"God Is"

Written by Jane Evelyn Adams age 6

 

God is Sweet.

 

God is in Heaven.

 

God is Good.

 

God is Strong.

 

God is Smart.

 

God is Happiness....

 

 



Easter Pictures

Finding the Easter Eggs

Evelyn's Easter basket was well hidden in a bunch of plastic bags

Easter was so fun this year. Evelyn filled the eggs with surprises almost a month ago and has been waiting for Easter to give them to members of the family. But the Easter bunny added his own surprises and hid the eggs for her. She was thrilled with the hunt. Then it took her forever to find her basket. She got the new Pirate Fairy movie, and little hopping blue bunny (and she DIDN'T name it 'Blue!' She named it 'Hoppy' instead!) and a picture book with hilarious illustrations of a pug. ("It's Duffy Time" by Audrey and Don Wood)
   We saved a little bird, went to church, sang with the choir and spent the evening getting ill off our Easter candy (which we probably won't get through until July--What was the Easter Bunny THINKING?!?) and watching the Ten Commandments.

Little Bird Miracle



   Last Friday we got a bird in our dryer vent. Michael pulled out the nest, hoping to discourage the bird from coming back. Unfortunately, all day we heard the skitter-skitter of little bird feet above our heads. We think that moving the nest encouraged the bird deeper into the ventilation system, looking for it's nest. Then it couldn't find it's way out. 5 am the next morning, it woke us up trying to scratch and peck it's way out of the vent in our bedroom. We left the house, hoping it would find it's way out.

   But the next morning, Easter Sunday, it was the same story. The bird was in our bathroom, right above our fan. I showed Michael where the sounds were coming from and he pulled off the vent cover to see if we could find the bird and entice it out. Sure enough, we could see the little beak peeking out from between the ceiling and the fan. It had been trying to dig through to the light.

   Michael pushed the fun up high enough that the bird could escape. The poor thing was so desperate for freedom that it didn't even back away from him, as I'm sure its instincts were screaming to. It just perched on the side of the opening and looked at Michael as if it were saying, "What next?"

   At this point we realized that the bird had been stuck in there for three days without a source of food or water. I ran to get a piece of bread and Michael offered it to the bird, who flew out willingly and perched on the edge of the garbage can that Michael offered it. Then it pecked at the bread. I also brought back a little measuring cup of water and the bird abandoned the bread in order to satiate it's thirst which I am sure was tremendous. 

   Michael placed the bread and water in the bottom of the garbage can and the bird hopped right in. Then he covered it and took the bird outside to offer it freedom. The bird either didn't want to leave the water source, or it was merely too exhausted to fly away. Michael put his gloved finger in the waste basket and the little bird hopped trustingly on. Then Michael gently lifted the bird into the tree branches where it hopped off. It rested there for a few minutes and then flew off to find more nourishment. 

Here is our little bird friend.

 

 

  I am so grateful that the little guy survived! It was thrilling to Michael as well to play hero to a little bird. But all the rest of that day we kept seeing parallels with the bird's story and our own lives, especially because it was Easter.

   The bird got stuck by its own methods: whether it was curiosity or searching for a safe place, the bird trapped itself so that it was not only lost, but unable to escape by its own powers. The bird did the only thing that made sense, and went toward the only light it could see. But it was not very light and completely inaccessible. Despite using all it's strength and ingenuity, it could do little more than peck a centimeter sized gap that only allowed its beak to break through its prison. Although it let in more light, the bird was quickly starving and weakening.

   That's when help came: outside help that was desperately needed. Still it would not have saved the bird if the bird had reacted with fear and run away from the movement. But instead, the bird recognized that this was the only option that would save it. So the bird trusted the help and came out. Then the helper offered the bird bread of life and water to quench the bird's thirst. Those life-saving acts quickly helped give the bird strength to continue. But the helper (or should we call him a savior?) didn't cage the bird and take away it's freedom, but placed it back into the world where the bird could have its freedom to choose, and take care of itself the way a bird is supposed to. Even if it meant the bird would go right back into the dryer vent and lose its freedom again.

   Luckily, the bird had learned its lesson and is building a nest somewhere else much safer.   Anyway, I hope the analogy is as clear to you as it was to Michael and I. Really, the whole experience made Easter for us. It gave us a clear understanding of how necessary a Savior is to us. What a wonderful reminder!

 

 Matthew 10:29-31

A little out of season, but I'm still catching up!

 

Evelyn and Michael love to dance together. Sometimes of course, Michael has to spruce things up a little, as you see, and Evelyn follows his example by putting her knee in his throat. But mostly, it's very "romantic."
   We enrolled Evelyn in a kids ballroom dance club this winter. It only lasted a week, but it was so fun to watch her practice. She was so scared people would laugh at her during the performance, that she practiced and practiced. Here are some movies of Evelyn dancing. The one below is part of her performance from the kids club at Westlake High. I wish you could see her face, I'm sure she had quite a studious expression.

Pug Shots

There is something way too much fun in taking pictures of a pug. They are just so photogenic. .....Or...not so photogenic. You pick which. Anyway, I had to post some favorites.

Believe it or not, Penny is asleep here. Evidently she can sleep with her eyes open.

Can't beat this!

Nice and cozy, Mom!

Caught with her head stuck in her toy basket!

Our Nativity last Christmas. Yes, Jesus had to be played by a Lalaloopsie doll. Not exactly reverent, but...oh well.

Snoozing in front of the fire after a long sledding day.

Merry Christmas, Dogbreath!

Wall-eyed puppy!

I wish she'd have stayed this size!

Disneyland Memories 2014 by Evelyn

  We went to Disneyland! Daddy had to work during the day, and Mommy and I got to go into the park. Grandpa and Grandma didn't come this time.

(Our first ride: Jungle Cruise. Evelyn was very nervous for all the rides except Winnie the Pooh the first day.)

   Haunted mansion was different than last time. It wasn't Jack Skellington anymore. I liked it a little. At first I didn't like it at all. But I did like when we were done with it and the bride was as tiny as a dwarf. That was funny.
   I went on Indiana Jones for the very first time! It was scary! I telled my mom and dad I wouldn't go on that ride. Then my daddy asked if I wanted to go walk around in a jungle cave.

 

(In the Queue to Indiana Jones before she knew where she was.)

So I did and in it was the Indiana Jones ride! I telled my mom and dad, "YOU TRICKED ME!!!!" Because they tricked me onto the ride.

(Her reaction after she figured out we just went on Indiana Jones. She wasn't scared, just offended that her Daddy had tricked her.)

Then Daddy bought me a bubble gun that lights up. When I went on it again, daddy bought me an Ewok toy. They didn't trick me that time. I was just brave, of course.

(Our second attempt at Indiana Jones: this time with a bribe. This was right after the ride: she was all smiles!)

(Tarzan's Treehouse)

 

 In the mornings Daddy went to work and me and Mommy went on the rides. Then we had to go back to the hotel to plug in Mommy's scooter because it would die. Then when Daddy came home, we would all go back to Disneyland!

(Outside the Luigi's Tires Ride.)

   Star Tours was my favorite ride this year because I know what it's about now. It's about robots and the Jedi and the bad guy who is Darth Vadar. I like Darth Vadar, but only when he repents.
   I liked Winnie the Pooh, but Mommy said we couldn't go on it anymore after the first couple days and that was sad. But we went on it lots and lots. That is because Small World was closed, and that made me sad.
   We went to the World of Color. The water splashed up and it was colorful! I even saw one little bit of fireworks. And some fireballs.
   We did pin trading again. It was fun because I got a big fat-sticking out guy and lots of orange birds.
   I liked the Mr. Lincoln Show. He telled us about Freedom and Liberty. He said that some people think freedom is doing whatever they want, but that's not freedom! Freedom is doing what is right. Also, they turned Abraham Lincoln's body into a robot!
   We went on Soarin' California, and we really smelled the oranges! It felt like we were really flying! It wasn't scary at all.
   Muppet theater was very silly. There was a bad Kermit, and I didn't know what was going to happen. And  guess what?! They really blowed up the theater! In real life.
   Disneyland is just magical because it feels  like you're in a real world. Everything gets bigger when you're in bugsland, just like you shrank and became a bug.
   I got lot of stuff on the drives. I got a flute, hair-things, necklaces and coloring books and sleepy toys. Mommy taked the flute away lots. We ate peaches and juice and applesauce and jelly beans and jerky and mangos. I liked everything.


(Entertaining herself in the car: She did AWESOME! No complaining during all twelve hours. She's the best kid EVER!)

   We gave Penny to Charles and Bryonone. Bryonese. Bryony.--while we were gone.  She did good.



(We found one of the famous Disneyland cats by Soarin' California. It even posed for us!)

(Snuggled with Itchy the Ewok after a long day in the park.)