One Last Hurrah!

Above are pictures of a view from Hurricane Ridge and a deer that came into the picnic area while we were eating lunch.

The woods, children and tents - what do they all have in common? Camping in the Olympic National Park! We just got back from a wonderful camping trip with several of our dear friends. We all went over to the Olympic National Park and camped in the Heart O' the Hill's campground at the foot of Hurricane Ridge. The children put on cammo and grabbed wooden guns and ran around in the woods playing army. They had a blast. We went on short day hikes, up at the ridge where the views are spectacular, and in the campground through the woods. One family went on a long walk (about 12 miles) on the beach at the Dungeness Spit all the way out to the lighthouse and back. We had wonderful fellowship and a very relaxing time. We also had our worship service in the campground, there is something about worshipping the Creator amongst his beautiful creation that is so special. Most of us went over on Thursday and came back on Sunday and thankfully the rain held off until we were all packed up on Sunday afternoon. My boys are rating this trip as one of the best they have ever been on and I would have to agree.

To Strike or Not to Strike . .that is the question.

It is that time again, contract negotiations between the union and Boeing. There is the typical accusations back and forth - the wondering and waiting. Will we be without income for awhile or will it all be resolved? Trying to put some money aside and keep expenditures down in case we do go on strike. Our family has weathered two strikes in the past and the Lord has always taken care of us - I must learn to leave it in his hands. The vote is on Thursday September 1st, so we will soon know the outcome.

Skinny Skater's sketchy school plan . .

Here is a very rough outline of Skinny Skaters school list. Most of term one is planned and I need to flesh out the rest of the year. We will probably start school on September 12th this year.

Bible/Devotional Reading: bible - his choice, God Came Near by Max Lucado

History: Washington State History - we will be using a textbook for this and supplementing with a book called Chronicles of Washington, which includes excerpts from diaries of explorers, settlers and others from Washington's past. We will spend on semester on this topic.

World History: 1 reading a week - continuing where we left off last year - renaissance. During the second half of our school year, our focus will be on American History and World History studying the late 17th and 18th centuries. Our materials will be chosen from Ambleside Online's year 9.

Language Arts: will include Easy Grammar, Understanding Writing and we will implement some of Institute for Excellence in Writing methods. Copywork, dictation and narration will also continue.

Math: Saxon Algebra II

Literature: English Lit. for Boys and Girls, Reading Between the Lines, and With Wolfe in Canada will take us through our first term. We will also read Shakespeare's Henry V and the poetry of Rudyard Kipling and Robert Service.

Science/Health: Abeka Physical Science, Total Health and Fearfully and Wonderfully Made.

Practical Drafting: This is probably the subject he most looks forward to.

Others: Are You Liberal, Conservative or Confused? How to Read a Book, and Plutarch's Lives will also be part of our curriculum this year.

Book Lover by Robert Service

I was searching for some poetry to share with the boys during our first term of school this fall and came across this poem. I think it is very funny and I feel this way at times.

Book Lover

I keep collecting books I know
I'll never, never read;
My wife and daughter tell me so,
And yet I never heed.
"Please make me," says some wistful tome,
"A wee bit of yourself."
And so i take my treasure home,
And tuck it in a shelf.

And now my very shelves complain;
They jam and over-spill.
They say: "Why don't you ease our strain?"
"Some day," I say, "I will."
So book by book they plead and sigh;
I pick and dip and scan;
Then put them back, distrest that I
Am such a busy man.

Now, there's my Boswell and my Sterne,
My Gibbon and Defoe;
To savour Swift I'll never learn,
Montaigne I may not know.
On Bacon I will never sup,
For Shakespeare I've no time;
Because I'm busy making up
These jingly bits of rhyme.

Chekov is caviare to me,
While Stendhal makes me snore;
Poor Proust is not my cup of tea,
And Balzac is a bore.
I Have their books, I love their names,
And yet alas! they head,
With Lawrence, Joyce and Henry James,
My Roster of Unread.

I think it would be very well
If I commit a crime,
And get put in a prison cell
And not allowed to rhyme;
Yet given all these worthy books
According to my need,
I now caress with loving looks,
But never, never read.

Fast Cars . . .

Boys and their toys! This week the boys have been spending almost all of their spare time creating race tracks out of cardboard boxes all taped together and then racing their hot wheels down the track. The neighbor boys have all been hanging out at the house too. Today they added in an urban portion, jumps, tunnels, the desert and the ocean to their track. The track is pretty long and everyone is having good creative fun. When they aren't here playing on their track, they have been going over to their friends and racing him and his dad on his hot wheels track. They have used their allowance $$ to buy new cool cars and trying to get the fastest one. I am thankful for summer days and the joys of boys.

God's Word on Plans

The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. ----Proverbs 16:1 NAS

Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established. -----Proverbs 16:3 NAS

The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. ----Proverbs 16:9 NAS

In trying to plan out our school year, it is easy to get caught up in doing all the educational, intellectual things and forget the most important, the spiritual things.

Plot and Plan . . .

It is that time again . . . school planning time. It is a time of renewing, looking forward to the year and new knowledge. It is also a time of pruning, no my children will not have time to read all of these books. I am constantly asking, "how will we fit it all in?". We have tried to work on a new chore system and put some routines in place before we start in September. I had large ideas of getting organized this summer, you know, things like meal plans, chore plans, service plans etc. etc. Here we are and summer is almost over and not many projects finished. Oh well, there is still three weeks left before school starts again.

I do have some plans finished, such as our Washington State History and Science. I have picked some of the books we will read this year and I have been busy pre-reading some books for SS to read during his first year of High School. I guess the summer hasn't been a total loss.

We were such babes.

25 YEARS

We are coming up on our 25th Wedding Anniversary, it is August 2nd. Our daughter and my sister planned a wonderful surprise party for us that was held last night. We saw friends that we hadn't seen in a very long time - many years. We were honored to have so many friends and family celebrate with us! It is just such support that helps you make it through 25 years of ups and downs (mainly ups, I might add). I feel truly blessed to have the husband that the Lord provided to share these ups and downs. Of course, the Lord is the main reason we have been able to grow together through all of these years.

Happy Anniversary to my Wonderful Husband!
Thank you to my sister and our children and all those who helped make are special party so wonderful.

With Wolfe in Canada by G. A. Henty

I found this book very engaging - a page turner. The main character James Walsham is a young man of great integrity, born in England. Through a series of circumstances, he ends up in the American Colonies during the French and Indian War. He joins up with the British Army and has many close calls during his service with them against the French, Canadians and their allied native tribes. This book brings life to this period of history and I think would be an adventurous read for any young adult. I plan to have skinny skater read it during his school year as a 9th grade student.

You are a Black Coffee

At your best, you are: low maintenance, friendly, and adaptable At your worst, you are: cheap and angsty You drink coffee when: you can get your hands on it Your caffeine addiction level: high

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Hymn - Family of God

This hymn expresses very well what the Family of God is all about. The hymn was written by the Gaithers.

The Family of God

(1) I'm so glad I'm a part
of the family of God-
I've been washed in the fountain,
cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus
as we travel this sod,
For I'm part of the family,
the family of God.

(2) You will notice we say "brother
and sister" 'round here-
It's because we're a family
and these folks are so near;
When one has a heartache
we all share the tears,
And rejoice in each victory
In this family so dear.

(3) From the door of an orphanage
to the house of the King-
No longer an outcast,
a new song I sing;
From rags unto riches,
from the weak to the strong,
I'm not worthy to be here,
But, praise God, I belong!

God's Family

It is so nice to have family in the Lord's church across the world. We recently had the blessing of having two members of his family stay in our home. They are not related by blood - that is except the blood of Christ and yet they are truly our family. It is so refreshing to be able to have fellowship with other christians and to share what God has so richly blessed us with, with them. It is sad to let them go - but happy to know we will meet again one day, if not on here on earth, up in heaven. We love you Bill and Jo!

Who is getting older?

Yet another of our children had a birthday this month. First it was our youngest and now our oldest. Plant Lover celebrates her 20th birthday today. Actually, we celebrated yesterday with a BBQ with close friends and family. She chose her favorite, strawberry shortcake, for desert and we all enjoyed that. It really makes you reflect on how the time has flown when your children start reaching adulthood. Plant Lover has been a big blessing in our life as she has shown her service to the Lord and those around her. It is wonderful to see her show her diligence during struggles and with a busy schedule of school and work. She is cheerful, kind and tender hearted. She is a joy to us! Happy birthday sweetheart!

I am still here!

We just got back from one of the most wonderful weeks in my life. We spent a week in a Soul Winning Training Camp. The camp was put on by We Care Ministries and was held in Wenatchee, WA. The people that taught and those that attended were such dear people who showed a genuine interest in doing God's will and in the souls of those around them. I was convicted and encouraged. We made many new friends and learned, oh so much! It was just the shot in the arm that my spiritual life needed.

Six Hours One Friday, Anchoring to the Cross

I found this book to be very encouraging. Mr. Lucado does a great job of bringing life to the people in the bible. He recounts stories such as the raising of Lazarus, the raising of the Widow's son, the woman at the well, as well as others, and explores what their encounters with Jesus might have been like. He also takes events documented on the day of the crucifixion and how they may have affected the centurian and other onlookers. This book is not a deep theological treatise. It did, however, cause me to look into my heart and check my faith. It restates the anchor points for a strong faith. In my copy there is also a study guide in the back of the book that could be used for a devotional study.

Word for Today

Friend: Websters Defines as: to love 1) a person whom one knows well and is fond of; intimate associate; close acquaintance 2) a person on the same side in a struggle; one who is not an enemy or foe; ally. 3) supporter or sympathizer 4) being helpful, reliable.

Vines Bible Dictionary defines as:
1) Philos - primarily an adjective, denoting loved, dear, or friendly (used in Matt 11:19, James 2:23, 3 JN 14 and Luke 15:9)
2) Hetairos - A comrade, companion, partner, is used as a term of kindly address in Matt 20:13, 22:12; 26:50. This, as expressing comradeship, is to be distinguished from no 1, which is a term of endearment.

In either case I think the Love passage from 1 Corinthians 13 applies. My definition is a true friend is someone who helps you be all that God intends you to be. A friend is someone who encourages you to do right. A friend does not partake in poor actions of others - because that is not encouraging them to do right. A friend is someone who puts others interests before their own. Jesus was a true friend. Am I? Are you?

Here is a song about the best friend we can have:

What a Friend We Have in Jesus
written by: George Scriven

What a Friend we have in Jesus all our sins and griefs to bear;
What a privilege to carry Ev'rything to God in prayer.
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry Ev'rything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged, Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful, Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our ev'ry weakness: Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden, Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He'll take and shield thee, Thou wilt find a solace there.

Happy Birthday Bouncy Boy!

Today we celebrated bouncy boy's 9th birthday. His actual birthday is really this Thursday, but we celebrated today so his big sister, plant lover, could be here and his aunt, uncle and cousins came up too! We also celebrated his cousin Bella's 9th birthday - they are twin cousins! Born the same day just a couple of hours apart. Happy Birthday Bella and Bouncy Boy!!! Bouncy Boy was happy to receive some west coast chopper items to dress up his bicycle and of course it is always fun to get new game boy games! I can't believe my baby is 9. He is growing up so fast!

Word for the Day

Ostensible: 1) apparent; seeming; professed 2) clearly evident - Websters New World Dictionary. The word Ostensibly came up in my reading today of How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler. "The author of a book starts with a question or a set of questions. The book ostensibly contains the answers." pg 92.

Cycling

Today our Keepers/Contenders for the Faith group went on a group bicycle ride. There were 28 of us ranging from 1 year old to 50+. We went on our county's centential trail and rode 6 miles. The trail is a nice paved trail that winds through rural land and wetlands. There used to be a railroad track where the trail now is, it is part of our state's rails to trails program. It was a very nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon, good fellowship and exercise too!