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This year's Christmas card is done! There have been several years that I have threatened to not do a card
at all. It is a lot of work, and a lot of thought, and frankly not a small expense either. But this year especially,
I did not have the heart for it, and told the kids we may have to skip this year. Jordan and Hannah decided
that couldn't be and took over the project completely.
at all. It is a lot of work, and a lot of thought, and frankly not a small expense either. But this year especially,
I did not have the heart for it, and told the kids we may have to skip this year. Jordan and Hannah decided
that couldn't be and took over the project completely.
11-23-08
Here are a few teaser shots of the kids working on the card this week. They were very cute. We have 41
done, and will try to get the rest done this week. The picture was taken today, sans parents this time -- it's
just too hard to get everyone in and smiling with their eyes open....
Here are a few teaser shots of the kids working on the card this week. They were very cute. We have 41
done, and will try to get the rest done this week. The picture was taken today, sans parents this time -- it's
just too hard to get everyone in and smiling with their eyes open....
12-01-08
Well, the cards are basically finished, and waiting for folding and stuffing and stamping envelopes.
Assuming they get out this week, I think it will be the earliest we have ever had our cards out. Look
for yours soon...
I love Silas's expression on the second picture down. He seems amused that Daddy is doing this too!
Well, the cards are basically finished, and waiting for folding and stuffing and stamping envelopes.
Assuming they get out this week, I think it will be the earliest we have ever had our cards out. Look
for yours soon...
I love Silas's expression on the second picture down. He seems amused that Daddy is doing this too!
Tightrope walk, no stable ground
Lighthearted songs, no voice, no sound
Promises are falling down
Smiling face met with a frown
Hope today, gone tomorrow
Happiness has turned to sorrow
What once thought sure has disappeared
Regarded, praised, now hated, feared
Searching for a constancy
Reliable and trustworthy
Hands thrown up, ripe for forfeit
Waning.... wait! Don't forget that
The One who has remained steadfast
Has proved Himself throughout the past
When life becomes unbearable
Our Lord remains dependable
"Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light,
trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God."
Isaiah 50:10b
Lighthearted songs, no voice, no sound
Promises are falling down
Smiling face met with a frown
Hope today, gone tomorrow
Happiness has turned to sorrow
What once thought sure has disappeared
Regarded, praised, now hated, feared
Searching for a constancy
Reliable and trustworthy
Hands thrown up, ripe for forfeit
Waning.... wait! Don't forget that
The One who has remained steadfast
Has proved Himself throughout the past
When life becomes unbearable
Our Lord remains dependable
"Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light,
trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God."
Isaiah 50:10b
It was difficult to come up with a poem that reflects this year for us. But we are not the only ones who have
struggled this year. With the economy, and natural disasters, and other circumstances, there is just so much in life
that is difficult and uncertain and scary. Jordan wanted to address these things in her poem, and wanted to convey
that when all is uncertain around us, that God is the one thing that we can be sure of, and that we can depend on. I
love the verse in Isaiah; it is interesting that it says that the one who is in the dark and cannot see, can trust and rely
on God. Here is more of the passage:
10 Who among you fears the LORD
and obeys the word of his servant?
Let him who walks in the dark,
who has no light,
trust in the name of the LORD
and rely on his God.
11 But now, all you who light fires
and provide yourselves with flaming torches,
go, walk in the light of your fires
and of the torches you have set ablaze.
This is what you shall receive from my hand:
You will lie down in torment.
Isn't that interesting? Those who cannot see can rely on God to guide them, but those who decide to light their own
way, and find their way on their own, will not find what they are looking for after all. If ever we have felt like we have
been walking through a dark valley, it is this year, and it is good to know we do not have to light our own fires, or
figure everything out ourselves, but simply "trust in the name of the LORD and rely on God" to light our way.
Given the circumstances, Jordan and Hannah worked on a design that would be very simple, and also include the
little ones. They decided on a simple multi-folded card. Hannah used her skill at cutting out designs to make
stencils that could be stamped with red and green inks. The design is supposed to show going from chaos to
peace, with the chaos and turmoil side in red, and transitioning to the peaceful, ordered side in green. The little kids
really enjoyed stamping the stencils, and everyone in the family took a turn at stamping stencils.
struggled this year. With the economy, and natural disasters, and other circumstances, there is just so much in life
that is difficult and uncertain and scary. Jordan wanted to address these things in her poem, and wanted to convey
that when all is uncertain around us, that God is the one thing that we can be sure of, and that we can depend on. I
love the verse in Isaiah; it is interesting that it says that the one who is in the dark and cannot see, can trust and rely
on God. Here is more of the passage:
10 Who among you fears the LORD
and obeys the word of his servant?
Let him who walks in the dark,
who has no light,
trust in the name of the LORD
and rely on his God.
11 But now, all you who light fires
and provide yourselves with flaming torches,
go, walk in the light of your fires
and of the torches you have set ablaze.
This is what you shall receive from my hand:
You will lie down in torment.
Isn't that interesting? Those who cannot see can rely on God to guide them, but those who decide to light their own
way, and find their way on their own, will not find what they are looking for after all. If ever we have felt like we have
been walking through a dark valley, it is this year, and it is good to know we do not have to light our own fires, or
figure everything out ourselves, but simply "trust in the name of the LORD and rely on God" to light our way.
Given the circumstances, Jordan and Hannah worked on a design that would be very simple, and also include the
little ones. They decided on a simple multi-folded card. Hannah used her skill at cutting out designs to make
stencils that could be stamped with red and green inks. The design is supposed to show going from chaos to
peace, with the chaos and turmoil side in red, and transitioning to the peaceful, ordered side in green. The little kids
really enjoyed stamping the stencils, and everyone in the family took a turn at stamping stencils.
As always, it is no small trick
to get all the kids dressed,
presentable, and looking at
the camera with their eyes
open, much less smiling. It
took over 100 pictures to get
this one, and even it is not
quite what I would like. I also
was not happy with the color
of the prints that went in the
card. But all in all, not too
bad. At one point while taking
this picture we noticed that
Isaac was holding a toy in his
hand and we made him put it
down in the chair beside him.
I snapped several shots
before anyone noticed that he
was just standing there
crying! He is pretty quiet.
Eden, as always, is hard to
make stay in one spot. We
did not intend to have pets in
the photo, but Peapod walked
while we were finishing up and
Jordan picked her up. This
made everyone smile!
to get all the kids dressed,
presentable, and looking at
the camera with their eyes
open, much less smiling. It
took over 100 pictures to get
this one, and even it is not
quite what I would like. I also
was not happy with the color
of the prints that went in the
card. But all in all, not too
bad. At one point while taking
this picture we noticed that
Isaac was holding a toy in his
hand and we made him put it
down in the chair beside him.
I snapped several shots
before anyone noticed that he
was just standing there
crying! He is pretty quiet.
Eden, as always, is hard to
make stay in one spot. We
did not intend to have pets in
the photo, but Peapod walked
while we were finishing up and
Jordan picked her up. This
made everyone smile!