First Operation Gummi Worms Club Day

 

Taken back in late June, a photo of the charter members of the club I dubbed "Operation Gummi Worms." Joel's the only boy in the club. Also pictured are Evelyn, Emily, and Abby.

We gather in my kitchen about every six weeks to pray for Joel's Uncle "Frip" (Trip) who is serving the US Army in Iraq. We also make cards and send goodies that Trip requests. His first request was for gummie bears or worms. We have since made Gummi Worms our club candy, which we munch on as we work.

The club has grown quickly. More pictures soon! 

Joel's Hot Tub

 
Remember the lazy, hazy days of summer? Joel filled up this red plastic toy bin with cold water from the hose. Then he climbed in and assumed this position. I asked him what he called it and he said "my hot tub." 

"You're So Beautiful, So Sweet, So Lovely"

 

I cherish these oft-said words from Joel. Precious little parrot. 

Flip it!

My hubby and I are fixer-uppers at heart, and have remodeled a couple of kitchens and bathrooms ourselves. We would like to take a rundown house, fix it up, and sell it quickly for a big profit. In the real estate business, this is called "flipping," and become the basis for a popular DIY show called "Flip This House." We watch it every weekend. Sometimes when we drive past a delapidated house, I'll say, "Oh, honey, how 'bout we flip that one?"

Little did I know that Joel was absorbing this concept.

A couple days ago he was sitting in the family room across from me. The adjoining kitchen had dishes that needed to be done, mail to be sorted, and a vacuum to be put away. Beside me was a basket of overflowing clean clothes to be folded.

"This house is really a mess!" he said, looking around. Then he pointed his fingers like a gun toward the basket of clothes, and kind of clucked.

"Like that laundry there?" he said. "Flip it."

Birdwatching Funnies

I took Joel to breakfast this morning while waiting for Sarah's 45-minute class to end. Since his clothes didn't match AT ALL, we sat in the car after picking up food in the drive-thru.

We happened to park right next to a well-landscaped area consisting of two red bushes (called burning bushes) a couple of everygreen shrubs and a small tree. A darling flock of finches chirped and chatted in the bushes. A chickadee sang with all her heart from a middle branch on the tree. A nasty bluejay didn't like her song, apparently, and bullied her out of the tree. Thankfully the jay took off soon and the finches flew into the tree.

I said, "Joel, listen to them. What do you think they're saying?"

"I think they're saying, "Welcome to the tree," he surmised.

When we picked up Sarah I told Joel to tell her what we had seen while waiting for her.

Joel said, "We saw little birds, black and white. They are precious in His sight."

Generosity Means the Whole Donut

Today on the way to Bible study Joel and I were talking in the van about what pleases God and what doesn't.

"Being kind does,"he said, "NOt calling people stupid or idiot."
"Yup, you're right," I agreed.
"Being obedient," he added. "The first time you're told to do something and you do it," he said.
"That's true, too." I said. "What else? HOw about being generous??"
"What does generous mean?" he asked.
"It means giving a lot," I said. "Sharing what you have with other people. Not a little, a lot."
"You mean like a donut?"
"Yes, but if I gave just a little bite, would that be generous?" I asked.
"No," he said.
"How about if I gave them half of it?"
'Yeh, I think so," he guessed.
"What about if I gave them the whole donut?" I asked.
"Then they'd eat it all!" he said.

Suddenly we both got quiet. Maybe we're not so sure about being generous with our donuts.