Thursday, August 26, 2010

Vacation reading list

Caleb, Ava, and I are leaving Saturday for Reno. We'll be gone for a week. It's a kind of work/vacation thing. Caleb's doing training 8-5, Mon-Fri for work. Corvalis Composite training.

Don't ask me what that means.

Ava and I are going to hang out.

Just so you can see how unrealistic my expectations are, here's the list of what I'm going to get done:
*Catch up on scrapbooking (I'm only 2 years or so behind...)
*Do some just for fun shopping
*Watch "I Love Lucy" reruns
*Work out at the hotel gym
*Take Ava swimming to defeat her new terror of water
*Sightsee around Reno - any ideas anyone?
*Nap =)
*And (the point of this post) read all these books!


I love to read! My problem is, I can't decide which to start first. Ok, I've already started Crazy Love. This is one amazing book that deserves - and will probably get - it's own post eventually. But it's heavy. One chapter at a time is plenty to think about...well, for the rest of my life.

Immanuel's Veins hasn't been released yet, so I kinda want to read it on the plane so people will wonder how I got a book that nobody else can get. =)

As if anyone will notice...

Am I Messing Up my kids? Pretty sure the answer to that is yes. I have also started this one, and it's going to be good. Hopefully I'll know how not to mess up my kids by the time I get home. =)

I'm bought Gilead because of John Piper's recommendation. Oh, and my sister Kristi bought it too. Which means it's probably pretty deep and philosophical and will take concentration. I'm sure it's good, though.

And Becca, my other sister, insists Till We Have Faces is her favorite book. Which means it's probably pretty deep and philosophical and will take concentration.

Why am I not bringing fun, easy to read, Clive Cussler books instead?

A few side notes:

Thank you to Grandma and Grandpa and Kristi and Becca for volunteering (??) to watch Ethan, Kylie, and Julia for the week. They are VERY excited to visit, and I hope they have fun and behave themselves.

Also, I'm very excited to visit Lake Tahoe, which is supposed to be gorgeous!

Pray for safe travel, a content baby who sleeps when she's supposed to (and doesn't wake up at 4:30 am thinking it's morning), effective training for Caleb, and a happy week for the other kids. Thanks! =)

Monday, August 23, 2010

My new favorite music

I heard Starfield's new song "The Saving One" playing on the radio not long ago, and I LOVED it! They sound great, and their words are amazing. They take you straight to the presence of Jesus.
What drives me nuts about radio, however, is that they play the same song over and over again until no one can stand it anymore. This is such a shame because Starfield's album has nine other great songs that no one ever hears.
When Caleb found "Absolutely" on youtube, I gave in and downloaded the whole cd on itunes. And I've listened to nothing else since.
Here's a link to my favorite song "Absolutely".
Ok, or maybe this one is my favorite: "No Other Savior"
Pay attention to these words:

Absolutely
Lover of my soul
I want to tell You
Only You have all of me
I cannot contain
My adoration
I’m in love so desperately
No one is as lovely as You are
And there is no one else Who has my heart

Jesus, You have me completely
Every breath that I breathe
I am absolutely in love
Jesus, I am Yours forever
All of me surrenders
I am absolutely in love with You

Down upon my knees
I’m lost in worship
Humbled by Your majesty
What is there to say
But how I love You
Thank You for forgiving me

All I am is Yours
Only Yours



No Other Saviour
Lord of every age
Author of our faith
The first, the last, the same
The name above all names
Crowned in majesty
Glorious Prince of Peace
Throned at God’s right hand
The world at His command
The world at His command


Jesus, Lamb of God
How great You are
There is no other Saviour
Every knee bows down
At Your renown
There is no other Saviour


Merciful High Priest
Lover of the least
Generous and meek
Protector of the weak
Sacrificed to death
For us, Your final breath
You died, the world to save
To overcome the grave
To overcome the grave


You will reign forever
You reign forever

You musical geniuses out there (Becca and Kristi...) may not be impressed with their sound - even though I am =), but you can't get better lyrics than those.

Coming next: My new favorite book! =)

Friday, August 6, 2010

Adventures at the zoo

Tam (Caleb's mom) and I took the kids to the Omaha zoo the other day. It was a little crazy. We didn't get there til 4:30.
Partly because we're slow at getting four kids and their snacks and drinks and strollers and sunscreen out of the house.
Partly because we needed iced lattes for energy.
Partly because we got just past the 72nd street exit in Omaha before Kylie saw fit to announce that she had brought no shoes.
Yes, we drove around Omaha and Papillion for half an hour trying to find a place to buy shoes. I really need a GPS that talks apparently.
Then I could've said, "Where's a shoe store?"
And the lovely Australian accented GPS dude would've said, "Turn right NOW!!"
But I can now tell you that if you ever need anything on your way to the zoo, there is a giant Super Walmart five minutes south of the interstate on 72nd street. Oh, if she had only told me BEFORE that exit.
Oh well. After a few moments of frustration, we had a wonderful time at the zoo. It was a beautiful evening, and the zoo was open late for members' day. So we enjoyed the Lied Jungle, butterflies and insects, the desert dome, and the Kingdoms of the Night virtually on our own. And the kids were still happy when we left.
That's the beauty of a year pass to the zoo. We saw a few things and left happy instead of trying to kill ourselves to "get our money's worth" by looking at every last creature in the zoo and leaving exhausted and CRABBY!
Anyway, here's the part you're looking forward to - the PICTURES! =)

I think this one is my favorite! It's totally an action shot - not everyone's looking at the camera, but they're all having so much fun with their Mimi! =)




Ok, this bridge thing still freaks me out a little - especially when my kids are dangling by a few (rather thick) threads with nothing but air underneath them.


Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Day One

Well, yesterday was day one of homeschool. I know. I swore I would not homeschool this fall. Never say never.
School actually went pretty well. My biggest problem is keeping Julia from destroying things while I teach Ethan. I made a school basket with fun stuff for her and Kylie to do while I do school with Ethan. But she had a little too much fun. She dumped half dry, crumbly play-doh all over the carpet. Pulled the outside off an ear of corn and scattered sticky strings all over the house. Cut paper into tiny pieces and dropped them all over the floor. Tried to stick the glue in the pencil sharpener. Scattered magnetic letters all over everywhere. That kinda stuff. I think I could have a full time job just cleaning up after Julia. Two year olds are alot of work.
Anyway, after two hours, I called Caleb and told him I couldn't do it. Why am I bothering? Practically everyone I meet thinks I'm crazy to do what I'm doing. It would be SO EASY to send them to the nice, new public school a half a mile down the street. They haven't even started yet. I could get Ethan and Kylie signed up and send them to school in two weeks. Wow! Grocery shopping with only two kids! I could probably go to the gym and work out. And nap time! Julia and Ava take long naps!!! I daydreamed.
I'm still not sure why, but today was day two, and I got up and did it again. And other than spilling the same glass of milk twice at breakfast this morning, Julia didn't make too many messes.
I have to keep quoting my verse.
2 Corinthians 9:8 "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed"

Max Lucado's Cast of Characters

Salvation is by grace alone through faith in Christ Jesus alone.
All my hope is based on this statement of trust. But I like to add “Melody’s list of ways to be a perfect person and a good Christian” to my belief in the hopes that God maybe will like me a little more. And I end up discouraged and frustrated and exhausted because I’m just not that great at being good.
If you feel this way, read Max Lucado’s Cast of Characters: Common People in the Hands of an Uncommon God. Lucado brings to life different Bible characters – from Paul to Mephibosheth – to remind us that God doesn’t use perfect people. Instead He takes sinners and changes history through them – in spite of their failures.
So maybe, just maybe, He could use me too. With all my failures and imperfections. Even though I’m nobody special.
I love this book. I always enjoy Lucado’s style. What grabbed me about this book is that the Bible doesn’t give many details sometimes. But Lucado took a few straightforward words and made me feel them, live them. Suddenly the people in the Bible are people that could live next door instead of words on a page.
Anyone want to borrow my copy? =)
I wrote this review as part of Thomas Nelson's booksneeze.com book review blogger program.