Does God really hate sin and love the sinner?

Blessings in Disguise

Big Ol' Sweet Iced Tea

Movies on YouTube: High Noon

I did not know that you could download movies from YouTube. Many for free. If you have RealPlayer, you can click the Download This Video button that pop up on the upper right hand side of the video and it will be saved to your computer (usually to the Download folder). Very cool. This does not just work for YouTube videos but most videos on the internet.

Enjoy Gary Cooper in High Noon.

BBC Shakespeare: Animated Tales

BBC Shakespeare Animated Tales: 

Animated adaptations of many of Shakespeare's plays are available on YouTube.

180 Movie

This is an awesome movie. I would recommend everyone to watch this.

WARNING: This video does contain some graphic images. Please preview before showing to children.

Cavalcade of America: Old Time Radio Show

The Cavalcade of America is an anthology drama series that was sponsored by the DuPont Company. It was initially broadcast on radio from 1935 to 1953, and later on television from 1952 to 1957. Originally on CBS, then later changing to NBC, the series pioneered the use of anthology drama for company audio advertising. The Cavalcade of America documented historical events using stories of individual courage, initiative and achievement, often with feel-good dramatizations of the human spirit's triumph against all odds. This was consistent with Du Pont's overall conservative philosophy and legacy as an American company dating back to 1802. The company's motto, "Maker of better things for better living through chemistry," was read at the beginning of each program, and the dramas emphasized humanitarian progress, particularly improvements in the lives of women, often through technological innovation.

Are You . . . Almost Saved?

For All Those Ketchup Lovers Out There . . .

What Guys Think About Modesty

Love vs. Lust

It Is Well With My Soul by Horatio Spafford

Daves Highway - It Is Well With My Soul - May 2011

You would think that the person who wrote this song, had a pretty great life. You would not be farther from the truth. Horatio G. Spafford and his wife Anna lived in Chicago with their five children. Horatio was a successful lawyer and friends with many influential people, including D. L Moody.He was also a Presbyterian church elder and a dedicated Christian.

In 1870, their four year old son, Horatio, Jr., died of scarlet fever. The Spaffords were devastated.
In October 1871 Spafford lost most of his wealth in the Great Chicago Fire.  250 people died in the Great Chicago Fire and 90,000 were left homeless but the Spafford's home and family were spared.

They used what resources they had left to help those who had been affected by the fire.

In 1873, the Spaffords planned a trip to Europe for a vacation but to assist Evangelist D. L. Moody in a revival they were conducting in England. The day they were to sail for Europe Spafford had a business emergency and could not leave. Not wanting to disappoint his wife Anna and their daughters he sent them on ahead and planned to follow on another ship in a few days.

On November 22, 1873 the steamer Ville du Havre was struck by a British iron sailing ship, the Lockhearn. Only 81 of the 307 passengers and crew members survived this tragic shipwreck, the four daughters were among the fatalities. Anna Spafford was picked up from floating debris by the crew of the Lockhearn. She was taken to Cardiff, Wales where she telegraphed her husband Horatio. Anna's cable was brief and heartbreaking, "Saved alone. What shall I do..."

As soon as he received Anna's telegram, Horatio left Chicago without delay to bring his wife home. Sailing across the Atlantic Ocean the captain of the ship called Horatio to the bridge. He informed Horatio that "A careful reckoning has been made and I believe we are now passing the place where the Ville du Havre was wrecked. The water is three miles deep." That night, alone in his cabin Horatio G. Spafford penned the words to his famous hymn, "It Is Well With My Soul." Horatio's faith in God never faltered. He later wrote Anna's half-sister, "On Thursday last we passed over the spot where she went down, in mid-ocean, the waters three miles deep. But I do not think of our dear ones there. They are safe, folded, the dear lambs."

After Anna was rescued, Pastor Nathaniel Weiss, one of the ministers traveling with Anna and Horatio's group remembered hearing Anna say, "God gave me four daughters. Now they have been taken from me. Someday I will understand why." Anna was utterly devastated. In her grief and despair, Anna heard a soft voice speaking to her, "You were saved for a purpose!" It was then Anna remembered something a friend had once said, "It's easy to be grateful and good when you have so much, but take care that you are not a fair-weather friend to God."

God blessed Anna and Horatio with three children. They had a son in 1876 and a daughter in 1878. Tragically, their son did at the age of 4 just as his brother before him, he died from scarlet fever. They had another daughter in 1880. After the loss of little Horatio, the Spaffords decided to leave their home in America and settle in Jerusalem. In September of 1881 the Spaffords and a few of their friends left America for Israel. 

The group settled in the old part of Jerusalem and started a work which later became known as the "American Colony." There they served the needy, helped the poor, cared for the sick and took in homeless children. Their only cause was to show those living about them the love of Jesus.

Bertha Spafford Vester, wrote the following in her book "Our Jerusalem."

"In Chicago, Father searched his life for explanation. Until now, it had flowed gently as a river. Spiritual peace and worldly security had sustained his early years, his family life and his home . . . All around him people were asking the unvoiced question; 'What guilt had brought this sweeping tragedy to Anna and Horatio Spafford?' . . . Father became convinced that God was kind and that he would see his children again in heaven. This thought calmed his heart, but it was to bring Father into open conflict with what was then the Christian world . . .  To Father, this was a passing through the "valley of the shadow of death," but his faith came through triumphant and strong. On the high seas, near the place where his children perished, he wrote the hymn that was to give comfort to so many:"

It Is Well With My Soul 

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
(refrain)
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
(refrain)

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
(refrain)

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
(refrain)

In 1876, P.P. Bliss put Horatio Spafford's words to music.

It is believed that Horatio took the words "It is well" from the words of the Shunammite woman who lost her only son but was later raised from the dead by Elisha. (II Kings 4:26 )

Horatio G. Spafford Born October 20, 1828 in Lansingburgh, New York Died of Malaria on October 16, 1888 in Jerusalem Anna Spafford  Born in Stavanger, Norway, in 1842, continued to work in the surrounding areas of Jerusalem until her death in 1923.  The Spaffords were laid to eternal rest in Jerusalem. It can be said that "It Is Well With Their Souls."

Audie Murphy: To Hell and Back

AHG Daddy/Daughter Dinner 2011

 

American Heritage Girls Daddy/Daughter Dinner - Feb. 14, 2011

The Weight of the Cross

Let Me Entertain You -- NOT!

In our homeschooling schedule, I have recently started group time before we officially "start school". This is a time for prayer, praise and any information I need to share with my girls. It has been somewhat difficult. My youngest (7 years old) has a very hard time sitting still and not being disruptive during this time. I can not blame her totally for her behavior--I have tacitly allowed it. What a terrible disservice I have done to my daughter. Well, all that is going to change. Not just in our homeschooling but also in the way we "do" everything--even church.

I was reading a Voddie Baucham article about family worship and including younger children. It has really opened my eyes.

This is one of the songs that he uses in his worship time. It brought back memories of my childhood.



I especially like this from his post:
Worship is not about entertainment. Worship is a solemn encounter. Sure, there are times when we have powerful, emotional encounters with God. However, those are not the norm. And when we try to make that the norm, we miss a very important truth. Spiritual Disciplines are just that... Disciplines! . . . We don’t believe every meal needs to be a grand feast, do we? Unfortunately, somebody told us that worship should be ‘exciting’ and ‘fun’ and we believed them. The fact is, sometimes worship is boring, and that’s alright. Dinner is boring sometimes too, but we still need to eat . . . How do we expect this from children whose entire religious foundation is built upon entertainment? Ironically, one of the most important things small children learn in family worship is the discipline of ‘sitting through’ something that is not necessarily entertaining.

"Sitting through" . . . I like that. The word "enduring" came to mind. Sometimes, I endure a service. It is so hard for the words of the songs to even come out of my mouth, but I endure through it. Even though I don't have a "fireworks" experience, it is okay. God is there and is ministering to me.

I feel that our church misses that very point--before every worship song we are told how awesome we are supposed to feel while singing this particular song. You know sometimes I do feel awesome--but there are times that I sing the songs and don't quite "feel" it the way I think they want me too. That bothers me--not my feelings but the expectations that are being put on my worship experience by well-meaning folks. I worry about other folks who have the same experience that I have. Do they think something is wrong with their spiritual walk because they don't feel all warm and fuzzy after every praise song?

I sometimes feel so old--I don't remember having all this stuff during church. We sang hymns/praise songs, had Bible reading and a sermon. None of the bells and whistles that they have now. I am not anti-technology, in fact I love technology. I do not think it should not be used just because it is there. I don't quite understand video taping the church announcements with all the fancy editing. I would be nice to have a living person make the announcements.

We are training our children to have the same expectation. They are subjected to all these bells and whistles when they attend children's church and then when they are in 4th grade and are required to go to big church, we wonder why they are bored and can't behave. So we tailor church to satisfy that need.

I am just as guilty of sending my kids to children's church. That is going to change. I know it is going to be hard and at times, I know many stares are going to come from people because we are going to have to enforce some discipline, but I know it will be worth it in the end.

Until next time . . .

Curly's Hometown Movie Surfer

We went to see the Train Tour of Disney's Christmas Carol when it was in town. The girls signed up for a chance to be a Hometown Movie Surfer. We were excited when we got the call that Curly won. We did a video about Curly's experience taping the segment. At the end is a review of Disney's A Christmas Carol. Enjoy.

You can see Curly's video online at MovieSurfers.com


When you get to the Hometown Movie Surfer map, just click on Curly's picture and you will see her video.

La Clase Divertida (The Fun Class)

Los Vocales en Espanol

We are learning Spanish. The program we are using is La Clase Divertida. One of the first thing the girls learned was the vowels in Spanish (hence the name of the song). The progam came with an instructional DVD, a CD with all the songs and lessons for them to listen to, a fun workbook and a teacher's book. My girls listen to their CD at night when they are going to bed. They really like this song.

We got to record it on Curly's new Flip Video Camera. She won it in the "Disney Be a Hometown Movie Surfer" Sweepstakes when the Disney The Christmas Carol Train Tour can to our town. Hopefully she will be on the Disney Movie Surfers website by next week. We are going to have fun video taping segments to add to the blog. For now, enjoy.

Castillo de San Marcos, St. Augustine

I really enjoyed our visit to the Castillo de San Marcos. I think it was because I had prepared in advance for the trip.

Before we went to the Castillo de San Marcos, I downloaded the Junior Ranger Program Booklet from the National Park Service (NPS) website. It has information about the fort and the NPS. I incorporated it in our history lessons. A couple of days before we went, we completed the sections that could be done at home. The rest we finished during our visit to the Castillo de San Marcos. (You can get the booklets on site but it is a lot of work to do while there. They do give the option of mailing it in to receive your badges.)



The booklet directed us to places that we probably would not have gone.

For their Jr. Ranger Badge, the girls had to ask a park ranger and a park volunteer a question, it opened up a dialogue that gave us more information than we could have gotten from reading all the signs.


Curly is holding the device that lights the flint on the cannon.


Hubby enjoys sharing with Curly.


Curly enjoys listening to her father.


Angel does her Vanna White impersonation while showing us the cannon.

Now to my favorite part of the entire Castillo de San Marcos visit . . .

. . . the cannon demonstration.
Sorry for shaky video, holding onto daughters hand while taping.

When the girls showed a ranger their books, they both received a Jr. Ranger Badge and a very nice certificate. Because they wrote a letter about their visit to the fort (an activity in the booklet), they also received a Jr. Ranger Patch.

I will tell you I was impressed. I thought they would get a cheesy sticker and maybe a photocopied certificate.


A tired group leaves the Castillo de San Marcos.

Side Note:
My husband was curious about a show that he had seen about the Castillo de San Marcos. The show was Ghost Adventures on the Travel Channel. According to a park ranger, they totally manipulated the footage they took. They edited answers from one question and put with another question. They misrepresented the facts--only two people died at the Castillo and both are buried in cemeteries on the other side of town. The "bodies' (as they are referred to in the show) that were found were in the area where they threw away trash and was, as gross as it is, amputated body parts. Think about it, that is how they treated a musket wound, amputate and throw away. Drafts that they felt, were from air shafts not some "ghostly" presence and their most dramatic video--someone walking with a lantern could easily be explained as lights from a boat in the water. Totally sensationalize their visit at the Castillo.

Last Weekend

Last weekend, we went with my mom to go see a preview of the new TinkerBell movie: TinkerBell and the Lost Treasure. I will say I enjoyed the movie, but the highlight of my trip was meeting the man who did the voice of Yakko Warner, Rob Paulson. By the way, he did a couple of the voices for the TinkerBell movie. It was so cool because I introduced my girls to the Animaniacs a couple of years ago and Curly picked them to watch a couple of days before the trip. We had no idea that he was going to be there. I think my girls were the only young ones who cheered when they introduced him as the voice of Pinky and Yakko Warner.

He started asking where people were from first "United States", "Canada", then "Mexico, Panama" and then he completed the song. Curly was so excited because she remembered this song from the day before. Then we got to meet him in person and get his autograph. He was so sweet with the girls.



I wish I could show pictures of the weekend but my USB cable to my camera broke and I have to order a new one before I can download my picures. BUMMER!