Can Not Believe It

For the past couple of weeks we have been working with Pearl on attending Sunday School. Here at Bridgewater there is only one Sunday School class and it is an adult class. So, since coming here Corben has been attending Sunday School and Pearl and I have chilled at home. It has been going pretty well for the past couple of weeks today during Sunday School Pearl of course had to go potty so we left came back than she said she had to go again. Not so she was just playing games...therefore we had a talk about lies and she got very upset. Back to Sunday school eventually after she calmed down. Than she had a mental breakdown. She wanted to go upstairs and pray she told her Dad. He told her they would, but after we prayed downstairs first. That is when she ran to the door threw her self down and yelled cried and kicked. (I have no idea where she would get that from.) So I was like this is going to be one long church service and did not expect to make it through announcements let alone the whole service. However God is amazing and we Pearl and myself were in church the whole time. At the end of Corben's sermon there however was a scary and than amazing moment. He asked for a moment of silence...Pearl stood up put her chin on the pew in front of us...I held my breath and was ready to grab her and run...than I heard it...absolute silence...you could hear a pin drop. Than came the benediction, Pearl imitated her Dad from begining to end. Hands in the air talking and even coughed when he did. Next week? I pray for the same, but time will tell,

What Church Father are You?

I recently took a brief survey to determine which church father I most closely resemble the results are scary:

You are Origen!
You do nothing by half-measures. If you’re going to read the Bible, you want to read it in the original languages. If you’re going to teach, you’re going to reach as many souls as possible, through a proliferation of lectures and books. If you’re a guy and you’re going to fight for purity … well, you’d better hide the kitchen shears.

http://www.fathersofthechurch.com/quiz/

What Superhero are You?

Your results:You are Green Lantern
Green Lantern
85%
Spider-Man
80%
The Flash
70%
Iron Man
70%
Superman
60%
Supergirl
60%
Wonder Woman
60%
Hulk
60%
Catwoman
55%
Robin
50%
Batman
20%
Hot-headed. You have strong will power and a good imagination.
Click here to take the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz...

I always thought I had a good imagination, but hot-headed? My wife agrees, at least, at times

Brenda took the test and she came up as Superman

Potty Time

For about a month now we have been working with Pearl on using the potty on a regular basis. Peeing on the potty has been going very well for about a week or two now. However pooping was a different story. But, on Thursday we had a break through. Corben and I decided that we were not going to give in and about two hours latter Pearl pooped on the potty. She was excited and so were we. We are still going to use diapers at night and at nap time, but that is it. Pearl also last night took the potty seat off of the toilet and is sitting on the big people's toilet seat.

Easter Week Almost Done

Well, it is Saturday evening and our week of Easter celebration is just about to come to an end. We started the week with church, and family visits and ended the week with family visits and icecream. We got to go and spend time this past Thursday and Friday with Corben's grandparents and parents. We had a great time visiting with all of them. Pearl enjoyed the car ride both ways(and no potty mishaps either), and also enjoyed her time having Easter egg hunts and playing with Grandma and Grandpap Russell's dog, Oatsie." Upon returning home we had Aunt Dottie's Mac and Cheese and went to J & T's with Aunt Dottie. This was our first trip of the year and while there we ran into Uncle Mike and cousin Michael. Michael told us all about baseball practice while we waited for our icecream. Pearl really enjoyed her first J & T icecream, last year she would not eat icecream.

HAPPY EASTER

Prayer

We all know that prayer is a very powerful thing. This afternoon a friend of ours who is a missionary with the Mission Society is leaving for Peru. She will be doing ministry throughout Peru for the next four and a half weeks. Please join us in praying for her and the people of Peru who she will be ministering to.

Father God,
I just ask you to be with Sue today as she leaves for Peru. I ask you to go with her, to give her a peace while she travels. Allow her time to rest. Please God be with the people of Peru as they finish preparing for Sue's arrival.

Cousins living in one house

At the begining of March our cousin Justin came to stay with us. It has been a great time and a learning experience for all of us. Corben and Justin have enjoyed some quality time (that's what they say at least) playing video games. They have also enjoyed some long talks. Justin and I have had talks about forgiveness, truth, and grace. He has given me a lot to think about. He might not relize it, but he is living like Christ in ways that some of us strive for on a regular basis. While Justin has been here the past few weeks Pearl has started to understand the concept of school. She has also learned to say his name, up until yeterday she has called him Just all the time. When Justin came so did his drum set. Pearl really enjoys that addition to the house. Both Pearl and Justin love to play the drums. We have all enjoyed having Justin around and will mess him greatly when he leaves for the Navy. However there is alot to be done till that time. We are planning on hosting Easter dinner for the family, a trip to a Pirates game, family vacation to Canada including my sister Dottie and Justin, Justin's graduation from high school, a trip to Dolly Wood with my parents, grandparents, and Justin.

Spring...I Think it is Here!!!

I think spring is here. This morning I could here the birds singing while I was making the beds and getting ready for the day. When I went out to get the paper this morning Pearl ran out the door with me and did not yell cold. So I said to her do you want to take a walk. She of course said with a huge smile and jumping up and down yes. Pearl than ran inside told her Dad we were taking a walk and gathered up her dolls and bears to join us. Daddy could not join us this morning, because he had to go visiting. We walked down to the newspaper recycle bin dropped off our newspapers and than walk down to the river. On the way to the river I saw a robin. I told Pearl that the bird over there was a robin because it had a red tummy and that when we see a robin that means spring is here. She started singing bird has red tummy. The last time we were at the river was about a month ago when it was frozen over and covered with snow, and she asked where are the ducks. We told here they would be back when it got warmer. Well, this morning when we got to the river the ducks and geese were back she was so excited. Tonight after dinner Daddy was able to join us for a walk. We walk back to the river and the ducks were still there. After walking to the river we walked down to Bruster's. Pearl is just barely short enough (40 inches or shorter and you get a free baby cone)39 inches for a free cone. She got purple dinosaur, it was just the right size for her. The next time we will have to take a picture. On our way back we even got to stop and talk to Mr Anderson, and Jean Lopes from church, who were also out enjoying the nice spring weather.

Partnersteps!

Is this a plug for another one of Conferences one size fits all program to rebirth dying churches or is there a different way of thinking then what we are used to that can help us be, act, and do in a way that is more God centered, Jesus focused, seeking to specifically do whatever God wants his followers to do right here and right now and do it together. I know this togetherness thing is different then the way we have always done things, different then the way we are used to thinking, but maybe, just maybe this whole one body thing with many parts in the New Testament is an old idea and not a new one. An opportunity to work together, utilizing each of our talents, skills, abilities, gifts, and graces in the way God intended, sharing in Ministry.

I like to reflect on I Corinthians 12 when thinking of working together.

SNOW DAY

Here are a few of the pictures from our morning in the snow. We walked down to the river. Pearl must have thought we were going to see the ducks, because when we got there she asked, "What happened to quack quack?" To say the least we could find none for her to see.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Valentine's Day

There are many myth and lore about Valentine's day,
but I never hear what the bible has to say about a day
devoted to celebrating loving relationships.

There are over 500 verses in the bible that mention love,
but one that is not mentioned often is in Genesis 29.
The story of Jacob and Rachel where he worked seven years
for Rachel's father to gain her hand in marriage.

I implore you during this wonderful season of celebrating loved ones
and our relationships with them to read the passage in Genesis,
Genesis 29:1-30.



What does it mean to love? or maybe easier what is love? especially in
todays culture.

Would I work 14 years of hard labor to gain my wife's hand in marriage?
I hope I would not let myself get tricked.

I love my wife Brenda very much and we together work at better "loving God
with our whole hearts, souls, strengths, and minds, as well as loving our neighbors as ourselves" (Matthew 22:38-39).



Love is not just an emotion, feeling, state of being, or euphoria, but also an action, a way of life that shows integrity, honesty, truthfulness, passion (sometimes both kinds), and perseverance.

May we all love better each day holistically in a way that honors God.

Corben's Theological view Point

The web address for you to take the test:

http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=43870

You scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan. You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavly by John Wesley and the Methodists. Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 79% Emergent/Postmodern 68% Reformed Evangelical 68% Neo orthodox 54% Roman Catholic 54% Fundamentalist 54% Charismatic/Pentecostal 46% Classical Liberal 32% Modern Liberal 14% What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

Let us know where your results are.

My Theological View

You scored as Emergent/Postmodern. You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this. Emergent/Postmodern 68% Roman Catholic 57% Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 54% Fundamentalist 43% Charismatic/Pentecostal 39% Classical Liberal 36% Modern Liberal 21% Neo orthodox 21% Reformed Evangelical 18% What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

My Favorite Pics

This are some of my favorite pictures of Pearl over the past couple of months.
Mom and Dad want me to use the potty. I am using it as a necklace, but I have a feeling they mean use it in another way.

Mom was trying to clean and pack some stuff away after the holidays. How can she be mad when I am sooo cute.

Bring it on I can handle the truth.

What are you talking about this is my shirt. (Pearl uses a shirt any T-shirt will do like most kids us blankets)

Pearl is telling her baby that it will be OK, and she understands that it is hard to accept that we can not choose our family. But God will help us to love our family.

Loving It!!

I just got done doing one of the most exciting wonderful things in the world. I just came in from shoveling snow. It is so beautiful to look at the snow covering the area. Tomorrow morning we are planning a family walk around Bridgewater. I am going to take some pictures. So check back to see the beautiful pictures of the beautiful snow covering the world God made for us to temporally do His work in. This picture is old but the only one I could find tonight.

Can Time Stand Still?

Not long ago my classes started for the spring semester of 2007 and usually the first week is really easy, just general introductions, but this semester was different. By midweek I had to read a whole book, and by the end of the week I had to read another. Also I had a bunch of other homework and so I was feeling frustrated. Then it got worse because I was waiting for Pearl to take a nap, and she didn’t. She just played in her bed and would not go to sleep. I was so frustrated and worried I would not get the work done. I was not in a good mood and I took it out on Brenda and Pearl. Later that night God reminded me I need to trust in him and that I was not trusting in Him with this homework. I asked God to forgive me, and help me make it through this. I cried out for God’s help. I also apologized to both Brenda and Pearl. The next morning I was watching Pearl. I was able to read an entire book well over a hundred pages as well as take notes on it and really learn what I was reading. I did this while I was watching Pearl and usually I can’t seem to get any homework done while I am with her, this is the task oriented personality in me, but I did. Then I realized I did all this in less then an hour and a half. I have never read that much, in that amount of time, and really took it in and learned from it. It was like time stood still. I saw where I was wrong, I asked God to forgive me, He did, and He helped me when I asked for His help. You see this reminds me of the blessings and woes in Luke 6:17-26 and especially 6:20 the blessing of being poor. This is not necessarily about money, nor is the rich in the warning later on, but whether we are being dependant on God or if we are trying to do it on our own.

Are we trusting in God to take care of us, obeying, and asking for help, or are we trying to do it on our own in this pull yourselves up by your boots strap mentality where most homes have a computer, 2 cars, and 2.5 kids who each have a cell phone U.S.?

If all things really are possible through God as Scripture suggests:

^NIV Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Then what is time? and can it stand still?

Cold

It has been so cold this week. Pearl has been looking out the windows and saying snow snow. We know she wants to go out and play, but it is way toooo cold. When the door opens she runs to it and than yells cold and runs back away from the door. The only bad thing for me about the cold weather that we have been experiencing is the fact that we had no water in the kitchen on Monday at all, and did not have water to the dishwasher until last night. Thanks to my Dad and his heat gun who came to the rescue. I did give him homemade chili for dinner though. I am not sure which he liked more not having to eat out (since they are still living at the Holiday Inn) or seeing Pearl. I know Pearl's highlight of the past few days was eating Mangos last night with her PapPap.

We are sooooo proud of you...

Pearl and I are so proud of Corben. He just got the results of his one week intensive class on leadership that he took last month at Asbury Seminary, and we knew it an "A". That gives him a cumulative GPA of 3.57. We were not surprised we knew he would do a wonderful job. He was also able to find housing for this summer that will enable Pearl and I to go down with him, and it will not cost anymore than if it was just him. What an answer to prayer.