Winter Wonderland

Snow fun!

Yesterday the twins & Rachel went to the dunes to sled, so I followed them with my camera:)

Snow ball fights :)

Three Words of Strength

There are three lessons I would write-
Three words, as with a burning pen,
In tracings of eternal light,
Upon the heart of men.

Have hope! though clouds environ round,
And gladness hides her face in scorn,
Put thou the shadow from thy brow,
No night but hath its morn.

Have faith! where're thy bark is driven-
The calm's disport, the tempest's mirth-
Know this: God rules the hosts of heaven,
The inhabitants of earth.

Have love! not love alone for one,
But man as man thy brother call,
And scatter like the circling sun,
Thy charities on all.

Thus grave these lessons on thy soul,
Hope, faith, and love; and thou shalt find
Strength when life's surges rudest roll,
Light when thou else wert blind.

Friedrich Von Schiller

The twins are 8!!!

Andrew Jacob,(right) and Steven Joel, (left) about a week after Nov.10, 1999, almost ready to come home from the hospital.

Today, with their new farm set, which they are thrilled about!

The traditional "farm" cakes that Mom makes for them. She's done it almost every year. Notice the pasture, the plowed fields, the barns (made of graham crackers) and the trees(suckers).

The cows and machinery are toys.

They have been and are, two great blessings to our family, praise the Lord!

"Come little leaves" said the wind one day,

"Come o'er the meadows with me and play;

Put on your dresses of red and gold,

For summer is gone and the days grow cold."

Soon as the leaves heard the wind's loud call,

Down they came fluttering, one and all;

Over the brown fields they danced and flew,

Singing the glad little songs they knew.

"Cricket, good-bye, we've been friends so long,

Little brook,sing us your farewell song;

Say your sorry to see us go;

Ah, you will miss us, right well we know.

"Dear little lambs in your fleecy fold,

Mother will keep you from harm and cold;

Fondly we watched you in vale and glade,

Say, will you dream of our loving shade?"

Dancing and whirling, the little leaves went,

Winter had called them, and they were content;

Soon, fast asleep in their earthly beds,

The snow laid a coverlid over their heads.

George Cooper

Amy & Steve's wedding!!!

Yes, I'm a little late in posting these pictures, but better late than never...They arn't the greatest ones either, I picked the best that I have but the lighting could still be better, O well...

Anyway, the wedding was beautiful!

Above is Karissa, Amy's sister, Andrew, Steve's nephew, and Ashleigh, his niece. Aren't they cute? :)

Below: The beauiful bride and her father, coming down the aisle.

This picture was taken during a song I think.

After the signing.

This is how they came out of the sanctuary!



At the reception, just before a kiss. :)

Think they're happy or what????!!!!I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the LORD.

Disappointment - HIS appointment, change one letter,
Then I see that the thwarting of my purpose
Is God's better choice for me.
His appointment must be blessing,
Though it may come in disguise,
For the end from the beginning,
Open to His wisdom lies.

Disappointment - HIS appointment, whose?
The Lord's, who loves me best,
Understands and knows me fully,
Who my faith and love would test.
For like a loving, earthly parent,
He rejoices when He knows,
That His child accepts unquestioned
All that from His wisdom flows.

Disappointment - HIS appointment,
Lord I take it then as such,
Like the clay in hands of the potter,
Yielding wholly to Thy touch,
All my life's plan is Thy molding,
Not one single choice is mine,
Let me answer unrepining,
Father not my will but Thine!

Edith Lillian Young

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

My notes from Rev. Anema's speach "Looking unto Jesus"

We must look unto Jesus...



As the Author of our faith--(For full salvation!)
- for safety in this awful world
-when doubting(when persecuted, must not give in to the world or give up but look to Jesus!)

As the Finisher of our faith-(being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ)
-for hope
-when in distress(For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. Heb.12:3)

As the King for faith--
-for glory(because of His authority, He alone has the power and right to order this world, our lives, and our salvation.)
-when distinguished (when we are given a place of honor, we must not be tempted to think we are the most important, but look unto Him.)
-when dissatisfied (there are many things that could make us dissatisfied, maybe we don't like the car we drive, the food we eat, clothes we wear, or maybe the fact that we don't have a boy/girl friend, the list could go on and on...But the reason we feel this way is because we are not understanding what is best for us, that is Jesus. Only in Him will we be eternally satisfied.


At the end Rev. Anema gave an example of one who despite all, continued to look to Jesus. The story really touched me, I will share it with you here:

There was a young Scottish man, a christian, who developed cancer on his tongue. Of course, if nothing was done about it, the cancer would spread all over his body, and eventually take his life. The doctors suggested a surgery, but even that might not save him. "There is a great possibility the surgery will be unsuccessful," the doctors told him, "and even if everything goes how we hope and you live, you will never be able to speak again for the rest of your life!" The man made the decision to go through with the surgery. When the day came and everything was ready, the doctor asked him if there was one thing he wished to say yet before he could never speak again. So he sang these words:
There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel's veins
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains

The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day
And there may I though vile as he
Wash all my sins away

Dear dying Lamb Thy precious blood
Shall never lose it's power
Till all the ransomed church of God
Be saved to sin no more!

E'er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply
Redeeming love has been my theme
And shall be till I die

When this poor lisping stammering tongue
Lies silent in the grave
Then in a nobler sweeter song
I'll sing Thy power to save!
The surgery was unsuccessful. A few hours after giving this testimony, the man went to His eternal Home.

From every open flower, the fragnance fresh,
One seed has shared it's life, by facing death.

Beneath the soil it's withered form gave birth,
And burst the earthly tomb to garden light.

From wrinkled husks tranformed to verdant wings,
Springs miracle of green, a sacrifice,

And multitudes amazed remember Christ -
One Seed has faced our death to give us LIFE!
Author Unknown

Goats!!!

Coming off the truck... Into the pens,

Happily eating,

Typical Northern Ontario scenes...