God is mysterious and quiet!

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

Now we really are 6

My son, The son of my vows. We are so far past the miracle of your birth. I am grateful for every joy that you bless us with. Your exuberant greetings in the mornings and your vivacity throughout the day are gifts from God to bless my aging body. I love you and wish you a very Merry Christmas.

3 Days before...

CHRISTMAS.
We sang the 12 days of Christmas together on Saturday. We did pretty well, don't you think, without words in front of us? We are a duet in that song. Sunday, we opened the package of chocolate to mark the countdown to Christmas. Fruit and candy and celebrations and different kinds of delights and pleasures, but God gave the most special gift.

He who spared not His own son, but delivered Him up for us all. How shall He not, with Him, also, freely give us all things...

An Ever present HELP! is our God

I believe that!

Go to the ant!

Consider her ways and be wise. You are a busy, busy boy and if you can match the wisdom with the activity, you will be a tremendous man! Love you!

Go Fetch!

Johannes Keppler stated and it was reverberated in Sherlock Holmes, something to the effect that: The human mind could not think of anything but that it also cannot fetch. Yet we think not and we fetch not. The human mind like a dog travels hither and thither to fetch what has been introduced to it and given the tools to find it. The devil's work is to keep the human mind from grasping and reaching. In scripture the Lord said that it would not be kept from man to "even reach up to God" if they were to try with one language and so He divided the language that we would be forbidden from eating of the tree of life outside of the Grace of God. God is so good that He would not allow us to find that which would cause our souls to be trapped upon the earth without His resonnating Grace and Mercy in Christ. God has given us these, all things richly to enjoy. He intends for them to be enjoyed inside of Christ.

Gooby globs of sweetened sugar,

sticking to our teeth. House to house we darted or limped together. Is it scary? Is it fun? Were you a werewolf, howling at the moon? The moon went trick or treating too, and Evvy. This is my first time too, she said. She wouldn't have missed it, even though the candy was too much for her. Lights and smoke and bubbles and scenery, only Christmas is more spectacular around here. The beauty and the gore, of even the gory and the dark side, is not to forget that God gives us all things richly to enjoy.
The fun of hugging and seeing neighbors and friends in close proximity to one another, is a beautiful thing. Here we see and feel the beauty of people living in one nation and in one community, under God.

Pretty pumpkins for Sleeping Beauty.

I am so glad that you got a pretty pumpkin from the pumpkin patch and I wish that I could have been with you for this.
You are reading like a whip and we had a meeting with your teacher, who gave us a good report of your development. Keep up the good work, precious gift from heaven. EZRA

I am sorry that I missed lunch with you!

I really meant to make it to have lunch with my youngest fellow. Responsibilities collided and I was unable to make it. Please allow me a raincheck and remind me, precious.

You are a friendly boy!

If you turn your foot...
You ask people for a piggy back ride and you make friends everywhere. I love that you are so uninhibited. You know that we love you. We do love you and you are a very special boy. Seek the Lord's piggy back ride and not just the friendship with people. Turn your foot from the Sabbath and seek to "ride on the high places of the earth and be fed with the heritage of Jacob your father."
Six, six you are six and we are happy to have you.

The end of September is coming

We are working through first grade. Getting used to homework and friends and schedules. Will we ever get used to washing hands and brushing hair and brushing teeth? We will see. Thank God the mouth sore is gone!

Six years old and you have a mouth sore?

My mouth hurts mommy,
My mouth has a sore,
Too much candy,
too many sweets,
too much desert and the fruit of it is.
A yucky, painful mouthsore and warm salt water will help.
But all that we can do is wait it out.
I love you!

0 days to SIX!

Who o who is six years old today?
Ezra, we are grateful for you special boy.
I know you are waiting for our time to sing and play,
AND PRESENTS!
Soon!

Eight Days to 6

Picking up sticks,
Making up Schticks,
Trying to fix,
Taking my licks,
All in the mix,
Setting up tricks,
Burning my wicks,
AT BOTH ENDS!
Taking my pics on Pancake DAY!
Picking up sticks,
Making up Schticks,
Trying to fix,
Taking my licks,
All in the mix,
Setting up tricks,
Burning my wicks,
AT BOTH ENDS!
Taking my pics on Pancake DAY!

10 Days to 6

It is the count down to 6 years old. Today you are still 5.
Five, five, No more jive,
Like a bee in a hive,
Everyday you do strive,
You are grateful to be alive,
AT FIVE!

AT FIVE!

Feet are always shakin and we are always wakin with you,
Now that you're 5
AH,ah, ah, ah, You are 5, you are 5.
(to the tune of Stayin Alive, BeeGees)

Who's sick? 16 days to 6

Sick and coughing, we are watching you. I love you. I hope you feel better, baby!

Precious Boy beware of Carpet cleaner.

Today, you made a big mistake. They tell me that this happens at that age. They tell me that you sprayed carpet cleaner in your mouth, precious. You look okay. You seem okay. But, I will be watching you for symptoms. I called poison control from on the bottle. They said to watch your breathing and your eating. I am watching. Lord, knows that we are grateful that you look pretty well. You are a precious gift to us. Please don't scare mommy like that!

Billy Bungler, Rides a Moped.

Hi I am Billy Bungler.
I live in Charlotte, North Carolina.
I am six years old and learning to ride a moped.
Read along, the stories of how I learn to be a helper in my family and in my school.

Little Map Man

Little map man,
You run to and fro,


Little map man,
You don't know where to go,
Carrying Dolworth on your trips around the house,
Either you're loud or quiet as a mouse,
Map man you do boast and brag, ******************************************************************Ethan's tree
Jumping on couches as though they were a stag,
Map man, you're awake as you can be,
All of a sudden you are sleeping at my knee,
Once in a while, you do not make a peep,
How much do I wonder what promises you keep?

Mid summer of your fifth year!

You are getting so big and strong. You are getting so coordinated and gracious. I love how in touch you are with your elder sisters and brothers. You know what they do and why they do it and how many times. I just can't tell what kind of personality that is. You are teaching me so much about your daddy, who is also one of the younger children of the family. He is able to see people's responses, that intimately. I hope that you will be able to carry from, Nana to Elyse to Ms. Guffey the lessons and add onto them for yourself in the first grade. You are an amazing surprise from heaven.

Its a rainy day

Its a rainy day. Its raining outside and we can't go out and play.
Have fun honey!


********
!messages for Ezra******************************************At birth he was only 5 pounds and look how big he's grown*****************************What a happy baby********************************click on this link to see the first post*************************************@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@!click on this link to talk about a Yankee Doodle@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ * Welcome to Ezra's Blog, Ezra has finished kindergarten now and is looking forward to his first grade year.@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@And Welcome!@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@,*************************************************************** Hello! *~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Welcome to Ezra's Blog We include the fun and happy times that we are having. There are so many surprises and God has been so good to let us enjoy them all! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~***********************************************************************************************************~~~~~This Blog is about Ezra!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!This link goes to God's boys are Good Boys blog posts~~~~~~~~~~~We've included pictures and stories and songs.@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@How very blessed we are to have Ezra!@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@Feel free to browse our archives.@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@Ezra is 5 years old and was born one month premature....We are so happy that he is here!@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@Star Spangled First post

I can't believe we are at the last 10 days of Kindergarten for my baby!

It has swiftly passed me by and here we are at the last 2 weeks of the kindergarten. Where did the time go? What a big boy he is now reading and writing. He has journals and books and lots of talking under his belt in the home to defend himself against the older children bossing him around.
This week the tattler is coming out of him. He keeps telling me stuff the children did to him and asking me to spank them. They called me little, will you spank them for that? He feels like he is the only one who gets threatened with spankings. No, I hope he learns the difference between himself and the older children. He is growing nicely and just like all of the rest of my children he is looking around for stuff to do to say that he is grown up. Watch out world, here comes Ezra!

Coupons for mother's day!

In years past the coupons were unlimited. Free hugs and so on. Not so this year. 3 hugs and 2 kisses. I cannot tell if I am getting old or if my children have become stingy.

Strawberry pick'n fun!

The kindergarten trip to the Patterson Strawberry farm. There was a puppet show and a hayride and sweet, sweet strawberries. MMMMMMM Good!

100 Lessons from Jehoram

When God sends a special surprise child into the family, there is a particular temptation to spoil that child, as they did Jehoram.
Humor me while I remind myself that I love you enough to teach you also.

Lesson 1- Beware of raising children as though they are God's gift.
Children are a heritage of the Lord. The one's that we expect and the one's that come surprisingly. God spares the children by the skin of their teeth. And it is the temptation to coddle them for the rest of their lives. There are children that we require obedience from and children, who by our lack of follow through, we teach that they can get away with stuff. Beware!

I love you enough to teach you and to force you to listen! I love you enough to stop acting old for a minute to take the time to impress the Word of God into your life, also!...

I missed the Easter party with the camera but...

Ezra has lots of stories to tell about it this week on vacation.

All s' and 3's , What a fun card day it was for me!

You got a great report card! I am so glad! Keep up the good work, little man.

Yesterday, Ezra picked up one of the books

around the house and said to me, "Every adult in this family walks around with one of these...(referring to a writing journal) What is it and I want one." It was so comforting to me that he had noticed that. I really hadn't realized that he was the only one not writing in a journal. I had been castigating myself, that my children are not writing as I would like them to. Right away we put together a little paper journal and he wrote in it, some, Lord's day thoughts. The family that writes together?

Eric Carle, Pancake, Pancake , read by Ezra's teacher, Ms Guffey

Learning to love cousins and what to do when it rains

Dear Makai,

I like you and like playing Wii when you come over.

Love, Ezra



Rainy day letters and learning to love the cousins takes some doing. Huh?

Back to school today!

After a week long illness. You are back to the classroom.
1. Don't blow your nose over people.
2. Put your tissues in the garbage
3. Cover your nose when you sneeze
4. Wash your hands frequently
5. Stay away from the other little ones for a couple of more days and don't spread this to everybody. Please. :(

A week of lost school. I hope he still remembers how to listen in school

I never thought that would be a happy sound from my son. Awwwww, mom, little Spanky (Ezra) said to me this morning. The week long flu fever has broken and he is back to his normal self, maybe moreso. He is complaining and jumping around and what a delight to see him being himself, after a week of a limp and semiconscious 5 year old. I remember having the flu when I was little and I slept alot. I am rejoicing and happy to see him being his own naughty self.
It will still be a couple of days of grace before the naughtiness warrants a real spanking. For now, a verbal reproof, with a giggle under my breath at the insolence of being 5.

The fever has passed

But we missed Church anyway. Young fellow, your stomach flu is doing better. A little toast and a little chicken and lots of fluids and you are back to your normal self. Thank God for healing from these little ailments.

My baby has a fever.

What is a mother to do, when her baby is so self sufficient? He is such a brave boy when it comes to this messy stuff. I feel inept and inadequate when the children get to the point where their needs are not pressing constantly. I can do other things, but, my sense is that now that they don't need me, what should I do?
There are always messes to pick up and laundry to do, but in terms of human relations, the transition from a mother of infants to a mother of adults is scary.
It will be years before you are a grown up, just know that mommy wants to be there to nurture and comfort you, but there is always some other responsibility looming.
Feel better!
A man's got to do, what a man's got to do! You seem to already know that.

Daddy said to give you a kiss this morning...

Thank you for the little kiss, from my pajama boy. Before he was even dressed, he was obeying his father and downstairs to kiss his mom and then get ready for another day of kindergarten. Cream of wheat for breakfast and a big smile on his face, makes me glad to see the sun this morning. The sunrise which God designed this morning is not more beautiful to me than the smile on his little face. I am so glad that he is here to make the world shine, like he does.
God is good to spare me another day to see his sunshiney face. Naughty and precocious, sometimes, and still his face lights up the reality of the drudgery. They all delight my soul, I am just sad that my strength is so small, not to be able to tango with all of their minds and stuff them full of the knowledge that is going to be necessary in this world and beyond. They don't know, that they don't know and they are in a world which is preparing them for "the test" and not for the life. Help me Lord not to be bitter.

Wake up, your sister is shining!

It is so hard to watch the older sisters and brothers do what they do. They are busy getting the awards and learning and growing and kindergarten seems to pale into insignificance. It is not insignificant. It is special and real. Wake up and watch the awards ceremony, honey!

The Fruit of the Spirit is...

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and SELF CONTROL. My precious boy is doing right, in school and I am grateful to God that it has been rewarded. He won the certificate for Self control. HALLELIUA, TO GOD! He is the one who gives self control. Confusion belongs to us, but Self control is a fruit of the spirit. I pray that it is in his soul by grace, through faith and not just with eye service;)

Is today the 100th day of school already?

I don't think we remembered in time. 100 days a kindergartener is quite an accomplishment. He is reading and writing and getting into the family jokes. He is reasoning with the brothers and sisters on the level of his mental ability and it is very interesting the things that strike my fellow's fancy. Today it was the issue of cheating. It seems that the older children have been accusing him of cheating in races and that must be an issue in school of late, because this morning Ethan cheated when he jumped over a step on the way down to the breakfast table. I just accepted it and corrected Ethan, for Ezra's sake, not to jump over the steps to get to the breakfast table. I can see the safety issue in school, having to have led a number of kindergartners up and down steps in safety is a large task. So we will have that new rule for Ezra on the 100th day of school. I did tell him that there are times when time is of the essence and jumping the stairs may be good, but for now, safety rules because you're in kindergarten.

Don't forget that snack day is 2/9 and

did we forget crazy hat day? uh,oh!

The motivation of a hit!

Football players and little fellows in the family have a similar motivation in life. Somebody hit them which they could not repay and it motivates them through out their lives, or demotivates them. Parents have the ability to discourage a child, through out eternity. Do not discourage them, says God, but bring them up, in the admonition of the Lord. The Lord motivates us without a hit, like on the football field. I don't really want you to be a football player, my son because they are in the habit of hitting people. I would never, never allow football players to preach the word of God, but I am not God. Ministry is not a football game, it is maternal, it is nurturing, it is sensitive. We fight the devil and combat the spirits and principalities and powers, but we don't hit them we annihalate them and crush those principalities into the dust.

Football players hit people, don't do that. Play football if you want, but don't expect me to pray for you to preach! I love you.

Wake up and smell the grits,

Kindergarten man! Let's get it together man. You are growing bigger and you mustn't trail behind everyone else. Get yourself to a good place by being awake in the worship of God first. Do not let your mind go to sleep in God's worship. Do not let your mind sleep when God's people are in the worship. God deserves your mind in the service of Himself. Go to bed at a good time and arise refreshed to Give Him the Glory on His DAY!

He was fast asleep at the new year!

We said to take a nap. And although there was so much to play and much to do, they laid down for about 15 minutes. I, on the otherhand was exhausted the majority of the day. The usual course of events after Christmas. I could sleep for a week after, what these children put me through on the morning of Christmas. They start knocking and knocking at the door at about 4 am and we keep putting them off. This year the gifts were really a gift and we had very little last minute wrapping to do. When we got to Watchmeeting service as we affectionately refer to it. The boys were in their usual romping mode and I had to keep an eye on them to make sure that they didn't tackle any of the older people or spill something unmentionable or worse on the carpet in the fellowship hall. Finally, I corralled the 2 of those monsters into the sanctuary, fully expecting to have to keep both hands on them in service and before the first prayer they were out like lights. Out! I had to hold them to make sure that they didn't fall out of the pew seat. God blessed our time with His presence in worship. Halleluia, what a Savior! My heart and my pew is full! says mommy