Apologetics today

We had a great opportunity today to hear Ken Ham (Answers in Genesis) do a presentation for students on defending your faith.  Wow, these guys have certainly done their homework!  I've heard and read much on the topics they present, but it was fresh and so well presented.  My favorite part was the discussion on DNA, how they have discovered that the DNA code is really a language--complete with counterparts to letters, words, and sentences.  God is so awesome!

I need to do some more browing on their website, but I'd certainly recommend it as a fabulous resource for homeschoolers.  He told us that very shortly after the news story came out recently on the "we finally created life in the laboratory," they had an article posted addressing it in detail.  The website is:  www.answersingenesis.org. 

Now I want to go see their Creation Museum in Kentucky!

A May Day blessing

It's May!  Yay!

I just had the most astonishing blessing for my May Day.  I was hard at work out by our front entryway, laboriously moving all the small rockwork (one rock at a time) to clean out the pine needles and debris that had fallen over the winter.  A s-l-o-w job.

I noticed across the street our neighbors' young grandsons had arrived for a visit and were weeding dandelions in the yard.  I only knew them by sight, and their grandparents only slightly as our paths don't cross very often.  A few minutes later I looked up, and to my surprise, here were all three boys coming up our driveway with a beautiful gift bag.  "Hello," I said, wondering if they were going to try to sell me something.

"Hi," they all three said.  The one with the gift bag held it out and said, "This is for you."

"For me???!"  I was nonplused.  For a fleeting moment I thought it was a trick, that something creepy would jump out of the bag at me.  I am deeply suspicious of groups of boys doing anything together, having been on the receiving end of pranks more than once.  Cynical, huh?

"This is from Lisa," the youngest towhead said.  Oh.  My neighbor, the grandma.

They waited as I opened the multi-colored pastel bag and drew out a card.  A May Day gift!  Inside were some lovely spring kitchen towels and a little gift for SweetPea.  I was trying to gather my wits, having been caught completely off-guard.

"Wow, what a thoughtful gift!  Tell her thank you for me, okay?"

They agreed, but kind of hemmed and hawed.  Then one of them said, "Could we please help you?"

Help me???  Do young boys volunteer to do that these days???  Boys that you don't even know??? You could have knocked me over with the proverbial feather.  Of course my lightning-quick response was "Um, sure!"

They pitched in with a will and I had a lovely time, meeting them, talking about fishing and homesteading and guy things.  And we made quite a little dent in that rockwork.

Later, Lisa came to retrieve the boys and explained that where she grew up, they used to do May Baskets.  They would make paper baskets, fill them with flowers and candy, then ring someone's doorbell, leave the basket, and run off before they were discovered.  I was the lucky recipient of this year's May Day surprise!

Well, I tell you.  It brought tears to my eyes to receive such unbidden kindness not only from a neighbor I didn't know well, but to meet three wholesome, very dear young boys, simple and direct, and totally devoid of attitude.  How incredibly refreshing.  No, they're not homeschoolers (thought you might ask!), just raised right.

What a great reminder of how powerful it can be to bless someone's day.  Mine is blessed!