Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Abiding in Christ: A Study on John 15:1-8 (Verse 7)

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
 
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Verse 6 - If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 

Jesus says again that we need to remain in Him. We have to understand how important this is. We cannot expect God to answer our prayers if we are not abiding in His Son. God isn't satisfied with a little visit now and then. CEO (Christmas and Easter Only) "Christians" are not going to cut it. But then again, those who go to church and Sunday school and Bible studies regularly aren't necessarily abiding in Christ either. (Although, I think it's more likely than someone who doesn't make that same effort.) What matters is your heart and the fruit. By that I mean, if you are truly abiding in Christ, then your heart is going to change. And that change is going to affect how you live your life.

It's easy to say, "I'm a Christian." It's a lot harder to prove it.

Not only does Jesus say we have to remain in Him, but His words also need to remain in us. I think you can interpret "my words" as both the actual words Jesus spoke to His disciples and the Bible in its entirety. 

I am reminded of the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:
“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:  When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” 
I think this is a great example of the differences between merely hearing the word and allowing it to fully penetrate your heart. When we read the Bible with the intention of understanding it and being more like Christ, that is when it starts to abide in us.

James 1:21 says, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

God's word surely does not dwell in our hearts if we are not changed by it. If we can read the Bible and not be compelled to be more like Jesus, then we've missed the point.

The next part of the verse is a little more difficult to understand. Jesus says that if we abide in Him and His words in us, He will give us whatever we ask. It's difficult especially in light of "unanswered" prayers. We know that God's ways and thoughts are higher than ours. And He knows what is best for us. Also, in other verses, Jesus says, "Whatever you ask in my name..." So, even though He doesn't say that here, I believe that when we pray, we always have to do so according to the will of the Father. If the word truly lives in our hearts, then we're going to ask things according to His will. And if we ask according to God's will, He is going to answer our prayers.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Your Gonna Like These Grammer Fail's


Some people may accuse me of being a spelling and grammar Nazi. I don't think I'm that bad. I know that I make mistakes, but the difference is that I care when I do. I believe that proper language skills are important, and if we keep up the "well as long as you get my drift, it doesn't matter" excuse, subsequent generations will just get dumber.

I think most people reading the above subject would understand what I'm saying. Unfortunately many probably wouldn't see all or any of the glaring mistakes. So, now I'm going to talk about my biggest grammar pet peeves.
  • I hate when people don't know the difference between a noun and a verb.
You are an epic failure every time you use the word fail as a noun. Fail is a verb. I don't care how popular stupidity is. When you say, "epic fail," I lose a little more respect for you.

Affect is always a verb; effect is always a noun. The "cause" affects the effect.

An altar is a raised platform, and is a noun. Alter means to change, and is a verb.

Breath is the air that you inhale, and therefore a noun. Breathe is the act of inhaling and exhaling, and therefore a verb.

I'm sure there are other ones, but these came to my mind first.
  • I hate when people don't know the difference between a contraction and a possessive noun.
You're revealing your lack of intelligence whenever you confuse your and you're. You're is the contraction of you are and your is possessive.

It's difficult to overlook all of its mistakes. If you want to say "it is" then use the contraction. If you want to refer to something that belongs to "it," use the possessive.

They're butchering their own language over there. They're is the contraction of they are. Their is possessive. And there is a place.
  • I hate that apostrophes are atrociously abused.
When you want to make a word plural, and it's not irregular, just add an s. Now, since there are many irregular nouns, and it would take too long to explain, go here for tips on correctly making words plural. However, I know there is one way you NEVER make a word plural. You never throw in an apostrophe before the s. If you're going to use an apostrophe, please ask yourself, "why?" before you just haphazardly start tossing them wherever you want.

As far as I know, there are 3 reasons to use an apostrophe:

1. You use an apostrophe when letters are missing, such as in a contraction.
2. You use an apostrophe when a noun - not a pronoun - is possessive.
3. You use apostrophes when you're writing a quotation within a quotation.
  • I hate that so many people don't know the difference between lose and loose.
Every time someone spells lose with an extra o, I want to strangle myself. Lose means to misplace, and loose means not tight. Lose is a verb and loose is an adjective. No one is a looser, so stop spelling it that way.

Just because I have grammar and spelling pet peeves doesn't mean that I'm perfect. There are some grammatical rules that still baffle me. I know that I mess up commas and quotation marks sometimes. And I've been known to use incorrect words from time to time. In fact, I just found out in the last several weeks that "snuck" isn't a word! That's pretty pathetic on my part.

Okay. That's enough about grammar. I could go on and on, but I won't. Besides, I probably have two readers that even have similar frustrations.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Forgiveness

I am not a bitter person. I rarely hold grudges, and I don't have a hard time forgiving people. A few weeks ago someone annoyed me to no end, and he knew it. About a week later he asked me if we were cool. I looked at him, totally clueless. When he reminded me, I was like, "Oh yeah. I forgot all about that." It's not that I forgive because I'm a better person (I'm not); I just know what it feels like when I choose not to forgive.

I remember hearing "there is freedom in forgiveness and bondage in bitterness." That is so true. Some might feel that the offending party doesn't deserve to be forgiven. Those are the ones that don't realize that forgiveness is not for the one who sinned and repented; forgiveness is for the one who was sinned against.

There are people who still harbor unforgiveness toward me, even after I repented and attempted reconciliation multiple times. I know I'm not perfect, and I've hurt people. But I know that God commands us to forgive those who repent - even if they sin seven times against you in the same day! And Jesus said to forgive seventy-seven times! Knowing that there is unforgiveness toward me doesn't make me angry or sad for myself. It makes me sad for them. Why would anyone choose to walk in bondage when they could have freedom through forgiveness?!

Aside from the feelings of angst and heaviness and emotional baggage that unforgiveness and bitterness cause, God commands us to forgive each other. It is not an option. God's word is very clear about His stance.

Matthew 6:14-15 - For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 18:21-35
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”
 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
“The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
“But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”
 Luke 17:3-4 - “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

Colossians 3:13 - Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.


So, if you're holding onto a grudge against someone for a wrong they committed, I encourage you to ask God for strength to forgive them. You're worth it to be completely free of the bondage that comes from the sin of unforgiveness.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Abiding in Christ: A Study on John 15:1-8 (Verse 6)

John 15:1-8

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Verse 6: If anyone does not remain in me, he like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

What is our purpose? It is not to be happy or successful or wealthy or intelligent. Our purpose is to glorify God. If we are apart from Christ, we cannot glorify God. We are found worthy only when Christ is in us. He alone makes us worthy of Heaven. Those who do not abide in Christ are incapable of bringing glory to God, and are therefore worthless. 

I think about so many people who find worth in themselves, in their achievements and abilities, in their wealth and socioeconomic status. They do not realize that they are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked (Revelation 3:17) in God's eyes. No matter how smart or rich or powerful someone might seem, without Christ, he cannot please God. And there are no amount of good works that we could do that would make God invite us into His Kingdom. 

Isaiah 64:6: - All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Romans 3:22-24 - This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 

So, what is "the fire" that Jesus is talking about? Remember that He is talking to His disciples, who are currently abiding in Him. If you believe that a saved person can walk away from the Lord, then the fire is hell. If you don't believe that a saved person can give up their salvation, then the fire could be like the one referred to in 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 - his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.



It's a difficult, if not impossible, question to answer. Maybe I'll do some research and blog about whether or not salvation can be lost. In the meantime, be convinced in your own mind of what you believe (Romans 14-5b) and keep abiding in Christ!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

It's Potty Time!

Eight days ago I started potty training Josie. Three is probably a little old to start potty training a child, but I really don't think she showed a lot of indications that she was ready. Although, as soon as I got a potty, she started showing interest. So, maybe if I'd gotten that earlier, things would be different. But that's irrelevant since I can't turn back time and do thing differently.

Overall, she's been doing a pretty good job (with #1 at least). Last Wednesday I began the process by having Josie go bottomless. I had several old towels and some Resolve on hand for the accidents I knew she would have. I also put a garbage bag and towel on the couch for when she sat. It really didn't take her long to figure out that she needed to pee in the potty. And before long, she was running to the bathroom all by herself without my assistance.
 
By the time Saturday came around, I was ready to go to the next level, and put undies on her. This has proven to be a bit more difficult since she doesn't seem to understand that she needs to take them off before she starts peeing. I have to keep my eye on her, because she'll often run full speed to the bathroom and sit down causing me to run after her and hopefully get her undies off before she starts going. Sometimes I'm successful and sometimes I'm a little late. And sometimes I don't even realize that she ran to the bathroom and she empties her bladder in her underoos while sitting on the potty. It's a bit puzzling why this seems normal to her, because it would certainly feel strange to me! But then, so would pooping in the living room.

Yes, I am learning that the poop aspect of potty training is a little more difficult than the pee. I've read that some little kids don't understand the sensation of having to go while others are afraid to. I think Josie falls into both of those categories. I've cleaned up more than my fair share of poop this last week and thrown several pairs of ruined undies away. Yes, I know I could attempt to clean the soiled underwear, but if you were me, you'd throw them away too. My daughter doesn't have a normal digestive system. At least it doesn't seem normal based on what comes out the other end. She almost always scores a 3 or 4 on the Rectal Deposit Scale (if 1 is water and 10 is rock), and therefore, her samples are usually pretty messy. We've been to several different types of doctors (including a pediatric gastroenterologist), and had many tests done, all that said she was "fine." Okay, enough talking about my daughter's poop issues, since none of you really care anyway. I'm hoping that she starts to understand what's going on in her body soon. Bowel control is generally a good goal to achieve.

The hardest part about potty training, for me, is the seclusion. Granted, I could take her wherever and just deal with the consequences, but I'd rather not add that kind of stress to my life. This past Tuesday was the first time out of the house. We went to Josie's speech therapy appointment, which is about 30 minutes away. She made it there with no problems, and most of the way through her session. But with about 10 or so minutes left, she started dancing, and her therapist brought her out of the room to me. And then we spent nearly the next hour in the bathroom stall. She had let some pee out in her her undies and shorts, so I took those off. I knew she had to go more based on the dancing and the grabbing. She'd never gone on a big potty, and I think it was a little scary for her. After about 40 minutes or so, she finally succumbed and peed in the toilet. Whew! I got her cleaned up and dressed, and then she started dancing again. Another 15 minutes went by before I finally got her to go poop in the toilet. It wasn't my idea of fun, but I knew I wasn't going to let her pee and/or poop in her carseat. I had a lot of patience and determination that day. I was not going to let her win, and I didn't!

Yesterday, we went to our friend's house for a play date. It wasn't very successful. I brought her potty, but she didn't use it once. She used her underwear twice instead. I'm not sure if she was just too distracted by her friends or what. I'm not sure when our next social outing will be. Wherever it is, it needs to be close to a potty, and I need to have extra undies and clothes with me at all times!

I know that this too shall pass. One day I'll be looking at much younger moms going through this, and I'll say, "I know what you're going through, and I'm so glad it's not me." Yes, someday I'll say that.

Abiding in Christ: A Study on John 15:1-8 (Verse 5)

John 15:1-8

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Verse 5: I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Again, Jesus says that He is the vine, and we are the branches. We know that branches that are not connected to the vine will die. Therefore, we must abide in Jesus in order to survive. . He must be the center and the focus of our lives. We need to spend time with Him, giving Him the attention that He deserves. James 4:8a says "Come near to God and He will come near to you." The Lord wants to commune with us, to have an intimate friendship with us, but He allows us to make the first step.

I am reminded of the story of the prodigal son, specifically the part where the son is on his way home. 

Luke 15:20 - So he got up and went to his father.
   “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

You see, the son simply had to humble himself and turn back to the father, and he came to meet him with outstretched arms. The same is true for us and our Father. God knows that we're never going to get it all right all the time. If that were the case, there would've been no need for a Savior. Instead, He sees our broken and contrite hearts, our humility and godly sorrow, which leads to repentance. He sees that we've turned our hearts (back) to Him, and He's ready to embrace us.

When we are abiding in Christ, we will bear much fruit. The more connected we are to Him, the more we are going to resemble Him by our actions. If Jesus is truly the center of our lives, it's going to be so obvious to everyone around us. We're going to love people that otherwise seem unlovable; we're going to have a joy that makes no sense; we're going to have peace that surpasses understanding; we're going to be patient in ways that never seemed possible; we're going to be kind in unexpected situations; we're going to be good when it would be easier to sin; we're going to be faithful when everyone around says, "that's impossible;" we're going to show gentleness when our flesh wants to be rough; we're going to have self-control when it would be "more fun" to be undisciplined.

The "apart from me you will do nothing" portion of this verse is the one I'm not too sure about. Does Jesus mean that we can literally do nothing without Him? Or is he saying that we can't bear fruit without Him? In the context of this passage, I think the latter makes more sense. Of course branches that are not connected to the vine cannot bear fruit. Likewise for us and our connection to Christ. I don't think that the fruit Jesus is referring to is just our good works, but also our proof of life. If we don't bear fruit, we might as well be dead.


Sunday, August 14, 2011

God, Are You Cozy?

I read an article about the faith of Bear Grylls (he's the star of Man vs Wild in case you didn't know) last night. His faith is very simple and childlike. You can read all about it here. In the article he said something that really moved me: "One of the big questions I asked was that, you know, 'If you do exist, are you cozy? Are you what my heart aches for?'"

I think the reason I like that quote so much is because I could see myself saying it. God, I'm lonely and afraid and hurt... Can I sit with you for awhile? Will you wrap your arms around me? Will you whisper my name and tell me you love me? Will you be my friend? Will you help me through this situation? Will you love me, even though I... ? And I know the answer to every one of those questions is always yes.

There are so many people who are aching for something - Someone - to fill the emptiness in their lives. They certainly don't want religion or church politics or denominations or doctrines . Nobody who longs for supernatural love wakes up one day and says, "you know what would make me whole? A good debate about Calvinism and Arminianism." No, they want to be held and loved and forgiven. They want to know that God is there for them. I think Christians complicate the things of God, both for ourselves and for those who are seeking. We need to get back to the profound simplicity of the love of (and for) Christ.

So, is God cozy? Here are some verses that might answer that question.

Romans 2:4b - God's kindness leads you toward repentance.

Jeremiah 31 - "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness"

Deuteronomy 31:8 - The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

Psalm 139:7-10 - Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

Matthew 11:28-29 - “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Psalm 86:15 -  But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 - Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

Hebrews 4:14 - Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.


Isaiah 66:13a - As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you;

These are only a few verses describing God's love, compassion, kindness, comfort and grace. I know that when I need a lap to crawl onto, that God's is available. And for that, I am so thankful. He is indeed what my heart aches for.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Abiding in Christ: A Study on John 15:1-8 (Verse 4)

John 15:1-8
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Verse 4: Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

In other versions, the word abide is used instead of remain, but they essentially mean the same thing: to continue to be present. Visiting is not the same as abiding. Abiding is staying put, lingering, waiting. Abide in Christ and He will abide in you. In verse 10 we are told how to remain in Christ: Obey His commands.

Another way to understand that verse is instead of the word "obey" use the word "keep," which means to guard, to attend to carefully or take care of. Yes, we are called to obey His commands, but perhaps when we put pressure on ourselves to always to be perfect, when that's not possible. Instead, let us remember how valuable God's word is, and desire to keep His commandments, because we love Him, and want to bring Him honor - not because we want to prove how good we are.

Let us take great care of the commandments of Jesus: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these." ~ Mark 12:30-31. That is, let us show God and others how precious His word is to us, by doing what it says.


The more we desire to glorify God, the more we want to obey Christ, the more time we spend with Him, the more time He spends with us (James 4:8a: Come near to God and he will come near to you.). And the cycle repeats.


No branch can bear fruit by itself. Grapes only grow on a branch because the branch is connected to the vine. It is impossible for fruit to spontaneous appear on a random branch on the ground. The same is true of us. We cannot expect to bear fruit if we are not connected to Jesus. It all seems so simple. So why do so many "Christians" struggle with this concept?


It seems like so many people do all sorts of things in Christ's Name, but they never learned how to abide in Him. Just because a person goes to church does not mean he is abiding in Christ and obeying His commands. If you think church attendance is all that's required to get into heaven, you should consider Matthew 7:21-23.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
If you want Jesus to recognize you, then you have to remain in Him and His word. Obey His commands. Live in a way that glorifies Christ.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Happy Birthday Josie! (3 days late)

Josie turned 3 years old on Friday. I can't believe how fast the time has gone! We celebrated her birthday with lots of friends yesterday evening. I had a busy day getting ready for the party and it felt like everything went wrong. I ruined the cupcakes, forgot to buy the ice cream, and ran out of sugar for the cookies, just to name a few examples. Kim saved the day by offering to make and bring the cupcakes; Justin went out to the store and bought some ice cream, and we just managed to survive without my amazing chocolate chip cookies. haha. But despite all the little mishaps before the party, everything went smashingly when the guests arrived. All in all there were 15 adults and 18 kids (and 1 little baby that just hung out with his mama) crammed into our little backyard! The kids seemed to have a blast running around, playing on the slide, playing bag toss, and sampling as many cupcakes as possible throughout the night. The grownups spent the night either hanging out or disciplining their kids haha. Justin started a fire in our fire pit table thing, which kept the mosquitoes at bay, and provided some nice ambiance. Josie didn't seem to like when we sang "Happy Birthday." She cried! I think it was a little scary having so much loud (and obnoxious haha) attention on her! Most of the moms and kids left before 10, because of the kids' bedtimes. All the guys stayed later, but 3 of the guys - Aaron, Tyler and Jeremy - stayed until 1am playing a game with Justin. Meanwhile, I snoozed on the couch. I was really pleased with how well the party went. Josie seemed to have a really great time too, and that's what matters the most!

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Fruit of my Labor

Remember how I said I was going to be organizing our basement? I know this is exciting news for all 7 of my readers, and you've been sitting at the edges of your seats. Well, I shall make you wait no longer. Behold the awesomeness!!

This is what the basement looked like before:









Pretty icky, huh?

Well, after several days of hard work, these are the results!








Hooray for me!