Last Wednesday we played music for about 45 minutes at an assisted living home near us. Every so often we like to share our music and the love of Jesus with residents at various nursing or assisted living homes. We played mostly bluegrass, and mostly gospel, but we like to add a few traditional or fun songs in here and there. Lydia just started playing fiddle this school year, and she's come really far! God has given her a natural ear for music. Caleb is also excellent at fiddle (he's been playing it for maybe five years). So here is a fiddle song (Boil Them Cabbage Down) played by our fiddlers!! Dad is on the bass, I'm on banjo, and Daniel is on the mandolin.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Ethan's Birthday
Last week was really busy for our family! Babysitting twice, playing at a nursing home, passing out tracts, giving lessons, running errands and lots more filled my time. And then Monday, February 9th, was Ethan's 7th birthday! He had a good day, full of army men, a toy tractor, plenty of cards, and a Thomas the Tank movie before bed. Here is a short video I quickly put together of some of his day. I used my camera and so the quality probably isn't very good. :-) Enjoy!!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Pictures
A couple weeks ago dad took Caleb, Lydia, Ethan and I to a hotel to spend the night. We had gotten some Christmas money from our grandparents and usually once a year we enjoy going to a hotel while mom stays home and scrapbooks or organizes pictures (Daniel stayed home to take care of the wood stove and the animals). We had a blast swimming, playing ping-pong and UNO, and watching Animal Planet and old re-runs like Andy Griffith on a big-screen High Definition TV!! :-) Thanks for a fun time, dad!
This morning the trees were just covered in frost - it was absolutely gorgeous! The sun was shining on the sparkling branches . . . it was beautiful. I had fun taking numerous pictures out there with my Sony digital camera, and I thought I'd share a few with you. So, here are some pics from both the hotel and this morning. Enjoy!
This morning the trees were just covered in frost - it was absolutely gorgeous! The sun was shining on the sparkling branches . . . it was beautiful. I had fun taking numerous pictures out there with my Sony digital camera, and I thought I'd share a few with you. So, here are some pics from both the hotel and this morning. Enjoy!
Good Post by Andrea
The other day I read a really good post by my friend Andrea. With the recent inauguration I thought it would be a good encouragement for everyone to read what she had to say. Thanks, Andrea, for letting me put your post on here!! :-)
I Found Not One
Ezekiel 22:30-31
"I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one. Thus I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; their way I have brought upon their heads," declares the Lord God.
I once heard someone say that this verse didn't mean that there were no righteous men in the nation; just that there was no one that would rise up and intercede for the country. No one understood the predicament the nation was in, and because they weren't in constant prayer, they didn't realize that they even needed to stand in the gap.
How true is that of this nation? Sure, we have some righteous men and women in the country; but how many of them even know that God is looking for someone to "build up the wall and stand in the gap for the land," let alone be willing to do so? Think about that verse. God searched over the entire land, and didn't even find ONE man who would stand and intercede. He would have turned from destroying the land on account of one man, and didn't even find that. He is searching this nation; will He find even one righteous man here who will stand in the gap?
Derek Prince once said (many years ago) that the heart of Jesus Christ for this nation is a broken one. He has done more for America than He has for any other nation, save Israel, and yet we turn our backs, and harden our hearts, and close our ears to His voice. Warnings have fallen on deaf ears, and the judgment that we may soon experience has been long in coming. Prince said that the only way this nation will avert the judgment it so deserves is if men and women get down on their knees and start repenting and interceding for this country.
We just watched a new era of life enter with the inauguration of the new President. With it, I have heard so much hate-talk towards the President, that it makes me sick. Believe me, I'm no fan of our new leader, but God doesn't call us to bad-mouth our leaders--He calls us to pray for them. Paul told the early Christians to obey and pray for those in authority over them--and that was during the Roman reign! If those Christians could pray for their leaders, how much more should we pray for ours? If we aren't satisfied with the way our leaders are running the country, we need to get down on our knees and pray that God will turn the hearts of the kings toward Himself.
Proverbs 21:1
The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes.
I don't mean to come across as pessimistic; Jesus Christ is still on His throne, and He still reigns on high over everything. But that doesn't give us an excuse to stand by and watch our world fall into greater darkness; it should motivate us to reach out to the broken-hearted, and offer them an everlasting Hope when all hope seems gone.
I Found Not One
Ezekiel 22:30-31
"I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one. Thus I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; their way I have brought upon their heads," declares the Lord God.
I once heard someone say that this verse didn't mean that there were no righteous men in the nation; just that there was no one that would rise up and intercede for the country. No one understood the predicament the nation was in, and because they weren't in constant prayer, they didn't realize that they even needed to stand in the gap.
How true is that of this nation? Sure, we have some righteous men and women in the country; but how many of them even know that God is looking for someone to "build up the wall and stand in the gap for the land," let alone be willing to do so? Think about that verse. God searched over the entire land, and didn't even find ONE man who would stand and intercede. He would have turned from destroying the land on account of one man, and didn't even find that. He is searching this nation; will He find even one righteous man here who will stand in the gap?
Derek Prince once said (many years ago) that the heart of Jesus Christ for this nation is a broken one. He has done more for America than He has for any other nation, save Israel, and yet we turn our backs, and harden our hearts, and close our ears to His voice. Warnings have fallen on deaf ears, and the judgment that we may soon experience has been long in coming. Prince said that the only way this nation will avert the judgment it so deserves is if men and women get down on their knees and start repenting and interceding for this country.
We just watched a new era of life enter with the inauguration of the new President. With it, I have heard so much hate-talk towards the President, that it makes me sick. Believe me, I'm no fan of our new leader, but God doesn't call us to bad-mouth our leaders--He calls us to pray for them. Paul told the early Christians to obey and pray for those in authority over them--and that was during the Roman reign! If those Christians could pray for their leaders, how much more should we pray for ours? If we aren't satisfied with the way our leaders are running the country, we need to get down on our knees and pray that God will turn the hearts of the kings toward Himself.
Proverbs 21:1
The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes.
I don't mean to come across as pessimistic; Jesus Christ is still on His throne, and He still reigns on high over everything. But that doesn't give us an excuse to stand by and watch our world fall into greater darkness; it should motivate us to reach out to the broken-hearted, and offer them an everlasting Hope when all hope seems gone.
Monday, January 5, 2009
New Year Pictures
Okay, here are some pictures from New Year's.
In this first one I tried to get a shot of all the instruments at once!! There were obviously a LOT of musicians there!
Tessa Alzen and Maria U. with their violins
Some jammers (Caleb and Daniel on guitar and mandolin, and someone else on guitar) and spectators (Mr. and Mrs. U.)
These are from mom's new camera:
The Alzens (www.alzenfamily.com) stayed overnight at our house on New Year's Day, and we really enjoyed their company! Here's a picture of Analise and Tessa Alzen with Lydia. They're very sweet girls.
And here's one of us playing "snow football" with the Alzens
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY BLOG READERS!!
In this first one I tried to get a shot of all the instruments at once!! There were obviously a LOT of musicians there!
Tessa Alzen and Maria U. with their violins
Some jammers (Caleb and Daniel on guitar and mandolin, and someone else on guitar) and spectators (Mr. and Mrs. U.)
These are from mom's new camera:
The Alzens (www.alzenfamily.com) stayed overnight at our house on New Year's Day, and we really enjoyed their company! Here's a picture of Analise and Tessa Alzen with Lydia. They're very sweet girls.
And here's one of us playing "snow football" with the Alzens
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY BLOG READERS!!
New Year's Day
Last Thursday we went to our friends the Haining's house for a New Year's Day "party!" We arrived around 12:30pm and stayed for several hours - jamming, eating, talking, and then jamming and eating some more!! It was a lot of fun. Some friends and I recorded one of our songs to share with you here on the blog. L-R is Lydia U., Anna U., me, Leah, and Maria U. Leah said afterwards that she knew this song but had never played it before!! Great job, everybody!
After I post this I'll put some pictures on here of New Year's Day. Thank you Haining family for hosting it!! You can view their website at www.hainingfamily.com.
After I post this I'll put some pictures on here of New Year's Day. Thank you Haining family for hosting it!! You can view their website at www.hainingfamily.com.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Our Christmas
This year for Christmas Eve we were able to have Grandma Grace (mom's mom) over for a nice supper. We haven't been able to have Christmas with her in a LONG time!! I always enjoy Christmas dinner - our tradition is ham, mashed potatoes, and a variety of other side dishes like corn, olives, green beans, buns, and more! For dessert we always have a cookie plate filled with all kinds of goodies - peanut butter kiss cookies, Mexican wedding cakes (also called snowballs or walnut crescents), chocolate covered pretzels, chocolate kisses, and more!
After supper and clean-up dad read us the Christmas story out of Luke 2. Then it was time to open presents!! This year I got a few books (it seems like I get books every year - I wonder why?), a movie, some fuzzy socks, and some snowman poop!! Yes, you read it right - snowman poop (a.k.a. mini marshmallows)!! Here's the little poem that came with it:
Santa checked his list and then he checked it twice,
He found out you haven't been very nice.
Since coal is so expensive, here is the scoop,
He's giving you a stocking full of snowman poop!!
We also got some Jonathan Park Cd's (www.jonathanpark.com), and us kids all pitched in to buy some movies off of www.behemoth.com. We usually save a gift or two for Christmas Day, so that morning we gave mom her unexpected gift - a new camera!! She'd been wanting a small digital camera to carry around in her purse, but she was so surprised to get one for Christmas that she screamed!! For the rest of Christmas Day we just layed around in our pajamas reading, watching movies, and listening to Jonathan Park!! Here are some pictures of our Christmas Eve with grandma (the second to last one is of dad reading a sweet poem that Lydia wrote him):
After supper and clean-up dad read us the Christmas story out of Luke 2. Then it was time to open presents!! This year I got a few books (it seems like I get books every year - I wonder why?), a movie, some fuzzy socks, and some snowman poop!! Yes, you read it right - snowman poop (a.k.a. mini marshmallows)!! Here's the little poem that came with it:
Santa checked his list and then he checked it twice,
He found out you haven't been very nice.
Since coal is so expensive, here is the scoop,
He's giving you a stocking full of snowman poop!!
We also got some Jonathan Park Cd's (www.jonathanpark.com), and us kids all pitched in to buy some movies off of www.behemoth.com. We usually save a gift or two for Christmas Day, so that morning we gave mom her unexpected gift - a new camera!! She'd been wanting a small digital camera to carry around in her purse, but she was so surprised to get one for Christmas that she screamed!! For the rest of Christmas Day we just layed around in our pajamas reading, watching movies, and listening to Jonathan Park!! Here are some pictures of our Christmas Eve with grandma (the second to last one is of dad reading a sweet poem that Lydia wrote him):
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