Sunday

Luke is very quickly outgrowing his clothes. I just got the size 7's washed and in his closet, and he's already grown to a 7/8! I made him wear this little suit today even though it's a tiny bit too small. He doesn't really care what he looks like as long as he's pretty comfortable. This picture is also a "commemorative moment" -- Joel and Luke are standing next to each other AND smiling! Actually, before and after I made them come take this picture, they were playing together NICELY!!!!

Seth did two really funny things this morning in the nursery, but I didn't get my camera out fast enough to catch them. He was sitting at the teacher's desk (the nursery is a pre-school room during the week). He looked SO cute with his little 4-year-old self in that gigantic chair and desk, especially with the huge "look at me, Mom" smile he had! Then he was lying on the floor on his tummy in front of a big mirror watching himself -- hilarious! But this was the best shot I got of Seth today:


This picture doesn't really show it very well, but Makenzie got new earrings and wore them today. Now that I look at the picture, I can see that it doesn't show her earrings at all, but she looks sweet anyway. I'll have to try another day for a better earring shot.


We had a guest speaker in church today: Randy Hogue. He has QUITE a testimony! He grew up in a family that did not ever go to church. His father was very abusive to him, his mom, and his two brothers. Randy got involved in drinking, doing all kinds of drugs, and eventually selling drugs to pay for the drugs he used. He was miserable and decided to commit suicide. He took enough pills to kill ten men, but someone found him and took him to the hospital. Somehow, some Christian teenagers found out that Randy was in the hospital in a coma, and they started praying for him. They stayed in their church (I think that's where they prayed) without sleeping or eating for about 30 hours (I think that's what he said) praying that God would heal Randy and save his soul from Hell. The doctors said there was no way Randy would ever wake up, and that even if he did wake up he would be brain damaged. But Randy did wake up, and there wasn't anything wrong with him. The end of the story is that Randy went to those praying kids' church and became a true Christian. (This, obviously, is a VERY brief version of his life story.) I was, of course, amazed at how God went to SUCH great lengths to reach out to this man. I'm thankful beyond words that I grew up in a church-going family with parents and relatives that loved me dearly and took care of me. I don't understand why God allows so many people to go through such torment in this life, while others like me live a relatively pain-free life. But I'm glad that God offers a home in Heaven (where there is NO pain) to EVERY person who loves Him and accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

-----------------------------------------------------

today's song: "Rise Up" by Third Day

You've wrestled demons every day
And they've dragged you to your knees
But in your weakness you will learn to find
That I will always be your strength
. . .
Rise up, my friend
And live again.
. . .
Nothing can keep you from the love of God.

----------------------------------------------------------

today's verse: I Samuel 2:2
"No one is holy like the Lord,
For there is none besides You
Nor is there any rock like our God."