Funny Things...

This year is gone.
This year was fun.
Next year is another one.
Every year,
From here to there,
Funny things are everywhere.

(If you know your Dr. Seuss this may sound familiar...from One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish)

So very thankful

a thankful heart hath a continual feast. ~W.J. Cameron

There are so many things to be thankful for; some things are obvious and automatic, while sometimes we have to be very intentional about recognizing our blessings- especially when times are hard and our eyes get blurry. I want to live my life seeking the blessings that can be found in all circumstances and living with a heart that is overflowing with thankfulness and gratitude.
I am thankful...


For the husband of my youth. 10 years of marriage and we still hold hands on the couch and stay up late talking. I am thankful for his servant heart and devotion to our family, for his hard working hands and leadership in our household.


For sweet big brothers, quiet moments, the sun shining into our living room and giving warmth.


For brothers that are friends.


For wild boys that bring so much excitement to our lives.


For a sweet little girl who likes to dance and sing. She is the joy, joy, joy, joy down in our hearts...


For loved ones who have passed away, but are very much still with us.


For time spent outdoors in God's good creation.

and so much more...

She tries hard to keep up...

but some times it is just too hard!



I cannot believe that Adara Ruth is a year old. She was born on Yom Kippur last year and our verse for her was "the joy of the Lord is your strength". If I had one word for her it would be joy. There is something about her that gives us all encouragement- maybe it is her sweet nature and gentle spirit...or that she almost always has a smile on her face. She is saying lots of words, but she particularly loves ducks and likes to make quacking sounds. Although she hasn't shown much interest in walking until lately, she is starting to discover that when she takes steps, her feet will take her places that she wants to go. Now that she has had that revelation I'm sure it won't be long before she is running around with her brothers. Speaking of those brothers, out of all those wild boys she is actually the most daring and curious baby. She gets into absolutely everything and she's also the earliest climber that I have ever had. I'll be doing dishes and I'll turn around and some how she is standing on the kitchen table! Yikes. She also likes to go head first down the slide at the park and swing really high on the swings. Miss Addy Ruth you sure are a mess- but a very, very sweet mess.

Habitat, Habitat, Have to Have a Habitat

Have you ever seen a Rhinormous in the wild?

The boys have several favorite games and most involve some type of role play. It's difficult to say which is most favored but pretending to be various animals is probably at the top of the list, at least for the younger boys. Here's a sample of a recent dinner table conversation:

Jonas: I'm a daddy rhinoceros.

Me (Matt): You are? Is the daddy rhinoceros going to eat his Korma? (not sure if this was actually what we were eating that night but it fits)

Ezra (inserting himself in the convo with "manvoice" as Kallie calls it): I'm a rhinormous!

Me (with laughter): Is that similar to a rhinoceros?

Ezra: No, it's a...it's a...it's a...rhinormous (said very slowly because I was clearly being dense in asking such a question)


Here are a few facts about the rhinormous to help you identify him if you ever run into one in his natural habitat:

A rhinormous is an animal who exhibits a highly refined sense of humor for his age. He likes blankets and trucks and has often been spotted carrying both at the same time. He is typically docile but can be toothily dangerous when cornered; particularly if you happen to be red-headed, slightly older and named Jonas. He is a highly efficient predator in the presence of cherries (above pic covered in red), mangoes and other fruits and his favorite beverage is "milk from the yummy cow" (aka raw milk).


The Z-man's new species also gives you readers out there a window into one of my personal favorite family amusements: word blending...nothing beats a good fresh compound word blend that never existed previously. The only rule of course is that it cannot be in the dictionary...just doing our part to pass on a little creative reverse scrabbliciousness to the children.


I'll leave you with Rhinormous Observation Tip #349:

If you see the rhinormous in the wild, just call him "sugar baby" and he might not attack.

Boys and dirt are synonymous

It was a typical summer day. I set up the water table so the kids could splash around a little, but after a while the little boys got hungry so I dried them off and brought them in for lunch, leaving the bigger boys behind and not thinking much about it. I thought they could play outside for a few more minutes while I got the food ready. A few minutes later when lunch was prepared I went to look out of the window and didn't see them, but when I turned to walk back to the kitchen something caught my eye...a fast moving blur in front of the window. I turned back around to get a better look at the flying object and I see Elijah running through the grass with a big giant mud ball not far behind him. Interesting. They were throwing mud balls at each other as if they were snowballs. What is it with boys and mud? The funniest part is that I was literally hosing them off in the driveway with the garden hose when the UPS man walks into the driveway with a package...don't mind me, I'm just hosing my kids down:) Maybe he has boys. Maybe he understands.

Baby Mischief Maker

I was getting dressed and ready for the day and when I came out into the living room I saw a little girl that was full of mischief and very proud of herself.

Plant For Today

"Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." -James 4:13-15

One day fruit trees were on sale at Lowe's and Matt asked if we should buy some. Even though it is "our plan" to sell this house and buy some land a thought popped into my head...we should plant for today. We don't know if we will be alive tomorrow. We don't know if our house will ever sell. We may never have land. We just don't know.

We got news while we were in the mountains this June that my dear grandpa had been diagnosed with lung cancer. We immediately decided we would take a trip up to NY to visit him while he was still healthy. I am so very thankful for that decision. We had the most wonderful visit. He got to meet Addy Ruth and hold her little hand. Elijah enjoyed sitting with grandpa, simply reading books together and listening to the occasional story or joke. Grandpa watched the kids play at his feet and I know he wanted to be on the floor playing with them- he always enjoyed doing that. He told me stories of his childhood and youth. About going to war and getting married and starting a family. I laughed and cried and I didn't want to say good-bye when it was time to get in our car and come back home to NC, because I was afraid it was going to be the last time I would ever hug him and look into his wonderful, smiling, gentle eyes.

It is very rare that I have a good night sleep. Kids wake up in the night, I have to nurse Addy, I wake up and can't go back to sleep, can't seem to stop the thoughts. Two nights ago I fell asleep praying for my Grandpa that he would be without pain- that he would close his eyes and pass away peacefully in his sleep. That night I slept better than I have in a very long time. The next afternoon I received a phone call. I felt a lump in my throat- it was hard to swallow, but it happened just the way that I prayed and I know it was the prayer of many.

"For we have brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content." -1Timothy 6:7-8

Contentment was planted within my grandpa from a young age and it carried him well through his life. I never once heard my grandpa complain about anything and he didn't have an easy life. His parents came straight from Germany during a time when people weren't friendly towards Germans, he was left handed in school- was punished for it and was made to feel he wasn't cut out for academics, he worked the graveyard shift in a tire factory his whole life in unhealthy, unpleasant conditions, yet I have never heard him complain about his life. Not once.
My grandpa was the sweetest, most gentle, content and truly humble man I have ever known. His words just linger in my mind. I found an old letter from him that he wrote me after I shared the news with him that I was pregnant with our first child.
He says, "Isn't love wonderful! I mean it just fills you up! One time I was shaving and I was squirting the shaving cream out of the can onto my hand- I thought that is what love is like- when you let it out it just grows and grows and you could never put all that shaving cream back in the can again because it is just too much. When you first get to hold your new baby in your arms and count it's tiny fingers and toes and kiss it's little nose it is just way too much. When I was just a little guy my parents were quite poor and sometimes I would tell my dad "I wish we could have car" or "I wish we could go on a vacation" and things like that. Then he would tell me "Instead of wishing for things that you don't have just give thanks for what you do have" and then we would kinda take inventory- he would help me to think about my mom, dad, and sister and how much we loved each other and I knew I already had everything I could possibly wish for- LOVE! I'm sure that at this time in your marriage there are many things you could use to make your lives easier and more comfortable and the list of things that you don't have is much longer than the list of things that you do have but I promise you that the love you have in your hearts for each other and that little baby that is starting to grow in your tummy is more precious than all the treasures on earth."

Even though we are a vapor- here for a short time and then gone, we have a chance to plant for today... seeds of joy, peace, love, kindness, gentleness, humility. My grandpa did just that, for the fruit of his character and the seeds he planted will be present from generation to generation. It is a lovely inheritance.

Time spent in nature is time well spent

(double click on slide show for larger view of pictures)

We just spent a wonderful, relaxing vacation in the mountains of NC at my parent's getaway cabin. It seems a little strange to call it a vacation...it is more like "going home" since I was born and raised in the mountains. I think of a vacation as visiting a place you've never been, but it was more like I was revisiting some places that I haven't been since I was a child and it brought back some great memories!

The first day we went tubing down Deep Creek. It is the perfect mix of fast and slow moving waters. The tubes are a lot fancier than when I was a kid! They have seats, handles, backrests, and cup holders. Tubing is great because it is good, cheap fun. For 4 adults and 4 kids we only spent 20$ for a full day rental of 6 tubes (the little kids rode with adults). It has been a long time since I've felt the cold mountain water and there's something so wonderful about a cool mountain stream in the woods on a hot summer day!

The next day we visited the Oconoluftee visitor center and mountain farm museum. This is a great, free place to visit if you are ever in Cherokee, NC. The kids loved it. The museum is small, but very interactive and hands-on. The part they enjoyed the most was the little living mountain homestead that has been recreated on this beautiful property. It had a log home, barn, orchard, apple house, corn crib, smokehouse, pigs, chickens, a great big garden and much more. You can read more about it here.

Our biggest adventure was going to the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest in Graham Co., NC. This is an amazing forest that, through preservation efforts, is one of the few remaining tracts of virgin hardwood trees in the Appalachians. Some yellow poplars stand 100 ft. tall and have a 20ft. circumference! They aren't the redwoods, but they might be some of the biggest and oldest trees that you can find on the east coast. The one downside of the hike is that many of the trees are dying so there fallen trees everywhere and the trail at times is quite narrow and steep and not always easy to navigate with little children; however; the hike up the trail is well worth it once you reach the top of the loop! The kids found some amazing treasures on the trail: the largest snail and millipede that I've ever seen! The trees stood towering and had absolutely amazing root systems. One trail essential, in my opinion, is a nature journal. The kids drew some amazing pictures that I will share in a later post; it is just so wonderful for them to observe and record what they see. It teaches them to notice beautiful details in nature and furthers their connection with God's amazing creation. Here's a little more info. about this amazing forest.
Outdoor fun is the best kind of fun. We always love our time spent in the mountains and in nature. here is a link to how spending time in nature is good for restoring our attention and our souls.

Head, Thorax, Abdomen

With all the boys in this household you can imagine that insects are most definitely a subject of great interest around here. Caleb is especially turning into quite the bug collector. He brings me one almost everyday and my only requirement is that they are dead:) and that their bodies are fully intact. It is really easy to start a bug collection. Just get a cardboard box with a top and cut a piece of styrofoam to fit inside and pin their wings or legs in place. I decided I would teach the little guys about parts of an insect so we built play-doh ants and I was telling them about the head, thorax and abdomen. Caleb looked very confused and said "head, Lorax, ottoman" and I said "not exactly"...but kind of:) He thinks it is real funny to have "old man ears"!



Elijah did a nature journal entry on his favorite find so far- our grasshopper.

Is it possible to turn a diaper box into a pirate ship?

Apparently so! I thought we had moved out of the pirate phase, but I think maybe the warm weather brought in a new wave of interest. So we got the pirate books back out and the kids started dressing and talking like pirates once more. Elijah came to me with the idea to turn a diaper box into a ship and I have to admit that I had my doubts of whether or not it would work... but he had a vision and he wanted to try it out. I have to say- it is amazing what a little duct tape will do! It really is a brilliant invention. Then we just gathered a few sticks, cut up an old t-shirt for sails and slapped some paint on it and our pirate ship was complete.

Strawberry Picking

I love the month of May because it means it is strawberry picking time. Hail damaged many of the strawberries last year, but this year was amazing. The strawberries were beautiful and abundant. Both times I went to pick the weather was amazing- sunny, but not hot and the late afternoon breezes filled the air with the sweet aroma of ripe berries. The kids absolutely love picking berries, of course they eat more than they pick and the evidence is all over their faces! Then it is home for strawberry shortcakes and whipped cream, which is a strawberry picking tradition. I picked several gallons each time I went, but with all these hungry boys I didn't have enough left over to make jam. I haven't quite figured out how much I need to pick to make a few jars of jam and feed the boys, but it's probably at least double what I picked this year! At least I managed to freeze a few gallons for smoothies.

Elijah's first still life

We enjoy painting in our household... mostly just for fun. I haven't taught them style or technique or anything formal. One day Elijah decided he wanted to set up his own still life. I didn't even know he knew what a still life was, but that is what he wanted to do and so he did it. He found the objects he wanted, set it up and painted it. He was very proud of himself and I was so excited that he wanted to do this without me prompting him.

The Giant Branch

There was a giant hickory tree that hung over our house- specifically over our boy's bedroom. Last Saturday I was in their room organizing and everyone else was in the living room. I heard a loud cracking sound and I knew exactly what it was so I sprinted as quickly as I could to the living room, when we heard a loud crash. A giant limb from the tree fell on our roof. But God is good. He truly protected our home. The branch only damaged the outside of our roof and didn't come through to the attic or the bedroom. Thankfully it wasn't the whole tree. So we had the tree taken down and our roof and gutters are getting replaced. As Ma (from Little House) would say- All's well that ends well!

Rejoice and be glad in it

"It is not perfection that God expects from mothers. There is no perfect personality that does the job best. It is not our background or training or the way we keep house that qualifies us to be godly mothers. God designed mothers to partner with Him in His eternal work, and He has promised to reward our faith and faithfulness... it is for the children's sake that we give our lives. We are protecting future generations that they might be strong for the battle of life. We are the real, in-the-flesh, tangible picture of God's loving hands, strong arms of protection, and encouraging words of hope to our children" -Sally Clarkson, Mission of Motherhood

Many times I have placed expectations on myself for perfection in our homeschool, in housekeeping, cooking, parenting etc and often times at the end of the day I have felt like a failure- battered, weary, exhausted, and overwhelmed. About 2 months ago as I was praying I felt very strongly that God does not want me to feel this way. I had my eyes set on goals that God didn't set for me. I was trying to do too many things in my own power- striving to meet worldly expectations. I decided I needed to know what God expects of me, what does He want for my life? This is what I found:
Hebrews 11:6 says "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him". God wants me to be faithful, to seek Him.

Psalm 105: 1-4 says " Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders. Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad. Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually." God wants me to be thankful and glad- to worship Him, to declare His wonders.

In Romans 12:9-18 it says "Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality, bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." God wants me to serve, rejoice, pray, persevere, be humble and peaceful.

Deuteronomy 6:5 says "You shall love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up." God wants me to LOVE Him and my neighbors; to diligently teach the commandments to my children.

There are endless scriptures on hope, peace, love, faith, endurance, joy, thankfulness.
It is written no where in scripture that God wants us to feel defeated, worried, angry, bitter, frustrated, inadequate etc. God doesn't want that for His children. Those thoughts and feelings are lies from the enemy who comes to kill, steal and destroy. That is why I've made up my mind to leave those feelings behind. I am working diligently at replacing the lies with truth- keeping my eyes set on the promises of scripture and focusing on living the beautiful, joyful life that God intended me to live. Rejoice in Him, in your children, in your husband, in your home, in motherhood, in your life... rejoice and be glad in all these good things.

Signs of Spring

April has been a VERY busy month (blog neglect is primary evidence!). However, in the midst of all the busyness it is so important, even critical, for me to slow down and reconnect with the goodness of God's creation. When I take time to open my eyes to the small, intricate details of creation it brings worship to the surface...something swells up inside of me and causes my heart to overflow with gratitude for a God that is so good. Children always seem to have their eyes wide open. They don't need to remind themselves to be observant- they are naturally curious about everything. How is it that we are born with such awareness and desire for details but then somehow as we get older we allow our adult eyes to get blurred by the distractions of this world? That is why I am so thankful for my children who are teaching me every day how to look at the world through their eyes.
In our family we have a little tradition as each new season approaches. We go on nature walks or simply go exploring in our own backyard searching for "signs" of the season. We walk slowly, bend down close to the ground, look high up into the trees, peel back branches from bushes, turn over rocks and logs and we search for clues. These are a few pictures of the "signs of spring" that we discovered along the way.

Unchanging Love

This has been a month of struggles. I am not the kind of person that hides my problems and puts on an "everything is great" facade...that is impossible for me. Just when I was learning so much about being joyful in all circumstances I feel like I have been put to test to see if this is something I can really grasp. A few weeks ago the kids got really sick and it was a good 2 weeks before they were completely back to normal...then it took me an additional 2 weeks to get their attitudes back to normal after being so whiny and needy...and 3 days ago was the first day they all woke up with smiles. I was getting the house back in order and we were back in the swing of our home school routine...and the very next day 3 of my kids had a fever and then I got it and now we are back to square one. I have to admit that I have been a little bummed. I just want my happy kids back and now they are grumpy and sad again.

There have been moments when all 3 of the little ones have been piled in my lap on the couch just crying and all I can do is hold them. They all want me and sometimes I feel as if there isn't enough of me to go around. In the midst of all of this I can feel that I am being stretched in the areas of patience, service and joy. So 2 nights ago I cried out to the Father for strength and when I was reading in Micah these words jumped out at me:

"Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, because He DELIGHTS IN UNCHANGING LOVE. He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all their sins into the depth of the sea. You will give truth to Jacob and unchanging love to Abraham, which you swore to our forefathers from the days of old"- Micah 7:18-20

He delights in unchanging love. We are part of the promise given to Abraham. We are His whiny, unhappy, sinful children and He loves us with an unchanging, forever kind of love. If He can show me compassion, can't I show compassion to my own whiny, grumpy kids? So I CAN be thankful for the lesson learned in the midst of this struggle and I am so grateful for a Father who DELIGHTS IN UNCHANGING LOVE and is teaching me how to live this out in my own life.

This is the day

"The best things in life are nearest: Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life." - Robert Louis Stevenson

This is a lesson I am continually learning...to open my eyes to this life right in front of me and see it as a blessing... to keep my eyes wide open in deep gratitude for these precious moments and days.
"This is the day that the Lord hath made, we shall rejoice and be glad in it" - Psalm 118:24 I have heard these words so many times in my life... my mom used to sing this song a lot when I was a kid; but I feel like I am just now really "hearing" those words for the first time. THIS IS THE DAY. This day. We are to rejoice and be glad in it. But am I really glad? and do I really rejoice? I think I have moments of joy and gladness, but if I am being completely honest it is usually conditional... I will be glad when the house is in order, when I get more sleep, when I lose weight, when the kids have better attitudes, when all the kids are potty trained, when the sun is shining, when, when, when. The list could go on and on. But what about right now? What about this day with all of it's flaws, and me with all of my failures? These moments are fleeting and our lives here on earth are a mere breath. I want to spend my days adding up joy, not adding up mistakes and beating myself up over the things I didn't accomplish.
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" - 1 Thess.5:16-18 This is God's will for me and all believers- right now, this day....rejoice, pray, give thanks.

The NAME Above All Names

"Naming is Edenic. I name gifts and go back to the Garden and God in the beginning who first speaks a name and less what is come into existence. This naming is how the first emptiness of space fills: the naming of light and land and sky. The first man's first task is to name. Adam completes creation with his Maker through the act of naming creatures, releasing the land from chaos, from the teeming indefinable mass. I am seeing it too, in the journal, in the face of the Farmer: naming offers the gift of recognition. When I name moments--string out laundry and name-pray, thank You, Lord, for bedsheets in billowing winds, for fluff of sparrow landing on line, sun winter warm, and one last leaf still hanging in the orchard--I am Adam and I discover my meaning and God's, and to name is to learn the language of Paradise. This naming work never ends for all the children of Adam. Naming to find an identity, our identity, God's."
-Ten Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

I have read the first two chapters of Genesis numerous times, but I am seeing it differently now. I am realizing how important names are to God and, above all, how important God's name is. it is interesting to me that as God was creating this amazing universe He was naming it. Naming brings order. To name something is to know it's essence. A name helps us understand the fullness of a thing. God gave us His name so that we could know Him. We are to worship in His name, pray in His name, Fear His name, praise His Name, gather in His name, and glorify His name.

When Moses encounters God at the burning bush Moses says to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The YHVH, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’
“This is my name forever,
the name you shall call me
from generation to generation."
-Exodus 3:13-15

Elohim: The plural form of EL, meaning “strong one.” It is used of false gods, but when used of the true God, it is a plural of majesty and intimates the trinity. It is especially used of God’s sovereignty, creative work, mighty work for Israel and in relation to His sovereignty (Isa. 54:5; Jer. 32:27; Gen. 1:1; Isa. 45:18; Deut. 5:23; 8:15; Ps. 68:7).

Compounds of El:

El Shaddai:“God Almighty.” The derivation is uncertain. Some think it stresses God’s loving supply and comfort; others His power as the Almighty one standing on a mountain and who corrects and chastens (Gen. 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; Ex. 6:1; Ps. 91:1, 2).

El Elyon: “The Most High God.” Stresses God’s strength, sovereignty, and supremacy (Gen. 14:19; Ps. 9:2; Dan. 7:18, 22, 25).

El Olam: “The Everlasting God.” Emphasizes God’s unchangeableness and is connected with His inexhaustibleness (Gen. 16:13).

Yahweh (YHWH): Comes from a verb which means “to exist, be.” This, plus its usage, shows that this name stresses God as the independent and self-existent God of revelation and redemption (Gen. 4:3; Ex. 6:3 (cf. 3:14); 3:12).

JEHOVAH: LORD in our English Bibles (all capitals). Yahweh is the covenant name of God. Occurs 6823 times in the OT First use Gen. 2:4 (Jehovah Elohim). From the verb "to be", havah, similar to chavah (to live), "The Self-Existent One," "I AM WHO I AM" or 'I WILL BE WHO I WILL BE" as revealed to Moses at the burning bush, Ex.3. The name of God, too sacred to be uttered, abbreviated ( . . . . ) or written "YHWH" without vowel points. The tetragrammaton. Josh., Judges, Sam., and Kings use Jehovah almost exclusively. The love of God is conditioned upon His moral and spiritual attributes. (Dan. 9:14; Ps. 11:7; Lev. 19:2; Hab. 1:12). Note Deut. 6:4, 5 known to Jews as the Sh'ma uses both Jehovah and Elohim to indicate one God with a plurality of persons.

Compounds of Yahweh: Strictly speaking, these compounds are designations or titles which reveal additional facts about God’s character

JEHOVAH-JIREH: "The Lord will Provide." Gen. 22:14. From "jireh" ("to see" or "to provide," or to "foresee" as a prophet.) God always provides, adequate when the times come.

JEHOVAH-ROPHE: "The Lord Who Heals" Ex. 15:22-26. From "rophe" ("to heal"); implies spiritual, emotional as well as physical healing. (Jer. 30:17, 3:22; Isa. 61:1) God heals body, soul and spirit; all levels of man's being.

JEHOVAH-NISSI: "The Lord Our Banner." Ex. 17:15. God on the battlefield, from word which means "to glisten," "to lift up," See Psalm 4:6.

JEHOVAH-M'KADDESH: "The Lord Who Sanctifies" "To make whole, set apart for holiness." The Lord says: "Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy." (Leviticus 20:7-8)

JEHOVAH-SHALOM: "The Lord Our Peace" Judges 6:24. "Shalom" translated "peace" 170 times means "whole," "finished," "fulfilled," "perfected." Related to "well," welfare." Deut. 27:6; Dan. 5:26; I Kings 9:25 8:61; Gen. 15:16; Ex. 21:34, 22:5, 6; Lev. 7:11-21. Shalom means that kind of peace that results from being a whole person in right relationship to God and to one's fellow man.

SHEPHERD: Psa. 23, 79:13, 95:7, 80:1, 100:3; Gen. 49:24; Isa. 40:11.

JUDGE: Psa. 7:8, 96:13.

JEHOVAH ELOHIM: "LORD God" Gen. 2:4; Judges 5:3; Isa. 17:6; Zeph. 2:9; Psa. 59:5, etc.

JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU "The Lord Our Righteousness" Jer. 23:5, 6, 33:16. From "tsidek" (straight, stiff, balanced - as on scales - full weight, justice, right, righteous, declared innocent.) God our Righteousness.

JEHOVAH-ROHI: "The Lord Our Shepherd" Psa. 23, from "ro'eh" (to pasture).

JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH: "The Lord is There" (Ezek. 48:35).

JEHOVAH-SABAOTH: "The Lord of Hosts" The commander of the angelic host and the armies of God. Isa. 1:24; Psa. 46:7, 11; 2 Kings 3:9-12; Jer. 11:20 (NT: Rom. 9:29; James 5:4, Rev. 19: 11-16).


EL ELYON: 'Most High" (from "to go up") Deut. 26:19, 32:8; Psa. 18:13; Gen. 14:18; Nu. 24:16; Psa. 78:35, 7:17, 18:13, 97:9, 56:2, 78:56, 18:13; Dan. 7:25, 27; Isa. 14:14.

ABIR: 'Mighty One', ("to be strong") Gen. 49:24; Deut. 10:17; Psa. 132:2, 5; Isa. 1:24, 49:26, 60:1.

BRANCH: (tsemach), The Branch: Zech. 3:8, 6:12; Isa. 4:2; Jer. 23:5, 33:15.
KADOSH: "Holy One" Psa. 71:22; Isa. 40:25, 43:3, 48:17. Isaiah uses the expression "the Holy One of Israel" 29 times.

SHAPHAT: "Judge" Gen. 18:25

EL ROI: "God of Seeing" Hagar in Gen. 16:13. The God Who opens our eyes.

KANNA: "Jealous" (zealous). Ex. 20:5, 34:14; Deut. 5:9; Isa. 9:7; Zech. 1:14, 8:2.

PALET: "Deliverer" Psa. 18:2.

YESHUA: (Yeshua) "Savior" ("he will save"). Isa. 43:3. Jesus is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew "Joshua." The latter is a contraction of Je-Hoshua. ("Christ", the anointed one is equivalent to the Hebrew Maschiah, or Messiah). [See Wikipedia article].

GAOL: "Redeemer" (to buy back by paying a price). Job 19:25; For example, the antitype corresponding to Boaz the Kinsman-Redeemer in the Book of Ruth.

MAGEN: "Shield" Psa. 3:3, 18:30.

STONE: (eben) Gen. 49:24

EYALUTH: "Strength" Psa. 22:19.

TSADDIQ: "Righteous One" Psa. 7:9.

EL-OLAM: "Everlasting God" (God of everlasting time) Gen. 21:33; Psa. 90:1-3, 93:2; Isa. 26:4.

EL-BERITH: "God of the Covenant" Used of Baal in Judges 9:46. Probably used originally to refer to the God of israel.

EL-GIBHOR: Mighty God (Isa. 9:6)

TSUR: "God our Rock" Deut. 32:18; Isa. 30:29.

Beautiful Babies Born At Home

I received some devastating news this week. My midwife, Amy Medwin, was arrested. She is an amazing woman who has helped women have beautiful births at home for over 30 years now. She is a CPM (certified professional midwife) and can practice legally in all the surrounding states of SC, TN, and VA. I believe women should have the right to choose the health care that they are most comfortable with, but North Carolina doesn't believe women should have that choice. They think we should let the "experts" (the people that supposedly know more about having babies than the mothers themselves) decide. It doesn't make sense to me that in NC a woman who has had a c-section can choose to have subsequent children via elective c-section in a hospital but a woman can't choose to have a v-bac at home with a licensed midwife. Which option seems healthier for the mother and the baby, having a major surgery or having a baby naturally in a natural environment? I know the answer because I have experienced both sides. I had a c-section in the hospital with our first child and it was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. I never fully got over it until I had my first v-bac at home. When I was pregnant with our 2nd child I visited 4 different doctors who told me I would have no other choice but to have a repeat c-section and weren't even willing to let me try to have a v-bac. Then I went to a CNM (certified nurse midwife) who told me she would TRY to support me in having a v-bac but if I didn't have the baby in less than 12 hours then they would have to do a repeat cesarean. I knew I could do it, so why weren't they willing to support me? I knew I had to find another option and that was when I turned towards home birth.
I met my wonderful midwife half way through my 2nd pregnancy. She had delivered numerous v-bacs at home and told me she would support me 100%. She seemed to believe that having a v-bac would be no problem at all. I knew that I had found my best option. My first v-bac was very long and the hospital would have definitely made me have another c-section. But Amy allowed me time, space and freedom to labor the way that I needed to. Caleb came after 26 hours and Amy was by my side the entire time. She slept on my couch. She rubbed by back. She talked to me in her calm voice, reassuring me that everything was going to be ok. And it was more than ok. It was triumphant. When Caleb was born and I held him in my own bed, in my own house, I felt like my entire terrible hospital experience was redeemed. I did it. I knew I could. Amy's confidence and encouragement liberated me- she believed in me when no one else did. It was empowering to know that I did something that the "experts" told me I could not and should not do. Each birth after that was faster and easier. Having my babies at home was the BEST decision I ever made in my life.
My hope is that her arrest will stir up such a commotion that the state will have to make it legal for CPM's to practice in NC. You can read another testimony here and go here to read more about this situation and find out what you can do to support Amy and other midwives in NC.


Caleb was my first v-bac. There is a joke that a woman in labor will find the smallest space possible and decide to have her baby there. That was really true with this birth. We squeezed a birthing pool into our small farmhouse bedroom giving barely enough room for us and the midwives. It was a very quiet birth... mostly because I was so tired. The labor was very long and exhausting but I knew I could do it and so did Amy!

Jonas was my 2nd v-bac. I labored through the night, cleaning every inch of the house while everyone else was sleeping. This time the length of the labor was half the time of the first. Amy arrived about 2 hours before Jonas arrived and helped me move him out of a back labor position. This was the birth of the primal scream heard around the world. We all laughed about it afterwards...but it wasn't too funny at the time:)

Ezra was my 3rd v-bac. My labor was cut in half again. His birth was, by far, my easiest. Amy's calm voice helped me focus and before I knew it I was holding him in my arms.

Silly baby with her pants too high! Adara was my 4th v-bac. The labor was 6 hours long, but very intense. Amy recommended that I get in the tub and it was exactly what I needed to do. I was able to relax a little in between contractions. When it came time to push, it only took one strong push and she was here. I was determined to have that part over with quickly:)