Family....

Today is the feast of The Holy Family.   All families are holy, aren't they?  Holy, however, does not equal perfect.  In all families we have times of brokenness, hurt, anger.  How do you heal this brokenness?  Forgiveness.  Just as Jesus forgives us for our sins, we are called to forgive others as well.  Forgiveness is not easy. It's a decision. It's love. Forgiveness is acceptance of others...of their whole selves, not just the good parts.  Can I forgive myself as well?  Accept me as God accepts me - good, bad, AND the ugly?  

Feast of the Holy Family

We are children of God

Sir 3:2-6, 12-14

Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5

Col 3:12-21

Lk 2:41-52

God sets a father in honor over his children;
a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons.
Whoever honors his father atones for sins,
and preserves himself from them.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast
of Passover,
and when he was twelve years old,
they went up according to festival custom.

After they had completed its days, as they were returning,
the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem,
but his parents did not know it.

His mother said to him,
“Son, why have you done this to us?
Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”
And he said to them,
“Why were you looking for me?
Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
But they did not understand what he said to them.

Marvin Suggs and his Muppaphone, playing "Witch Doctor"

Just for fun!

ROCK-PAPER-SCISSORS!

One of the most common childhood games played all over the world!  ROCK PAPER SCISSORS!  This game enjoys enormous popularity in Japan.  There are a variety of versions to play, and it's always fun to challenge music students to one of the Japanese versions.

Janken (じゃん拳 janken^?) is the Japanese equivalent of Rock Paper Scissors, but taken to a whole new level in terms of usage and importance in daily life. If there is ever a clash of opinions between two people in Japan, more often than not this potentially embarassing situation will be decided with janken. Who gets to eat the last Rolo, you or me? What DVD should we rent, Terminator 2 or She's All That? Who should take the rap for our company's bankruptcy? etc. Japanese children will play janken tens if not hundreds of times a day. (source:  http://jet.wikia.com/wiki/Janken) 

If you are planning a trip to Japan (or just want to be a better Rock Paper Scissors player here in the US), check out the strategies in the infographic below!

Partysaurus Rex!!

Toy Story's Rex, the green dinosaur, gets a chance to shed his party-pooper past in Disney•Pixar's new animated short.  Hop on over to Disney Videos.  I guarantee you will laugh and want to watch it again!

Got Ice??

Ever gone to the freezer to get some ice, and discover that the ice cube tray did not get filled by the person who emptied it?? Frustrating isn't it!? That is one thing nice about an automatic ice maker in your refrigerator - if it is working anyway!!

For those ice-challenged people out there, here is a simple recipe for making ice cubes....and to enhance your viewing experience, be sure to click on the Ratings and Reviews tab (almost 500 of them!)...maybe you will want to add your own experience in trying out this delicate recipe! Enjoy!

How To Make Ice Cubes

Happy Birthday Jerry!!!

•*♥•*♪•.¸♪¸.•*¨♥•*•.¸♪¸.•*¨♥•*♪•.¸♪¸.•*¨♥*•
•*♪░H░A░P░P░Y░♥░B░I░R░T░H░D░A░Y░♪*•
•*♪ *♪*•.¸♥¸.•*¨*¨*••*•♪.•*¨*•.¸♥.•*•*♪

Today is my dear husband's birthday! If you see him, wish him a Happy Day! Love you Dear!

(Father's Day 2012 - fishing in our new little boat!)

Don't Laught At Me

"Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names,
Don't get your pleasure
From my pain.
In God's eyes we are all the same."

As for me and my house, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!

"But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD."--Joshua 24:15

Choices. They are everywhere. What shall I have to eat? Which movie to watch? Where to go on vacation? What career path to follow? Should I leave my husband/wife? Can I get by with cheating on taxes this year? As John Waller expresses in the video below, "Like sheep, we have all gone astray, we must choose this day whom we would serve."

Some choices have greater impact on our lives than others. And yet, I know that I can have confidence in my choices if at the crux of my being, I have chosen the Lord Jesus as my Savior. For that is the MOST important choice I have in my life. All other choices will flow out of that one decision that I have made...to put Christ as the center of my life, at the center of my choices.

Take a few moments today to envelop the words of this song into your heart. Choose. Today.

“ You don’t take a photograph, you make it." - Ansel Adams

We had some fun experimenting with photography a couple of weeks ago with some of the grandkids. Here's a sample!

Friday's Fab Fam

You know, I LOVE to go home after work. I LOVE to see my husband, hear about his day, and be with him. I LOVE to pick up a grandchild after school and hang out for awhile. I LOVE to get phone calls from kids who are living far away. I LOVE to receive and email or facebook posting from one of the kids or grandkids. Family is everything to me! I love you family!