Oregon Visit
In light of our mother’s illness (for more details, see our brother Josh’s post), all of us kids have rallied home to Oregon. We wanted to be together — and most importantly, to be here to serve our mom. Thank you all for your prayers.
But there has also been some fun. Today the grandpa, uncles, aunt, niece, and nephew joined forces to build a dam and pond in the mud behind the Noble Institute offices. Everyone got muddy and wet. Evidence (by Uncles Josh and Alex) below.
Our dad is gearing up for a garden and orchard. There is a lot of mud.
Joshua Quinn, age 8 — master mud man.
Emma, age 10 — soon to get thoroughly wet.
Uncle Brett, hard at work.
The dam is taking shape.
Part of the digging, mud-packing crew.
Uncle James, age 10, and Joshua Quinn — still at (play) work.
May 31st, 2010 at 9:07 pm
I’m so sorry about the battle you guys’ mom has been battling.
She is in my prayers.
It looks like you guys had tons of fun in the mud. I always loved playing in the mud when I was younger.
-Hope
May 31st, 2010 at 9:10 pm
Yay guys! Working hard!
Like Brett’s face in the second to last photo!
God bless y’all!
–Hannah
May 31st, 2010 at 10:32 pm
Wow, I’ve never seen that much mud in my life! It looks like my adopted horse’s paddock after a rainstorm, though I doubt it smells as much.
I’ll be praying for you and your mother.
~ Elsa
May 31st, 2010 at 10:39 pm
That sounds fun and dirty and your mom will be in my prayers.
May 31st, 2010 at 11:44 pm
I am praying for your family during this difficult time. Our God is Sovereign; something that I too have been discovering as of late. When He sends us trials He also provides the grace necessary to endure them.
Looks like you had fun, did you make mud pies?
June 1st, 2010 at 12:50 am
Alex, Courtney, and Brett, know that we are praying for you and your family at this time. What a joy it is to know that you can rest in the sovereignty and wisdom of our Heavenly Father. He truly does cause all things to work together for our good and His glory!
It was so encouraging to be at the Rebelution Conference in Surrey last week. God has been doing so much in the lives of the young people at our church and in my own life. Thank you for being willing to come to Canada. It really is a wasteland for truth. (Some of our young people are already talking about next year!) Thank you for coming and delivering a strong message, even though you were and are facing a trial in your lives. The testing of our faith develops perseverance!
I just wanted to share with you one of my favorite Psalms:
“My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken.
On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.
Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”
~Psalm 62:5-8
“Fixing our eyes on Jesus…”,
Sarah
June 1st, 2010 at 8:41 am
I am praying for your mom! The mud building looks fun (and messy)! Make sure you show us the finished project! =)
June 1st, 2010 at 9:10 am
Thanks for posting pictures of your muddy adventure! We too hope to begin a garden in our new home (that we have yet to move in to), but as it will be in NM it won’t be quite such a soggy adventure for us :).
Your family is earnestly in my prayers, and I hope that one day us Rebelutionaries around the world will be able to bless you all in some way since your family has blessed us in so many ways.
~Meg
June 1st, 2010 at 10:05 am
Praying for y’all!
Have fun with that mud!
~Meridian
June 1st, 2010 at 10:30 am
I have had lots of experience playing (Uh, I mean, “working”) with mud! Very fun. Thanks for sharing! I am sure your family’s servant’s hearts will encourage your mom.
June 1st, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Awesome! I like work (play) like that, well, when I have OLD clothes!
Still praying for your mom!
June 1st, 2010 at 3:49 pm
It’s so great to see you all having a laid-back, dirty, fun time with your fam
Glad to see it =D
Have a great time together, especially with your mom, who I’m praying for! God bless!
June 1st, 2010 at 4:00 pm
Wow, looks like you all had a lot of fun! Hopefully it starts to stop raining so much! Work is always more enjoyable with others! I’ll keep praying for Mrs.Harris!
June 1st, 2010 at 4:24 pm
It’s good to see you all have having such a good time playing…er, working.
Wonderful pictures!! 
We are keeping your mother in our prayers!
June 1st, 2010 at 4:26 pm
a dam in the backyard?
AWESOME!!!
PS the nephew and niece are too cute!!
it must be so nice to have the whole family together in oregon again….i love the fact that you guys want to serve your mom. we’re keeping her in our thoughts and prayers.
June 1st, 2010 at 4:55 pm
I saw these pictures on your brother’s blog yesterday!
I love it! 
Still praying for your mom. Give her a big hug for me!
June 1st, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Looks like a blast! =] I’ll be in prayer for your mom…
June 1st, 2010 at 5:12 pm
Looks like you all had some fun together! Mud is always great.
I’m praying for you all that God will help you through this time. I was at the NEXT conference when they announced that your brother was leaving early to be with your mom. Everything is in His hands and nothing can happen outside of His will. He promises to work all things togther for the good of those who believe (Romans 8:28)
Keep trusting Him!
June 1st, 2010 at 9:46 pm
This is a beautiful post…Love you guys. <3
June 1st, 2010 at 10:16 pm
Looks like an amazing family time! I am sorry to hear about your Mother, but please know she is in my constant prayers! God be with you and your family during this time.
June 1st, 2010 at 10:40 pm
It sounds like ya’ll are having an awesome time! I am still praying for your mom’s recovery, and I am glad that ya’ll are having some good family time. It was a really wonderful thing hearing Josh talk about your mom at NEXT. The great love you guys have for her is very evident. God is the ultimate Healer, and whether He does a miracle or heals her by bringing her home remains to be seen, but may He recieve all the glory!
I hope you guys continue to have a blessed time!
~Kaitland
June 2nd, 2010 at 7:30 am
Your incredible Mum is in my prayers. She has blessed the entire world with her godly influence. May our Jehovah Raphael (God our Healer) bring healing to her body through His Spirit and the nourishing foods she is eating. “With man it is impossible, but with God ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE”.
Loved the photos of your family in the mud! I LOVE mud. *smile*
From a sister in Christ in New Zealand (aka Middle Earth),
Kedesh
June 2nd, 2010 at 9:10 am
That is really cool. That must have been a “much needed” work project!
Hope your mom gets better!
June 2nd, 2010 at 12:31 pm
Beautiful post ♥
Looks like you guys were having a blast “working”
June 2nd, 2010 at 7:42 pm
Just the other day I was swimming with my friends in the mud (I’m almost 16 by the way) and we had a blast.
June 3rd, 2010 at 7:39 am
Not a big mud person, but that looks fun!
Your family will be in my prayers.
June 3rd, 2010 at 10:58 am
Thank you so much for making this site be such an encouragement and for letting us encourage you and pray for you! I love reading what my brothers and sisters in Christ have to say!
June 3rd, 2010 at 11:13 am
Sounds like fun!
Happy to witness your heart to serve. When the whole family joins in it’s even more fun! Praying for your mom and your family! God bless you and your ministires.
June 3rd, 2010 at 6:02 pm
What fun pictures! Doing things with family is such a blast, but it can be especially fun when it involves getting dirty together!
I know how hard cancer can be for not only the person themselves, but also their family. My family and I are all praying for your mom, and all of you guys, as you go through this.
June 3rd, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Be praying for y’alls mom! God still working today!
Glad you had fun with neices and nephews…I luv spending time with my two nieces!God bless yo both for all the work you do!
June 4th, 2010 at 12:10 am
hehehe… looks like you had loads of fun.
Blessings,
Meggie
June 4th, 2010 at 7:53 am
So sorry to hear about your mom, will be prayin’ for ya’ll!
Love those cute little kids, they look like there having lots of fun!
In Christ alone,
Ruth
June 4th, 2010 at 9:04 am
Looks like you guys had a ton of fun in the mud! I loved making mud pies when I was younger…
We are praying for your mom!
God Bless,
Katelyn
June 4th, 2010 at 10:43 am
Hey guys,
I have been praying for you and your family. May Christ get the glory and keep strong!
-Justin
June 4th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
I will be keeping your mom and the rest of your family in my prayers. It is wonderful that your family has been joining together to support her during this time. What a statement of love!
Thanks for posting these pics! They are awesome! It looks like you had just about as much fun as work!
God bless you all!
Rae
June 4th, 2010 at 10:57 pm
Praise God that you were able to get together!
My family and I are praying for you all.
I’m curious, what kind of camera was used to take these pictures? (My sister and I enjoy photography.)
June 6th, 2010 at 6:31 pm
It looks like your family is having alot of fun being together. I am sure that you mother loves having all of you at home.
My family is definately praying for yours.
Sarah
June 6th, 2010 at 9:11 pm
I’m new to the website and I’ve never read a blog before, so I wasn’t really sure where to put this. But, my mom recently showed me the book, do hard things. The first thing I thought was BORING INFORMATIONAL STUFF ON HOW STUPID TEENS ARE. But then, I started reading. I was so inspired! We can do hard things if we put our mind to it. Thank you so much for showing me that i don’t have to dumb myself down or join in immoral activity to fit in to the way the culture is today. Instead, i can set high goals and i can achieve them.
Also, because I think I posted this in the wrong place, I’m very sorry to hear of your mother’s illness. I am praying for her quick recovery!
~ Megan
June 8th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Oh Alex & Brett! I have been praying for your mum since the first blog post, and will continue to keep her (and your family!) in my prayers. Thank you for the Rebelution - It has changed my life forever. (I couldn’t put both of your books down!)
Also-Alex and Brett, if you do see this, please thank your Dad. My mum got her hands on a set of his homeschooling tapes and we have homeschooled from the beginning. I now am in High School and love it.
June 8th, 2010 at 6:33 pm
I’m praying for your mom and the entire Harris family.
June 10th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
Dear Alex and Brett, I am blessed by the love that you guys and your family have for your mother. It is so touching! I WILL be praying for her. That God will do a tremendous work of healing in her life and that there will be great spiritual growth through this!
May God bless you guys, Bekah.
P.S. Good luck on the dam!
June 11th, 2010 at 12:26 am
Wow! Sure looks like a lot of fun
I Will be praying for you and your family as you walk through this together!
I wanted to show you guys this: A teen in California is running for State Senate this year! This homeschool grad is catching the media’s attention as a young, confident candidate who is running against the head of the senate last year! Here is his website for more information: http://marcel2010.com/#/home
June 12th, 2010 at 10:01 am
Alex and Brett,
I have been praying for your family, and will continue to do so. I see all the fun you’re having. Keep it up! God Bless you. Please PM me if you need anything.
June 15th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
Your Mom is in our prayers! I have an aunt right now who is going through cancer treatments. But I’m sad to say, the treatments (if she continues them) will only pro-long her life up to a year.
Looks like ya’ll had fun in the mud! We used to take mud baths here on our ‘farm’ when we were little!
Blessings,
Kathrann
July 26th, 2010 at 7:49 pm
Talk about a HUGE Mud bath.. My gosh! ….(After that comment I realize I am coveting your MUD!)