Another role for Daddy

Sunday in our evening service, Brandon was ordained as a deacon. Our family is so proud of him! Brandon and 3 other men, Isaiah Ruffner, Ralton Emory, and Eric Stone, joined our 7 current deacons in this position. I think the 4 chosen are tremendous additions to our church leadership body. This has been an on-going process as the men were questioned over doctrine and their beliefs. It isn't like we had a sign-up sheet in the foyer and any man could sign-up to be a deacon if they chose to do so. Our men had to meet the Scripture qualifications (1 Timothy 3:8-12) and be evaluated by our pastor and the other deacons. Each couple had a home visit and the wives also were asked some questions. God has truly been at work in these 4 men and I have seen them grow more in knowledge and faith over the past 6 yrs. Praise to the Lord for all the blessings He has given us in our new beginning at Grace Community.

Another head boo-boo

We were outside this evening doing smores and Brock fell face down on the concrete. I don't know if he tripped on something or just got in to big of a hurry. But once again, another boo-boo on his head. He cried for a few seconds and then went back to the mini-marshmallows I had let the kids throw everywhere. He may have slipped on them...oops! They had so much fun throwing them all around, daddy wasn't quite as happy. But, we did clean them up and had even more fun throwing them into the yard, daddy was pleased with this. I don't mind the clean-up part.

Lunch anyone?

Brock is really wanting to feed himself with a spoon or fork. So, while Keira was at school on Tuesday, I let him attempt this feat. He had a blast!! No food was really eaten ( he still has issues about eating), but hey, he had a good time. I am the type that lets them have fun and don't worry about the mess.

Do you see the pasta ring flying in the air to the left? Also, notice the table - some landed on it. Yes, mommy had a huge mess to clean up and Brock had to take a bath. I love it!!!!

Here am I.

I am currently in the book of Isaiah in my Bible reading and earlier this week, I was reading Chapter 6 and verse 8 has stuck with me all week. Isaiah hears the voice of the Lord say "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" Isaiah replies " Here am I. Send me!" 5 tiny words, yet so strong. These words have been stuck in my thoughts all week. I picture Isaiah with his arms stretched toward heaven, head bowed, possibly even on his knees, saying this. Because in no way are any of us worthy of this position, but only by God's mercy and by His authority can we be called into service. I have wondered all week if I could say these words and truly mean them with all my heart. I know in the past in my prayer time I have prayed this, but was I just speaking words without much meaning. Was I ready for this kind of service and devotion to my Lord, or was I being more like a Pharisee and only showing outward signs of doing the "right" thing to make myself believe I was doing good. I know the truth and it has been obvious in my life that I was just speaking words. Isaiah was not being self-righteous at all, he was admitting even though he knew he was unworthy and not "good" enough to have success on his own, if he turned it over completely to God, there would be success if God allowed. Not through Isaiah, but only through God. I can look back the past few years and see so many times that the Lord was leading me to do something and I failed or said "No, I cannot do that, that is so out of character for me" Normally, when I heard this verse before, I use to think more along the lines of a missionary position or some role that seemed out of reach for my abilities, I always had a reason or excuse to give God. But this week, as this verse has been in my head, I have begun to see I was so off the mark in my thinking. This verse applies to my daily life. I need to say these words every day and truly mean them, letting go of my will and follow His will. I have to remind my hard-head at times, that I have no control over anything and no matter what I plan, it won't change what God has planned in my life. I am learning that just having a thought of sending a card, visiting people, or simply when someone comes to mind that I should pray for them, that this is a part of how God is usuing me daily. It may not seem big, but possibly for that person who the Lord laid on my heart, it could be. I need to continue to be willing to serve and rely on myself. No, my mission is nothing like Isaiah's in a sense, but the elect have their own missions which God has appointed us. How humbling it is to think that "I am a sinner saved by grace" no one or nothing else can save my unworthy, undeserving, fleshly self, but the blood of Jesus. So, my goal each day should be to have the eagerness and willingness to ask God " Here am I. Send me" even though I do not deserve a drop of grace.

Sunday evening

Keira and her best friend Alyssa from church. After evening service, our church had a watermelon social at the city park. We have no clue who the little boy is in the picture with the girls. He took a liking to Alyssa and followed her around. Keira was not happy about that, he was invading on her "turf". Emma joined in on the action. Emma was just recently saved and baptized. She is such a sweetheart!

Papaw being silly! Brock has made a new pal at church, Abby. She is so good with him and I may have to use her as a babysitter in the future.

Water fun

My kids absolutely love water and being nude. So, put the two together and it equals sheer delight. Sunday afternoon this is what happened. They were squealing as Mamaw Sherry sprayed the water at the trampoline!

Brock got into the action spraying sissy. She had a blast jumping over, under and around the water.

Memory Walk

The team picture - Keira did not want to get in this, so we skipped it. That is Beth Haynes from Channel 10 - she is an Honorary Chairperson for the Walk. My dad is holding Brock, and my grandfather and Aunt Teresa (the tall, pretty blond) are to the right of them.

Little man walking in Honor of his Great-Grandmother ( that is what his sign says)

Papaw and Madison pushing the kids. Keira loved playing with Madison today, we missed Eli, he had a football at 11 and was unable to join us. Hope you won, Eli! A BIG THANK YOU to EVERYONE who donated money to sponsor us in the walk. Our total was $430. Thanks again!!!!!!!!!!!

More Memory Walk

Big Papaw giving little man a much needed juice break. He was so hot! Keira and her butterfly face. They played on the inflatables, did bubbles, and enjoyed all the activities. This was the best year so far with so many more kid things to do.

This was hilarious! Brock approaching the Ice Bears mascot and then Brock running from him. I wish I had a video on this, we were all lauging, his face was too funny!

RCHS game

When we came through the gate, we had paused to talk and I put Brock down, and he went as fast as he could to find an opening along the fence. He wanted to see what all the action was on the field. He was so cute standing and watching the teams warm up. They both loved the game and atmoshpere. Brock would stand in Mamaw's lap and try to yell things. He would lean forward like he was trying to move with the team. Keira was cheering " Go Bobcats", I tried to inform her that was the wong team, but it only made it worse. She knows her cousin Lance plays for the bobcats, so I guess she thought he was out on the field. More thna likely, she was just doing it to aggravate everyone around us.

I took little man home after halftime show, we always watch Jenna and now Allison in the flags, plus the band is great. He sat in my lap the entire show and watched, intrigued by it all.

Tractor Ride

Thursday evening we visited Papaw Woody ( Mamaw Peggy is in NY) and the kids rode this tractor. They absolutely loved it. Brock was thrilled riding in the back. However, Keira backed up and somehow it came apart and Brock went straight back. He landed on hi head and I was scared. I thought it may have opened up as hard as he landed, but thankfully it didn't. He had two blue knots and he cried for 2 minutes then wanted out of my arms and went straight to the tractor again. It always makes me nrevous when they hit their heads, and I got up during the night to check on him as he slept. He is a tough little boy though.

Choleric Temperament

The Choleric is the last temperament and another extrovert. Motto: Let's do it my way! Satan't Lie: You must be in control What freinds say: Let's tone down the choleric Strengths: Weaknesses: Confident & strong Anger problem Decisive, Optimistic Highly opinionated Self-sufficient Unemotional & cold Fearless & bold Insensitive to others Not easily discouraged Unsympathetic & harsh Strong Leader Impetuous & violent Good judge of people, motivates others Exhorter Disgusted by tears Undaunted by circumstances Unintimidated Great organizer Makes decisoins for others Quick & bold in emergencies Cruel, blunt & sarcastic Keen mind Tends to dominate a group Not wishy-washy Arrogant & bossy VERY practical Forces plans on others Sets goals & reaches them Unforgiving & revengeful Highly Produces Prejudicied, domineering Bored by details Manipulative, crafty

Cholerics are the greatest producer of all 4 temperaments. Very self-confident and have a very strong will. Their worst enemy is their violent anger problem. To reach their many goals, they probably offend and run over the feelings of others in their way. The greatest strength is their tremendous leadership ability. Others look tot hem as the decision-makers. They depend on Cholerics to tell them what's right and wrong, good or bad. They have unbelievable potential to influence people around them for the Lord. When Cholerics give control of their lives over to God, it is amazing what can be done through them. The greatest weakness is their tendency to be uncomfortable with outward expressions of emotion and their inability to communicate love and affirmation. This weakness, coupled with the fact that people continually look to them for validation and approval can result in their unintentional refusal to give people what they so desperatley need for them to give. Since Cholerics are so very practical and their emotions are undeveloped to a great extent, they tend to recognize only physical needs and fail to see that the emotional needs of others are genuine as well. When filled with the Holy Spirit, Cholerics will develop a compassionate, sympathetic heart, which will help them to become more thoughtful, less sarcastic and bossy, and more willing to listen to the ideas of others.

Sanguine

Now we come to the two extrovert temperaments. First up Sanguine. Motto: Let's do it the fun way! Satan's Lie: You must be noticed What friends say: Let's organize the sanguine Strengths: Weaknesses: Warm & lively Cries easily Charisma Emotionally unpredictable Talkative-never at a loss for words Restless, Spontaneous anger Carefree-lives for the moment exaggerates, appears phony Great storytellerC Lacks self-control Conversation has infectious quality Emotional decision-maker Unusual capacity for enjoyment Naive & childlike Makes friends easily Comes on too strong Responsible to people Dominates conversation Enjoyable, Optimistic Not attentive Friendly and smiling Seeks credit & approval Easy to apologize Weak-willed Tender & sympathetic Makes excuses for negligence Converses with genuine warmth Talks too often about self Shares other peoples joys & sorrows Distracts easily Makes a good first impression Forgetful Not bored Wastes time talking Gifted in caring for sick Leaves projects unfinished Easily engages in new plans or projects Easily intimidated Breeds enthusiasm Falls short of goals Sanguine is the super-extrovert and with an outgoing spirit and charisma, they can be called the "enjoyable" temperament. They are warm, lively, and certainly the life of the party. Very emotional; never far away from tears and usually unstable. The Holy Spirit can stabilize their emotions and calm their restless spirit. They can develop self-control and a disciplined life with God's help. Attention on self will have to be minimized to be a Spirit-filled sanguine. A Sanguine's greatest needs : to be more reliable and dependable; to develop a greater self-disciplined life; to replace ego with genuine humility. Sanguines have the unique ability to enjoy each moment as it comes. This causes many problems, because while enjoying the moments, they completely forget wht they promised in previous moments. The most fun-loving and outgoing temperament. They suffer a great deal though, because of their noisy mannerisms, self-indulgence, and weak will. Unfinished projects and disorganization should become a thing of the past as they mature in Christian life. The outgoing personality and the ability to talk to anyone, anywhere, anytime can be a great witness for the Lord as this strentgh is placed in His hands. The greates weakness is the tendency to keep talking whether or not they know what they are talking about ( Oh, the sanguines that come to my mind that do this). They need to realize the importance of having something of value to say. If they are going to speak God's Word, then they are going to have to develop the disciplin in to know God's Word.

Phlegmatic Temperament

Another introvert. Motto: Let's do it the easy way! Satan's Lie: You must avoid conflict What friends say: Let's motivate the phlegmatic Strengths: Weaknesses: calm & dependable lacks confidence in self good natured pessimistic & fearful ; worrier easy to get along with rarely laughs outloud cheerful & pleasant passive & indifferent kind-hearted compromising peace-loving self-righteous dry, witty sense of humor doesn't get involoved softening effect on others selfish & stingy consistent and faithful indifferent diplomatic & peacemaker teases others who annoy good listener unenthusiastic faithful friend stubborn, not too cordial gives advice only when asked attitude of superiority works well under pressure spectator practical, easy way of working slow & lazy conservative, neat & proficient reluctant leader plans work before beginning unmotivated , indecisive stabilizing influence protects self from involvement dependable worker discourages others conserves energy - finds the practical way to accomplish something with the least amount of effort Phlegmatics are the all-purpose people. At their worst, they can still act more Chirst-like than the other temperaments. They are a super-introvert and have a unique calmness, which gives a slow, eay-going, and "well-balanced" temperament. They are stubborn, indecisive, and resigned to the fate before them. They are complacent, but peaceful, and easy to be around. Usually holds everyone off at arm's length and protects self from getting too involoved with people or work. Greatest needs : overcome passivity, to learn to give of self to others, and recognize fear as a sin. Phlegmatic is the most consistent personality. They want to keep the peace and hate conflict. They are often quiet and often a spectator of life, but a dry sense of humor enables them to see the funny side of everything and everyone they watch. Very efficient and organized in work, but doesn't push self or give more than asked for. Phlegmatics keep emotions hidden b/c of often timid personality. Are often almost always pleasant and cheerful which makes for an enjoyable companion and a dependable friend.

The 4 Temperaments

I became intrigued again with the temperaments after posting on mine and after some comments to me about my post. So, while little man is napping ( after he wakes we are going to join the rest of the family at the lake, Yea!) I decided to get my notes out. There is 4 basic temperaments and you can have strentghs and weaknesses form all 4 or mainly be made up of one temperament. The 4 are Melancholy - Phlegmatic - Choleric - Sanguine I am almost completely Melancholy with a hint of Phlegmatic. Self-diagnosis here. HA! But once you see the characteristics of each one of these, then certain people come to mind and they just make more sense to you and how they respond or behave in everyday life or to situations. It also helps to know these types to help you interact with others. Yes, you can get crazy "labeling" others and shouldn't get obsessed with that, all I am saying is you notice things more clearly and understand where a person may be coming from just by their temperament. So, let's begin with the Melancholy ...............

Melancholy : introvert

Motto : Let's do it the right way!

Satan's Lie : You must be perfect

What friends say: Let's cheer up the melancholy.

Strengths: Weaknesses : I cannot get these to separate so weakness are in red

artistic moody and gloomy

• rich, sensitive nature rigid and unbending
• analytical ability pessimistic - critical
• emotionally responsive martyr; likes to suffer
• deep, reflective thinker introspective
• dependable friend prone to depression
• self-sacrificing prideful
• loyal fears the opinions of others
• perfectionist unreasonable expectations of others
• self-disciplined carries a grudge
• gifted - genius-prone too sensitive
• conscientious and thorough seething anger
• knows limitations hard to get along with
• dislikes those in opposition
• indecisive - impractical
• easily discouraged - hypochondriac

Melancholies are very hard on themselves thorugh constant self-examination. They are naturally gloomy, dark, and pessimistic, yet still very gifted and genius-prone. They are perfectionists. Their exceptionally high standards for others are only exceeded by the demands they make on themselves. They are intelligent with a very sensitive nature, deeply emotional, and controlled by their wide variety of moods. When they are up, they can appear quite sanguine, but when they are down, they will become depressed, withdrawn, introspective and antagonistic.

Melancholies can be your most faithful freinds, but they do not make friends easily, since theya re cautious. They have a strong desire to be loved by others but disappointing experiences can make them suspicious and defensive, and a low self-esteem can prevent them from reaching out. They love deeply - no ohter temperament would be so willing and able to give.

Greatest strentgh is their deep, reflective, and sensitive nature. Their loyalty and devotion will prompt them to make great sacrificesfor those they love.

Greatest weakness is their unmercifully high standards for themselves and others. They should accept their own limitations as well as those of others and break free from unrealisitc pressures they have imposed on themselves and others, and strive to accept people as they are.

Wow! That looks like it would be a hard life to live as a melancholy but aren't we glad that the Lord can use even us melancholys for His purposes. Romans 12:1-2 says We must be transformed by the renewing of our minds, which takes an act of the will, a conscious effort. I am so glad the Lord can transform me and renew me every day. It is something to sit back and look at youself, and when you start to see some of these traits taking form in your life. I personally have always had a hard time with forgiveness and could carry a grudge longer than necessary, but I know in the depths of my soul that I am commanded to forgive and must do it. It can still be an issue in my life and it will always be a battle for me with my temperament, but only thorugh God's grace and mercy can I overcome. I laugh some when reading over these b/c certian traits jump right out at me, like someone has followed me around and wrote down things they have observed. I can be very mood but even my husband has said that has gotten alot better. When problems arise in my life, my immediate response is to "shut down" and "withdraw" either from that person or problem. I am very good at cutting people off if I feel I have been "hurt" or "my trust was broken" But thank God He chose me over my sinful-nature, b/c left to myself I would be destined for Hell with no hope for rescue. I pray that He continute to mold me and make me after His will so I can better serve and become more Christ-like.

Next up: Phlegmatic (another introvert)