Killer Parakeets

My mother and sister, Sidney, bought the kids the best gift for their birthday -- Zoo passes. That means we get to go to the zoo anytime we want and it's something that Chloe can honestly enjoy, too. Side note -- if you ever go to a birthday party and want to know what to bring small children can I suggest something that is disposable? Paint, play dough, tape, chalk . . . My children, at least, do not need something else cluttering up their room. Most of the time they'd rather play with paper anyway. So, truly -- Zoo Passes are the best! Thank you Grandma and Aunt Sid!
Today we dropped Abigail and Mikaela off at school and Luke, Chloe, and I went to the zoo. We went to the parakeet cage first. You can walk in and the birds will land on you -- especially if you buy the $1 stick of birdseed. Usually we get there late and the birds could care less about us. So today we were going to beat everyone. We managed to get there first and the birds saw us coming. They were flying to the side of the cage while we were still outside parking the stroller. This should have been a sign. We bought our stick of food and I walked in first and Luke was supposed to follow me in. I managed to get in but as Luke tried to come in (holding the food) the birds swarmed him and landed on the stick (and his arm.) He screamed and dropped the stick (I cannot express how loud the scream was!) The rest of the birds saw their chance and went for the stick. There were at least 40 birds on the ground between Luke and me -- I couldn't get to him if I had wanted to (at least not without damaging any parakeets.) By the time I got him to step back (he wasn't coming in!) and closed the doors several birds had escaped -- they walked right out! (they did catch them and return them.) He finally got brave enough to come in but never got close to any birds. Chloe, on the other hand, loved the birds! She did her best to grab them but was, thankfully, unsuccessful.
I laugh each time I think of it.
Love to you all!
mickie

First Impressions

Abigail is in heaven. She LOVES her school. The first day she came home and said, "I wasn't bored all day!" Poor baby, I'm sorry that she has been bored at all. Let's see, what are some more Abigail quotes . . . "I was busy all day. * In Spanish class we played games around the room. I was pretty quiet 'cause I only know the basics of Spanish. * I don't know what it is about this school. Something's just different than the other schools I've been at. Maybe it's that the kids have manners.* I had so much fun at recess today, I played with . . ." (she never played at the other schools -- the teachers said she would always bring a book outside with her) That's all I can think of for now.

She has been excited to go to school each day. On Wednesday they have Chapel and so Abigail has a special uniform that she wears on that day. We got her a jumper and she was able to get away with using some of the shirts that she wore in FWISD. She was pretty bothered with the combination but said she would "get it together" so that she could go to her school. After a few minutes she was beaming -- I took some pictures that I will try to put on here and you can see what I mean.

As a teacher, I've been pretty impressed with the level of homework (and the organization) that she's been bringing home. As a mother, I'm so glad that she is in a place that is happy to see her each morning and is kind to us. Still getting used to having people being nice in a school -- too bad.

Anyway, thank you Gram and Pops for allowing Abigail to continue her education in such a wonderful place. It's making a difference already.

All Glory, Honor, and Praise to our Father,

mickie

New Church

I got so busy telling everyone about Abigail that I forgot to mention another way that God has been providing for us. We finally found a church!!! The Austin Stone changed our lives and we were no longer satisfied with just any old church (and there are a lot of them around here.) We tried driving to The Village but it was an hour one way. As awesome as The Village is it was just too far to develop any sort of community. I guess if I want to listen to Matt Chandler I can always do it on-line. Well, The Village planted a church in Keller -- City View. www.cityviewchurch.net It reminds us of what The Stone must have been like in the early years. We went to the new members class last week and were encouraged by the Pastor's heart and vision for the church. Keller is a little bit of a drive but it's worth it. (At least it's close to my cousin, Jodi's house -- it might give our families a chance to get together some Sunday afternoon.) Best of all, there are several couples that live around the seminary and they will be starting a small group down here close to us. Yea! The Worship Pastor, Adam Crawford, knows some other good friends of ours (Phillip and Lindsey Walleck -- Phillip lived with us for a summer before Mikaela was born. He was instrumental in discipling Jason. Adam referred to Phillip as "a rock." Yes - yes you are, Phillip.) If you get the chance to hear some of his work you won't regret it. He writes beautiful songs that we get to sing at Service on Sundays and he has a beautiful voice. So, another connection -- that's nice.
So rejoice and sing for the Lord is good!
Love to you all,
mickie

Abigial's New School

As most of you know, Abigail was not being challenged at the school across the street from us. So, we researched and found a Special Interest Program at another school across town. It is called "Science, Mathematics, and Technology Academy" at Morningside. It's a kind of school within a school. The work samples were great and they have the most beautiful garden where most of the work was supposed to be based. For a Science girl like Abigail this would be perfect. Plus, it was ethnically diverse -- well, she was one of the few white children but that would be good - right? Once we started school we realized that the academic rigor was not what was portrayed and to make things worse, there was a girl in Abigail's class that bullied her. Most days she would be hit or have her foot stomped on and then there was the verbal . . . Things did not improve even after speaking with the teachers and administrators. In fact, they continued to put the two of them in small groups together and to have their desks together! We just didn't know what to do.
On Thursday, Jason's mother (Gram) called and I was sharing about Abigail's days at school. She's a teacher, too -- so she understands. Anyway, Gram volunteered to pay for Abigial to go to another school (both for safety and academic reasons.) *this is kind of sweet because when Jason was little his grandmother paid for him to attend a private school as well. So, Sherri is following in great footsteps* I was very excited about the possiblilies but doubted I would be able to find a (good) school that would have a spot open at this time of the year or that would be willing to accept a new second grader into their program.
I called, researched, and asked for recomendations. . .(did I mention lots of prayer!) No place was open. I kept hearing about one school and one of the teachers at my school suggested that I just walk in and talk to them. I did and Abigail will be starting at St. Paul Lutheran School on Monday! A girl had just left and they had one spot -- Abigail's name even fits in alphabetically on the class list! I could go on and on about how wonderful this school iS but I'll let you read the website for yourself: http://school.stpaulfw.com/index.php
Another perk of the school is that it is only blocks away from The First Presbyterian Church where I teach pre-school.
I am most amazed at how genuinely nice everyone was -- very peaceful. They had some gently worn uniforms that we were able to get so she is all set for Monday. (I'll try to get picture for everyone -- maybe Monday.) I took Abigial up there to see things and meet her new classmates and when we left she said that she "just couldn't make her mouth stop smiling."
We know that God has totally paved the road for Abigail to be at this school. There were too many obstacles for it to have happened any other way. So quickly, too -- I talked to Gram on Thursday night and by Friday at noon she was set -- unheard of! Abigail told me this morning that she knows that God has done this for her and that now she knows that He is really real.
My heart is so full and I feel like I just want to give God a big hug and never let go.
Love to you all!
mickie

Tired But Blessed Beyond Measure

So it has a been a while since we have posted and I have to no avail been able to find time to post or to tutor mickie in logging on so we apologize for the delay. i am still burning the candle at both ends working 70 hours a week and taking 6 hours of class, but it feels like i will end up in glory sooner than later. New Testament Greek is the bomb and it is highly recommended for extreme Bible nerds.

i say that i am blessed beyond measure because everyday when i look at my beautiful bride and our amazing children i am humbled by my true unworthiness of such a blessing. Not false, superficial feelings, but revelational truth of my sinfulness and God's amazing outlandish love for sinners. It has caused me to ponder how much i and anybody really knows about Yeshua and His Father.

The questions have been running through my head:

Why does the present day church not look like the disciples?
Why do we not eat with sinners, prostitutes, and tax collectors as Christ did?
Why have we made up rules which Christ never gave to us?
And why have we forsaken the rules He has given us for a more comfortable life of faith from our own personal perspective and not the Bible?

mickie and i have been reading a book by mark driscoll called The Radical Reformission and it has rocked us to our core. we have both been appalled by the closeness and unprofessional way in which pastor driscoll speaks about Christ and at the same time we see the intimacy it would take to treat Christ like your friend as He says that He is. i must agree that the gospels are scandalous when you look at them closely without present-day blinders on.

How can we been in the world but not of it if we remove ourselves from the world whether physically or by unmentioned sanction of certain people? Is the Holy Spirit not powerful enough to allow us to dig deep into the unsaved person's life and connect to their core for the purpose of leading them toward the answer to their deepest longings for significance? Why are we not infiltrating the camp of the unsaved for the purpose of redeeming it for Christ?

we are Free!............. we are Free!

We are free to live radically and go therefore making disciples in all situations, not just in church or at revivals. We have power to go behind enemy lines and take back what is God's creation turned evil; a human soul with a tarnished image of God.

Enough preaching though. we love each and every one of you who have supported us and read this blog. we miss you all dearly and pray that God prosper you ministries no matter what the shape. i will get mickie to write next time so you do not have to listened to me preaching. Shalom and may the Ancient of Days bless you socks off!