challenging questions

I found some questions earlier this week that are intended for a small group setting that I thought were very challenging and hopefully helpful to evaluate heart issues. I thought I would share them as I go over them and find myself at the Mercy of the Lord!

1) Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
2) Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
3) Do I confidentially pass onto another what was told me in confidence?
4) Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?
5) Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
6) Did the Bible live in me today?
7) Do I give it time to speak to me every day?
8) Am I enjoying prayer?
9) When did I last speak to someone about my faith?
10) Do I pray about the money I spend?
11) Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
12) Do I disobey God in anything?
13) Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
14) Am I defeated in any part of my life?
15) Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?
16) How do I spend my spare time?
17) Am I proud?
18) Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisee who despised the publican?
19) Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I going to do about it?
20) Do I grumble and complain constantly?
21) Is Christ real to me?

References: Village Church – “The Path” sermon 2 in series. Village used from John Wesley’s Class Meeting: a Model for Making Disciples, by D. Michael Henderson, Evangel Publishing House, 1997, pp. 118-9

RE-united

We had a pretty fun thing happen on Sunday, but I have to give you some back ground.

When Syrah turned one we had a combined birthday party for her and her sister with lots of our family. Being that Syrah was one, she was mostly interested in tissue paper, boxes or just generally overwhelmed by all that was going on. One of the gifts she got was from her Aunt Becky; it was a little white puppy dog and that was the one thing that Syrah held onto the entire day. One day turned into two, into weeks, into months. That dog was her dog and it went everywhere with her… she loved it. She would often lay her head on him or cuddle up tight with him. It was very precious. As she got older she called the dog Muffin (which was the name on the tag).

Not the greatest shot, but we captured the moment the little white puppy entered Syrah's life.

Syrah showing off Muffin to the camera (age 18 months)

Fast forward to Syrah at age three. Our family stayed down town at the Westin the night before the Jingle Bell Run 2005 and of course Muffin came with.

This is Syrah and Muffin after she woke up the morning of JBR 05'!

When we got home from the overnight; Muffin was nowhere to be found… I called the Westin daily to check and see if anyone turned him in. I figured that with all the white bedding he probably just got tucked in a blanket and out of sight. Well, that one day turned into two, into a week, into months and the realization that Muffin was gone (who would have thought we would capture the day that little white puppy left Syrah's life?). In that time, I did search for another Muffin, but no luck. Instead, I found a smaller version and although Syrah said it would never replace Muffin, it was nice to have “lollypup” to keep her company. For the first year, Syrah would talk about Muffin a lot… I mean, almost too much, but like all things that faded. Once in a great while she would bring him up and ask if there is any way he could be found still.

Fast forward back to Sunday… we stopped at a grocery store, one we never go to, not even near our home. We were taking our time because like always we were a tad early to our destination. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted some stuffed animals and I said “let’s go look at the animals”… so off we went. Only moments after walking in the direction I saw a little white puppy and I said “wow, that looks like…”, “MUFFIN” Syrah shouted as she scooped him up and hugged him like the long lost friend he is. She proceeded to look at the tag and there it was “MUFFIN”. She was glowing with excitement; actually we all were because this is quite amazing three years after the loss of Muffin one. There were three of them; each looked a tad dirty and as if they maybe had been sitting in the bottom of a box for years. The tag says:



Monday morning, the day after the little white puppy was back in Syrah's life!

And that is the end of our little story about Muffin!

Hidden Treasure

Syarh has out grown her kitchen; she rarely uses it anymore and she thought it would be good to give it to McKayla so that she could use it and play with it for a few years to come. Syrah did keep all her glass dishes, some of which belonged to her Great-Grandma Connie and her Grandma Valerie when they were growing up. We were trying to think of a good way to display them in her room that would be most efficient. Last night I woke up and remembered that we had he girls Great-Grandma's "kitchen" from when she was a little girls that we were keeping in the garage until Syrah was a bit older as it has glass cabinets and we wanted to make sure she was old enough for them. This morning I pulled out out from the garage and cleaned it all up!

Here it is!! My grandma Connie used this when she was little, my mom used it when she was little and I remember using it at my grandma's house when I was little. It is a treasure to have it here now for our girls to enjoy.

I love the latch; I can't think of anything else we have that has a latch like this one!

After we put all the "dishes" in it; she has several tea sets and often the girl set up restaurants for us or for their animals and friends.

Most of these glass dishes belong to either my grandma or my mom from when they were growing up, so they are all quite special.

A Special Bird House

Several years ago I told my Grandpa Steve how much I liked the two bird houses he had in his back yard; they were so unique and they always seemed to occupy a family of birds. He told me that he made them himself and although I knew he was a talanted artist; I had no idea he also had the talent of creating and building all kinds of fun projects, including the bird houses. Shortly after that time, he made one for us and we promptly found the perfect place for it and it became the home to a family of birds within a week. When we left that home there was no way I could leave it behind and it was winter and the birds were no longer there; so we took it down. For the last several years, we have had no place to hang it, but with our new home it has been on the top of my list. Last week, Billy took the old nest out (which was quite the creation) and hung the birdhouse for me. I am so pleased and hopefully (maybe not this year since it is late in the season) will be watching some birds find this as thier home. I wish my Grandpa was here to see it hanging outside our first home.