Monarch Marvel

How nice it is to stop the hustle and bustle of a busy work week and to have a full 24 hours of rest. I can't fathom why it's considered legalistic by many to NOT work! Keeping this day Holy is a blessing for us because we consciously put away things that would lead us away from knowing God more fully. Actually, sometimes there IS effort involved - that of NOT working! But the results are worth it and very beneficial for the soul.

See how our little Cy has grown. How peaceful she looks. C loves to hold her and would hold her constantly if she could.

We've had a lot of rain this week. On Tuesday morning right around 8am we were hit with some mighty stormy weather. Unfortunately for about 50 people in Western Tennessee earlier in the day, it proved fatal. This time of year can be unpredictable in these parts.

On Tuesday afternoon C was invited to a belated birthday party - a dress-up tea party. Great fun and hilarity was had by all - especially as there was a 5 year old brother to chase after them with his stick sword and dinosaur mask. They were screeching and screaming so loudly one couldn't be heard above the din even when in the kitchen.

Wednesday night was Adventureres. I was the worship leader and Busy Bee teacher this week. We studied about butterflies and had to cover quite a lot in the hour alloted us for the class. Here is the interesting story of the Monarch butterfly's life here in North America. I'll mention the cycle of the eastern Monarchs which overwinter in Mexico just west of Mexico City.

We'll start in winter when thousands of them are in the same little area, clinging to tree trunks, branches and leaves. They are in a hibernating state at this time. In Feb/Mar, they start to awaken, find mates and after mating, fly northeast into the States and lay their eggs in Mar/Apr on the underside of milkweed plants. These butterflies then die - they've lived a total of 6-8 months. Their eggs hatch after 3-6 days, grow 2000X bigger as caterpillars/larva for 7-17 days, form a chrysalis and emerge another 2 or so weeks later as the adult Monarch. This is the "first generation".

These butterflies then continue the long trek northeast-wise, laying their eggs in Apr/May. The first generation dies after 2-6 weeks. The 2nd generation then emerges and continues the flight. They lay their eggs in May/June/July (the 3rd generation), and then die themselves. By now, they're probably more than half way across the States, heading east. The 3rd generation makes it all the way to New York/Maine and the northeast. (I don't know exact, specific locations, and remember I'm only talking about the ones that go to the east - others migrate all over the States). They lay their eggs in July/August/Sep? and then also die after several weeks. When this 4th generation emerges, they soon start the incredible 3000 mile journey, going back in a southwesterly direction across North America, arriving 2 months later at the EXACT location their great great grandparents started from 6 or 7 months previously. They drink a lot of nectar on the way, arriving fatter than when they left the Northeast. This fat helps them survive the long winter.

How they know exactly where to go is still a mystery. Maybe they release pheromones along the way, I don't know! Of course the TIMES of the migrations may vary somewhat due to various weather conditions. Sometimes they don't arrive in the northeast til Aug/Sep due to storms or other conditions.

In Mexico they hibernate as adults for 6-8 months before starting the whole amazing journey cycle again. So, next time you in the States see a Monarch butterfly flitting seemingly aimlessly about the garden, remember that you're watching an amazing participant in one of the most fascinating dramas of the animal world.(dramatic music...)

www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/monarch/jr/LifeCycle1.html

Your children might enjoy this little photo book about the life cycle of the Monarch, and from this link, one could go to a lot more interesting facts about the Monarchs.

Enjoy the Sabbath, and your coming week!

Pinch and a Punch!

for the first of the month!

This time last year we had a snowfall and had a snow day. This year it's cold and wet today.

On Monday C and I spent a good bit of the day at the Creative Discovery Museum. The new exhibit was called "Moneyville" and was all about how money is important, the history of it, it's value in different countries, plus some practical games and situations using play money, including making change on a computer game. Although C was at first reticent to play that one, since it was a school day, I made her play at least some, and in the end that was her favorite thing and she wanted to keep on doing it......(Mom says "Yay!"). We also had the opportunity to make our own "money" including a print out of it and a photo of oneself in the middle. Of course, C chose the 1 million denomination every time for her money, so now we're millionaires! Perhaps I'll donate a million to charity tomorrow....

On Tuesday we had our CHE day, studying about the eyes. After lunch we did First Aid at our Keeper's club meeting. It's hilarious to hear the kids' solutions to various medical emergencies! Hopefully we're setting them straight! In the evening C and I went to an "Escape School" programme - not scary at all, says C- at Spalding. I think we learned a lot that hopefully we'll never have to put into practice.

Heard a disturbing bit of news on local radio today - yes, the SS has arrived in the US. Right here in our local city, we are having a training program for regular citizens - your friends and neighbors - to be trained in the ways of the police. They are to be "spies" (though they're not saying that) in your friendly neighborhood and are to report any activity that is suspicious (in their minds). Some will even get radar "guns" to monitor your speed as you drive through the neighborhood and report you to the police who will then write you a friendly warning. To me, it doesn't seem like the old "neighborhood watch" going on here. So, do we live in the US of A or have we somehow become the USSR (of 20 yrs ago) or China? The lines are becoming somewhat blurred to me! Does this not strike you as a bit strange and antagonistic? Am I going to talk as freely to my neighbors any more? Will we be able to trust anyone? Pretty soon it won't only be crimes, but what we believe, or our lifestyle, or the way we're raising the kids....

Deep breath - I'll move on......

At GVE we're learning all about Roman numerals - quite fun - until it gets tedious! In cello, we're working on Berceuse in Book 3 and starting to do a little vibrato - much anticipated.

S did some handiman work around the house yesterday. Fixed a fluorescent light in our schoolroom, fixed a motion sensitive spotlight at the back door, fixed another issue with the heat pump and other various things. Yay!

And that about covers our 'extra' doings this week. The rest is all routine as usual. I am trying out some new recipes that S picked out. Quite good! (I must admit, I've only made one so far.) Anyhoo, IT was excellent, and quickly devoured. There will be more....

This photo is from before Christmas at G and J's.

Is that you, Darth Vader, in the back?

We're waiting to hear how G and J's trip to Indiana went. We hope they found good things. I'm sure they'll let everyone know in their weekly missive.

Prayer is key. It's our connection, easy to lose....."Pray, that ye enter not into temptation".

Have a great week.

Conspicuous

like this frog who is trying to hide in our azalea bushes. Isn't he sweet though? He let us hold his cool, wet body and calmly hopped back to his little leaf afterward. We didn't tell him but he should have been on some lichen.


Here is our next sweetie, Cy. She was born on Christmas day and only 2-3 weeks early instead of the 2 months we thought it might be! She's a month old now and starting to pay more attention to what's around her. Here she's looking to see what C and the cat, "Monkey", are doing.

This little country church is about 2 miles from our house. This is the typical little white country church in Tennessee.

The next few photos at the airport must be seen in sequence. S decided to try out his new camera's quick takes feature (yeah, I know I don't have the technical term!). It just so happened that as C was running toward him, a plane started up and these photos are truly her expressions of horror and fright (albeit a bit dramatically as is her fashion sometimes!).

All is well!! Whew!

So, these are some photos from the past week and beyond. Some of them are from the late fall, others from the summer, and the baby is from this week.

I didn't get to the blog making this Friday due to taking up time emptying our iPhoto folders. Whew! That was amazing. Anyway, it has really speeded things up by freeing up some memory space. I won't even tell you how many photos were deleted. Of course we've made copies on discs!

This week has been cold and frosty - but at least it really feels like January for a change. Caridee has been in the garage at night even though that's not really toasty warm by any stretch (in the high 50's). At least it's not in the teens like outside.

Some big news - C has just finished the Suzuki Cello Book 2 and is now officially starting Book 3 - as soon as I go buy it!. Congrats, C, you've worked hard.

Til next time, may the road come up to meet you, or something like that! (just not too hard, ha ha) and may the wind blow softly in your face (boy, do I have it all wrong!?). Anyway, my kindly thoughts are with you all, especially M&D who celebrated their wedding anniversary today. Congrats to you too!

Snow/Fall

Here are just a few pics of our latest snowfall taken by G.

Altogether we only had about 2 inches but isn't it pretty?

Be sure to check back to the blog about Christmas in Florida for some added photos.

Are we harbouring Canaanites?

According to the Bible, God promised the Israelites the land of Canaan even from the Great Sea to the River Euphrates. The Israelites were told to annihilate the heathen and pagan nations from that area completely. Joshua was on the path to doing just that when he was deceived by the Gibeonites and made an alliance with them.

Earlier, Balaam, who couldn't pronounce a curse on Israel, decided to use trickery to get the Moabites to seduce the Israelites and weaken them that way. He succeeded, they intermarried and trouble ensued. Read Joshua's summary of what happened in Joshua 23 and 24. These weren't the only backslidings of the Israelites, but yet God helped Israel subdue the pagan nations around them and in Joshua's time, Israel had rest from all their enemies. Close to his death he made the Israelites promise and swear that they would never ally themselves with any heathens or their gods. He wrote this covenant down and brought there a great big rock to be a witness.

Well, unfortunately, if you'll read on into Judges, the people soon forsook their promise. Judges 2:11 and on "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger. And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth" etc...Then the LORD gave them judges (v.16) who, despite their disobedience, were able to help defeat their enemies. These are the nations who were left in the land of Canaan: the Philistines, the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites.(Chapter 3:1-3). Although the Israelites did have physical battles with them, the real influence of these heathen remained to corrupt and pollute their morals, their allegiance to God and purity of heart. If they had been committed to removing these peoples in their entirety, they would have been less likely to have been corrupted, and would have remained true, at peace, and would have fully revealed God's true character to the world.

So, the point of this discussion is to lead us to question whether we, as Spiritual Israel, have removed Canaan entirely from our lives or whether we are still being corrupted by it. First, we have to identify WHAT is modern Canaan. Because if we don't know what or who we're "fighting", then we won't feel a need to purge it. This is a work of heart-searching and honest evaluating of ALL we allow to influence us - and there is so MUCH in 2008. Besides the obvious influence from things of technology, there remains the subtle influences of a lavish and wasteful lifestyle, materialism, procrastination, workaholism, fashion, lack of value for family, structure, discipline, order, courtesy, integrity, healthy industry, spiritual nurture of ourselves and of our families, service to those in need, time for meditation and lots of other things that the "world" leads us away from in tiny increments. Before we know it, we're worshipping the ideals and philosophy of this world - a world tainted by "Canaan". Although it is mostly unrealistic for us to purge Canaan from the world, we CAN and should purge it TOTALLY from our homes.

We have to realize that the "who" behind Canaan is Satan himself. We are so easily led astray and deceived unless we are firmly on the ROCK of Jesus. As the LORD God helped the Israelites defeat the Canaanites, so He is the only one who can help us defeat modern Canaan. But we must do our part in not courting evil where we can control it - in our homes and hearts. Refuse to be seduced, by turning from evil and studying the good. We have no time for frivolous amusements and dallying with the 'enemy', thinking we can avoid contamination. Just the giving of our TIME to these things is walking on enemy ground, never mind the corrupting influence it has on us. "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation..."(Matt 26:41)

Eventually God gave the Israelites up fully to the heathen nations in a physical way - they were exiled to Babylon - but "only" for 70 years. At Christ's first coming He MORE FULLY revealed to them a merciful and longsuffering God, ready to forgive and redeem. We have the whole history of Israel to see what happens when we forsake the only true way - and yet we so easily fall into the snares of the evil one ourselves - Spiritual Israel; we, who have pledged ourselves to following ONLY Him. The next exile will be FOREVER, not a measly 70 years. We have a lot more at stake this time. Let's not throw eternal life away for the sake of worthless, worldly idols. We must return to a pure and innocent (primitive) godliness. Let us repent!

"Choose ye this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15.

Pain and Tribulation

Last time I said I'd talk about the 3 little angels. Here they are.

Ages 3, 5 and 6.

Needless to say we had a busy time that week, and the New Year's Eve party was a disaster! The middle one especially has no idea how to behave in a group situation and was out-of-control bouncing off the walls, bless his little heart. I'll spare you the details but to say we left early!

The pain and tribulation title refers to the fact that on Tuesday a crowned tooth of mine decided to "erupt" in pain - an angry beehive indeed. The pain is indescribably agonizing. I say "is" because it's not completely gone despite a strong antibiotic and fairly strong painkillers. And it only takes a minor irritation or disturbance (such as eating OR drinking) to set it off again! I'm bracing myself for a root canal and am NOT happy about it. Why don't the dentists just come out straight and tell you "The nerve is dead and you'll have to have a root canal". But no, they give you the antibiotics, painkillers and give you hope that everything will work out just fine. "But we'll check in two weeks to see that it's OK". Then they'll break the news to you: "Oh, too bad, it needs a root canal!"

Since sleep didn't come easily at times this week I had the time to listen to some very interesting online videos by Walter Veith on the history of all the versions of the Bible. They're at the Google video site - can't remember the exact address there but the series is called Total Onslaught. Check out videos numbered 213 and 214 in particular I think. They're the Bible versions-specific ones. Anyway, I have found them terribly enlightening and informative and several of our Bible versions are being put out to pasture! (The more radical ones of course). Some of them one can take a pen and "correct", which he does himself with the New King James - one of my favourite versions too.

We've had nice weather this past week with a fair amount of rain, wind and storm to water the earth. It's supposed to be winter but is more like spring. We had our chimney worked on this week too, but alas, the foundation is hardly more than mortar - not even concrete - and just cracks and breaks when they (Ram Jack Company) try to lift the chimney up. I believe they said they've "stabalized it" but we're still not playing around it! Two stones have already fallen off during its "surgery".

When S sends me more photos I'll add a few here and there, so check back from time to time!

On Sunday evening we had the wonderful pleasure of a visit from Jeni-Joy, Carlindo and their two little girls from California. We had a lovely catch-up visit and supper. Uncle Robin is in SA as we speak, for two months. He took Aunty Loretta's ashes to be buried with Gailee's at HBC.

Enough newsy news for now. Next time I'll give you my ideas on the Canaanites.
Until then, happy Sabbath. May you find that true rest in Christ as you rest physically from all your labours of the week.

Christmas in Florida

Drove down last Sunday, the 23rd Dec, to visit the folk in Avon Park. Had a lovely visit, enjoying the warm, even hot temperatures (I saw one temperature display that said 91' one day, but not sure if that was accurate. Some others showed in the mid to high 80's), sunny skies and fresh salty/swampy breezes one recognizes all too well from that part of the country.  Also enjoyed taking a trip down to "Lion Country Safari", Xmas lights at the hospital, visiting with the folk

(S got a hole in one - a birthday present)

visiting our old favourite, "Highlands Hammock" etc.   C and Grandma had a wonderful time loving on each other - so sad that we live far away. I think Grandma enjoyed all the kisses and hugs,

and Grandpa enjoyed showing us photos and other things he's been up to lately. 

Lion Country Safari

C doesn't look too perturbed at being eaten by a lion!

Feeding a giraffe

My, what a lovely long tongue you have!

Riding on a camel.....

May I jump in, Mommy?

We reluctantly left them on Friday morning for the coast where we headed to the beach. The air was very warm but the water was chilly. I got in as far as my waist but C managed to swim up to her neck. S got his ankles wet! We also had fun building a dribble castle and decorating it with shells.

The next day we meandered slowly up the coast, visiting interesting places along the way - some nature reserves, and cute harbour villages: Cedar Key, and another one: Apalachicola amongst others. We even saw brightly coloured autumn trees here and there - about 2 months behind the rest of the country. It was low tide at one place and we got to see miniature fiddler crabs scuttling around. Many of them were only the size of a dime (just more than 1cm wide). I'm not sure if S got any close-up pics of them but will add them later if he did. Some of them were tenaciously guarding their wives and didn't move til we actually nudged them along. There was a whole city of crabs in that area so we didn't walk around for fear of stepping on them.
We ended up near St. Joseph's Peninsula State Park around 5pm and made the decision to camp there - it's nice to have a van we can sleep in at short notice! There were a few sites available and we found a nice one just a stone's throw from the sea. 

(The reason these two photos are dark is that they were taken at or around sunrise.)

How nice to go to sleep with the roar of the waves in one's ears. And the cherry on top was a storm that blew in just around bedtime so we got to hear the rain on the roof as well as watch a light show from the lightning. That didn't last too long - or maybe we fell asleep before it ended....

          Sunday morning we had a picnic breakfast by the boat launch and got to feed the gulls

                                                   who caught our bread offerings in mid-air.

C was, of course, thrilled. I don't know how much food actually got down her own throat though.
So then, this week was the first of the new year - HAPPY NEW YEAR! We had 3 angels to watch this week. I'll tell you about that next time. And the time after that will be about Canaan, comparing us to the Israelites of old.

Ding Dong Merrily on high!

Ding dong, that's the sound of my brain's insides rattling...Are you in the same boat or is it just me?

This photo is from last year when C's song was "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth". "Santa" is HO HO WHO?


Soon we'll be leaving for a week or so in Florida to visit S's folk. The temp's forecast seems to be upper 70's down there - a nice, warm, pleasant break. Wish it were just SLIGHTLY colder here now, then we'd have some snow. We've been having low clouds with some light precip and cold weather but it's just not quite cold enough for that white stuff.

We finished up with school on Wednesday and C's been enjoying the total break from schoolwork. I managed to get in some Xmas shopping on Monday and Thursday mornings while S worked from home and kept C occupied. It was quite the zoo in town, especially on Thursday. Here in the States though, it's not the same zoo as in South Africa where we all used to wait until the very last week to do all the shopping - let me tell you, THAT is a zoo of momentous proportions - one you all need to experience ha ha!! Actually quite fun, in it's own crazy way.

Well, here is my philosophy of Xmas. I don't even want to say Christmas because to me it seems sacriligious. The whole holiday is mostly just a commercially driven enterprise. To really celebrate Christmas we should all be giving necessary items to the poor and needy and not even buying "gifts" for everyone we know (who don't need anything). OK, call me a grinch but there IS no "reason for the season". You can't MAKE it all about Christ coming as a babe AND do all the gifting to ourselves - the two don't go together. Have ONE OR THE OTHER. So I say, let's have a winter solstice or whatever "festival", and then celebrate Christ's birth in the fall or late summer (more realistic - shepherds outside watching sheep? - NOT winter!)and use that time to help our less fortunate 'brothers and sisters'. A festival of sacrificial giving to those who really need it - following the example of Christ who lived a life of complete humility and self-sacrifice. Tell me now - those still "listening" - how big would the celebration of Christ's birth be THEN? Probably as big as Yom Kippur! As Christ Himself said "You cannot serve both God and mammon" (money). You know what? I'm just as truly talking to my own materialistic self here! This is MY sermon for the day!

Anyway, after all that ranting, I do believe a LOT of good and benevolence is done in the name of Christmas and that this cold winter time is the time to do it. The fact is, without Christ coming into this world in the first place, we'd be doomed. Christ being born was a GOOD thing - "Christmas" is not! (Just my HUMBLE opinion!:-))

The winter festival can be the one where we do good deeds for the needy - even just spending time with a lonely elderly person. The festival needs to be at least a month long (I know longer wouldn't work!). Now for those in the Southern Hemispere - hmmm - I'll have to ponder a while on that one!...Uh, - A winter festival in July or August? :-)

It's hard to stop when it's ranting time....I could say more but will spare you the pain. It's very hard to argue with the bottom line - $$.

May you all have a blessed and happy Xmas - with folk who enjoy your company, ha ha.
Have a quiet and blessed Sabbath too - a rest from all the madness! What a blessing it is.

A Real Orchestra!

The title of this blog explains the excitement of C to be playing in a real orchestra for a performance tomorrow.

The youngest

On Thursday I videotaped the rehearsal and today we used it to practice along where some of the entrances were more difficult. Tomorrow you locals will get to hear the 2 performances during the church services.

We also had B with us the whole week. We spent quite a bit of time in the car running errands but last night we went Christmas light hunting. We found a house in Homewood that had lights synchronized to music. The owner was there and told us next year he was going to have "twice as many". That will be a sight to behold.

We had a real "hot" front come by this week - with some rain and

muggy, warm temps in the mid to high 70's at times! I think Wednesday or Thursday hit a record high! That must mean you in the Southern Hemisphere are hitting record lows, right?

Here's C doing a handstand at the local airport....Uh...Obviously not a busy day there...!
(Later:  Sorry, I had to obviously substitute another photo as I can't find the handstand one!  Good grief!  What did we DO with all the photos??)

This will have to be a "foot stand" rather than a "handstand".

Ah!  I found the real handstand!

Enjoying the airport

Green eyes, blue eyes
Pink eyes... no wait.

Caridee has found a friend, or a friend found her. The "boyfriend" lives kitty- corner down the street and must be about the same age, and definitely of similar temperament. They both pester the other to no end, playing together for hours. It's so cute to see Caridee being protective of both the cat and C - herding the other dog away when he gets too close. So sweet!

We're expecting Raewyn, Deirdre and 2 other friends to spend the night tonight on their way down to the "Cruise with a Mission" trip which leaves Tampa either tomorrow night or Sunday. They, together with a bunch of other young people will be doing some mission work in the Caribbean somewhere, stopping off at several places during the cruise. We wish them "bon voyage" on their adventure.

Am having some bad luck getting our Xmas photos done. Went today to pick them up and the thumbnails had been printed (I must have picked the wrong ones)so they were all blurry. Didn't have the Disc with me to order more so will have to go back Sunday. Maybe I'll have to do the "hour" thing so you all will get your Xmas cards before Xmas!! I AM trying, folks!

May you all have a blessed Sabbath and week ahead.

December Doings

This week we finished up Gymkids and Adventurers for the semester and things are also winding down in the academics while things 'heat' up elsewhere. Next week we'll be done with our History class and probably the Keepers club. That means we won't be running around quite as much which is nice for this taxi driver.
We'll be

keeping B with us next week. She is always such a pleasure. And, hopefully we'll have more time to visit J who is almost 34 weeks pregnant but not expected to carry to term...

Read an inspiring guest editorial of our local conference magazine, Tidings. Dr Ron Smith titled his editorial: Nourishment for the Holiday Season. Here is a quote or two from his article:

...Through daily prayer, study of the Word, and Christian fellowship, God seems to lift the burdens of everyday life and provide strength for the inevitable pull and tug of living. Prayer is a tremendous resource at the disposal of the spiritually malnourished. Through prayer, we can incorporate supernatural strength. Through prayer, we can call upon supernatural powers to resuscitate us from our malnourished states. Prayer is more than positive thinking; it is more than the power of suggestion; and it is more than magical thinking, which some psychiatrists would call it. It is calling upon the power of God Himself who is available to His children.

Then he refers to the "Word of God as a resource to battle one's spiritually malnourished state":

The Word of God has tremendous power - power for many things, including overcoming anxiety and a depressed self-image....Nothing can help more in overcoming life's problems than spending hours and hours meditating on the Word of God.

Next he comments on the benefits of fellowshipping with the body of Christ as a whole.

There is real protection among and within the body of Christ. If we are with a group of believers who love the Lord and enjoy life, their happiness rubs off on us. We find ourselves being less self-centered and less absorbed in our own problems. Our spiritual nourishment receives dynamic enhancement.

As we go forth to the 'world' then, how much more effective we can be in spreading God's message - as healthy and nourished believers! All that we need in this life is right here before us, at our ready disposal. We don't NEED to experience any kind of anxiety at all.

Tomorrow, to change the subject, C is going to be part of a Sabbath School programme for a senior group - reading a couple poems, playing the cello and singing. There are several other "primaries" also doing various items and singing in a little "choir". C is psyched but understandably a little nervous.

We've started an "activity calendar" leading up to the end of December as usual. Each evening C opens a card door to see what we'll do the next day. That also gives Mom a chance to be a little prepared herself!

Last Sunday we went to the local Christmas parade. This year they threw out oodles of candy....I think the local Dentists will do a bustling trade in the coming year. I wonder how much they paid the organizers, ha ha! In the parade was also our local Ooltewah High

School marching band which had the honor of being in the Macy's Day parade this Thanksgiving! They looked very smart and dapper in their uniforms and make our fair city proud!

So, December marches on. The Lord's Coming is also marching closer. How many of us are living every day like we REALLY believe His coming is SOON? Think about it!