http://www.pleonast.com/user/mavis recent pleonast.com entries by user mavis en-us http://www.pleonast.com/user/mavis?l=5&entryID=577157 A lady from church emailed this. I thought this was an interesting article that would be helpful for us all. It is written by Gary Henry. There is a strong, vibrant link between loving God and longing for His word. If Scripture study is nothing to us but an obligation or a chore, we ought not to be so bold as to say that we love God or that we take Him seriously. It is no less true with God than with anyone else: we are delighted to receive communications from those whom we love. "This is the love of God," John wrote, "that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome" (1 John 5:3). The problem that many religious people have, however, is that while God's words are sweet to our taste in general, we shrink away from the parts of His word that we ourselves most need to hear. Thus our three goals should be: to long for God, to long for what He says, and to long for whatever He says! There happens to be a quite practical reason why we should be o... 2008-09-18 http://www.pleonast.com/user/mavis?l=5&entryID=575994 I need a brief moment to express a pet peeve of mine: people who do not answer emails!!! Why do people not respond to emails that clearly request information and require an answer? Please someone answer this for me...it makes no sense to me! I don't expect you to be psychic...please do not expect me to be! Note: This was not directed at anyone who will read this. The nonresponders are nonpleonasters :) 2008-09-16 http://www.pleonast.com/user/mavis?l=5&entryID=571158 I just finished watching Sarah Palin's speech at the Republican National Convention. I must say that I am now fired up about the Republican ticket! I don't think that John McCain could have picked a better running mate! She is just what this country needs! I truly believe that John McCain is the best candidate. I have a lot of respect for anyone who can endure being a POW for any amount of time but especially for years. On a side note, Ben works with a lady whose dad was a POW with John McCain. He wrote a book about his experience. I haven't read the book, but Ben told me about some of the details of the their experience. It is amazing what they went through and what they are still going through. 2008-09-04 http://www.pleonast.com/user/mavis?l=5&entryID=544794 I know that it has been forever since I updated and so many things have changed, but right now I wanted to ask prayers for one of my very good friends from graduate school (Lauren Kirkland). Her husband Clay just found out last week that he has testicular cancer, and it has metathesized to his abdomen (a golf ball size tumor near one of his kidneys). They have also been told that he will need to save some of his sperm if they want to have children because of the radiation that he will have to receive. He has an appointment in Indiana on Tuesday with the doctor who treated Lance Armstrong. Lauren and Clay are a wonderful couple with such wonderful love and respect for each other that is rarely seen in the world. Please pray that his cancer will be treatable and that they will have the strength to get through this. 2008-06-29 http://www.pleonast.com/user/mavis?l=5&entryID=498682 It's been awhile since I've updated. Things are so busy these days! I don't know if I have ever been this busy before in my life! This is how my day goes: 5:15 a.m. - Get up and get ready 6:45 a.m. - Leave for my internship (My internship is at the high school where Ben teaches, so we carpool) 7:30-8:00 (depending on traffic) - Arrive at my parent's house to drop Logan off and pick up my brother (who goes to school at the same high school) 8:15 - Arrive at VHHS 8:30-3:30 - Encourage children everywhere to have better speech and language 3:45 - Leave VHHS 4:00 - Pick up Logan 5:30 - Get home 6:00 - Feed Logan 6:30 - Make dinner, do laundry, change diapers, plan therapy for the next day, clean up, etc. 9:00 - Feed Logan and get him ready for bed 9:30-11:00 - Iron clothes, make lunch, get ready for bed 11:00 - Go to bed 11:00-5:15 - Be prepared to get up at any moment 5:15 - Start all over I am completely worn out at almost any given moment, and yet it is worth it to be a mom! I only have... 2008-02-29 http://www.pleonast.com/user/mavis?l=5&entryID=476236 Well, in case you haven't heard, Logan Bradshaw Davis was born on December 19th at 4:01 p.m. He weighed 8 lbs 14 oz and was 20 1/2 in long. We are all doing great (a little sleep deprived, but great)! He is starting to sleep longer now though. Last night he slept for 5 1/2 hours straight which is very exciting! I will try to post some pictures soon. Ben has some pictures on his website: www.esoterium.us I hope that everyone had a good Christmas and New Year! 2008-01-03 http://www.pleonast.com/user/mavis?l=5&entryID=469468 This time next week Ben and I will be parents!!! I am scheduled to be induced on 12/19 (unless he decides to come before then). Please keep us in your prayers for a safe delivery. I hope that everyone is enjoying the holidays! This has always been my favorite time of year. A lot happens for us during this month. Our anniversary is on the 18th. My birthday is on the 20th. And now we will have yet another reason to enjoy the season - Baby Davis on the 19th (if all goes as planned) :) 2007-12-15 http://www.pleonast.com/user/mavis?l=5&entryID=411320 I had an ultrasound today, and we found out that everything is going well with the baby! Everything appeared to be developing normally. The technician said the baby was bigger than most babies at 18 weeks so my due date may be off by a few days. We also found out that we are having a boy!!! We are both so excited and thankful that everything is going well! ***For more pictures, go to Ben's blog: http://www.esoterium.us/blog/ 2007-07-27 http://www.pleonast.com/user/mavis?l=5&entryID=408857 In the last year, the Helena congregation has experienced the deaths of many strong lights in God’s kingdom. These members were strong influences in the work of the Lord. Our hardest trial yet came this week with the unexpected death of fourteen-year-old Bethany Vaughn who died in a horseback riding accident. Bethany was a beautiful, young Christian who had a zest for life that is rarely seen in young people today. Her parents and sister are wonderful people, and they have a monumental struggle to overcome. I can only imagine that the death of a child is one of the hardest things that a person could be given to endure. Also, while standing in line at Bethany’s visitation, another Helena family got a phone call saying that their ten-year-old niece was killed in a car accident. Please pray for each of these families for the strength to endure these unimaginable difficulties. 2007-07-21 http://www.pleonast.com/user/mavis?l=5&entryID=406822 A couple of days ago I scheduled an appointment for an ultrasound. So on July 26, Ben and I should know if we are having a boy or a girl! This will also be where we will be able to see if our baby is developing appropriately. My first and foremost concern is for the baby's vital organs and structures, but, being a future speech-language pathologist, I will, of course, have to ask the technician to look at all of the speech structures (I won't be a freak about it - just curious). I am taking a class on cleft palate and feeding problems right now, and I have been presented with MANY things that could cause structural problems that would affect feeding, breathing, and speech. It's an interesting class but also scary! On a another subject, here's a verse that always makes me think especially when I get really bogged down with the responsibilities and worries of the world: "For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in... 2007-07-16