My Junior Ranger

Jacob is taking the Junior Ranger program at the park for the next few Fridays. Not only does he get to hike for five hours straight, but two friends are doing the program as well so he will enjoy reconnecting with them!

Outside my window this afternoon-

One of the most active tornado weather days in Colorado in a long time. This tornado was on the ground and seemed stationary for about twenty minutes. Several more tornados came from this cell- and many, many funnel clouds as well.

Thankfully no reports of injury or property damage have been reported as of yet.

Job Update

Brian went to work all last week and is planning to be there on Monday. The manager who is trying to have him fired will be back on Wednesday (he was gone last week). Brian is finishing up his resume and will give it to a couple of recruiters that were recommended by friends. We're still not sure of what the job situation is like in our area- hopefully it's not as dismal as it was last year at this time.

We are praying that he can still work at his current job until he finds another one. However, they were firing people last week, so we keep hoping and praying.

In the meantime, I am reading up on preparing your house to sell and trying to get to a few home projects that have needed attention.

Like making slipcovers. I made the pattern last year, the mock-up last week and hopefully the actual slipcovers this week.

House Projects

Remember this photo taken back in December?

We finally got the siding repaired today. Six months later. I wonder what it will be like on these windy days without hearing the Tyvek blowing around loudly.

More siding to be repaired tomorrow. Then on to painting.

Just a note to myself...

I find it amazing that we as a nation will fight other nations for our national liberty, and that we as a people will if necessary, fight one another for the freedom of those within our borders, but when it comes to the living out of our Christianity, we will give up our liberty without a fight.

We’ll go to the wall and square off against any enemy who threatens to take away our national freedom, but we’ll not be nearly so passionate as Christians under grace to fight for our rightful liberty. Let enough legalists come aboard and we will virtually give them command of the ship. Peace at any price leads to slavery.

If Patrick Henry had the courage to say “Give me liberty or give me death,” then the Christian ought to have the courage to say, “Give me freedom because of Christ.” Bondage is bondage, whether it is political or spiritual. Give me the liberty that He won at Calvary or I am still enslaved. To live in slavery is to nullify the grace of God.

Grace brings a freedom to enjoy the rights and privileges of being out from under slavery and allowing others such freedom. Its freedom to experience and enjoy a new kind of power that only Christ could bring. It is a freedom to become all that He meant me to be, regardless of how He leads others. That freedom is then released to others so they can be who they are meant to be ­ different from me!

God isn’t stamping out little cookie-cutter Christians across the world so that we all think alike and look alike and sound alike and act alike. God is pleased with variety.

Freedom to be who we are is nothing short of magnificent. It is freedom to make choices, freedom to know His will, freedom to walk in it, freedom to obey His leading me in my life and you in your life.

It is a liberty you will have to fight for. Why? Because the ranks of Christianity are full of those who compare and would love to control and manipulate you so you will become as miserable as they are. “Misery loves company” is the legalists’ unspoken motto.

The one place on earth where we would most expect to be set free is, in fact, the very place we are most likely to be placed into slavery: the church. Surely, that must grieve our God.”

Chuck Swindoll (The Grace Awakening)

Quote from the comments section in "Amy's Humble Musings" (link to her blog in my link section).

About a year and a half ago, I prayed a prayer similar to one my mother prayed many years ago. The answer to my mother's prayer was a move across the country from Michigan to California. It was a hard move, leaving friends and family, but it was very good for our family.

The answer to my prayer has come in the form of a job loss. While Brian has not been fired as of today, it could come at any time (my first question to him on the phone is "Are you still employed?"). It is an uncertain time (should we go ahead and schedule surgery, knowing we won't have insurance past this month?) but my prayer is that this, too, will be very good for our family.