The 7th Day of the 7th Month of the Year '07

Big news! Joshua got his 5th tooth today! It's on his right side next to his top two front teeth. I saw it this morning and felt it when I was brushing his teeth. Hooray!Today was actually an eventful day, both on earth & in the Spiritual realm, I'm sure. Nationally, "the Call" happened in Tennessee and a group from our church was going down to be there while others watched from a rebroadcast in Ephrata. In a newsletter sent from my friends Kris & Brian Flewelling who are missionaries with Eagles Wings, they said this about the Call:

Thousands of people, including hundreds of nationally known Church leaders from around the country, are gathering in Nashville, TN on July 7th, 2007. This isn’t just a festival or another conference or fancy concert. These people are joining together for a “solemn assembly for the whole Body of Christ, a day of fasting, prayer, repentance and worship.” This is a moment in American history when God is calling America back to covenant with him, back to consecration. July 7th, 2007 is a day of covenant. In the Bible, the word ‘oath’ literally comes from the word ‘seven’ because they would repeat their vows seven times. Also, 2007 is a covenant year for America, the 400th anniversary of the planting of the cross in Virginia. We believe that if the Church will gather to fast and pray, God will visit America in an historic awakening again.

So, 07.07.07 is a big day! Today was also my sister Jen & Mike's wedding anniversary - hope it was a happy one! Shawn, Joshua & I went swimming at Mom's house even though they weren't home. Joshua splished splashed and seemed to enjoy himself, even though the water was a little chilly. Shawn got to see him swimming, too, which was a new treat for Daddy. Isn't the picture above adorable? Poor Joshua's hat kept sliding over his eyes. Soooo cute! Becky came over while we were there. It was nice to see her, too. After we were finished and Joshua soaked up some sun with his lunchtime bottle, we went and visited Mom & Jamie in the hospital. Joshua did really well this time, too. He slept beforehand in the car and looked so adorable when we went to get him out.

After we got back, I cleaned our outdoor toys that we had bought at a yardsale, along with some tub toys, emptied my car and cleaned it, gave the bushes and ivy out front a "hair cut" with small loppers Shawn found, and played with Joshua in the grass. When we were done, I brought Joshua in with me, made dinner (which was delicious!), fed him his supper, and allowed Shawn some time to get work done. After I cleaned up the dishes, I gave the Bean a bath (washing away all the sunscreen out of his hair), and he loved it, along with his new toys. Shawn started feeding him a bottle while I got a shower, and the Bean was completely zonked in moments. Speaking of which, it's about my bedtime, too. I'm praying that Joshua sleeps through the night!

Please also pray for a family who is friends with my friend Julie. Their two-year-old little girl Alivia went to be with the Lord Friday morning after a battle with Leukemia. I was reading their blog and bawled. Shawn also got teary...as Julie said it's a joyous day for heaven and a sad day on earth. I can't imagine losing a child, and our thoughts and prayers go out to them.