A flashlight on some of my trash

Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man, But any fool will quarrel. Prov. 20:3

Sequoia just brought her little flashlight to me for more batteries. The off button is rarely used by my kids--easier to get more batteries from Dad. It is true in the spirit as well. Sequoia and the rest of the crew never turn off their flashlights when it comes to Dad. Everything I say and do lies under the spotlight.

It's amazing how much strife there is in my house. A simple act of sharing or deference could put out most of the fires in our daily routine. My combative leadership has laid the foundation for my kid's interaction. I can easily color my quarreling with suave design and calculated adult pretense. Children have no such skills and reveal all my weaknesses by repeating my strategies with naked plagiarism.

Some homes may exhibit repressed emotion with darting eyes the only clue to the deeper issues. Not so here. I could use a little repression if for no other reason, to grasp at the honor due a man so disciplined.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Rom 12:2

Josiah's 14th B-day. Donuts at the break of day.

Friends for dinner. Thanks Herseys!

The rest of the Hersey Gang including little Thomas and baby Emma

Lots of love. Lots of cinamon roll. Lots of smile. Will he burn his finger?

Keeping Grandma Updated!

Two of my babies.

Baby Zach's first bath (at home!). He looks like he's really enjoying it, huh?

Safe and warm and, well, not wet.

I'd like to introduce our new science editor for the Making God Room blog: McKadesh Samuel Lynch. Today Mac was playing a game with Mom and other siblings and was asked "how do you know something's happening if you can't see it?" His answer "with my ears." Next he was asked "what part of your body do you smell with?" His tentative response: "your bottom?" Another chapter of success in our homeschooling adventure.

I Call this one "Girl in a tree." We don't know why such silliness occurs around our house:)

The fun is over now.

Morning Musings

Simple joys. My daughter Turner Joy wrote this poem 2 days ago:

Ballad of the cat and the dog

O, doth every dog do wish

For a cat served in a dish

With catsup, radish, and an onion too

Boiled down into catsup stew

Then, to be applied so quickly

So the cat to be real sticky

But why, oh, why doth the dog tarry

For the cat to block and parry?

Hissing, flailing, squirming too

Leaving unmarred a very few?

Every night doth the cat contrive

A new way to forthwith survive

Leaving the dog to compromise

For the cat's doom and demise.

Turner Joy Lynch, 12 years old

The fear of the Lord leads to life, so that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.

Proverbs 19:23

Short of sleep these days. Baby tag is giving me from 9:30p to about 3:30a. Then I'm up holding Zachariah Zion. It's not a time to have a guilty concience. God guard my heart and thoughts so I might sleep the good sleep of the rested soul. Fear leads to life. Sequoia, my 6 year old daughter, woke early to the fear of 2 headed monsters that wanted to kill her. That's not the kind of fear that leads to life. The fear of the Lord is a transforming power (its the beginning of knowledge, after all - Prov 1:7), a revolution in the heart that overthrows the false reigning abscounders. After all, the competition for the "fear of the Lord" can only be the fears of man, loss, lonliness, etc. Best to see their rule overthrown by the healthy fear of a good king!

Welcome Home Zach!

Happy Siblings!

As promised...

Zach has learned the secret of the camera. Red light glows, then big nasty flash. Close eyes after red light!

Proud Mom & Dad leaving hospital 3 weeks after Zach's arrival

Secret Handshake

One eyed Zach

Baby 'riah is home!

Excitement, frolics, jumping and ecstatic noise (and that was from the grownups!). After 3 weeks in the NICU, little baby Zachariah Zion is home! For big sister 2 year old Havilah, little baby 'riah is now here. She's not sure what that means yet, but for now she's riding the excitement wave. Its good to have him here close to us. He's small (about 5 lbs now), fragile, quiet (so far) and very welcome. We're not sure yet how he will change us (read make more God room in us) but I'm sure he will. And...as soon as I figure how to put pictures on this blog thing, I'm gonna do it. Really.