Having Fun with the Camera

This is one of Ashleys favorite pictures of Shania

Ashley and Shania!

Ashley and Shania isnt it cute!?

Shania Thats nothing to laugh about looks like

shes in pain.

This is soo cute of her!
Angela and Kelsey they are such

good friends

Matthew and Kaitlyn arent they cute?!
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They would have probably taken more of

the littler ones but they came in when they

were about to put up the camera.

Christmas Pictures

Matthew isnt he adorible?!
Our little Angel!
This is such a good picture of Ashley!What a wonderful christmas picture for Timmy!

Christmas Rehersal

This is an extremly hyper Joseph

This is Ashley and Shania right before the

Rehersal started and they were waiting for the food! Looks like they are into the rehersal!:)
Everyone on Stage!
Natalie she is soo cute and
rambunctious you never know

what she is gonna say or do!

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The Rehersal went great! Ashley, Timmy, and Angela have to play the piano for the play and some of the others have poems to read including Matthew and Natalie. But they should do great (I hope):).

Missouri

WOW! Susie lifted more than 20 pounds

in the hotel gym. She will kill me for this!On the way home there was a little

snow i know its not a lot but it was fun,

we had a snowball fight and Ashley hit

Timmy with a Big one!:)

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We went to Missouri the week of thanksgiving for a funeral so we didnt have as long as a trip as we would have liked but at least we got to get back there to visit. We ended up being able to stay for thanksgiving and had a good time and lots and lots of food. We had a really good trip!

LABOR DAY WEEKEND!

LABOR DAY WEEKEND was a fun-packed time.

Friday night started it off with all three of the Wiseman girls getting to stay over. As the pictures show they know how to have a good time together. Usually the girls have a tag-a-long in our little Matthew. Tim being the oldest in a housefull of girls get to play bigshot. With the Leib's coming on over and the church getting together for a Monday evening picnic, Tuesday brought some tired parents and children. All were disappointed it had to come to an end but all as well were glad for the opportunity to get together once again.

CHURCH PICNIC!

Labor Day! Monday evening different ones came together for a church gathering at the park. With probably around 35 people there much activity was going on - basketballs flying, arms unused to much activty getting sore from playing catch, and kids buzzing in and out on scooters. Johnny Altic soon went to work cooking up some great hamburgers. I made sure to grab the tongs just in time for the snap of the picture. I sure hated to be caught with my hands in my pockets. Just like always, everyone brought more than their share and food was abundant. Afterwards we trudged towards the sand volleyball courts with our stomachs full but soon afterwards were flying around about doing our best to win the game. I would say that we had the better team but it was hard to prove being we ended up with the losing score. I went home muttering how much I hated losing. A great time was had by all. Hope we won't wait so long to do it again!

Leib's Are Here!

Sunday brought a pleasant surprise as the Leib's came over from California. As they were dividing their time between both of their families as well as wanting to see different ones from here of their former home church, we were very pleased that they were able to come by a couple of times. Sunday dinner at Susie's brought back old memories. The kids were all able to spend the night, joined by the Wiseman children the next day, all having a grand time. So good to have them over for the weekend.

"PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICH"

A couple of years ago I was working on the Sunday school water cooler getting it ready for the summer. Close to noon I had to make a run for supplies to the local Home Depot store. Arriving back home, I immediately climbed back up on the roof wanting to get a couple of coats of sealer on the bottom of the pan before lunch.

Shortly, little Matthew, who was only 3 at the time, came out of the door. “Dad, you want a sandwich?”

“Sure,” I told him, still expecting to be a little while before I came down and went inside.

In a few minutes he came back out all smiles and bouncing down the sidewalk. “Dad. I’ve got your sandwich. It’s peanut butter and jelly.”

Now that got my curiosity up because Tammy has made me a lot of sandwiches for my lunch, but never a peanut butter and jelly. I had to take a look. He had laid it on the picnic table for me. Sure enough, it was made of a regular slice and a heel. The peanut butter was not too smooth and the jelly was oozing out on all sides. The picnic table was not too clean and our windy day was drying the bread out fast. He stood proud and smiling, ready to go back in and make himself one now.

Now, I was no more ready to stop mid-work than anything. BUT – when my 3 year old made me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, the brush went into the gasoline, the cover went on the sealer, and I went into the house. It was “TIME FOR LUNCH.”

If ever the enemy whispers questioning God’s love for us, my mind immediately thinks of how very much I love my own. The Scripture then always comes to mind “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him.” With ammunition like that to combat the enemy, Satan has to take his flight and I am left to rejoice in the love of God.

"BEST BUDS"

As this blog is entitled FamilyTime we want everyone to have opportunity to have part in posting. Our youngest, Matthew, obviously is not at an age to do much writing just yet but that does not mean that he hasn't found a way to communicate with friends. With the help of his sisters, emails are sent back and forth between him and his "best bud" Trae very often. The following was one that we enjoyed and they allowed us to post. In this case Trae is writing Matthew. Enjoy !

“Match I don't think you got what I was saying so nvm I wish you you where out here alot can you send me back to its really weird becuz I send you a lot of emails and you never send me back I ment this girl at BBS and as soon as she saw me she went and asked me my name and stuff and she stold me she had a crush on me and now she asked me out witch boys are post to assk girls out but she already asked me out and I said no and than she told my sister marissa and than I told her I would think about it well it sounds kinda weird don't you think? And I don't really kno what to say so you can tell me what to say and maybe I might agree cuz you have really good answers!!! Well im changing the subject ok so are your sisters getting anoying? I bet they are I need to tell you something really really bad I cant tell you in the emal tho cuz your sisters can read it so when I see you ill tell you its really inportant so what are you up to? And what are you doing? I miss you lots and lots here is a pic it me pating duck!! He is such a good dog!! Well that's it for now so bye cya dude Miss you so much Trae”

Aren't kids a lot of fun?!!!

UNCONCEALABLE JOY

A man got on the cars very much amused about something. His face was fairly covered with smiles of the deepest order. As he came aboard he tried his best to straighten his countenance, but the facial lineaments would not be regulated. The hand was applied in a rubbing and smoothing out movement all in vain. One set of mirthful wrinkles would only disappear to give way to another. The party did his best to look grave as he encountered the cold, speculative eyes and icy demeanor of the passengers. He pulled his beard and attempted a severe and thoughtful expression, but the failure was complete and absolute. He next sank back in his seat, turned up his coat collar, and pulled his hat down over his eyes, but even then we could see his shoulders shaking and felt that the smiles had arisen to the hat bands.

Evidently it was a good thing he had; there could be no question of that, and now to the point and conclusion of the matter; in less than five minutes everybody in the car was in a smile or broad grin. The mans spirit had permeated and metamorphosed the crowd. He had conquered without a word.

Of course I had to make an application, and said: O, that we all had an experience so bright and glad and overflowing that everybody could see it before we had a chance to tell them, that people would be made to hunger, thirst and fairly pine for the blessing just from what they would behold in us.

To do that, however, we must have a smile that ascends to the hat bands, and a joy that no cold critical audience can dampen, much less take away. We have seen a few of the hat-band order; and a remarkable thing about them was that they had not gone into sidetracks. Their joy sprung from a clean heart and a constantly indwelling Christ. They would not allow themselves to be switched off on solitary features of the gospel, or on visions, or third experiences, but stayed on the main line. Hence instead of becoming scolders, fretters, sourly orthodox, etc., they kept sweet and bubbling over with joy. Lord, increase the smiling, level-headed tribe.

Living Illustrations By B. Carradine

"COME UNTO ME"

Revelation
22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Matthew
11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew
19:13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.
19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
19:15 And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

Evidently there was something disarming about our Jesus for it says that He was called “a friend of publicans and sinners.” Looking on this man called Jesus it seems that no matter where an individual had come from, how lowly they had been, they were able to find a friend in Jesus. Individuals that had been involved in the worst of sins when they came to Jesus found one willing to give them a second chance. Not only that, but they found a grace and a power in him to succeed in that opportunity. When He forgave, He truly did. There truly was a release from the past. “Old things were passed away and behold all things became new.”

And what was so amazing is that He asked nothing in return. He offered this grace freely. Isaiah says that “He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore His arm brought salvation unto him: and his righteousness, it sustained him.” In other words, He saw someone wanting to make a change, someone wanting to succeed, and He was just the one to make a way through. It says: “But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” While we had yet nothing to give in return, he offered us freedom, liberty, and salvation if we would but “come.”

And then we are surprised again at how much He gives. So often when something is advertised as “free” we know there is going to be “a catch.” It probably will not add up to much. But not so in Christ. In the Old Testament there was a widow woman who was destitute. To the prophet she cried of her situation. The only thing she had left in the house was a small pot of oil. He told her to go and borrow of her neighbors all of the empty vessels she could obtain. As she returned back into her home and shut the door behind she was told to begin to pour of the little oil she had. She began to pour into the empty vessels one by one. Filling the first vessel, she reached for another. With that vessel full, again, she reached for another, pouring and pouring until every vessel was full. Every vessel she had faith enough to gather had been filled.

Looking a little further at the extent that Christ will go and the extent that He will give, we find another Old Testament example of Christ called Boaz. Here a little woman, this one a young one named Ruth, has lost her husband, brother-in-law, and father-in-law to death and now is about to lose her dear mother-in-law, Naomi, who is leaving Ruth’s country heading back into her own. Naomi must have been a good example for as she was leaving, Ruth wanted to go also, saying: “Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.” That is quite a statement. As Ruth followed Naomi she had no promise whatsoever of any real future but that strong decision she made that day would be seen of a loving God up above and pay off wonderfully. As they came into Bethlehem Ruth went to glean corn in a field and the Scripture says it was “her hap to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz.” As Boaz heard of this young maiden’s situation and her decision he welcomed her to glean in his field and protection from the young men. Later he offered her a place at his table at mealtime and a little later even instructed the reapers to “let fall some of the handfuls on purpose.” As Naomi finds out that it is Boaz, a near kinsman, in whose field she is gleaning, she takes it another step forward asking Ruth, “Shall I not seek rest for thee?” In other words “Shall I not find a ‘home’ for thee?” She instructs Ruth just how to show her self “available” to Boaz and Ruth finds Boaz’s feelings mutual. Marriage, children, and grandchildren are all in Ruth’s future – all the result of an initial decision made to go with Naomi and her God. We don’t find it any different today. We make an initial decision to follow God and what an important decision it is. How many times have we heard: “I wish I had done this sooner. Why did you not tell me how good this is? (Even though we had.) The more that we are willing to go with Christ the more we find He is ready to give. She started out gleaning in the field and ended up with the field, the house, and the owner of it all.

This may sound too good to be true but yet it is so. Psalm 16 talks of the Lord being “the portion of mine inheritance” and yet Deuteronomy talks of us being His inheritance saying: “The Lord’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.” How He could put such importance on us but He does, saying, we are “the apple of his eye.” He promises us a heavenly home, saying, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” John 14 talks of that place describing it as “a mansion” that He is preparing and that He is preparing it for us even right now. Revelation 3 tells us that Jesus is looking at sharing His throne with us saying that He will “grant to sit with me in my throne.” I don’t comprehend the King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s sharing His throne but that is what it says! Do you get a picture of Jesus and his loved ones sharing in the glory of the Lord? Revelation 21 goes further yet and says that the overcomer “shall inherit ALL things; and I will his God, and he shall be my son.” I know it sounds too good to be true and yet He has not failed one word of His promises yet! He has come through on every point. What an opportunity! Wouldn’t it be foolish to miss such a grand invitation and fail to “come?” The song says: “Why do you wait dear brother? Why do you tarry so long? Your Saviour is waiting to give you a place in His sanctified throng. Why not? Why not? Why not come to him now?”

Blood Red Moon

The early morning hours of August 28th, 2007 brought us some wonderful views of a lunar eclipse. With the eclipse not to begin until around 2:00 in the morning and not end until close to 5:00, mom and dad had some decisions to make about our sleeping hours. With the children interested in seeing the rare views, the alarm was set for 2 am and then about every half hour afterwards. Some of the children rose for a while, soon to give it up. Others of us rose and fell with the alarm clock. And then there was Tim - come morning, he had never made it to bed. Needless to say, when the normal school hour rolled around not much activity was happening. But the children had some sights to see and all was glad they did. It was neat to see the shadows roll across the moon but neatest of all was to see the red color come upon the moons surface deepening with the time. Hope you got to see it too. School opened after lunch.