Some Heavy Friday Thoughts

I had to share this beautiful picture that my wonderful Mother took back in October when the leaves were glowing with light. Look at them! Glorious!

My boys are growing up! Especially Isaiah... It makes my heart both sad and proud to watch him grow into a young man. Sometimes, I wish they could all stay young so that perhaps I might be able to protect them better from all the bad things in the world (and from themselves!). But, I know there is a beauty in life to be achieved when we listen and follow HIS direction, by choice. My prayer for my boys (and my beautiful daughter) is that they will choose to follow the Righteous Path to LIFE. But, God knows I didn't always follow, and when I didn't--OMG I was AWFUL!! So, I suppose it should give me HOPE that all is not LOST even when it looks really BAD! I'm sorry, watching the boys get older causes me to project my past onto their future... Don't worry, I keep it to myself! ...I know that the time is coming when Joshua and I have to loosen the reigns and give them space to try flying solo.

If only I had a way with words, like my husband does. I would try to describe how this picture of the boys captures a moment in time when all things were innocent and all things were perfect, and how regardless of what the future holds for these young ones, there IS HOPE!!



Oh how I love them!

Summore Pics

Here are a few extra pics I neglected to add before. Sometime in the near or far future I'll add some monologue on our lives to go with the pictures, but I just simply do not have time at the moment. Just know that life is full and life is good and we are happily busy with our little family :) My oldest will be 13 in a few months...the youngest turning ONE just weeks before...So far, we are pleased with the direction things are going, but we're pressing on because we still have a long way to go! Hope everyone out there is holding on to your faith and securing what is shaky 'cause this ride is getting a little rough...Oh, geez, gotta run, time is running out...more later....

Brotherly Love <3


Another of Ira's birthday :)

Birthdays and Celebrations

Ira's 10th birthday cake, featuring his 'lucky' Lego brick.


tsk, tsk, Joshua

Happy Birthday to Jude and Venecy!

Yay for Jude!

Joe-Joe trying out the rock wall.


Birthday boy on the go-karts :)


Tired out from all the birthday fun!


The 8-year old birthday boy :)



Forgive the extra baby weight on me, but we had to get a picture of the beautiful birthday girl, Venecy, and her beautiful Mama :)

Yes, this year we did it again. We celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles in October and it was just beautiful. The weather was perfect :) ...and it was fun playing bad mitton too... Wish I had gotten a picture of it at night because it was amazing!






Just another ordinary day at the Steele house...

Loves to crawl under the table (which we moved against the window to give her more space to crawl)


Bein' silly with Daddy

OK, what happened was, the boys blew up this balloon and, with a marker, drew a face and stuff on it...well, guess who found the balloon??


Goin' for a ride.

Bruises on the forehead.

Pulling up and standing on everything.

Peace, Love, and Harmony

Just wanted to share this lesson:

'Agape' is a divine love that gives and gives and gives, even if it's never responded to, thanked, or acknowledged. You could say that agape is a love that isn't based on response but on a decision to keep on loving, regardless of a recipient's response or lack of response. Because agape is such an unconditional love, I call it high-level love. It is the highest, most noble, purest form of love that exists. —Rick Renner



When we have expectations of others based on our own definition of 'love', we will always be let down. My biggest disillusionment came when I realized that my husband could not meet my inmost needs. This was not a recent discovery, but one that hit me in the first year of our marraige. The one on earth who loved me most, was falling grossly short of my desire of...... whatever it was I needed. It crushed me, but it also set me free. There is no human being on this earth who can meet your needs, regardless of what those are. Our personal fulfillment comes only through a relationship with God through His Son, Yeshua. Yeshua, the suffering servant, who knows more than anyone what it means to be deserted by those closest to you, and yet continue to give and give and give to those who do not deserve it...including me. When I identify myself with Him, my expectations of others diminishes to nada, leaving me the freedom to love without strings attached. In fact, if I do not return the love He has freely given me, then He says that He will remove Himself from me. Because I am so deficient in the ability to do this, I cannot possibly judge others when they can't do it perfectly. Nevertheless, I will never stop practicing this wonderful truth, because, as they say....Practice makes Perfect.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Kate the Great and more...

More pics to come...I'm trying to clear some space on my camera. No time to explain why I've been MIA. If anyone still comes to the blog, stay tuned.





Cutie pie on the 4th. Love her dimples!

A good pic of my boys on the 4th.


Reading a book with her biggest brother

All the way back at Easter! Wow, she has changed!

A couple of months ago...lovin' her Daddy

It Ain't Me, Babe

Go 'way from my window
Leave at your own chosen speed
I'm not the one you want, babe
I'm not the one you need
You say you're lookin' for someone
Who's never weak but always strong
To protect you an' defend you
Whether you are right or wrong
Someone to open each and every door
But it ain't me, babe
No, no, no, it ain't me babe It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

Go lightly from the ledge, babe
Go lightly on the ground
I'm not the one you want, babe
I will only let your down
You say you're lookin' for someone
Who will promise never to part
Someone to close his eyes for you
Someone to close his heart
Someone who will die for you an' more
But it ain't me, babe
No, no, no, it ain't me babe
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

Go melt back into the night
Everything inside is made of stone
There's nothing in here moving
An' anyway I'm not alone
You say you're looking for someone
Who'll pick you up each time you fall
To gather flowers constantly
An' to come each time you call
A lover for your life an' nothing more
But it ain't me, babe
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

Kiawah

Wiped Out!