More Thanksgiving Photos 2009

Children eating.

Baby Jenna. Cutie!

Fernandez Ladies.

My Nathan.

Watching Johnny poppers pop.

Very Interesting.

Brothers.

Danger zone.

Peter playing.

Pretty Miss Orr.

Adorable Lundquist.

Little Mr. Fernandez

Delicious food.

Joshua enjoying his meal.

Cranberry Jello.

My children.

Thanksgiving songs.

Young ladies.

My girl.

The men.

Ladies chatting.

Fernandez family singing.

In line for the feast.

Young men.

Enjoying the food.

Thanks to Miss R. Orr, I now have lots of photos to post. I was so glad to receive an email with lots of photos since just this morning I was lamenting the fact that I didn't take enough photos on my own. Thanks Miss R.

The photos are not in any particular order. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving 2009

All the cooks in the kitchen right before the meal was served.
(I'm right in the middle, my head anyway!)

Food, there was lots and lots of delicious food. Yummy!

We even had Tabouli, hummus and pita chips! I also had pickled okra for the first time. I loved it! Pickled okra a southern treat you won't find on the west coast!

Gathered together to sing, pray and give thanks.

My own dear family.

Singing together.
I had the intention of taking many pictures, but I was so busy feasting that I forgot all about taking pictures!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. This Thanksgiving we found ourselves far from our immediate family. We were blessed, however, to spend the holiday with friends from church. We were the guests of the Orr family who opened up their home to us, several other families and several single young men. All of the families present were also far from their immediate families.

We had a wonderful time together, feasting and in fellowship. After eating together, we gathered in the living room and sang hymns, gave thanks and prayed. Some of our friends who recently moved to the area family sang a worship song in Spanish and then my husband and I followed with a Spanish worship song of our own. During the time of Thanksgiving my husband also announced our glad tidings of a new baby on the way. We were congratulated and prayed over for a healthy pregnancy and for the Lord to allow us to hold this baby in our arms.

Thank you, Orr family, for your gracious hospitality.

Please take time to read the following article, "Thy Children's Children" regarding the Pilgrim's Vision and what our own vision should be.

Blessings!

Sunday Photos

Sunday, November 29, 2009. My two little boys ready for church.

Guess What?!!!

Did you guess? Yes, I'm pregnant! My family and I are so very happy and excited! We thank God for blessing us with this precious child within my womb. We ask that you pray with us for a healthy pregnancy and baby. Our baby will be born on or around August 1, 2010!

Time For Sewing

I will now be incorporating sewing into my daughter's weekly schedule. I've taught her basic embroidery skills and a two of her friends from church taught her how to knit. I'd love for her to become a good seamstress, well enough to make herself clothes and gifts for others. I myself am a beginner sewer. I've always desired to sew and four years ago took several sewing classes with a wonderful lady. She taught me how to follow a pattern and gave me many tips. Since then I've made several dresses and costumes for my daughter. When I actually get the time to sew, I enjoy every minute of it. It is very relaxing to me and I get such a satisfaction seeing the completed work of my hands.

Now that I'm writing about this I'm starting to get excited about starting a new project. Maybe a skirt for my daughter. I have lots of fabric in my fabric box. We'll see...

For now, I will help my daughter start some simple projects. I'll post pictures of the projects she finishes.

"Do You Know What I'm Thankful For?"

During our Family Worship last week, my husband, ended his teaching by asking all of us to share what we were thankful for. Everyone expressed what they were thankful for and then we all sat down to have dinner.

Nathan sat down and looked around at everyone. He then asked, "Do you know what I am thankful for?" We all answered, "What?" Nathan smiled and said, "I'm thankful for all the people who are sitting around me."

How precious is that?!

Sunday Photo

November 22, 2009

Evening at the Theatre

My children, at the Carolina Theater, an old restored historic theater.

Waiting for the show to begin!

Me and my Joshua.

In line to get autographs for The Mysterious Islands poster.

Next for Mr. Doug Phillps signature.

My son, my husband and Mr. Peter Bradrick.

It was an exciting evening at the movie premiere of The Mysterious Islands. The children and I arrived an hour and a half early! We wanted to make sure we would get good parking and never having driven to downtown Durham thought it best to leave our home early in case I got lost. We did get lost for about 15 minutes trying to navigate the one way streets downtown! We finally arrived and got the best parking right in front of the theatre! We enjoyed leisurely fellowship with other early arrivals in the lobby.

Now, about the movie: The movie depicted beautiful views of the Galapagos Islands. It was intriguing and interesting. The movie explains how Darwin's theory of evolution was generational. His grandfather, Erasmus Darwin, an intellectual in his time, concluded in his book, Zoonomia, that all life evolved from one same filament. The theories in his book were a foreshadow of his own grandson's theory of evolution. The movie also goes on to clearly contradict all of Darwin's supposed "evidence" of evolution and point to God as the Creator of all.

This movie will give everyone a background on the formation of the theory of evolution and show you how this theory has been the foundation of many evils in our society, including abortion. This movie will also give you very clear and easy to understand evidence which defeats the illogical theories that evolution presents.

All in all it was a wonderful evening and a wonderful God-glorifying film!

The Mysterious Islands Movie Premiere

We will join our church family tonight to view Vision Forum's latest film, The Mysterious Islands. We're very excited to be a part of this movie premiere and have the opportunity to meet the cast and filmmakers!

The Children of Caesar - Voddie Baucham

Amen and Amen!

Bible Bee 2009

The Shelby Kennedy Foundation launched the first-of-its-kind, world-class National Bible Bee Competition. The competition began with local contests in communities nationwide on September 12, 2009. The top 100 finalists from each age group advanced to the National Contest in Washington D.C. to compete on November 5-6, 2009.

Last night, my husband and I listened to a Family Life online radio program at: familylife.com, where hosts Dennis Rainey and Bob Lapine, interview the winners of the National Bible Bee 2009.

We were so impressed with the whole contest and with the winners, that we are making plans to have our children participate next year and also investigate the possibilities of them competing in local Bible Bees or Bible Bowls.

Listen online to Family Life's Broadcasts on the National Bible Bee 2009:
Part 1: Ready, Set, Remember
Part 2: And the Winning Question is...

Also, check out the Shelby Kennedy Foundation Bible Bee website.

Susannah Wesley on Discipline

Susannah Wesley believed that for a child to grow into a self-disciplined adult, he/she must first be a parent-disciplined child. To her, the stubborn flesh was the hardest battle for Christians to fight, and Godly parents would do well to equip their children to overcome it early. She writes:

When the will of a child is totally subdued, and it is brought to revere and stand in awe of the parents, then a great many childish follies ... may be passed by. . .

I insist on the conquering of the will of children betimes, because this is the only strong and rational foundation of a religious education ... when this is thoroughly done, then a child is capable of being governed by reason and piety.

From: www.familyofdestiny.com

...................................................................................................

We'd be wise to implement these principles in the discipline of our children. -Merisa

Susannah Wesley's 16 Rules

Susannah Wesley was the mother of 19 children, including John and Charles Wesley. Through much adversity, she dedicated her life to instilling a sense of Christian Destiny into each of her children. Her children went on to change the world.

Here are 16 rules she laid down in her home.

1. Eating between meals not allowed.

2. As children they are to be in bed by 8 p.m.

3. They are required to take medicine without complaining.

4. Subdue self- will in a child, and those working together with God to save the child's soul.

5. To teach a child to pray as soon as he can speak.

6. Require all to be still during Family Worship.

7. Give them nothing that they cry for, and only that when asked for politely.

8. To prevent lying, punish no fault which is first confessed and repented of.

9. Never allow a sinful act to go unpunished.

10. Never punish a child twice for a single offense.

11. Comment and reward good behavior.

12. Any attempt to please, even if poorly performed, should be commended.

13. Preserve property rights, even in smallest matters.

14. Strictly observe all promises.

15. Require no daughter to work before she can read well.

16. Teach children to fear the rod.

From: www.familyofdestiny.com

Sunday Fall Photos

Me and my man.

Nathan loves to have his picture taken. He is always ready to pose and smile.

Abraham & Abraham.

Daddy's girl.

I love this smile.

My children. This is the only photo I could take with Joshua in it. I couldn't get the little guy to stay still long enough to get a decent picture of him by himself.

Yesterday, after church, we stopped at a park and had fun playing and taking pictures of ourselves. It was a beautiful, surprisingly warm afternoon and we enjoyed our time together.