at paying even more.  I decided that I knew now, after 4 babies, what was normal for me, and I wasn't paying a thousand bucks to go in for 3 or 4 visits, where all I do is pee all over myself trying to pee in a tiny cup, having them measure my belly, and say, "Do you have any questions?  Okay, see you in a month!"  Pregnancy is not an illness, so I didn't see a need to go in.
We did have a sonogram at a local women's life center, just for peace of mind.  That's where we found out I was due almost 2 weeks earlier than I thought I should be.  Even though it's not necessarily a medical sonogram, everything looked good.  We even have a video of our 15-week-old baby with hiccups.
After my first appointment (January 12), my doctor ordered another sonogram.  Given the activity level of this baby, I am confident of it's health. :)  But I went to have one for the doctor's peace of mind.  (She had recently had an unhappy surprise during a delivery.)  And I wasn't going to complain about getting to see this little one!
A baby at 32 weeks looks so much different than a baby at 16 weeks.  I could see the chub starting to form.  The technician pointed out the fuzz of hair - enough to show up on a sonogram, even though there's 8 weeks to go!  She said he's measuring about 4.5 pounds, which is right about where he should be for how how far along I am.  (I say "he", but we don't know if it's a boy or girl....  We're waiting to be surprised again.)
So here is our baby!  (And my excuse for such a prolonged absence from blogging.)

I can't wait to meet him (her)!!!

Do We Have the Time?

When parents are saying “I don’t have any time” to minister to youth, and the older generation is saying, “I’ve served my time” teaching kids, it leaves a generation of young people saying, “If nobody thinks it’s important enough to make the time, maybe this whole God thing isn’t worth my time.”

Wisdom from the Garden

We had a ridiculous - and I do mean ridiculous - amount of rain in May (I think I heard, only 4 days all month it didn't rain), and a good amount still in the first half of June.  So we have been trying to recover our garden from the weeds. 
During yet another round of tilling and weeding, Paul asked me, "Are roots deeper when it's dry or wet?"  (I don't know if it was a retorical question, as I thought the answer was common knowledge.)
"There's no need for deep roots when it's wet.  Plants put down roots to find water, and when the water is right there all the time, the roots don't get very big."
"So, it's kind of like that with us, right?"  he mused.  "When things are going well, and we have all we need, we tend to not develop good roots.  It's when we go through a dry spell and tough times that causes us to dig in and rely on God.  So really we need those dry times to make us stronger."

Perfect analogy. 
Just a bit of wisdom from an evening in the garden.

Quote to Consider:

If  you reach a child, there is a 15% chance of reaching the family for Christ.
If you reach the mother, there is a 30% chance of reaching the family for Christ.
If you reach a teen, there is a 50% chance of reaching the family for Christ.
But if you reach the father, there is a 92% chance of reaching the family for Christ.
In light of this, why are churches not actively finding ministries to reach fathers?

--Heard on Intentional Living, quoting the leader of Arizona Promise Keepers

(Whereas I'm almost positive I have the percentages correct, I'm not sure this is the exact wording.  I have not been able to find the statistic in print through Google.)

It's Been Four Years Since Our Miscarriage

Zadie was "helping" me get dressed for church yesterday, so I asked her what shirt I should wear.  Of course, she chose the only article of clothing I have that has sparkly "bling" on it.
Which brought to mind how long I've had it - and my train of thought went something like this:  Oh, I bought this to wear to the David Garrett concert in Omaha.... That was also in February..... And I miscarried that night.....  What day is it?
Yesterday was four years to the day since we found out our precious Angel wasn't going to be born.  I know death and sorrow are never part of God's plan, but He can use those awful things we go through to make beautiful things.  I wonder why we had to lose a baby, but then I realize, if Angel had been born, we wouldn't have this beautiful ragamuffin to love, who brings such joy to us every day.

There is beauty in the brokenness.

God always knows His purposes.

I recently read the book of Job in the Bible.  God allowed Satan to do horrible things to Job.  Satan took not one, but all 10 of Job's children, in addition to all of his possessions and physical health.  Satan was sure he would win in Job's life, causing Job to hate and curse God.  God knew Job could handle it, so he allowed Satan to test Job.

But Job didn't curse God.  He questioned why, but he realized God's sovereignty.  And God blessed Job with twice as much as he had before.  

And I hope that the reason that God let us go through that loss was because He knew we could handle it.  We didn't know we could handle it, but we came through it praising Him, and He has blessed us with so much since then.

Blessed be His name.

New Cover on My Old Bible

I picked up my Bible probably about 12 years ago when I was working at the little bookstore downtown.  At that time, the appeal was the title.  I was just starting off as a worship leader, and it intrigued me.  Notes wise, there aren't a lot.  "Worship points" at the beginning of each chapter, and a few thoughts and prayers here and there.  Not a lot that I could use as a worship leader, but it did help direct my thoughts if I took the time to read them - I'm not a big notes-reader..... Give me GOD'S words!  (I tend to get distracted by the extras.)
This was my first experience with New Living Translation (I was a committed New American Standard girl), and the translation is what made me fall in love with the Bible.  NLT is so easy to read!  Things I've been reading all my life suddenly jumped out at me and smacked me in the face!  I had this Bible marked and written all over.

And then cover fell off.  The pages were intact, but the cover was not, and if I kept using it, the pages were going to start falling off.  So I had a decision to make:  get a new Bible, with a nice leather cover, and more notes for when I want them....... or, for the same price, get my old Bible, with the notes that I'd already taken re-covered with a leather cover.  Either way, it was parting with a chunk of money - something I don't do easily.
It took me 3 months to make up my mind.  Finally, I did it.  I couldn't part with the familiar.  The deciding point was - I couldn't use my Bible as is.  And if I couldn't use it, no one else could, so I couldn't give it away.  I didn't want it setting on a shelf, and I didn't think it was in bad enough shape to warrant "respectfully disposing of it."  Also, leather Bibles at the store have very thin and flimsy pages.  I liked the heavier feel of the pages of my old Bible.
When I worked at the bookstore, we dealt with Norris Bookbinding Company in Mississippi.  So I looked them up and sent off my Bible.
In about 2 weeks, I got back a brand new Bible!

I opted for a genuine leather cover.  We use this as our family Bible, so it gets used several times a day, and I wanted it to hold up.

The only thing that hints that this Bible is old are the worn and stained page edges.

My beloved notes!

I thought this verse printed on the inside cover was just perfect.  It could be said, "The pages may stain, and the cover fall off, but the Words inside are just as powerful and precious." 

Overheard:

"James 2:10, For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he is guilty of breaking all of it."
"So that's like saying you haven't stolen anything, but you have disobeyed your parents, so that's the same as killing someone."


(Yep.  That bit of logic was not from the 5- or 7-year old.  That was from their mother.  Paul just shook his head.  It makes perfect sense to me.......)

Home. Sweet. Home.

What I didn't mention publicly during all of this work being done on our house, was that we couldn't live at home while it was being done.  In order to get the support beams under to lift the house, all of our plumbing had to be torn out.  And our propane had to be disconnected.  (So no hot water or stove.)  Not to mention, our house was up on blocks-----!!!
So for 12 weeks we lived in the basement of Paul's parents' house.

The older kids' "room."

Our "room."
(Have I mentioned we don't ever ---ever---- make our beds?)

Gideon's "room."  (About 5 steps away from ours.)

And let me tell you, I was dreading it.  Not because it was with Paul's parents (although I would have much rather lived with my own parents, in the house I grew up in), but because it was with people.  I go for days without talking to another adult besides Paul, and I'm okay with that.  I like it, even!  Having other people in my business, and knowing when I'm doing my business, and most of all, knowing when and how often I don't do anything at all was really making me nervous.

But I guess it's just another way of knowing that God was in this plan....  Twelve weeks, and no problems.  In fact, we worked out a pretty sweet deal of me cooking and Doug and Janice cleaning up.  And I took naps.  A lot.  They were so helpful and accommodating, even though I'm sure our circus drove them nuts on occasion.

The only thing I did miss, is that for 12 weeks, I didn't feel like Paul and I got to have a real heart-to-heart conversation.  Some things you don't want to do in front of anyone, even people you love.

We moved back in last week.  It started as an overnight "campout" (plumbing was operational, but no hot water and no stove) last [a week ago] Sunday night, and turned into a "we're not leaving."  We had to borrow Elizabeth's (Paul's sister) shower and kitchen the next night, but by Tuesday the electricians had our hot water tank hooked up and now it's HOME-SWEET-HOME!

Our propane still isn't hooked up.  Apparently there's only one technician to lay line for this whole side of the state, so it was over a month out.  So it will be the end of this month before we get it.  We checked in with other companies in the area, but I can't justify the $600 price difference.  We're going to learn to love (or possibly loathe) the electric skillet and crock pot!  

I can't wait to show off pictures of the basement!  We are doing final touches to get everything finished and operational and life-can-begin-again, but by the end of the week the essential stuff should be done.  (Other stuff will be done over the winter, or over the next several years.)

........Just in time to leave again for a vacation we've had planned since February!!!

The Tapestry

Lately I've been thinking of an illustration I heard once.  It was that our lives are like a tapestry.  But the problem is, we don't get to see it as we live here on earth.  All we see is the back side of it, the knots, tangles, confusion and mess.  But God gets to see the other side.  He knows what He's doing, and how it all works together, and what the beautiful masterpiece will look like in the end.  

Sometimes I can't wait to see what it looks like from God's side.

One more week.......?

So, we're hoping that next week is the final week.

Hoping......

This is the house as of yesterday:

All filled in all the way around!

The back porch is framed and wrapped, just needs doors and windows.  The basement has all the ductwork in, and the plumbing is finished.  It just needs electricity!  (Currently it's lit by a string of lights on a cord, supplied by our builder.)  So once the back porch has the doors and windows (and not plywood screwed over the doorway), I will feel like it is a house again. 

Oh, and we need a gas line to the house.  That's kind of a big one when it comes to the furnace.....

We do have a bunch of finish work to do, but we are doing that ourselves.  No more relying on other people's schedules.  (Just our own pocketbook, which may cause more delays!)

The below is something weird that I wanted to do.  I can't remember where I saw this, it was on a blog somewhere, but I loved it.  They wrote verses all over their framework.  It got covered up with the finish work, but it was a visual of literally building your house on God's Word.  I asked Paul, and he was on board.

This is on the header as you go down the stairs.

I didn't realize how disgusting the cobwebs were until the flash captured them.....

It says:
Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.  And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.  And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.  Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.  Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

-Deuteronomy 6:4-9

It needed to be written bigger, but I didn't know how much space I'd need.  (It's a chunk of verse!)  But I love the message.  Passing our beliefs on to our children is something Paul and I are committed to.  This verse may eventually be covered up by finish work, but it will be a visual witness to others until then.  We'll probably write some other verses, and maybe even put some on the floor - the foundation of our house! - to be permanently visible.

Okay, so I got distracted from this post by researching flooring options for the back porch.  I'd better call it a night and get to bed!