Reformation Day Faire: Saturday

This is a real Scottish event.

The George Family.

Sarah in her Muffin Cap. Isn't that a great name! : )

Serven lads: modern and period clothing.

Brothers fighting--the good kind of fighting, that is.

Swords and shields galore.

Meeting friends of friends who are new friends: Doves, Servens, LaPris.

Reformation Day Faire: Getting Ready at the McDonalds

Juggling Lessons by Ben.

Caleb starts with two balls.

Just like Dad.

Sir William the Wise.

Someone suggested a costume for Peter. He was game to try it: "Are you sure this is how it goes?"

"How do you even get this thing on!?"

"A-ha! Now I know the secret reason why Luther demited monkhood!"

"I just don't know if I'm going to stay this way."

"Well, lets at least take a picture of the costumed (for now) Servens."

"Smile for the camera!"

Reformation Day Faire: Friday

Nathan Clark George

Four of the George children sang "This Is My Father's World".

Hanging around telling stories.

Beth enjoyed talking with a sweet young mother, Mrs. Creath.

Some younger ladies chatting.

Reformation Day Costumes

A productive room is not always the neatest. : ) 

As we hinted at before, Sarah and I have been sewing up a storm. Here are some of the fruits of our labors. A few last minute ones are still in the works!

Our tool of choice.

Sarah's overskirt turned out quite charming. 

Sarah's new bodice.

Modified Jamestown costume for a Reformation Era effect.

Close up of the partlet, collar, and bonnet.

Sunrise on the Leaves

Psalm 113:1 -3

Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!

Blessed be the name of the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore!
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
the name of the Lord is to be praised!

Busy Hands

Getting ready for the Reformation Day Faire. See you there!

Gymnastics at the Servens

Balance Beam.

When we moved to our house 3 years ago, there was one thing that we could never figure out: How were we going to change the light bulbs and clean the chandelier in our stairwell? The space is large enough that you can't reach the fixture from the side railing, and precariously tall for a ladder. We thought about how to solve this problem for a long time without coming up with any solutions. Finally though, the dead bulbs couldn't be ignored any longer. : ) 

We called our builder and he was kind to send some men to help us out. They measured some "2 by 6's" to fit, and bravely walked out to accomplish the deed. With their coaching and help, I think our guys can take care of it next time. The question is, will they do it when Mom is home or not? : ) We sure wouldn't want her to be worried!

Notice anything else unusual? 

Taking notes. : ) 

Fall is Here

Colors in the Woods.

On my walk today, I snapped this picture. Despite the lack of camera ability, I was pleased with how the photo editing jazzed it up a bit. : )

Visit with the Hobbs

The Hobbs family.

We enjoyed a wonderful visit with the Hobbs family, who we met in Wichita a few months ago. Our California roots connected us right away.  We enjoyed conversing with them on ministry, theology, God's providences in our lives, family discipleship, and agrarian pursuits, among other things. Their children run some amazing entrepreneurial ventures through their local farmers market. We enjoyed a glorious hymn sing on Sunday evening, playing games, running around outside (the younger set), and encouraging one another with conversation (the older set). Thanks for coming Hobbs family! 

Sitting around after breakfast this morning.

Talking shop: piano improvisation.

Big kids chatting.

Dads chatting.

Moms chatting.

Little ones playing. : )

Master Grocery List

Hmm. Not the type of list I'd like to have! : ) 

Dear Readers, 

This morning I was musing on the benefits and methodologies of Master Shopping Lists. I kid you not. Yes, it is a random thing to be thinking about so early in the morning. 

I said to myself, "Ah! I have a blog. The perfect outlet to find the answer to my question. Let's ask our kind readers if they can give me some enlightenment on the subject". 

Here is where you come in--If you use a Master Shopping List for your family, how do you set it up? Is it organized by store (Costco, Trader Joes, Co-op, etc) or by food catagory (dairy, grain, produce, paper goods)? Do you have several sections of the list, or just one actual piece of paper? 

I am very interested to hear the specifics of your enterprise in household organization. : ) So, feel free to be detailed.

Resting in His joy,

Rebecca for the ServenClan

Our Abode in the Autumn

The Serven Clan Abode in the Fall.

Each time I walk by our picture windows, I give a little gasp. The colors are growing stronger, almost exponentially by the minute. Even since I took these pictures yesterday, the oranges are deeper, the yellows brighter and the reds duskier. The greens of summer are fading into beautiful autumn gold. 

For the last few autumns, we've not been home. Various conferences and trips took us away from our state, and thus, we've missed the changing of the colors. Happily, this year is different. We are enjoying the wonder of God's creation this autumnal season.

Last fall flowers.

Cosmos and Basil gone to seed.

Lots of colors in God's Garden.

Wondering what our home looks like in the winter? Click here.

Kittens

Too cute. 

We had seven adorable kittens this summer. One has already found a home, but there are a few more that are still available to kind families! : )

Exploring.

The whole batch.

Autumn Hike

Cornfield.

Walking down the Katy Trail.

Lyddy-bug.

Skies of blue and trees of green.

Drew-boy.

Trip 2008: Grandma's 80th Birthday Concert

The Welcoming Committee, a.k.a. 'The Door Guard'. : )

As promised, I'm posting some long awaited pictures of Grandma's 80th Birthday Concert. This time of honoring Grandma was one of the main reasons for Trip 2008. The concert was about an hour long, and featured singing (barbershop, hymn arrangements, and gospel) and playing (Celtic, classical, popular, and hymns) from a variety of instruments (voice, piano, violin, harp, and flute). It was a smashing success, and most importantly, our Grandma liked it!

All set up: the Cake Table.

The Birthday Girl's Cake.

Early arrivals.

Extra Refreshments ready to go.

Last minute practice before the real concert starts.

Finally, we opened the doors. The crowd grew to around one hundred guests. We were so happy to meet everyone who came and made the evening so special for Grandma.

We all took turns sharing memories about Grandma to introduce each selection. Even the little ones bravely stood up to the microphone and said their piece!

A Celtic Medley.

The twins playing "Heart and Soul".

Sisters playing 'Gavotte' by Gossec.

Lydia fiddling away--look at her hand!

Uncle Carl, a true musician.

The VIP Seating: Grandma was front and center with the balloons marking her chair.

Beth accompanied several times on the harp.

Capturing the event for posterity. 

Andrew playing at his first concert: a hymn arrangement of "Nothing But the Blood".

After the official end of the concert, we had everyone wait in their seats to sing "Happy Birthday" to Grandma.

Blowing out the candles: notice the help on the right. : )

A wonderful Birthday to a wonderful Grandma!

Chatting with the guests.

The younger set having refreshments.

Burroughs on Dependance Upon God

Resting upon God's provision and direction in the midst of unsettledness.

" . . . 'Oh, I could bear much affliction in some other way, but this is very grievous to me, the unsettledness of my condition. Even if my condition were low, yet if it were in a settled way, I could be content, but it is so unconstant, and so unsettled, that I never know what to trust to, but am tossed up and down in the world in an unsettled condition, and this is hard to be content with.' . . . "

"Perhaps God sees it is better for you to live in a continual dependance upon him, and not to know what your condition shall be on the morrow, than for you to have a more settled condition in terms of the comforts of the creature. Do but remember what we spoke of before, that Christ does not teach you to pray, 'Lord, give me enought to serve me for two or three years,' but, 'This day our daily bread.' This is to teach us that we must live upon God in a dependent condition every day for daily bread"

". . . [God's people are] to live by faith, that they should be continually depending upon heaven, upon Himself, and not have a constant settled way in the creature for their outward dependence. We find by experience that when those who are godly live in the greatest dependence upon God, and have not a settled income from the creature, they exercise faith more, and are in a better condition for their souls than before. Oh, many times it falls out that the worse your outward estate is the better your soul is, and the better your outward estate is the worse your soul is."

Excerpt from Jeremiah Burrough's The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment.

Hey, We Know Him . . .

Click here for a familiar face. And while you are at it, take a look around.

First Fall Colors

Edge of the woods.

An autumn rain sprinkles our sassafras tree this morning. It's the first one to turn colors here in Missouri. Thought you all might like a break from our 'regularly scheduled programing' (a.k.a. our trip picture report), to see what we are seeing in real time. : )

The sassafras tree.

Raindrops on the leaves.

Trip 2008: Cousin Time

A pre-concert practice with Uncle Carl.

After driving across a bunch of desert nothingness (Utah, Nevada), it was most refreshing to get to California and our cousin's home. We enjoyed the tour of their new place and squished in a few last practice times for Grandma's 80th birthday concert. 

Dinosaurs: Ever little boy's favorite animal.

Speed Scrabble with the twins and Aunt Jen.

Burroughs on "Working" with God

Working joyfully in the fields of God's choosing.

It should be the care of a Christian to observe what are God's ways towards him: 

What is God about to do with me at this time? Is God about to raise me, to comfort me? Let me accept God's goodness, and bless his name; let me join with the work of God, when he offers mercy to me, to take the mercy he offers. 

But again, is God about to humble me? Is God about to break my heart, and to bring my heart down to him? Let me join with God in this work of his: this is how a Christian should walk with God. 

It is said that Enoch and Noah walked with God--walked with God, what is that? It is, To observe what work God is now about, and to join with God in that work of his; so that, according as God turns this way or that way, the heart should turn with God, and have workings suitable to the workings of God towards him. 

Excerpt from Jeremiah Burrough's The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment.

Trip 2008: Rest at the Rusts

Mr. and Mrs. Rust.

Our kind new friends, the Rust family, invited us to swing by their home on the way through Utah. What a delight to visit more with this family who is in the next season of life. "Nana" and "Papa" Rust were able to give some good perspectives to us on the years ahead. What a refreshing visit in the Lord. Certainly far too short in our estimation. But, the road stretched ever and on to California.

Skies of blue. 

And cliffs of brown.

The mountains surrounding Salt Lake City.

The Rusts do all the beautiful gardening in their yard. 

The men chatting. 

The young men playing.

Getting a tour of the gardens at dusk.

Mr. Rust was excited to show us a project that he and his sons have been working on. Quite fascinating--check out Big Canyon.