First day of vacation

Today is officially my first day of vacation. I am taking Family Medical Leave for the birth of Deacon James, I'll be off till at least after Christmas, maybe till the new year. I'm going to take it slow and relax. Enjoy my new son. But I can't just do nothing, I like work too much and since I won't have to do it for someone else this next two weeks I'm going to do some for myself. Here is whats on the agenda....

1. Replace water heater... This went out the day before Deacon was born and I didn't get to work on it till yesterday. Funny thing about is that it's in good shape except for a little glass temp link that holds the damper open in the burner area. It kinda looks like those red things on sprinkler heads. Anyway once the get too hot they break, this can happen from not enough air, and they cannot be replaced... lil piece of glass ruins a 200 dollar water heater because a box was set next to the water heater. Oh well, good news is that its under waranty and I can put it in myself.
2. Find clothes for Deacon James. We store all of our clothes in the crawl space in tubs. Well it's usually a real good idea, we hardly ever flood, hardly ever. It must have flooded pretty good because out of 12 or so tubs full of kids clothes, 3 are still good. Three tubs were just baby boy clothes, all mildewy now. I'll have to work some overtime when I get back, oh well most of the boys clothes are pushing 4 years some are 8 years old.
3. Fix master bath toilet. I'd rather not say how long this has been broke, but it's a real easy fix. Hopefully I'll be motivated enough to do it.
   
4. Fix master bath shower.... I bet your starting to see a trend here. Ok this has been broke even longer than the toilet. I need a new mixing valve for it, pretty much a whole new everything on the plumbing side, it's also a pretty easy job...
   
5. Change oil and winterize the vehicles.... It's freezing out, I could definitely see me talking myself into paying someone else for this one.
6. I'm gonna put this one in to give my wife some hope.... Finish the hard wood flooring.... I'm almost done, and rightly so I've been working on it for a year and a half. But it looks great. I'll at least put the trim back up.

Deacon James Stroupe!!!

Deacon James

8 lbs 12 oz

19.5 inches

Born: 9:31 P.M. 12/13/2008

One Happy Papa

Mommy and baby are doing fine, thank you for all the prayers. We'll post more later.

Just a few more days...

Till this watchman has another lil' one to keep watch over. The LORD has blessed us with a healthy pregnancy and we're excited about welcoming in our newest baby. Jamie is due on about the tenth but you know how that is, we've been a week and a half late to two weeks early. Momma's feeling it though, she's ready, now we're waiting on baby to be ready. We're hoping the hospital we're going to has Wi Fi, we'll be posting on it as soon as we can, I'll have pics from a proud pappa.

Sign of the times... Washington State Capital

"There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."

This is a excerpt from a plaque hanging up in the Washington State Capital. The very fact that this made it the gate of the state capital is a sign of where our nation is at. In context this plaque is in protest of Christianity and the celebration of Christmas. It was put up on display for the holiday season along side a Christmas Tree and a Nativity scene. In a country where over 80% of it's citizens claim to be Christian. It reminds me of a passage from Jeremiah.

Jer 12:1 Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
Jer 12:2 Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.

It's hard for us to understand what would stay the Lords hand from a nation that has turned and continues to turn further and further from its creator. Our people are quick to call on his name and claim his name but he is not in their hearts (reins).
Rev 22:20 .....Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

My chickens are looking tastey!

For those who've gone through my archives you'll know that my first post was about our family's endeavor to raise chickens. We got them in July of last year, well at least this round of chickens the first batch were cat food. They were lil' bitty things. Well we've fed them pretty much just on clovers and bugs, we let them run free during the day and pin them up at night. Since winter is hitting I'm not sure what I'm gonna feed them. I don't want to go to feed unless I have to. There is one thing I've got though. A secret weapon. Unlimited supply of Panera Bread. Oh yeah, organic all natural and free. The place I work gets the day olds from Panera, I get the three day olds from my work. My chickens love it.

Thanksgiving pictures.

We had a really big get together. Friends and family show up from all over. I think most of the kids in this pic are from one family. Great fellowship.

Chloe entertained the guests, sang hymns and talk about how she loves to cook.
Grandpa, worked hard to give us a wonderful Thanksgiving family get together.



Gage has been asking me for the past week to get him a tire swing. Wonder what he was thankful for today


Hunter is along for the ride.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Oh taste and see that the Lord is good. I hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving. We did, and as always we had a feast worthy of a king.

What am I thankful for this Thanksgiving.

1. First, My salvation. How great his love towards me that he would sacrafice his only begotten son for my soul's sake.
   
2. My wife. I praise God for his abundant grace and mercy that he would give me a longsuffering help meet to put up with me. With out her my life wouldn't be complete.
   
3. My children. The fruit of the womb is his reward. How awesome a responsibility to care for the God of the universes' treasures.
   
4. My testimony. His strength pulled me out of the muck and the mire of this world. In my weakness his strength is made perfect.

Stroupe Family Pictures

We just got a new camera. Trying it out.



















A good family pic. Mommy's holding the camera.











There's my Bride














This girl couldn't take a bad picture if she tried.

What if that twinkling were to happen tonight?

As a born again believer I look forward to going home to be with my saviour, sometimes though it's hard to imagine. Here lately though the LORD has really kept this thought close to my heart.

Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Well sure I don't know the day or the hour but if I were a betting man I'd put my money on tonight. I don't know anything special, haven't read anything that tells me that it's tonight, it's just that it seems so immanent that it won't wait for day break. LORD GOD that I would have lived today as though that was the case.

I work along side of the epitome of the liberal progressive movement. I work at a drug and alcohol rehab center. Their philosophy is centered around humanism and relativism, we are even told not to judge their "addiction" as being bad because that is relative.... The only reason I still work there is because of the wonderful opportunities to witness. I've noticed something in even the most conservative of my coworkers, they are turning farther and farther from the things of God. Sure most of them are lost and already separated from our LORD but their hearts are hardening. They have "hope" in this world, and at this particular time when the world seems to be spiraling more and more out of control. So what if? What if that twinkling of the eye were to happen right now? What have I done today to point others to Christ, what has my life been a picture of today, and what questions will my life and what I leave behind answer.

Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Chloe Elizabeth

This little girl is Lo-Lo. She is goofy, energetic, funny and fun, testing (not in a rebellious way but in a curious way), and joyful. She enjoys the thought of one day being a mommy, just like her mommy. She is a sponge, absorbs everything that overflows from her mommy and daddy's cup. When we get excited about something so does she, when we get worried about something so does she. All children absorb what their parents give them, even though we don't notice it sometimes, but this little girl has no governor for her absorber. That's not always bad and it's not always good. May the LORD use her open heart and enthusiastic spirit to the working of his glory!