Pentecost and Birthdays

Okay, I'm going to bunch everything together quickly in two posts for the sake of catching up, b/c otherwise I likely never will!  This will be like the last main post with mainly pictures and less words. 

Both my boys had their birthdays this year.  Will turned eight; Trusten turned four.  I love that we take our children on trips on their birthdays, because I believe it's a great opportunity for them to experience new things from which they can both learn and enjoy.  Trusten kept talking about tigers.  He wanted to see tigers and get a stuffed tiger.  This wasn't hard, because we live near Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, a habitat for tigers, other big cats, and even bears and other creatures (like monkeys) that have been rescued from neglectful, abusive, or deceased or elderly owners.  We'd been there once, back in late 2005 as a therapeutic family outing shortly after our second-born son died, nearly two years before Trusten even came along.  Some pictures from Trusten's birthday:

The wrapped gift beside the bike was bought by Will w/ his allowance money and wrapped by him...so sweet!

Beautiful cat!

Lovely flower...couldn't resist snapping a picture!

Majestic cat waiting for his time to go to the natural habitat area, outside of the cages

We got to see this tiger splash around in his bath.

And of course, Trusten picked out a stuffed tiger in the gift store.

NEXT came Pentecost.  Funny story this year, though.  I got a double Pentecost, because I was so messed up with everything going on that I miscounted my weeks in my planner calendar!  Consequently, my bigger celebration was on June 5, rather than June 12, the latter of which was the correct date on the Roman calendar this year.  We had a great feast of barbecued brisket, macaroni & cheese, salad, and punch.  I always fix punch on Pentecost, because I like to use it as symbolic imagery in teaching my children about God "pouring" out his Spirit upon those he begets. 

Pentecost gifts for the boys...always biblically-based gifts on this holiday

Delicious pineapple punch! 

I enjoyed a great deal of time in meditation to reflect on what a blessing it is to be a begotten child of God.  I went through my list of self-compiled scriptures I use for Pentecost for the boys' lesson, plus briefly went over the plan of salvation as pictured by the seven feasts of God, as is my custom to do each holy day.  I always use the feast map that was made by someone in the United Church of God:

Feast map