From Charlie
Chance
and Chandler
Chance
and Chandler
Monday, February 8, 2010
Good Morning, Mess Maker
Chandler is notorious for making messes. There's nothing he delights in more than dumping things out everywhere. But this morning's mess was good enough to record here, I think...
Chandler's usual routine, when he wakes up, is to come straight downstairs and wake us up. But this morning, he instead went straight to the kitchen, and ever so quietly used his newest skill: opening the fridge and freezer. With doors wide open, he got out the "Push Up" popsicles that I'd just told Charlie he could eat after school, opened the whole dozen of them, and proceeded to try to eat them all before they melted.
(This pic doesn't include the big puddle of purple popsicle in the dining room...)
Chandler's usual routine, when he wakes up, is to come straight downstairs and wake us up. But this morning, he instead went straight to the kitchen, and ever so quietly used his newest skill: opening the fridge and freezer. With doors wide open, he got out the "Push Up" popsicles that I'd just told Charlie he could eat after school, opened the whole dozen of them, and proceeded to try to eat them all before they melted.
(This pic doesn't include the big puddle of purple popsicle in the dining room...)
Monday, January 25, 2010
The Boys Lately
Things have been quiet lately, I know. Life is just busy with boys, and other than events, I am not as good about recording their little stories. But here are a few, especially for those who don't see these updates on facebook (I've given up on twitter, btw. So facebook is the way to go...)
~~~~~~~~~~
Today Chandler completed his first joke. For months now it's been a never-ending loop:
Chan: "Knock Knock"
"who's there?"
Chan: "Chicken"
"Chicken who?"
Chan: "Knock Knock..."
But today it was ..."Chicken who?" and he said "cook a doodle do!!"
~~~~~~~~~~
Here are the last 6 months of tweets about the boys...
"When I grow up I want to be an elf." ~Chance (I'm gonna remind him of that when his lil brother grows taller than him...)
I bought the boys each identical little (stuffed) puppies today, yet Chandler insists that Chance's is his (no matter which one Chance has)...Envy runs deep in this boy, LOL.
the tooth came out today. He was so proud to tell us that his friend showed him how to twist and pull it out. Such a boy!
Charlie has his first loose tooth! :)
After Chance unbuckled his seat belts for the first time today, he said "Wook, Mom! I'm already becoming a dad!" (Dad=man)
"Widdle boys, when they grow up, they become Dads. Mommy, it's taking so wong for me to become a Dad!" ~Chance
Happy birthday, Chancey boy! What a joy you are!
overheard at 4:30 am from the living room "Ahwesome! Choo choo! Ahhhwesome Choo CHOO!!!" ~Chandler (Who told the toddler to wake up early?!)
"I hope Chance gets me an air guitar for Christmas!" ~Charlie
to celebrate no school and no 6:30 am alarms, we're watching a Pixar marathon until the kids pass out!!! :)
"When Charlie gets a spanking, that makes my heart sad." ~Chance
Charlie's trying to talk me into playing farmville. Thanks, Granny! Hah!
love this quote: "Bringing up a family should be an adventure, not an anxious discipline in which everybody is constantly graded for performance." – Milton R. Saperstein
listening to Chandler "read" his book is one of the most heartmelting moments ever.
"Someday I'll have my own top secret." ~Charlie
"You know that gowwillas are monkeys' dads?" ~Chance
After I changed Chandler's sheets I told him his bed was "nice" & clean. So he spent 15 min declaring various objects as "nice."
last night as I put Chance to bed in his OWN room for the 1st time, it was sweet that both of his brothers wanted to sleep with him.
today I handed Chance his lunch and cookie, so he gave himself goals "Just 1 more bite, then I can eat my cookie." Bite, then say it again.
Today we pulled out the s'mores! I love cooler weather!!
"How bout next Halloween I can be Green Goblin, Chance can be Spiderman, Daddy can be Sand Man and you can be Hot Girl? Ok Mommy?" ~Charlie
Chandler promptly found all the stuffed animals and piled them high on big brother so he could sleep comfortably and safely thru the night.
Last night Charlie passed out, so Chandler followed me as I carried him to his bed.
So thankful the whole family got to go trick or treating at our friends' annual party!! Pictures to follow...
"Look at my eyeball! It's watching tv!" ~Chance (toy eyeball, that is)
Got a glowing parent teacher conference report on Charlie. Patient, kind, bright, etc... I couldn't be more thankful. :)
"I a strong kid, so I call myself 'mighty.'" - Chance
How do you discipline that?!
When I asked Chance why he got out of his bed at bedtime, he said, "But I wanted to tell you thank you for the food (at dinner)."
Chuck got between Chandler and I, so Chandler said, "Bad Da Da!!"
I have one wild child on my hands!
Chandler went from saying "Jesus" for the first time, to trying to cut us all in half with his toy chainsaw before bed.
All Chance and Chandler want to do is play with Charlie. All Charlie wants is to be left alone. It's tough being the oldest.
So when I told him no food for breakfast, he said "Fine, I won't play with you any.more.!"
Today's the big day - Chance goes to the hospital to get dental work done.
"How do babies come out of your tummy, Mommy?" ~Charlie
"Ou Char Char? Ou Char Char?" ~Chandler After a 5 day family trip, Chandler can't understand why Charlie went back to school.
"But....I hit him gently!!" ~Chance
Chance - "How'd you do that, Charlie?" Charlie - "It's science!"
Charlie came home from school yesterday upset that when the teacher asked for a baby photo, I sent one of him in a cute ducky robe.
"It's like the transformers are fighting in my mouth!" ~Charlie while on gas at the dentist, listening to the drill and tools...
kinder is serving him well. He's got a few words he knows now, and he's learning how to sound out words. It's fun to watch!
Yes! (raises fist in the air) I can read! And I'm only 5 years old!!" ~Charlie
Chance told a joke where "poopy head" was the punchline. Charlie's response? "That's lame, Chance."
Pulled out winter clothes for Chan & put the 18 mo size on him. He turned 18 mo 9/1, & they're already too small! Big Chan strikes again!
we've settled into a school routine & Chuck & I decided tonight that WE are the ones having difficulty with the early morning schedule, ha!
If you clean the toy room, they will come.
"Dada, Mama, Bebeee, Chanz, n Chaz..." ~Chandler
While I'm excited about the idea of not needing the monitor anymore, I can't bring myself to take down the crib just yet...for the last time
Chandler has promoted himself to a big bed. Last night he figured out how to climb out of his crib -his brothers thought that was hilarious!
90% for weight, 95% for height, and...off the charts for head circumference. :)
"Aside from a remarkably large head, Chandler (aka Chuck's Mini-Me) is perfectly normal." ~pediatrician at Chan's 18 mo checkup.
Chandler keeps getting mad and calling me a "bad boy!"
Chuck just got his bday present a week early because Chance spilled the beans. Note to self: a 3 yr old is not able to keep a secret! :-P
"I dreamed a hundred dreams last night!" ~Chance
Chan's fave thing to do today: find a toilet that hasn't been flushed and add toys to it. It's happened 3 times already. UGH.
so thankful for my man who keeps me grounded when these 3 precious lil souls have me teetering on the edge...
"You know what, Mommy? I'm growing up!" ~Chance
Why can't baby monitors come equipped with snooze buttons?
Chuck: "Charlie, did you do anything fun at school today?" Charlie: "I rode the bus. That was fun."
most certainly did not cry after putting Charlie on the bus this morning. Nuh uh. That would be ridonculous! It's only kinder, right?!
"You are out of your mind, Chance." ~ Charlie
"Mommy, I not eating your candy. I just looking at it." ~Chance
Chandler learned how to blow a whistle, so now he's running around like an irate referee.
"Mommy what if you had a girl in your tummy...and 2 boys, too?!" ~Chance
What do you do when you're done eating your food? Smear it on your face, of course! http://www.flickr.com/photos/thethiers/3832975390/
"Yoohoo? Da Da? Yoohoo?" Chandler doesn't understand that Daddy doesn't work at home anymore.
"Wow, Mom, you know everything!" ~Charlie
Chandler walks about as graciously in high heels as his momma does. :)
"Yeah, I am ALWAYS funny." ~Chance
"Chandler looks just like Daddy, except Daddy has more fur." ~Charlie
As they were wrestling, Chance sat on Bubba's head and farted. It must be tough being an uncle to boys!
Charlie: "You're fired, Chance."Chance: "No I not! I not on fire!!"
Chandler made up a new song. It goes "Mamaaaa, Dadaaaa, YeaYeaahhh, (clap, clap, clap, clap)."
Chandler decided to take off his diaper, get in the tub, put in the plug, and turn the water on...not bad for 16 months old.
Charlie's Wii Age is 72. Man that makes me feel better. ;)
I don't think Chandler will ever ignore a call to the dinner table.
just experienced an incredible VBS. The OHC Children's Ministry rocks my socks off!
"...and then I rode a pooty rocket all the way home!" ~Chance
My bed must be comfy, because it's 10 am and Chance is still sleeping in it!
Charlie's been working on sportmanship. So when Chance won a game, I said "What do you say?" - Charlie said "Good job, Cheater!"
Note to self: a 16 month old requires a professional hair cut.
Charlie informed me that his build-a-bear dog is lonely and wants a build-a-bear puppy to play with. What have we started?!
"It not nice to call people names, Charlie!! You're a Poo Poo head!" ~Chance
I hope someday they can grasp what an incredible father they have!
lately Chuck has been putting the boys to sleep by playing guitar and singing Bible songs.
while i was in the bathroom, chan was looking up the source code for the loan rates at our credit union. i have no idea how he did that.
Chandler's new word for today: "Uh oh" in the cutest, most innocent voice. (But don't let it fool you!!)
i'm holding the boys' pet grasshopper while they swim in the pool. This is one of the "perks" of bring a boy-mom :)
"Mommy, it taking so wooong for you to wake up!" ~Chance at 8 am.
Chance got mad at Chan and said "Bad Boy!" - so Chan said it right back to him!
The child who loves to change his mind just sang a song: "Nevermind, Nevermiiiind, Never, Never, Nevermind."
Charlie built a "Big Big House" (like the Audio A song) out of lincoln logs today :) It was fun to talk about our big house in Heaven.
Finally figured out what Chance's laugh sounds like: a dolphin (you know, like Flipper?).
A wasp flew into Chandler's shirt and stung him 5 times. :(
Beginning to wonder if Chandler's been possessed by the Tazmanian Devil...
"Good guys have to always win; Bad guys have to always lose." ~Chance
Took Chan outside after dinner in order to get a reprieve from the mess making. http://www.flickr.com/photos/thethiers/3623488225/
"Ow, I hurt my private parts! ...Oh it's ok, they still work." ~Charlie, while swimming.
"I don't want lunch, I want SUGAR!" ~Chance
Chandler learned how to flush the toilet. Can we say "uh oh"?!
Sir Sleeps-Alot and the Slumbering Dragon had to be aroused this morning before they missed a day full of adventure.
Sheesh, Chandler has cut 6 teeth this week, 3 were molars. He's catching up for cutting them late.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Duane Severance
About a week ago, a man was driving too quickly around a curve on the beginning of a 3+ hour drive from Austin to Santa Anna Tx. He didn't survive the crash.
But there's so much more to the story than just a news line.
Duane Severance lived an amazing life, and I'd like to share it with you. His story is so unique, I can't help but share it. I was blessed to know him. He was unlike anyone I'd ever met. And it would be an honor and privilege to know more people like him.
I met him back in 1998. I was a member of a fledgling new church, which had a sweet spirit among its members. Youth group met in the house of the youth pastor, Steve Stoppe and his wife. I always thought they were so brave to cram 100+ middle and high school students into their living room. Anyhow, after youth group on Wednesday nights, they'd move things to their dining room, where all the band equipment would be set up and they'd have band practice for the Sunday worship team. The youth would naturally hang around and visit until midnight or later (well, at least for us youth leaders, who were in college...). One night, a new man appeared on the team. Duane had come to visit from Hawaii, with nothing but a backpack and a guitar. He had a voice that was both soft and strong. Tender would be the right word. Or meek. I learned he'd be a street preacher in Hawaii. I'd never heard of such a thing before...
He joined our church, deciding to turn his visit into a move. He lived with his sister and her family nearby, and would play his guitar with the band. And if we were lucky, he'd pull out his trumpet and play that for us too.
He was a modern day John the Baptist. He always wore a Hawaiian shirt and flip flops. He never put on airs, but came across as down-to-earth. There wasn't a materialistic bone in his body. He loved God's Word. Always had his Bible with him. It had sweat marks on the leather cover from him keeping it tucked under his arm. He would apply the Word like salve to the wounds of those who were hurting. He was like the mix of a prophet and a spiritual paramedic. And his life backed up his message. He didn't solicit donations. He had no motive other than to preach the Word in order to help people. He'd walked the streets of downtown Austin and prayed for God to show him where to preach. God led him to 6th and Congress. Where the bars met the legislature. He'd stand there and preach to anyone who'd listen. Folks would sometimes sit on a bench and listen. He'd play his 12 string, too. But not for money like a beggar. Just to make the people think as he sang. He knew beautiful songs, all Scripture set to music. I went down to visit a time or two, and sat and prayed for him. And watched the funny expressions of the people who passed by. Some were angry or annoyed. But some were paying attention. And I got to witness Leslie. He was the famous scantily clad transvestite who also decided to claim 6th and Congress as his own. He enjoyed being a spectacle. I don't know if he did it for hand outs or what, but he sat by Duane. He also made signs telling how ridiculous Duane and his message were. He opposed Duane in any way that he could. Yet Duane patiently tolerated his abuse. Duane told me that one day, someone stole Duane's Bible and took off running with it. And Leslie, in his heels and everything, took off after the robber and got the Bible back and returned it to Duane. Hilarious!!
Pretty soon, Duane developed relationships with many homeless people. Before long, he began meeting with them under bridges in Austin, and started "Church Under the Bridge." A lot of folks from our church would help out, and it was a neat ministry.
Also, a friend of mine, Brandy, had started going to our church. She was Chuck's age. Despite nearly 20 years in age difference, she and Duane fell in love. Had it been anyone else I would've thought it odd. But these two were so meant to be together. They were married a month before Chuck and I, in November 1999. Their wedding was amazing. It was outdoors, in his sister's back yard. It mimicked more of a Jewish wedding, in that the bride stood down front with the pastor, and the groom, at the sound of the trumpet, began to walk the aisle to his bride. But Duane got so excited, he ran!! And I want to say he was barefoot, or just in flip flops. It was quite a sight, and such a beautiful picture of Christ and His waiting church, and how excited Jesus must be to return and be united with us!!
As for Brandy, she was an amazing photographer, and I have our wedding photos to prove it! :) Duane was her assistant/second shooter for weddings. But mostly Duane and Brandy survived on donations from various churches and people. They weren't on any payroll. Yet they trusted God to meet their needs instead of worrying. I never heard Brandy fret. Which shames me in a way, for I often worry about how to pay for our bills...they're example was a good one.
Duane, I learned, had once had a lucrative career as an executive chef at a 5 star restaurant in Hawaii. Yet, there he felt God calling him to minister, so he moved out of his apartment and lived on the streets with the homeless, in order to reach them. Once he and Brandy married, they moved into an RV park (smaller homes than a trailer park), where they had a tiny trailer. I remember Brandy musing about how she'd hear Duane thanking God for the person who donated the hot water heater, as he took a shower. He was so humble. When was the last time you thanked God for hot water?! And then, one day, as they were at our house for band practice, I was making tacos but didn't have seasoning, so he taught me how to season tacos. I've loved it so much I've never bought taco seasoning since. I had no idea I was learning from a master! Or what he had given up to preach the Word.
One story that was shared at his funeral by another Hawaiian street preacher was how a fishing boat captain donated an 80 pound mahi mahi fish to them to give to the people. He said Duane would fry up the fish with some ramen and serve the poor with it. He said Duane paid special attention even to the presentation of the meal. I think it's neat that God called an elite chef to serve food to the homeless. :)
After they married, they lived a neighborhood over from me, so Brandy and I got to visit often. Within a couple of years, they had a daughter, Salem. A couple of years after that, while I was pregnant with Charlie, she birthed another daughter, Rhema, who died shortly before birth. The cord went first. It was heartbreaking. Yet I remember seeing her and Duane shortly after; their strength and peace that God allowed that for a reason actually comforted me...which I was expecting to comfort them! Then another couple of years later, they had a boy, Seth. And then...Sophie!
Before Sophie was born, one night a fire started outside of their trailer. Brandy opened the door to see what was going on, and the fire spread inside. They managed to escape, but lost everything. It was a Saturday night. Brandy had her photography business, yet nearly everything went up in smoke. Her camera had gotten stuck on the door handle as she was running out and she had to let it go. Yet they thanked God anyhow. Duane showed up the next morning to the Church Under the Bridge and preached. Some friends and I sent in a video to Extreme Home Makeover and found out they were runner up to another family in Austin who got a new home. Thankfully, another group came together and got them a bigger trailer for their growing family. Here's a video of Duane as they were moving it in.
Shortly after this, we moved to San Antonio, and I didn't see Brandy as much. She had become a mentor to me, though, as I got more into photography.
She had instant messaged me back in June of last year and said that they were moving to a remote town, 3+ hours North of Austin. They had a new home! And they were expecting again! Evidently, Duane had mentored many men over the last 10+ years who were now taking his place, and felt that God was "shutting the doors" for him in Austin. They were moving out, going to focus on their growing family more (the ministry was quite time consuming), and I was so happy for them!! I praised God for giving them this season in their lives!
So when I heard the news last week about Duane passing away on his way home from Austin, I was stunned. Shocked. Worried about Brandy. Wondering what God was doing.
Then we went to the funeral Monday. And once again, as I went in hoping to comfort, it was Brandy, and the many testimonies about Duane, that comforted me. Many people who knew him in his various seasons of life shared their stories. We were there for 3 hours, yet I could've listened for days. It was truly awe-inspiring. And joyful. Instead of worrying about what's to happen with Brandy and their children (baby Samuel is due next month!), the focus was on how great God is, and how greatly magnified He was by Duane's living example.
They have a memorial website for him, which is so sweet. There's a picture Brandy took, of Duane, with his hands raised in prayer, Bible in hand, with the Capitol building behind it. This is so him. And why God is so amazing...
All week I've had a song stuck in my head, which we sang often in church with Duane...
from Lamentations 3:22-24
Please pray for this precious family, for Brandy, Salem, Seth, Sophie and the still to come Samuel. For God to keep them strong in faith as their father/husband taught them, and for God to continually meet their needs.
Also, here are some news reports about Duane. Some reports interview the folks from Church Under the Bridge.
Fox News
News 8
KVUE
But there's so much more to the story than just a news line.
Duane Severance lived an amazing life, and I'd like to share it with you. His story is so unique, I can't help but share it. I was blessed to know him. He was unlike anyone I'd ever met. And it would be an honor and privilege to know more people like him.
I met him back in 1998. I was a member of a fledgling new church, which had a sweet spirit among its members. Youth group met in the house of the youth pastor, Steve Stoppe and his wife. I always thought they were so brave to cram 100+ middle and high school students into their living room. Anyhow, after youth group on Wednesday nights, they'd move things to their dining room, where all the band equipment would be set up and they'd have band practice for the Sunday worship team. The youth would naturally hang around and visit until midnight or later (well, at least for us youth leaders, who were in college...). One night, a new man appeared on the team. Duane had come to visit from Hawaii, with nothing but a backpack and a guitar. He had a voice that was both soft and strong. Tender would be the right word. Or meek. I learned he'd be a street preacher in Hawaii. I'd never heard of such a thing before...
He joined our church, deciding to turn his visit into a move. He lived with his sister and her family nearby, and would play his guitar with the band. And if we were lucky, he'd pull out his trumpet and play that for us too.
He was a modern day John the Baptist. He always wore a Hawaiian shirt and flip flops. He never put on airs, but came across as down-to-earth. There wasn't a materialistic bone in his body. He loved God's Word. Always had his Bible with him. It had sweat marks on the leather cover from him keeping it tucked under his arm. He would apply the Word like salve to the wounds of those who were hurting. He was like the mix of a prophet and a spiritual paramedic. And his life backed up his message. He didn't solicit donations. He had no motive other than to preach the Word in order to help people. He'd walked the streets of downtown Austin and prayed for God to show him where to preach. God led him to 6th and Congress. Where the bars met the legislature. He'd stand there and preach to anyone who'd listen. Folks would sometimes sit on a bench and listen. He'd play his 12 string, too. But not for money like a beggar. Just to make the people think as he sang. He knew beautiful songs, all Scripture set to music. I went down to visit a time or two, and sat and prayed for him. And watched the funny expressions of the people who passed by. Some were angry or annoyed. But some were paying attention. And I got to witness Leslie. He was the famous scantily clad transvestite who also decided to claim 6th and Congress as his own. He enjoyed being a spectacle. I don't know if he did it for hand outs or what, but he sat by Duane. He also made signs telling how ridiculous Duane and his message were. He opposed Duane in any way that he could. Yet Duane patiently tolerated his abuse. Duane told me that one day, someone stole Duane's Bible and took off running with it. And Leslie, in his heels and everything, took off after the robber and got the Bible back and returned it to Duane. Hilarious!!
Pretty soon, Duane developed relationships with many homeless people. Before long, he began meeting with them under bridges in Austin, and started "Church Under the Bridge." A lot of folks from our church would help out, and it was a neat ministry.
Also, a friend of mine, Brandy, had started going to our church. She was Chuck's age. Despite nearly 20 years in age difference, she and Duane fell in love. Had it been anyone else I would've thought it odd. But these two were so meant to be together. They were married a month before Chuck and I, in November 1999. Their wedding was amazing. It was outdoors, in his sister's back yard. It mimicked more of a Jewish wedding, in that the bride stood down front with the pastor, and the groom, at the sound of the trumpet, began to walk the aisle to his bride. But Duane got so excited, he ran!! And I want to say he was barefoot, or just in flip flops. It was quite a sight, and such a beautiful picture of Christ and His waiting church, and how excited Jesus must be to return and be united with us!!
As for Brandy, she was an amazing photographer, and I have our wedding photos to prove it! :) Duane was her assistant/second shooter for weddings. But mostly Duane and Brandy survived on donations from various churches and people. They weren't on any payroll. Yet they trusted God to meet their needs instead of worrying. I never heard Brandy fret. Which shames me in a way, for I often worry about how to pay for our bills...they're example was a good one.
Duane, I learned, had once had a lucrative career as an executive chef at a 5 star restaurant in Hawaii. Yet, there he felt God calling him to minister, so he moved out of his apartment and lived on the streets with the homeless, in order to reach them. Once he and Brandy married, they moved into an RV park (smaller homes than a trailer park), where they had a tiny trailer. I remember Brandy musing about how she'd hear Duane thanking God for the person who donated the hot water heater, as he took a shower. He was so humble. When was the last time you thanked God for hot water?! And then, one day, as they were at our house for band practice, I was making tacos but didn't have seasoning, so he taught me how to season tacos. I've loved it so much I've never bought taco seasoning since. I had no idea I was learning from a master! Or what he had given up to preach the Word.
One story that was shared at his funeral by another Hawaiian street preacher was how a fishing boat captain donated an 80 pound mahi mahi fish to them to give to the people. He said Duane would fry up the fish with some ramen and serve the poor with it. He said Duane paid special attention even to the presentation of the meal. I think it's neat that God called an elite chef to serve food to the homeless. :)
After they married, they lived a neighborhood over from me, so Brandy and I got to visit often. Within a couple of years, they had a daughter, Salem. A couple of years after that, while I was pregnant with Charlie, she birthed another daughter, Rhema, who died shortly before birth. The cord went first. It was heartbreaking. Yet I remember seeing her and Duane shortly after; their strength and peace that God allowed that for a reason actually comforted me...which I was expecting to comfort them! Then another couple of years later, they had a boy, Seth. And then...Sophie!
Before Sophie was born, one night a fire started outside of their trailer. Brandy opened the door to see what was going on, and the fire spread inside. They managed to escape, but lost everything. It was a Saturday night. Brandy had her photography business, yet nearly everything went up in smoke. Her camera had gotten stuck on the door handle as she was running out and she had to let it go. Yet they thanked God anyhow. Duane showed up the next morning to the Church Under the Bridge and preached. Some friends and I sent in a video to Extreme Home Makeover and found out they were runner up to another family in Austin who got a new home. Thankfully, another group came together and got them a bigger trailer for their growing family. Here's a video of Duane as they were moving it in.
Shortly after this, we moved to San Antonio, and I didn't see Brandy as much. She had become a mentor to me, though, as I got more into photography.
She had instant messaged me back in June of last year and said that they were moving to a remote town, 3+ hours North of Austin. They had a new home! And they were expecting again! Evidently, Duane had mentored many men over the last 10+ years who were now taking his place, and felt that God was "shutting the doors" for him in Austin. They were moving out, going to focus on their growing family more (the ministry was quite time consuming), and I was so happy for them!! I praised God for giving them this season in their lives!
So when I heard the news last week about Duane passing away on his way home from Austin, I was stunned. Shocked. Worried about Brandy. Wondering what God was doing.
Then we went to the funeral Monday. And once again, as I went in hoping to comfort, it was Brandy, and the many testimonies about Duane, that comforted me. Many people who knew him in his various seasons of life shared their stories. We were there for 3 hours, yet I could've listened for days. It was truly awe-inspiring. And joyful. Instead of worrying about what's to happen with Brandy and their children (baby Samuel is due next month!), the focus was on how great God is, and how greatly magnified He was by Duane's living example.
They have a memorial website for him, which is so sweet. There's a picture Brandy took, of Duane, with his hands raised in prayer, Bible in hand, with the Capitol building behind it. This is so him. And why God is so amazing...
All week I've had a song stuck in my head, which we sang often in church with Duane...
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning, new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness, Oh God! Great is Thy faithfulness."
from Lamentations 3:22-24
Please pray for this precious family, for Brandy, Salem, Seth, Sophie and the still to come Samuel. For God to keep them strong in faith as their father/husband taught them, and for God to continually meet their needs.
Also, here are some news reports about Duane. Some reports interview the folks from Church Under the Bridge.
Fox News
News 8
KVUE
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Blog Reader, anyone?
I'm an avid blog reader. I've long since given up on things like watching tv, because, 1. there's never anything good on, and 2. it's hard to watch when my kids are around and I don't have tivo, so that limits my options. I also don't read the newspaper. But I DO read blogs. I read many different kinds: Photography, Christianity, Cooking, and my very favorite: my friends' blogs!
I used to have a hard time keeping up with all those bookmarked websites until Chuck showed me the google reader. It's so easy! You just go to www.google.com/reader and sign up! Then you just copy the website (for instance, "www.TheThiers.com") and paste (or type in) the link into the spot marked "add subscription." Then as new posts come, they'll be all in one place.
Also, I've linked my reader with people I know, so I can see what they "share." For Chuck and I, it's fun at the end of the day to talk about the different blogs we've read and shared with each other. Wow, that's a pretty geeky thing, huh? Another thing I like about it is, if I try to remember a certain blog post, say about a pork chop recipe, I can just do a search and it'll search through all the blog posts I've read. So handy!!
Anyways...the reader is so fun, and if you have found yourself wanting to keep up with certain blogs, this is an easy way to do it.
And now, I've added a "Shared" list to my site. If you look down the side margin you'll see the last 5 that I've shared because I found them useful or interesting.
Happy Reading!
I used to have a hard time keeping up with all those bookmarked websites until Chuck showed me the google reader. It's so easy! You just go to www.google.com/reader and sign up! Then you just copy the website (for instance, "www.TheThiers.com") and paste (or type in) the link into the spot marked "add subscription." Then as new posts come, they'll be all in one place.
Also, I've linked my reader with people I know, so I can see what they "share." For Chuck and I, it's fun at the end of the day to talk about the different blogs we've read and shared with each other. Wow, that's a pretty geeky thing, huh? Another thing I like about it is, if I try to remember a certain blog post, say about a pork chop recipe, I can just do a search and it'll search through all the blog posts I've read. So handy!!
Anyways...the reader is so fun, and if you have found yourself wanting to keep up with certain blogs, this is an easy way to do it.
And now, I've added a "Shared" list to my site. If you look down the side margin you'll see the last 5 that I've shared because I found them useful or interesting.
Happy Reading!
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