Goodbye 2010

Wow, I can't believe that 2010 is almost gone. Isn't it something how quickly time goes by?

It seems like the Christmas season flew by, like it does every year and I didn't even really get a change to enjoy it :)

So where will you be celebrating the new year? We are heading out camping (big surprise) over at Ft. Desoto Park. It is a beautiful beach with a campground about an hour from where we live. Looks like the weather is going to be nice, not too hot and not too cold - Just the way I like it! Hoping we don't have mosquitoes though. The freeze this week may have stopped them!

What are your new year's resolutions looking like? Here are a few of mine:

1. Get the final 10lbs off!!! Christmas was a minor setback, as it always is. However, I am still loving this Perfect 10 Diet. I have never stuck with a diet this long before. It is doable and that is good!

2. Learn as much as I can about my Logos! I have spent a lot of this week watching training videos from the Logos website. I am simply amazed at all the stuff it can do.

3. Finish the Bible Study project I started. I am so anxious for our next writers meeting in January to share my ideas with our group and get some feedback!!

4. Spend time learning more about God's character. I'll talk more about that next week at Laced With Grace.

5. Finally, either lead or do a ladies Bible Study. I have sat out for a long time. Well I did do that class on Revelation last year but its time to jump into one at our church. Meet some new ladies. And If i want to "teach" the Bible through writing, I might want to teach a class. Gotta get that Precept training some good use, right??

Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful New Year! Happy 2011!

Well, I got Logos!

Ok, I really didn't think I would get this, but my husband surprised me and got the Logos Bible Study edition for me for Christmas! This is the second level of Logos and has over 270 books, reference material, commentaries, Bibles, dictionaries, etc.

I can't put my computer down! And it syncs with my new iPad so I can access a lot of the features with the iPad.

This software works so cool. It really does hours and hours worth of research instantly at the click of a button. You can see commentaries, pictures, family trees, original language references, etc. all at the click of one button.

Because of the extreme cold we are experiencing here in Florida, I spent most of yesterday curled up in warm PJs watching training videos from the Logos website. I am totally impressed.

And to add to my new found coolness, my hubby brought me home a "new to me" Mac for Christmas. It is a desktop but has a nice big screen that will work wonderful for the Logos multi-split screens. However, it turns out my "new to me" Mac has an operating system that doesn't support Logos 4. So we are looking into upgrading the system. This is my third attempt at having an older Mac, I hope it works out. I really like them much better than PCs but don't have the ability to purchase a new one right now. Once we can get the Logos on the Mac, it will be really nice!

I am so excited with this new software. I cannot believe the amazing things it can do! I will be playing with this for a very long long time!

More of the Jesse Tree

We are still working on our Jesse Tree! This has really been a fun project together. Each of the three kiddos has made their own ornaments, so we have three of each kind on our tree. However, to save my sanity with uploading photos, I'm only going to share 1 of each day.

So here goes our update:

Day 4, Abraham, Tent and Camel

Day 5, Isaac, Ram

Day 6, Jacob, Ladder

Day 7, Joseph, Coat of Many Colors

Day 8, Moses, The Ten Commandments

Day 9, Canaan, grapes

Day 10, Joshua and Jericho, Trumpet

Day 11, Ruth, Wheat (did not make)

Day 12, David, Slingshot (did not make, spent the day at Epcot)

Day 13, Elijah, altar

Day 14, Josiah, scroll

Day 15, Prophecy of the Shoot from the stump of Jesse, stump with leaf

This is the where the whole idea of the Jesse tree came from.

Day 16, Exile-Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, firey furnace

Day 17, Return from Exile - Nehemiah, wall

Now I am caught up on what the tree is looking like. Can't wait to get it all finished - because then it will be Christmas!

Early Christmas Present

A few days ago I wrote about wanting Logos Software. Well, now I have a new iPad to run it on (if I ever get it)!

My boss gave me the iPad Wednesday as an early gift for Christmas. I don't even think he really expects me to use it for work, although I am sure I will! I have to admit, I am addicted. Downloading apps, playing games and reading books. The clarity on the screen is amazing.

Anyway, he actually got me the "mac" daddy - no pun meant. 64GB, 3G and is paying for the 3G service! OK, so maybe he does expect me to use it for work...it just means I am available all the time, right!!??!! He didn't get any accessories for it because he didn't know what I would prefer, so I have to go to Best Buy or somewhere and get a cover and screen protector, etc.

I am enjoying this a lot. Such a cool toy to have. I downloaded Kindle and iBooks for free so maybe I'll actually get used to reading books on it!

And my PC tech, Dell loving, windows king hubby is smitten by it - though very hard for him to admit. His cell phone is in dire need of replacement so he is almost sure he wants an iPhone :) Mr. anti - Mac is turning a new leaf!

Empire or Cow Town?

Albert Mohler responds to yet another article that tries to trump the authority of Scripture. This time, National Geographic. The writer says David and Solomon are greatly embellished. You can read Dr. Mohler's response here.

I loved this quote from Albert Mohler:

Christians should always remember that the truthfulness and authority of the Bible are not based upon any authority external to the Bible itself. There is no external evidence required to “prove” the Bible’s truthfulness. It stands on its own claim to be the Word of God. Archaeology may sell magazines and make for interesting reading, but it cannot prove nor disprove the Bible.

What a great reminder!!

This Year's Hallmark Ornaments

One of our Christmas family traditions is Hallmark Ornaments. Each year I get the kids one Hallmark Ornament. Usually, I try to get something that represents something they loved that year. When they are all grown and move out, they will take their Hallmarks with them and hopefully have a glimpse of what they treasured over their childhood.

We've collected some neat ones - Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, Blues Clues, Princess Leah, Hannah Montana, Lightning McQueen and Indiana Jones - just to name a few. Last year, we didn't get to purchase them until after Christmas because of my husband being out of work. We had to choose from the 65% off ones and there wasn't too much of a selection left!

However, I made up for it this year! I wanted to share what we chose for this year and a little bit about why.

First, Taya's Tom and Jerry Ornament. Taya loves to watch the old Tom and Jerry cartoons on Cartoon Network. When she saw this one, over princesses, Mickey, everything, she had to have it.

Second, Caleb's ornament. Not a real big surprise here.....Tron Legacy. This is Sam Flynn's light cycle thing (I don't know too much about the movie yet). Its a cute ornament though because it lights up when you touch a button. Another MUST HAVE for Caleb.

Third, Delena's ornament. I've noticed as Delena reaches the tween years, she is having a harder and harder time picking out something. She didn't want princesses or Barbie. She is a bit tired of Mickey. Not into Twilight or Harry Potter. No female Star Wars ornaments this year. So I convinced her to get this one. It is one you decorate yourself. At first, she was very hesitant but ended up choosing it. In the end, she had a lot of fun working on the decorations and said she wants the same kind next year!

Finally, this is mine and Mark's ornament. We don't always get to get one, depending on the budget. However, I got this one early enough - before I bought one for anybody else! It really needs to explanation :) Celebrating our first year as Happy Campers.

Now here is an update on our Jesse Tree. So far, we have made three ornaments. We chose to hang our ornaments on a large artificial Palm tree instead of a Christmas tree.

Day 1 - The World

Day 2 - An apple with a snake

Day 3 - Noah's Ark

Today we will be making the 4th ornament - a tent for Abraham. I will post more updates as we do them, but so far we are all really enjoying this Jesse Tree!

Have a great weekend.

She Got It!

Ok, two quick moments yesterday to share with all my 2 readers :)

First, we are working through "Who is God?" by Summit Ministries and Apologia. The book has been really good in helping talk with the kiddos about framing a Biblical worldview. It has had a few teachings I disagree with, particularly free choice in salvation (I would prefer a more Reformed teaching). But we are continuing through the book and the kids enjoy it.

Yesterday we talked about how "things" around us can help shape our worldview, whether we realize it or not. Everything from TV shows, movies and songs to the people around us. We discussed how everything we read or watch - the person writing it has a worldview that somehow is portrayed in what we see. We discussed specific examples.

Then, out of the blue, my oldest tells me something that she picked up on. She said that in a Bibleman DVD, Bibleman says that we cannot trust our "feelings". This, of course, is based on Proverbs 3:5, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding." She continues that in Star Wars, Obi Wan instructs Luke to "trust his feelings." She noted that these two worldview conflict with one another. Wow, what an awesome opportunity to open up discussion about believing what the Bible says because it is truth and how the world will always try and tell you something different.

I do realize that Star Wars has very real references to Eastern religions and philosophies. We discuss this very openly with the kids and try and show them areas that disagree with what the Bible teaches. Anyway, it turned out to be a neat discussion!

Second, Delena was spending some time studying her Bible alone yesterday. After some time, she comes out to me and asks the most profound question. "Mommy, how come pastors don't preach through the Bible? I mean, wouldn't it be a better way to preach by starting in a book and reading it all the way through helping us understand and entire book? All I ever see them do is teach on topics."

YES!!! My kid gets it!! Expository preaching is the BEST way to preach. I was so excited -- I told her a lot of pastors do teach that way, including our favorites like John MacArthur, John Piper, RC Sproul, Albert Mohler. I also explained to her that at the church we just left, that pastor usually would spend about half the year teaching that way. She probably never knew this because she as in "children's church."

At the church we are at now, the Pastor normally teachings expository but has taken a break for the year for a topical teaching. Honestly, it is quite annoying although his sermons have been good, some days they are phenomenal, it isn't the same. I am hoping he goes back to expository teaching next year.

Anyway, I thought it was so neat that she picked up on that! I really think she will enjoy her MacArthur ESV Study Bible she is getting for Christmas.