MAY 2009

Jacob's education has continued this month on many levels.
In school they have learned to identify words within words
such as "to" in the word "stop." Well, the same little boy
who taught Jacob sign language in March taught Jacob that
there was a bad word in the word "grass." So every time
Jacob saw the words grass, glass, bass, pass, etc. he has
made sure to point out the bad word in the word. He asked
what the word meant and we explained that it is another
word for donkey, but most people use it as a bad word to
describe their bottom or a person they don't like. No sooner
did I warn Jacob of the
danger of saying this word, the word "Jackass" pops up on a
Tom and Jerry cartoon. The explanations began again. I am
saddened this little boy at Jacob's school is being taught
these things. Whoever is teaching him is a real...well the
word for them is within the word jerky.

On a more positive learning note, Jacob took swimming
lessons all through the month of May. Two weeks prior to
taking the lessons, he was scared to even let me carry him
while standing in five feet of water. But after finishing his
lessons and passing the swim test, he is diving and
swimming in nine feet of water without a flotation device. It
was amazing to see his total attitude change and his
confidence sky rocket. He has done awesome!
Jacob's Blog
DIGITUS IMPUDICUS
2009
LEARNING
copyright Jeff & Jennifer Smoak 2006

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MARCH 2009

That is the Latin term found in ancient Roman writings
describing one of the latest things Jacob learned at school.
We were almost home from school when Jacob asked, "Dad,
is it o.k. in our family to show someone our middle finger
only?" I looked back at him and he was holding up both
"birdie" fingers. Holding back the surprise, I responded that
it is not o.k. in any family." He asked why of course. I told
him that it was an insult and sign language for some bad
words. He asked, "Which bad words?" I said, "Really bad
words that we are not going to say." He asked, "Does it
mean stupid?"

After settling that we weren't going to learn the bad words,
I asked why he asked if it was o.k. to do that gesture and
where he learned it. He said that he sometimes uses his
middle finger to do stuff because it is longer than the
others. When he was using his middle finger at his activity
table at school, his friends informed him that it was called a
"birdie" and that he wasn't supposed to show it. I guess
that could be called "secondary education."


THANKS ANYWAY
TRUE LOVE
FEBRUARY 2009

Jacob had an upset stomach from acid reflux and took his
Prevacid. At bedtime, Jacob was saying his prayers and
prayed, "Lord, help us learn more about you. Help us get
some rest. Lord, will you please help my tummy feel better?
Lord, will you come closer to us? And, Lord, if you can't do
any of those things, thanks anyway."

Jacob's prayers often have a certain amount of cuteness or
humor to them, but they are profound. This prayer reminded
me that we are to give thanks in all things and to trust
God's answers to our prayers. It reminded me of the story in
the book of Daniel where Daniel's friends, Meshach,
Shadrach and Abed-nego are going to be thrown into the
fiery furnace if they don't worship a pagan statue. They tell
King Nebuchadnezzar that they would not bow down. They
would only worship God and they declared, "our God whom
we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing
fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But
even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we
are not going to serve your gods." They would not waiver in
their faith even if the circumstances did not go the way they
wanted. Even if it meant discomfort or death. They still
would serve God. Jesus healed so many people during his
earthly ministry, but there were many of his disciples who
were not healed, including Paul. Jacob reminded me with his
prayer that God's grace is sufficient, regardless of the
circumstances. I wish I could learn to say with all sincerity,
"Thanks anyway," more often to God.

JANUARY 2009

Jacob boldly announced to us a few weeks ago that he was
in love. To protect the innocent, I will not reveal the name
of his love interest, but when asked why he loved this girl,
his response was, "I don't know, I just do. I can't help it!"
Oh, boy! So, he would get all giddy when this girl's name
was mentioned and he always wanted to walk into the
school with her in the mornings when they arrived. But, alas,
love can lead to heartbreak. Jacob's love interest chased him
at school and it scared him so he says he doesn't love her
any more.

Jacob has also had some amazing moments of clarity and
TRUE love this month. He has prayed several times that
people not be angry with God when someone they love dies.
He has prayed that God would help us spend time with
Macayla while we can. He asked if Macayla will have a new
body when she gets to heaven. I told him yes. Macayla will
have a new body like the rest of us and God will make a new
heaven and new earth as well. Jacob, suffering from an
excessive runny nose said, "Great! I can't wait to get to
heaven too. No more snotty nose for me!" Along those lines,
Jacob prayed last night that God would "not forget us and be
in our hearts so that we do not end up in that place with all
the lava." I find this interesting since we have not spent a
lot of time talking about Hell with him. He is an amazing kid
and I pray he never has to stray from the path he is on.
Prayer
Jeff's Blog
Contact
JUNE 2009

Jacob and I went on an errand one morning a couple of
weeks ago and stopped to get breakfast while we were out.
All Jacob talked about the entire morning was Jesus, the
Bible, and hymns. He said he thought John 3:16 was the
Scripture Satan hated the most. Then he quoted, "For God
so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have
everlasting life." Then Jacob asked me to tell him a story
about Jesus and Satan. So, I shared the story of Jesus
being baptized at the Jordan River. During the baptism,
Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and then the Spirit
led Jesus into the wilderness where He fasted for 40 days.
Satan came and tempted Jesus three times and each time
Jesus used Scripture to rebuke the temptations. Even when
Satan used Scripture and twisted it into fuel for temptation,
Jesus resisted and rebuked. Jacob liked the story and we
have reviewed it multiple times since. But that morning,
Jacob was full of questions and insight. Jacob knows the
Gospel. He knows Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He
knows sin separates us from a holy God forever and the
only way to restore our relationship with God is through
Christ. So, I asked him if he realized Jesus died for his sins.
He said yes. I asked him if he knew what baptism was for
and he was not sure. So, I explained that baptism is in the
water to remind us that Christ makes us clean. It shows
how we are buried with Christ in our sins and raised to walk
in new life with Christ. Baptism is a covenant that says we
belong to Christ forever. I asked Jacob if he wanted to be
baptized and he said yes! I asked him if he understood that
he is showing (confessing) that he will belong to Jesus
forever and he said yes. As we talked about it at the table
in Chic-fil-a, he asked, "Can we do it when we get home?" I
told him we technically could, but it would be better to do it
with our church family. So, in a couple of weeks, I get to
baptize my son. What a privilege! At age 6, it is easy to
worry that Jacob will not understand what he is doing. But
he seems to have a better grasp on the Gospel than many
adults I know. But I still don't fully understand baptism and
I am still learning. So it will be with Jacob. Bottom line, the
same Spirit that came upon Jesus has come upon my son.
That is the same Spirit of the Age to Come that led Jesus
into the wilderness and defeated the spirit of the present
age. Jacob is not only my son, but my brother in Christ!

Macayla
Baptism
Jacob
Jacob was baptized on July 12th. Baptism is an amazing
event when we stop and think about it. When Jesus was
baptized in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit descended upon
Jesus in the form of a dove. God the Father spoke from
heaven and said, "This is my Son with whom I am well
pleased." God the Son, Jesus, was in the water. The Holy
Trinity was present on the Jordan River that day. One of the
last commands Jesus gave to His disciples was to make
disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Trinity and baptism go
together. Our triune God is
present at our baptism. God the Father declares us His child.
God the Son provides the atonement needed by way of the
cross. God the Spirit comes upon us to guide and teach us
as new creations. We may not fully understand it, but there
is much more going on than a person getting wet. It is not
simply
a religious ceremony, but a profession of our covenant with
God. All of this is only possible because of what Christ did at
the cross and tomb. I am so elated Jacob is part of that
covenant. I'm so honored I was able to participate in his
baptism. I am so thankful for what God is doing in his
life. Jacob understands more about Christ and the Gospel
than many adults. His faith is so resolved and
matter-of-fact. What a blessing!!

Images
JULY 2009
Batten Disease
Blessing
Jacob, Jennifer and I were playfully picking on each other and
as usual Jacob took Jennifer's side and they ganged up on
me. I asked Jacob why he liked his mom better than me and
he said, "Dad, I only like her better by one point!" At least
I'm a close second.

In quantum physics there is something called "M Theory". It
basically states that our universe could be one of many.
Jennifer became quite bored as I parked the television on the
Discovery Channel and watched an entire program on M
Theory. Jacob was not with us and completely unaware of this
show. Two nights later, Jacob was saying his prayers and
prayed, "God, help us remember you are the God of the
universe, and all of the universes." Was that the Holy Spirit or
is Jacob the next Stephen Hawking?

I was talking to Macayla while she lay in her bed. Jacob came
in and climbed in the bed with her. I usually make noises and
say words that I know makes Macayla smile and it resembles
the kind of baby talk one might do with an infant. As I was
cooing and babbling, Jacob said, "Dad, stop that! Macayla
is eight years old and that baby talk embarrasses her!"

AUGUST 2009
A Close Second
Jacob is in first grade. He just lost his first tooth. He just
rode his bike without training wheels for the first time. He
whistled for the first time. He just started Cub Scouts and
sold his first order of popcorn. He is busy busy. But he still
takes time to say some random and funny things. He has
been fighting allergies and has had a stuffy nose. After
several failed attempts at whistling, he suddenly stopped
and exclaimed, "Dad, I just whistled from my nose!"
He left his tooth under the pillow to find a whole dollar the
next morning. It must be part of the Tooth Fairy Stimulus
Package. Anyway, I joked with Jacob in a pretend angry voice
that I might go ahead and knock out all of his teeth and put
them under my pillow and make twenty bucks. I shook my
fist. He didn't respond. I said, "Aren't you the least bit
scared?" He nonchalantly responded, "I think you are
pathetic." Then he started laughing. Finally, Jacob saw
something under his desk obscured by a shadow. Curiously
he reached for it to discover a huge, dead spider was in his
fingers! He shrieked in horror. I policed it up for him. He said,
"Dad, what if there is a whole family of them in our house?" I
assured him that this type of spider works alone. We walked
into the kitchen and there was another huge spider by
the refrigerator. "See, Dad! I told you there was a whole
family of them!" I assured him it was only the vast amount of
rain causing the spiders to come in seeking shelter. Jacob
went and took a shower. Then I heard another shriek! I go
into the bathroom. "What is this, Dad?" I look in the shower
and without his glasses, Jacob thought a clump of hair in the
drain was another spider! He had a hard time going to bed.
So did I. Wet hair in the shower drain is disgusting and scary!
October 2009
The First Time
Images