The kids and I just got back from visiting the West Michigan Healing Field, a local memorial for those who died on September 11th, 2001. Each of the 3200 flags represent a life lost that day, including 21 who were Michigan residents. The flag tribute is on display for five days at the Cannonsburg Ski Area (near Grand Rapids) from September 9th through September 13th, 2011. If you live nearby, you really need to go. Don’t miss the moving video below.
Here are some pictures I wanted to share with you, and also my favorite quote of the day from a Grand Rapids fire chief:
“People have asked how I get men to go into a burning building and risk their lives to save others. My answer to them is, ‘How do I keep them out?’”
These were on the flags with information about each person who died.
I love this next one because I had just been talking to the kids about the quote, “There are no menial jobs, only menial attitudes.”
It’s been a couple weeks since I’ve updated this blog, and even though there aren’t as many readers here as on my Kitchen Kop blog, I do normally try to be a little more regular with posting than I have been recently. Having the kids home more all summer makes for a lot of fun, but since I can’t do it all, I’ve been putting Mom stuff first.
Also, we’ve been getting ready for our Colorado trip. I’m actually writing this from our hotel room now while Kent has the kids down at the pool.
I wanted to tell you about that picture above, the view that brought tears to my eyes.
It was taken when our train was almost to the very top of Pikes Peak, near Colorado Springs. Off in the distance you can actually see Kansas. I love how the clouds make dark shadows on parts of the mountain; and look at the lake and the green meadow – breathtaking isn’t it? When looking around up there, my mind was flooded with thankfulness to our Lord for how good He is, that He would create such beauty for us to enjoy while here on earth. What a gift.
Here’s our view AT the top of Pikes Peak:
It was 90* when we got on the train to come up and was snowing at the top and freezing!
Apparently this was the location where Katherine Lee Bates was inspired to write the song, America the Beautiful:
We also had an awesome view out the windows behind the altar at St. Dominic Church where we went to Mass last night:
You couldn’t see it in that picture, but here’s the shot of the mountains that we got to take in while we worshipped the One who created them:
The clouds do wild things here in the mountains.
Here’s a cool shot right in the romantic location of…the Whole Foods parking lot:
Here’s one of a storm coming over the mountains:
The next day we decided to drive up to the summit, and I got a couple more shots I had to show you!
This first is another one showing how crazy the clouds are up there at the top:
This next shot is just one more view that I wanted you to see. Don’t you love the way the sun peeks out from the clouds to shine on a random meadow or mountain peak here and there?
And this is the Third Day song that’s been in my mind all week:
Are you finding the beauty in God’s creation wherever you are right now?
It’s everywhere you look, whether it’s in the people you love or in your surroundings. Here are more examples of His handiwork that I’ve captured and shared here on the blog before.
Jill & Ryan often write about marriage on Jill’s blog, The Diaper Diaries, and recently she posted a video of them being interviewed on the local news station, talking about how to find Mr. or Mrs. Right. They hit on some really good points and suggestions for finding the person to spend the rest of your life with. And of course their advice also gives us good pointers for being a better Mr. or Mrs. Right for the person you’re already married to:
This recent blog post from Focus on the Family, This is what integrity looks like, was a heartwarming read, just knowing that there are many people of integrity still out there!
Read an excerpt:
“Earlier this month Robert Adams of Arlington Heights, Illinois, was waiting to use an ATM machine when he discovered something you don’t often see: a clear plastic bag containing $20 and $100 bills resting beside the machine. He later learned that the sack contained a total of $17,000.
Following some research and a trip to a local Chase bank, it was determined that the bag belonged to the Loomis armored truck company. Mr. Adams says he was never tempted to keep the lost treasure. “I don’t care if you put another zero on there, I wasn’t raised to take money that isn’t mine” he said.”
Read the whole post: This is what integrity looks like, and if you’re like me, you won’t be able to stop reading the comments there either!
A good friend sent me this story on laminin via email and I had to check it out to see for myself. Sure enough, check Google images and Wikipedia, it’s all there…
Here’s a 6 minute video to explain it. This guy’s speaking style isn’t normally my favorite, but the content is worth listening to anyway. I don’t know if it would necessarily convince an unbeliever that God exists, but it’s still cool.
I know nothing about football. Nothing. The kids will joke at school about who likes Michigan better and who likes Michigan State better, so they’ll ask me and I’ll tell them, “Don’t care.” “But Moooom, which ONE, if you had to pick?!” They don’t get it, I really don’t care. But now my answer will be this: my favorite team is whichever one Tim Tebow is playing for.
I loved the Superbowl ads that he and his Mom, Pam, did last year with Focus on the Family.
Then I saw him on this Huffington Post video of his interview on Bill O’Reilly. Did he just say, in clear language, “God bless you” on television?! Did he talk about glorifying God with how he plays football?! How sad that this type of language is so rare now. I watched it and said to our 12 year old son, “Now THAT is a real man.”
Next I went and ordered two of his new books to send to a couple of my nephews who love football. It’s called, Through My Eyes. (Pictured at right.)
“True freedom comes not when I can do whatever I want, and that’s what the world says, right? The definition of freedom if I ask young people, ‘What does it mean to be free?’, they say, “Well I can do whatever I want. So you can do whatever you want, with whomever you want, however you want, whenever you want, and don’t tell me what to do, and I’m free.” But there’s also a saying that says, ‘If you do whatever you want to do, there will come a day when you do the things you never thought you would.’ Because we’re broken by original sin, we struggle. That is not the definition of freedom. The definition of freedom is being able to see what is good and being free to choose that good. That is when I am truly free, because if I can’t say no to myself, I’m a slave to myself! If I can’t say no to something outside of me, I’m a slave to that. We as children of God, we’re not called to be slaves, we’re called to be free! To be free in the power of Christ, and He comes for that reason, He comes to set us free!”
Watch Sister Miriam’s whole talk and learn more about Truth, self-sacrifice, and real freedom:
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These were on the flags with information about each person who died.
I love this next one because I had just been talking to the kids about the quote, “There are no menial jobs, only menial attitudes.”
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