House bummer & my sin.

So, our house buyer just said they want to back out of the offer to purchase. That's a bummer. But, God knows best. It's good to rest in Him who has endless and perfect wisdom, love, compassion, mercy, knowledge, faithfulness, etc. etc....

Also, I heard a lecture by Jerram Barrs today. It is the first in his class on Apologetics and Outreach. It was beautiful. He challenges his class to imitate Christ - specifically in the way He was not very welcomed by the "righteous", but very much by the "sinners". Jesus was called "a friend of sinners." That was His reputation. And, I have a difficult time being friendly with people I don't agree with much. Did Jesus agree with very many people? Did He let that get in the way of asking good questions, showing them much care, and pouring love and patience and grace over many hurting and wretched people ... .. like us? If Jesus had the tolerance, patience, love, mercy, and compassion I have, there would be no Christians - no sacrifice - no life. God, grant me the love for people that will drive me to seek them out. Let me find your glitters of "common" Grace in those most wretched among us, and may I speak highly and think highly of them based upon Your work within them. Whether I find them to be good husbands, or skilled teachers, or artisans in trade, or well-spoken, or men of justice, or whatever, let me credit both them and ultimately You. Teach me humility as I begin to love people enough to search them gently, and challenge them to reach for Life - knowing that I am but a poor blind beggar who has been touched by a healing Spirit. Thanks for your uncommon and fruitful grace upon those whom You've called out, Lord Jesus.

-Mark

new news

nope, we're not expecting baby milligan #8, yet.
just planning milligan move #11 :)


so a lots been happening around here lately.
we've been thinking about putting our house on the market this spring.
at the beginning of the month mark decided we'll go ahead and give it a try.
he gave us 2 weeks to get the house ready to be listed.
we signed papers with our realtor april 14th.
last week we had 4 showings. . .
today we signed papers to accept an offer!
11 days on the market.
less than a month since we decided to get the house ready to sell.
if all goes smoothly, we will close on june 30th.
then the new owners have given us the option of renting the house from them until they can move in at the end of august.
and since we don't know what we're doing next, it seems that God is just taking good care of us.
the children have been doing a great job helping and are excited about future adventures awaiting our family.
we're just waiting on the Lord to lead, hopefully in faith and not foolish wanderlust.
since we don't have the green light to move to dixon yet, we are planning to stay close to edgerton.
edgerton has become our home.
mark's business has been established here.
and God has given us a wonderful church family!
but we are open to God changing our plans and moving us just about anywhere in His timing.
so ya'll can be praying as you please!

the children think a log cabin would be great.
but this is probably a bit too cozy, dontcha think? :)

Easter Bubbles

Here we are playing with bubbles on Easter day. It was a nice lazy day, which is good because we haven't had one of those in awhile.

Mark's Birthday Blog

Here are my birthday presents. Owen made them for me. They are tools for working on instruments.

Here are some fun pix with my "looking glass tool."

some milligan happenings in march

we've had a few beautiful days early this spring.
the children begged to dig out their bikes from the garage.
leannora mastered riding her bike without training wheels one of those days!

able in his favorite "happy birthday" shirt

shiloh wanted to help hold "dahldee" (geldan) too

nikao had been requesting shiloh's rhinocerous hairdoo?!?!
we later realized he meant triceratops


some of the boys doing some bedtime reading

hats off to ya geldan, you can fold in half & eat your toes!

just a crack up picture of cutie shiloh

(oopsie, just realized these 2 are sideways)
mark and the boys playing in legoland

YIKES, STRIPES!

Fighting, loving, etc.

We read a story for school recently that included a bully, a farm boy, and an old prairie school. It brought up some interesting challenges to talk about. When is it alright to fight? When do you fight back in defense? How do we "turn the other cheek?" How do we love our enemy and bless those who persecute us? I thought our church assembly this morning was of interest to this subject.

Numbers 20:5 was read. It is where Israel once again grumbles against Moses and God. They ask Moses "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place?". In this question they forget to take their own responsibility for their predicament. They were there because of their own sin and rebellious hearts.

Also, we prayed for wisdom for how a family will relate toward their aging parents. Someone noted that parents must do things that their young children don't like "for their own good", and in the same way the roles can reverse with aging parents.

I also noted how the Father led Jesus into the wilderness to test him with hard things. It was for the best - His best and our best!

My thought on all this is simply this: God's true love (the kind He wants all of us to know and practice) is often mislabeled as hatred or malice. I think the Israelites in the above passage is a clear example. God would not have loved them as much if He resigned to just giving them the land in spite of their rebellion. Remember Hebrews 12, "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all," and Jeremiah, "Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you but only in due measure; I will not let you go entirely unpunished." Sometimes the best thing for someone (a blessing) is the very thing they think a curse. At least, this has been true for me. Bless the name of the Lord, for He has shown me sonship!

So, how do we bless those who persecute us? I think it may have less to do with violence vs. passivism and more to do with love vs. hate. Remember Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 5, "hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord."

God, teach me to see your love in the midst of my trouble, and then empower me to imitate You as I attempt to love my family and neighbors. May your name always be exalted!

-Mark

wintertime wonders

it's been a wonderful winter so far this year. we've not been continually dumped with snow. nor have we had to endure extremely cold temperatures for too long. the house has been roasty toasty with our woodstove blazing. we've enjoyed being creative indoors, accomplishing a few projects and lotsa crafty creations. and the children are big enough to get themselves ready for outdoor play without much help from the momma.

we've built snowmen, snow forts, a snow cave,

thrown snowballs, and gone sledding a few times.

the weather has been warming up quite a bit and the children are now itching for spring. the momma is content to keep spring waiting because she doesn't like mudland and has some more things to knock off her to do list inside before we give our attention to the outdoors again.
so we're making the most of our indoor days and loving our adventures with our bunch of kiddos.

shiloh will be 2 very soon.
once our shy, sober one,
she has found her jubilee and now is miss charming!

at 4 months, geldan has found his fingers.
he is incredibaby, a delight to us all!!!