Katydid

The other day, as we were leaving for school, Tracey found a katydid and she absolutely loved taking it to school for show and tell.

Then, she and Howard and Caroline loved releasing the bug back into our yard together and saying goodbye.

Since then, every time we go outside to our front yard, all the kids run to peer under the rose bush where we released her to see if she's still there. 

I love that my kiddos like bugs and aren't afraid of bugs... I do not love having to ride in the car with bugs or that they are now looking for bugs all over our yard.  This is definitely Hubby's jurisdiction.

Word-Filled Wednesday: Romans 7:14-25

Romans 7:14-25

"We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.  For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Please Pray for Colorado and Rain

Chris and I are safely out of the state of Colorado, but we are reminded every day of our beloved home state because of the MANY fires burning throughout beautiful Colorado.

Thank you for the concern so many of you are showing for Colorado and the prayers you are sending up asking for protection for the firemen, families and RAIN.

Thankfully, the fires are not anywhere near where Chris and I live, as of now.  To be frank, the entire state of Colorado is potentially a pile of kindling because of low snow fall and a very dry spring.  Just about a week ago, Chris and I were playing with Lloyd and we saw a huge group of firemen, forest servicemen, and policeman scanning the hillside with binoculars keeping an eye out for fires because we were having lightening and no rain in our area.

PLEASE keep our entire state in prayer.  It is so humbling to see the power of mother nature out of control.  I've listed some specific prayer requests below:

• Please pray for the Colorado wildfires.

• Please pray for the firemen fighting the many blazes in these incredibly dry and treacherous conditions.

•  Please pray for the families who have been evacuated and are watching all of their worldly possessions go up in flames.

• Please pray for RAIN. 

• Please pray for rain without lightening, rain without wind, RAIN! 

 All pictures from here.

Ode To Joy

A song I've known so long that I do not ever remember learning is Ode To Joy.

I'm sure you know Ode To Joy, if not by name then by sound.

Ode To Joy is also known as the final movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony,
"Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!"

I am sure you would recognize it.

I have always loved this song but it wasn't until a few years ago that I really thought about some of the lines of text.  Specifically,
"Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above."

Wow!  I cannot get over that line.  I love flowers.  I think flowers are absolutely breathtaking, and the image of a tiny, precious flower opening in the sunlight is one of my favorite images... that is what the human heart does when in the presence of God.

That is such a powerful image and truth.

I was pondering that concept yesterday as Lloyd and I took a long walk around Vail and I snapped some pictures of the beautiful flowers we saw, unfolding like hearts.

Here is the rest of the lyrics to Ode to Joy if you're like me and want to spend the day singing it to yourself and thinking about the rest of the lyrics:

"Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,
God of glory, God of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee,
Opening to their sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround Thee,
Earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee,
Center of unbroken praise:
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Flowering meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain,
Call us to rejoice in Thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving,
Ever blessing, ever blest,
Well-spring of the joy of living,
Ocean-depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, --
All who live in love are Thine:
Teach us how to love each other,
Lift us to the Joy Divine.

Mortals join the mighty chorus,
Which the morning stars began;
Father-love is reigning o'er us,
Brother-love binds man to man.
Ever singing march we onward,
Victors in the midst of strife;
Joyful music lifts us sunward
In the triumph song of life." 
 Written by Henry van Dyke 1907