Niece & Nephew Christmas Party

Saturday was our 7th annual Niece and Nephew Christmas Party. In attendance this year: Kylie, Emily, Ethan, Carissa, Uncle Greg, and Aunt Katrina.

We started the party this year by decorating a gingerbread house cookie.

Ethan went with the "I like frosting" decorating approach this year. Then, he promptly ate his cookie, every last crumb.

Everyone was in on the act. Uncle Greg decorated a Gingerbread house cookie with an accompanying gingerbread doggie house.

Every Christmas party includes a cookie decorating time, lunch or dinner, dice game for candy prizes, and a "special activity". For our activity this year, we decided to return to Bunker Park Stables for a sleigh ride. This was a our third year at Bunker Park. In past years, there wasn't quite enough snow for a sleigh ride, so we settled for a hay ride. This year, in Minnesota, there is no shortage of snow, so it was our first official sleigh ride. Yay! It was an evening ride this year, so we didn't take quite as many pictures as we have in past years.

We arrived early, so the kids had a chance to play on the snow hills before our ride began.

And the horse-drawn sleigh arrives looking exactly how we imagined it. Wish I had a picture of the kids faces when it pulled up--everyone stared in wonder--it was the first time they were silent all night.

It was another fun year! Merry Christmas nieces and nephews. We love you all!

Who Is He in Yonder Stall?

Who Is He in Yonder Stall? I love this song.We sing it at church at Christmastime. It's Jesus birth, life, death, resurrection, and ruler as king all in one song, and the chorus is beautiful as well.

Verse 1:
Who is He in yonder stall, at whose feet the shepherds fall?
Who is He in deep distress, fasting in the wilderness?

Verse 2:
Who is He the people bless for His words of gentleness?
Who is He to whom they bring all the sick and sorrowing?

Verse 3:
Who is He that stands and weeps at the grave where Lazarus sleeps?
Who is He the gathering throng greet with loud triumphant song?

Verse 4:
Lo at midnight, who is He who prays in dark Gethsemane?
Who is He on yonder tree dies in grief and agony?

Verse 5:
Who is He that from the grave comes to heal and help and save?
Who is He that from His throne rules through all the world alone?

Chorus:
Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!
Tis the Lord! The kind of glory!
At His feet we humbly fall
Crown Him! Crown Him, Lord of all!

Evangelism Focus 12/17/10

For today's evangelism focus I'd like to share with you a video of Tony Miano sharing the gospel with a young man named Juan. It's a thoughtful encounter, and I think there's merit in watching it.

Making Faces

Today is an off Cookie Baking Night, so I thought this would be an appropriate time to share this post. I have kind of an unusual hobby I revisit from time to time. I enjoy making faces (literally) out of polymer clay. Pictured below are a few of the faces I've made over the years.

A few weeks ago, Emily (our niece) spent the weekend with us. One evening during the weekend, I introduced Emily to the skill of "making faces". First, I had her watch the following you tube video so she could get an idea of the process.

Then we set to work. The first step is to condition (soften) the clay. A pasta machine is used for this process. Emily enjoyed this part the most.

Next, she started to layer the pieces together that will make up the face.



Now, she was ready to roll it down to a smaller size (it's harder than it looks).

The proportions were off on the first try (yellow), so we tried again (green). I think she had a successful beginning face-making experience. We baked the clay, and she took a few of the faces home with her to be enjoyed in some kind of craft, I'm sure.

This was a great exercise in learning how to follow directions and realizing that no one is an expert right away. Skills need to be practiced. I see more fun nights with clay in our future.

Our Wisest Plans and Best Endeavors

Saturday is the day I reserve for posts about my own thoughts. But, this is the second week in a row I find my thoughts dim in comparison to something that could be shared from the Bible or something written by one of the Puritans. Today's post comes to you courtesy of my daily e-mail feed from Grace Gems. This quote is taken from letters written by John Newton (writer of the hymn Amazing Grace).

Our Wisest Plans and Best Endeavors

(Letters of John Newton)

We are disciples--Jesus is our Master. The world we live in is His school--and every person and event is under His management, designed to forward us in the great lessons which He would have us to learn--such as . . .
self-denial,
a distrust of creatures, and
an absolute dependence upon Himself.

In this view,
afflictions--are mercies,
losses--are gains,
hindrances--are helps,
and all things, even those which seem most contrary--are working together for our good.

Creatures smile--or frown, caress--or disappoint us,
friends grow cool, and enemies become kind--
just as His wisdom sees most expedient to promote our spiritual progress.

Where we look for most blessing--it often comes to little;
where we look for nothing--we often obtain most benefit.

Our wisest plans and best endeavors at one time produce great troubles!
At another time, what we do at random, and what we account the most trifling incidents--are productive of happy, lasting, and extensive consequences.

It is well for us if, by a long train of such changing, checkered experiences--we at length attain to some proficiency, and can say with David, "My soul, wait only upon God; for my expectation is from Him."

The heart possession of two maxims of Matthew Henry, is well worth all that the acquisition can cost us:
1. Every creature is to us--only what God makes it.
2. We cannot expect too little from man--nor too much from God.

In this school I am placed--and these lessons I am aiming to learn. But I am a poor scholar and indeed any master but He who condescends to be my teacher--would turn me out as an incorrigible dunce!

Yet I sincerely wish to be willing to be what, and where, and how the Lord would have me be--to cast all my cares simply upon Him, and to be always satisfied in my mind that He assuredly cares for me!

Evangelism Focus 12/10/10

For this evangelism focus post, I would like to bring to your attention the ministry of Living Waters (also known as Way of the Master). This month they have put everything at the ministry on sale including their gospel tracts. I am a big fan of Living Waters gospel tracts and purchase a great deal from them. Their tracts offer a clear law and gospel presentation. I encourage you to go the Living Waters website and check it out. You can view the tracts and read the messages before you purchase. Now is the time to fill up your gospel-giving arsenal. My favorite Living Waters gospel tracts (and those I find myself restocking the most) are: Comic Are You a Good Person?, Curved Illusion, and Which Square is Darker? The ministry also has their videos on sale right now. I like "Why Christianity?" for a thorough gospel presentation in video form. I often throw a few of these in my purse when I'm heading off to the skate parks in the summer time (on sale now for $1.50 each, can't beat it).

If you have a favorite Living Waters gospel tract that I haven't mentioned, please weigh in with your comment and let us know about it.

Christmas is an opportunity in our world to share the gospel and Living Waters is making it easy for us. Don't miss it! Be prepared.

Time with the Nieces

I'm recovering from a weekend illness, so I canceled Cookie Baking Night tonight.

Last week, I spent some time making Christmas candy, specifically chocolate Christmas mice. Every year I sell them at the small craft fair hosted by my place of employment. One night, Meghan came over and helped me make the mice (she's helped me with this project for at least the last three years--she's a big help). The next night, Emily came over and helped me prepare boxes and package the candy. They were both a big help to me. Here's a couple pictures from our time together. I love these evenings together with the girls around a project. It always allows for great discussion while the hands are busy.

Sorry--didn't get a close up of the mice. In case you're wondering: It's a Hershey kiss, stemmed cherry dipped in chocolate, almond slices for the ears, and red and green frosting to make them look seasonal.

Emily went to town on assembling the boxes. She had more fun with that project than either one of us thought she would.