So it didn't rain today. This is actually big news. Seriously, it's been raining a really long time lately, and to suddenly look up and see blue skies above is something indescribable. Although we all try to describe it anyway. Let's just leave it at: the weather was pretty awesome.
Madison came home with a few awards - and gift certificates to places like McDonald's. One award was for a clean desk, which is kind of ironic considering our current battle with her to keep the house cleaner. She sort of spreads her stuff all over the kitchen table, then the living room, and like a virus, beyond. If unchecked, one would suspect that her clutter of paper airplanes and dolls would spread outward, out of the house, and into the surrounding neighborhood, eventually causing a pandemic that could take over the state, the continent, and then maybe the world.
But I digress. Her desk is clean at least. Perhaps this is where we offer her a 'cleanest house' award for keeping her area(s) clean. It's not a bad idea, actually.
The other award was for perfect attendance. This isn't something we strive for, and in fact we haven't had a single semester lately without an absence. This is the first one, and sure enough, there's an award and a prize (this is the McDonald's certificate).
The prize for her clean desk area was a free homework pass, which she did in fact use today. We had ballet, by the way. While Madison was dancing, we were out doing a bit of Christmas shopping. It's never too early, friends!
Afterwards, it was time for a bit of decorating. We got some of the fall decor out, and began putting some of it up. The little garden flag is out there, the fall wreath, and even those little owl salt-and-pepper shakers are going on the table. October is here!
And just to prove it, tonight Daddy and Mommy watched a movie that Daddy had never seen before: "The Day the Earth Stood Still." Once a year, it's time to watch old sci-fi movies. And while many of them are pretty awful, it turns out that this one wasn't so bad. We enjoyed it anyway.
One of the famous lines from this movie is "Klaatu Barada Nikto," which is something the female lead character has to say in order to stop the onslaught of this ginormous indestructible alien robot. But Daddy knows these words from somewhere else:
When he was younger, and to this day in fact, he remembered all the character names from the Star Wars movies. And it was quite funny to see where these ones got their names from. And of course, there's also the other reference to "Klaatu Barada Nikto" in the movie "Army of Darkness." There's a funny scene there where these words pop up once more. So anyway, it's funny to see these words pop up again and again, and finally see tonight where it all started.
Daddy has been writing another devotional. Although it might not all show up here, I'll go ahead and post the first entry here below - we're doing a series in November that's based on board games. It should be fun - I know Madison will enjoy it!
So we'll leave with that, and until tomorrow, Klaatu Barada Nikto!
CHUTES AND LADDERS
"I don’t understand what I do. I don’t do what I want to do. Instead, I do what I hate to do." Romans 7:15 NIrV
Have you ever played the board game called "Chutes and Ladders"? The goal is simple: Move forward however many squares the spinner tells you to, and if you land on a ladder, climb it on up the board to get closer to the finish! However, if you land on a slide, be prepared to slide back a few squares - possibly more!
It's all up to the spinner - and sometimes luck is on your side. And yes, sometimes it sure isn't. Sometimes you just want to scream at that spinner when you once more backslide down, down, and down again further.
Even if you've never played the game, this should sound sort of familiar. In life, we have a little something called "backsliding," and it isn't a good thing either. We set out as Christians, marching forward and making progress, trying to get closer with Jesus each day. But sometimes we mess up, don't we? Nobody is perfect. If you've found yourself backsliding, you're in good company: even Paul, who wrote a good bit of the New Testament said, "I don’t understand what I do. I don’t do what I want to do. Instead, I do what I hate to do."
If you're backsliding, there's only one thing to do: keep moving forward. In "Chutes and Ladders," some of those slides put you so far down the board that it feels like you're starting all over again. But here's the great thing about that game: there's still a chance to win.
And as long as you're breathing, there's still a chance for you to win. You just have to keep moving forward, and keep heading towards the finish - or, as Paul also wrote in Philippians: "I push myself forward toward the goal to win the prize. God has appointed me to win it. The heavenly prize is Christ Jesus himself."
Madison came home with a few awards - and gift certificates to places like McDonald's. One award was for a clean desk, which is kind of ironic considering our current battle with her to keep the house cleaner. She sort of spreads her stuff all over the kitchen table, then the living room, and like a virus, beyond. If unchecked, one would suspect that her clutter of paper airplanes and dolls would spread outward, out of the house, and into the surrounding neighborhood, eventually causing a pandemic that could take over the state, the continent, and then maybe the world.
But I digress. Her desk is clean at least. Perhaps this is where we offer her a 'cleanest house' award for keeping her area(s) clean. It's not a bad idea, actually.
The other award was for perfect attendance. This isn't something we strive for, and in fact we haven't had a single semester lately without an absence. This is the first one, and sure enough, there's an award and a prize (this is the McDonald's certificate).
The prize for her clean desk area was a free homework pass, which she did in fact use today. We had ballet, by the way. While Madison was dancing, we were out doing a bit of Christmas shopping. It's never too early, friends!
Afterwards, it was time for a bit of decorating. We got some of the fall decor out, and began putting some of it up. The little garden flag is out there, the fall wreath, and even those little owl salt-and-pepper shakers are going on the table. October is here!
And just to prove it, tonight Daddy and Mommy watched a movie that Daddy had never seen before: "The Day the Earth Stood Still." Once a year, it's time to watch old sci-fi movies. And while many of them are pretty awful, it turns out that this one wasn't so bad. We enjoyed it anyway.
One of the famous lines from this movie is "Klaatu Barada Nikto," which is something the female lead character has to say in order to stop the onslaught of this ginormous indestructible alien robot. But Daddy knows these words from somewhere else:
When he was younger, and to this day in fact, he remembered all the character names from the Star Wars movies. And it was quite funny to see where these ones got their names from. And of course, there's also the other reference to "Klaatu Barada Nikto" in the movie "Army of Darkness." There's a funny scene there where these words pop up once more. So anyway, it's funny to see these words pop up again and again, and finally see tonight where it all started.
Daddy has been writing another devotional. Although it might not all show up here, I'll go ahead and post the first entry here below - we're doing a series in November that's based on board games. It should be fun - I know Madison will enjoy it!
So we'll leave with that, and until tomorrow, Klaatu Barada Nikto!
CHUTES AND LADDERS
"I don’t understand what I do. I don’t do what I want to do. Instead, I do what I hate to do." Romans 7:15 NIrV
Have you ever played the board game called "Chutes and Ladders"? The goal is simple: Move forward however many squares the spinner tells you to, and if you land on a ladder, climb it on up the board to get closer to the finish! However, if you land on a slide, be prepared to slide back a few squares - possibly more!
It's all up to the spinner - and sometimes luck is on your side. And yes, sometimes it sure isn't. Sometimes you just want to scream at that spinner when you once more backslide down, down, and down again further.
Even if you've never played the game, this should sound sort of familiar. In life, we have a little something called "backsliding," and it isn't a good thing either. We set out as Christians, marching forward and making progress, trying to get closer with Jesus each day. But sometimes we mess up, don't we? Nobody is perfect. If you've found yourself backsliding, you're in good company: even Paul, who wrote a good bit of the New Testament said, "I don’t understand what I do. I don’t do what I want to do. Instead, I do what I hate to do."
If you're backsliding, there's only one thing to do: keep moving forward. In "Chutes and Ladders," some of those slides put you so far down the board that it feels like you're starting all over again. But here's the great thing about that game: there's still a chance to win.
And as long as you're breathing, there's still a chance for you to win. You just have to keep moving forward, and keep heading towards the finish - or, as Paul also wrote in Philippians: "I push myself forward toward the goal to win the prize. God has appointed me to win it. The heavenly prize is Christ Jesus himself."
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