Esther Ruth..........

Over the last few weeks, I have been amazed at God's creation..... (once again!).  It really is amazing the detail of some of the smallest things on earth.... for example, this flower is about 2 inches by 3 inches big (approximately).  But then just one cell in our body is smaller than anything our eyes can even see...... if this doesn't blow our minds away, I don't know what will!  We truly serve an AWESOME God, don't we??!!!!

"The heavens declare the glory of God;  And the firmament shows His handiwork." Psalms 19:1

Amy :: My awesome brothers & sisters....

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  We certainly did.  

I especially enjoyed spending time with my parents and each one of my siblings.  

I am so thankful for all of them 

and for their hearts to serve the Lord and honor Him.

These pics were taken last week...Thanksgiving time together :)

"Praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord, O my soul!  

I will praise the Lord as long as I live;  I will sing praises to my God while I have my being."

Psalm 146:1-2

Thanksgiving Day!! ~ Tricia Week 7

HAPPY DAY OF THANKS EVERYONE!!!! :D

I am thankful for many things. One of my favorite "lines" is what Dave Ramsey says whenever someone asks him how he is doing: "Better than I deserve." I am thankful that God has blessed me and my family so much. We are doing "better than we deserve". I am thankful for good friends, God's  many tender mercies and provisions this semester, my wonderful parents, my dearest darlingest sisters, this great nation born of freedom so many years ago, and most of all God's saving grace and sacrificial gift of His Son-how He loves. <3

So blessed. <3

Before I go, I want to share with you all this 'Thanksgiving Day Proclomation' written by George Washington in 1789. It has touched me greatly and I just had to share. It is such an excellent reminder of the original intentions of Thanksgiving-The Thanksgiving that turns us to our Heavenly Father with grateful hearts and awe-filled eyes. Please read and enjoy. HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 

Thanksgiving Day Proclamation

George Washington – October 3, 1789 

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

 Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

G. Washington.

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." ~Psalm 118:1

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Esther Ruth.......

                                     L-R : Amy, Me, Billy, Daddy, Mommy, Katie and Andy.

I am super duper "Thankful" for my wonderful family!  They are really awesome!  I have recently been appreciative of how much my parents love each other and sacrifice for us children.  My siblings are awesome; I wouldn't trade them for the world.  We always have the best times together! Thank you family for being there for me even when I'm not the best person to be around.  Love you Family!


“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord."  Jeremiah 17:7

Amy :: Thanksgiving

These are some photos of some of our family's fall decorations...

                                 I am so thankful for my family and for our home.            

         It has been such a blessing to grow up in a home where hospitality is important.

            
         "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for His steadfast love endures forever."
                                                             Psalm 136:1 

Patricia :: Thanksgiving

Here in Colorado the leaves are almost all gone. The trees are bare  now, which means Winter is coming. Brrrrrr. 

All those trees (well I guess we don't have a ton of them here) without leaves just looks so different to me. 

It looks: strange.different.odd.wrong.  Something just isn't right. But when I look at a tree these days, I remember the leaves it had during Summer and Fall, how beautiful it looked, and I know it's just part of God's plan.

We love beautiful things, but if everything was beautiful, we wouldn't even KNOW what beauty is. Funny how that works out. It's kind of a picture of how if we were perfect as humans then we wouldn't need God. Or even know that He is perfect. 

So I'm thankful for the leaves that go and come. And I'm thankful that I'm NOT perfect, so that's God's glory and perfectness can shine through me. 

xox trishy

Theme this Week........

It's Thanksgiving week! Our theme this week is something we are grateful for!

May you all have a blessed time with your families this Thanksgiving!

~Esther Ruth

A Father's Love ~ Tricia Week 6

This is week is show week for the musical I'm in. We're putting on "The King and I", and my thoughts, actions, and voice have been filled with King and I influences all week long. :)

In this show there are many, many children who must follow their father's (the king's) commands to the tee; otherwise they could get killed or something else awful.

As our director is reminding us continually, this is in stark contrast to Our Heavenly Father-The King of Kings. How He tenderly, and mercifully loves His children.

 

 

It is lovely to be reminded of that, and be surrounded by SO many dear little children!! :) I have so enjoyed being apart of this show!! Have any of you seen the King and I?? Movie or play??

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!..." ~1 John 3:1

HAPPY THURSDAY!!! :D

Esther Ruth.........

                                                                        
                                                                          Apple sauce!

I have enjoyed making several gallons of apple sauce and apple butter this fall!  The Lord has been teaching me to serve my family with a joyful heart!  I am praying He will mold me into the women He wants me to be!



"A joyful heart is good medicine,  but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."  - Proverbs 17:22

Amy................

 Both of these signs are hanging in our home...we love

having Scripture in sight as we go about our everyday tasks.  

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

This Week's Theme..........

....... is black and white photos.  Enjoy!

Friend Time!! :D ~ Tricia Week 5

I get to spend this  week with my dear friend Kathryn while my parents are out of town. I met Kathryn only a few short weeks after we moved to Kansas and it has been a blessing to know her ever since. :) So thankful God had us meet!

Thankful and excited for this week together!! :D

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.... Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. " ~1 Thessalonians 5:11, 16-18

Have a JOY-FILLED Thursday!! :D
Love,
Tricia

Esther Ruth..........

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."  Proverbs 3:5-6

Amy...Week 5

I took this photo on one of our trips to Colorado this past summer...the mountains are so beautiful

 and they speak of the glory of the Lord!

As today is our Election Day, we have the privilege to vote for whom we choose.  As Christ-followers, we need to vote biblically and honor the Lord in all our choices.  We can know that the Lord is on the throne in heaven and He ultimately is sovereign over whatever happens, even in who wins which election. 

"Daniel answered and said:

'Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, 

to whom belong wisdom and might.

He changes times and seasons:

He removes kings and sets up kings:

He gives wisdom to the wise

and knowledge to those who have understanding;

He reveals deep and hidden things,

He knows what is in the darkness,

 and the light dwells with Him.' "

Daniel 2:20-22

Hanna... A little piece of Spain

A Little piece of Spain...

MARTA GARCIA

This summer my family and I had the chance to visit with our great

friend from Spain, Marta (American: Martha). She loves America

and we took her to Wal-Mart for the first time in her life! She

said it is way too big and "How could someone even need

all this stuff?" She loves chocolate and while she was visiting we made

                  about 4 batches of chocolate chip cookies... not to mention our fondue

night!

L-R... Marta Garcia, My sister Breanna and My Mom

Marta had never been so close to a horse before!

She came with us to our county fair...

 ...And we went to the Rodeo.

L-R Hanna, Emma, Marta, Breanna and my little Night in shining armor... Bryan

 ...Again... Chocolate can never get tiring!

Bryan and Marta love marshmallows!!!

 We had a huge girl sleepover! Marta's second favorite thing!

Bryan loves Marta...

 The next morning after the sleepover... We ate chocolate chip

waffles with chocolate sauce, whip cream and strawberries!

L-R, Hanna Breanne Lane, Marta, Madison Otto, Emma Helgesen and Breanna

Happy Weekend!

XOXO-Hanna

“Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.” ~Mark Twain

"All ye little children..." ~ Tricia Week 4

Last night I had the joy of visiting with my 2 little cousins. These 2 little girls are some of the sweetest you will ever meet. How dear they are.

Me and the older of the 2 cousins playing tea party last Christmas. :)



Me and the younger of the 2 cousins this Spring. :)

Love those girlies so much! :) Whenever I play with them, or with any little ones, I am always beautifully awed by the sweet innocence, purity, and joy they possess. No weight on their shoulders, no distraction of comparisons, just complete freedom. Does this remind you of anything? It does me. In Christ, we have those very same gifts. Christ has given us freedom from sin. Christ will share our burdens with us. We can be secure in our identity in Christ. Through Christ's death and resurrection on the cross, he has cleansed us and made us innocent and pure. And because of this freedom, we have complete joy in Him.

"Praise Him
Praise Him
All ye little children.
God is love.
God is love."

Don't you see? We are still the "little children". The little children running into their Father's arms, and experiencing joy. I am thankful for God using little children to remind me of who I am in Christ. Always a good reminder. :)

"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" ~Matthew 19:14

Have a joyful Thursday!