Contrasts....

I am still "hanging around the empty tomb," transfixed on the Resurrection, it is fascinating, enlightening, encouraging....as I said before, it is my future with Joel! I like to envision what it was like to be there. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. (Matt. 28:8) As I sat and thought about this fear and great joy, such a contrast, I started looking for other contrasts around the Resurrection. I saw these....1) Death/Life, 2) Fear/Great joy, 3) Law/Grace, v.66, So they went, and made the sepulchre, sealing the stone... by the law the stone was sealed. He defeated death and lives, sin and fears were shut in the tomb, now great joys of eternal hope for believers, the law was fulfilled perfectly and when the stone was rolled away, grace flowed out. v.7 and behold, he goeth before you into Galilee... He went before us in death, taking fears and sin and the law and has brought us life, great joys and grace! His last words to them when He left them was, it is finished and his first words when he met them was All hail, which means O joy, to be cheerful, happy, be glad rejoice! Matt 28:9. Jesus met them, saying All hail. When Joel left us, it was finished in this life, but the message from the Lord now to my heart, is All hail, be cheerful, be happy, we will meet Joel again!! It is because of the truths like these that I am able to be free from hopelessness. Still many tears but anticipation!

1/3 of my students fled today.....Micah is helping the boys work and Andrew is goat showing with Bethany and Terry. I am going to do school with the rest here shortly! Terry calls these opportunities "Field Trips." They do not take them often, but sometimes its a necessity.

We had our first Goat Meat two nights ago.....goat meat enchiladas, it cooked up just like beef, I lit a candle prior to cooking because I did not want a bad odor going but it was fine. The crew did not even know until I told. We have roasts, chops, ribs and ground goat. I am going to use it just like beef.....coming soon....Goat Meat Burgers!!!!!!

I had someone ask us for some tips and how we encourage the children to get along with each other, to show they love each other, how they become best friends? Sometimes I find it hard to answer questions like these because as I look back I do not have formulas from books I have read or any seemingly pat answers but as I tried to make my brain come up with something, one way I think that has encouraged healthy relationships amongst them is being together, working together, playing together. They do have friends outside our family but even when they are with them its usually our whole family is all together. When Bethany needs to go on an errand, a brother usually goes with her, someone is always with someone!! Another thought would be is the view of children is proclaimed daily in our family, how children are a blessing, how precious you are. As they are taught this truth from scripture, the older ones hold the younger ones up in thought, and with deeds and investing time with them, that they are valuable and a blessing from the Lord. Unlike the world and young people who see small children as insignificant, too much trouble, or I have my own plans and I do not have time for you! Our children will follow our example, they will value what we value, do we value the blessing that children are or do our children see us putting more value on what this world had to offer? Of course our younger ones are still in molding phase, but they do have wonderful times together and on a funny note, they only have each other to play with, I do not make it a habit of giving them opportunities of going to this ones house, or sleeping over there, or going out with this one or that one....its us or nothing!!! I think its a"way of life" that is carried out everyday, and then its just the mercy of the Lord. One other thing that we encourage them to do is to have them seek for forgiveness when unkindness and offenses are made, it causes them to demonstrate humility as they go to each other and restoring the fellowship between them. I think too all that the children have been through with Joel and they see how short our time can be together has brought a reality to them that maybe can only be grappled as the trail gave the experience, so they know in a sense of how precious time and people are. I am grateful for the relationships they have, but there is always ways to improve, enhance and encourage a healthy sibling relationship, so it is ongoing and it takes hearts that are growing in grace for this to happen. May the Lord continue it in our family and yours!!

Ok....these munchkins are huuuunnnngryyy!!! Better go and get the grub out!!!

Cindy