letter to God

Pause my Music Player first and please for the love of Christ dismiss her "GD."

This one goes out to the addicts in my life. You are loved.

Babies

I am so excited to see this film!

Art Lesson

Pause my Music Player.
Featuring Galilee, Jemima, and the Johnson girls.

Happy Flower Designs

Happy Flower Designs is offering and assortment of Custom Made Pretty Hair Thingies. The ponytails, piggietails, tiaras, and hair tutus are super adorable and black hair safe. Spread the word while supporting a home-educating student's shop.

Robaire...who just turned 80.... is a father figure to Bradley. He's the reason for the LA trip.

Griffith Park Observatory

I tried and tried to get the kids and Bradley to LACMA. With so much to do and so little time to do it....a museum visit was not at the top of their Things To Do While in LA list. Finally, after a dinner at our favorite Chinese place....we arrived at the parking lot ready to see us some Renoirs...only to realize the doors were about to close for the evening.

For future reference....after 5 p.m. you can visit LACMA for a donation. Whatever you want to pay you pay.

Plan B...we wound up at the Observatory.




Zion was so sweet. Still my baby even though she thinks she one of the big kids. The lights went down...imagine a pitch black circular domed room packed w/people. The show began. Creepy music. Within seconds she was in my lap.


The Big Bang Theory...billions of years ago etc. etc. etc. blah...blah...blah.

Then, after a 1/2 hour long trippy visual experience of the Lord's amazing creation... and in an attempt to wrap it all up....the narrator asks something to this affect....

"So the stars tell us much about ourselves...our history...our civilizations. Man has always been searching for answers. Where did we come from? What is the meaning of life? Why are we here? What is our purpose? Is there a purpose? Where are we going"

It was very mystical. Very deep. Things to ponder deeply. Meant to cause contemplation. Deep contemplation. Twilight Zonish.

Zion is cuddled close...creepy music still playing.

She leans in and whispers in my ear....

"Jesus."

I whisper back....

"Yes, Baby. Jesus."

___________________________________________

The lesson we walked away learning...man oh man, is the universe HUGE. Beyond comprehension. And it didn't get here by accident. What an intentional and intelligent designer HE is.

Also....it takes an incredible amount of faith to believe the bunch of baloney they were trying to sell us.

Venice Beach

I've been going down to Venice Beach since 1978. Childhood memories do not arrive to the forefront of my thinking...w/out Venice snipets slipping in. Here we were New Yorkers in California. Roller skating on the beach held it's glittler every single week-end for years and years.

Then, Bradley and I used to live in Venice. One house on Horizon...then an apartment on the sand.

Venice has always been a haven for drop outs...but lately...when I go back...I get a sense that there's been a spiritual shift. For me...the darkness is oppressing. I'm not sure if it's always been this way?????and maybe now I've just got some sort of heightened sensitivity...or if there has actually been a shift??????

Schaeffer

Worldview...worldview...worldview.

a shout out to my gay/lesbian/bi friends

Thank you for the love you show me daily. For the tolerance you display in the privacy of our personal lives...despite our obvious differences.

Dawn is a follower of the Biblical Jesus. She believes w/all of her heart that He is the Son of God...which means she is a born again/evangelical Christian. She takes the Bible very seriously.

I love each and every one of you...and you know what? I know you love me.

If you've got a blog or a facebook page...could you post something about intolerance, please? About how being a Christ following conservative....automatically equates w/despised in certain circles....and how that's just nuuuuuuuuuutso.

If anyone knows of anyone who is getting rid of one of these carnival photo booth things...I want one in my house.

So this is one of the reasons why I love our co-op. The women in it.

I've heard about her forever...Cate's dear friend, April...but never got the chance to meet her because she was a missionary living overseas. Now, she's back! Which means...I get to know her :)

Anatomy/Biology/Sex Education/Bible

We got a call from one of the moms in our group informing us that a baby goat was crowning in the orange building... past the green one...near the kiddie rides. Of course, we rushed right over. Excited to witness a LIVE BIRTH!

This sort of thing totally thrills home-educating moms. What an opportunity. Gotta jump on it. Life lessons.


The momma was doing what mommas do at times like these...very gracefully, I might add. We waited. And waited. And waited some more.

The babies head passed through the birth canal. The dear woman assisting the process made sure a clean blanket was ready to catch the kid. The patient man beside her in the hay...tenderly wiped away mucus from the partially birthed kid's nose and mouth. We waited. And waited. And waited some more. People started to whisper amongst themselves. How much longer? Does it usually take this long? Is this normal in the goat world? For things to progress so slowly?

No. It wasn't.

Someone sent for the vet.

We waited.

He got right down on his knees and went to work...trying his darnedest to get that kid out....to no avail.

While he was using his shirt sleeve to remove the sweat from his forehead...a cowgirl stepped in and took over. Her hands were smaller....no time to clean them....but not small enough.


They called for a boy...probably 11 or 12. I'm not sure if this was the first time he'd done this...birthing a baby goat thing...but it appeared to be.

With his arm buried to his elbow...the adults coached this sweet boy step by step through the process. He grabbed hold of the kid's two legs with one hand and the chain link fence with his other and pulled with all his might.

He lost his grip.

Then tried again.


Eventually...he pulled the baby free and we all watched for a breathless moment as this lifeless little body was resuscitated before our eyes. Mine were wet.

What could make a self professed "non-animal lover" pray for and shed tears of joy over the birth of a baby goat?

I've been processing it all day and here's what I've come up with...

I love life. I think it is a gift given by the Giver.

Jennifer Knapp

Man oh man...do I love Jennifer Knapp's music. Can no longer listen with the same ears though.... for the same reasons why Christian radio hasn't been playing her stuff...I suppose. Shift from phileo to agape.

I remember asking Toby Mac where she was when she apparently fell off the face of the earth some odd years back. He graciously remained silent.

The narrow road is narrow. That's the whole thing of it.

I'm committing to praying for her because this cannot be an easy time.

What a voice!

Botanical Gardens

Next time you visit a Dollar Store pick up a magnifying glass. You won't use it...you'll forget it's in the kitchen cabinet next to the scissors and behind the highlighters near the protractor by the staple gun under a cluster of hot glue sticks held together by a rubberband... then one day....when you want to take walk around your neck of the woods or go to the Botanical Gardens...smack in the middle of allergy season... it will come in handy.



On a side note...I had a deja vu moment when these two appeared.



For a split second...I thought I was again crossing paths with...


....the Ice-Cream Eaters in Rome.

With all the news this week about adoption disruptions...my thoughts are swirling in this area.

I commented on Cate's blog what I will post here...

Christians, do not adopt unless it is out of obedience to the Lord.

Voddie on Piper's recent announcement.

Film Festival

So Braverijah's film, Coming Out.... is showing in the Phoenix Film Festival this week-end.

There's always a bunch of talking, talking, talking going on at these events...filmmaker panels etc.... (Braverijah speaks tomorrow.)


The girls popped in the theater to give a shout out to their boy...but we bowed out & went for an ice-cream run directly after his film (skipping the rest of the program.) Heavy themes in some of these shorts.



Coming Out, the story of an agoraphobic who finally overcomes his fears w/the help of a friend.... got chuckles in all the right places...and of course, his dedicated audience of supporters did him up in the cheering and applauds area.

UPDATE:

Huge movement in all areas. Thanks for praying everyone.

For though we live in the world we are not carrying on a worldly war, for the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
2 Cor 10:3-4

Ephesians 6:10-20


UPDATE:

6 hours later and we're laughing :)
____________________

Having marital yukkkkkkkk. Encouraged husband to invite friends over to talk through stuff. He did. Please pray.


How's that for authenticity?

P.S. Hate to burst your bubble...but the fact that you have a bubble means that it needs to be burst :)

Art 101

Me: Oh, that's cute. Who is it?

Zion: Me and Jemima.

Me: You're bigger than Jemima now?

Zion: No, she's just farther away.

WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!! HIGHLY OFFENSIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU LACK A SENSE OF HUMOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mcabe was in the mood to complain a little bit about how much he "hates school" on his way out the door to Chemistry class. I tried to encourage him.....saying, "Only a few more weeks."

"Yeah, when it's over I'm gonna get sh--faced..." was his sassy reply.

He tries to bug me sometimes.

So does Braverijah...who followed up his brother's statement with...

"I can't wait to get sh--faced too...and gamble....and....... do a whole bunch of cocaine off a stripper's butt."

Then I got a kiss and hug as we planned to see each other at 3:00 in the location where the guys meet for their Bible Study.

I told you you'd be offended.

False Prophets

Oh my goodness...this sermon.

Personal Notes:

-BEWARE

-Titus 1:9

-ravenous wolves

-examine the fruit / bad teaching & bad living

-Hebrews 1:1-2

-welcome to the narrow gate

-2Tim 3

-Test & Judge (vs. being judgemental)

-Bereans

-identify, expose, flee Eph 5:6-14

- Jude / wrestle / agonize greatly / hold firmly to TRUTH

Resurrection Sunday

I am personally thankful for the new found hope the Lord spoke to my heart this Resurrection Sunday. It has been in hiding. My hope.

All because of me. Because I lost focus again...as I tend to do.

My hope is in the Christ. In Jesus, the Christ and in HIM alone.

Voddie

I've come to learn that more often than not...when we find ourselves digging our heals in opposition to the delivery of sound Biblical doctrine...it's not due to any failure on the messenger's part...but due to the wicked state of our hearts rebelling against the message.

All men fail on some level. All men.

True Love

The Theif

Surprise Party for Big 43!!!!!!!!!!!

Dad and Mom threw me a very sweet birthday party w/the help of some very sweet friends. Thank you, everyone. I am so grateful for each and every one of you.




Ginger: Raw and real...100% authentic.
Tamara: Wise and trustworthy.
Lisa: Encouraging and transparent.
Susan: Heartfelt and ever so sincere.
Mom: Mom
Lori: Kindred.
Wendy: Jesus.
Whitney: Loyal and so so sweet.
Cate: My safe place.
Kim: Immediate sister bond.

Big 94!!!!!!!!!!!