Family Vacation '09!

Hey everyone,

Its time to start the thinking about Family Vacation ’09!

Do you want another lake vacation, or an ocean vacation? Any preferred destinations?

Ocean cons: The cost will be much higher: the vacation rentals are more expensive and a lot of us would fly rather than drive. Leah and Eric in particular would be hit hard with the airfare as the kids are too little to make such a long drive.

Lake home cons: Where? We want to make sure the weather will be good (WI… you never know in the midwest). And since we’ve been to Missouri, where is another nice lake destination? Preferably one with clear water and no Gar!!

The last issue for thought: Would anyone mind if anyone invited a friend along? I talked to mom last night and I think, if everyone agreed it was ok, if we invited a friend, they would have first choice on the floor, no bedroom, which would keep us in the same price range by not increasing the number of bedrooms we need.

I think anywhere we go, will be just as great as last year. So…. Start researching and throwing out ideas. If you don’t then those of us who research will be The Deciders (cause we decide things!)

We should have this part figured out by Christmas, so we can find a house in Jan/Feb.

UH-OH!!

I didn't mean papaya, I meant mango! Scoop out a mango. I've never had a papaya in my life!! (Unless you've tried the trick on a papaya Richard and it ended up by working.) :)

LIFE CHANGING TIP!!

Because papayas have an odd pit/seed they can be difficult to cut up. Here's a little trick that Becky told me about. After peeling the papaya cut in in half and scoop it out like an avocado. So much easier to cut up. Thanks Beck!

I like this...

Since I am in Christ, by the grace of God…
• I have been justified—completely forgiven and made righteous (Rom 5:1).
• I died with Christ and died to the power of sin’s rule over my life (Rom 6:1-6).
• I am free forever from condemnation (Rom 8:1).
• I have been placed into Christ by God’s doing (1 Cor 1:30).
• I have received the Spirit of God into my life that I might know the things freely given to me by God (1 Cor 2:12).
• I have been given the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16).
• I have been bought with a price; I am not my own; I belong to God (1 Cor 6:19-20).
• I have been established, anointed and sealed by God in Christ, and I have been given the Holy Spirit as a pledge guaranteeing my inheritance to come (2 Cor 1:21; Eph 1:13-14).
• Since I have died, I no longer live for myself, but for Christ (2 Cor 5:14-15).
• I have been made righteous (2 Cor 5:21).
• I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I am now living is Christ’s life (Gal 2:20-21).
• I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing (Eph 1:3).
• I was chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and am without blame before Him (Eph 1:4).
• I was predestined to be adopted as God’s son (Eph 1:5).
• I have been redeemed and forgiven, and I am a recipient of his lavish grace
• I have been made alive together with Christ (Eph 2:5).
• I have been raised up and seated with Christ in heaven (Eph 2:6).
• I have direct access to God through the Spirit (Eph 2:18).
• I may approach God with boldness, freedom and confidence (Eph 3:12).
• I have been rescued form the domain of Satan’s rule and transferred to the kingdom of Christ (Col 1:13).
• I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins. The debt against me has been cancelled (Col 1:14).
• Christ himself is in me (Col 1:27).
• I am firmly rooted in Christ and am now being built in him (Col 2:7).
• I have been spiritually circumcised, My old unregenerate nature has been removed (Col 2:11).
• I have been made complete in Christ (Col 2:10).
• I have been buried, raised and made alive with Christ (Col 2:12-13).
• I died with Christ and I have been raised up with Christ. My life is now hidden with Christ in God. Christ is now my life (Col 3:14).
• I have been given a spirit of power, love and self-discipline (2 Tim 1:7).
• I have been saved and set apart according to God’s doing (2 Tim 1:9; Titus 3:5).
• Because I am sanctified and am one with the Sanctifier, he is not ashamed to call me brother (Heb 2:11).
• I have the right to come boldly before the throne of God to find mercy and grace in time of need (Heb 4:16).
• I have been given exceedingly great and precious promises by God by which I am a partaker of God’s divine nature (2 Pet 1:4).

Victory Over the Darkness (p. 57-59). By John Owen

LEAH IS HOW OLD?!

Happy 30th Birthday Leah!! Hope it's a great day for you! Take advantage and make those guys wait on you a little. :)

Love you lots,
Mom