Whitefield's Rock

Today I'm teaching on George Whitefield, the famous British preacher in the Colonial era. I thought you might enjoy this clip of Steve Lawson reciting some Scripture on "Whitefield's Rock," which is just off of Route 9 in Northampton, MA. The man behind the camera is my former pastor, Michel Abendroth. Whitefield most often preached outside, and his voice was equipped for it. Benjamin Franklin was a friend of Whitefield, and Franklin once estimated -- using triangulation -- that Whitefield's voice could reach 30,000 people in the open air.



 

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

(Matthew 7:24-27 ESV)

One Thousand Gifts 2.20.12

227.  a successful move to our new place this past Saturday.
228.  Deacons who fulfill their role and humbly serve.  "For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 3:13 ESV)  Thank you Ben, Wayne, and Kyle for your tireless service.  Also, Keith, Peter, and Tyrone all helped for a time on Saturday with the heavy lifting.  Jennie, Erin, Erin, and Suni helped with the lighter stuff.
229.  Our real estate agent, Sharon, who was with us for twelve hours on Saturday.  She cleaned, she packed, she vacuumed, she unpacked, and she worked on one set of stubborn bunk beds for over an hour, making sure that my kids had a place to sleep on Saturday night.  I don't know and can't list everything she did for us.
230.  My mom, who came for a week and helped on each end of the move.  Yesterday was her birthday.
231.  The kids were pretty resilient.  The boys are old enough to carry a good bit now, and they did it.  Maddie was exhausted by 6:30, and she started crying when I asked her to put away her shoes and socks.  She pleaded, "Can this be my last job?"
232.  Sweet housewarming gifts, one from Erin which was reminiscent of the gift I gave her when she moved in to her new place.  So fun.
233.  Snow last night!

Who's Excited?

Overheard

Scene:  kids in the backseat, sharing a package of Twizzlers.

Jonathan, instructing Maddie:  See, Maddie, this is a twizzler.  But you don't have to twizz it because it's already twizzeled.  Because it's a Twizzler.


Anyone wanna help me out with the translation?

One Thousand Gifts 2.13.12

220.  my flexible kids, living in the midst of moving chaos.  They are doing much better with it than I am.
221.  more friends, more help.
222.  forsythia starting to bloom
223.  daffodils everywhere
224.  a stomach virus that visited all of the kids for a VERY short time, and left us parents alone
225.  a year since Jonathan was hospitalized with a ruptured appendix
226.  little victories...Maddie can now buckle her own seatbelt

Shelf Paper Anxiety

YOUR ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED.

As I said earlier in the week, we are moving soon.  Right now, right at this moment, my future kitchen is empty. All the cabinets, shelves, and drawers (there are a lot of drawers!) are open and waiting to be filled.

It's a wonderful thought.  But I have a nagging issue called "Shelf Paper Anxiety."

Shelf Paper Anxiety is an inherited condition, since my mother always, always had shelf paper in her kitchen.  I have not been so diligent with the shelf paper application.  But I have this lingering guilt about it, like I should really, really have shelf paper and people are judging me when they open my cabinets and see that they are un-shelf-papered.

It's not that I dislike shelf paper, it's just that in a relatively new kitchen, I don't see the point of shelling out all the money required to cover shelves that can be wiped down effectively anyway.

So here's where you can help.  Please answer the following survey.  This is HARD-HITTING, VERY IMPORTANT STUFF, people.


The poll will close just before midnight on the night before we move, so that I have ample time to frantically run to Target the morning of the move and buy yards of shelf paper. Or not.

Review: An Incomplete and Inaccurate History of Sport

Since we just finished up football season on Sunday night, I thought this was as good a time as any to post this review of the book my husband put in my stocking at Christmas.

David gave me this book at Christmastime.  Actually, that is only true if you consider the week after Christmas to be "Christmastime."  He bought it when he was returning a book I bought for him, which I gave him actually on the day called Christmas, along with the stocking stuffers I bought for him.  I still think he should have kept that book.  Oh well.

When he gave me this book during the week after Christmas, I ungratefully said, "oh, come on.  You bought this for yourself."  He weakly replied, "No, honey, I started reading a bit in the store, and I think you'll really like it."  I appreciatively rolled my eyes.

To be fair, I have thought the author is funny when I've seen him on ESPN online, so OK.  I decided to give it a shot.

Two nights later, I was laying in bed reading and the bed was shaking because I was laughing so hard.  David was reading his other book that he bought instead of the book I bought him that he should have kept, and feeling quietly justified in buying this book for me.

To sum up:  Kenny Mayne is funny.

The book has illustrations drawn by his daughters, who have some understanding of sports, but not a lot.

He includes sad and thoughtful chapters about the death of his twin sons and people he grew up with.  This is a side of Kenny Mayne that I did not know existed.

But mostly it's really, really funny.

If you're not a sports fan, you may know Kenny Mayne from his ill-fated performance on "Dancing With the Stars."  He recounts that experience in detail, including the following tidbit:

The night before our dance I attended maybe the greatest game in the history of college tackle football.  Texas beat USC on a last-minute touchdown by Vince Young. [Kelly's commentary:  yes, that was the greatest game in college tackle football.]  I saw that part on TV.  I was sitting fifty-yard line for the greatest game anyone can remember but only for the first half.  I felt I needed to beat the traffic, get to my hotel, and be rested for my big dance performance. 

This was the worst decision in the history of sports.

So if you're a sports fan, you should buy this book and read it.  If you're not a sports fan but appreciate humorous writing, you should also read this book.  If you're neither, you could read it and appreciate the hand-drawn pictures of flowers.

An Incomplete and Inaccurate History of Sport

Guest Post Today

Today I'm guest posting over at Stacey and Michelle's place all about my file crate system.  Check it out!  They have a great deal of home-management wisdom over there.

If you're new here, you might enjoy looking through the funny things my kids say in the Overheard category.  Or maybe catch up on what happened at my house when my favorite football team played my husband's favorite football team.  Or see my Meg Ryan homage during our anniversary trip to NYC.

Either way, welcome!  And help yourself to the RSS feed in the sidebar.

Sh*tuff Christian Girls Say

Not gonna lie, I saw a little of myself here.  Anyone else?

I Just Have Three Things To Say About the Superbowl

1.  Goodness, the Giants were the bigger and stronger team.  This game should not have been as close as it was.
2.  I miss Tedy Bruschi.
3.  Yes, Welker should've caught that ball.  But Brady shouldn't have thrown that stupid intentional grounding pass way in the first quarter.  If that doesn't happen, the Patriots win it with a field goal.

Congrats to the Giants.  Bring on baseball season!

One Thousand Gifts 2.5.12

Wow, what a week.  We had so many BIG things happen, and I feel so humbled by the grace to wake up every morning and carry on through my tasks, big and small.  School is now at a minimum level since we are packing up with great fervor and trying to spend some time at the new place getting some painting done.  I am not as "come-what-may" as other homeschooling mothers, so I always have a hard time putting school to the side and believing that we'll catch up later.  But sometimes it is necessary.  And in this case, we have had a couple of afternoons already of playing in the leaves and running around in the fresh air in our OWN backyard -- imagine that!  So God has supplied the grace to just roll with it and enjoy this time.  Thankful.

213.  a smooth closing on our new place
214.  talking with the former lady of our house, appreciating all the work she's put into the yard.  She is a grade-A gardener, and I am the blessed recipient of twenty-five years of her efforts.
215.  friends who say, "let me know if you need help," and REALLY MEAN IT.  So rare and wonderful!
216.  a much-needed night out of the house with Laura on Friday, attending the NoDa All Arts Market.  Catching up with Dana a bit and buying a new necklace from her shop.  And I'm thankful that the fork ring I got stuck on my finger when I was trying it on...finally came off.  Sometimes I wonder if I should be allowed out of the house.
217.  answered prayer in a church meeting -- honesty & openness
218.  our homeschool co-op.  I love the moms I've met there this year.
219.  the pinewood derby! Such a fun night, win or lose.

Overheard

Maddie is not quite three and a half, but she is tall for her age.  By summer she will probably be in girls' size 6 clothing.  But in her mind, she is still quite little.

Scene:  Morning, time for school to begin.
Mom:  OK everybody, let's get in there for school.
Boys:  (collective groan)
Maddie:  Mom, I don't wanna do school.  I'm toooo tiiiiinnnnyyyyy.

Scene:  Lunchtime at co-op.  Maddie is playing in the Cozy Coupe near the lunch tables.
Mom:  Maddie, it's time for you to go to your class now!
Maddie begins trying to get out of the Cozy Coupe and finds that her long legs are difficult to maneuver out of the car.
Mom:  Looks like you're getting too big for this car!
Maddie:  Mom!  I am not BIG!  I am TIIINNNNYYYYY!

Groundhog Day!

I know it's odd, but today is a minor holiday in our home. These are the traditions we observe:

• Mom running to the TV, only to find that she has once again missed the televised coverage of Gobbler's Knob.  (it won't happen today.  It won't.  It won't.)
• Making Groundhog cupcakes. Find the recipe here.  Unfortunately, our move is interfering with my ability to make these this year.
• Watching the movie "Groundhog Day."

source

Here are some favorite quotes from the movie:

"This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather."

"People like blood sausage too, people are morons."

[to the groundhog who he's holding behind the wheel of the truck he's driving] "Don't drive angry. Do not drive angry."

 And of course there's Needlenosed Ned, Ned the Head, Ned Ryerson.  Bing!

For those of you who have not seen it, "Groundhog Day" is the story of Phil Conners, a weatherman from Pittsburgh who ends up reliving Groundhog Day over and over in Punxatawny, PA. It stars Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell.

I may be overthinking it, but this movie reminds me of "A Christmas Carol" a little bit. Remember Ebenezer Scrooge, resolute but terrified, insisting to the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, "a life can be made right!!"? Phil must learn a similar lesson in Punxatawny.

An old story from National Review about Groundhog Day

This was originally posted on 2/2/07.

Buzzer Beater

Here's our friend Jobey making the last-second shot to win the game on Tuesday night in Russia. Apparently he has icewater in his veins. We knew that.