Our Ten-Year-Old Gabriel

Ten years ago, Gabriel made his grand entrance into the world. He came in with a swift bang and has been a ball of energy ever since then. 

It has been amazing to see God work in Gabriel's heart this year. Over the past two years, Gabriel has asked a lot of questions, study the Bible and God has brought him out of darkness into marvelous light! We celebrated with Gabriel's baptism July 10th and Jim had the privilege of baptizing him. Gabriel is strong in the Word, quick to protect anyone from another, especially those smaller, and has a servant heart. God has already gifted him so much and it is exciting to see God's growing him into an amazing young man.

This year, Gabriel has really grown as an artist. He loves to draw and will draw anything. One of his strongest skills is replicating coloring sheets. It has amazed us over and over when he brings a drawing that looks like it could have been traced, but it wasn't. (We've watched him do this!) We are excited to see how God will use Gabriel's art to minister to others as he grows.

Gabriel also enjoys puzzles, word puzzles and figuring things out. He's a thinker. It's so fun to watch him learn, process and come to conclusions. He gets so excited when he learns something new. His passion for learning is amazing and it's so fun to watch him learn more everyday. 

One of the areas Gabriel wants to learn more in is the kitchen. He enjoys putting things together, making shakes and figuring out meals. He likes helping his sister bake as well.

Gabriel also loves his siblings and helping care for them. He gets down on their level, reads to them, builds with them, talks with them and teaches them. His love for people is straight from the heart of God. 

His most favorite thing to do though, is build with LEGOs. Gabriel loves to build, create, play with and imagine with LEGOs. He builds all kinds of things both with and without directions. He has a wonderful imagination. He has recently discovered LEGO Mario and is slowly collecting sets to bring the video game world to life. It's fun to see him build and create as he bears the image of his Creator.

We are so blessed by Gabriel. He's so much fun and adds life to our home everyday. His hard work in bar none and he is always ready to come along side. We look forward to many more years with our Gabriel!

Father, thank You for Gabriel and the work You have done in his life. We see your handiwork all over him as he grows in faith. Please continue to grow him in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man as Jesus did. Make him more like Jesus everyday. Continue to grow his creativity and use it for Your Kingdom, to serve others and glorify Your name. Thank You for the gift and blessing of his life. We pray this in Jesus's Name. Amen

Our Five-Year-Old Isaac

Our amazing surprise of an 8th child was born into our arms five years ago! What a whirlwind time that was and Isaac is still a whirlwind today. 

Our Isaac loves life, loves to go, loves to explore, loves to sing, loves to be with people. He is so full of life and it is such a joy to watch him learn, grow, and explore. He loves to be outside watching bugs, climbing trees, digging in the dirt, "driving" a car, running with his brothers, playing with water and just about anything else you can do outside. He likes the space and learns so much just being outside. 

Recently, Isaac has gotten really into book learning too. He is amazing with numbers and is quickly learning math facts. We also cannot spell in front of him! He easily figures out what we're talking about when we do this, so if we don't want him to know, we have to make sure he's not around to hear. He's definitely an auditory learner and picks up on so much. Singing has taught him a lot and he walks around singing while exploring the world God gave us or drawing a picture, helping with a meal or cleaning up. Isaac just loves to sing! This has helped a lot with learning Scripture also, which is a blessing. He was so excited to sing in a service recently and actually did well. We pray he continues to love singing and that God uses it to bring Isaac to Himself as He meditates on the words of songs that are straight Scripture or truths of God. 

Isaac has gotten into drawing and writing recently. It's fun to see what comes out of his imagination and it's a privilege to have a stack of drawings he's made for us this week. He has been using his blank copy book to practice writing words and drawing pictures as well, just because. God has given Isaac such creativity! What a joy to see this creativity in an image bearer of our God! 

We do think that's Isaac's biggest love is hair. Not his hair on his head, but lose hair on people or the ground. This boy can see a stray, loose hair from across the room and will get it and pick it up and hold it. We don't know what this is, but he absolutely loves to hold hair. We have also discussed hiring him out for people who want someone to catch all those stray hairs on their clothing before an event, because he would be amazing at that job! It would never be work for him. 

Some of Isaac's other favorite activities include building with LEGOs, playing to vehicles of any kind, and helping put meals together. Recently he has really wanted to learn more in the kitchen, so this is one of the next phases in his training skills. While he does help with routine chores, this has been of great interest, probably because of how much he loves to eat. He's not picky at all and will even eat fruit that has mold on it because he likes the taste of it! Thankful for his adventurous spirit that is also helping build his immune system. He is not very picky either. For the most part he will eat anything except 1% milk. (And he will drink this if he's really desperate.)

We are so blessed by Isaac and his silly personality. His name means laughter and it sure does fit him well. God definitely named him aptly and he continues to fill our home both with his laughter and our own as he makes us laugh with his exuberance and playfulness. We are so thankful for this child that came so quickly we barely had time to think about it. He's one of the best surprises in life!

Father, Thank You for Isaac and the life that he has brought to our family. Thank You for giving him to us in the midst of transition to draw us even closer to You and show us Your goodness and grace. Thank You that he loves to sing and create, the way You made him to and I pray Isaac will use this talents for Your Kingdom and Your glory. We pray that You will save him by Your grace and bring him into a deep abiding relationship with You. Let him know You and love You deeply and let his laughter bring Your joy to those around him. Thank You for all of Your precious gifts, and today we especially thank You for the gift of Isaac. We pray all of this in Jesus's Name. Amen. 

Our 11-Year-Old Reuben

Eleven years. It's been 11 years since Reuben made his incredible and blessed entrance into the world outside the womb and it's been such a blessed life since then.

Reuben is such an easy-going, laid back young man and brings a sense of calm to our full house. He loves to help, loves to watch, loves to make people smile. He longs to see peace around him, to do well and have others do well also. God has blessed Reuben with a natural desire to do what is right and in that is often the first to correct a younger one when he sees them not doing what he knows is the right things. He can be such an encourager and an example and it is a blessing to see this as a natural bent in him. It helps tremendously when there are little ones going many ways as he can guide the ones that are near him. 

And Reuben loves to do this! He absolutely adores the little ones. He's the first to offer to change the baby's diaper (or do it without being asked if he picks him up and realizes it needs to be done). He reads stories to the youngest ones, plays with them and makes sure they are safe. He is a good protector and hates to see people hurt. He defends fearlessly those that are smaller or weaker, which is an incredible gift. Whenever speaking to a younger one, Reuben teaches and explains. He does an amazing job reaching down to them where they are. 

Reuben is strong. His nickname is Muscles and is called this often. He carries large loads, even now, fixes things easily and problem solves many tasks with his strong mind. If we need help with anything, Reuben is right there lifting the load in anyway he can. He's very handy with tools, fixing maintenance things around the house, taking things apart and putting them back together. Recently, he's been evaluating some of our devices that aren't working properly to see if he can figure out how to fix them. He loves the puzzle and to tinker, even if he's unable to fully fix the problem. He's not afraid to try and is learning much along the way. He also enjoys exercising and exercises with us intentionally twice a week to grow his strength and to show us how flexible he is and we're not. It is such a blessed time of doing life together!

Not only does he love puzzles and tinkering, but Reuben is an amazing artist. His most recent projects include making duplicates of pages from books and you can barely tell the difference! He has an amazing eye for catching the details and making the replicas that most others would have to trace and it still would look vastly different. Not Reuben! God has given him the incredible ability to see and draw it out on paper. It is exciting to see how his skill will grow and how God will use this artistic ability.

This year Reuben has grown as a reader and has read The Hobbit and started The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, along with many other books we have around the house. He's growing in writing as well and all of his studies. He just loves to learn. Recently he's been learning Biblical history, Composition of Fables, Latin, Geography, Astronomy and Math. It's amazing to watch him learn.

As much as he loves people, Reuben is a quiet observer. He's a young man of few words, but is thoughtful and funny when he does speak. He watches what's going on around him and takes it all in, processing internally, then sharing as he figures things out. He can be around people or alone and thrive. He does appreciate it when people know his name and looks him in the eye as well as a hug from people he knows. 

Reuben is such a precious blessing and we're so grateful God gave him to us and our family and that we get to live life with him!

Father, we thank You for the precious gift of Reuben and what he means to our family. Thank You for his sweet spirit and the qualities you have given him as an image bearer in his kindness, sense of justice, creativity and strength. We pray that You will give Reuben your heart and save him by Your amazing grace. Show him that all of these amazing qualities come from You and Your grace so that he might bring you glory. Continue to grow Reuben as a young man in wisdom and stature and may he find favor with you and man. Thank You for all You have done and continue to do in his life. Make him into a man after Your own heart. We pray this in Jesus's Name, Amen!

Our Six-Year-Old Malachi

Our sweet Malachi is six years old today. He was our biggest baby who didn't want to come, but has been a joy to our family since the moment we held him in our arms.

Malachi is serious and studious, focusing on what is going on around him or the task at hand. He has taken to book work this past year and loves to learn. Numbers are his gifting, and every challenge he faces with them he picks up quickly after being taught. He also watches people and observes. Malachi is so curious and wants to know about everything. Trees, bugs, dirt, people. He watches and takes in what he sees, putting pieces together to learn more. 

This past year, Malachi has grown in maturity as well. We have seen God working in him as he grows in learning and instruction in all of life. He volunteers to make snacks or lunch for everyone, excels in sweeping the floor and loves to wash dishes. He takes correction well and we have seen him grow in honesty. The work God is doing in Malachi is so precious to see. He is learning to read the Bible and memorize Scripture. He is learning catechism as well. He likes to answer questions when he knows something and he responds with gusto and a huge smile!

His smile. It's contagious! Malachi smiles so big at so many things. He just loves life. He loves to explore and build, "drive" cars up and down, play with his siblings and pretend. His imagination is vast and it's fun to see the creative part as an image-bearer of our Creator come out in him. He is learning to draw and recently has shown growth in his skills. He loves to make people laugh, though he has a more subdued sense of humor. And hugs. He loves hugs! But only from those he knows and loves. 

Malachi was so excited to move up to the children's hall this month for Sunday School. In just a couple of weeks, he has grown in his understanding of what he's hearing in class and can tell us the Bible passage they discussed in his own words. It's a blessing to see the Word of God take root. Moving to Corporate Worship Service after Sunday School has been a bit tricky, but he is growing in this as well and will pretend to take notes at times, even if he's not sure what's being said. He wants to learn and that is a tremendous blessing.

Our family is so blessed by Malachi's life and we are thankful that God has given him to us!

Father, thank You for the gift of Malachi and the delight he brings to our family and home. Thank You for how you are growing him in wisdom and stature. We pray that You will conquer his heart and bring him to salvation. Thank You that we get to live life with him! Guide Malachi to Your Truth and Knowledge. In Jesus's Name we pray. Amen!

Our 2-Year-Old Esther

Our sweet and precious Esther is two years old today! Our little pandemic baby reminds us of God's grace and provision for His people to protect them and hold them fast. 

Esther has grown so much this year and is not a baby anymore. She's a little women, already learning how to care for babies, clean her floor, put things away and bake. Obviously, she is not grown and more observes these tasks but she is getting really good at cleaning her messes. She knows to get a towel or napkin and does decently at cleaning a spill. 

Esther loves to play with Abel as well as her baby dolls all of which she calls Abel. She carries her baby and dresses (or undresses) her doll. She puts her doll on Abel's playmat and turns on the music. It's fun to watch her learn. She also wants to help Abel with his pacifier and with eating. It's absolutely precious to see her being a little mama. 

Esther's other favorite item is "uh-oh" which is what she calls her blanket. She walks around like Linus dragging it behind her with her thumb in her mouth. So cute! (Though we'd like to break the thumb sucking...)

Recently, Esther has gotten into looking at books. She's' not quite ready for you to read them to her, but she does enjoy looking at pictures and talking about what she sees. She asks, "What's that?" to anything and everything, even if she knows what it is. It's a fun learning game for all of us. She's also learning all the names of her siblings and it's precious to hear her talk about them. They're not always clear but she will say she is thankful for them at different times.

That has been the most precious, hearing her share what she's thankful for at dinner and wanting to "pray". This is mama saying what she just said in prayer form but her eyes are wide and she listens as we teach her to pray. 

We are so thankful for Esther and the spunk she adds to our home. She's strong already and does not put up with anything from her brothers. She's a bit of a Mama's girl and loves to be with Lillian, but she loves on Daddy and her brothers too. 

Father, thank You for our precious Esther and the life she adds to our home. Thank You for this ray of life during a time that has seen so much death. We know that You are ultimate giver of life and we pray that You will give Esther life in You through Your Son, Jesus. Thank You for these past two years and we look forward to so many more years of life with her. We pray this in Jesus's Name! Amen!

The Greatest Salesman in the World

The Greatest Salesman in the World has been recommended to me by my mentor and business coach, Katie Hornor, since the first time I heard her speak. I was gifted the book a little bit ago and finally took the plunge and read it.

I completely understand why this book, though a work of fiction, is recommended so highly in the business world. It is filled with sound advice and great things to think about. The mantle is passed to one who is generous instead of those who are good with money, time or other things that in a worldly sense seem wise. Half of the book is filled with sayings to think on to help you be a good business person and grow in what it means to be a person in business. 

The other half is the story of Hafid who wants to learn from the greatest salesman in the world so that he can become the greatest salesman in the world. The story is intriguing and absolutely draws you in. It is set in first century Israel and ties to Biblical stories. As one who appreciates creativity, I found this quite interesting. My only issue is with the end. I do not want to spoil the book for those that read it and I want others to learn from it, if they do not have similar issues with how the story spelled out. 

Remember: THIS BOOK IS FICTION!

For the advice given from a business perspective I would give it 4.5 stars. The story along side I'd give more like three stars because of how I read it. I'll meet in the middle and give it 3.5.

Reading Challenges:

Back to the Classics 2022: Wild Card Classic

2022 Reading Challenge with Tim Challies a book of your choice in the Light Reader section

2022 Intentional by Grace Reading Challenge: Set in or about a country that is not your own in Level 3

Our 7-Year-Old Nehemiah

Seven years! It's been seven years since we first held Nehemiah in our arms. He came fast and furious and he has been a spitfire ever since. 

When you first meet Nehemiah, he seems like a quiet and shy little boy. But deep down he is silly and full of life. He's always sizing up the situation, paying attention to what is going on and what others are doing. Do not let his quietness fool you. He's watching and learning!

Nehemiah loves to learn. He has excelled at learning to read, basic math, grammar and phonics. He can recite most of what he learns the first time he hears it. He takes initiative, and eagerly starts formal book work learning without prompting and is very proud of his accomplishments.

One of his favorite things to learn is chess and is studying and playing with his brothers to grow in is understanding of the game. He's not quite to strategizing yet, but he can keep up with the big boys. Nehemiah enjoys playing games of all kinds and you can frequently find him playing one with someone during free time. He also enjoys puzzles and solving problems. 

Nehemiah also loves to be outside in God's creation. For him, the weather doesn't matter. He can be dripping in sweat or wrapped in coats, but still be enjoying the great outdoors. He loves to explore, dig and climb. He will watch bugs at work and play with them  in the dirt. His energy is almost limitless, but he's not restless. It's an amazing and brilliant combination that God has given to him as he learns and grows. 

Music is also enjoyed by Nehemiah. He loves to learn hymns and is interested in instruments. He tries drumming occasionally with James and would like to try keyboards as soon as he's able. 

Most of all, Nehemiah likes to be with people. You will see him alone, especially if no one else wants to go outside, but he would rather be with others. He understands at a young age the value of doing life with people, and right now that's his family. He is sensitive and so he is learning to deal with people well. 

We are so blessed by Nehemiah's life and we thank our God, YHWH, that He saw fit to give Nehemiah to our family!

Father, we thank You so much for Nehemiah! He is such a blessing, made in your image! Thank You for his sweet spirit that comes out and thank you for his love of learning. Thank You for how You are working in him and we pray that he will know your comfort and help and that he might be Your comfort and help to others. We ask You in the mighty name of Jesus to save Nehemiah and turn his heart to You! Make him a man after Your own heart and teach him Your ways, that he may know You, love you, honor You with all that he is. We pray this is the name of Your Son, Jesus! Amen