New-Old Friend

 We have a new fancy-shmancy friend in our living room. Her bedazzling jewels and gleaming golden arms shine like the . . . well, she's pretty.

I'm going to show you the ugly thing she replaced. The thing I struggled to keep out of the pictures, out of the reflections in the mirrors in the pictures. Consider yourself forewarned.

I apologize to your eyes.

But, now you can appreciate all the more the loveliness that is our new (to us) chandelier.

She's settling in quite nicely, making friends with the walls and such.

  Here you can see her hanging out with her new buddy, turquoise lantern.

Welcome home, Ms. Fancy-Shmancy!

 

A Church or a Clean Club? {what do you think?}

My dad recently posted some encouragements, challenges, and reflections on the church as a clean club. He tells about a friend who came to the following conclusions about the church ~

Maybe that the Church seemed to be made up of pretty decent people who, more or less, were doing pretty well with this Christian life thing.  That all was pretty good in the lives of the flock. No big struggles with sin.  No bouts with doubts.  And that just didn't describe his life which was fraught with struggles and weaknesses.  The Church, in his eyes, seemed to be the place for the mostly-together-good people, a clean club.

So, what is wrong with that?  Well, there's nothing wrong with people doing OK.  But there is something wrong with the idea that the Lord's house is a place for people who are not that bad, people who are pretty good.

Read more at The World's Ruined.

What do you think? Anything worth considering here?

Bunny Birthday

Last weekend was Elizabeth's 8th birthday and we celebrated with a bunny party.

There's something about having a bunny party that begs for puns. 

I am trying.so.hard.to.resist.

 hoppy hoppy birthday to some bunny special come on over hair and nibble...

OK, I'm done.

 We decorated with bunny and carrot garland and

white tissue paper pom poms (bunny tails?).

Elizabeth has loved bunnies for a long time and saved up to buy one. 

We bought her the other one (sisters, no babies!) and all the gear for her birthday.

The girls had a great time getting to know Sunny and Snowy.

Since it was a pool/ice cream sundae/bunny party, we had all the activities outside in the backyard.

Each girl received a pendant necklace with her first initial.

Of course, Annie's Bunny Grahams...

 

 I'm so thankful for my daughter's wonderful friends.

 And here's 3 year old Elizabeth with Annie, her most beloved bunny since infancy.

She's come a long way!

 Hoppy Birthday, Honey-Bunny!

(sorry. loss of self control.)

Quiet Moment

This summer we visited the Oregon coast and took the time 

to watch the waves (and the whales!), walk the beach, and play in the sand.

Elizabeth especially loved exploring the tide pools and climbing high ...

gazing far ...

feeling the wind in her hair ...

and exploring.

I love to see that girl finding a quiet moment, all by herself, 

and breathing deeply the beautiful world.

And my attempt to remember some of these fleeting moments ...