Weeds

We're enjoying our first vegetable garden this year. The kids and I have been spending lots of time checking our growing crops and plucking out the weeds that seek to consume them. We're always amazed by how quickly they pop up and it's provided a great visual illustration for the sin that grows in our hearts: we need to get it by the root or it just grows back heartier and more stubborn!!

Last night at the dinner table, Mighty Man began a conversation that touched my heart. It is so encouraging when God shows Mr. Right and me that they're getting it!!

Mighty Man: "Dad, xxxxx (a young man we know who needs Jesus) has weeds in his heart."

Mr. Right: "Yes, he does. Do you know who else has weeds in his heart?"

Mighty Man: "Who?"

Mr. Right: "I do."

Pause.

Mighty Man: "So do I."

Princess Peacemaker: "Me too."

Another pause.

Mighty Man: "Dad, I pushed Princess Peacemaker in the pool today." Turning to his sister, "Please forgive me."

A few seconds later we heard a long sigh followed by these words: "Boy, it sure feels good to get rid of that weed. It was a big one 'cause I'd been holding onto it for a long time."

Fun, Fun, Fun, in the Sun, Sun, Sun!

We've had a string of warm sunny days here in the Pacific Northwest. In fact, yesterday the temps reached the mid-80's and we felt like we were melting...I know, I know, it's all about acclimation!

The tribe has been enjoying some splashing time in our teeny-tiny pool.

And Little Miss Giggles can't get enough of it. Princess Peacemaker had taken her inside to get dressed right before this...

...Diaper and all...!!

Quote of the Week

Receive every inward and outward trouble, every disappointment, pain, uneasiness, temptation, darkness, and desolation, with both thy hands as a true opportunity and blessed occasion of dying to self, and entering into the fuller fellowship with thy self-denying Savior.

William Law

A 'Wet' Weekend

Two summers ago the insurance man sent us to a hotel for a week while the wood flooring man came in to repair some water damage in our kitchen. We had such a great time swimming and relaxing and being away from home that we decided to make it an annual event (the hotel, not the floor damage!).

The kids have been reminding us for a couple of months that it was time to 'go to the hotel', so this past weekend we spontaneously packed up and headed out. We only drove an hour north, but it felt like we were really getting away, and the kids spent as many hours as possible in the pool. I think they're still prune-y!Giggles, in her seemingly unending quest for thrills and danger, loved floating upside and downside and jumping in when no one was looking. Fortunately her daddy is very attentive and she was kept out of harms' way. Does she look worried?
And, I know we're biased, but we think we've been blessed with the cutest baby (and daddy)ever!!!....

Quote of the Week

I am soooo guilty of this...change my heart O, God!...

We tend to look at the circumstances of life in terms of what they may do to our cherished hopes and convenience, and we shape our decisions and reactions accordingly. When a problem threatens, we rush to God, not to seek His perspective, but to ask Him to deflect the trouble. Our self-concern takes priority over whatever it is that God might be trying to do through our trouble...

An escapist generation reads security, prosperity and physical well-being as evidences of God's blessing. Thus when he puts suffering and affliction into our hands, we misread His signals and misinterpret His intentions.

Arthur Mathews

Snow on Top of the Mountain

True Confession: I'm almost as nervous to post this recipe as I was the first time I served it to guests. It's unique, but I promise, it's delicious!

I had had it several times in different places and finally decided to make it myself. It was a hands-down hit! People are usually shocked by how good it is because when they look at the combination of ingredients on the table it seems hard to believe, but even the most die hard skeptics have changed their tunes once the food hits their mouths. It has just the right amounts of sweet, salty and crunchy!

Here's what you'll need for 6-8 people:

4-5 cups white rice
1 Family size can cream of chicken Soup
2 cans evaporated milk
1-2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
2-3 cups Cheddar cheese, grated
1-2 cups celery, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 cup almonds, slivered
1 large can chunk pineapple, drained
1 can olives, sliced and drained
2 cups chow mien noodles
1/2 bag sweetened shredded coconut
curry, to taste

Curious yet? Here's what you do:

Cook rice as per directions. In large saucepan, combine cream of chicken soup, shredded chicken and evaporated milk (I usually add the curry to this mixture because we like curry, but you can also serve it on the side for those who don't). Simmer on low, stirring occasionally.

Divide remaining ingredients into individual bowls. Now you're ready to serve (and yes, it really was that easy!). Start with a bed of rice on each plate and add a generous spoonful of the chicken mixture.
Then let your guests go crazy building their own mountain. I usually suggest starting with the cheese so it melts a little and the 'snow on top' is the coconut, otherwise the order doesn't matter.

And there you have it: Snow on Top of the Mountain! We have served this for family gatherings, church functions and get togethers with friends. It's most fun when people ask what they can bring and I tell them something like "how about a can of olives and chow mien noodles?" Umm, what? Even the pickiest eaters love it because they make their own mountains with the ingredients they like.

I usually add rolls and green salad for side dishes, but it isn't really necessary.

Whew I did it! I exposed our craziest meal idea. Although this is a family favorite (and Mom likes it because it's done in 15 minutes on nights when we're crunched for time), I do serve 'regular' food occasionally.

Fear-less

We have a very special little girl at our house. Her daddy calls her 'Giggles.' Partly because it rhymes with a shortened version of her given name and partly because that's just what she does. Constantly. No matter what life throws at her, Giggles is, well, giggling! And in this she brings immense joy to our home because her spirit is infectious and has all of us laughing.

God has used Giggles to teach me some very valuable lessons. Her seizure disorder brings with it several unique challenges, one of which is an incredibly high pain tolerance, the other a seeming inability to fear. This combination often helps her to get into situations most of us would have the common sense to avoid. The fact that she is two only compounds her keen ability to find trouble!

Yesterday morning she was up in the playroom terrorizing her brothers and her sister. They were building Lego towers and she was taking it upon herself to be the one-man wrecking crew. After several pleas from her siblings for a rescue, I decided I'd have her come to the kitchen to help fix a snack.

As I was walking up the stairs I saw her at the top of the landing. I held out my arms and said "C'mon, Mama needs your help cutting the watermelon." To my surprise, she backed up about four feet and with reckless abandon made a running leap for my catch.

Only I hadn't really intended to catch her. I was still five steps down and it was too far for her to jump. She didn't seem to notice and was in the air before I could stop her.

And suddenly, there she was. In the security of my embrace, having no idea of the calamity that could have befallen her, giggling and happy, thinking she'd just had the thrill of her Tuesday.

Once my heart started beating again, I felt the Lord speak to me: 'I want you to live life like she does.'

How's that, tempting disaster on a continual basis?

'No, trusting Me.'

Wow.

I've been thinking about it ever since.

Giggles has an all-or-nothing spirit. And when she leaps, she leaps. Yesterday she seemingly had no idea of the peril that awaited her when she plunged off the landing. She wasn't worried about it because she had me in her sights. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that I would catch her. She is confident enough in my love for her that she knew I wouldn't, couldn't, let her fall.

And that's how God wants me to be with Him.

The trouble is, unlike Giggles, I have known pain. And because far too often I don't first check to see if He is there, I've fallen down enough times that I also have fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of missing the mark. Fear of failure. Fear of not being caught. Fear of being hurt. And the most unfounded: fear that maybe, just maybe, He's stopped loving me.

So I hesitate. Before I choose to trust Him, I stop and weigh the options: What will trusting Him cost me?

But my loving Heavenly Father is not like me. There is no chance of Him dropping me when I leap into His loving arms. He is waiting for me. And like Giggles did yesterday, He wants me to back up, put a smile in my heart, let my hair flap in the breeze and RUN to Him. With reckless abandon. Into His safety. Into His embrace. Into His love.

Without doubting. Without stopping to think about how He might fail me. Because He won't. He can't.

He wants me to know that as much as I love my little girl, He loves me infinitely more. And as much as I want to protect Giggles, He wants to protect me more. As I watch out and care for her and help her to recognize danger, He does this for me more.

And even when it seems impossible not to crash and burn, He is still waiting for me with open arms. Never caught off guard. Always ready.

Unconditionally.

We've Moved

Our blog has moved!

Davy Crockett says 'Come join us if you dare!' If you want to know where we are send me an email.

A House FULL of Grace

Ch-ch-chan-ges...Can you hear it? Yes, you can blame me if that jingle is stuck in your head for the rest of the day...

I have been playing with the idea of renaming my blog for awhile. I didn't have a specific purpose in mind for Exceedingly Abundantly when it began. I was surprised by how much I enjoy blogging and that there are people out there, many of whom I've never met personally but now consider friends, who actually want to read about the happenings in our family or the day-to-day thoughts of a mom who most certainly does not have it all together.

I had a couple of things come up related to my blog that impressed me to make some changes. One was to more carefully protect the identity of my family and the other was to give it a new name. I sometimes pray about weird things so I asked God to give me the new moniker. Something that describes who we are as a family and what God has done and continues to do in our lives.

After batting around all sorts of options, some that were really lame and some that were already taken, it came to me. In the middle of a really bad morning when all I could cry out was "Lord, I need your grace today!"

And A House FULL of Grace was born. It fits for two reasons. One because we most definitely need an extra measure of His grace in the midst of our chaotic and crazy days, and two because, the truth is, with five teeny weenies living inside these four walls, we definitely lean towards being a house FULL!

To welcome you, and as a way of saying 'thanks for sticking with us' I'll be doing a giveaway this week. We love The Vision Forum for it's incredible Bible-based, family-focused resources. You can find out who they are by clicking through the link on my sidebar. And if you leave a comment any time this week, I'll enter you for a DVD drawing to take place on Friday at noon Pacific Time (which gives all you Easterners a few extra hours!) .

So, thanks for joining us here at A House FULL of Grace. We're excited for our new adventure and hope you'll enjoy it too!

Quote of the Week

A great many things in God's divine Providences do not look to the eye like goodness. But faith sits down before mysteries such as these, and says, "The Lord is good, therefore all that He does must be good no matter how it looks. I can wait for His explanations."

Hannah Whitall Smith

Don't forget, we're moving our blog next week. If you'd like to follow us to our new address, please send me an me an email (housefullofgrace@gmail.com). We'd love to have you join us!

Catching Up

We've been out of blog-land for far too long, but lots has been happening in our neck of the woods. Here are a few highlights...

* * * * *

Our house is finally on the market. If you know of anyone who would like to relocate to lovely Camano Island, we know just the spot...

The view from the 'hood is awesome...kids not included...

* * * * *

We are proud to announce our most recent diaper graduate. And when you have such cool underwear, why not wear three pair at a time? I always love an excuse for more laundry...

Three down and some pennies in our pocket...

* * * * *

Lydie-Bitty has started on solids... ...And popped her two bottom teeth. No pictures of those yet, but believe me, they're there...

* * * * *

My sister-in-love, Ruth, niece Rachel and nephew Matt came to visit from Florida so Steve and I could attend a homeschool conference (that's true love and dedication). We visited the Space Needle...

And Pike Place Market... Rode the iconic monorail...
And had a fun afternoon at beautiful Deception Pass...

White sand is nowhere to be found on Washington's beaches, but we have killer rocks and driftwood...

Even a see-saw...

Can you tell which side of the family Lydia's ice blue eyes come from?

* * * * *

We think spring is finally here. Last year for his birthday, Grandpa and Grandma gave AJ this...

Fortunately, it rained most of the summer, so he never actually used it. Last week it was sunny and warm. Grandpa broke out his Hog and AJ broke in his helmet. Well, actually, Grandma's helmet has a cool headset in it for two-way communication, so he used that instead...

And they were off (if this makes you shudder, just be glad I didn't include a sound clip)...

Of course, then everyone wanted a turn...
But after it was all said and done, my children were still alive and AJ wrote this with sidewalk chalk:

Yep, that says 'I (heart) U Mom' and the pink cake-looking thing on top is a queen. This, of course, made the fifteen minute breath-hold totally worth it...

* * * * *

And finally, for a number of reasons, we're moving our blog next week. If you'd like to follow us to our new address, please send me an email (housefullofgrace@gmail.com). We'd love to have you join us, and will tell you more about why we've moved when we get off the ground!

Resurrection Cookies

Last year our local newspaper printed the following recipe for Resurrection cookies (yes, it's a small town and yes, we love that very much!).

The kids and I made them Saturday night so they were ready Easter morning. It was great to have such a practical visual to share the story of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection.

It is important to follow the recipe carefully and make sure you read all of the Scriptures together. It makes for a rich and meaningful time of reflection and appreciation.

For this recipe you will need:

1 c. whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
1 c. sugar
zipper baggie
wooden spoon
tape
The Bible

Preheat Oven to 300 degrees (this is important - don't wait till you're halfway done with the recipe!).

Place pecans in zipper baggie. Let children beat them with the wooden spoon so they break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested he was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Pour into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing.

Add sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us, He wants us to know that and He wants us to love Him as well. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts and drop by teaspoons onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.

Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Sunday morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On Resurrection morning, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.

Happy Birthday Siggy G

Precious girl, you are two years old today.

I am finding words inadequate in wanting to share all that you mean to us. A year ago next week, we almost lost you. God has used you to show us that we cannot take a single moment for granted. That in a heartbeat everything can change.

From the very beginning you let us know that you would not be boxed in. I was due to be induced at 10:30 am on April 6, 2007. As I was mopping the floor around seven, attempting to get the house in top shape before leaving for the hospital, I began cramping. After a few minutes, I woke Daddy up and suggested that maybe he should time the cramps while I was in the shower. He stood in the bathroom, saying "three minutes, three minutes, three minutes..."

We packed up your brothers and your sister and hit the road a little earlier than planned and by the time we were halfway to the hospital I knew you were on your way. You made your entrance forty minutes after we walked through the door. At 10:35. A mere five minutes after the doctor had planned to get my labor started. Your own way. Your own timing. How crazy were we to think that we were in control.

And it's been that way ever since. As we've battled your seizure disorder this past year, we've learned so much. We've come to understand that even when life doesn't pan out exactly as planned, it can be rich and full and beyond imagination. By example, you've taught us that circumstances don't have to get you down. And that when you fall, it doesn't always hurt as much as you think it should; just get up and keep on going. You've shown us that a diagnosis means nothing, it's the heart that counts.

Through you, God has reminded us that He is in charge. That He is the giver of life. That He makes all things beautiful. And you are beautiful, Sigourney. You bring so much joy and happiness to our home. Your zest for life is contagious. Your laughter is deep and heartfelt. Your passion is endless.

We love you, precious girl. We thank God for you. We praise Him and know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. We can't imagine life without you and are so, so thankful He chose to let us keep you.

God bless you, Baby, today and always.

Quote of the Week

It is true ... there are excellent truths in [other writings], but yet they are far short of [the Scriptures]. Those may comfort against outward trouble, but not against inward fears; they may rejoice the mind, but cannot quiet the conscience; they may kindle some flashy sparkles of joy, but they cannot warm the soul with a lasting fire of solid consolations.

Charles Spurgeon

We Did It! Wednesday

Becky at Holiday in the Sun is the fabulous host of "We Did It! Wednesday." "We Did It! Wednesday" is all about quality one-on-one time with our children and grandchildren, and sharing ideas of fun things to do together!! You can click on over to Becky and see what others are doing to pick up a few ideas.

A friend of mine recently took her children to their local Children's Museum, which sparked a memory that we hadn't visited ours in a very long time. It moved to it's new, larger location last fall, so everything old seemed new again.

AJ explains the law of gravity to his younger siblings...

And masters the climbing wall in no time flat...

Avery is the creative genius of the family and was in her element with the arts and crafts...

Aiden loved painting too...

Sigourney just ran from one station to the next, to the next, overwhelmed by all the fun activities!

"Is there gluten in any of these items I've selected? Mommy will make me put them back if there is!..."

And who lets their daughter out in public with this much eye make-up anyway?

Washington State beaches are wonderful for driftwood and skipping rocks, but nice sand is a rarity. This is a real treat...

Even Lydia got in on the action (wearing her new favorite outfit from a little girl we love who lives very far away).

"Look at all this cool stuff for babies just learning to sit up...and can you tell I'm still working on those bottom teeth?"

I'm not great with inviting messes into the house, so this was a wonderful opportunity for painting and crafting especially. Their ideas, their supplies, their mess, it's a beautiful thing! And because we homeschool, we were able to go on a weekday morning and practically had the place to ourselves.

Yearly memberships are a bargain for families the size of ours -- it's almost as reasonable to go for a year as it is to go once when you calculate the per visit cost per-person. We upgraded to an annual pass so we can go back again and again. The kids gleefully shared the details of their morning with Daddy when he got home from work and said, "Dad, we can go anytime we want because now it's free!"

Next lesson: economics.