St. Patrick

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Happy St. Patrick's Day!

This isn't exactly a holiday that I have celebrated in the past (except for the wearing of green to escape being pinched), but I think it is a day worthy of celebration!! Instead of drowning myself in ale, maybe I will find some green clover cookies or something at Fry's tomorrow to share with my family if I don't eat them all in the car first.

The Patrick named for this holiday wasn't even Irish!! He was born in England in 389. Though his parents were Christians, he did not share their faith...until the fateful day that changed his life forever.

At the tender and rebellious age of 16, Patrick was kidnapped by Irish pirates while playing on the rocky shores of England. (I just love stories where tragedy turns to triumph...) I guess these pirtates had no use for him since they sold him to other Irishmen who kept him in slavery for 6 long years. I can't imagine the despair he must have felt, but it was all planned by a merciful God for his good, I believe.

It was during this time of darkness that, well, I will just let him speak for himself, "I was sixteen years old and knew not the true God; but in that strange land the Lord opened my unbelieving eyes, and, altogether late, I called my sins to mind, and was converted with my whole heart to the Lord my God, who regarded my low estate, had pity on my youth and ignorance, and consoled me as a father consoles his children."

Eventually he was able to escape and return to England, but his adventures don't end there. He kept having dreams that the Irish children were calling him back to the pagan country of Ireland. I'm sure that was the very place he never wanted to see again!! To make a long story short, he did go back and preached the Gospel for nearly 30 years! He had an incredible ministry and started around 300 churches and baptized 120,000 people. He used the 3-leaf clover to demonstrate the Trinity, and it has become the very icon of this holiday. Neat!

This man fortunately didn't have to die a martyr, but to me he is worth remembering and celebrating. I am sure the many Irish people who have fallen asleep in Christ would agree with me as well if they could.

I feel sorry for those who justify this day as yet another reason to drink themselves silly.

P.S. Don't forget to wear green!!

St. Patrick Image Credit - Wikipedia

Dawning of A New Age Bracket

Pin It Now! Thirty-something


Thirty was bad enough, but in just a few days I will have to say thirty one.

I keep telling myself, though, that it is better than being dead!

I am really not that down about it. Life is good. I have noticed a few changes over the last year that are particularly undesirable, though. More spider veins have appeared, more wrinkles, I think my hair is getting thinner-no grays thank goodness, and my teeth are getting yellow. Must be from drinking tea and eating chocolate, because I don't drink coffee!

It is a good thing I have been growing spiritually over the years, at least I think I have anyway, because soon and very soon my insides will have to be so amazing that no one even takes note of the outside!


Well, on a different note, we are getting settled into our home, and we have met a couple of neighbors. The kids have some playmates next door, but they still talk about their neighbor friends back home. The boys have begun t-ball and baseball practice and love it. I think we have found the church we want to become a part of. I am so ready to get involved and make good friends here. We and the boys are looking forward to having a Memphian around for a week! See ya soon, B.

Loco for Cocoa

Pin It Now! You know you are a chocolate addict when you are resorting to squirting the very last drops of chocolate sundae syrup on organic graham crackers!!!

Sadly this was me this past week. I wasn't able to buy any dessert (or chocolate) at the store last week, and yes, I do know dessert is a luxury, but it would be like coffee addicts not gettin' their coffee, okay!! Not pretty.

This was a week when I really needed the brown stuff. Maybe my fellow females can relate?

I thought I was going to have to shave my head and check myself into rehab, but Mark surprised me with M&M's last night. I am feeling much better. Thank you from the bottom of my heart dear!

July is Wizard Month

Pin It Now! Well, I was already ecstatic about The Order of the Phoenix coming out on film in July, but now I will be able to finish the book series as well!!!! Yea, JK has announced the publication date for her last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, as being July 21!! (And surely it's 2007 and not 2008, right?)

Thank goodness I will be able to read it during summer break!! No homeschool!

If you haven't joined the HP bandwagon, get on the ball and start reading the first installment of the best series ever! Beware: You will become hooked, or should I say "hoodwinked"?

Mullin is currently waiting for us to buy or get to a library so he can read the third book!!

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

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Dedicated to my fellow astronomy lovers . . .

I love astronomy, and I think these pictures are so neat!

How about a few fun facts about these planets...

Mercury--Even though it is the closest planet to the sun, without much of an atmosphere, it gets colder than a freezer at night. And night here lasts about 30 earth days!!

Venus--Hot!!!! This planet is the hottest planet in the whole solar system!

EARTH--"The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, but the earth He has given to the sons of men" Psalm 115:16 A perfect design by a perfect creator!!

Mars--Even if there is evidence that water has been found on Mars, it doesn't mean life exists there! It is way too cold--the average temp on Mars is 81 degrees BELOW zero.

Pluto--Poor Pluto, he's lost his status as a planet.












Wow, just look at how tiny we are now!!

Jupiter--She is such a sweet, protective mother. God made her very massive so that her gravitational pull would keep comets and asteroids from hitting the earth. She takes the hits for us!! Thank you Jupiter!

Saturn--Ever wondered just how many beautiful rings she wears? Thousands!! I would have guessed like 6 or something.

Uranus--I think everyone already knows this is the sleepy planet--always lying on his side.

Neptune--Astronomers really believe it actually rains diamonds on this planet. Neat!













In July, here in Arizona, I am sure it's not going to feel like the sun is 93 million miles away!
Billions and Billions of years ago is just flat out Bologna! The sun is actually getting brighter every year due to thermonuclear fusion, so billions of years ago the sun would have been too dim to provide enough warmth for life to exist.


"He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them." Psalm 147:4

Arcturus is the third brightest star in the sky. The name stems from the ancient Greek, Arktouros, meaning Bear Guard. Another really cool thing is that this star is even mentioned, I believe, twice in the Bible. Both verses are found in Job, and chapter 9 verse 9 reads (King James version) "Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south." (My version refers to it as Bear) But anyway I thought that was cool. The other verse is Job 38:32 if you want to look it up.

Oh, and we all know Sirius is really just The Prisoner From Azkaban.

Isn't Betelguese some weird 80's movie? Antares is the brightest star in the constellation, Scorpius. Amazing to think that there is bigger stuff out there!!




We are not as big as we think we are!

God's creation overwhelms me and leaves me speechless!

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20


Thank you Tonja for sending these pictures to me!