Colossians Study

Here we are...the last week in September already! The leaves are beginning to change and fall from the trees already and the farmers almanac says we are in for a rough winter! The squirrels around our neighborhood are busier than I've ever seen them, collecting nuts for their storehouses.

Last week I began a new bible study on Colossians, and it has been terrific!

Do you know about the SOAP personal study plan online? (Click on soap for the link)

S = Scripture
O= Observation
A= Application
P= Prayer


Today's verse came from Colossians 1:19-20:

"For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on the earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross."

I'm in awe that God is pleased to settle my sin account with the blood of Jesus. The thought just blows my mind. I'm so thankful to be reconciled with God because of who Jesus is and the ultimate price He paid for my sins. When I see the beauty of the autumn colors begin to transform in front of my eyes I think of God reconciling Himself on earth. He created these trees to be spectacularly brilliant in color only to take them to dust and crumbles. With the snow comes purity of white flakes...Then in the springtime beauty again! Amazing!

It has been nice to just slow down and think about all that Jesus has done in my life. I have so much to be thankful for and I am choosing to dwell on things above rather than things on earth.

A New Season

There is something about fall that I absolutely dread. The end of warm summer days, the end of unplanned calendars and the end of long daylight hours. The same thing happens every year. About two weeks before school starts, I begin to reminisce about the carefree summer time and dread the upcoming season. Every year, a few weeks into the school year I begin to be thankful for the current season and begin to anticipate the upcoming season.

Emily loves fall. Her birthday is in December, so she has building excitement every year and really enjoys the cool temperatures and snow. She and I have an annual tradition of making home made applesauce in our food mill. The house smells like autumn when we prepare and cook the applesauce. In years past we have been unsuccessful freezing it because we enjoy eating it so much! This year I am hoping to get some in the freezer and frozen before the happy apple snatchers can gobble it up!

Emily is in seventh grade this year. She tried out for soccer and made the JV team! Her first game is next week on the home field and we are all looking forward to watching her play! She is also active with her youth group at church and will be attending the Club JV Retreat. There is so much excitement about going on this weekend trip. The energy of this age takes me back to when I was 13. So many emotions, physical changes and serious conversations!

Joshua loves fall also. He does not care for leaf season so much now that we live on 3 acres of heavily wooded land. We only clear leaves off of approximately 1 acre but it is still a BIG job! Since moving here his leaf clearing skills have definitely been sharpened. Josh is a junior this year and is enjoying being home schooled again this year. What a blessing it is to have him home! The resources available are extraordinary and we are thrilled with his curriculum. Josh continues to see his friends every week and we enjoy having them around! Joshua's cousin, Amber, is the same age and is home 3 days a week doing school work online. They keep each other company with texts, Skype and an occasional mid day Minecraft game.

Ken is doing great and anxious to hear the results of his upcoming blood work. He has lost over 30 lb. in the last 6 months by exercising, eating well and traveling to China where seafood gets old really quick. The software project he is directing worldwide will go live January 1st. Traveling for him should diminish significantly after that occurs. We have become very creative with our communication in different time zones. I am so thankful for his heart and love for his family! The Lord has truly blessed me with a special man.

Today, I began an online bible study with Good Morning Girls . We are studying Colossians using the  SOAP online journal. (Click on each for a direct link) For some reason, most of the studies around me this fall were on Revelations. I found it quite odd. I am sure there is a good reason but I felt the Lord leading me to be home with Joshua and complete the Colossians study. Leave me a comment or email me if you would like to join me!

May the Lord fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way. Colossians 1:9

Speedy Summers

Ok ~ can anyone tell me why winter drags and summer flies by way too fast? Summer always appears to be such a long period of time right after school is over. Then way too quickly it seems like we are asking where summer went!

Testing the water at Hammonasset State Park Beach in Connecticut

We have one week to go before school starts! It has been a good summer, full of a nice mix of fun times and down time. We had one trip to the beach in South Carolina and one trip to Ohio to see family. We've had lots of friends over to "hang out" and have enjoyed our first full summer with Buddy, our 1 year old Golden Retriever. He sure has added an active, fun element to our home! He is a wonderful companion and friend. He keeps us laughing with his impressive hunting skills! How does he know how to rob birds nests and catch small varmints? I guess it just proves that every living thing is fearfully and wonderfully made by our magnificent Creator!

One of many baths after Buddy jumped in the creek! 

Our Connecticut weather has been unusually wet this year.  Our grass looks great and we have not watered once! Our lawn mower has been in the shop being repaired for the last several weeks. Josh is looking forward to it being returned so he can earn some money cutting grass! We are kind-of wondering if we will have an early fall as we dipped into the mid 50's last night already with an accompanying dew. It was so nice to turn off the air conditioner! We were actually closing windows by this morning due to the cool, brisk air!

Ken spent a month in China in July for work, was home for two weeks and left to go back to China for another few weeks. He is in charge of a large financial software implementation at his company's factory there. We miss him terribly and this summer has been extremely odd without him here. Married for 20 years next May, he and I are closer than we have ever been. Skype is great but doesn't even begin to cure the heartache of missing him while he is so far away for so long.

In other news, our family had been praying for one of Emily's friends at school named Rachel. Emily and Rachel went to 4th, 5th and half of 6th grade together before Rachel was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma. Rachel's battle was ten long, grueling months when she died last week from it. Both of our children had prayed regularly for Rachel, and helped raise money for her. This was the first time either of them experienced the death of someone they knew. Rachel's family communicated regularly with our school community and even though we were all praying for a miracle, her death was not unanticipated. None of the harsh cancer treatments worked. The Lord chose to take her home to be with Him.

We attended Rachel's Life Honoring Service as a family and it was beautiful. Both of Rachel's parents spoke and it was clearly the Lord that gave them the peace and presence of mind to endure their painful testimonies. They could have hidden and wallowed in their understandable pain, but they chose to rise up and give testimony of how mightily the Lord worked in this difficult time. It was truly and experience none of us will ever forget.

We love you Rachel (1999-2012)