Vetta's Playdoh Mr. and Mrs. Potatoe Head

Quite the creation, eh?

Church Hoodies

Here are Rich and I, oh-so-fashionably sporting our brand new Providence Reformed Church hoodies. What you do think? Not bad, eh? Just don't look too closely at us. You'd think we'd just weathered the Christmas season, sleeping too little, eating too much, laughing more than is acceptable...... The hoodies are being sold as a fundraiser for the church expansion.

Bearded Dragon playing Ant Crusher

Caleb's Pyramid Paintings

Caleb had to write his own version of the story of 'Menes' who escaped the crocodile by making his own pyramid paintings. He did it all in as a modern cartoon strip. Inspiration for this comes from reading Asterix & Obelix, no doubt! (You will have to double-click on each picture to enlarge it so that you can read the captions more clearly, especially the meaning of the hieroglyphics).

Laura's work

Laura made a replica of her and Yvetta's room (top pic) and some other furniture (bottom pic) all made out of popsickle sticks.

Sermon Helper

Yvetta handed me a note that she wrote to herself yesterday. The note (in her words): "Help Dad and do tons and tons of work on his sermon". Today she lived up to this promise and is giving tons and tons of her help. She's even getting it typed out. When asked what the sermon was about, she said, "It is about loving the Lord."

Vetta added more to what her sermon says: "Make sure you like church and love the Lord....Don't hit your brother or sister. Don't say shut up or stupid.... Make sure that you help your Dad when he hurts his back.....Make sure that you help your Mom not to bump into food on the floor b/c she always does that.... Make sure your little sister is happy in the carseat....."Her prayer: "Thank you for people, food, dogs. Amen".

Anniversary!!

I so clearly remember being newlywed - a coupla years, or so, into our marriage (that's still newlywed in my opinion.....;) - and looking with awe on couples that had been married about, say, 17 years. I could take the 25 plus years married in stride.......they were, well, old. But the couples that were married 17 years weren't old yet, but still had been married a VERY LONG time! It's amazing, though, how reaching this milestone ourselves makes us look at it in a completely different light. Instead of 17 years feeling long, it feels like a winding, well travelled pathway. Instead of our relationship feeling old, it feels mature. Instead of our friendship growing boring with time, it's gotten so very comfortable. Instead of love disappearing, it's just taken on a different shine - not a brand-spanking new shine, but a polished shine. We're very different people than we were 17 years ago. We're parents and our expereince as such has shaped us. That's why a celebratory blog post just didn't seem right without pics of the kids. Much of the last 17 years has been spent getting to know each other in our developing roles as mom and dad. We've learned the ropes of parenting together (though we still often find ourselves stumped :). We've also learned to be "Pastor and wife" together (still learning....). Together we've travelled, we've vacationed, we've moved, we've made new friends, laughed, cried, prayed, trusted, talked, sat silent.

Now here at this mark in our journey, we can say that by God's grace we've stood together - still in love, still working alongside each other, still learning. Though the dating years were very exciting, I would never want to go back. I feel completely secure in my husband of 17 years and thank the Lord for bringing us together all those years ago.

Happy Anniversary, Rich :)

17 years

I know, I know... it's not even our anniversary until Saturday. But you gotta stretch out these celebrations. Just so you know, we've been 'festin' since Monday of this week.... I had to post these old pics b/c they are so "Cher". They're from the summer and fall of '97. The bottom one is of Cher when she was still pregnant with Laura when we lived out in the country in Listowel to serve for a summer there. The top one is in Woodbridge north of Toronto shortly after Laura was born. I was filling 2 pulpits during those summer and fall months (Listowel URC and Toronto OCRC, now Hope URC) while Cher was looking after the two "littles". This was just before we headed south to continue seminary training at GPTS in South Carolina. We have many great memories and they keep getting better as the years go by. I'm so thankful to be married to my Cher and for her kind and caring heart. These are years of blessing and I am thankful for every day that we have together!

After the death of John Calvin's wife, he wrote to William Farel: "Intelligence of my wife's death has perhaps reached you before now. I do what I can to keep myself from being overwhelmed with grief." He described her faith and peace as death drew near and continued: "I at present control my sorrow so that my duties may not be interfered with.... May He [the Lord Jesus] support me also under the heavy affliction, which would certainly have overcome me, had not He, who raises up the prostrate, strengthens the weak, and refreshes the weary, stretched forth His hand from heaven to me" [John Calvin: Pilgrim and Pastor, W. Robert Godfrey, p. 47]

Who was Handel?

Parts 1 to 4...

So, what do you think?

Do you get warm feelings when you see this picture, like surely, the A. family is wishing you all the best for Christmas 2011 and the new year? That's what we're trying to convey........are we succeeding?

See if you can guess what we've been watching lately...

"Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pound ought and six, result misery."

"I never will desert you Mr. Micawber."

"Please sir, I want some more."

"Barkis is willing."

"Shake me up, Judy"

"I wish Africa were dead."

PRC expansion getting there

We're nearing completion of our expansion. This is presently how things look inside of the church. The top pic is the back of the sanctuary looking on to the new foyer. Basically it is a matter of finishing up before putting this new space to full use. The ceiling tiles still need to be installed, flooring put in, painting, etc.. The elevator has also been installed but is not in operation. The crew also decided to keep the balcony instead of tearing it down. They just relocated the stair case (bottom pic). The balcony will be useful for catechism classroom space as we are somewhat limited (I've got dibs on this room - heh heh.....). We've already been using some of the extra space under the balcony for certain functions. For example, after our Christmas program, we had refreshments and fellowship there.

The Fund Raising Committee has also been selling hoodies & T shirts with our church name on them. These proceeds will go toward funding the expansion.

There still is more work to be done, as we'll be replacing windows in the sanctuary some time in the future. But it is all looking good and will be helpful for all once complete....

Kingdom Seekers Christmas

Christianity Explored

We've been going through this series in our evangelism assistance committee as a possible resource for evangelism in homes or from our church. It's excellent material.

It really does a good job of presenting the whole counsel of God, God's holiness and His mercy without watering the truth down or going wrong on pneumatology (the doctrine of the Holy Spirit) which is one of the criticisms of the Alpha Couse. It's biggest strength is its committment to the Gospel of Mark.

Some helpful reviews of CE:

Justin Taylor - Gospel Coalition

Reformed Books.net

Banner of Truth

Hallelujah Chorus in a way you've never seen

Done like you've never seen before. This video from the small Yupiq Eskimo Village of Quinhagak, Alaska , was a school computer project intended for the other Yupiq villages in the area.

Much to the villagers' shock, over a half million people have viewed it.

For your turn to view click here

Hmmm.....

Well, if these crazy looking pictures are any indication of the kind of Christmas we're in for, I'd better brace myself, 'cause it's gonna be wild!

I'll bet your family has never decorated the tree as quickly as we did the other night. Were we in a hurry or something? I'm trying to remember just what was going on that made us switch to fast forward and race from box to tree with such speed that every picture is a blur......

I couldn't even sit still on the couch........I was so excited that I rocked wildly back and forth.....

Okay, so maybe not. And we did end up with a nicely decorated tree.

But, boy, were we tired out...... ;)

(credit for the pics goes to Luke.....)

In Dulci Jubilo

Move-in Exactly One Year Ago

"It is hard to believe how FAST a year goes by".... This has been our mantra around here for all our first year memories as we look back to how the Lord called us here and everything that has happened since. Can you believe it? We have been in our new place for a YEAR already. The moving day was Dec 4. We had so much help that day. We got everything in the house in almost half a day. It is amazing how time gives perspective. It was inconvenient to have our stuff in storage for the first two months here and to have to live in temporary housing, but now that we've been here for a year, that time for living out of boxes and making trips to Storageville seem... welll... somehow less difficult. Not saying it was easy or that the passage of time makes us look back with ultra fondness to certain things. But it is amazing how hindsight makes for a different viewpoint. The Lord had this house & property all set aside for us for our arrival. It was just a matter of us finding it, purchasing it and moving into it. Wonderful how the Lord provides for us both in small and big ways, eh? How is He is doing this in your life?
(Rich)

Homeschool Group Christmas Program

So, it's that time of year again, and our first Christmas event of the season was our homeschool group pizza party at the church we rent, followed by a program at a nearby nursing home.

Yvetta was an angel :) Complete with shiny costume and little wings. Not very realistic, but cute nonetheless :)

The program consisted of Bible readings, singing and a little bit of "acting". The elderly people loved it - especially watching the little ones in the front row. The kids then handed out Christmas cards that they had made themselves and mingled with the people. It means so much to these elderly folks to be able to interact with children.

I didn't get a picture of our Wise Men, but 3 of our oldest guys sang the song "We 3 Kings" with the rest of us joining in for the chorus. They did a great job, but I don't think they would have easily forgiven me if I'd taken pics and then blogged them :)

So wonderful to be back in the Christmas "mode", enjoying all the trimmings of the season, but at the same time looking beyond them at the Saviour we are rejoicing in. Savouring His love for us and His eternal plan to step into history and redeem us.