3. A quote: sufficient?

Third and final day of the quote challenge tag!

First, I just have to say that C.S. Lewis was an incredible writer.  Some of his insights (in the Narnia series specifically) blow my mind.  When I first processed the quote above (I say "processed" because I'm sure I'd heard it before, but it hadn't reached my brain right.), it really stopped me.  I realized the truth of it.  If I think I am good enough for anything, I have already fallen short.  It is the honest humility that we need help--God's help--in our lives that brings success.  We prove how weak and unable we are when we think we are strong and capable.  We're only enough because of Christ.

2. A quote: know God

Day 2 of quotes!  And today I succeeded in only one quote.

A couple years ago I read J.I. Packer's Knowing God.  It was one of the most inspiring and spiritually awakening books I have read.  His writing pressed me to want God in a new, real way.  The Christian life is about knowing God (not just about Him) and living like it's true.  That life often requires boldness, courage, and selflessness, but it is rewarding.

1. A quote: be different

Last week (or was it 2 weeks ago now?) I was tagged by Sarah Eddy for a quote tag!  Now I am to post a quote for 3 days in a row.  (Don't check on Sarah too closely; she broke the rules!  Haha!)  Even though I didn't get to this right away, I've been thinking about quotes a lot in "preparation."  The following quotes are by no means limited to my favorite quotes, but they are ones that have made me stop and think for some amount of time.  I am also super bad about picking out just one quote.  There are so many good quotes out there--books, movies, "famous" people--that it's hard to be limited to only 3 days.  Well, I suppose I could post quotes other days, too....

Can you honestly imagine living this way?

I know I often get trapped in a mindset of worrying about what other think about me and the way I live, look, or even speak.  When I'm with others, I get really focused on myself and how I'm being seen.  One of my long-time wishes has been to live one day as someone else so that I can see myself from another perspective.

However, as Christians our lives are no longer about us.  They are to be entirely about Him.  Even still, I often forget this fact.  I continually fall into the trap of living in a way so that others see and like me.  That is not our mission.  Can we transform our mindset to think in a new way and let only, always Christ be seen?

Family vacation, part 4

Part 4: Exploring downtown Leavenworth!

We got to spend a couple mornings of our vacation exploring some of the shops in downtown Leavenworth.  As before mentioned (I think), I had never been to Leavenworth before, and it was just as cute and perfect as I had ever heard.  The paintings on each building front were done to perfection.  The design of buildings and the town as a whole was uniform, clean, and attractive.  A town that is entirely well done is a rare thing.  I nearly felt transported to a European town, and it was definitely a place I could survive if it weren't for all the tourists!  (And this time I was one of those annoying people.)

As our "gang" of 23 (13 under 10) invaded each little shop, I'm sure the shop keepers cringed and hoped we would leave soon. I found these shakers, which accurately describe others' frequent assumptions of our family.  Is there a butter dish with a warning label: "We are not perfect!"?

Demonstrating "nice, normal family"

Grandma and the 13 twerps.

Jonathan and Selah

Eve

Gideon: are we really going to spend the morning walking around town?

First, we located the important shops in town in case of an emergency.

A shop front's painting

SO many nutcrackers!

Uncle Caleb and kids with someone else's shining knight.

 

Mordecai, Judah, and Emma

Because even mailboxes are important.  No, I didn't check for mail with my name on it.

Eve with a giant cookie.

Emma, Keziah, and Eve about to consume a lot of sugar.

"Wait.  Where'd my cookie go?"

Even the hospital looked inviting.  Too bad I didn't have a reason to go.

Some of you may know that I have a real talent for getting hurt, often without knowing about it until later.  Because of this rare and special ability, I love band-aid aisles.  When I go to, say, Rite Aid, I literally find pleasure in admiring band-aids, bandage wraps, and doctor tape.  One time I went to such a store and bought over 200 band-aids and some tape.  It is one of my favorite aisles ever.  So I was pretty enthusiastic about these bacon band-aids I found (but didn't buy).

Levi!

<Some crazy unicorn with a coffee met us at the hat shop.  I got a picture before she made her quick escape.

>Is this wolf sick or scary?

Mordecai was happy to wear any hat that I picked out.  He was quite a cute model, don't you think?

Why did the chicken cross the road?  Who cares?

Mom is going for a new style.

The buildings were all painted with precision.

I found the knight in shining armor!

Ice cream for everyone!