Bruce and I got the sweetest gift yesterday. We got a beautiful, hand made blue bowl (thanks Anna ) filled with slips of paper from loving children, who put down one-liner memories for us to read and chuckle about. It is always very much fun to hear the kids regurgitate something from their childhood that has a particular meaning for them. Something they remember as fun, funny, hysterical, sober, heartbreaking, laugh till you cry wonderful :)
I have my own storehouse of wonderful family memories, some even they don't remember because they were too young or weren't even born yet (depending on the circumstance). God is just amazing to have given us the ability to "remember". How wonderful to be able to relive special moments or feelings.
Have you ever read about people who suffered an accident that wiped their memory clean and they basically have to start over. Not only to relearn important functions but, to rebuild their "memory bank". The place that stores everything special that can help us to bond with one another. How very sad.
I am not and have never been a "material" kind of person. But I am a "moment" kind of person. So, the price I would put on special memories, special moments is so high, there isn't anyone alive who could buy mine at auction. No one. No how. So, a memory wipe would certianly be the worse thing I could think of that could happen to me here on this earth.
I am thankful for the many experiences God has allowed me, in my lifetime thus far, to have. And, I look forward to many more :)
May this month, associated with thankfulness, find you making your loooooong list to remind you just how much God has given to you and how precious it all is.
Hope your Lord's day was inspiring and your week profitable for HIM. :)
Well y'all did a fine job with your kiddos! Some friends of mine raised 5 kids and once they were all grown and married, they had to teach themselves how to buy groceries again, such as only 1 gallon of milk at a time, not 4. haha! They were exaggerating of course, but I can imagine what it was like.
Me and my family live in Granbury, TX, a little southwest of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex in north-central TX. Dad and I run a retail business here where we sell outdoor power equipment and trailers. It's a great learning experience starting and running a small business.
Where are you and Bruce living these days? I thought I heard y'all had moved from Indiana.
Oh, wow. I was just in Louisville a couple of weeks ago for the big Green Industry and Equipment EXPO at the big expo center by the airport. Since we sell lawn mowers and other outdoor power equipment, I just had to go to this expo to check out all the latest equipment. Next time I'm up that way, I'll have to track y'all down!
Glad to hear Bruce is still preaching. We need all the evangelists we can get in this day and age. Liberalism is stronger than ever these days, especially after last Tuesday.
..."For without Me, you can do nothing." I love knowing that I don't have to have all the answers. I don't even have to do things perfectly (tho I need to always do my best to do what's best in God's eyes :) ) but because God is on my side I can always run to Him for guidance, for comfort, for reassurance, for assistance.
What a freeing feeling to know that, even if I 'trip' in life, with God, I can stand up taller, stronger, more focused on Him.
"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Wow. We need to think on that from time to time to help us 'tighten' things up. You know, maybe we've gotten sloppy in how we speak or respond to people. Maybe we have gotten less kind, less understanding, less resolved to honor God in all we do.
I just love how God put the bible together with such balance. Such loving thoughtfulness for us and our weaknesses. Oh to be able to attain such a level of 'holiness' that we could consistently know what to think, do, say to moments in our lives that can shake our faith in God and others.
Thank you God, for your plan, your provision, your purpose. We love you and hope to rise up and live in such a way as to give you the honor and devotion that you deserve.
As we all reflect, like most do from time to time, may we be strong enough, courageous enough, honest enough with ourselves to truly look into 'the mirror' of our soul and be willing to confront what we find there. We don't have to do it alone :) God made provision for that :) for which I am truly, humbly, eternally grateful. Thank you God for 'the peace that passes understanding'...thank you.
Have a great rest of the week and may you look around you and 'see' God's provision for you. See it..and be blessed.
This past weekend, we had the most wonderful opportunity to spend the day with 20+ people, rafting down the Ocoee river in Tennessee.
It was great! We all had a good, safe time (a good percentage had never been before) it is kinda fun to imagine spiritual analogies as you drift along.
For example...to safely manage the rapids, everyone in the raft had to work together. If we lost our focus, we could end up flipped or catapulted out of the raft. We couldn't do it alone (sound familiar :) ) We needed each other. Everyone was important. It was in everyone's best interest to help each other out, and to allow ourselves to be helped out.
Also, those that listened, obeyed and stayed calm (realizing that what was being told by the guide was true) did very well as they sailed along. It seemed that the younger rafts (there was one filled with boy scouts ..13 & 14 yr olds :( )would sometimes not pay close attention and in their greatest moment of stress would just lose it. Trusting your guide, following his instructions, and hearing his assurances ( ours would always say "As long as we paddle together, stay focused and you listen to me... we will do fine" ...and we always did) seemed to really make a difference.
This year we did have several who fell out of their rafts at various points but, no injuries (thank you Lord!).
There is nothing like a fun, safe, encouraging adventure, especially when you are with people you love and trust. It was great to get to meet and get to know others too. :) One can never have too many good people as friends.
(sigh) Well, that was pretty much the last time a bunch of us Dehuts get to be all in the same place for a while until the holidays roll around. Some of us will get to see some of us (that sounds weird )occasionally from now until then. Family...God sure knew what He was doing didn't He?! I love knowing that there is a group of people out there who love me and want what's best for me, especially spiritually. Kinda nice to know they have my back. I love being in a 'spiritual war' with them.
If only we could dress up in some cool looking futuristic (and modest) armor. Now that would make for an awesome photo op wouldn't you say?
I dig the armor idea. Bob went rafting with people from church and enjoyed himself too. I think they were on the Deschutes. Not my cup of tea, I'd rather hike nearby.
i love white water rafting! so cool that you got to do that! and yes, family is one of God's great blessings. i think what is even better is that God modeled the church as a family. some people do not have godly members of their physical family, yet God made it possible to enjoy family benefits as brethren
Everyone is doing great! It's amazing- you think you could never love anyone more than you do your husband, then you have children, and you think you could never love anyone more than your children, then you have a grandchild, and it's a whole new love affair! Of course, it goes without saying that God is loved and adored above all, but it really makes you humbly stand in awe of His love for us, and I still think it's only a small glimpse of the depth of it all! Wow, is God good!
I'm thinking that it would be totally awesome to see you this weekend. Let's do lunch. Or dinner. Or whatever. I'll have my people call your people. :)
Labor day was wonderful, full of family and fun. We went to a rock climbing place and spent a couple of hours try our hand at scaling the 'walls' (quite literally :) ) It was neat to see everyone working together to help each other out. Even Cianan did some climbing, what a cutie!
Sunday afternoon we tried our hand at jousting. We rented a jousting arena, it inflated with two pedestals for you to stand on whilst jabbing each other. It was harder than it looked but, tons of fun to watch. Cianan spent most of his time bouncing around the edge as everyone cycled thru and 'fought' each other. We even left it up and used it after evening services when everyone came over for the hotdog roast. That was fun too! Seeing everyone try their hand at besting their opponent of choice was very entertaining!
After Labor day, Anna and I with Cooper and Whit traveled to the East coast and back to take the boys to see a great therapist. Great trip. Beautiful country side..WoW!... did God make America gorgeous or WHAT!?! Anna is delightful, and the boys are adorable...seriously, the best traveling companions.
And....I just came back from a quick trip to see Justin and Lindsey's new home and to spend two days cooking with Linds and enjoying some great conversation. Thanks guys! I even got to squeeze in a super quick visit with Craig on the way back up to Louisville. Family....priceless!!!!!!!!!!!
This coming weekend we get to spend time with a wonderful group of family and friends as we raft the Ocoee river in Tenn. Please join us in prayer for a safe and fun day for all. (thank you in advance :) )
And, I hope everyone has a great weekend themselves and a very lovely Lord's day.
I know!! I can't wait to see you guys either! I am having a hard time containing my excitement. As for Bible study suggestions... anything will do, but if I had to choose, i would probably have to go with trust/patience/devotion to God... that sort of thing. I hope that helps. Are there going to be others in the kitchen with us or are we it? Have a lovely day!!
Thanks for the well wishes. My bday didn't go as planned, but Robyn made me a YUMMMMMY cake! Caric is gonna give me a "do overs" after we get the kids settled in their new house.
It is almost Labor day weekend! Labor day weekend for the Dehut family can be kind of a big thing. We all try our best to gather together to catch up, talk up a storm, laugh with and at each other, store up on hugs and hugs and then..more hugs, and eat yummy things. Afterall, this usually has to last most of us until the 'holiday time' rolls around.
Last year we had a blast together. On the funny side, last year at this time, we were all kinda curious because we were going to spend time with this guy named "Justin". Some guy God introduced Lindsey to at Indiana FC summer camp. Who WAS this guy?! (chuckles) Well, this year, THIS guy is now Lindsey's husband....FUN and weird at the same time...WoW! can things change in a year. WE LOVE YOU JUSTIN!!!
Also last year, we rented those really cool Sumo wrestling suits, the ones you inflate to make you HUGE. What fun that was to spend two hours on a Sunday afternoon watching each other be total idiots and laughing our faces off!! Seriously!! You can go to YouTube and watch us actually, Craig posted a short video of our family Sumo moment. If you haven't seen it type in Dehut Sumo Fights and it should pop up. Ahhhhhh, man....don'tcha just love hangin' with loved ones and sharing fun moments? I sure do!!
And in the evening on Sunday, we invite our entire congregation over for a hotdog roast, sing around the campfire (this is after we spend our evening service having a singing), making s'mores, and eating very, yummy things. The folks here are so wonderful, and GREAT cooks) and we love to spend the time with them and to see them smile. :) Straw bales for seats around the campfire, tiki torches to cut down on bloodsuckers, (sigh) like I said, fun times.
We have some fun things planned for this weekend. Sunday afternoon will be another memory maker (hopefully :) )
I'm sure one of us will share after it's all over.
Have a GREAT weekend and Lord's day! And don't forget to tell those you love...that you do...many times...over and over...in addition to acts of kindness that demonstrate that love...afterall, you don't want them ever to forget. :) Kind of a challenge isn't it? To 'outdo' one another in LOVE...hmmmm...what if we ALL took that challenge faithfully for one full year (to start, of course), I wonder what we'd learn? Hmmmm.........
Hmmm. You have my curiosity seriously peaked about Sunday afternoon. Something I learned at camp this year to deter the 'bloodsuckers'; put Listerine in a spray bottle and spray your arms and legs. It really works! :^)
Fun Fun Fun! Yes the boys are growing up and yes there is a family resemblance!!!! It has been neat over the years to look at them phase in and out of who looks like who stages!!!! There are already lots of baby and toddler pictures that I can not tell who is who! Enjoy your family this weekend. Joy! Joy! Joy!
Thanks! I wish I had 80 homeschoolers to camp with! We do belong to a great group- it is just not that large :) We are just doing Oz for next week, since it is a short one. Willow then wants to study bugs, so I am sure we will be spending lots of fun time outside. (We have more than enough bugs!)
Thanks for the comment! We are excited about this. Everyday Frederic speaks with the elders because they are doing lots of planning (Bible classes, gospel meetings, etc.) and he's more and more excited! He is going to be doing a weekend meeting there to kinda kick off (for lack of a better term!) the new work the 2nd week that we are there. This congregation hasn't had a meeting in over 7 years (can you believe that? I can't!) and so we are excited about this!
Any apple cider tips/recipes would be appreciated. And yes, the house is smelling wonderful. Apple scents are my favorite candels and nothing beats the real stuff.
Hi Mrs. Dehut. Thanks for your recent comments; I obviously don't frequent Pleo as much as most, but enjoy when I can. :) I was hoping to help prepare for any snacks or meals that you might be planning to take for Saturday. So, if you wouldn't mind to share the plan, I'll be glad to share the load! Thanks! Have a great Lord's day...
Hello, I just saw a comment you had posted on my sister-in-laws blog, and I recognized your name... I am Keith & Rita Greer's daughter. I remember when you guys came to Vegas when we lived there. I can't believe Lindsey is married- I remember playing with her when you all visited and she was so sweet!
Hahaha!! Yeah, that's what dad told me! And we are REALLY going to enjoy having Jeremy here for a meeting... even if he is a twerp! Have a lovely day!!
