Friends and Family

I once saw this saying in a frame that said, "The best things in life are not things."

Been Reading . . .

"A daughter of the Huguenots" About the French Protestants during the Renessaince of the late seventeenth century. I am loving it. Each chapter starts with a little piece of poetry or prose and I am going to post one on here for you today.

Well first then of Duke Ercole; a man

Cold in his manners, and reserved and silent,

And yet magnificent in all his ways;

Not hospitable unto new ideas,

But from state policy and certain reasons

Concerning the investiture of the duchy,

A partisan of Rome, and consequently

Intolerant of all the new opinions . . .

How could the daughter of a King of France

Wed such a duke?

-Longfellow, "Michael Angelo."

Currently listening to Masquerade. Love that song:)

How about a picture to finish this post off nicely?

(Jill wth a sweet little kitten).

Celebrating the 4th and July Birthdays

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18.

Nutty Coconut, Jamoca and Simple Kindness

Jill and I spent today working with Mom and Clark then Mom dropped Jill and I off at Sears so Jill could redeem a gift card she had from there. After shopping and gathering our purchases we decided to run over to Baskin Robbins and split an ice cream before Mom and Clark got back. It was going to be our special treat and we were going to destroy all evidence before they returned (that was the plan) I had just over $5 dollars in my checking account and I figured that was enough to cover one cone. We walked across the mall parking lot and ran across the road. Almost 7pm and the sun was shiny and it was hot and humid outside. Baskins is a tiny little store right across from the mall.

We looked at all the flavors and finally settled on what we wanted. I handed my card over to the girl at the counter and my gut silently told me I did not have enough to cover the cost of the cone and I should recalculate and get some cash. No, I thought, there is enough in its going to be fine. The girl who helped us had waited on us before and she was always cheerful and helpful no matter how long we took deciding on what we wanted. So she took my card and swiped, once, twice, and then a third time. Finally I leaned over the counter and told her that I would run over to an ATM and get cash if that was ok (she had already given us the cone) She smiled and said "yeah that is fine, don't worry I trust you guys." Then as I turned to go out the door the card went through and she called me back and handed me my receipt.

As soon as we were out I turned to Jill and said I think that I could have over drafted my account and usually the fees are huge even for just a couple of cents. Jill looked at me and said, I had extra money and I could have given some to you. I knew that but I had wanted to buy it for her. I told her we were not going to worry about it we were going finish our ice cream and relax. Quickly though we prayed and asked God that there would be no overdraft and if there was there would be no fee.

As soon as I got home I checked my account and found out that I was not over drafted, but as I went to compare the cost of the cone with what was in there it did not match. The girl who had waited on us must have added in a few cents for us from her tip jar and that is what caused the card to go through and cancelled any overdraft.

I wrote this story because Jill and I at the end of it concluded we were very stupid and careless in not adding accurately and we were always going to remember this adventure and always make sure we had enough before we charged a card. Also, we were both reminded of God's care and provision for us even when we don't deserve it. He does expects us to be good stewards of what he gives to us.

We also discovered that Baskin's "Nutty Coconut" and "Jamoca" are delicious when they are combined. We are going to go back in about a month order a cone each and leave a huge tip. Maybe we will take the others along too. :-)

All Four Stanzas

I think that all of us are inspired by the courage of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. We would like to associate ourselves with them. And indeed, it is our heritage. But I do not believe we fully understand the sacrifices that was required of these men and their families. We pray that our praise for these men is not merely words.

Happy Independence Day!

National Anthem

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

"You cannot run away. . .

"You cannot runaway from a weakness; you must some time fight it out or perish; and if that be so, why not now, and where you stand?"

~ Robert Louis Stevenson~

All of you have heard of Treasure Island, Kidnapped, The Black Arrow (If you haven't you have really missed out and you need to go remedy that immediately.) If you have sons or daughters, brothers or sisters, these are great books to read to them when they are first becoming serious readers. I loved reading the Black Arrow to my brother when he was about 7 years of age. He read the rest of them on his own and went back and read everything that was read to him. Now he is working on Homer and the Greek historians.

Do you have a weakness you struggle with? Self-pity, depression, pride ("And the Devil did grin, for his darling sin is pride that apes humility." -Coleridge). All of these are weaknesses (sin) even though they are not often talked about. I found the quote by Robert Stevenson encouraging, Like the maxim, "your sin will find you out" face it now and fight it out with Christ's help it can be overcome.

"He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper."

-Edmund Burke-

"My strength is made perfect in weakness."

II Corinthians 12:9