Helpers of Your Joy

Today I was reading in II Corinthians 1:24 and the phrase, ...helpers of your joy.." jumped out at me. Are we bringing joy into the lives of others by our actions and our attitudes? If we take this as our challenge, we may well find that we have been helpers of our own joy as well.
Loneliness can steal away joy, change can dim the joy, as well as many other situations. We need to remember that the Source of our joy is Jesus. "In thy presence is fulness of joy..." That should teach us to spend more time in the Presence of the one who is the Maker of Joy. We then can be His "helpers of joy."
Sometimes it is hard to remember that we are to be helpers of our children's joy as well. Encouragment and praise is one way to bring joy into a child's life. Time is another joy giver. As our children grow we are to instill in them the way of joyful living (help me, God)

Birthday girls

Moriah

Melody

Melody

Moriah

Mommy Hold

The girls will say, "Mommy hold" whenever they want me to hold them. The boys had to be held too. My lap was quite full. A not-so formal picture on Mother's Day.

Mother's Day

Our Mother's Day picture
David, Caleb, Joshua
Melody, Me, Moriah

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

For all the love and the patience,
the care and prayers untold.
For your shoulder to lean on
and your loving hand to hold.
For your listening ear and
encouraging advice -- it never grows old.

For all that you've given and given
from a heart that's never cold.
For everything you've done--
it's a story that can never be told.
Thank you, Mom!
You're a treasure of pure gold.

I love you, Mom.
Happy Mother's Day!
Holly Dolly

Waterfalls for Family Day

Yesterday we went into North Carolina. We went to Transylvania County which has 250 waterfalls on record. Of course we didn't get to see quite that many!

" All that I have seen teaches me to trust the
Creator for all that I have not seen."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Lovely Lake

Moriah watching the geese at the King's Mountain State Park.

King's Mountain Outing

Last Monday we went to King's Mountain. The battle fought there during the Revolutionary War was the turning tide in America's favor. We walked the trail around which the battle was fought. It was very interesting. We also saw a film on this battle.
The boys pretended to be soldiers, marching down the trail and firing on the enemy.
We then went to the King's Mountain State Park, where there was a Living History Farm from the 1800's .

Adjusting

I'm back again with a few words. Everyone is napping so I thought I'd sneak over here to my husband's study (which is located in the church) for a few moments.
I think I have finally unpacked the last box that is going to be unpacked. My bedroom is finally free of boxes and clean, except for my desk covered with scrapbooking supplies. I am getting adjusted to living down here, though at times I get homesick for the Indiana folks.
I went grocery shopping the other night and didn't get back until later than I intended. My mind jumped ahead and began unloading the groceries and putting things away in my kitchen in Indiana! I had to shake myself mentally and say, "Uh, we are in another house now. Wake Up!"