Memorial Day:Praise You in the Storm

Praise You in This Storm
words by Mark Hall/music by Mark Hall and Bernie Herms

I was sure by now,God, that You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

Chorus:
And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away

Chorus

I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

Chorus

Over the HIll Surprise

As you may know, earlier this month I turned 40. I was hopeful that my loved ones would forget about it or at least forget it was the big 4-0. Back at Easter time my mom had me look something up for her on her computer and her email inbox was open. I saw a message from my sister and the subject line said Re:Christine's Birthday. I very quickly closed it not wanting to ruin any surprises they may have had for me but for the two weeks preceding my birthday and following it, I was definitely on guard. On my birthday, mom brought a cake to our bible study for all to share and I thought I had gotten by pretty easily. Then on Mother's Day while at my parents home, cake was served and all present sang Happy Birthday to me. I wiped the sweat from my brow and was thrilled I got by.

This past Saturday we went to my parents lake home to celebrate Memorial Day. I was told that my aunt would be down from Alexandria that day as well as my sister and another aunt and uncle from the cities. We arrived just before noon to find a lot of people and food and balloons, cards, and Over the Hill signs all over the house. Come to find out, my mom and sis had been planning this for a long time and Shannon helped by providing part of the guest list. I was completely caught off guard and very surprised.

It was a fun day of visiting with extended family and friends and great to see relationships from different areas of my life all in one place. The children in attendance played in and around the lake while adults supervised and visited, laughed and told stories. It was a great day.

They say 40 is the top of the hill. Boy am I glad. Climbing hills is tough work. Just this past winter the kids and I traveled to a large hill about 30 miles from here bringing our sleds for a great day of sledding. The hill is huge, the snow was perfect, the weather chilly with a brisk wind. We chose the less windy side to sled on and began our ascent to the top. We reached the top, panting but with great anticipation and each plopped onto our sleds and began our trips down. What fun it was, the breeze in our faces, the snow kicked up into our faces and that tingle as it melted there. The speed, the bumps, the tree we barely missed, the slowing to a stop, giggling and standing up to turn around and look at the steep ascent ahead of us again. Our day of sledding ended up becoming about two hours of sledding due to our complete and total exhaustion after climbing that hill a dozen or more times.

As I look upon my life, I am thrilled to be at the top of the hill. The climb has been tough. There have been times I wanted to give up. There have been times I wondered if it was worth it. There have been tears and anger and frustration and yet there has been hope and love and laughter. The view from the top is great. The best is yet to come and I know that God still has huge things ahead for me and my family. I look with great expectancy to the ride down...and hope I miss the trees.

Please pray for the family of Steven Curtis Chapman

By Joe Edwards, The Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The five-year-old daughter of contemporary Christian music star Steven Curtis Chapman was struck and killed Wednesday by a sport utility vehicle driven by her brother, authorities said.

The girl, Maria, was hit in a driveway on the family residence Wednesday afternoon by a Toyota Land Cruiser driven by her teenage brother, said Laura McPherson, a spokesman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

McPherson said no charges are expected.

"It looks like a tragic accident," she said.

She said several members of the Chapman family witnessed the accident, which happened in Williamson County just south of Nashville.

The brother apparently did not see the little girl, McPherson said. She did not have the name or exact age of the brother, only that he is an older teenager.

The girl died later at Vanderbilt Medical Center, hospital spokeswoman Laurie Holloway said.

Chapman, originally from Paducah, Ky., and his wife have promoted international adoption and have three daughters from China, including Maria.

Chapman has won five Grammy awards and 51 Dove awards from the Gospel Music Association.

The singer's website said that Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth, were persuaded by their oldest daughter to adopt a girl from China. The experience led the family to adopt two more children and create Shaohannah's Hope, a foundation and ministry to financially assist thousands of couples in adoption.

The Chapmans did missionary work at Chinese orphanages in 2006 and 2007, according to the website.

"After our first trip to China, my wife and I knew our lives were changing - our eyes and hearts were opening to how big God really is, and we have wanted to experience more of that," Chapman says on the website. "We've really wondered whether or not we should just go to China and stay there. But I don't think so. I believe God is saying, 'I want you to go, get your heart broken, your eyes opened, and then take this story back to the church in America and around the world."'

Chapman also has released a book about being a father entitled "Cinderella: The Love of Daddy and his Princess."

Here is a video of Steven Curtis Chapman with his daughter Maria.

Here a chick, there a chick, everywhere a chick, chick...

The chicks are here! At 11PM last night I got a phone call from the post office hub that our mail comes from. They knew I was wanting to pick the chicks up as soon as they arrived so called me before I had a chance to call them. Molly and Evan and I piled into the van(we can do that since they are homeschooled and can sleep in you know). We arrived at the back door of the post office to be handed a box full of peeps. We opened them right there on the spot, recommended by the hatcheries in case of any DOA chicks. Everyone was healthy and well and the count was exactly 20 as we had ordered. There are 5 each of 4 different breeds. Here are pictures of what they should look like when they grow up.

This first picture is of a Silver Laced Wyandotte.

This is a Plymouth Barred Rock. This breed was the most popular and familiar barnyard chicken for several generations.

This is a Buff Orpington. These will be our biggest and fluffiest hens. They make great meat birds too.

The last 5 chicks are a cross between two types of chickens-the Rhode Island Red shown here and the Delaware below. We are anxious to see what they end up looking like.


And of course, not to be forgotten are the two we got from a friend last week. They are supposed to be Aracuanas but we are not yet sure if they will be hens or roosters. I think one may e either a rooster or a different breed due to its size and coloring. Time will tell.


All of our chickens except for the Araucuanas will lay brown eggs. The Araucuanas will lay either green or blue eggs. There is no nutritional difference between the different colored eggs.

All of the chicks are in a children's wading pool in our basement. There are pine shavings on the floor and a heat lamp hanging above for warmth. After several hours we decided we needed to separate the two larger ones from the little ones. They were picking a bit on the youngers. This is fairly common and by placing the two in a small wire cage set inside the pool they will still be able to get used to the new babies and should be able to be placed all together in about a week. The cages bars are actually set far enough apart that the babies can get in with the biggers but the biggers can't get out. This way the babies can leave if they need to. Everyone is eating and drinking nicely. We are very happy with our chicken family.

Stop that before someone gets hurt!

My mom used to say that when I was young and would wrestle on the floor with my dad. I hated when she's say that but there is a lot of value in the phrase. Around our home, with 5 kids and a husband in the house, wrestling is common place and it usually doesn't end until I either make them stop or someone gets hurt.

Last night Collin and Shannon were wrestling and I couldn't pass up the temptation to join them. Collin is incredibly ticklish under his arms and along his sides. I just had to help Shannon get him good. So, how do you think it ended?



As you can see, I ended up getting the worst of it when Collin's elbow connected with my upper cheek right below the eye socket. We have several outings planned over the next couple of days so I won't be able to hide out in the house until it disappears either. Next time I think I'll say, "Stop that before someone gets hurt!"

Statement of Faith #15-Final Judgement

Official Assembly of God Statement of Faith #15-There will be a final judgment in which the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works. Whosoever is not found in the Book of Life, together with the devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, will be consigned to the everlasting punishment in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

There are actually two separate judgments in the end times. There is the Judgment Seat of Christ which is a judgment for believers only. This will not be a judgment for sin but rather where Christians will receive their rewards based on what we have done for Christ during our time on earth. The other judgment, the Great White Throne Judgment, will take place after the Second Coming and the Battle of Armageddon and is a judgment of sin reserved for those who rejected Christ as their savior. It is at this judgment that those people will be condemned to punishment, forever, in the lake of fire, otherwise known as hell.

As the doctrine class has moved into the lessons involving the end times it has been enjoyable watching the 6th graders really begin showing interest in what they are learning. So much of doctrine is really over their heads(and mine for that matter,LOL) when it comes to a complete understanding. I have told the teachers that in many ways I think the class would be better for high schoolers. The problem is, that often, by high school, it is hard to get them to attend. Anyway, each week for several weeks now the questions have taken up more of the time than the actual teaching itself. Of course, so many of the questions, especially in regards to the End Times and prophecy are hard to answer and based upon what we read in the bible that is usually written in symbolic form.

I guess I will end this post the same way I ended another recent one. All that seriously matters to me about the end times is that I make sure that I am living a Christian life today and never give that up even In the most difficult times. I need to remember that I could enter eternity at any time between now and the "end times."

Statement of Faith #14-Millennial Reign of Christ

Official Assembly of God Statement of Faith #14-The second coming of Christ includes the rapture of the saints, which is our blessed hope, followed by the visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on earth for one thousand years. This millennial reign will bring the salvation of national Israel, and the establishment of universal peace.

We believe that at the end of the 7 year tribulation, Christ will return to the earth to establish his reign for 1000 years. During this time there will be no war as there will be an establishment of universal peace. In Isaiah 11:6-10 and 12 the bible speaks of the lion and the lamb lying together, child leading the animals, an infant playing near the hole of a cobra. It will be a truly peaceful and wonderful place. All of this will occur after the Battle of Armageddon in which after the tribulation, Christ arrives on the earth and their is a great and bloody battle with Satan and his army. Satan will lose and will be bound during the thousand years.


Also in the bible, in Ezekiel 7:21-23, it says that God will bring the salvation of Israel. "This is what the sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back to their own land. I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms. They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people and I will be their God."

"He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. THey will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Every man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the Lord Almighty has spoken." Micah 4:3-4

No chicks yet

We received a phone call yesterday on the answering machine. Our 20 chicks were not shipped from the hatchery. It sounds like they will be able to ship to us next Monday though. We have a home all ready for them.

The one above is not a photo of ours. Ours in fact, is a child's wading pool, lined with pine shavings. There is a container for food and one for water. In actuality it is unfair to say "no chicks yet" since we know someone from church that has chickens. He had a bunch of chicks born just last weekend and on Sunday morning offered us some. He has Aracuanas, otherwise known as Easter Egg chickens because they lay eggs that are in shades of blue and green. This is a breed of chicken we had wanted to order but was unavailable until later in June so we had changed our order to a different breed. Anyway, we picked up two of those chicks Sunday evening. So we have two tiny little chicks in a wading pol. They look kind of lonely in there but are satisfying our chick craving until we get the others next week.