Friday morning a friend called to let us know that his neighbor had about 1-2 gallons of blackberries that we could have if we went to pick them. I rarely turn down free food but accept it gratefully as God's provision, so we packed up and went. We went prepared to brave the thorns of wild blackberries (as we do at our house). We were pleasantly surprised to find tame, luscious, and trained on a wire framework berries. We picked 5 gallons! That afternoon Joseph and I cleaned them, then he and Jared deseeded them while I got ready to go to a wedding that evening. Saturday I spent several hours making and canning jelly. The yield was 21 pints! I am always awed at God's faithful provision and am thanking Him for a shelf full of jelly in the pantry.

This is a test of my ability to blog from my phone. I sure hope it works! My phone is much faster than our computer!

Just Wondering...

Is there anybody that checks my lonely, neglected blog anymore?

Be Seated

Have you ever sat down to enjoy a symphony or a wedding at which you witnessed some truly socially awkward or rude behavior in someone else who was present? If that someone was in attendance with you, you feel irritated and very embarrassed to be associated with them. If that someone is merely a fellow, unknown occupant, you feel irritation alone. Why? Our culture has molded our thinking about what is decorous in certain situations. When those cultural norms are abandoned, we know that behavior fitting the occasion has also been abandoned. In our world these norms may or may not be rooted in right and wrong, so as an offended party you may need to just get over yourself. However, there is another, more sober event at which you may find yourself required to conform to a preset and immovable norm.

If you are a Christian, you were once, by nature, a child of wrath along with the rest of human-kind. When Christ reached out to you in the ravage of that wrath, breathing New Life into you, God "raised [you] up with Him and seated [you] in the heavenly places in Christ.*" Having been escorted to such a magnificent seat, you must be aware of the norm that dictates proper behavior in it. When you violate God's norm (in ignorance or rebellion) you become like that symphony goer who cannot keep quiet or that wedding attendee who is texting during the ceremony.

Culturally speaking, the norms can be a bit fuzzy, having a bit of a span of flexibility. The exercise of them is certainly subjective. It is not so with God's norms though. They do not ever change and can be perceived with objectivity. As a result, you must acclimate yourself to them and never, ever try to acclimate them to yourself. Arm yourself in and with The Rule Book so that you might not be found an embarrassment or an irritant when the Father says to you, "Be seated."

*Ephesians 2:6

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

New Toy

This is our latest addition. I've been looking on and off for a free or really cheap piano. This one was just two miles from us. It had been just sitting unused. All the keys work, the sound is decent, and the "guts" look sound. I am pretty excited to have a piano again! It's been five years since we've had one in the house. I went through all the music, and have lots of beginner books. Jared has learned all the major scales. Jacob still remembers what he learned years ago. Now to find free or really cheap lessons...

Sick

Recently, the children passed a virus which kept Nancy and Jason down with fever for seven days. Joshua lost 20 pounds in three days. Jason's appetite was awful, so when he wanted some applesauce he got it! You can see him sitting, wrapped in a blanket to keep the chilling to a minimum, and sporting sunglasses because the sun from the window was bugging him. Pretty cute - even while sick!