Confirmed…

Trader Joe’s is coming!

A Date!

Last night David and I left the boys with a sitter and went on a date! It was our 7th anniversary present to one another…tickets to the Counting Crows/Goo Goo Dolls concert here in Charlotte. It was a lot of fun hearing all the songs that we listened to during the years that we were friends, dating, and early in our marriage.

The GooGoo Dolls sang pretty much every song I wanted to hear them sing. They were really LOUD…too loud, because the lead vocal was distorted by the speakers being overloaded. But I think that’s what everyone expects of them…they’re loud, they’re from Buffalo, get used to it!
GooGoo Dolls set

Then the Counting Crows came onstage and OPENED their set with David’s very favorite song, “Anna Begins.” I thought he was going to jump out of his skin. They played a beautiful set. There are seven of them, so they have a lot of tight vocal harmony. The instrumentalists are really talented (I always cheer when a band hauls a baby grand piano around with them!), especially the one man who was jumping between the piano, organ, and accordion like it was no big deal to change instruments mid-song.

A long December/and there’s reason to believe/maybe this year will be better than the last

And it’s one more day up in the canyons/and it’s one more night in Hollywood/it’s been so long since I’ve seen the ocean/guess I should

 

Our Weekend

I am getting behind on blogging with our new school schedule! Sorry about that.

Here are some highlights from our weekend…
On Friday night we went to one of the last Kannapolis Intimidators games of the season. Their last home game was actually last night (Tuesday). Here are some pictures…

Waiting to get in

Now that Jonathan is almost a year old, we can start feeding him all sorts of fun stuff, like fried dough (or an elephant ear, or a funnel cake, depending on where you’re from. It’s still the same fatty, sugary yumminess). He stuffed it all in his mouth at once.

I stuffed my face a little, too.

On Saturday, the boys had their first soccer game. Here are the under-6 league rules: 4 5-minute quarters; no goalies; no scorekeeping; three players per side on the field at a time; parental and coach involvement on the field is encouraged. It’s a good thing our coach was out there, because otherwise I think the ball would have gone in the swamp and the kids would have sat down begging for water.

Coach and his assistant warming up the team (they have more fun than the boys do)

“Can I play guys? Huh? C’mon, let me play!”

Coach rallying the troops

A Baptist Catechism

This summer we have been taking turns instructing the children who are part of our small group in a Baptist Catechism. The boys have been doing really well with the memorization, so I thought I would brag on them a little and post videos of each question and answer here. I’ve included the text of each one above the video since the audio is not superb.

Some people have asked me about this catechism — great questions, all! — and I found the thought process in answering these questions really helpful, so I have included them as well.

1. Do the kids actually understand what they’re saying?
Yes and no. As we’ve taught them each part, we have done a short lesson about what each one means, and we follow that up with plenty of reinforcement. But these answers include plenty of hard words, like “infallible,” and “effectually.” I don’t think that the boys will understand these things fully for years to come, but now — when their little minds are primed for memorization — is a wonderful time to have them hide these things in their hearts. I also do not shy away from using adult terms around the kids. We read a great deal of classic literature to them, which includes a vocabulary not usually used in 2006 in America, particularly with 5 year olds! But if these words are a part of their everyday interaction, they can use them just as effortlessly as we do. For example, I could teach Andrew that when he falls and a purple mark appears, it’s a “boo-boo.” I could just as easily teach him that it’s a “bruise” or a “contusion.” He will associate the word with the meaning.

2. What’s the precedent for and point of doing this?
I’ll let Pastor John Piper address this:

Is there a Biblical pattern of doctrine?
Several texts teach that there is.
For example, in Romans 6:17 Paul gives thanks that “you have become obedient
from the heart to the pattern of teaching to which you were committed.” 2 Timothy 1:13 says, “Follow the pattern of sound words which you heard from me.” Acts 2:42 says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.” 2 Thessalonians 2:15 says, “Stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us.” And Acts 20:27 says, “I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.” So it appears that there was a body of authoritative instruction and even a way of teaching it in the early church.

Why is it important?
1) We are required to “continue in the faith, stable and steadfast” (Col. 1:23).
2) We are urged to “attain to the unity of the… knowledge of the Son of God…so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (Eph. 4:13-14).
3) There are many deceivers (1 John 2:26).
4) There are difficult doctrines “which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:16).
5) Leaders must be raised up who can “give instruction in sound doctrine and also confute those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9).

3. Where did you find this?
Well, look here. It’s taken from the London Baptist Confession of 1689. It’s very close to the Westminster Confession.

Question 1: Who is the first and best of beings?
Answer: God is the first and best of beings.

Question 2: What is the chief end of man?
Answer: Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.

Question 3: How do we know there is a God?
Answer: The light of nature in man, and the works of God, plainly declares that there is a God; but his word and Spirit only, do effectually reveal him unto us for our salvation.

Question 4: What is the Word of God?
Answer: The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, being given by divine inspiration, are the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice.

Question 5: How do we know that the Bible is the Word of God?
Answer: The Bible evidences itself to be God’s Word by the heavenliness of its doctrine, the unity of its parts, and its power to convert sinners and to edify saints. But only the Spirit of God can make us willing to agree and submit to the Bible as the Word of God.

Question 6: May all men make use of the Scriptures?
Answer: All men are not only permitted, but commanded and exhorted, to read, hear, and understand the Scriptures.

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Try the Ultimate Tailgating Truck.

For Cathie

Ugh.

WIN or die trying…

…that’s our team motto for the boys’ AYSO under-6 team, the “Sirens.” I think “kick it in the right direction” or “stay on the field of play” might be better!

We had our first get-together on Saturday afternoon, and the kids got their uniforms (Tarheel blue, what a surprise!). I am excited about this soccer team, because it’s very low-key. There are no practices, just a practice/game every Saturday from now until early November.

The real challenge for me as a new “Soccer Mom” will be keeping little brother off of the field! Andrew once again impressed us with his natural playing ability on Saturday.

Yellow Jackets!!!!

David was working in the woods on Saturday when he encountered a nest of angry yellow jackets. He came running into the house after he was stung on the eyelid, and no less than TWELVE other yellowjackets followed him in!! We quickly shuttled the kids upstairs into a closed bedroom and I waged war in the kitchen with our (now almost completely ruined) fly swatter. David ended up getting stung four times; I was stung once (on the top of my ear).

Naturally, when everyone asked on Sunday, “what happened?!”, we told them that I punched David’s lights out. That’s not so good for the lady who taught on “Respecting Your Husband” this past Thursday!

"Let’s Go At Charlotte"

Andrew’s newest composition.