Halloween Alternative

 

We do not celebrate Halloween.  We do not even try to do 'holiday' alternatives.  Our favorite Halloween times were spent at a church we used to attend.  Looking to spend an evening where we wouldn't be at home to answer the door, we had planned a potluck meal at church.  The next year a few more people were going to attend.  The Pastor heard what we were doing and he suggested we have 'Popcorn Preaching.'  Every man and boy could present a 5 minute message or read verses of scripture or people could sing, AND we'd have potluck.  Needless to say, we had sooo much fun.  Popcorn preaching night ended up being on New Years Eve also.  I wish our current church had something similar!

Tonight we are having a Mama made potluck of all sorts of sinfully good things.  Vegetable pizza, crackers, cheese, cheeseballs, summer sausage, baguette bread slices, spreadable cheese, spinach dip, grapes, apples, caramel dip and chocolate marshmallow dessert.  We are also having Fake Orange Julius mocktails.  Yummy!

We are also watching movies Crusade (about a time traveler) and The Golden Compass (this is to compare to the book on tape we 'read'.)  FUN! FUN!

Wishing you were here!

 

Did It Again

 

 

We've learned a few things taking pictures the last couple of days.  One thing we learned is we used a different camera last year.  The other thing we learned is that it is always a good idea to read the instruction manual before you set out to take 100's of pictures.  We headed out to one of the same spots to retake a few pictures yesterday afternoon.  A storm was coming to the area and we had a lot more clouds than on Sunday.  I changed blouses as I did not think the the other was very flattering to me.  We changed a setting on the camera but the pictures still turned out imperfect.  I doubt we'll go take anymore.  After this storm blows through we'll probably not have the pretty backgrounds anymore and the weather is definitely getting chillier.  We managed to get a few good pictures.  That we'll use for our Christmas pictures.  Enjoy some more OOPPSS pictures!

 

 

 

More Beautiful Fall

 

We don't claim to be experts on anything we do.  We took some pictures yesterday for our annual Christmas letter.  We didn't mess with the setting on the camera before our little photo shoot.  I had the camera set up to take pictures for my blog.  Therefore when we zoomed the lenz to get close up shots of our  faces we lost clarity.  So we are going back out this afternoon to take a few more shots with different camera settings.

Enjoy these OOPPSS pics!

 

 

 

Beautiful Fall Weekend

 

We had a good weekend.  It was a relaxing weekend.  My manly man spent a few hours working on his Toyota girlfriend trying to get the brakes working so that it will pass the New Jersey Registration Inspection.  So after replacing the Brake Master Cylinder, the brakes work on all four wheels.

We went for a short drive into our local mountains Saturday afternoon looking for places to take our family pictures.  Then we dropped off the children back at home and my manly man took me to a ethnic restaurant in a nearby city and we had authentic Columbian food.  The side dishes for my steak were french fries, white rice, fried plantains and a small green salad.  It was a heart attack on a plate!  Delicious.

We've decided that nothing is more beautiful than the fall colors in the Northeast.  Every time we go driving we are awed by the beauty that God gave us.

 

One Of My Blessings

 

 

I just wanted to share how special I think this child is.  His Daddy and I were just talking about how we could be empty-nesters right now.  We prayed for 12 years for this child and he is such a special little blessing to us.  #2 son and I are enjoying our time together each day as we work on homeschool together.  He is eager to please and a quick learner.  I'm closing this post with some cute things he says and I'll try to add to the list as we think of more unique words he says.

            He came home from church Wednesday night singing a hymn...  "Great is MY Faithfulness!!"

He loves the store Toys 4 US

Every night he piles BABIES (Stuffed Animals) next to him in bed to sleep with.

Star Whores   =   Star Wars

Hock Corn   =   Popcorn

Hanga-Burger   =   Hamburger

"Firetruck!" is what he says when asked,  "What color is this?" (I am holding a red flashcard.)

 

 

Happy Birthday Dad!

 

Dad I am remembering you on your birthday. 

I'm trusting you are celebrating your birthday with Jesus and the angels!

More Promises

 

2 Peter 1:4  

"Whereby are given unto us

exceeding great

and precious promises"

 

Romans 8:28

"And we know

that all things work together

for good

to them that love God,

to them who are the called

according to his purpose."

 

Job 23:10

"But he knoweth the way that I take:

when he hath tried me,

I shall come forth as gold."

 

Promises

 

"That the trial of your faith,

being much more precious

than of gold that perisheth,

though it be tried with fire,

might be found unto praise

and honour

and glory

at the appearing of Jesus Christ:"

1 Peter 1:7

The Circus Came to Town!

Our family time this week was a visit to the circus.  We tried to be frugal on the tickets and bought less expensive seats.  The result was we couldn't see the performance as well as we would have liked.  #2 son was terrified that he was going to roll off the floor (we we're on the third story, and the 'guard rail' was a sheet of see through glass!)and remained glued to his seat for most of the 2 hour show.

 

This was probably a once in a lifetime opprotunity. 

We are glad we went and learned a little about choosing seating!

 

Our Singer

 Sweet #2 son was able to join the children's choir at our new church. 

They performed during the evening service last Sunday night.

 

(That's him in the blue shirt.  My picture taking skills are lacking however, there is red eyes on all the children!)

 

A New Church Home

We had a visit from the Pastor on Thursday night.  We told him we we're interested in joining the church this Sunday.  Please be in prayer with us as we serve in a new church.  We are excited to be serving once again.  www.sbbcnj.org

 

 

 

Many Apples

We were home in the mid afternoon yesterday from our drive.  I told the guys I would make them an apple pie.  I have been experimenting and not adding any sugar to the apples.  I love the tanginess that a tart apple makes for flavoring the pie.  My sweet mother in law Donna,  uses sweet apples and makes a sweet apple pie.

We picked about 32 pounds of apples.  I am not sure if I'll try to sauce some or not.  I love homemade apple sauce.  I'll probably just peel, slice and vacuum seal them for pies.

Sour Apple Pie

A Country Drive

 On the return home from our trip to the apple farm, we took a few side roads.  I am so glad we did!  Every day the fall color explodes more and more and changes every day.  I hope you enjoy the picutres and postings!

 

 

Enjoying Autumn

My manly man took the day off from work yesterday to spend a family day with us.  We wanted to go apple picking.  I found a place just north of here, (Thank you internet!) And we headed out after going out to breakfast.

Large Apples

 

Deceitful Beauty

 

"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised."

Proverbs 31:30

Take a look at this BEAUTIFUL tree.  I have been admiring the wonderful display of color on it.  I see this tree about 3 times a week on the drive to church.  It even outperforms the trees in the background.

Take an even closer look...

Closer

Closer

This is NOT a beautiful tree it is POISON IVY.  Yes, that's right Poison Ivy.  The roots found some good ground and dug in, the ivy climbed and wound its way around the telephone pole.  It even branched out and looks like a tree in every way. 

It reminds me of sin and the way sin can overtake a person.  It also reminds  me of the many verses talking about the end times and the church, verses about guarding our heart, verses about how deceitful our tongue is, verses on our heart...

Jeremiah 17:9   "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? "

 Mark 4:19   "And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. "

2 Corinthians 11 :13   "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ."

Colossians 2:8   "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. "

2 Timothy 3:1-7  "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:  from such turn away.  For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, ledaway with divers lusts, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth."

Deceit, watch out for it, it's everywhere.