"WHAT already! You're interrupting the Master!" 

The Old Wicker Coal Basket

The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old worn-out Bible. His grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any way he could. One day the grandson asked, "Papa, I try to read the Bible just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?" The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said, "Take this old wicker coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water." The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked out before he could get back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, "Yau will have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the old wicker basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was "impossible to carry water in a basket," and he went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You can do this. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door to watch the boy try again. At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got far at all. The boy scooped the water and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, "See, Papa, it's useless!" "So you think it is useless?" The old man said, "Look at the basket." The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket looked different. Instead of a dirty old wicker coal basket, it was clean. "Son, that's what happens when you read the Bible. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, it will change you from the inside out."

Moral of the story: Take time to read a portion of God's word each day; it will affect you for good even if you don't retain a word.

(A friend of mine sent this to me and I thought that it was wonderful!!)

Mark 5:18-19

(This is something I read today and thought that it was a great reminder!)

If you have become part of the story of God, then you have a story to share with the people around you. They are eager to hear it. They are dying to hear it.
-Leighton Ford

Fear vs. Faith

FEAR IMPRISONS, FAITH LIBERATES; FEAR PARALYZES, FAITH ENCOURAGES; FEAR SICKENS, FAITH HEALS; FEAR MAKES USELESS, FAITH MAKES SERVICEABLE - AND, MOST OF ALL, FEAR PUTS HOPLESSNESS AT THE HEART OF LIFE, WHILE FAITH REJOICES IN ITS GOD.

Harry Emerson Fosdick (1878-1969)

Winter Storm of '06

They kill me up here. The snow plows and trucks were out a good 24 hours before the snow came, scraping -I mean shoveling the snow (that hadn't even fall at that point!). There was a mad rush at the grocery store and no bottled water to be found. They closed the city down for the day to get the roads plowed and even though they were plowed canceled school for the next day. All for what Minot ND gets on a regular basis.Good new is that today it is in the 60's!!

while Caleb and Titan are all but in the street 

Luke Bear isn't sure he wants to venture out past the driveway... 

The Mad-Alaskan shovels snow in a tee shirt. My neighbors made sure to come out for this one! 

Our trip to the National Cathedral

We went with some of our friends to see the National Cathedral. It was beautiful, amazing and definitely not a place to take the kids for a playgroup!

I like to think Caleb was staring at Jesus on the cross contemplating and thanking God for the sacrifice of his son as an atonement for his sins...
 

...whatever it was it made him break out into dance...

...and more dance!!!

Caleb & Luke with some of their friends. 

Charlie and Caleb had been looking for baby Jesus since we got to the Cathedral. 

The stain glass in the National Cathedral is amazing. 

Caleb got in trouble by one of the Cathedral guides for touching this statue! I should have been paying attention rather than snapping pictures! 

Superbowl meal! 

Luke Bear looks so big here! 

Above are some pictures from Superbowl Sunday. Caleb was SO excited to watch the game and both my boys were running around the house with their footballs and tackling eachother.

Here's the little "ant-eater" or at least that was what he was calling himself that day. He wanted to go to our favorite kids activity center dressed like this. I almost gave in...so close, but couldn't go through with it! 

Caleb is licking mommy like a dog 

Luke Bear has been working on eating with a fork. So far, we stab the food and then he LOVES putting it in his mouth! 

They looked so cute sitting together on the couch. By the time I got the camera -- the sweet moment was gone and replaced by silliness. 

And thank you for my guns

So I haven't had a voice for the past couple of days. I got a cold over the weekend that left me without a voice. Being mama (of 2 boys!) isn't that easy without a voice. Yesterday morning started out as most mornings do in the Maddry household. At 8 am Caleb's alarm clock went off and he came in to "wake" me up (even though most of the time I've been awake reading my bible.) When he realized that I had no voice and was whispering - he started whispering too! I was hopeful! Maybe this would be a quiet day in our household. He kept whispering until Luke Bear woke up 30 min. later. Once he saw his brother he yelled, "Good morning." And from there it was full speed ahead!

Breakfast wasn't too bad because they can't touch each other. Once the silliness of breakfast was over it was on to what they do best. Hard play. They put all the couch pillows on the floor and started jumping (Caleb) and falling (Luke) off the couch. It was all fun and games until...Luke Bear hit his head on the coffee table. After I put an end to that game and sent them downstairs to their play room, they started wrestling over a ball. I knew how this would end up. Like it always does...with someone needing Boo-Boo Buddy. Sure enough Luke hurt Caleb while climbing on him (little brother tends to hurt big brother more often that not). So then I sent them upstairs to play in Caleb's room. After folding some laundry I went up to check on them (I heard hysterical laughter and knew that was a bad sign) only to find them running down the hall and into one another. I started clapping my hands to get their attention and Luke thought it was so great that I was clapping for them he started clapping along too.

So I sent Luke to room time, let Caleb watch PBS and jumped on the treadmill. After I was done it was time to run errands. The second we pull out of the driveway Caleb is thirsty and hungry. We got gas, dropped off our VERY overdue movies to Blockbuster, then headed for the library - the place I've been avoiding for a week. I had 2 books that were almost a month over due (I thought I had turned them in until I found them on Caleb's bookshelf) and Caleb had completely destroyed one book beyond repair. Those Librarians aren't the nicest so I was fearful of their wrath (towards me not Caleb). I had whispered to Caleb all morning long that he was going to hold the book and tell the librarian what he had done and that he would never do it again. Of course the one time that I need a mean librarian I get one that tells Caleb how cute he is and that he is sure he Caleb didn't mean to tear the book, and ended with "it's okay buddy accidents happen". Not exactly the scolding I was hoping for.

Finally we get home to have lunch. By now we are all hungry and the boys are running WILD! After much signing (that was getting ignored) I was able to get the kids to the table for lunch. I whispered to Caleb if he would pray for us. He says, "Thank you for my mom-mom and my daddy and Luke Bear. Thank you for the library and playing with Luke Bear. Thank you for yummy food. Thank you that Jesus died on cross so that I can go to heaven. And thank you for my guns. Amen."

I love my boys!

Great Movie!!

Joseph and I went to see End of the Spear last night and HIGHLY recommend it! It is the story of the Waodani Indians and how their lives changed after killing 5 missionaries, Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Pete Flemming & Roger Youderian. This movie is an excellent movie to take someone whose heart hasn't been touched by Christ because it will open great dialogue about forgiveness, redemption, sacrifice, grace & so much more!
What I loved about this movie is that it reminded me that our God pursues us and he doesn't have to. I'm always amazed that God doesn't need us, but will continue to pursue us knowing that we need him and because of his great love for us! Thank you Father for pursuing me even though I rejected you (and still do sometimes)!


www.endofthespear.com

Get it straight!

I read this before I went to church today:

"Mercy understood is holiness desired. '(Jesus) gave himself for us so he might pay the price to free us from all evil and to make us pure people who belong only to him - people who are always wanting to do good deeds (Titus 2:14). Note that last phrase: "people who are always wanting to do good deeds.' Grace fosters an eagerness for good. Grace doesn't spawn a desire to sin. If one has truly embraced God's gift, he will not mock it. In fact, if a person uses God's mercy as liberty to sin, one might wonder if the person knew God's mercy at all.
God's trust makes us eager to do right. Such is the genius of grace. The law can show us where we do wrong, but it can't make us eager to do right. Grace can. Or as Paul answers, 'Faith causes us to be what the law truly wants' (Romans 3:31)." (From In the Grip of Grace by Max Lucado)

Then...
I went to church today in a bad mood. No reason. Just because. I went to worship determined that I still wanted to be in a bad mood. So I wasnt' going to sing and songs or participate. Yeah, that will show...them? But I can't seem to run away from God (THANK YOU LORD!!!!) And his name is so worthy of being praise how could I not praise it? And then I was reminded of what I had read this morning. Oh Lord, will I ever "get it straight"? Everytime I think I get it...I loose it. And that's the beauty of grace and mercy. God still gives it. Father, help me find it more. And help me teach it to my boys.
~SSM

ps. The funny thing is we are always talking to Caleb about grace and mercy. That's probably the same way God feels about me

During Joseph's break they went on a "date" to the Air & Space museum. Joseph has been wanting to go for a while and they had a great time. Here is Caleb in front of some sort of helicopter (sorry if this is yours Amy!!) 

I know this! Caleb in front of the space shuttle!

Caleb in front of some sort of fighter 

Caleb and some kind of jet 

And Caleb in front of...this is probably why I wasn't invited on their date! 

Christmas morning! Before they ripped the presents we had Caleb look for baby Jesus to try to teach him to seek God first before all things! 

How blessed are we? We didn't think that we would have many present under the tree this year and were content with that. Then Mama arrived. Between the grandparent gifts we couldn't fit anything else under the tree! 

Luke's ball pit is a HIT! What a perfect gift for him!