Hello, hello,

I had a wonderful Lord's day, which has been further cheered by the fact that I don't have school tomorrow, that I only have two days of classes left, and that by the end of this week I shall only have two finals remaining. One year down, three more to go. However, telling you about school wasn't my intention for blogging, I wanted to post a link to this audio of Richard Ganz on Self-esteem. I've been here and there listening to his book Psychobabble: The Failure of Modern Psychology & The Biblical Alternative. It had been helpful, as well as interesting, after going through another psychology course, sometimes it's hard to know what to do with all of the babble. :)

Here is Levi's baby quilt, which I shall hopefully drop in the mail today. :)

Another proof that Geneva can sleep anywhere. She was looking out the window waiting for the S's to arrive, but between seeing them and them getting to the door she was out cold. She managed to stay there for over half an hour.





When Baillie is older she will wonder why she has neck pain. :)

Alrighty. Well I was going to upload some pictures from the camera as well, but I have yet to find the USB cord for the camera. It shall have to wait until I can ask Mark if he knows of its whereabouts.

TTFN

In case anyone missed it we had a new family member join us yeterday dark and early. :) So that makes another cute little nephew for me, and I can't wait to get my hands on more photos. Here are the details:

"The world has another sinner. At least he's a cute one! Levi Durham Dohms joined the burgeoning Dohms clan at 2 am on Saturday morning, the 24th. The labour went very smoothly and was just about the perfect duration between frantic and prolonged. He came in at 9 lb 5 oz, so well on his way to a good German build. We have all returned home this evening and will be taking it easy over the next few days. Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement.

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. - Psalm 136:1

Jordan & Doralynne
Amos, Natalie, & Levi"

Hello, hello. Well didn't I say I would blog sometime? Funny, I thought I would during my break, but one thing led to another. I always feel that there is something else I have to do rather than gab on here. Of course, I also said to myself that after such and such an event or outing I would sit down and post. So yes, enough with excuses, here I am, stealing a moment from things that I really do need to do, but such is my method of keeping my sanity...I am going to take a break out and try to expound on the last few weeks of happenings.

After my finals I had hoped to do a lot more sleeping, but that was not to be the case anymore than normal. Other than that I had a great break, we were able to have a couple of families for dinner on different nights. I always enjoy conversing with reformed Christians; fellowship is sweet, and it is a great blessing when it is local as well. We've still been sorting out our lives in regards to our Lord's day and weekly fellowship, but God has been good and continues to provide for our needs.

I took some time to take the kids sledding with a few other children that I picked up and am happy to report that no one died, or was even seriously injured on the hill. Afterwards we were able to go to the W. for hot chocolate and snacks, and then it was time for drop off, and to return home. This was all on the 31st, so after dinner, B, the kids, and I were able to head out to the K. Where we enjoyed all sorts of finger foods and conversations, but we didn't say out until the new year...I don't think Lydia could have handled that..or Geneva for that matter. On the 1st I was able to go out to the D's where we watched Pride and Prejudice, the beautiful 6 hour version. :D I remembered to take the baby quilt that I've been working on, so it was both productive and enjoyable. After half of the movie, the D. girls and I went for a brisk walk and enjoyed plenty of laughs.

I shall have to post some pics of the baby quilt at some time as I'm really happy with how it has progressed, although my progress has lessened considerable since the end of last week thanks to school, which I'm not really grudging. :) I badly need to upload pictures of the kids as well, as I'm sure they have grown a ton since the last time I've posted some. Mark and B took some family ones at Sears, so perhaps when those get in I shall put one up.

I started school on the 5th, so one week down, a few months to go. Right now I'm busy trying to get my reading done as I would like to not fall behind this semester. And that is where I ought to be. Perhaps I'll post about my courses...at some point :D So far I'm quite happy with what I'm taking this semester. Alright, well I've been called for fw, so adieu for the present

PS Tam and Shawn found out they are expecting a baby, that was wonderful news to end 2008 with. Dor is due around the end of January, thus the baby quilt. :)

I just finished my last final for the semester, woohoo!! So that leaves just one Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder project to go, what I feeling of relief. Well, now I'm just dying to know how I did, as tonight was quite a toss-up as it was more challenging than the last midterm. It could have been good or bad, as there are always those variables. You know, the "did I understand properly?", did I go into enough depth, did I even give the right answer. But yes, at any rate I will be thankful that it is done and that despite what tests may show I have learned a lot in the process---God be thanked and praised. I simple love biology, although at the same time it can overwhelm, depending on how much depth it goes into how quickly. However, the more I learn the more I appreciate just how wonderfully we were created, and how the body is so organized, certainly nothing having to do with chaos or chance. :) Alright, well this isn't meant to be an exhaustive blog spot, just a tid bit of an update, so I had best go do some of my reading.

Cheerio,
Jode

The following is a quote by Ted Byfield that Milly sent to me; I thought it was worth sharing. :D And yes, I hope to be blogging again soon, sorry for the dry spell. :)

"...to believe anything at all is to believe it true. To believe something true is to believe that whatever is incompatible with it must be false. And to believe somebody else's belief false is implicitly intolerant. Therefore, if intolerance is an evil, belief itself - in anything - is an evil. So the only way we can get rid of intolerance is to prohibit belief. Which, of course, would be very intolerant indeed."

The above pictures were borrowed from others, as I opted not to be stuck behind a camera :D

Alright, it's high past time that I blog, and as I am briefly in the mood to do so, I shall get right to it. Now where was I? Oh yes, that family reunion, this shall be the very snappiest so that I can be up to date once more.

After we got to Dave and Becky's, and B and I slept on the ground, I think that's where I left off.

The next morning I received a piping hot mocha from Uncle Dave, who is extremely generous with the chocolate and cream, yum, I've been craving these, and their coffee since I left. As I believe I mentioned they have the best bakery on the Island, and I say this with great confidence, even though it's the only one I've been to on the Island (what can I say, I love my family, and am proud of their skills :D) . After this Uncle Dave took a load of us out with two boats, and after getting licenses we went fishing. I can't say I brought in much of anything, other than what I would consider a baby fishy, someone else's line, and a few big things that got off before I could bring them up..that's about it. It was fun, and to top it all of, Uncle Danny had his 12 or so passenger van get stuck on a bolder. :D We returned to the bakery, and helped make dinner, or something of the like. I think Jord and Dor arrived around here somewhere. And hm, I drank my share of coffee after only 4-5 hours of sleep. I think this was one of the nights we had a great family story telling time around the fire, and so we went to bed late.

The next day (Friday) we played several paintball games, with the Warrens and in-laws pitted against the Soles. I won't go into a lot of detail there, but it was super fun, despite the welts. After this a bunch of us took a trip to a beautiful shallow river (at the part we went to), that had a bottom of slate, with various sizes of water filly pot holes in it. So it was like a ton of nice cool bath tubs to play in. Various people began to leave either for home or Jason and Vicky's wedding. Shawn and Tam arrived in the evening, and we worked out all of the details for the wedding travel, and had another night around the fire.

Saturday we headed to Victoria, men in one van (including Clint) and women in the other, for the wedding, where after the reception Jord and Dor headed back to the main land, and Shawn, Tam, Belinda, the kids, and I headed back to Uncle Dave's. We arrived pretty late, and went to bed.

On the Lord's day we visited, and after listening to a sermon we went for a walk in a very beautiful park, where Shawn read to us. Yeah, it was nice, and that sentence certainly doesn't do it justice. :)

Monday it was Shawn and Tam's turn to play paintball, and so I had a lot of fun doing that again, and boy did I get hit. :D I think we had a nice long talk with Uncle Dave in the evening, and Auntie Becky was also able to take some time out to join us...or was that the day before? Hmm

Tuesday, I don't remember much. Oh that's right! We went boating with Uncle Dave, without the fishing part. Walked along the beautiful sandy beach, tossed shells, and got very wet. It was rainy on the way back, and the waves were kinda cutting across the boat, so we, kids and all, were soaked. Had a total Cast Away moment, went Calvin lost a Wilson volley ball, it just floated away. I think after we got changed Tam, B, and I did some grocery shopping, Belinda forgot some groceries in the store, so Tam and I went back for them, and we also had to find some sandals for Shawn, who..hm, got his wet? Then I took Shawn and Tam to the airport, and returned to pack up all of our junk, and somehow managed to cram it all back in.

The next morning it was off for home, we made the ferry, and it was smooth sailing, excepting a big rain storm, but we made it home safely, albeit very.

Ok, so that was it, minus a lot of highlights.

As for lately, I've been keeping crazy busy with school, and there's always more, so it's hard to get things done, and take time for something like blogging. Perhaps I'll have one of my weekly school rants on here sometime, there's always a lot to think about and digest with my classes in this humanistic world. But sleep takes prioity with a busy week ahead.

So until next time, keep fit and have fun,

Jode

Okay, I really, really mean to continue the family reunion post, but it may have to wait for a couple more weeks, or some free gap. But hey, I haven't forgetten. :)

"When the spirit of slavery, the fear of freedom and responsibility, characterizes a people, it is absurd to home for relief by political action. Where people are unregenerate, they will be possessed by a spirit of slavery, and they will create a slave society, call it socialism, communism, a welfare economy, fascism, naziism, or what you will. The fallacy of political conservatives is that they put their hope in politics and thus neutralize effective action by by-passing Biblical faith.

St. Paul said, "ye have not received the spirit of bondage akin to fear" (Rom. 8:15). and the word fear is in Greek phobos, which in origin meant flight, and them that which causes flight. The fear of which St. Paul speaks is a fear or flight from God. Those whose spirit is marked by slavery are in flight from God and from their responsibility to God; they are also in flight from themselves, because the witness of God is written into the fabric of their being and in all creation. (This fear, phobos,, is not the same as eulabeia, fear, meaning caution, reverence.)

This gives to the man of faith a God-directed future-oriented perspective.. He is a citizen of the new creation, of which Jesus Christ is the first fruit (1 Cor. 15: 20). "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature," or, more accurately, a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). He has an old world dying around him, and a new world coming into birth on all sides. Whatever the problems the old world confronts him with, he can always rejoice (Phil. 4:4) because he knows the certainty of the new world's triumph. Every day men are reborn into that new creation, and every day reconstruction goes on in terms of it.
The spirit of bondage or slavery is the spirit also of sin and death, so that it is also termed "the bondage of corruption", from which we shall be delivered "into the glorious liberty of the children of God" (Rom. 8:21). The word translated as "corruption" can also mean destruction, so that the state of depravity is the slavery to corruption or destruction. In Romans 8:13, we are told that all who "are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." The word sons is used to indicate maturity; such persons as are led by God's Spirit are not children but rather maturing and growing persons. The word sons is replaced by children in vv. 16, 17 and 21, and sons used in v. 19. The difference is of interest. In the first instance, we are children in relationship to Gos, by contrast to His awesome majesty and sovereign grace; in the second, we are children in the sense of heirship together with the Son Jesus Christ, who is the only begotten Son of God and the first-fruit of the new creation; a priority and seniority gives Christ the title of son,, and us of children as a contrast. The fullness of the new creation will see "the revelation of the sons of God" (v. 19) in their maturity. Third, because our "glorious liberty" in all its fullness is still future, yet present in its partial sense, we are children in our experiences of that liberty and are so called. We shall grow and mature in our realization of that liberty.

The mind of the modern humanism has been described as the disinherited mind, homeless like Cain, even in its home, a wanderer driven by sin and guilt, and a stranger to all things. The adopted sons of God are not disinherited; they are heirs. They are not strangers or foreigners to this world, although they are pilgrims in it; they can sing with certainty, on their pilgrimage, that "This is my Father's world." The hand of the disinherited is raised against all men, whereas the heir carries the good news of the rich estate to all men. The disinherited mind is at war with the estate, and he seeks to destroy it. Even when he holds possession of the world briefly, he knows he shall be dispossessed, and so he gets what he holds as a pillager and plunderer. Only in the hands of the heirs can this world or the world to come ever flourish, for the world to come for the disinherited is hell itself, and their self-created environment of the world they now live in is a suburb of hell. The heirs, as citizens of the new creation, make of time itself an outskirt of heaven."

The continuation of the quote from last week..from Revolt Against Maturity.. Yes, I know what you might very well be thinking.."oh, another quote, I don't have time to read quotes", but I'll have you know that it's worth the read. At least to me, as I tend to think about topics I wouldn't normally, and then consider how those same fruits of actions are grown in our own country..after all, slavery in one form or another is not a thing of the past. Adieu and have a great Lord's day!

Jode


"The material which this commission assembled brought some amazing facts to light. The house slaves were indeed members of the oldest aristocratic families in the land. Centuries ago, an impoverished member of the family had sold his freedom to some prince of other, whereby the rights and duties of the new slave and his descendants were exactly prescribed. The slaves were only obliged to do the work which had been done by the first of their line. And for this they were maintained by their masters all their lives and in certain circumstances they were rewarded with presents.
In the course of time, it was the princes who became impoverished and the aristocratic slaves who increased in the most devastating fashion. It thus came about that many a slave owner had to expend his whole income in supporting the descendants of his original slave. If the first of them had been a cook or a groom, all his descendants --- and their number increased with the passage of time to dozens --- could be nothing else but cooks or grooms. One slave owner with three horses had to maintain thirty grooms, who lived in his own house and demanded presents from him. Another, who was living from hand to mouth himself, had at his disposal twenty cooks, and it never occurred to a single one of them to do anything but lounge about in the kitchen. All the slaves had valid documents in their hands, which protected their position, and they regarded this attempt to free them as a brutal injustice and violation of their ancient privileges, whereas for more of the owners the riddance of their slaves meant bliss unheard of.

Not all slave-owners have had such unfavorable conditions, but the mark of a true slave, the spirit of slavery, is precisely that which Essad-Bey described. The slaves of the Causasus were some of the oldest aristocracy; today, many of the oldest aristocracy of the West, major capitalists, workers, and farmers are alike infected with the spirit of bondage or slavery, which had always a preference for security as against freedom, and the certainties of slavery as against the risks of liberty. Fear is the mark of a slave, and ultimately his fear is a fear of life and its problems and a search for the womb-like security he imagines slavery to be. The slave had the backward look, the orientation to the past, and an oblivion to the future, because he has none. True slavery is of the spirit, and it is a flight from life."

To be continued..again. :D Or should I say, to to be continued, that's how I rename files.. "newimage" newnewimage" ..."newnewernestimageanddontforgetit".

Ok, I'm stealing some time out for a post because I realize tomorrow will never come if I leave it for then. Now for a family reunion recap...I should say part 1.

The reunion for us began a day early when the Soles from FN stopped in on their way down. We had a pleasant evening of tea, and conversation followed by a day of us packing all of and our belongings into the van. We crammed ourselves in, and left at around 7 am on Wednesday, after waving good-bye to Mark who was unable to come, intending to catch a 5:20 or 7:30 pm Ferry to the Island. All in all, an estimated 13 hour trip, which includes ferry time, but not pit stops. It was a good drive down, I've always taken some sort of pleasure in highway driving, and 97 south is a new road for me. This was my first time driving to/in Vancouver, as I've only flown in before, and that only for connecting flights to the States. The drive was nearly uneventful, excepting a wrong turn at Albakerky (Albuquerque?). We turned towards Lillooet, instead of stay on highway 97, until we ran into highway 1. The road signs in the southern half of this province are very lacking, and I suppose my navigational skills needed some refreshing. :D So we ended up taking the higher portion of the Sea-to-sky-highway (99) until we were able to get onto our more desired route, highway 1. The view from 99 was awesome and awe inspiring, demanding a respect for the posted speed limit, as the narrow, winding highway runs right along the Fraser Canyon.

We made it to the ferry in "time" (4:30 pm) for the 5:20 ferry, but were put into a ...loong liiine of caaarrs.., and didn't make it on until the 9:30 ferry (which was also running late). We later learned that the abnormal swelling of the lines was due to a fire that had occurred on one of the ferries earlier that day, and also that two other sets of relatives made it onto the 7:30 ferry, for which we were ten cars too late in line. We learned a few valuable lessons, such as never relax in a ferry line-up, because it could move at any time, even when the ship hasn't sailed in yet. So after taking 1.5 hours to get across, and another 1.5 hours to drive to Uncle Dave and Auntie Becky's, we arrived at the fashionably late time of 1 am. This is not an unusual arrival time for members of our family, albeit, we have been striving to change this habit since the days we were born. :D After such a looong day Belinda and I chose not to disturb the repose of all of the other campers, choosing rather to park the bus on the road that runs past Auntie Becky's bakery. We chose to throw the seats down for the whining/crying/extremely tired/half asleep bunch of kids, and to roll out a couple of sleeping bags into the glass in an obliging field, to climb in, and to sleep as though we were on feather beds--- at least until the kids took turns crying, and the dew set in. But regardless of these little hindrances, we slept well, and you should have seen the stars at 3 am, wow.

To be continued..hopefully.

Jode

"The Old Testament law referred to slavery as a voluntary servitude, where except for captives of war and criminals making restitution, a slave was free to leave at any time. Such slaves were men seeking refuge from the world of freedom and responsibility; they preferred security to liberty, because liberty meant troubles and possible losses, whereas servitude meant cradle to the grave care.

A telling illustration of such slavery comes from Essa Bey's account of the abolition of slavery in the Caucasus after conquest of that area by Tsarist Russia. The Russian viceroy called in the Caucasian chiefs and ordered the abolition of slavery; he was surprised at the ready cooperation he received. The resistance came from the slaves, who protested, "Slavery is our sacred right...Many of us are of the hereditary nobility, and some of us are priests. The Tsar should have a respect for the rights of the native nobility." A commission was appointed to investigate the matter.".....Quote to be continued.

"An old saying has it that 'murder will out'. More accurately, a man's thoughts will come out in acts as well as words. History, therefore, does not stand still. Solomon said of man, 'For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he' (Prov. 23:7). What a man says today, he will probably do tomorrow. The idea therefore that pornography will not lead to sexual action, or murderous ideas and plans to murderous acts is naive and foolish. Ideas are programs for action, and man's imagination is his drawing-board for next year's campaigns and activities." Revolt Against Maturity ~ Rushdoony.

AFTER : The girls room.


Forgive the horse with its missing eye. The eye in the garage somewhere just waiting to be glued back on. :D

Here are some pictures from my latest projects, as well as a couple of my room with my new/old desk. It's perfect for my sewing, and I'm so glad Belinda spotted it..and got it for me (at a steal of $20) , she's awesome. :) We picked up the trunk at the same sale, and as it had potential I turned it into a coffee table/a hope chest for Baillie. Nothing quite as nice at solving two desires in one. I'll try to post some of the after pictures of the girls' room soon. :D

BEFORE


AFTER


BEFORE


AFTER




Method to great before and after pictures...first begin work before you pull out the camera so that the room is thoroughly trashed prior to the "before" picture. This will increase the appearance of improvement and organization when you put Humpty Dumpty back together again. See below for a few illustrations of this method. The proof is in the pudding.

BEFORE


AFTER

BEFORE

"Babal was intended according to Ellul, as an 'advance against God.' However, in every age, meaninglessness is the destiny of every builder of Babel; the more men separate themselves from God, the more they separate themselves from meaning. This, then, is the first and central meaning of tyranny: by its separation from God, every tyranny becomes also a separation from meaning. Humanism thus can never accomplish its purpose, because in the process of seeking its own will it destroys purpose. The closer man comes to building a Tower of Babel, the closer he draws to his own confusion and scattering. The successes of humanism only draw it closer to its bloody suicide. Thus, 'Babel will never be finished.'" Revolt Against Maturity ~ Rushdoony.

Another lapse in blogging. Okay, I only have time for five things, although I have plenty more to say, but it'll just have to wait.

1) I officially finished Psych 101 last Thursday, and have received my final grade, although I have yet to know the exact mark on my last exam. I was really happy with the outcome (A+), God's mercies indeed do endure forever. :D

2) I'm now working on a whole bunch of around the house projects, and there isn't enough time or energy to complete everything I want to before September. But I'm taking it one day at a time, and about 3 or 4 projects at a time. Can't become bored if you're able to switch back and forth. I hope to be painting two bedrooms next week. I just wish I had all of my sisters here, nothing like many hands making light/quick work, and good company which makes time pass quickly. But, I shall persevere regardless.

3)The family reunion is coming up quickly! :D

4) We took a quick trip to Edmonton on the weekend, day after I got out of school. Had a great visit, and I have yet to catch up on my lacking sleep. I keep telling myself that sleeping more is a duty as I can't be worn out for the reunion you know, or school in the fall for that matter, but I'm afraid that as I have a little too much of Dad in me. I can tell myself I ought to sleep more, but alas time waits for no man.

5) Hm, all that talk of sleep makes me really, really want a nap, but I'm off to sand the bay window, it's past due for a refinishing. I love power tools. :D

TTFN

Jode

PS I'll try to post various pictures sometime soon.

1. Resorting to five things is the best thing to keep a blog alive. :D

2. I have my second of three psychology exams today, yes, I shall be studying some more, but I needed a brain break. My first exam went quite well, so I'm hoping this one shall do the same. In this portion we covered a lot of material (somewhere around 100 pages) on the brain, the various lobes and components, the eye, the ear, touch, and other sensations/perceptions. Very interesting stuff, and I'm sure it's already aiding me on my up-and-coming biology courses. Gotta love subjects that multi-task all on their own. Now if only these subjects of study weren't entwined around evolution; yes, my text is called "An Adaptive Mind", and they would like to think it was the process of soup ---> superior race. I found the subject of EEA (environment of evolutionary adaptedness) to be especially bizarre, as the example given was "...if our hunting and gathering forebear was chased repeatedly by a saber-tooth tiger (pretty scary being chased by a rack of bones) he would eventually, after many repetitions, learn to run faster and climb higher." I wanted to respond that he wouldn't have learned to run faster, because he wouldn't have any legs to run on, nor would he have had any living children to learn the required survival lesson, because he would have killed them before he learned to love them. Yes, they consider a father's love to be an adaptive trait, gotta kill all of your children before the next generation will learn to love their kids...you see my point. But alas, there is no space given to even interject a question on the topic, as the subject is a script given as a matter of fact that quickly rolls into the next topic, combining truly adaptive behavior with that which is natural; ie. it is natural to run when something pursues you, it is learned behavior to turn around and shoot what is chasing you. After all, we were created with a mind to reason with, and a sympathetic system to respond with, but we weren't created with guns.

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen."
(Rom 1:18-25)


3. Okay, off of my soap box..where was I, oh yes, number 4.

5. Jord and Dor are coming for a visit, yahoo! :D

Back to the books,

Jode