As reminded by my daughter, Jamie, I forgot the Olivia pictures. She was there too, but this is her natural pose at this point in her life.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Grandpa visit
Ethan in his tunnel taking aim at Grandpa
Prior to the hunting spree, he was in a good mood and I had no idea I WAS going to be the HUNTED ONE!
Ethan and his thinking FACE
Ethan's monkey face - seemed like the thing to do
Short video of GRANDPA getting gunned down in the tunnel!
It was a great morning and thank you Bethany for letting the old man hang out!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
God's Provision Brings Glory
Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me. Psalm 50:15
Did you know that you bring glory to God by calling upon Him when you are in distress? God promises He would deliver you if you turned to Him. You deny the Lord honor that is His everytime you find yourself in difficulty and you do not call upon Him for help! There may be times when God allows you to reach a point of need so that you can call Him, and let Him demonstrate to everyone that is watching the difference He will make in your life.
If you never faced an adversity, you may feel tempted to feel that you are self-sufficient and person that doesn't need God in your daily life.
Pride will let you think you don't need Him. It will rob you of the glory that God has planned for you and wants you to have. Call upon the Lord and wait for Him to rescue you! Then give Him the glory He deserves.
The next time you are in need turn to Him and Him alone and he will give you an opportunity to honor Him by His response!
Did you know that you bring glory to God by calling upon Him when you are in distress? God promises He would deliver you if you turned to Him. You deny the Lord honor that is His everytime you find yourself in difficulty and you do not call upon Him for help! There may be times when God allows you to reach a point of need so that you can call Him, and let Him demonstrate to everyone that is watching the difference He will make in your life.
If you never faced an adversity, you may feel tempted to feel that you are self-sufficient and person that doesn't need God in your daily life.
Pride will let you think you don't need Him. It will rob you of the glory that God has planned for you and wants you to have. Call upon the Lord and wait for Him to rescue you! Then give Him the glory He deserves.
The next time you are in need turn to Him and Him alone and he will give you an opportunity to honor Him by His response!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
God's Measure for Forgiveness
"For if you forgive men their trepasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trepasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matthew 6:14-15
Perhaps you consider yourself a forgiving person, but you are now facing someone whom you cannot forgive. Whenever you struggle to forgive, you need to revisit what you were like when God first forgave you. Ephesians 2 indicates you were a "foreigner" and a "child of wrath". Yet God forgave your most horrible sins and rebellion against Him. While you were still rejecting God, Christ died for you (Romans 5:8). This being so, how can you refuse to forgive those who sin against you? Forgiveness is not a spiritual gift, a skill, or an inherited trait. Forgiveness is a choice. Jesus looked down on those who had ruthlessly and mockingly nailed Him to a cross, yet He cried out: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). How, then, can we refuse to forgive those who have committed offenses against us?
Jesus said that the measure in which we are forgiving is the same standard God will us in forgiving us. God's ways are very different from ours. God's forgiveness is not based on standards we determine, but on the standards He established in His word. God allows for no exceptions when it comes to forgiveness. Do you? Do you require something or a condition for some one to be forgiven?
As we truly understand God's gracious forgiveness in our lives, we will naturally want to express this same forgiveness to others (Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13). Before you ask God for His forgiveness, take a moment to examine the condition of your relationships. Would you want God to forgive you in the same way you are presently forgiving others? Would you? Think about it.
Perhaps you consider yourself a forgiving person, but you are now facing someone whom you cannot forgive. Whenever you struggle to forgive, you need to revisit what you were like when God first forgave you. Ephesians 2 indicates you were a "foreigner" and a "child of wrath". Yet God forgave your most horrible sins and rebellion against Him. While you were still rejecting God, Christ died for you (Romans 5:8). This being so, how can you refuse to forgive those who sin against you? Forgiveness is not a spiritual gift, a skill, or an inherited trait. Forgiveness is a choice. Jesus looked down on those who had ruthlessly and mockingly nailed Him to a cross, yet He cried out: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). How, then, can we refuse to forgive those who have committed offenses against us?
Jesus said that the measure in which we are forgiving is the same standard God will us in forgiving us. God's ways are very different from ours. God's forgiveness is not based on standards we determine, but on the standards He established in His word. God allows for no exceptions when it comes to forgiveness. Do you? Do you require something or a condition for some one to be forgiven?
As we truly understand God's gracious forgiveness in our lives, we will naturally want to express this same forgiveness to others (Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13). Before you ask God for His forgiveness, take a moment to examine the condition of your relationships. Would you want God to forgive you in the same way you are presently forgiving others? Would you? Think about it.
Well she, yes I said she has finally arrived. I was shocked, this babe has been a boy for me since day one. It is great to have a grand daughter to spoil so this will be fun. The past few days have been a good dose of Ethan time as well, and that has been fun. Getting to play push me on the tricycle and going for walks shooting things with sticks. I know the imagination is wonderful isn't it.
I am posting a few pics of Olivia Jane Halverson, she is so cute. Born 3/16/2009 around 2:40 p.m. - Normal weight and length as if that matters, but everyone seems to want to know.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
It's been awhile
Sorry for not updating everyone sooner. It has been a long few weeks, but that is no excuse for not taking 2 minutes and putting up a post.
Bethany is overdue and is getting bigger. She is going to be induced on Monday evening if she doesn't go the natural way before. She is ready far more than others, but it will be ok, her health is good so far and she seems in good spirits as well.
Jamie is doing great in Chicago, except for Kyle and laundry but that is something they can take care of. They are moving to Naperville in a month, so suburb life here they come.
Tyler is off today to State Speech contest in Ames, hoping for another chance at All State!
Cindy is taking it easy as she has been at Bethany's all week awaiting #2, and has come home for the weekend and will probably return Monday evening as well.
I have been busy with travels to Hedrick, Ia. (actually it is closer to Fremont, but that is another story). I was also the stage manager for the GONG show last weekend at the DSM playhouse. It was exhausting, but fun, no better way to describe it.
So this week will increase the family by one, and we are all so excited! I will update you when we get word!
Bethany is overdue and is getting bigger. She is going to be induced on Monday evening if she doesn't go the natural way before. She is ready far more than others, but it will be ok, her health is good so far and she seems in good spirits as well.
Jamie is doing great in Chicago, except for Kyle and laundry but that is something they can take care of. They are moving to Naperville in a month, so suburb life here they come.
Tyler is off today to State Speech contest in Ames, hoping for another chance at All State!
Cindy is taking it easy as she has been at Bethany's all week awaiting #2, and has come home for the weekend and will probably return Monday evening as well.
I have been busy with travels to Hedrick, Ia. (actually it is closer to Fremont, but that is another story). I was also the stage manager for the GONG show last weekend at the DSM playhouse. It was exhausting, but fun, no better way to describe it.
So this week will increase the family by one, and we are all so excited! I will update you when we get word!
Monday, February 23, 2009
An Exchanged Life
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal. 2:20
The Christian life is an exchanged life: Jesus' life for your life. When Christ takes control, your life takes on dimensions you would have never have known apart from Him. When you are weak, then Christ demonstrates His strength in your life (2 Cor. 12:9-10). When you face situations that are beyond your comprehension and control, you have only to ask, and the infinate wisdom of God is available to you (James 1:5). When you are faced with humanly impossible situations, God does the impossible (Luke 18:27). When you encounter people whom you find difficult to love, God expresses His unconditional love through you (1 John 4:7). When you are at a loss as to what you should pray for someone, the Spirit will guide you in your prayer life (Romans 8:16). When Christ takes up residence in the life of a believer, "all the fullness of God" is available to that person. (Eph 3:19).
It is freeing to know that God controls your life and knows what it can become. Rather than constantly worrying about what you face, your great challenge is to continually release every area of your life to God's control. The temptation will be to try to do by yourself what God can do. Our assignment is to "abide in the vine" and to allow God to do in and through us what only He can do (John 15:5). Only God can be God. Allow Him to live out His divine life through you. He is the only One who can.
Are you facing a situation today that seems impossible? Does it seem humanly hopeless to you? God knows that and he is waiting for you to call upon his aid. Will you let Him help you? Will you call upon Him for direction and guidance and have the courage to follow His lead?
I encourage you to spend time today in the quiet rest of Christ and listen to his will in our life. Don't go it alone, but trust in Him and the one that sent Him to us.
The Christian life is an exchanged life: Jesus' life for your life. When Christ takes control, your life takes on dimensions you would have never have known apart from Him. When you are weak, then Christ demonstrates His strength in your life (2 Cor. 12:9-10). When you face situations that are beyond your comprehension and control, you have only to ask, and the infinate wisdom of God is available to you (James 1:5). When you are faced with humanly impossible situations, God does the impossible (Luke 18:27). When you encounter people whom you find difficult to love, God expresses His unconditional love through you (1 John 4:7). When you are at a loss as to what you should pray for someone, the Spirit will guide you in your prayer life (Romans 8:16). When Christ takes up residence in the life of a believer, "all the fullness of God" is available to that person. (Eph 3:19).
It is freeing to know that God controls your life and knows what it can become. Rather than constantly worrying about what you face, your great challenge is to continually release every area of your life to God's control. The temptation will be to try to do by yourself what God can do. Our assignment is to "abide in the vine" and to allow God to do in and through us what only He can do (John 15:5). Only God can be God. Allow Him to live out His divine life through you. He is the only One who can.
Are you facing a situation today that seems impossible? Does it seem humanly hopeless to you? God knows that and he is waiting for you to call upon his aid. Will you let Him help you? Will you call upon Him for direction and guidance and have the courage to follow His lead?
I encourage you to spend time today in the quiet rest of Christ and listen to his will in our life. Don't go it alone, but trust in Him and the one that sent Him to us.
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