Have you been banging them out lately?

Dear family and friends,

Last week we were having Bible time one morning and I asked a question. First I just asked it in general, but then I thought it would be best to see if Jefferson had anything to say on the matter.

"Jefferson, did you hear Mommy's question? Do you ever have thoughts that don't honor God?", I asked. "Oh, yes Mommy I do. It's okay though because I just bang them out of my head!" Now as he says this, of course the whole banging himself in the head motion that only a little boy can do justice to, quickly follows.

After the laughter dies down Melanee Kate pipes in, "Jefferson, the Bible calls that taking a thought captive." Jefferson insisted, "I just call it banging out thoughts that don't honor God."

They are both graphic don't you think...taking captive, banging. These actions are both active and decisive, not lingering and indecisive. They are quick, full of purpose, and forceful.

I have to admit that I'd brought the whole issue up because of my own heart, because I had had something just the day before that I needed to bang out...immediately. God is so good when I take these things to him in precise timing. The sin isn't in the thought, it's the lingering and indecisiveness that leads us down the road of danger. I want to honor God in my thoughts, not just my actions. The two are intricately intertwined, don't you think?

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

Can you think of a better thing to do on a Saturday morning?

Dear friends and family,

We had the most wonderful opportunity this morning to worship. Now I realize that baptism in not a normal Saturday morning practice, but it sure was a sweet one today!

After we'd moved in we still had two houses that were unoccupied, and as my mother taught me, I was praying for just the right neighbors. I always start praying for neighbors the week we find out a move has been secured and from assignment to assignment it has been a neat thing to watch. Sometimes we see clearly what God has done and sometimes we just have no idea.

We met one family who was looking at the house behind us, but later on I ran into Emily at the store and she said that they'd taken 210 instead. I was disappointed as they had two little girls that I knew Melanee Kate would adore (they are in our zoo picture with Jefferson and Melanee Kate). I didn't know that 210 was the other house available so we go out our front door to bump into the Waters rather than the back door.

Emily Waters has been a dear delight to my heart. Brad is assigned to Wake Island this year (it's a fleck on your globe half way inbetween Hawaii and Guam) so Emily is flying solo and doing a great job. When I watch Emily these are the things I think and pray: Lord, please help me to be that hungry...Lord, please help me dig like that when I have questions...Lord, please help me to be open to your plans which are always better. She is a precious woman who is growing daily in Christ.

Watching Emily walk out into the Pacific Ocean this morning was a complete honor. It was a holy and beautiful act of worship and obedience. The backdrop painted by our Father could not have been more perfect. I've only had one other experience to worship beside the ocean. It actually reminds me of worshipping outside in the mountains of Italy as God's creation invites all fives senses to join in. God is so good to meet us when we worship.

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

How about this fourth baby?

Dear family and friends,

How about this fourth baby..."Daddy, daddy, you don't have to teach me to ride my bike now, I just learned!!!" This was one excited little boy.

We needed to get another little bike for Jefferson as his hand me down was worn out and had been tossed during the move. It was on our to do list, but had not been accomplished yet.

I remember when Jefferson was born, being slightly overwhelmed that now I had to teach him everything I'd just taught those first three. Now the little man has a jump start on reading, writing, counting to a thousand...and a little girl across the alley taught him to ride a bike.

It's good to be a fourth baby!

I'm honestly torn between missing the opportunity to teach him and having victory in one more thing accomplished in our lives.

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

Isn't He good to change me?

Dear family and friends,

I started a Bible study this morning that Caroline and I are going to go through together. This mornings Bible verse was short and simple. In fact, I even had a "that was easy" moment when I was done (pride).

Mathew 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged."

I certainly struggle with sin and I could tell you a list of my weak spots. Judgement isn't one of them, or so I thought.

OH MY...God showed me four different times today (before noon) where I was being judgemental...OUCH! The great thing is when I'm aware, I can ask Jesus to change me. Repentance is so good...

Lord, thank you for continuing to change me!

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

How quickly can ten years go?

Dear family and friends,

This picture was so precious. Kate was on Care and I thought it was so sweet, threw the boys in there and TA DA...great picture after Bible time on Wednesday.

This has been our first week of school for our tenth year of homeschooling. I can hardly believe it.

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

Are you almost done?

Dear family and friends,

Today when we were in church Wyatt disappeared. He's a slippery little sucker so it didn't really surprise us. (Much like his father, you should try to keep up with Ed in Walmart.)

After a while I was becoming concerned. There hadn't been any food out in the foyer. He didn't know anyone to talk to (we're still church searching). Ed promised me in just one more minute he'd go and find our son.

Quickly after Ed's promise Wyatt showed back up. He tucked himself in by his sister in the pew. It was the highlight of my day actually. Wyatt by Kate with his arm around her. Kate nestled in listening to his news. They got the giggles and then just sat together that way for some time, much to my delight. We are still in the process of teaching the boys that our girls really need them to hug and love on them. Our girls need affection and past getting it from their parents, their brothers are the silver medal source.

So this is how the story went: Wyatt needed to use the bathroom and was afraid we'd tell him that he couldn't so he just slipped out. He was sitting on the toilet (for quite some time might I add) in the men's room when he heard a little guy flip flop his way in. It sounds like he was about four. This little guy tried to open the stall beside Wyatt but someone had locked it. Before Wyatt hardly knew what had happened the little boy had slipped under Wyatt's stall, stood straight up before him, then asked boldly, "Are you almost done?"

I know there is some great spiritual application to this, but I'm tired, and tonight I think I'm just going to leave it as funny!

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

P.S.-I can't tell you how much I wish I had a picture for this one. Of course I couldn't post it on my blog, but I might show you when you came by.

Now why would a mother feel bad about that?

Dear family and friends,

When Jefferson was born all kinds of "fourth baby" jokes and sayings came about. At one point I thought I should write a book about the fourth baby, I so wish I'd written down my thoughts as I know they were funny.

One night Melly was there visiting and needed the baby bath for Ellis (who was 18 months at the time). She came back into the kitchen with her clean baby in her arms to see me with my clean baby in my arms too. She looked at me in wonder and asked how I'd bathed him as she knew she had the baby bath. I picked up the Ajax dish washing soap and announced he was the fourth baby.

Well, today my sweet little fourth baby was so excited! As he was running around the Honolulu zoo with delight and wonder I was horrified to realize that he hadn't been to the zoo since the fall we'd moved to Alabama. He was 18 months old the last time he'd been to the zoo and had no memory of it what so ever. I actually stood there for a moment feeling like a loser Mother....my poor baby is going to start the 1st grade on Monday and this is the first memory he has of going to the zoo.

Then my horror turned into laughter....since the last time Jefferson has been to the zoo he has been to the Civil Rights Museum, two IMAX showings, the Rosa Parks Museum, Civil War battle grounds, Monticello, Breckenridge for summertime fun, and the battlegrounds of Little Big Horn.

Jefferson has floated down the Missouri river, played in streams that Lewis and Clark crossed, camped in Yellowstone Park, hiked in Glacier National Park, seen Mt. Rushmore, driven across the Northern States of America, enjoyed a jousting match, drawn pictures at Mt. Vernon, loved the Smithsonian's, had his picture taken in the Cherry Blossoms, walked the monuments on the Mall countless times, and delighted in the fire works on the 4th of July while sitting on the lawn of the Untied States Capital.

Jefferson has been to the White House, Library of Congress, Supreme Court, Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross's house, and seen more locks of George Washington's hair than one could imagine (the children have a wonderful time talking about how Mr. Washington must have been buried bald as Mrs. Washington cut all of his hair off after he died and mailed it out to everyone). Jefferson has danced with his mother where Mr. Washington danced in Philadelphia, seen how bills are made at the National Treasury, ridden the Staten Island Ferry, and loved the evening where he was able to see The Phantom of the Opera in New York City.

My list isn't all inclusive but I'm assuming at this point you're getting the picture I'm trying to paint. We won't even mention the whole Hawaii thing...our fourth baby hasn't had time for the zoo. Now why would a mother feel bad about that? God has given this little one more experiences in the past four and a half years than some have in a lifetime. His parents are extremely grateful to God for all of His provsion, the children just think it's normal. At this point it is their normal...

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops