Halloween Weekend was Full of Treats

Growing up, I didn't celebrate Halloween. I wasn't raised in some weird religion either. Let's remember, I am Lutheran. My parents viewed Halloween as the devil's holiday and didn't want to acknowledge the devil in anyway, shape or form. Therefore, we could only participate in harvest or fall parties and activities. Now, there were a few years my mom slapped some clown makeup on us or we put on redneck farmer clothes. We went to Grandma's house and she loaded us up. But, for the most part, it was pumpkin carving, bonfires, and a little ghost in graveyard when the parents weren't paying attention.

With the Beyer children, I have let their little imaginations pretend to be something on Halloween. For the first few years, I chose for them. This year, they both vocalized what they wanted. Brady was very specific. He wanted to be the blue Batman with muscles. OK...and for the record Target doesn't sell any blue Batmans. Maddie just simply wanted Cinderella. So I found the costumes online and got them with three weeks to spare. Yes, me, three weeks earlier.


Last night, I had a girls night out with my good friend, Tiffany, whom I worked with at Farm Bureau. So, I got to go eat at Euphoria downtown and go to the Pacers game. And I got to sit about 12 feet from Larry Bird. Matt got to carve pumpkins. It probably was a good thing I wasn't there. From what I have heard, Brady had a paring knife and the pumpkin was his victim.





Maddie passed out after it was all over. Crayon in hand and everything.

Mama's Little Helper

I am not sure genetically how it happened, but Maddie really is quite domestic. Whether in the kitchen or folding laundry she really is good help for only being two. I have been able to capture her a few times in action. Her favorite thing to cook is by far eggs. I think really because she likes cracking eggs.

Matt and I have both found her quite good at folding clothes and towels. But, let's face it, she is better at folding towels. I won't kid anyone, I am too.

Finishing the Basement. Alleluia!

Well, since we are going on our fourth anniversary in our house, we are excited to finally see making the basement livable a reality. Matt has done all the work, let's face it. I don't have time to help much. When I have tried to help paint, I ended up having to quit thanks to Maddie's instance on helping. He laid the tile, hung dry wall, painted, and found someone to lay the carpet. I have helped move the toys out of the closet upstairs to the basement. For those of you who have seen the mountain of terror, it covers the entire floor in one of the extra bed rooms. Matt can be loaned out to any wife for a small fee.

Looking at the garage entrance

From where the bathroom area will start.

Looking towards the bathroom door with the bedroom doors on the left. Kitchen will be on the step up to the right.

Matt and Brady's room to do what they want. Which will mean tractor room. Brady picked the color. Any guess on his favorite color.

The toy pile. Lindsey please come help me organize!!

The closet they came out of from upstairs. I am sure it was a child danger!

Fall Days

So, fall is here, whether I like it or not. The kids love the leaves. Just a few minutes ago, Maddie looked out the window and said "Oh darn it, all the leaves are blowing away." I am thinking, good. Blow far away so we don't have to rake. But the kids do love it.

We have it Apple Works and spent some timing playing outside. Brady is becoming a pretty good bike rider. Too bad we have a gravel driveway. Poor kid. At least he doesn't live on a gravel road like his mother grew up on. We have been counting down to Halloween for what feels like six months. Another count down I never lived through since my parents did not let us partake in Halloween activities. Watch for some fun costume pics.

Life Together: Authentic Friendships - Tools @ PurposeDriven.com

Life Together: Authentic Friendships - Tools @ PurposeDriven.com

“But if we live in the light, as God is in the light, we can share fellowship with each other. Then the blood of Jesus, God’s Son, cleanses us from every sin. If we say we have no sin, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:7-8 NCV).

In Christian fellowship people should experience authenticity.

Authentic fellowship is not superficial, surface-level chit-chat. It’s genuine, heart-to-heart, sometimes gut-level sharing.

It happens when people get honest about who they are and what is happening in their lives. They share their hurts, reveal their feelings, confess their failures, disclose their doubts, admit their fears, acknowledge their weaknesses, and ask for help and prayer.

Authenticity is the exact opposite of what you find in many churches. Instead of an atmosphere of honesty and humility, there is pretending, role-playing, politicking, superficial politeness, and shallow conversation. People wear masks, keep their guard up, and act as if everything is rosy in their lives. These attitudes are the death of real friendship.

It’s only as we become open about our lives that we experience authentic fellowship. The Bible says, “If we live in the light, as God is in the light, we can share fellowship with each other…If we say we have no sin, we are fooling ourselves” (1 John 1:7-8 NCV).

The world thinks intimacy occurs in the dark, but God says it happens in the light. We tend to use darkness to hide our hurts, faults, fears, failures, and flaws. But in the light, we bring them all out into the open and admit who we really are.

Of course, being authentic requires both courage and humility. It means facing our fear of exposure, rejection, and being hurt again.

Why would anyone take such a risk?

Because it’s the only way to grow spiritually and be emotionally healthy. The Bible says, “Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed” (James 5:16 MSG).