Ultimatum

This will be the final blog entry on the C Roth Blog. . . due to lack of participation. Have we officially moved to facebook?

Please comment with your thoughts.

Let's drink to the final blog post!

A Note of Thanks

Hi Gang,

Hey, the GPS is incredible!!!!!I love that thing. It's never missed one time. I'm working a couple days each week out of town. It locates all my appts. For visitation, it's perfect. It is user friendly. I'm sure it does more than I use it for. But all in good time. I really appreciate your love and generosity. I am a glad father!! Because of you first of all and then the GPS!!

Thanks again, Dad

A Mild August

This month we have two birthday girls!

One birthday we must wish in a belated manner!

Miss Evelyn turned 12 on August 5th!

And little miss Jennalyn turns 4 on August 16th!

She'll be starting k-4 this year!

Happy Birthday Ladies!

Pow! Boom! Bang!! Happy July B-days!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO. . . Lauren and Clifton! Both joined TEAM PARENTHOOD this year!

Lauren's birthday is July 16th

Clifton turns 27 on July 25th.

Happy birthday, you two! We love you both and are grateful for all the sponteneity and fun you bring to our lives!

Father's Day 09

Violet agrees that it is very hard to talk to Grandpa Roth without smiling right back at him. Dad, we love what makes you, you! Your big ol' grin, your booming and strong singing voice, your love to take in orphaned critters, and the love expressed for your wife that compels you to give them away again, and the jolly belly laugh we often hear! Thanks for giving us an example of a man who loves God and loves family. Thanks for pointing us to Jesus. Happy Father's Day.

Can it be???

That there is only 1 birthday for June in the HUGE family???

The special girl this month is Madalyn! She is turning 10 years old on June 19th! Happy Birthday Madalyn!!! Hope your day is super!

The Religious Life VS. The Gospel Centered Life

The following is a blog post fromTullian Tchividjian's blog called On Earth as it is in Heaven. I found it incredibly helpful. Also...note the link to the book on the left...I haven't read it yet, but is the next book on my list.

Below is a very insightful comparison between “religion” and “the gospel” drawn from the sermons of Tim Keller (Senior Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan). Tim does a remarkable job of probing hearts and revealing how easily we slip into self-dependence mode. As I’ve been saying each Sunday, real slavery according to the Bible is self-reliance. So, read the comparison list below with humility and care. It will do your soul good.

RELIGION: I obey-therefore I’m accepted.
THE GOSPEL: I’m accepted-therefore I obey.

RELIGION: Motivation is based on fear and insecurity.
THE GOSPEL: Motivation is based on grateful joy.

RELIGION: I obey God in order to get things from God.
THE GOSPEL: I obey God to get to God-to delight and resemble Him.

RELIGION: When circumstances in my life go wrong, I am angry at God or my self, since I believe, like Job’s friends that anyone who is good deserves a comfortable life.
THE GOSPEL: When circumstances in my life go wrong, I struggle but I know all my punishment fell on Jesus and that while he may allow this for my training, he will exercise his Fatherly love within my trial.

RELIGION: When I am criticized I am furious or devastated because it is critical that I think of myself as a ‘good person’. Threats to that self-image must be destroyed at all costs.
THE GOSPEL: When I am criticized I struggle, but it is not critical for me to think of myself as a ‘good person.’ My identity is not built on my record or my performance but on God’s love for me in Christ. I can take criticism.

RELIGION: My prayer life consists largely of petition and it only heats up when I am in a time of need. My main purpose in prayer is control of the environment.
THE GOSPEL: My prayer life consists of generous stretches of praise and adoration. My main purpose is fellowship with Him.

RELIGION: My self-view swings between two poles. If and when I am living up to my standards, I feel confident, but then I am prone to be proud and unsympathetic to failing people. If and when I am not living up to standards, I feel insecure and inadequate. I’m not confident. I feel like a failure.
THE GOSPEL: My self-view is not based on a view of my self as a moral achiever. In Christ I am “simul iustus et peccator”—simultaneously sinful and yet accepted in Christ. I am so bad he had to die for me and I am so loved he was glad to die for me. This leads me to deeper and deeper humility and confidence at the same time. Neither swaggering nor sniveling.

RELIGION: My identity and self-worth are based mainly on how hard I work. Or how moral I am, and so I must look down on those I perceive as lazy or immoral. I disdain and feel superior to ‘the other.’
THE GOSPEL: My identity and self-worth are centered on the one who died for His enemies, who was excluded from the city for me. I am saved by sheer grace. So I can’t look down on those who believe or practice something different from me. Only by grace I am what I am. I’ve no inner need to win arguments.

RELIGION: Since I look to my own pedigree or performance for my spiritual acceptability, my heart manufactures idols. It may be my talents, my moral record, my personal discipline, my social status, etc. I absolutely have to have them so they serve as my main hope, meaning, happiness, security, and significance, whatever I may say I believe about God.
THE GOSPEL: I have many good things in my life—family, work, spiritual disciplines, etc. But none of these good things are ultimate things to me. None of them are things I absolutely have to have, so there is a limit to how much anxiety, bitterness, and despondency they can inflict on me when they are threatened and lost.

Jesus Shall Reign

Words by: Isaac Watts
(i have highlighted my favorite verse...at least my favorite one for this morning)

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Does his successive journeys run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

Behold the islands with their kings,
And Europe her best tribute brings;
From north to south the princes meet,
To pay their homage at His feet.

There Persia, glorious to behold,
There India shines in eastern gold;
And barb’rous nations at His word
Submit, and bow, and own their Lord.

To Him shall endless prayer be made,
And praises throng to crown His head;
His Name like sweet perfume shall rise
With every morning sacrifice.

People and realms of every tongue
Dwell on His love with sweetest song;
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on His Name.

Blessings abound wherever He reigns;
The prisoner leaps to lose his chains;
The weary find eternal rest,
And all the sons of want are blessed.

Where He displays His healing power,
Death and the curse are known no more:
In Him the tribes of Adam boast
More blessings than their father lost.

Let every creature rise and bring
Peculiar honors to our King;
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud amen!

Great God, whose universal sway
The known and unknown worlds obey,
Now give the kingdom to Thy Son,
Extend His power, exalt His throne.

The scepter well becomes His hands;
All Heav’n submits to His commands;
His justice shall avenge the poor,
And pride and rage prevail no more.

With power He vindicates the just,
And treads th’oppressor in the dust:
His worship and His fear shall last
Till hours, and years, and time be past.

As rain on meadows newly mown,
So shall He send his influence down:
His grace on fainting souls distills,
Like heav’nly dew on thirsty hills.

The heathen lands, that lie beneath
The shades of overspreading death,
Revive at His first dawning light;
And deserts blossom at the sight.

The saints shall flourish in His days,
Dressed in the robes of joy and praise;
Peace, like a river, from His throne
Shall flow to nations yet unknown.

“Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."

God, through Lemual, said:

"An excellent wife who can find?She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant;she brings her food from afar.
She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poorand reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her householdand does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women have done excellently,but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,and let her works praise her in the gates."
(re-read these words...they deserve a 2nd take)

Donna Kay Roth...We love you. Thanks for glorifying God by living like this woman.

April showers bring MAY flowers. . .

Here's a birthday wish to our dear ones born in May!

WE LOVE YOU!

May 1st

Our best girl, the one we all love and are loved by. . .

Mrs. Donna Kay Roth.

She reaches the 65 milestone this year!

May 3rd

Edwin also reaches a big milestone this year! 13!

Welcome to teenageville Edwin!

May 15th

Baby brother, Curtis turns 24 this year!
May 29th

Eldest brother, Clair turns 39!

Rounding the corner for a milestone year yourself big brother!

Clair Done Good

Most of you are aware that Clair was harassed and assaulted by a former carrier for the Free Press, one who Clair had managed when Clair was district mgr. This man rammed into Clair's drivers door and then got out of his car and reaching through the drivers side window, proceeded to hit Clair with his fist - Clair came out with abrasions and a black eye. Clair was stopped with his engine off, leaving a message for one of his customers when the asssult occured. Because this character had also been stealing papers that Clair was delivering the Free Press hired atterneys to aid in the prosecution of this man. He is being brought to court in Sequatchie Co. for the assault on Clair and brought to court in Hamilton Co. for the theft of the papers.

On mar. 26 Clair and I went together to court in Seq.Co. hoping to finish the process and see this guy jailed and pay restitution for Clair's car damage. But being the demented character he is and not wanting to go to jail, he would not accept any terms so the case is bound to the Grand Jury. They will hear Clair's testimony on May 26. Clair was questioned by both D.A. and the Public Defender. Clair did well- kept his cool, expressed himself clearly and refused to get rattled even though the Public Defender tried to provoke him. It took the entire day but the case is still on track and hopefully will end with this criminal doing jail time in both counties and paying a hefty fine plus restitution to Clair for his car.

I just wanted for all to know that Clair needs your prayers. He has enough pressure working two jobs and endeavoring to father his seven children. Add to that this harassment, having to change routes, be at court or at the attorneys office and trying to keep his car going, he's got too much on his plate.

But Clair is resillient, hardly ever down and somehow manages by God's grace to live on a fairly ragged edge, one on which God has seen fit to leave him for some time. Well done Clair!!! Don't give up. You will reap if you don't faint. Dad

And it's APRIL!

This month we honor the eldest grandchild! Justin turns 14!!! WOW. . . everybody gasp! Can you believe how fast time passes! Justin we hope your birthday, April 11th, is so special and that your 14th year is filled with lots of love and blessings from God and others!
As well, we honor Andric! This little man turns 4! He was the surprise child and at times reminds us all of a little old man with his thoughtful personality and dry humor! Andric we wish you the best 4th year a little man can have! I regret that I don't have a great picture of Andric at hand, but here he is doing one of his favorite things!

AND I've missed sweet little Caris! She will be 1 this year? Somebody email me a picture of the sweet girl! I have all pictures of her big sister. . . none of her! (Thank you Aunt Tina!!!) Happy Birthday Caris!

A Shout Out to the March Birthdays!

We have so many birthdays in this family that it's real hard to keep up with them all if you ask me! It seems like at least every week I see I've missed sending a birthday gretting and the guilt flows over me. Not that it's a necessity to contact a loved one on the day of their birth, but it's definitely a super opportunity to express love, affection, and share in the celebration of their life!

So. . . I hope all you dear ones who have March birthdays won't mind being all squished together in one small attempt for your family to celebrate another year of your life and to praise God for you!

Happy Birthday to Audrey who turned 4 years old!

Happy Birthday to April who turned 34!

Happy Birthday to Reagann who turned 7!

Happy Birthday to Rosalyn who turned 5!

Happy Birthday to Cary, 36!

A Short Trip Down Memory Lane...from Caleb

I was online the other night finding an address and decided to put in a few older familiar addresses from the past – I punched in Bennett Ave from when we lived on Missionary Ridge. I want to say we were there from sometime late 78 or early 79 to 83? I thought it might be good to give some memories of the place even though it is no longer there...

Of course, the Reed house holds a lot of memories for us as well –

I was surprised how nice it still looks – I remember spending many hours playing Legos on that front porch and, I know this is very obscure, but for some reason I remember eating bakers (bitter) chocolate there and enjoying it. Also I remember, playing many a baseball game in their front yard. I wonder if we could get Cita to tell us of her memory of that front yard – she may include the words “scallions” and “nickels”in it. Mom and Dad may want to clear up of few of my foggy facts time wise but we certainly had some great memories here – even though Clif’s and Curtis’s would be pretty much non-existent. I’ll try to share some more as we go along – I think it might be good one of these to try to track down our place in Sandusky and even Kokomo for those who have some memories there.

Officer Roth - Chattanooga Police Department

Curtis has graduated from the Chattanooga Police Academy!

I know that I speak for all of the fam, when I say "CONGRATS, little Bro!"

A lot going on in the Curtis Roth family. Regi is now 2 months old, Lauren is headed back to work and now Curtis is a full fledge policeman. I suppose they qualify as "grown-ups."

Peace to you all!

cwjr.

Saturday with Violet and Friends

Saturday was a BIG day for all of us. After about 4 hours of sleep we got our day started off with the Lactation consultant while Violet had a meeting with her pediatrician, Dr. Kim (pictured to the right). Both meetings went very well!

Next we started in on a long day of visitors! Our first visitor was one of Violet's friends, Carlee Priest. Carlee's mom, Jackie, is in our Community Group at Sojourn. Let's see...after Jackie and Carlee we saw the Deebs, of course, Grandpa Meloy, the Sloans, J and Lindsey, the Hidrogos, the Prenzos, Jake and Lacie, and Andrew and Avery. We loved all of our company...and believe me...all of our company loved our new baby girl. "No brag (really), just fact."

I was happy to get away for a few minutes this evening with the guys. You know what that means...EATING...we went to W. W. Cousins, a hamburger joint close to the hospital here. It was yum:

After a nice evening stroll down the hallway, we have decided to settl in for the evening. Sally is nursing Violet and I am sitting here next to them just SOAKING IT UP!

Here is a short little video i made today...just an idea of what our room looks like and of course another preview of Violet. The clip at the end is ridiculously lovely. I have watched it about 15x.

THANKS TO EACH OF YOU

for your encouraging words, prayer, and PRAISE TO OUR GREAT GOD!

we love you all...

Clifton (for Sal and Vi)

Violet Dawn Roth

Well, words cannot describe this feeling. I am the last of the Roth children to experience parenthood and not a single one of the 17 births of my nieces and nephews could have prepared me for what I experienced today. Wow! Really not sure what to say. Sally was amazing! Violet is breathtaking!

Thought I would share some of the verses that Sally and I read this morning as we waited for the doctors to come in for the first procedure. We read Psalm 22. God's providence in the Bible reading plan we are going through for our church has been such a blessing.

"...You are he who took me from the womb;you made me trust you at my mother's breasts.10 On you was I cast from my birth,and from my mother's womb you have been my God.11 Be not far from me,for trouble is near,and there is none to help."

Talk about encouragment! We were incredibly blessed.

Ok...finally...i thought i would also share this video with you. You will notice that I was very amazed...so amazed that I forgot about the camera for a minute...there is good footage at the beginning and the end, the middle is good only for the audio...pretty funny stuff.

Halloran Version of CLEAN SWEEP

Over the long MLK weekend Clifton and I were priviledged to have the Hallorans come and stay with us. AND we put them to work! Actually they came to work. . . Clif and Chuck hung doors, installed shelves in the laundry room and my new closet. They checked the cellar and the roof for leaks and troubles. . . And Cita. . . well Cita did basically organized and cleaned every room in the house!

Clifton and I are and were deeply grateful to have them come and be willing to serve us in such practical ways! You guys are awesome.

Here are a few pictures from the messy times. . .

2009 Resolutions

Hey Roth's,
Got any resolutions for the new year you'd like to share! We're interested in everything from the serious and spiritual to the funny and amusing! So let's hear 'em!

I'll take the liberty to share a funny/serious committment that Clifton has recently made. . . He joined Coury Deeb's fat club! Apparently, Coury determined he needed to lose some weight and as a way to help motivate himself he started a fat club! Sounds kinda harsh, I know! Anyway, the rules go like this: Clif had to weigh in. . . which he did at 228 lbs. AND by March 17th he has to weigh in at 10% less than his original weight. Thus losing 23 lbs. If he doesn't not reach his mark, which would be 205 (and a much healthier weight for the ol' boy) he will have to pay $50. If he does meet his goal he will share in the earnings with the other winners. They share the money the losers have to pay! So. . . blessings to Clifton as he endeavors to exercise more and eat less ice-cream! Both worthy endeavors that will help propel him toward this goal of losing 23 pounds!

As for me. . . I've resolved to make my new year committments sometime after Violet has entered the world and we've made it out of the fog of having a newborn. I'm not one to set myself up for failure, you know! So, I'll have to get back to you on those!

Looking forward to hearing from ya'll!

Wisconsin Roth's in Kentucky

We so enjoyed seeing Caleb, April and family on their way to Chattanooga! They happened to stop in on Christmas Eve! And so we brought the new year in with family and junk food! Loved it! A few pictures of our time together!

The kiddos arrive!


We took everyone to the playground at Sojourn to burn off a little energy!

Everybody had fun at the playground!

Who knew April could dunk!

Cassia's new hat!


Tara wants to sleep on the floor with all the kids! She jumps right in the middle of them and lays down!