Top 10 Inspirations from 2007

Some of the books, music, movies worth sharing that were most enjoyable, inspiring or moving this year:

1. Passages from the Bible: Isaiah (especially chapters 61 & 43). They’re so beautiful and strengthening!
   Read the whole chapters. Here’s the beginning of Isaiah chapter 43: "But now, this is what the LORD says – He who created you… ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you…’" (Thank You LORD!!)




2. Choices Changes – book by Joni Eareckson-Tada (thanks Rachel) -hope inspiring




3. Sweet Dreams CD (thanks K&R) and other "Singables" – Scriptures sweetly sung by a homeschooling mom along with a few of her 11 children! - easiest way to learn verses!




4. Jesus First in Everything CD – part of a series on the supremacy of Christ by James MacDonald (“You will never experience the fulness of joy that you were created to know until Jesus Christ has first place in everything”); Humility, the forgotten virtue by Wayne Mack; Idols of the Heart CDs by Elyse Fitzpatrick – all really help keep life in perspective (thanks Liz esp)




5. Summer Range – a riveting Western novel by my friend, Troy Peterson (I have a couple autographed copies left if any of you adventurous guys wants one)




6. Amazing Grace series on the radio and book by that name by David Jeremiah,
   Focus on the Family Radio Theatre’s Amazing Grace audio drama - stories of John Newton, William Wilberforce....




7. Major motion pictures - Amazing Grace (as above); The Nativity Story; Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - excellent movies. A prolife movie: Bella. (I haven't seen them all yet but hear they are well worth seeing and supporting. Its amazing to see such clearly Christian messages get into cinema!)




8. Autonomic Response Testing video course; Metabolic Typing online/teleconference course (still in progress - tough but will be very helpful)




9. The Sea is Blue by Marie A. Lawson - not exactly inspirational but enjoyable light reading for a change (thanks Heidi)




10. Praying the Names of Jesus – book by Ann Spangler focuses on one name of Jesus per week and what it shows of His character and dealings with us.
    

And lots more but I’ll stop there!

Hope you all had a Happy, meaningful Christmas

and I wish you a Blessed New Year with the Lord!

November & December's Featured People

Happy Birthday to our dear Sharon who shows no signs of getting older! (Nov.3)

- And to baby William & James who were already posted on!

- and to Maurice on Dec.10 who is steadly getting wiser :)

- Also to Tante Marian and to Sarah (both Dec 30) - Sarah is already 6 and so excited about it- hopefully Betty will post


We also celebrated and grieved the Home-goings of Tante Aat Wybenga (Nov.25) - Mom's father's sister - after 97 years of faithfully sojourning on earth with many trials

(see last year's Dec post to see a picture)

and Tante Tena VanNoort, a dear lady in our church who was a distant relative of Mom's, on the evening of Dec.9. She lived a full (93), happy & healthy life of service until her last year during which she suffered greatly.

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
in You do we trust, nor find You to fail.
Your mercies, how tender, how firm to the end,
our Maker, Defender,
Redeemer and Friend!

But praise the Lord, they both found Him faithful to the end and now He has removed all pain and wiped every tear from their eyes! I can only imagine the glory and joy they are both experiencing along with all the others gone before (Oma Christina Snel has had 25 years with our Lord now -Nov.4)

O worship the King all-glorious above,
O gratefully sing His power and His love;
Our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.

This is the last time I visited her this year. We will miss her!

(I finally got Oct's special people posted so check back for that)

Christmas at C&M's more photos

Krista & Chris & kids were the only one's of the relatives who made it this year. Thanks for coming!
(Missed you, Marian & Evert, Tony&Theresa! Hope you are all doing better!)

Got to meet their little "manetje" (he's only 3 months but looks so wise/intelligent for his age! cute!)

Family

Bethany & Joanna posing at Maurice & Christine's (Christmas Dinner). What you can't see in this picture is the large crowd of spectators in a semi-circle around them, calling, clapping, trying to keep their attention and keep Joanna from escaping or playing with the Christmas tree ornaments. :) Precious times. Precious memories.



A couple family pictures taken on Christmas Day:



We thank God for our dear family, both immediate and extended. We have been so blessed to be able to see and spend time with our dear cousins, grandparents, aunts & uncles.

Christmas at M + C's

Thanks so much for hosting us one more time, Christine!

Fun in the Snow

Working together...

Quiet special moments at Betty's

Some quiet moments interacting after all the fun and creative gifts were unwrapped! You kids did a great job! & mom's!. Even the family patriarch :) got all into it (our house in Rachel's post was made by Dad & Mom! - pretty good eh?)
Thanks again for having us all for that fun day, J&B!

Our 3 2007 babies (see above photo for a clearer shot of the newest cutie)

Pakjes

Thanks again, everyone, for your gifts to us! The kids have been having a great time with their new things.
Special thanks to John and Betty for hosting us!

Puppet Show time

We enjoyed having your kids, Maurice & Rachel, while you were having and adjusting to your new addition!

Anneke had a elaborate puppet show set up for us the second day. Joe did one too behind the couch. Here they're all getting in on the fun.

- even James!

What a cutie he is and fun to watch. He talked up a storm - tho we couldn't always (often) understand him.

Some baby pictures

Trying again...

Okay, I think my post is going to work this time! Unfortunately most of the pics of the new baby are not accessible to me at this moment, as M is just in the process of building a new computer for us. Our big Baby is pretty sweet to look at too, though, isn't he?

Baby William!

Maurice & Rachel had another son last week, who was
"...born at 2:00 pm on November 6th, and weighed 8lbs 12oz.
We named him William David - names which mean 'strong-willed warrior' and 'beloved,' respectively."Congratulations!!!

Amazing how much a baby grows in 6 months --
that's how old Bethany will be this Saturday!

Thanksgiving Day

OK, these are about a month late -- but it's never to late to give thanks to God for His countless rich blessings!
(Marguerite described the day a little back, on another post.)
Thanks for having us all over, Dad & Mom & Marguerite!


We went for a little walk right by their house,
where Heidi & Rachel found a tree to climb...Sometimes it's easier to get up than it is to get down! :)

October's Special People

My sweet "Joshie squashie" turned 11 on Oct.3!!

Guess he's outgrown my nickname for him but not his sweet affectionate ways.

Kenny finally caught up to his best buddy, Timmy, and turned a grand 7 years old! He's slowly catching the reading bug too.

and Kenny Benny's still a little fun-loving, goofy charmer!

Happy birthdays also to:

- cousin Selina (Oct.5)

- our twin cousins Tony & Krista (Oct.25)

Congratulations also to Ralph & Sharon on your wedding anniversary Oct.7!

and to Dad & Mom who celebrated another year together with a whole day's outing (Oct.30).

I thank the Lord for you all!