Medieval Times

Contrary to what some might think, this is not really a vacation--in fact, the lord of the manor has been working even harder than ever. Long, long, very long hours, and some pretty long hours logged for us ladies as well. We're holding out for a little free time at the end of this project, but in the meantime, we managed to sneak away Thursday evening for a few hours at Medieval Times! If you haven't heard of it, click the link. It's pretty cool! I wasn't sure how Kaite would do, they say it can be a little too intense for young ones. She loved it! Every minute!
Kayla and Kalli cheering for the blue knights!

Oh, lookey! The lord and his lady.

Kammy absolutely loved being there! She hated California up to this point and now she's not sure she wants to go home!

One parting shot--this little princess has a birthday today! A birthday in 'fornia! We are all hoping daddy gets home in time to help us celebrate royally!

The Cross~a safe place to rest.

This is actually a re-post from a little over a year ago, but it has been my theme song over the past year, and I thought it appropriate with Easter around the corner. A couple of weeks ago, while I was making the bed, I was talking to God about some of the things that I fail to understand. I felt that he gently reminded me of the fact that He alone is our plea, and that He truly is enough. My faith rests in the only sure and changeless anchor; Jesus Christ! That is when this old hymn came to mind, and I have not been able to get away from it. I did a little research on it and thought I'd share a bit of what I found.


My Faith Has Found a Resting Place

My faith has found a resting place,

Not in device or creed;

I trust the ever living One,

His wounds for me shall plead.

Refrain: I need no other argument,

I need no other plea,

It is enough that Jesus died,

And that He died for me.

Enough for me that Jesus saves,

This ends my fear and doubt;

A sinful soul I come to Him,

He’ll never cast me out.

Refrain

My heart is leaning on the Word,

The living Word of God,

Salvation by my Savior’s Name,

Salvation through His blood.

Refrain

My great Physician heals the sick,

The lost He came to save;

For me His precious blood He shed,

For me His life He gave.

"My Faith Has Found A Resting Place." The text was written, under the pseudonym of Lidie H. Edmunds, by Eliza Edmunds Hewitt (1851-1920). A lifelong resident of Philadelphia, PA, Mrs. Hewitt wrote many songs which became popular and are found in our books, such as "Sunshine in My Soul, "When We All Get To Heaven," and "More About Jesus". The tune (No Other Plea, Landas, or Norse Air) is usually identified as a Norwegian folk melody originally with the words "The Hardy Norseman's House of Yore." It has been attributed to Belgian opera composer Andre Ernest Modeste Gretry (1741-1813). The arrangement for use with the hymn was made by William James Kirkpatrick (1838-1920). The song first appeared in Songs of Joy and Gladness, No. 2 published around 1890 or 1891 which Kirkpatrick compiled for McDonald, Gill and Co. of Boston, MA, and Chicago, IL.

I believe that 'My Faith Has Found A Resting Place' is perhaps the best statement of faith that exists in hymns. In my study, I found that many feel that perhaps the song was not found in many older denominational hymnbooks because it is somewhat anti-denominational in nature. However, as people eventually became tired of denominational dogmatism and sought for a better, more solid basis for their religious convictions, the song was seen as an expression of that spirit and was included in the more recent denominational hymnbooks. Hence it is found in many of the 'old' hymnbooks that we now use in our churches. It's message surely refutes the idea that any one of us have a corner on God or his glory!

This song includes everything that I like in a hymn...

Christology: The doctrine of Christ–Who He is and what He has done.

Hamartiology: The doctrine of sin–human sinfulness and our inability to save ourselves.

Soteriology: The doctrine of salvation–cleansing from our guilt and sin by faith alone through grace alone.

Tiny Talk Tuesday

I'm going a little heavy on the pictures in this Tiny edition. This writing finds us somewhere in California-on a business trip-with daddy. We have been getting a lot of schoolwork done and spending a little time in the sunshine. It was hard to decide with pictures to edit out. :)Kammy really enjoyed the adventure to Bass Pro Shops. I think she would have been content to sit on the horse the entire time though. When I did convince her to "get off and see what else we could find," she found all kinds of horse things she would "definitely buy if she was growed up!" Kammy is one smart cookie...momma is not a big believer of snacks while traveling, so here we were...driving along looking for a place to eat lunch and we were all very hungry. All but Kammy. She had thought ahead and packed some red licorice and chocolate chips in the truck the afternoon before we left. She was back there contentedly snacking away while the rest of us endured our growling tummies. Daddy and his girls! How I love these people! :) Kaite did like the ocean, even though it was too cold (67) to really enjoy it properly. She spends most of her time here wanting to go, "house, see Rancha." She has been talking like crazy since we arrived! She said, "I 'on't ike 'fornia" and walks around saying, "borning, borning" (boring) over and over! Kammy has been a little bored too, what with all the schoolwork happening around here. No one to play horses with...well, no one on her 'level' anyway. She said, "I discovered what I need is a twin, because twins like to do the same things as their twins!" I love this picture of my older pair walking on the sea shore! I love that their movements are practically identical. :) Kalli hasn't been too thrilled with the climate. It was 95 the other day and she said, "When I get a shower, it's sopping wet, here it is just sopping sweat!" She also said, "The HUMILITY (humidity) here is disgraceful!"

Kammy heard me talk about how they say "the big one" (earthquake) is just waiting to happen in California, so when she got a sticker sheet at In N Out Burger, she made an earthquake! Kids! They don't miss anything!

Kaite caused no small stir during our visit with the adorable way she dug into her burger! Even if momma isn't a believer, Kaite is! :)

She placed the neck pillow on and said, "Neck! Hug!" Too bad she did not travel so well the whole trip. She was quite carsick in spite of the medication we gave her (All my kids inherited my carsick genes) and I seriously wonder how many times you can say, "out" in 4 1/2 hours, because that is what she did for the last leg of our trip-nonstop. Needless to say, she has mean parents, who love her very much and value her life, so she stayed "in."

Here I think she is helping daddy with an expense report or something--maybe trying to figure a way to expense her "straw" (soda). She is working hard with his blackberry and a receipt.