Today was a nice day. Great weather! I went to Corbin's soccer game at 9:00 this morning and enjoyed watching my sweet grandboy play. He did a good job, scored two points, I think and they won the game. Yea.

Bo & Whitney went car shopping for Whitney and she got a fancy new black car. It's a Kia Optima and very nice.

When they got back from car shopping, Bo, Whitney & I took her new car down to Palo Duro Canyon and took a hike down to the Lighthouse. It was lots of fun and we enjoyed it very much, but were very tired when we got back.

I took this picture of a guy that I don't know, but thought was pretty brave (or stupid) sitting on a big cliff at the Canyon.

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Judgement Day

Jesus paid it all. All to him, I owe.
Sin had left a crimson stain.
HE washed it white as snow.

I've said it before. I'll say it again. I love this hymn. --White as snow. That's how God sees me. But only in my savior, Jesus Christ. I hear so many people talk about how on judgement day, we will stand before God and be judged for our deeds, rewarded for the good ones, and looked down on for the bad ones. I used to believe this myself and trembled at the thought, because I know how black my heart is, and how sinful my deeds are (but really, only slightly).

What a relief to find out that when I go to stand before God on judgement day, Christ will stand in my place. I will be judged on HIS deeds, and HE is perfect. And my reward will be spending eternity with Christ himself. I don't believe there will be degrees of rewards in heaven. We will all have the same. If you do a word search for rewards (plural) in the bible, you will not find it, in regards to rewards in heaven. You will only find the word reward (singular). Christ is our reward, and what better reward could there be.

Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Why even bother to do good works then, you might ask? Well, certainly not for reward or fear of punishment. Those are selfish motives anyway. Not to impress God with my 'good' deeds. He's only impressed with his son. Do good deeds because of love for Christ.

Who would take better care of a sick child, --a mother who loves her child, or a paid nurse? And would a mother expect a reward for it? If we do good deeds only for payment (rewards, blessings) from God, then we're just working to get paid. How self-centered and selfish. But that's what we do in our human nature. Always looking out for #1.

When we stop thinking about rewards and punishment, just look to Christ and rest in him, good deeds will come, but we probably won't even be aware of them. We will just do what we love and want to do. I believe THAT is Christ working in us. And what a relief to just rest in him and not worry about blessings and punishment. That is true freedom!

Well, in case you're wondering. Mason had a good time at his prom. He danced the night away, even though he has never danced before, and had to learn as he went along. LOL.

I wanted to voice my opinion about the Virginia Tech shootings. What a hard, hard thing for the families of the victims to have to go thru. I know they must be devastated.

But I believe that God is in complete control of all that happens, not just what we consider to be 'good things' that happen. For some reason, which I sure don't know, God ordained this to happen, and he knows best. I believe that everything that happens is for the bringing in of his sheep, his people, the elect, (and utimately for his glory). And when the very last sheep is brought in, Jesus Christ will return to earth.

Perhaps, somewhere, somehow this event will effect someone or several someones to hear his voice and turn to him. God will do whatever it takes to insure that everyone that Jesus Christ died for will hear his voice. --And we are such a stubborn people. Sometimes it takes drastic measures.

Be that as it may, it doesn't make such a tragedy as this easy to bear for the victim's loved ones. Loosing someone you love is devastating and life changing, to say the least. My heart goes out to them all.

A Memorable Night for Mason

Tonight was Mason's Homeschool Prom, AND his very first date. He took a nice girl named Kimberly. And here they are. Don't they look nice?!

He went and picked her up, then came back by our house so I could take pictures, then headed to Red Robin to eat with several of the other kids going to Prom. After the Prom they are going to one of the kids' house for breakfast, (but not really breakfast).

I hope he has a great time.


















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There is a little munchkin visiting my house this weekend.













But then, he's really not such a little munchkin anymore. More like a big Hon-yock!

There's something I want.

I pray for it and ask others to pray for it for me.

Is God swayed one way or another by how often or how many people are praying for that something for me?

Does prayer make him change his mind about giving it to me or not? (ie. Prayer changes things).

If I ask lots of people to pray for something for me, are my chances of getting it higher than if I had just asked one person?

Does it matter if I am praying for it selfishly or (in my judgement) unselfishly?

If I believe with all my heart, not doubting, that I will get it, will I get it?

What do you think?

Indian Winter

Here's what it looks like in Amarillo, Tx this morning on April 7, 2007. It's 27 degrees.

Is there such a term as Indian Winter?

We have a Date!

May 15th. That's the date we were given today to take possession of the house we are buying. Even if the owner's new house isn't ready, they will still move out by the 15th of May, they said. Finally, we can make some concrete plans.

Yesterday I got a call from a man who said he asked the builder when the house would be ready, and the builder said August 1st at the earliest. August 1st??? I said. Holy Cow. So Bo called the owner and said maybe we should back-out. The owner said he would call the builder. Well, the owner called back and said the builder said 30 days. Then the owner said, "Give us until May 15th. We will be out whether the new house is ready or not."

I am very relieved. I know ya'll are tired of me griping about it. I know Bo is too. Frankly I, myself am tired of griping and worrying about it. Now hopefully I don't have to anymore.

Driving Off For the First Time Alone

Off he goes out into the big wide world.