Friday, December 31, 2010

Golden Minutes


"Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:16 

"Gather up the fragments that are left over. Let nothing be wasted!" John 6:12

"Time is short!" 1 Corinthians 7:29

Time is made up of golden minutes—not one of which we should allow to be wasted! The Master said that for every idle word that men speak—they must give account. This can be no less true of idle minutes or hours.

Most of us live as if we had a thousand years to stay here in this world! We loiter away the golden hours of our little days—as if the days were never to end! We do not see how swiftly the sun is whirling toward his setting, while our work is but half done, our task perhaps scarcely begun!

We fritter away days, weeks, months—not noticing how our one little opportunity of living in this world is being worn off, as the sea eats away a crumbling bank until its last shred is gone! We set slight value on time, forgetting that we have only a hand-breadth of it—and then comes eternity!

Many of us fail to appreciate the value of 'single days'. "A day is too short a space," we say, "that it cannot make much difference if one, just one, is wasted—or idled away in pleasure!" Yet the days are links in a chain, and if one link is broken—the chain is broken. In God's plan for our life—each little day has its own load of duty.
How these lost days shame us—as they turn their reproachful eyes upon us, out of the irrevocable past!

Many people are wasteful of time. They fail to realize its value. They appear to have it in such abundance—that they dream it can never end. They do not know that a day lost—may mean misfortune or failure for them sometime in the future. They do not know that squandered hours, minutes spent in idleness—may cost them the true success of their life, bringing failure or disaster!

They should not make the mistake of imagining they have so much time—that they can afford to let days or hours or even minutes be wasted. They cannot afford to lose one golden minute of any day. We do not know what momentous issues, affecting all our future—are involved in any quietest hour of any common-place day. There is 'a time for everything'—but the time is short, and when it is gone, and the thing is not done—it never can be done!

What you make of your life—you must make in a few years at the most; for the human span is short—and any day may be your last one!Every day that passes—leaves life's margin a little less for each of us. Our allotment of time is ever shortening!

There are a great many things it is not worth our while to do. Some of us spend our days in poor trivialities which bless no one, and which will add no lustre to our crown.

Therefore, waste no opportunity! Squander no moment! There is just time enough for you to live your life well—if you spend every moment of it in earnest, faithful duty. One hour lost—will leave a flaw. A life thus lived in unbroken diligence and faithfulness, will have no regrets when the end comes.


~J.R. Miller, The Sacredness of Opportunity


Happy New Year!

Thursday, December 30, 2010

River of Lights 2010

A less-seasoned parent might wonder why we bother to enjoy the River of Lights.  Hats and scarves and mittens many times over....oh, so cold weather....babies bundled tightly while Mommy and Daddy hope they make it through the tour....long lines to get in....prayers that the many-layered cutie pies won't ask the dreaded question, "Where's the bathroom?"

But after all the frustration and cries and preparation, we always have a good time.  And, it's just another tradition that wraps up the year.

Can you find the world's cutest pink marshmallow? 
(Hint...her name rhymes with pear.:)







One of the favorite attractions.....the Slide!



Now that's a potato for Queen Mom.  Lots of butter, please.









He was cozy warm and didn't cry a bit!





Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Monday, December 27, 2010

Mashoonga!

In a house with a few men, swords are always a hit.  Enter Mashoonga.

These were a gift for Reaches Up since Scribe's swords are still too big for him to use (and a bit too real....).

Mountain Man and Scribe went at it last night.  You would have wanted front row seats to that match.




I admit I asked more than once, "Scribe, doesn't that hurt?!"  Not cool to do that to your 15 year old son.

This smaller version has sold out until Spring, but you can still order a slightly
bigger one.

Tough swords and lots of fun.  Great outlet for all that boy (and man) energy!

Christmas Day~Part 2












 Look...Jedediah already knows a good book when he sees it!  Am I going to have to fight him for this one?


 Book in front of the face....part of that whole mystery surrounding "Scribe"












See, just a few books.  Just a few.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Prayer Request

Please pray for my cousin's spouse, David, who has been admitted to the hospital with pancreatitis and gall bladder problems.  He has recently been moved to ICU, and my cousin, the one who has been bravely fighting cancer for over 5 years now, is not allowed to stay overnight with him.  It's very unsettling to have to leave him, wondering if he's going to be okay through the night.

Please pray for strength and healing and for much comfort for their entire family.  Pray that even when apart, each of them would know sweet sleep and that fear would not overwhelm them.  Pray that my cousin would not suffer any sickness from being at the hospital and that God would preserve her health that she might be a strong source of comfort to her Beloved.

With many, many thanks,

A Sweeter, Better Life

God never places us in any position in which we cannot grow. We may imagine that He does. We may fear we are so impeded by fretting petty cares that we are gaining nothing; but when we are not sending any branches upward, we may be sending roots downward. Perhaps in the time of our humiliation, when everything seems a failure, we are making the best kind of progress. Look on and look up. Lay hold on Christ with both your poor, empty hands. Let Him do with you what seems good to Him. Though He slay you, still trust in Him, and I dare in His name to promise you a sweeter, better life than you could have ever known, had He left you to 
drink of the full dangerous cups of unmingled prosperity.
~Elizabeth Prentiss, Thoughts Concerning the King

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Christmas Day~Part 1

Because we took lots of photos, here's part 1.  You'll notice books were popular gifts...well, we just got a few of them.  Really, just a few.


















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