...............The Hellwig Family

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Elliot's 9th Birthday!

Posted by Gabrielle

Yes, that's right. Elliot is nine already! We celebrated his birthday yesterday evening with a special Mexican dinner and dessert.

Happy Birthday, Elliot!
Arianne baked a beautiful blueberry pie upon Elliot's request.

We love you Elliot and pray that you may have many more fruitful years in God's service!

Monday, April 21, 2008

Timothy's Baptism!

Posted by Gabrielle

This Sunday was a bit overcast as we walked down to the lake for Timothy's baptism. Our dear friends, the Claytons came to join us for this wonderful time! And, as with Arianne and me, Daddy baptized him.

Mrs. Brown and the Claytons!
A large crowd of families gathered down by the lake. Every baptism is such a joyful time.
Scott Brown, one of the four elders of our church gives a short talk before...
Timothy comes up to give his testimony.
And Timothy comes up out of the water.

And, after every baptism we sing. This time we sang a beautiful hymn for the occasion:

There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel's veins;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains:
Lose all their guilty stains,
Lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains.

Baby Shower

Posted by Gabrielle

Last Saturday we Hellwig women had the privilege of attending a baby shower for a sweet lady in our church, Mrs. Sides. We had a large party gathered to celebrate.
We started off with refreshments:

The patiently waiting long line
Christianna (right) and her friends
Mrs. Sides opening: presents, presents...
and more presents!
And finally, the big present, a car seat!
Congratulations, Sides!

Friday, April 18, 2008

Happy Re-Birthday!

Posted by Gabrielle

Re-Birthday?
I'll explain that in a bit. Yesterday we celebrated Timothy's 15th birthday! Happy Birthday Timothy!!! Is it becoming a pattern to hold Benaiah for our birthday pictures?

Timothy and Benaiah. Benaiah didn't quite smile for the camera this time!

One of our birthday traditions is to decorate the chalkboard with colored chalk and below is Mommy's art. And this was my first adventure into using Mommy's tripod for taking pictures!
And on to Re-Birthday! Yesterday was perhaps one of our most happiest days as Timothy became a Christian! Welcome to the citizenship of our eternal Home! We thank God for you and pray you will have a fruitful year in Him!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Sooooo Cute!

Posted by Gabrielle

Benaiah loves his yogurt! Can you tell? Well, actually, with the first spoonful we get quite some 'yuck' faces but then he gets used to it. I didn't arrive with the camera in time to capture those adorable disgusted faces but I will try to get some and post them as soon as possible.

He smiled with a spoonful of yogurt in his mouth!
Eventually he would actually smile for the camera! Every time he saw my orange focus light he would smile! How many 8-month-olds do that every time?

Monday, April 7, 2008

An Overview of Romans 11

Posted by Gabrielle

On Sundays for the past 7 months or so we have been enjoying a series of sermons in the book of Romans given by our pastor and elders. Before launching into each chapter we have an overview of that chapter and in the following sermons we touch on the fine points. This past Sunday (4/6) we had the overview of Romans chapter 11 which I especially enjoyed. I want to share a few of my notes and the points I learned.

"The Jews were a stubborn, stiff-necked and rebellious people. Repeatedly they saw the works of the Lord and nonetheless rejected Him. But the question arises: 'Has God cast away the Jews?' And Paul's vehement answer is, 'Certainly not!' If God's word failed for the Jews what does that imply about it? God has certainly not cast away His people, and Paul opens the chapter with several examples.

Example 1: Himself. If you are wondering what I am talking about it would help to think of what Paul was before God arrested him on the road to Damascus. He was a persecutor of the Jews saved by God's grace alone. Whenever I think of Paul and his life I always recall a paragraph of the inscription on John Newton's tombstone
" John Newton, Clerk,
Once an infidel and libertine,
A servant of slaves in Africa,
Was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior,
JESUS CHRIST,
Preserved, restored, pardoned,
And appointed to preach the faith
He had long labored to destroy..."

Example 2: Elijah. It was after the offerings on Mount Carmel that Elijah is feeling forsaken and all alone and he pleads "Lord, They have killed your prophets, they have torn down your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life." And Paul continues with his argument, "But what is the divine response to him? 'I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.' " (Romans 11: 3-4)
Basically what Paul is saying here is that God has not forsaken His people but has reserved a remnant for Himself. Which leads me to...

Example 3: The Elect. "In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice." (Romans 11: 5) God has preserved for Himself a remnant on this earth: His elect. Though the elect are but a small portion of the population don't underestimate their value, for God works His mighty deeds through His elect. Paul goes on to talk about our state before our salvation: we are in a spirit of stupor. God was the only one who could pluck us from our spirit of stupor and grant to us a spirit of enlightenment. The same with Israel. There was and is no hope for Israel until God removes their spirit of stupor and opens their eyes.

"I say then, they[Israel] did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them[Israel] jealous." (Romans 11:11) Paul uses the example of grafting to illustrate his point; branches[the Gentiles] were grafted into the line of salvation. Think about God's plan here. He chooses to save some Gentiles and brings them into a position of spiritual enlightenment and living real life and the Jews see that; God chooses to save Gentiles, the unclean, and it provokes them to jealousy. The branch of Israel God broke off, but He is just as able to graft it in again. God has given blindness of heart to Israel until His perfect time.

So, if God's word failed for the Jews what would that imply about it? Well, what Paul sums up in this chapter and the two preceding ones is that God's Word has not failed for the Jews and it has not failed for us. We are saved through grace alone and preserved as His remnant in His perfect time.

Paul closes the chapter with his mighty doxology "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable His ways!...For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen."

Saturday, April 5, 2008

And Yet Another Birthday in the Hellwig House!

Posted by Gabrielle

Yes, that's right? We had yet another birthday. How can you help it with a family of ten? On March 27th we celebrated Daddy's 46th birthday! Happy Birthday Daddy!(Notice the base of the candle. It is a singing candle which we got on a cake from our friends, the Claytons. We twist the metal base and it sings 'Happy Birthday' till we turn it off. Is that funny?!)