Please Help Water Our Thirsty World

There is a need right now for water. Fresh, CLEAN water. Most likely at some point today, you grabbed a glass from the cabinet and got a drink of tap water...or you drank from a public drinking fountain...or you bought a bottled water at the store. Point is: you had fresh, clean, uncontaminated water at your fingertips within minutes, if not seconds.

But there are people in this world who do not have fresh drinking water, and instead drink from streams that they've had to walk miles for just a taste of the dirty brown water. They deserve more, and we can help. 

There is a wonderful organization out of southeast Iowa called Water Our Thirsty World  whose purpose is to take chlorine filtration systems to parts of the worlds where there is no clean water. 

Watch this video to learn more. 

If you would like to give, you may visit their site at www.ourthirstyworld.org and you can give via paypal on their "Get Involved" page. In roughly 3 short weeks, the team at WOTW will be taking chlorine devices to villages in Africa, and teaching the local people how to use their devices, and the importance of drinking and using clean water. For the people receiving these filters, this is a life saving moment! 

For those living in southeast Iowa, you have an opportunity to get involved next Wednesday, April 25 at 6pm on the campus of IWC for their Water Walk 2012. Visit Facebook here for more information. For those who live in Kansas or elsewhere and would like to donate for the trip to Afraic and/or help purchase a filter, visit the website and donate via paypal, or contact Alan or myself to donate and we will make certain your donation gets to the WOTW team. Remember: No donation is too small for this awesome cause. 

Feel free to repost this blog and share with family and friends and help spread the urgency of helping meet the need of clean, safe water for all. 

*Photos from WOTW website and facebook page. 

He is Risen! Happy Easter!

I received this in an email from a friend about 5 years ago, and ever since, I love going back and reading it on Easter, and being reminded of the meaning even in the most seemingly insignificant details surrounding the empty tomb...


Why did Jesus fold the Napkin?
Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?

The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.

Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus
loved. She said, "They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!"

Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. The other disciple out ran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side.

Is that important? Absolutely!

Is it really significant? Yes!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.

Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table.

The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, "I'm done".

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because.......

The folded napkin meant, "I'm coming back!"

Jesus is Coming Back!  

He is Risen! Happy Easter!

Why did Jesus fold the Napkin?
Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?

The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.

Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus
loved. She said, "They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!"

Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. The other disciple out ran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side.

Is that important? Absolutely!

Is it really significant? Yes!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.

Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table.

The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, "I'm done".

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because.......

The folded napkin meant, "I'm coming back!"

Jesus is Coming Back!  

He is Risen! Happy Easter!

Why did Jesus fold the Napkin?
Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?

The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.

Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus
loved. She said, "They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!"

Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. The other disciple out ran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side.

Is that important? Absolutely!

Is it really significant? Yes!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.

Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table.

The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, "I'm done".

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because.......

The folded napkin meant, "I'm coming back!"

Jesus is Coming Back!  

Playtime and Other Randomness

Not really sure there's a theme for this post, other than randomness ;), but here are some more crazy pics from our crazy little life here in KS ;)

I spy with my little eye...wait...where's Isaac??! He LOVES playing hide and seek!

Mommy was measuring to hang a mirror, so he helped me. He'd go measure the wall and tell me it was "twenty". Notice he's using his mommy's PINK tape measure ;)

We had bad colds and needed some low energy playtime ideas, so filling the sink with bubbles and letting him at it was the trick ;)

Happy Saint Patty's Day!

In honor of Saint Patty's Day, we not only dressed green, but we wore green ;). Started solid foods this month!

Like father...

 ...like son.

Again with the hide and seek, I 'hid' him in Abi's bed for Daddy to find ;). He didn't want to get out!

...this one is awaiting a caption...

Playtime at Keats Park! 

A friend blessed us with a TON of clothes for Abi, and among them was this fleece hat, which he LOVED, but looked more than silly in ;)

Mommy and the kiddos walked to Baskin Robbins for a nice little treat since it was so warm out. Abi was NOT happy that she didn't get to try any ice cream yet.

Daddy was slightly mean to the little guy the other morning, and put his new diaper over his clothes. Isaac wasn't quite awake enough to realize it wasn't quite right.

Daddy brought Mommy home a frozen treat the other night. Poor little guy felt left out, and Mommy caved and gave him the last few tastes. Best Mommy in the world!!! (...or worst Mommy for feeding him sugar before bed!) ;)

Isaac told me he built a house!...then added that it was for him and Daddy. Oh...ok...where do Mommy and Abi live?

Spring Has Sprung!!

Spring has definitely sprung!! There are buds on the trees, daffodils popping, tulips in full bloom, and I think we officially skipped winter! We've been taking advantage of outdoor fun! Here are some weekly high lights...

I've been in spring cleaning mode, so here's my little helper who I spied on my ladder when I wasn't looking!

The spring cleaning meant getting every and all cobwebs GONE, and this is the contraption I made to help reach the high spots....

...but then it made my swiffer duster GONE. Took some creativity to reach that high and get it unstuck.

And even though it was beautiful enough to wash seat pads and quilts, I couldn't compete with the KS wind. That day on our local weather, our warning was 'extreme winds-may cause power outages'! Yikes!

Abi at 6 months on our picnic. This was the same day of the high winds. We took the kids to Keats Park, but then could barely eat our dinner because of the wind, so we had to go back home and play inside.

Alan blessed Isaac with his VERY OWN LAPTOP! This was Alan's very first laptop, and currently Isaac has set up his office (laptop, play laptop, cell phone, mouse) on the stone in front of the fireplace. He "checks his emails" daily ;)

Abi has started sitting on her own for a few minutes at a time!!

...and started rolling over during naptime, which she doesn't mean to do and leaves her very frustrated (and mommy frustrated since she's not sleeping!).

Abi has graduated to the high chair for her cereal with her bottle, which means Isaac now has his very own big boy booster seat! He's even been wanting to sit there during his snack time ;)

Yesterday it got up to about 72, so after I did a photosession, we grabbed the kiddos and headed back to the same park as the session to burn off energy. Here's my little sun-baby with her first sun hat on ;)

...and eating her first picnic bottle ;)

...while daddy and Isaac run wild in the tall grass.

We've never hiked the trails at Warner Park (didn't realize what all was back there!), so we strapped Abi on me, and Isaac got to ride on Daddy's shoulders. We soon realized it was about a mile hike around the park. We decided carrying all this extra weight was the equivalent of a Biggest Loser workout.

Daddy thought Abi was exceptionally cute today and wanted a picture, but Abi wasn't in her modeling mood...

...and got even more frustrated when she pulled her bow down :)

Now off to do more laundry, edit session photos, and change diapers!

Welcome, March!

They say, "March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb," but March graced us with her presence yesterday with nearly 70 degree weather! Since Alan had meetings all evening, he took off his afternoon and we had a golf date-that's right-we were GOLFING on the first day of MARCH!!

Here are a few pictures from the last week. We all snuggled in bed and watched Music Man {which Isaac LOVED} one night, and a few other random happenings around the Gerling household ;).

Yep. We REALLY like chewing on our fingers.

Someone LOVES lining up their animals.

Music Man night! {He didn't want his pic taken, but Abi did! She's smiling behind that paci!}

There we go, now they're all smiling!

Grandma Sherry gave us her old Cricuit cutter, so we made an alphabet on Isaac's wall above his little reading spot since he's really into learning it these days :). He can find the A, B, C, D, E, and F :). He loves running over now and pointing out the letters as we say them.

Socks. They no longer stay on our feet. And as of today, apparently our foot tastes good because it's been in our mouth a lot!

We just started letting them share bath time. Isaac was ok with it, but not so hip that his big swimming pool {aka tub} now has less space. Abi on the other hand LOVES watching Isaac splash!!