The Hole in our Gospel, Richard Stearns

The Hole in our Gospel, by Richard Stearns takes a hard look at the problems facing our world today, and what the Bible says is our duty as Christians. Stearns tells his life stories and as he shares with you those stories he relates that Jesus called us to action not inaction, and that is the hole in our gospel today.

I found this book to be fairly entertaining thanks to all of the stories both of Stearns and of others it really brought the book to life. My major problem with the book was that the entire point of this book seems to be to get us American Christians to DO something to help with the world's problem, but as the CEO of World Vision it almost at times feels like he wrote this book just get donations for his company. I must admit at times it was a powerful message and it tugged on your heart strings and you consider donating to his organization. I don't believe this was his purpose in writing this book though, I want to believe that he truly cares about the poor and sick of this world and that it does not matter to him which organization you support as long as you find a way to take action and try and do your part to help the people of this world.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com http://booksneeze.com/ book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

happenings!

Lots has been going on our house! With me back at work and picking up preaching duties at a local church there isn't a lot of time to be had to be updating my blog! Here are some pictures from the last month or so! The first one I took last weekend and it needs a little red eye reduction but other than ....it's Carson sitting in his bumbo seat for the first time! This nosy little guy loved it!

This picture is a little dark but as you can see someone was taking the pictures for me and so too dark is just fine with me! This is from Carson's baptism! You'll see our little family and Carson's Godparents Aunt Kayla and Uncle Kyle.

This little guy is getting ready to roll over! And he is constantly trying to master this new skill, we're getting very close to success!

Carson's first bit of cereal from a bowl! He wasn't real thrilled and we have since switched back to just putting it in the bottle...easier for us! I am thinking by next week though we'll be back to eating with a spoon because we're starting to get hungrier at night time again!

And what a beautiful smile he has! As long as we're clean and not hungry whenever someone pays us just a little bit of attention this is the face you get! FYI this outfit is now to small for us, so you can see how much we have grown in the last month.

That's all for now!

We're 6 Weeks Old

Carson was six weeks old this past week and well I never got around to taking Colton's 3 year old pictures. Mostly because I figured I would want some pictures of the brothers together so I thought I would wait. I'm glad I did! I think they turned out really cute! We had them taken at Wal-Mart this morning and I purchased the CD with the copyright privileges to be able to post them on my blog to share with all my family! Enjoy!

1 Month Old!

We have had some visitors lately with Carson's birth! We love having visitors and Colton has enjoyed having his cousins over to play! One day he even gave them a ride in his pick-up! If you don't know this is Colton's very favorite toy and in fact we have to charge the battery just about every night, so his cousins don't know how lucky they are that he offered to give them a ride!


Here is the newest Boysen having some tummy time on his 1 month birthday! He is now eating between 5 and 6 oz every 4 hours, often just before bedtime we kick it up a notch and eat closer together and because of this our schedule varies from day to day. We were lucky enough Friday night to have the little sleep until 3:45 in the morning!!! WHOOHOO! He loves to look around and is very good with holding his head up! I am enjoying my time off, but it is going so fast! Already half over! We both have our check-ups at the end of the month and then its back to work for me and time for daycare for the little man!

"The Map, The Way of All Great Men," David Murrow ~ book review

Below you will find my very first book review for the book sneeze program!

"The Map, The Way of All Great Men", by David Murrow is some what of a continuation to Murrow's book "Why Men Hate Going to Church". If you have read the Da Vinci Code or like mystery movies the beginning of this book is right up your alley! The begins as a mystery over a map unfolds and the author of the book takes up the greatest adventure of his life! Both fascinating and enlightening the first half of the book begs for you to keep reading to unlock more of the secrets of this great map.

As you read into the second half of the book you will discover all of the secrets Murrow has discovered with regards to this map. What is the purpose of this map? The map is the Christian's guide for life. Murrow shows the readers how this map is applicable in real life, and how it is effecting our church's of today.

I enjoyed reading this book and found much of the information useful as a lay minister and applicable in my preaching and serving the church. However, as a female I did not get as much out of this book as I think a man would, basically because this book was written for men and not for woman. The first half of the book was wonderful and engaging and the second half while a bit more dry held my attention and at times I was taking notes to remember tidbits that Murrow shared with his audience.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html>

Introducing Carson Lee!

So I always forget that I have to upload my pictures in reverse order, so first here is a picture of Colton as he hunts Easter Eggs at Grandma's house on Sunday. He really was excited about it, but who could resist a classic Colton face like that one. Thanks to Aunt Kayla for hiding the eggs and for taking this picture while I rested inside!


Next I would like to introduce you to the newest addition to our family....Carson Lee! He was born a week ago today March 30th at 6:42 pm. He weighed 7 lbs. 7 oz and was 19" long! As seems to be my normal he was a long time in coming, but we think he is pretty darn precious now that he is here.

Here is Dad and Colton with little Carson about an hour or so after he was born. Colton wasn't really sure what to think, but he warmed up before we took him home!

And one of my favorite pictures even though you can tell that the babe hadn't been given a bath yet, but a picture with his great-grandma (aka Old Lala)!

So far things are going pretty good around here, everyone is tired but that too will pass! Carson seems to be eating pretty good at times 4 oz. He goes about 4 hours between feedings sometimes more sometimes less (we haven't really established a routine yet). Colton is starting to lose his bad attitude and my energy is slowly returning. We're hoping that by next week we will have a routine for all three of us and I will be up to doing it all on my own as right now my mom has been helping me out (THANKS MOM!) Well now it's off to put my feet up and hold the baby while Colton finishes his nap!

Kristin

The Countdown begins

I haven't really been in the mood to take pictures lately, so I only have one new one to show you, but this biased momma thinks its pretty darn cute! This is Colton helping Grandpa Jeff cook chili! What a little ham!

In other news....the countdown is on 4 1/2 weeks until this baby is due! This week we (maybe more I) hope to get the nursery completely done. Nathan has the room completely painted and so all I have left is to get the curtains hung and the alphabet decoration I have been planning on hanging on the wall, and with any luck then I will take a picture of the lovely room awaiting baby Boysen 2. I am already going for doctor's appointments every week now (we apparently skipped those every two week things)! Everyone around here (except for family who know better!) have been telling me how huge I am, and their eyes get very big when I tell them I still have over a month left! Maybe I should take a picture of my self so you can all draw your own conclusions! HA!

Other than anxiously awaiting the baby I am also awaiting next weekends scrapbooking retreat, and looking forward to a night and two days away from work and home! A last hurrah if you must before I look forward to getting just an hour or two of sleep at a time.
Kristin