Almost Wordless Wednesday ~ Elsie Mae decides to join in the Jon-man's "no bake - salsa exchange" with Miss Mary

(thanks to Nadia for the photos!)

Mullings and Musings

• "Shelter is not a place" (An older article... but excellent thoughts about how we best protect our children from the influence of this world.)

"I would love to withdraw my family from society and keep them from having to face the messiness of navigating relationships in a fallen world. But that’s just not feasible. Maybe not even desirable. Besides, we have enough sin nature between all seven of us, they’d still get to see plenty of corruption!

Instead, we want to make sure our home is the safe place, the most comforting sanctuary on earth, where our kids are guaranteed acceptance, affection and genuine love. Our relationship with our kids should be a reflection of God's relationship with us - overflowing with grace and forgiveness."

• "The Real First Thanksgiving" (If you are a Holy Experience fan, you don't want to miss this one... pictures, words, and hearing the still small voice of God speaking in the depths of the heart... Take the time to read this one!)

"The thanksgiving offering was part of the peace offering and that is the thing:

No one receives the peace of God without giving thanks to God.

Thankfulness is the deep, contented breath of Peacefulness.

Is this why He asks us to give thanks even when things look a failure? When there doesn’t seem much to give thanks for?"

• "Borrowing Brains: Missionaries, Unfiltered" (Read the comment section... and check out some of the links in that very first post... for a "round table" of sorts regarding ways to discourage or encourage the missionaries with whom you partner.)

"I’m leading a discussion about the local church and missionaries in a few days. Not a big thing—just a local pastor’s fellowship. I’m wondering if missionaries who read could chime in on two questions:

1. What are some things churches and pastors have done that were especially encouraging to you, whether during deputation, field ministry, or furlough? (What should we start or keep doing to energize you?)

2. What are some things churches and pastors have done that were especially discouraging to you, whether during deputation, field ministry, or furlough? (What should we avoid doing so we don’t deflate you?)..."

• "There are no should haves, should haves or could haves in God's Kindom." (I've  been so challened, convicted, horrified and encouraged as I've explored this blog and this story the past week. I'm sure you will be, too.)

"But, there is one thing that I believe all of us (who have lost loved ones) have to avoid doing…playing the should have, could have, would have game.  I myself have been guilty and I’m sure that many of us who walk this road have done it as well.  But, the more I understand God’s complete sovereignty over every single life on this planet, the more I realize the danger, and even sometimes sin of playing such a game, depending on our attitude at the time.  Allow me to explain..."

5 Minute Friday ~ Gratefulness

I'm a student of words. I love etymologies, root words, histories of use - kind of nerdy stuff, but what can I say other than "I enjoy it!"

So ~ I know that gratefulness actually comes from the Latin "gratus" meaning pleasing or agreeable. Italian grazia or Spanish gracias both derive from this same original root. And then there is the word gratitude. But I don't immediately hear any of that when I hear the word gratefulness... maybe because I hear that word grate... and it grates on me.

Grate, in this sense, has a totally different connotation. I think first of cheese - shredded cheese, actually. A chunk of cheese sliced and torn and slivered into tiny pieces... I grate a lot of cheese (as well as other things) by hand. Often, in that process, a knuckle or finger makes contact with the grater. That isn't pleasant. I shredded all 10 fingernails and fingertips once in the process of grating 5 kilos of potatoes.

But as I dwell on this idea a few minutes more, I recall that thanksgiving is praise, and that I am commanded to bring a sacrifice of praise. I am to give thanks, praise, rejoice always in all things... and be grateful, even when I feel like the Lord, life, people and circumstances~

...are grating the very covering right off my heart: slicing, tearing, slivering.

When I learn gratefulness in the grating, then I will know the Lord has finally begun to gentle this hard heart.

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise;

Give thanks to Him and praise His name.

For the Lord is good

and His love endures forever;

His faithfulness continues through all generations."

~ Psalm 100:4-5

Cheese/shredder photo @ Visual Photos.

Image no. 1574R-25850

Right before the party-goers parted... or, the last batch of photos from Elsie Mae's birthday party!

Rapunzel was locked away in her tower. In the movie, she spent lots of time painting the walls of her tower to entertain herself... for Elsie Mae's party, the girls' loft became the tower and all participants had their turn to paint the walls. This was a highlight for several of the invitees... climbing the tower and painting designs on the wall. And the girls love the loft that much more, now!

While the girls were inside having their hair braided and their faces gently "painted," the big guys took the little guys on a treasure hunt... looking for the princess's lost crown.

They had to follow carefully constructed clues... and dig around in the sand quite a bit.

I don't think they minded!

Then it was time to open presents...

and EAT!

Pigs in a blanket, apple wedges and cukes... perfect kid party food!

...SOME FAVORITE SNAPSHOTS FROM THE MORNING...

in no particular order

Just before our guests left, they collected their party favors...

they'd cut out themselves.

And then there is my favorite photo of all!

Princess Elsie Mae watching her "prince" Jason search for the treasure... her crown!

Hee hee!

For all you Americans out there...

HAVE A BLESSED THANKSGIVING ~
MAY YOU NEVER STOP COUNTING
THE INFINITE BLESSINGS
GOD HAS ABUNDANTLY BESTOWED UPON YOU.

I NEVER PLAN TO...

Wordless Wednesday ~ Sahel Field Day