humility

Thoughts on humility based on my reading in "When Grace Comes Home" by Terry L. Johnson:

'But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.' (1 Corinthians 1:30)

I made a decision to follow Christ only because God made a decision first - the Apostle Paul said 'By His doing you are in Christ Jesus.'

Any wisdom I possess, God gave me. He 'became to us wisdom from God'.

Faith is 'not of yourself,' but 'a gift of God' (Eph. 2:8). God gave me my faith.

Jesus said, 'You did not choose Me, but I chose you' (John 15:16). My choice was determined by His choice.

'We love, because He first loved us' (1 John 4:19). My love is a response to His love. There is nothing I can boast about in any respect to my conversion.

'Christ,' says the Apostle Paul, became to us our 'righteousness and sanctification'. Any measure of spiritual progress I have made is God's work.

GOD MADE ME WHO I AM. I CAN GLORY IN NOTHING.

'By the grace of God I am what I am.' (1 Corinthians 15:10)

holes in the head!

We have definitely been keeping the tooth fairy busy here at the Miller household this week. On Monday night Ryan lost two teeth within a half hour of each other! In the first episode, Ryan was finishing his ice cream cone when he began to wonder why his vanilla ice cream was tasting like blood......He felt around his mouth with his tongue and realized a gaping hole - and the tooth was no where to be found - swallowed whole. By the time he got home he was determined for the second one to come out and so he recruited his father to yank it out - mission successful! The above is a picture of him and the note his sister had provided for the tooth fairy which read:

Dear Tooth Fairy:

I swallowed my tooth. Sorry.

From Ryan

The very next day on Tuesday Madison decided she needed to keep up so she pulled hers while waiting for swim team to start! She was determined to test the tooth fairy charade out - so tried not to tell mom and dad she had lost it. Amazingly - there was still money under her pillow in the morning! She still claims she KNOWS daddy put it there.

Absolute One

"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again? For from Him that it might be paid back to Him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen." Romans 11:33-36

This was what moved me today as I read to prepare for small group tonight:

"We must all come to the place in our lives where we realize that we are dealing with One who is outside of our control. His will is not subject to ours. God sovereignly elects. He cannot be changed. He cannot be challenged. He cannot be manipulated. He cannot be controlled. This is a frightening thing. I am completely subject to the sovereign mercy of this God. I cannot argue with Him. I cannot bargain with Him. I cannot even understand Him. He transcends my logic. he exceeds all the categories of my experience and even my imagination. His ways are 'unfathomable'. I may be one of the great ones of the earth. I may have great power and authority in this world. When I bark orders, people may fall all over themselves trying to obey. I may always get what I want. I may always get my way. But with God this pattern comes to a screeching halt. His is in absolute control and I am helplessly at His mercy." Terry L. Johnson, "When Grace Comes Home"

Do I know this God? Have I bowed in worship as a result of looking into the face of this One?

conflict of interest

Big boy underwear......my baby is wearing big boy underwear. Actually I think there is nothing more exquisite than a little 2 yr. old bottom in big boy underwear! Gorgeous - perfect - cute - that little bottom and little boy!

Little boy??? How did this happen? No - not cute anymore - tragic! How did almost 3 years slip by already? Wait! Stop! Please if only I could stop time! Why can't we "pause" or "rewind" - just a little to savor the moments? Why can't I remember my even bigger boy when he first wore big boy underwear? Time is racing by - do I ever stop to savor, smell, hug and kiss? Yes - but never enough.

I don't think you can do it enough. No matter how much you hold, love, nurture......it doesn't stop the seconds and minutes ticking by. And of course thank goodness! Who would want to have a baby for 60 years! I think even the baby lovers would grow tired from never sleeping through the night! Oh how joyous it is as they grow to watch them learn and mature. It is a different sweet, a different blessing. Four times I have mourned the loss of my little baby - while also celebrating the milestones being reached ahead......always struggling to enjoy the stage I am in. What a conflict of interest - what a complex game - what an amazing ride.

Knowing God

'Taste and see that He is good' (Psalm 34:8)

'Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart' (Psalm 37:4)

'Come unto Me,' says Jesus, 'and I will give you rest' for your restless souls (Matthew 11:28)

Indeed, only those who 'hunger and thirst' for the Righteous One are truly 'satisfied' (Matt. 5:6)

look who likes listening too!

Each day for school we have quite a long time in the living room where everyone sits quietly and listens while I read aloud. We are often reading for history or science and then always have one novel we are reading through. Most of the kids color, Jonathan is either napping or learning to play, color, or eat quietly! No matter where Aslan is in the house - he always moves into the living room with us when everyone begins to settle down! He loves cuddling with whoever will get down on the floor with him. He has even been known to try to crawl into a chair with one of us! Here are some funny pictures of him learning along with us!

diamondback fans.....

Saturday night we went to the Diamondbacks game for "homeschool" night - which was basically a night where lots of us in the "homeschool community" buy tickets in a block and sit all together. We go every year and get good seats at half price. The kids look so forward to it! We pack sandwiches and snacks and have a blast! As long as one is feeding Jonathan he does great. We usually get seats with our friends and the kids enjoy cheering together. I enjoyed trying out our new camera and the telephoto.....and it was also fun because they honored our favorite player - Luis Gonzalez! Fun was had by all :)

Four friends having fun!

Loving the telephoto on the new camera!

Luis Gonzalez

Daddy and Jonathan

Allie and Momma

Two funny boys

Two cute girls

Sweet siblings