Showing posts with label eastlochtree. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eastlochtree. Show all posts
December 13, 2016
November 21, 2016
May 13, 2016
134|366 {Fun}...
This is how excited we get to see the sun after 15 days of rain. Happy {Fri-Yay}!!!
May 6, 2016
March 2, 2016
062|366 {Begins with E}...
Eli in the #eastlochtree. He loves the challenge of a climb but he needed a little help with this one.
February 11, 2016
042|366 {Monochromatic}...
scenes from Tuesday morning's snow day. Two of the boys chasing #bellathecreamgolden through the snow by the #eastlochtree
January 24, 2016
January 10, 2016
010|366 {Old}...
...a rainbow over the old #eastlochtree this afternoon. Click here to read a little about why this tree has its own hashtag.
August 28, 2015
Eli's 8!
He asked Mallory to bake him a "basketball cake." Unfortunately, while we were celebrating his birthday at the Japanese Steakhouse...Bella helped herself to the right front corner.
August 27, 2015
September 21, 2014
April 25, 2014
Ressurection Sunday...
The excitement leading up to this celebration was beautiful. With Eli's newfound faith he marveled at everything and asked tons of questions. His childlike faith challenged me to appreciate things anew this Easter. It made me think about this scripture...
"“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
One of my favorite days of the church is Maundy Thursday...my friend, Wanda Bickers and her team put together a very contemplative, self-guided experience to help you prepare your heart for Easter. We decided to attend as a family this year which has it's benefits and also a few drawbacks. It was wonderful to see each of the boys process the questions/activities at the different stations. I had Will the first time through so I actually went back later that evening. Eli asked to go again. I loved walking through the stations with him. He explained what I was to do at each of the stations. I snapped a few iPhone pictures as we made our way through the stations. Documenting his excitement and childlike faith so we would "remember" this Easter for years to come.
Early Easter morning we continued one of our favorite holiday traditions. We tie strings from the boy's doorknobs ...they follow their color string in a maze through the house
to find their Easter baskets. We had family in this Easter so the maze was "easy" Micaiah said. I explained to him that we were afraid we would clothesline a late night bathroom user if we didn't make it easy this year.
Get ready for next year buddy!
"“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
One of my favorite days of the church is Maundy Thursday...my friend, Wanda Bickers and her team put together a very contemplative, self-guided experience to help you prepare your heart for Easter. We decided to attend as a family this year which has it's benefits and also a few drawbacks. It was wonderful to see each of the boys process the questions/activities at the different stations. I had Will the first time through so I actually went back later that evening. Eli asked to go again. I loved walking through the stations with him. He explained what I was to do at each of the stations. I snapped a few iPhone pictures as we made our way through the stations. Documenting his excitement and childlike faith so we would "remember" this Easter for years to come.
Early Easter morning we continued one of our favorite holiday traditions. We tie strings from the boy's doorknobs ...they follow their color string in a maze through the house
to find their Easter baskets. We had family in this Easter so the maze was "easy" Micaiah said. I explained to him that we were afraid we would clothesline a late night bathroom user if we didn't make it easy this year.
Get ready for next year buddy!
Eli took it upon himself to make things easier for the boys once everyone found their baskets...
There are only a few times of year where we actually dress up for church and Easter is one of them. There is an earlier post with a serious Easter picture of the boys but the one below is one of my favorites.
Joshua picked out his shirt and tie a few months ago when we were shopping for shorts for Micaiah. He was so excited to wear a tie.
Then we were off to church. Pat Goodman did an incredible job encouraging us to LIVE in the resurrected life. If you have some time please take time to watch the message here (click on "watch video" for Easter 2014).
His message begins at the 32 minute mark. The video they play after the sermon is worth your time (Wes sings over the video and does an awesome job.) It begins at the 51 minute mark.
Then we were home to finish making Easter dinner. I'm so thankful my mom did most of the work (because she is an amazing cook).
After Easter dinner, the boys played a game of baseball in the front yard. It's so wonderful to see buds on The Eastloch Tree!
We enjoyed an egg hunt later in the evening...this is the first year Micaiah said he didn't really want to do the egg hunt. Thankfully this is the first year we decided to fill a few eggs with money so he changed his mind really quick.
"Jesus had risen, just as He told them He would. After a criminal does his time in jail and fully satisfies the sentence, the law has no more claim on him and he walks out free. Jesus Christ came to pay the penalty for
our sins. That was an infinite sentence, but He must have satisfied it fully, because on Easter Sunday He walked out free. The resurrection was God’s way of stamping PAID IN FULL right across history so that nobody
could miss it.
our sins. That was an infinite sentence, but He must have satisfied it fully, because on Easter Sunday He walked out free. The resurrection was God’s way of stamping PAID IN FULL right across history so that nobody
could miss it.
On the Day of the Lord—the day that God makes everything right, the day that everything sad comes untrue—on that day the same thing will happen to your own hurts and sadness. You will find that the worst things that have ever happened to you will in the end only enhance your eternal delight. On that day, all of it will be turned inside out and you will know joy beyond the walls of the world. The joy
of your glory will be that much greater for every scar you bear. So live in the light of the resurrection and renewal of this world, and of yourself, in a glorious, never-ending, joyful dance of grace"
Thank you Jesus...may we walk in your resurrected life.
March 1, 2014
The Eastloch Tree...
It's the only tree in our front yard. Poised at the convergence of two roads. There is a small sign nailed
to the trunk marking our address although I've always thought it's too
far away from the house to really help with navigation. The boys wait for the bus under it's shade in spring and play football under it's changing leaves in the fall. It's unassuming compared to the original oaks in the backyard. No swings hang from its branches beckoning kids to fly. But something about it intrigues me.
It was the heavy fog, early one November morning, that initially drew me in. The fog surrounding the tree with such beauty and mystery caused me to pause and capture the moment in photograph. I was captivated...noticing that some leaves still clung to the branches.
Just a couple of weeks later during one of the first snowfalls of the winter, I paused to take another photograph of the tree as big snowflakes fell all around it. It was this second photograph that prompted me to "name" the tree. I named it so it would be easy to locate the pictures on my computer.
But with the naming came a realization...this tree represented something deeper for me. It's taken a while to put into words and I still hesitate to try to explain the naming for fear that it sounds trite or cliche.
I've realized that the Eastloch tree is a constant in my life when so many other things are changing.
Many times this tree has caused me to pause and slow...to breathe in the beauty God is displaying right out my front door.
There are other times when I drive or walk right by without noticing, but I know that it's there.
It was early spring when we first moved in to this house. We had the trees trimmed by a company that we've grown to trust over the years. I remember saying to the Arbormaster owner, "I'm worried the tree in the front yard may be dying. I notice buds but no leaves. All the other trees in the yard are in full bloom."
After examining it, he said that he noticed a large "trunk wound" but the only way we would know if it was going to survive was to prune it and see what happened.
I'm beginning to realize that the Eastloch tree is a concrete example of Jesus in my life. He is constant. No matter what I am going through.
There are times when I sense His presence drawing me close and I stop and pay attention. Then there are other times when I rush through life without stopping to take notice but He's still right there.
James 1:17 says "He does not change like shifting shadows."
Hebrews 13:8 reminds us "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
Malachi 3:6 “I the Lord do not change." Whether I sense His presence or not...He is there.
And even with a gaping wound, a little pruning may be just what we need to bring healing and to facilitate healthy growth. But, most of the time it takes trust and perseverance that the difficult pruning will bring about something good and fruitful.
John 15:1-3 says...
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."
As I look through the pictures that I've taken over the past few months...there are stormy days, bright blue sky days, mysterious fog days...and yet the Eastloch tree remains the same. I'm so thankful for this concrete reminder.
It's only been three months since I began this photographic journey with the Eastloch tree and I don't intend to stop.
I've witnessed beauty in the most barren season...and look forward to new growth this spring.
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