The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Why yes, I am looking at you.
Project 365 – Day 13
Kathy
The Hat
All posts by KME
Grandad and Hot Cocoa
Today is my dad’s birthday. It has been bittersweet to think of him throughout the day, to look at pictures, talk about him with the kids and on Facebook, and hear others share memories of him. I am continually amazed that it has been almost four years since he left us and went to heaven. I am incredibly proud of him. I am thankful of the godly heritage he left me. And I am full of joyful hope that we will see each other again one day.
Looking over the blog (we’ve been writing off and on since 2004), I found that I had posted a birthday hello to Grandad in 2007 (Joshua – look, it’s your cell phone! From 2007! Impressive). I also wrote something in 2008.
Sigh.
Loss – it pierces with the realization that we must hold lightly to things in this life at the same time savor every moment with abandonment. Such a strange paradox. We get lost in the minutia and the mundane, but it is exactly those things that weave together the most glorious tapestry of relationships, love and LIFE.
Amidst this rather busy, gray day, the kids decided some hot cocoa would be a nice treat. As for me, I skip the chocolatey stuff and stick to coffee.
My sweet girl and her hot cocoa
The hot cocoa tins from Costco are a regular stocking stuffer in our house so, during the month of January, there’s usually plenty of hot chocolate to go around.
Daniel says NO to marshmallows and YES to whipped cream on his hot cocoa.
When even the hot cocoa can’t cheer away the fog and gray skies, there are always plenty of candles to brighten the room. Strangely enough I can always find a child willing to get out the matches and light the candles for me.
Careful, David!
When the week (or is it a month?) of sunLESS days continues on, I pause, breathe deeply, close my eyes and savor the memories of the incredibly GORGEOUS Washington summer we had this year.
Sarah and some beautiful island girls!!
Hot cocoa, memories of Grandad, pictures of beach days, and the knowledge that my happiness and hope rests in Jesus.
“And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10
Project 365 – Day 12
Kathy
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Workout Time
Daniel has definitely led the way this year in making goals. He’s got a great collection of spiritual, physical and personal goals. One of them includes working out. He borrowed a set of dvds from a church friend and has been faithfully following them each day.
Daniel sits at his desk next to David & Sarah.
Rachel and Joshua prefer running/jogging/swimming as their exercise of choice. They are also great examples. Rachel logged between 175 and 200 miles of running this past year (my hero!!).
Last moment with Rachel at the airport
Finally David, Sarah and I couldn’t stand it any longer. We had to give T25 a try. The wonderful thing about this program by Shaun T is that you complete your entire workout in TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES! Okay, even a busy homeschooling mama like myself can find 25 minutes in the day for a little exercise.
A nice walk in the cool misty WA air after our workout.
David works hard!
Sarah is more reluctant about this program, but David and I are very persuasive. “Sarah! Come on, you can do it, join us!!” She might thank us later.
My pretty girl (POST workout)
We’ll see how it goes. This is just our first week! I make sure to ice my knee after each workout, and I’m very grateful Shaun includes a modified move for the workout. I keep up as best I can, feeling my 40 plus years. 
Project 365 – Day 10
Kathy
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Brothers
Nothing warms my heart, filling it to the brim of contented happiness, like having my children come home and spend time with us. This year has been a big shift for us with Joshua and Rachel both off at college, and Daniel attending the technical school full time. We savored the time we had together over Christmas and were especially spoiled to have my mom here.
Now Rachel has returned to Tennessee, and the rest of us have started back to school.
“Joshua, have you ever seen this? It’s called science.”
Thankfully Joshua is still at home. He decided not to attend Union’s January term this year and instead enjoy an extended winter break.
“Hmmm, it doesn’t look too hard.”
Joshua, Tim and Daniel have played hours of board games. Joshua, Sarah and my mom worked on several puzzles. We’ve all watched lots of movies. Joshua has been very helpful around the house AND with school projects.
Let me get a closer look.
“No, you’re doing it all wrong, Joshua!”
“Joshua! Come back here!”
Advanced Physics isn’t really the subject du joir. Thankfully the boys found something else they could work on.
“Daniel, this list here is called ingredients.”
“Wait, can’t we go back to science? Is this Advanced Cooking?”
Project 365 – you never know what kind of snapshots you’ll get on a random Thursday.
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Bible Journaling
On shelves and baskets in our home are journals and notebooks of all sizes. I have poured out my heart to the Lord on those pages. I have written down silly thoughts, shared my sorrows, and recorded both struggles and victories. I have chronicled the days, interceded for loved ones, taken notes from God’s Word, and filled pages with pieces of ME.
Prayer journals, Union U devotional, the Psalms in verse, and more.
In my search for an intentional, meaningful, GROWING 2015, I have been drawn to the idea of journaling my Bible or journaling through my Bible study. Several days a week the younger two children and I sit down with our Thankful Journals and write down 10 things for which we are thankful. Our voices lifted to the ONE through whom all blessings flow, we go around and share our praises.
Bible, journal and pens. Potential for new learning.
I am NOT artistic or creative or crafty. When I put a pencil to paper, ready to illustrate an image or thought, the picture slips away before it reaches the page. At best it resembles something a preschooler would scribble. Embellishments, swirls, elaborate or simple fonts, they elude me. The distance between the picture in my head and the paper beneath my fingers is so vast it’s almost comical.
Yesterday I was writing out a memory verse. “I’ll illustrate it to help remember the phrases,” I thought. But the ear I drew (for ‘heard’) and feet (for ‘walking’) looked more like pieces of a bizarre puzzle than parts of a body. I realized, once again, that drawing would NOT be a helpful tool for me in this endeavor.
A shelf of journals – random collection of prayers, thoughts, and daily remembrances.
And yet, I find myself drawn to a fresh stack of marking pens (ones that won’t bleed through the sheer pages of my Bible) and a package of colored pencils. I search Pinterest for Bible Journaling ideas. I smile at this amazing woman’s journal and study the posts of another blogger’s foray into artistic Bible journaling. I even discovered an incredible FB group for Bible Journaling.
Through it all, I realize Jesus cares about my FAITH. He cares about my OBEDIENCE. He doesn’t care if I can draw or give life to the pictures in my head. He wants me to dive into His Word. To study it, love it, memorize it, enjoy it, be convicted by it, treasure it, LIVE IT!
A heart that seeks HIM – in b&w and color.
And so here we are, in a fresh year; with the chance to begin again. To try new things. To return to old, faithful treasured habits. To revive an apathetic and lazy heart. In the newness of 2015, I have decided to SOAK up the Word of God. Using my ESV study Bible, an enormous blank journal, mugs full of marking pencils and pens, and following my ESV read through the Bible plan, I will:
Study SCRIPTURE - OBSERVE the Word – APPLY truth – and KNEEL in prayer.
My journal will have color and life, it will be pretty and joyful, it will be fresh and REAL. It will be messy and full of brokenness, transparency and truth. It will be a humble offering to the ONE who creates beauty in all things.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. Ps 19:14
Project 365 – Day 6
Kathy