4x4

Caden and Caleb were asking what the 4x4 on trucks means. They thought it meant 4x4=16 and you have to be 16 to drive.

Ruth - 11 Months

Pretty late at getting these taken this month and clothes are over being white.  We grew to fast for that! But she's still awesome!

Teething

Poor Ruthie never seems to stop teething.  Last week I laid her down to change a diaper and saw 2 more teeth on top that had popped through!  That makes 4 on top and it almost looks like there are more coming up there, but it's hard to tell yet.

She also popped one through on the bottom too!  She has 3 down there and another one working its way in.

My little girl is always teething it seems, and we're trying to find things for her to chew and manage the pain for her, but it's rough!

Joshua

Aside from what I learned about the events that took place in Joshua, I wrote down a few personal reflections too.

I thought it was interesting that they hurried across the Jordan River.  There was rush and haste even then just as we rush and hurry through life now.  But we need to do it at God's direction, not culture and to do list based.

I was not expecting the text about the men going to battle and passing before the Lord int he Ark.  I think of the Lord in terms of his is everywhere, but I am looking at it with the lens of the New Testament and I am reading in the Old Testament.

How awesome is God!?  He stopped the sun for moving for a day!

Stubbornness allows defeat.

Joshua

I finished the book of Joshua this week.  I took the following notes through the book:

• The land will be the Israelite's
• Joshua is to follow God's instruction and will be successful
• Joshua gives first order to the people - prepare to move and the men to fight
• Spies are sent to Jericho and hid within Rahab's (a prostitute) home, in exchange they promised to spare her and her family from destruction
• Jericho was terribly afraid of the Israelite's and their God as they'd heard of the Red Sea and more
• Joshua led them across the Jordan river as God directed, the Ark of the Agreement first; the river flow stopped for them to cross
• 12 rocks were selected from the river to remind people it stopped flowing when the Ark with the Lord entered it
• Joshua put 122 rocks in the river where the Ark was
• 12 = 1 for each of the 12 tribes of Israel
• They hurried across the Jordan; men prepared for war first and passed before the Lord
• When priests and the Ark left the Jordan river, it flowed again
• Israelites born while in the desert weren't circumcised, so Joshua did it now
• Then they ate the food from the land in Canaan for Passover, no more manna!
• The Lord sent an army commander for the Israelites
• Jericho feared Israelites, so the locked the gates, no one came or left
• They followed God's instruction to march around the city 1 time daily for 6 days with the Ark, priests with blowing trumpets and armed men
• On day 7, they marched 7 times then shouted
• Rehab and family were saved as promised
• At the shouting, the walls fell, men ran in killing; they spared no one and nothing except Rahab and family
• The spies went for Rahab and kept her family outside camp in a safe place
• Then they burned Jericho and everything in it except silver, gold, bronze and iron; those they saved for the Lord
• If anyone tried to rebuild Jericho, they are cursed by the Lord
• Achan kept items to be given to the Lord
• The Israelies were defeated at Ai
• Must destroy the sin to keep the agreement again for the Israelites
• Sinner will be burned by fire
• Lord pulled out tribe and family until Achan was presented, himself and his sin
• Achan, his family and all he owned was destroyed
• Joshua led them to Ai to take the city by ambush
• They could keep the wealth of Ai for themselves
• Everyone in Ai died that day
• They built an alter as directed int he teachings
• Joshua wrote the teachings down then read for all to hear
• Joshua agreed to a group of people (Gideons) that came to them in fear that they could be their servants without consulting God, they were the tricking them
• Their enemies became their slaves and were not killed because of his word, enemies lied to live
• Other cities heard of the Israelite's victoires, a group of 5 banded together with their kings and armies to fight Gideons since they had made peace with Israelites
• Israelites conquered all and the sun stopped so they could defeat them in light
• Joshua led them through the area defeating and conquering cities
• Joshua carried out God's commands to Moses
• Other kings tried to come together to defeat Israelites but they were unsuccessful
• All the land of the kinds (31) they conquered because the Israelite's land
• The land was divided among the tries of Israel
• Caleb received the land he went to spy on for his trust in God
• Town were divided among tribes, some people didn't leave so they lived among the Israelites (Jebusites)
• Tribes left still without land sent men to write and describe their land to be, Joshua threw lots for the lands
• The rest of the land is given
• Dan's land took a town and changed its name to Dan for their family group
• Joshua received a town
• Cities of safety were declared
• Town and pastures given tot he Levites
• Lord provided peace on all sides of the land
• Some tribes built a new alter, angered the others for going against God; bu they went to them and it was built not for sacrifices but as a reminder they are part of the Lord's people since they are across the river they feared they would be 'disowned'
• Joshua reminds them God keeps his promises and will go ahead of them and fight for them
• Don't befriend those of other gods
• Joshua reminded them of everything they've been through and how the Lord has provided, he reminded them to stay faithful
• Joshua dies
• Israelites served God during Joshua's time and after with those leaders who had seen what God had done for them

A Train Ride & Santa

We saw Santa yesterday!

My Aunt text me yesterday afternoon that she was running the train at an area mall in their Christmas display.  So after Elinore woke from her nap yesterday afternoon we headed to the mall to ride a train. 

Keith was at a friends helping them with some computer stuff, but was able to meet us there too, so that was a nice surprise! 

The kids and I rode the train three times.  (It pays to know the operator!)  And we hopped over and visited Santa and had pictures taken with Santa too!  Bonus for being so early in the year to see Santa; there was no line!

Caden asked Santa for fake snow.  Caleb asked for an iPad.  (Santa said his elves don't make those and they have to check with parents on getting those!)  Elinore asked for a restaurant and a car. 

Ruth cried a little while on Santa's lap, then the photographer distracted her.  Then the distraction ended and crying started again, but we got a great Santa photo of the kids this year!

Christmas

Christmas mania has hit our household like mad!

I've been an early Christmas shopper for years now.  I prefer to be done before Thanksgiving, and this year is no exception, we're well on our way to being done with Christmas shopping!

However, with last year being the exception, I don't decorate before Thanksgiving for Christmas.  (Last year we did because the baby was due the day after Thanksgiving.  I knew if we didn't do it early it might not happen.  Then she made us wait another week anyway!)  This year the pressure is on though.  Caden is our decorator and Christmas fanatic.  He's had his small Christmas tree up almost all year!  And he's been asking and asking when we're going to start decorating.  They're getting more involved in the shopping a little and Caden and Caleb have done a lot of their shopping already too. 

With the radio starting Christmas music early last week, we've been listening to Christmas music non-stop too since then!

I've still resisted the decorating.  I like my turkeys, I didn't want to hide them away, but their infectious excitement has me being okay with Jesus's birthday celebration lasting longer too.  We'll see how much longer I last holding out on the decorations.  We're busy for the next week or so, so I can last that long at least!  They really want Keith to get the lights on the house!  (They're getting smart with their negotiations too.  But Dad, it'll get cold soon to get outside and do it!)

I have wrapped some presents already too!  Everything I could wrap, is wrapped already. 

Teeth

Ruth's fifth tooth popped through this week!