Friends

We were privileged to be able to join our friends the McClays on this past Thursday for dinner. We count it a great joy because of their great godly example for my family. These are only a few things that I can think of right now, namely: an absolute love between man and wife (as captured in the picture below), disciplined children (who love to read and seek first the kingdom), a God-gifted man-of-the-house (there is no effeminate man in this household), God-gifted teenagers (you'll see below how the older kids cleaned up after dinner with joy and without being told, it was a chore where they would listen to music and simply enjoy life; their first-born Katie prepares the younger kids for bed and puts them to sleep so Mom and Dad and their guests can talk after dinner), and finally may I add down-to-earth (this means 'real' as opposed to superficial). I enjoy every minute with this family not only because they are a big bundle of love (7 kids and one more on the way!) and they include you into this love circle and make you 'part of the family', but because they are a proclamation of God's grace to all families who seek a way to give God glory in all things, especially the mundane. I admit that humans naturally do not want to give God the glory; it is hard to enjoy God and include him in the small, ordinary dealings of life. But we must do it, he must be part of every aspect of our lives or he will merely be part of our life, and therefore, only part of our kids will grow to know him fully. It is a monumental task to make God everything in life, and it comes to be an enormous price to fail (and that price is watching in dismay as your kids live out a life in rebellion to God, instead of yielding their life to him and finding the joy that can only come in Jesus Christ.) May We say from this family, that We Love You Julie, Steve, Katie, Caleb, Shannon, Kieran, Kirk, Chloe, and Kanah, and you (hopefully a little boy) in utero!

Now for the pictures:


Captured: The Love that started it all:
Captured: The teenagers who do their chores (without complaining, and with joy)
Captured: (Again, amazing kids)

The cutest of smiles: McClay's need more than 8 if they are going to keep making God-filled joy as seen in this little girl.

One of my favorite friends to visit because I like to visit their turtle! I love herpetology!