How do you learn to SOCIALIZE anyway??

Those that are not familiar with homeschooling usually believe the stereotypical lie that homeschoolers don't have an opportunity to socialize. They believe that school is the place where children can learn to interact with others and learn the "social skills" that are necessary to live a complete, healthy life. They may never stop to think about the people in life that you know or have met that went to school, but who are completely unsocial or anti-social. You have seen then in your own school days; all alone in the corner of the cafeteria, the one that is so rude and has no social graces, the one that chews with his mouth open at lunch and makes a spectacle of himself. They exist as adults in the work place and in other social settings.

Most of the time, those unsocialized folks weren't homeschooled. They are people that are simply not taught at home how to interact with the world around them in a socially acceptable way.

There is one child that I know who is very unsocialized and that child has been in school/daycare since birth. The child is in "survival mode" making sure that no gets the child's stuff or takes the child's seat. The child carries stuff around all day long so no one will take it. The child yells at other children in order to get away with things or get the point across, so that someone will hear what this little one is trying to say. This child is mean. Sharing is not the norm and is very difficult. The world revolves around this child and everyone is expected to know that. I know for a fact that I have only seen the surface of what this child is capable of socially.

If parents expect the school system, public or otherwise, to teach their children how to socialize PROPERLY, there are going to be kids that are lacking in so many areas of life because this area of socializing affects so much. A teacher with 30 kids in a classroom should not be expected to teach your kids how to play nice, share nice, or talk nice. That is OUR responsibility . . . the parents of said children.

So, that is what I do . . . I teach my kids how to interact with other children of different ages, not just their own age. We actually talk about certain scenarios and how they might act or interact. When we have people over, we talk about the proper way to treat a guest. When my kids go to someone else's house we talk about acceptable social behavior. Since I have them at home with me, especially while they are young, I can be there for them when they are in a situation and need help figuring out what to do, socially. I don't call this tattling . . . . I call it teaching.

As a homeschool family, our opportunities to socialize are enormous. Sometimes I have to tell the kids, "Ok guys time to stop socializing! We need to get some school done!!"

My whole point is . . . I don't want someone else teaching my kids how to socialize. I want to do it!! I am so glad that God has given me the opportunity!! It is my life's most exciting adventure!!

What a NIGHT!!

Last night no one wanted me to sleep!! If it wasn't me getting up to go to the bathroom, it was one of the kids!! I went to bed early becasue I was so exhausted. It was a busy day!!

At 2:20AM Carter woke up and had peed the bed! I got him all situated and back to sleep and then I went back to bed. I am feeling a little sinus stuffiness come on, so I laid in bed and sneezed and tossed and turned for an hour!! Then I heard Carter make more noise! I thought he was not sleeping yet and so I dreaded going in to settle him. But I went in to check on him and he was sound asleep. (Wish I was!)

I got up and went to the computer to try and blow off some steam. (I was MAD!) After an hour or so of doing a little bit of surfing, I decided to go back to bed. I laid there for another 20 min or so, tossing and turning, when I was almost alseep. That is when Carter yelled out, "MOMMY!" I turned to my Beloved and asked him to go and check on the baby! Thankfully he did! He stayed in there and laid in bed with him till morning.

So . . . there I am again . . . wide awake!! Just as I drift off to sleep I hear, "Mom, I had a bad dream!" Carley was upset so I told her to hop in bed with me (Because Daddy was still in Carter's bed!) and she was fast aleep in no time! I laid there trying to tell myself that it was going to light soon and if I don't get some sleep I will be an sight for sore eyes in the morning!!

I did finally fall alseep. It was a night of chaos and mishapes and that is what I call being a "Parent!" Sometimes the rewards are so great and sometimes the "rewards" are not so great!! Getting a good night sleep is always a plus, but that didn't happen last night!! Oh well . . . there is always tonight! I hope things go a little more as planned for a regular night's sleep!!

Hedge Of Protection . . . . is that the best you've got?

our first event

I think it went well!! Last night was the first event that we have had this year and that I have had since becoming the group's president. The event last night was different than what we have had in the past, but people came and hung out and had a lot of fun!! I had many people come and tell me that I did a great job and I humbly say Thank You!! But in all honesty, I couldn't have done it without the team that I had in place to assist. You all were so amazing!! Thanks a bunch!

The homeschool group at the church, is an awesome bunch of families to be a part of!! I am very proud to be part of such a close group. Thanks to all who came out and listened to me talk!! I am looking forward to lots more fun and excitement this year!!

And the winner is . . . .

First of all let me start off by saying I am SOOO sorry for being late to announce the WINNER!! My head is spinning with busy-ness and I am a little overwhelmed right now!!

Anyway, We put everyone's name in the bowl on little pieces of paper and Carter, my 2 year old Munchkin, drew out Melissa Haught as the WINNER!! Congrats Melissa!! Hope you enjoy your coffee!!


The is Morgan, my niece, with Carter and Camden.


Carter chooses Melissa!! Congratulations!!!

Baby wearing

I wish I would have done this sooner. I was walking through Walmart and Carter REALLY wanted me to hold him. It's pretty much impossible to hold a 30lb toddler and push a grocery cart. So I was in the baby section looking for a gift for a friend's upcoming shower. My eyes zoned in on a baby sling on the shelf. I opened the package and took a look at it. Then I tried it on. It fit and it looked pretty cool. I asked Carter if he wanted to get in and he refused . . . he's 2 and he has an attitude. So instead of reason with him on adult terms, I offered him a cookie (that is not an everyday event in our family) and he caved!! His eyes were as big as saucers when I said "if you try it, I'll give ya a cookie!!!" He jumped in that sling with a smile on his face!! After adjusting the sling for a moment, I asked Carter if he liked it and he smiled and said "Yes, Mama!!" He laid his head on my shoulder and looked at the view from high up, instead of the cart, which he HATES!! We finished our walk around Walmart and when we went to checkout I handed the cashier the package and told her that I was wearing it!!!

That was my first experience with a sling and it was pretty cool. I have had a friend whispering in my ear about it's marvelous benefits!! I don't know if this will work for us for too much longer (since Carter is already pretty big), but it is worth a shot!! Next time I go shopping, I'm taking the sling!!!

Post a Comment - Win Some Coffee

Hi my blogging cyber friends. I love this blogging thing I want to thank all my friends for visiting me here on blogspot! Since I love you all so much and I know how much most of you love coffee, I am gonna play a blogging game!!! If you post a comment here, I am going to put your name in a drawing and if I draw your name, I will mail it to you!!! I will keep the posting open till Monday July 28 at noon. Good luck!! I hope you win!!!

A Much Better Day . . .

I am so pleased to post that Carter and I had a GREAT day today!! He had pretty much perfect behavior today. I gave him so much praise and even a big fat STICKER for his awesome behavior!! I was so proud of him!! It was one of those days that makes me forget about days like yesterday. Thank goodness for days like these!!

Totally Felt Defeated

It was one of those days. . . . I mean the kind when you feel like a complete failure as a parent!! I don't know if I am exaggerating or not, but it felt like the worst day of child-rearing that I have EVER experienced!! How does it get to this??

I'll tell ya how??

SIN!! Adam and Eve started it!!!

Today, my 2 year old pushed me to the limit!! (I think they are known for that!!) When it was time for a "routine spanking" for general misbehavior, he decided that he wanted to kick and scream bloody murder (so the neighbors could hear). I tried to reason with him and tell him it was making things worse, but he never really "got it!!" Oh my goodness!! I was so MAD at him that I had to leave the room and tell him to wait till Daddy came home because I just couldn't continue to wrestle with him over getting a spanking.

I know that discipline, specifically spanking, is a touchy subject in some circles. Our family has a "spanking routine" that is made to keep peace and is used for correction, not to get anger out. So here is our "routine:"

1. The child is taken to a private location and never spanked publicly.
2. The child is asked if he knows why he is about to get a spanking. We make sure he is completely clear on this.
3. The swat is administered with a spanking tool or paddle.
4. Crying ensues and is calmed.
5. We hug the child and let him know that we love him unconditionally (like Jesus does), even if he had disobeyed.
6. Usually the crying has stopped and then we will let the child pray to Jesus and ask Him to forgive him and help him when the temptation arises again.
7. Then the parent administering the discipline will pray for the child.
8. Then we talk and the child asks forgiveness from parents, siblings or whomever he has offended.
9. Then there is lots of hugs and kisses and talking about how much we love each other.

This process causes great amounts of emotional bonding. It is a fact, that there is a direct correlation between pain and repentance. If it hurts bad enough you are sorry for what caused the pain (in any area of life . . . think about it). It is just a principle that we live by.

Carter, the precious 2 year old mentioned above, has become accustomed to the routine established in our home and he knows what to expect. Well today went awry and I guess we are chalking it up to seeing what he can get away with . . . the ol' "sin nature!!" I am praying for his little mind and spirit as he tries to figure it all out. I love that little munchkin to pieces and I was so mad at myself for getting SOOO frustrated at him today!! He could sense my anger and he was mad at me too. I asked him to forgive me and he said he would, but he was clinging to Daddy, (even though he is the one who actually administered the spanking), because he knew "Mommy was upset."

It made me think about Jesus and the pain He must feel when we disobey Him and then blame Him for it. We've all done it, but today my eyes were opened to His Hurt!!

Random Stuff

Things seem busier than usual . . . I always say that!! It seems that as the kids get older, things are just busier!!

My kids have had play dates everyday this week!! It is so unfortunate that they are so unsocialized (because we homeschool) and have no interaction with other children their own age. (that was totally sarcastic!!) So if they are not reading a book, they are playing with other children. That has made things very busy!!

I have been planning and organizing events and meetings for our homeschool group. That is quite a task! There is a lot of "red tape" when dealing with a large church like we have. I have also been putting cards, flyers and sign up sheets together. This (and blogging) are what I spend most of my late nights doing!!

Next week our church is doing VBS and my Hunny and I volunteer. That is one of the busiest weeks of my year!! The kids look forward to it all year. We always have fun too!

The week after that I am planning some big events for the HS group and Carley, the world's best big sister, will be at kids camp. I am going to miss her like crazy!!

That means that sometimes laundry doesn't get done like I would like and floors aren't mopped as often as I'd like!! I have convinced myself that in the end, my kids are going to be happy because I poured everything in to them and their education. I hope that the details of piled laundry and finger prints on glass doors fade in the background.

We are starting school on Aug 4, so I plan to slow it down some. I am excited about what is coming up with our homeschool group and that is all I can handle!!! God is going to have to help me every step of the way . . . . as He always does!!

Camden is reading like crazy!!

Remember the reading challenge? Well the kids won't put the books down! They are doing soooo good!!

I have to brag a moment on Camden!! He just turned 6 and is in first grade. I am so proud of him. He is pronouncing words and reading words that I didn't even know that he knew!! I am amazed!! He is reading "Frog and Toad" Books!! I am just so happy for him and eager to see him learn and expand his vocabulary even more!! I love to watch my kids LOVE to do something!!!

While I am talking about Camden, let me just take a moment and tell you a little about him.

He is hilarious!! All he wants to do is make people laugh and please his parents!! He loves Jesus so much!! There are pieces of paper all over my house that say, "Jesus Rocks! I love him!" or "I love Jesus!" I am so grateful for that! He loves sports! Any team that his dad likes, he likes! Speaking of his dad . . . Camden loves his dad more than anyone else on this planet!! All he wants to do is hang with Dad!! If one of the other kids gets to go to the store with Dad and he has to stay behind, he is so jealous, he can't stand it!! Dad and Camden are going to be best friends when Camden is older!! When Camden was 2, his teacher at church would tell me Camden is the happiest boy she'd ever seen!! He just loves life and all it has to offer! I can't wait to see what God has in store for my oldest son, my big boy!!

I love you Camden!


Camden and Daddy making funny faces!!

Camden holding his baby brother!! (Aren't his eyes amazing?)

Camden holding Star, his bunny.

Heely's Skate Shoes

I'm sure you've heard of them. They aren't as popular as they were a few years ago, but we tend to not allow our kids to indulge in the "latest and greatest" of things! (If we'd allow them to, the grandparents would OVER INDULGE!) They are Heely's! They're sneakers that have a wheel in the bottom of the shoe. The kids have to learn to balance themselves on the skates or they will fall off!! It didn't take long for them to get the knack! Now they love to wear them wherever we go!! I have taught them Heely etiquette and they know how to "look out for other people," etc.

. . . but some people out there don't like kids with Heely's (I have seen many that don't practice Heely etiquette!)!! I have found that they tend to be older women. First she tries to get the kids attention and shakes her head and finger NO or snaps her fingers (the kind you can imagine of a teacher shamefully scorning a child after which she places him in the corner with a DUNCE hat on his head!! The children will quickly come to my side because I didn't see the initial non-verbal attack!! Then the un-authoritative, older lady (a greeter at Walmart for instance), will say, "I'm sorry Mam, but they really don't want kids riding on those in here. They could fall and get hurt!!"

DUH!!!

They COULD fall while walking too!!

If that was a posted rule at Walmart, BJ's, etc. and the woman actually had a tool to remove the wheels, I would completely understand and wouldn't mind complying with the posted rules. (This has happened by the way!)

BUT when a janitor, greeter, or sample server has a power trip because he/she personally "doesn't want someone to get hurt," I get super annoyed!! People get hurt by doing all kinds of stupid things!! You really can't avoid it!! While I was at Walmart, during the same visit, a child was riding a bike on training wheels through the isles at full speed!! Now that could hurt somebody . . .

I just think that if a greeter wants to have a power trip because she is concerned/annoyed with kids wearing Heely's, she should go to the Walmart corporate headquarters and have them make the rules!!!

Another rant on this same topic:

We were walking somewhere the other day and Camden was wearing his Heely's and he fell!! He didn't get hurt!! He's used to it!! But the mom behind me said to her son, "See how you can fall on those things!!"

I said to her, "Well, I figure they can fall if they're walking too, so what's the difference?" That was said with a smile, and we both laughed!

Why are people so afraid of "getting hurt?" I want to protect my kids as much as possible too, but they are gonna get hurt no matter what I do to keep them physically safe!!

"decaf, please"

The other night my Hunny and I went out on a date. Our Sunday School Class coordinated a group date!! So, we went to the Japanese Steakhouse and the filet mignon was awesome and the laughs were even better!!! Then we went out for coffee with the gang.

. . . let me go backward for a moment . . . . normally my Hunny would get a Mocha (his mistress) at the coffee shop and then he would plan to stay up late and work because he would be zinging from all the caffeine. He works so hard and I knew he was pretty tired, so if he went home (without a visit with the mistress or at least a decaf version) he'd konk out!!

. . . back to my story . . .

SO, I ordered him a decaf Mocha and told the barista NOT to write decaf on the cup!! About an hour or so later we got into the car and I asked him if the caffeine had kicked in yet. I asked if he was planning to work late or go to bed. Wouldn't ya know it? That stinker said he was tired!! I told of the deception that had taken place and he laughed. But, guess what he did when we got home?? He konked out as soon as his head hit the pillow after he said "Thanks for ordering me a decaf!!"

I'm too tired!!

"Ok, Carter! Time to clean up your blocks." I look at my precious 2 year old and don't expect much. He is still learning the art of cleaning up after oneself. I grab his hand and walk him over to the mess to which I am referring.

He looks at me, grabs his "blankie" and says, "Mommy, I'm too tired!!"

Can you believe how smart the kid is?? He has figured out how to shirk his responsibilities already!! He thinks that I will have sympathy on him and say, "OK, Carter-Poo! Mommy will joyfully clean up the mess in your place. You go and play happily and have a merry day of fun . . . make more messes if it pleases you!!!"

What a little stinker!!!

This isn't a game!!

This video is alarming!! The preacher challenges people to think in terms of holiness and REAL-LIFE salvation!! It isn't a game, it's a battle against unseen forces!! Watch this video in it's entirety and let me know what you think!!

I Need Help . . .

I am trying to upload my own videos from my camcorder to God Tube. I don't have a USB port on the camcorder, so I made a DVD. I wanted to insert it into my computer and then download . . . no luck!!!

I am about ready to toss the computer, camera, and everything with it . . . out the window . . . I guess you could say I'm frustrated!! When I get frustrated . . . I begin to grunt and groan in . . . well . . . frustration!! Any help you have to offer would be great!! I'm gonna try some more . . .

I'd like to share my video of Carter singing Jesus Loves Me!! It's sooooo cute!!

More to Laugh About

You are gonna laugh harder than you have in a long time!! Are you ready??

A Homeschool Family

Book Challenge

I am not usually into bribing my kids to do work, but I am looking at it from a new perspective. We are now "goal setting" in this house. We are hoping to get them to work . . . at anything . . . just DO something!! They would be content to play electronics or ride bikes all day long. While neither of those are "bad," I want to instill in them a sense of working in order to earn something. (That's why we all work, right?) So, here's the deal . . .

They each set a goal of 5 books to be read this month. If they reach their goal they each get $10. Any book over 5 is worth $1 each, unless they double their goal. If they double their goal they get double the cash, $20!!!

That is a lot of money for a 6 & 8 year old. They are learning the true value of money. Recently they have saved up some of their own money in order to buy something. They say, "Wow, $20 is a lot of money!!" So they know they can get some nice things with their cash.

They are now motivated to work and read. I hope they reach their goal!!

a new record

Thanks to all who stopped by to read Carter's Story!! I set a new record yesterday of hits to my blog. I guess people like to read a great story!! I love this blogging thing . . . thanks Becky!!

Carter turns 2 . . . his birth story

I have been thinking about that day 2 years ago when my sweet toddler was born. He came into the world as most babies do, but it was a little . . . unconventional!!

I was so excited when we made the decision to have him at home! It fit into our new "homeopathic" approach to most of our other health issues. I was thrilled to have a Hunny that was supportive of such a decision. So, we found a midwife, took the classes, educated ourselves, and we were off!! There was no turning back!! I knew all along that I was not afraid of "what if's" if he was born at home, I was just afraid of the PAIN!!! My previous two births were in a traditional hospital setting with epidurals!!! I never felt any pain!!!

The day came! The midwife came to my house for my check-up and I was 6 days away from my due date!! I was just sure that I was going to be pregnant for 42+ weeks and here I was committed to having this baby at home . . . ok a "what if" did creep in!! At that appointment, Karin, the midwife assured me that all would be fine. She gave me a run down of the biology of the whole thing! I think that put me into relax mode!!!! I felt very assured!!

She checked my cervix and I was dialated 4cm and I hadn't had any contractions yet!! (I know some women are in hard labor for days and only dialate 2cm . . . thank God I didn't have this experience.) She thinned the membrane in the cervix, but she told me she didn't know if she did a very good job. I didn't expect much. A few hours later, I was having contractions. YEAH!!

Shannon came home from work and the midwife came back over. I labored at home!!!! It was AWESOME!! My sis came over to help out with the other kids. I could eat and drink whatever I wanted. I wasn't hooked to a machine! I walked the neighborhood while in labor!!! At 10:00PM she checked me and I was ready to push!! I got into the birthing tub and had a few VERY VERY PAINFUL contractions and then . . . the baby was here!!!

I have to admit that I didn't handle the pain as well as I told myself I would!! I didn't "focus" or think about God's awesome creation that He chose me to carry . . . none of that . . . I SCREAMED MY HEAD OFF!!!! IT HURT!!! I kept waiting for someone to tell me to push and then stop pushing, like they do in the hospital . . . but the only person that knew when a contraction was coming was ME . . . so I just kept pushing because it just kept hurting!!!!

When Carter arrived . . . I wasn't overwhelmed with emotion and crying because of the beauty of the moment. All I could think about was how much that hurt . . . I was glad it was over!!!!! The first thing I said was, "That hurt so bad!!"

On the good side, I got to sleep in my own bed that night. My big kids got to see carter come into the world . . . in their jammies!! Then my sister made eggs for everyone . . . at midnight or so. No one poked and prodded either of us. No one came in to bother me all night!! It was one of the most exciting experiences of my life!! I am proud of the fact that despite my fear of the pain, I persevered. God was with me through it all, and I hope I have the opportunity to do it again someday!!

Happy Birthday Carter!

Slow Down and READ the Word

I have been reading Ruth and I must say that there are times when I struggle to S L O W D O W N enough to read MORE than just what is simply written on the page!! I have recently been reading audreycaroline.blogspot.com. She posted about that very subject . . . Slowing down in order to hear what God has to say.

. . . So I was reading Ruth!! I was soaking it in too!! (I don't want to hurry through the book just to be able to say, "I read an entire book of the Bible!!") God provided for Ruth and Naomi in ways that seemed wayyy too coincidental. Ruth just happened to be gleaning in the field of one of her husband's family. Boaz just so happened to notice her. He showed her kindness and gentleness in ways that only God can.

When things seem crazy to me, I simply rest in the fact the HE provides everything I will ever need!! He shows up in ways I never expect.

CHAPTER 2
4 Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, "The LORD be with you!"
"The LORD bless you!" they called back.

5 Boaz asked the foreman of his harvesters, "Whose young woman is that?"

6 The foreman replied, "She is the Moabitess who came back from Moab with Naomi. 7 She said, 'Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.' She went into the field and has worked steadily from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter."

8 So Boaz said to Ruth, "My daughter, listen to me. Don't go and glean in another field and don't go away from here. Stay here with my servant girls. 9 Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the girls. I have told the men not to touch you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled."

10 At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She exclaimed, "Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?"

11 Boaz replied, "I've been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. 12 May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge."

13 "May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord," she said. "You have given me comfort and have spoken kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servant girls."

14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, "Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar."
When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over. 15 As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, "Even if she gathers among the sheaves, don't embarrass her. 16 Rather, pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don't rebuke her."

17 So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah. [a] 18 She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough.

19 Her mother-in-law asked her, "Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!"
Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. "The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz," she said.

20 "The LORD bless him!" Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. "He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead." She added, "That man is our close relative; he is one of our kinsman-redeemers."

21 Then Ruth the Moabitess said, "He even said to me, 'Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.' "

22 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, "It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with his girls, because in someone else's field you might be harmed."

23 So Ruth stayed close to the servant girls of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

Bloggity Bliss

I have really enjoyed this "blogging thing!" It is such a fun way to journal family happenings and special events! It brings people closer that live so far apart. Friends can stay in touch in ways that were never possible in the pre-cyberspace era! (I can barely remember those days!!)

One of my favorite parts is using the sitemeter link to see who is visiting my blog!! That is fun!! My average hits per day is up to 15!! That is pretty good for . . . a homeschooling, crunchy, kid lovin', house cleanin', imperfect, Jesus servin' Momma!!! People have visited my blog from all over the world and right here is good ol' Wesley Chapel!!

Thanks to all my visitors!! I am so happy that you have stopped by!! I would love to get a comment from you and become "blogging buddies!"

what we did on our mission trip

WOW! What a trip! Carley and I had such a great time of bonding, serving, praying, giving, and much more!

We flew into Rapid City, SD (a small town of only 60,000 people, but very touristy because of Mt. Rushmore) on Friday and after getting rental cars, and settling into our hotel for that night we went to dinner. It was a local joint with lots of interesting items on the menu, including "Rocky Mountain Oytsters." I chose to pass this time because I hear that this kind of "seafood" "will leave you hanging for a long time!"

The next morning we went to Mt Rushmore, did our grocery shopping at Walmart and Sams for our week ahead. Then we were off to Lower Brule! We had a 3 hour trip ahead. Thank goodness for the walkie talkies and the "I'm going to South Dakota and I'm going to take a A WORD, B WORD, C WORD, etc" game. It really passed the time! By the time we got to Lower Brule Indian Reservation, we were tired and hungry.


The missionaries greeted us and let us use their kitchen to make dinner at 11:30PM! The next morning was church. We went early to pray and believe God for great things. I helped out in kids church and it was a great time. The children were responsive and interested in what Rebecca, the missionary, shared. One of them brought a cat into the service. When someone would take him out, he would find his way back. I have never been in a service where animals were welcome!! LOL

*Let me interject that the church had a great kitchen and we cooked all meals there. We bought enough food to feed our 11 team members plus the missionaries, Randy and Rebecca for 6 days. At every meal we feed no less that 17 people. God multiplied the food because no one went hungry! In fact we probably gained weight b/c there was so much food!.



On Sunday afternoon, we canvased the local neighborhoods, knocking on doors and inviting children to our MEGA SPORTS CAMP! It was a long day because we switched time zones several times. We were beat.

On Monday, the day we had been waiting for, we got up early to distribute more flyers where we knew there would be lots of children. We prayed, prepared, and panicked . . . we didn't know what to expect! When 1:00 rolled around the children started filing in. We had 75 kids! That was the most they had ever had at any event in that community before. We were extatic, exhuberant, and by the days' end, exhausted. We really didn't have the manpower to handle that many! So we rearranged a few things and worked out a few kinks, and the rest of the week we averaged about 40 kids.

I was so tired after Monday's Sports Camp that I slept 12 hours!! It was emotionally draining! Being in another culture is mentally exhausting. (It was worth every minute!)


Oh, I don't think I told you, yet . . . I was a basketball coach at the MEGA SPORTS CAMP!!! If you know me you are rolling on the floor laughing right now! I am super athletically challeneged and God has a real sense of humor! He definatley had me "outside my comfort zone!!!" That is what you are supposed to do on Missions Trips, right . . . be flexible! Do what needs to be done!! I can laugh about it now, but at the time I was almost in tears! God was my strength because, He knows that is the only way I could have made it through that . . . sports camp!


Tuesday we went to the Tribal Office and got a great tour and had lots of questions. One day we went to the Wildlife center, where they have lots of animals that were once real and are now stuffed. They had so much info about the local wildlife! We also went to the local Popcorn Factory. It was in a little warehouse. The Tribe is one of the largest suppliers of popcorn in the world! They sell to Orville Reddenbacher, ship it all over the world, and all the proceeds go to the tribe. We also did a hike up some AMAZING hills. We saw a rattlesnake and a BIG, FAT wolf spider. (There was so much neat wildlife there that we don't have in FL!)


On Friday after all the Sports Camp events were over, we went to the POW WOW! The people wore their native clothes and did traditional dances. It was an AWESOME cultural experience. I took lots of pics and videos.

Then early Saturday morning we left Lower Brule and headed back to Rapid City. Another 3 hour trek. This time we stopped on the way at The Badlands National Park. It was one of the most beautiful sights to behold. God used His exclusive paintbrush that has colors that you can't find anywhere else on this planet. His majesty revealed!

Then it was a long stop at Wall Drug! The world's biggest Drug Store, where you can get cold water for FREE!!!!! (IT's an inside joke!!)

When we got back to Rapid City, we had made reservations at this lowly motel that seemed like such a good deal!! (only $54 per night! Thanks Angel!) The shock of the motel, made my mind spin . . . be FLEXIBLE, JAMIE!!


We went to a cowboy dinner show for our meal that night. Then we heard about the evening illumination and show at Mt Rushmore and so we went to experience that. Do you know how COLD it gets in SD when the sun goes down? Like 50!! We were freezing!

The day we went to eat breakfast for $.99 at the place where they filmed Dances with Wolves. That was cool! Then we walked around a little craft fair to pass our time.

Then it was time to go to the airport. We made it home at about midnight! I was just happy to give/get hugs and kisses to my family! I missed them like crazy!

More about what God did in me . . . later

What an AWESOME trip!!

We did so many amazing things and God worked in so many ways!! I have so much to share that I don't know where to start!!
. . . I should start with the laundry . . . so I'll write more later!! I can't wait to share!!

I'm in South Dakota

Hi all! We arrived safely and we are exploring like crazy!! This is a beautiful part of God's creation! We feel so blessed to be here! Today we will do some sight seeing at Mt Rushmore. Then we will drive 3 hours to the town in which we will be doing our VBS!! It will be an awesome time of serving God in practical ways! PLease continue to pray for our safety and our ministry!! (And you may want to whisper a prayer for the rest of the family left in FL. There is a lot to keep Shannon busy with to very active little boys!)

Help out a friend!

"Blessed with Olive Plants" son is in this group and raising funds!! Do what you can to help him out!!


Teen Bible Quiz Nationals competition

Breakfast Fundraiser


Victorious Life Church FIRST Teen Bible Quiz team trip to NATIONALS competition. Our competition takes place in Green Bay, Wisconsin! We need your help to get there!

Breakfast ($6)
Home fries, scrambled eggs and sausage or ham. New York Style!

When? Saturday, June 7th
8 to 10 am.

Call to place your order. Please tell your neighbors and family. We will deliver in the New Tampa area or call me if you like to pick up. Thanks so much! = ]

Monica
(813) 394 7456

Serving Christ Across Cultural Barriers

I am so excited to share that Carley and I will be going to SD to an Indian Reservation. We will be doing a Vacation Bible School for the local children. I am looking forward to seeing God bless my daughter in a special way. We have been preparing for this for quite some time and now we are ready for whatever the Lord has for us!! We leave on Friday and we will be gone for 10 days! We will be in Lower Brule, SD which has a population of 599 people. The closest Walmart is 1 hour away. We will be in a different culture serving people that are very different from ourselves. The Sioux Tribe is the primary group of indians. The reservation where we will be staying has 1300 people on it. Carley has been fascinated with Native Americans for a few years now and she is so excited to be able to minister to them in this way!! Please pray for us as we minister and as we leave behind part of our family. It will be different for all of us.

PRAISE: We sent out letters asking for support. Many of you so graciously donated to our cause and we raised ALL of the money we needed in order to make the trip!! Now that is God's blessing!! Thank you Jesus for making this trip possible! All the glory goes to YOU!!!

What I'm reading . . .

I am thrilled to be introduced to classical education. This is so much fun!! Can't wait to get started on Latin!! I already ordered the stuff and my munchkins are pumped!!

a selfish act

I was recently out to eat with a large group of people. The group was people from all different avenues and walks of life and we were all brought together by the sports team that our kids shared. I was mingling around the group, talking to all the moms. (I have little in common with most of them!!) I finally found a comfy spot next to a mom that had a six week old infant. I just love babies!!

Let me start by saying that I don't judge people who don't "do life" like I "do life!" If you are a "send your kids to school" mom, a "working" mom, a "work at home" mom, etc, I am fully accepting of that!! You have the freedom to choose what works best for your family. Sometimes these decisions are made without thinking past "the NOW!" "I have to work!" she may say. "I don't have the patience to homeschool!" she may say!! OR she might not say anything at all!! I have meet so many people that are on the defense and wish they would have just made the sacrifice. It happens all the time!!

. . . now back to my story. . . . this mom with the baby is a career mom!! She has her baby in daycare and she goes out and works all day!!! Well, this baby started crying. She gave him a bottle but that didn't soothe him. She told me he wanted to be nursed, but he is just going to have to get used to the bottle because at daycare they can't nurse him. So consequently he proceeded to cry . . . a lot!!

My heart was just broken!! Her baby wanted the soothing comfort that only she could give and she refused to comfort him. She is a modern woman and didn't want to be tied down by breast feeding. God designed woman to be nurturing and sensitive to the needs of her children. When she ignores that sense in order to satisfy her OWN needs, I think that God is sad!! It is simply a selfish act.

I was sad!!

GIVE ME JESUS!!

This song is so AWESOME!!! I just keep listening to it over and over and over!!! (I wish I could figure out how to put a playlist on here!!) I want to praise Him "from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets" Ps 113:3. He has given me "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us," Eph 3:20. I know I don't deserve it, but because He loves me, He blesses me!! I just want Him to know that in all things famine or FEAST, I will praise Him!!

I have had such a reputation for seeking, praising, and praying more during the famine!! I want him to know that, while life is good and there are no imminent valleys of tribulation, I WANT JESUS!!!! My heart aches for Him! "You can have all this world, Just give me JESUS!!!"

GIVE ME JESUS
by Jeremy Camp
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise

Give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,
Just give me Jesus.

When I am alone,
When I am alone,
When I am alone,
Give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,
Just give me Jesus.

When I come to die,
When I come to die,
When I come to die,
Give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,
Just give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world,
Just give me Jesus.

Jesus,
You are my Redeemer and Friend! I just want to give you all the praise you deserve!! Thank you for your blessings!! Thank you for famine and feast. No matter what comes my way today, Lord, give me JESUS!!!!

I just love US . . .

This is my Hunny!! He is my best friend! I love the way he makes me laugh, makes me cry, tells me he loves me, writes me love notes, shares his struggles, opens his arms to those who don't deserve it, gives out of his weaknesses, leans on Jesus, loves to learn, accepts a challenge, . . . . I could go on and on!! But most of all I love the way he serves Jesus!! He is my greatest example of the love of an earthly father. I know that because he loves the Lord, our home will be blessed!!

Thank you, Lord for giving me a man of Strength and Honor!!

I love you, Hunny!

these are beautiful faces . . .

I just think they are beautiful blessings from Heaven!! I want the world to know how awesome they are and how much I love them!! They have taught me so much!!! I love you!!

Homemade Cereal

This is a great alternative to the store bought cereals that I posted about a while back. My family loves this recipe!!

8c rolled oats
1/2c melter butter
1/2c melted coconut oil
1 1/2c whole milk yogurt, plain
2c water

1/2 raw honey or maple syrup
1 t sea salt
1 t ground cinnamon

Mix first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Pat down and cover. Let stand on the counter for 48 hrs. (This neutralizes the oats and makes them easier to digest.)

After that 48 hrs add honey, salt, and cinnamon and mix thoroughly. Then set your oven for 170 and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Spread mixture out and place in oven to dry out completely. (Usually takes several hours or all night)


I love to do the drying in the oven over night b/c when we wake up in the AM we have warm cereal and it tastes just like grape nuts brand. We add raisins and milk!! YUM!!

If you try the recipe, you have to post and tell me how it turned out!!

Camping anyone?

Since it was Memorial Day weekend, my Hunny had a GREAT idea!! "Let's go camping!" he said. We have been talking about it for years and it seems that something has always held us back!!! Well this weekend we decided to go for it!! We packed up the mini van for a night (yes . . . that is ONE night) of Hogan-filled fun!! The kids were thrilled!!!

Our time at the park was fun . . . . DIRTY . . . but fun!! We made memories with the kids!! They learned how to fish and steer a canoe!! (one of life's very important lessons!) My sister's family came with us too! We did have fun along with a few mishaps mixed in!! What more could you ask for in a Memorial Day weekend than memories???

The Chapman Family Tragedy

Today I learned of some very sad news. The youngest daughter of the popular Christian singer, Steven Curtis Chapman, died yesterday. You can read the story here. http://chapmanchannel.typepad.com/inmemoryofmaria/

She was a happy, fun loving 5 year old. No doubt, she woke up that morning with great things to do. There was lots of excitement going on in the family and I am sure that little Maria Sue was in the middle of it all!!! I was in tears as I read the story of her death and it's surrounding circumstances.

I have a 6 year old!! He brings so much life to our family. He is the one that makes us all laugh and the one that gives hugs and kisses undeservingly. When I think of the pain these parents must be facing, I want to always remember to make sure my munchkins know how much I love them. I want them to be able to say, "I know that my mom would do anything for me. She showed me her love daily!!"

Life is so precious and sometimes too short!! God is sovereign and He will give them the strength they need to get through such a difficult tragedy!! But in the moment of hurt and pain, those words can seem so cliche'. I will be praying a special prayer for the Chapman family and I will be giving my munchkins extra kisses tonight!!!

"kids" toys??

Camden turned 6 on Sat!! It was a great day for him! All his friends went swimming and played all evening! He was so excited this year for his birthday to come! I don't know if it is his age!?? He has been counting down for days!! Well, when it was all said and done, he had a blast!!

Now . . . the gifts!! Most of them are great!! Open the box . . . and dig in!!! Well this one toy . . . "The Dinosaur Curator Set" is . . . let's just say, difficult! The box clearly says that the "toy" is for children "5+." I thought that meant that the kids could do the "project" without help!! WOW!! Was I wrong!! It is an "adult toy!!" I had to pretty much do the entire project!!!!!!! Since that was the case we had to put it away b/c our littlest Munchkin needed attention!! UGH! What are people thinking?? I felt bad because the kids really wanted to do something fun, but what a mess!!!

When we actually do it, I'll let you now if it was worth it!!

boxed cereals

This was taken from another post and many of you have asked WHY I don't give my baby Cheerios (or any cereal). Here is the short version!!

"The problem with Cheerios, and actually ANY boxed cereal for that
matter (organic ones are the worst, shockingly enough) is the
processing. In order to make those little cereal shapes, puffs,
flakes, etc, the grain is extruded in the factory, which means that
the temperature and heat applied to the grain is so great that the
grain is liquified into a slurry in order to facilitate the shape
making process. This process is called extruding the grain. This
very violent processing of the grain renders the protein in the grains
completely toxic. Organic boxed cereal is the most toxic of all
because whole grains are used which are higher in protein!! Rats fed
this type of food die very quickly. Boxed cereal is about the worst
food you can possibly feed a child. "

A GREAT Mothers Day!

I had a wonderful Mother's Day!! My Hunny did all the cooking and dishes!! He even put in a few loads of laundry!! It was awesome!! I have the best family in the world and I feel so blessed to actually be able to say that they are MY FAMILY!!! God has blessed far beyond what I ever could have asked and I am so happy!! Thank you Jesus for Your blessings!! I have so many reasons to thank you!!!!

Potty Training 101

It's a topic that all mom's dread!! The potty training years!!! It is inevitable, yet many of us push it off as long as possible. My very WISE Aunt had 4 Munchkins and she said that it is hard if you wait till they are 2 and it is hard if you start at 18m. So, I decided to try it earlier and save myself some cash!! Diapers are expensive.

I have had a lot of people ask me about my potty training (PT) techniques and methods lately, so I thought I would try to put some of them down. It's true that I do potty train early. I do it because I know that most of that "potty training" is more like "Mommy training!!" It is really about us preparing for the task!! Each of my three PT experiences have been very different because each of my munchkins are different. But overall my theory has proved to be true for all three!!

My philosophey is that if you start them early, they won't have the vocabulary or the will to tell you NO! They may resist a little but overall, I have found that I am much stronger willed than they are!!! If they are 2 or pushing 3, they know how to tell you off and rebel!!! That is WHY I start early!!

First of all I start getting them to poop in the potty at about 15m. That was the case with all three of mine. Since I am home with them all day, I can read them and I know when they are about to go. The first time I just dump the poop from the diaper into the potty and tell him where the poop is supposed to go!! After that I try to catch him in the process and try to let him finish what he started in the toilet. (I use the potty seat because I don't like to clean up a mess of a potty chair!!) Then I just stay alert and keep my nose and ears peeled for smells and sounds that usually precede a bowl movement. When they are gassy I take then to the potty. They resist me at first, but we try to get them distracted with books or snacks or songs. (We spend lots of time in the bathroom, so I try to make it fun and exciting!! I always reward them with lots of hugs and kisses and praise. (I never use food or candy!) We do the "poo-poo dance" and have a "poo-poo party!!!" Eventually, they just get it!!!

At this point with they all 3 did different things that made me realize they were ready for pee-pee training. One of them said poo-poo BEFORE he had to go (he was 18m) and I realized if he can learn to go poop in the toilet he can go pee!! And he did!!

When it's time for pee-pee training, I decide to NOT turn back!!! Once I start, I can't stop!! No matter how difficult it may be!! Trust me, this last toddler has been VERY difficult!!! So when you finally decide to start, you need to plan to be home for about a week. I even stay home from church. I buy the plastic covered potty training pants at WalMart and several think training pants to start off with!! I take them pee every hour. If they don't go (which they won't at first), I take then every 15-20 min after the first hour. (especially if you are giving them lots to drink.) When they have an accident, I take them an hour from when they went. I try to get on a routine of going at scheduled intervals. If your go every hour and a half, there is no sense putting him on the potty every 20 min. I find that this just makes them frustrated and mad!! It usually takes about a week for them to "get it!!"

The bed time thing has been different for all 3!! The oldest pretty much went straight into underwear at bedtime. The second wore diapers for a few weeks, then to underwear, my third WILL NOT wake up enough to go potty in the night! He still wears pull ups at night at 2!! So that is it in a nutshell!!

Not the most exciting post, but a lot of info!! Let me know if it works for you!!!!

Thanks for Your Prayers and Kind Words!!

Thanks so much for your prayers!! God is good and through this experience of having a miscarriage, I have learned some things!!

1. God is faithful - He prepared me for this. It may sound weird, but I had a feeling something wasn't right!!! It was just something He put in my heart and I voiced my concern to my Beloved and he tried to be positive for me!! (I love him for that!!) He always seems to prepare my heart for trying situations such as this!!! Thank you, Lord!!
2. God is sovereign - He holds the whole world in the palm of his hand!! He told the stars where to hang and the oceans where to stop. I know He also holds my future.
3. The Future is His but TODAY I will praise Him!!! - All we have is today!! We are not promised tomorrow!! We think we know what we will be doing tomorrow, but really . . . we don't!!!! Today I stand with my heart open and give Him all of me!!!

Romans 8:26-28 (The Message) Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

I love the way this is worded because it seemed to describe my state perfectly!!! There were times when I didn't know what to say or how to feel!!! My "wordless sighs and aching groans" were heard my Him. I am thankful to Him because while I was a worthless sinner, He died on the cross to save me and give me the gift of eternal life!!!! I love Him more now than ever!!

Sad News to share!!

Hey everyone!! I know that recently we announced that baby #4 was on it's way into the world!! We were all very excited about the prospect of a full house. We learned today, that the baby was not strong enough to make it to full term, so I had a "miscarriage". We all know that God is still on the throne and whatever happens does so for a reason. Our family really appreciates all the prayers and kind words that you have shared with us.

I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
for you saw my affliction
and knew the anguish of my soul. Psalm 31:7

EXPELLED

http://www.expelledthemovie.com/playground.php

I don't know if you have heard of this movie or not, but it is awesome!!

Ben Stein challenges the great thinkers of academia and asks them how life was created!! Most scientists believe we were formed from molecules and that from then there was evolution. But there have been many scientists that have questioned their own beliefs and they have been ridiculed for it. In fact they have been essentially, EXPELLED from academia because of their mention that perhaps an Intelligent Creator had something to do with the whole process.

There are so many amazing facets of the movie. Ben Stein simply asks the questions!! He goes all over the world to ask what people think and how they come to their conclusions.

You have to go see it!!! Support the voice that is speaking so loudly for a cause so worthy!!! If you have older kids take them too! It's very funny and extremely engaging!

Check out the website and the trailor. It's playing a several theater's but not all. Even if you have to drive it's worth the distance!! Just do it!!

Quirky Kids

I have three awesome kids and I have been thinking about the weird things that they have eaten as babies!! Is it me??

When Carley was a young toddler she would suck on baby wipes! My mom thought she was gonna get diarrhea! People would stop me in the store and say, "Ma'am, your baby is eating something!!" I hated to fight with her over it, so I didn't!! (She doesn't do it anymore, thank goodness!)

Camden never ate anything as a toddler, but he sucked his thumb. When I would get groceries I would find him rubbing the plastic bags while vigorously sucking!! He like the way the plastic bags felt!! (Now that is quirky!!)

Now Carter . . . . yes the cute little toddler that runs wild in our home . . . he loves to shave when Daddy shaves!! The only problem is that he eats the shaving cream!!! He sort of does it secretly because he knows I don't like him to eat it!! He is a pretty smart munchkin!

Maybe it's ME!! No . . . I know where it came from!!! My sister . . . she is the quirkiest person I know!! It must be genetic!!

As Time Goes By . . . .

We are spending the next 2 weeks in VA with the grandparents and while there, the great-grandparents will be staying too! So we get to hang out Grandma & Grandpa Great! They tell awesome stories about life 70-80 years ago. The kids are in awe!!

I am so thankful for the opportunity that we have to share these moments with them. It seems like we have been saying it for a while now, but Grandma is 78 and Grandpa is 82, and they won't be around forever. What an awesome thing to be able to build relationships with these amazing folks.

They are the pillars of the family and the Faith. They have always prayed for all of us, even before we knew each other, she was praying for the spouses of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. We all know that if there is a prayer need, we can ask Grandma and she will be the one to break through!

I am just so thankful for this time that we have with them. It is precious and short! I want to be just like great Grandma when I am 78!! (Ok, so maybe I won't EVER be a clean freak like she is, but I want my faith to be as BIG as hers!!)

The Blessed Event

It's finally over!! It seemed like it would never happen! The weight of the world is lifted off my shoulders!!

Thursday
We had final dress fittings, shoe shopping, and picking up friends from the airport (and calming Shannon down too). In between all that I had a 4 hour dental appointment!! That was . . . annoying!

Friday
We had more dress fittings, nails, calm, Shannon down, rehersal, dinner, the bachlorette party (check out her myspace soon for a video that will make you laugh your head off!), calm Shannon down, driving to and from Clearwater several times . . . what a mess that was!

Saturday
Hair, calm Shannon down, pick the rental car, make up, calm Shannon down, put out fires, calm Shannon down, redo hair, figure what to do with the flower petals that were to cover the beach (the wind was appx 20mph), calm Shannon down, lost the rings in the sand, and calm Shannon down!

This is the short list! There are many more items, events and disasters that filled our weekend!! All in all it was a beautiful day! BUT to say it was a smooth running show . . . it was NOT!! But at the end of the day, Shannon & Boe were married! That is what it was all about!

I am so happy for my sis! She deserves all the happiness that life has to offer. I know that I have personally prayed that she would find the love and happiness that true love and companionship bring. There will be lots of challenges ahead but each day, the decision has to made to love! When God has joined to lives, He finds a way to bring those lives into amazing fulfillment! Thank you, Lord, for your provision in all things!

Love you, Sis!

Happy April Fool's Day!!

When my children realized it was April Fool's Day this morning they immediately set out to "trick" each other and everyone else in the house!! It was really cute!! One of them would say, "Mom, there's a bug on you!!" Then the other would say "Look at that!!" It was pretty much all day long!! They thought they were sooooo good at "fooling" when they would get Carter to fall for a trick!! They didn't realize that he did it b/c he's 2!! They tried SOOO hard to think of a way to "get Daddy" when he got home, but then they forgot and Daddy got them!! When he came home he told Camden he bought a brand new motorcycle!! He's 5, and believes every word his Dad says, so of course today was no different!! He ran so fast out the door to check!! He laughed at himself for falling for the trick!!! It was a fun day . . . . but hopefully tomorrow I won't have to fake being "fooled" all day long!!! LOL

so many things . . .

There are so many things that I'd like t blog about right now, but this wedding is imminent and so my "deep thoughts" are getting pushed aside for now!! More later . . .

Our Easter

It turned out to be one of the nicest Easter's we have ever had. We had decided that we weren't gonna do the traditional Easter Basket thing. We wanted to focus on Jesus. Although we always say that, the kids still wake up Easter morning and say, "What did we get??" That is normal. Instead of that temptation, we woke up and talked about Jesus and the resurrection all day. It was awesome conversation b/w all of us. Our minds weren't distracted with gifts, (as harmless as they are).

We were graciously invited out to dinner with another family and that was fabulous. We were truly thankful for the day and all that it meant to our family.

"Why did Jesus have to die?"

Every year one of the kids asks me why Jesus HAD to die!! I try to explain it as theologically as their little minds can handle, but yesterday a vivid illustration helped explain it to them. During our devotion time my husband was reading

Matt.8:1-4
1When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2A man with leprosy[a] came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."
3Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured[b] of his leprosy. 4Then Jesus said to him, "See that you don't tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

We decided to look in the Old Testament and see what a person would have to do if he was healed of a disease. Are you ready for this??

Leviticus 14:1-33
1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "These are the regulations for the diseased person at the time of his ceremonial cleansing, when he is brought to the priest: 3 The priest is to go outside the camp and examine him. If the person has been healed of his infectious skin disease, [a] 4 the priest shall order that two live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop be brought for the one to be cleansed. 5 Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over fresh water in a clay pot. 6 He is then to take the live bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. 7 Seven times he shall sprinkle the one to be cleansed of the infectious disease and pronounce him clean. Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields.
8 "The person to be cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair and bathe with water; then he will be ceremonially clean. After this he may come into the camp, but he must stay outside his tent for seven days. 9 On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair; he must shave his head, his beard, his eyebrows and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he will be clean.

10 "On the eighth day he must bring two male lambs and one ewe lamb a year old, each without defect, along with three-tenths of an ephah [b] of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, and one log [c] of oil. 11 The priest who pronounces him clean shall present both the one to be cleansed and his offerings before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

12 "Then the priest is to take one of the male lambs and offer it as a guilt offering, along with the log of oil; he shall wave them before the LORD as a wave offering. 13 He is to slaughter the lamb in the holy place where the sin offering and the burnt offering are slaughtered. Like the sin offering, the guilt offering belongs to the priest; it is most holy. 14 The priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. 15 The priest shall then take some of the log of oil, pour it in the palm of his own left hand, 16 dip his right forefinger into the oil in his palm, and with his finger sprinkle some of it before the LORD seven times. 17 The priest is to put some of the oil remaining in his palm on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot, on top of the blood of the guilt offering. 18 The rest of the oil in his palm the priest shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed and make atonement for him before the LORD.

19 "Then the priest is to sacrifice the sin offering and make atonement for the one to be cleansed from his uncleanness. After that, the priest shall slaughter the burnt offering 20 and offer it on the altar, together with the grain offering, and make atonement for him, and he will be clean.

21 "If, however, he is poor and cannot afford these, he must take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to make atonement for him, together with a tenth of an ephah [d] of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, a log of oil, 22 and two doves or two young pigeons, which he can afford, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.

23 "On the eighth day he must bring them for his cleansing to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, before the LORD. 24 The priest is to take the lamb for the guilt offering, together with the log of oil, and wave them before the LORD as a wave offering. 25 He shall slaughter the lamb for the guilt offering and take some of its blood and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. 26 The priest is to pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand, 27 and with his right forefinger sprinkle some of the oil from his palm seven times before the LORD. 28 Some of the oil in his palm he is to put on the same places he put the blood of the guilt offering—on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. 29 The rest of the oil in his palm the priest shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before the LORD. 30 Then he shall sacrifice the doves or the young pigeons, which the person can afford, 31 one [e] as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, together with the grain offering. In this way the priest will make atonement before the LORD on behalf of the one to be cleansed."

32 These are the regulations for anyone who has an infectious skin disease and who cannot afford the regular offerings for his cleansing.


That's why we NEED Jesus!! He gave us much more than we even realize!! The kids were in AWE when He read that section to them. They thought that it was much better to us to have Jesus!! Now he can be our one and only sacrifice!! I am thankful for what He did for us on this day, Good Friday, more than 2000 years ago!

Vinegar is a GNAT-TRAP

Something was really tasty the last few days in the house because the gnats have been hanging out like crazy!! I was hoping they would just die off or something. Then today, I was cleaning and put some vinegar on the counter in a cup. All of a sudden there were like 20 gnats diving in for their last swim!! LOL! I never new that it would take care of my gnat problem! Cool!! I guess I "discovered" a new home remedy!

It's Official

I finally have clearance to share our good news about Shannon's job. He will be helping to start a non-profit organization in Wesley Chapel that will be focused on giving back to teachers. He will be doing fund raising for the foundation and who knows what else! He will have opportunities to be creative and that is one of his biggest strengths. (But at his current job, there is little or no avenue for that!!) He will be doing all kinds of awesome things!! I am sooo proud of him and what lies ahead!

Lord, we put our faith in you! This is a big "step of faith" and we believe that you will never leave us. You know the plans you have for us! Help us to put our faith where we say it is!! Amen!

Forgetting . . .

I keep forgetting stuff . . . Does that mean I'm too busy? I am not usually like this!! I write most things down, so I shouldn't be forgetting like this . . . I know what it is!! I sit down to do something (or stand up) and I get called in to wipe a bottom, help with a math problem, or answer the phone and in the meantime I don't do what I was originally planning to do!!! Sometimes I look around and I think, "I didn't leave that there!!" But as I was putting it away, I got called away, and then when I was in the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, etc I see something else that needs to be done . . . so I do it!! All the while I forget to do what I was doing a few minutes prior . . . Any ideas about what it will take to get my mind more streamlined??

Planning a Wedding Shower

My little sister is getting married in 3 weeks!! WOW! Seems like just yesterday we were popping zits and stealing each others clothes!! Now we have definitely moved on to more mature things!! I am just so happy for her! She has finally found someone she loves and who loves her too!! I know that they will have a happy life together!! . . . . but until the "happily ever after . . . " We have a wedding to plan and I think I am going insane trying to remember all the details!! As the Matron of Honor I have a hefty job of making sure she looks good!!!!! I know it will happen and it will be beautiful . . . but ya know time is running out!! The big day is April 5 at sunset!! I can't wait!

Jokes from Carley

What do you call a fly with no wings?
a walk

How does a pig get to the hospital?
in a HAMbulance

Why did the cookie go to the doctor?
because he felt crummy

What does a bee use to do his hair?
a honeycomb

Why did the hippo cross the road?
because it was the chicken's day off

Knock Knock Who's there?
Little Old Lady
Little Old Lady WHO??
I didn't know you could yodel!!

Curry Soup - a sweet surprise

I am constantly looking for something new and simple to feed my family! I can't afford to take too big a risk either b/c if 1 or 2 of them don't like it, then my husband is stuck taking it to work for several days in a row!! So a friend told me about this soup that uses applesauce?!?!?! I thought that was interesting and I thought my gang could handle it!! So here it is:

Vegetable oil
1/2 c chopped onions
2 t curry powder
3 1/2 c chicken broth
1/2 c uncooked rice (I used brown)
salt & pepper
2 c bite sized chunks of chicken
1 c of unsweetened applesauce
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
1/2 c heavy cream, half & half, or sour cream (not milk)
1c chopped carrots
1 c chopped celery

1. Heat oil in stock pot and add onion and curry. Saute over med heat till onions are translucent.
2. Add broth, rice, carrots, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer long enough to cook the rice (20-40 min)
3. Stir in chicken applesauce, and parsley. Cover and simmer 5 more min.
4. Remove from heat and add cream and serve!!

*Most of my family loved it! One of my munchkins didn't care for it so she put lots of parmesan on it and then she ate it just fine! (don't ask!!) Everyone else loved it!!! I put crackers or biscuits in it and it is wonderful!! My husband really liked it so he was kind of hoping that no one liked it so he would have it all to himself!! Oh well!! I was glad to make something out of my normal routine!!!

God is AMAZING

I know most of us know this to be true, but when you wait upon His blessings . . . it's gonna be big!!! You can't fathom or imagine what He can do!! You can dream of great things . . . but you can't dream that big!!

I can't give details yet, but I will say that something amazing is on the horizon in this Family!! Shannon is being handed an amazing set of circumstances, where he will be able to get out of his box and shine!! I am soooo excited for him!!! I should probably keep quiet for now, but I just can't help myself!!! It is going to be an amazing journey!!

Thank you, Lord for giving us patience in the valley and strength in the dark!! You are faithful forever and I want to continue to journey with You so that I can be all you intended. I know that you still have a lot to do in me and I will know be still and know that You are GOD!!! I love you, Lord!! I am ready!! I will go!!

To be Blind

My kids continue to amaze me! Carley told me that it would be cool to be blind! When I asked her how she thought that would be cool?? (with all my wisdom . . .) She said b/c then you wouldn't be able to judge people by the way they look!! You would have to get to know them before you decide if you like them!!!

WOW!! My daughter didn't know what powerful words she was speaking! I proceeded to tell her that God is blind to the way we look b/c He sees our hearts!! It was a teaching moment . . . one I will treasure!

Words That Spill Out

Yesterday the kids and I were sitting around the table and Carter, 20 months, spilled his cup of water! He likes to drink out of a regular cup (not a sippy cup) like his 2 older siblings. So I usually give him a cup with a tiny bit of water to avoid a BIG mess. I always know there will be some sort of mess, though!! Anyway, as he spilled his water, Camden 5, said "Mom, when Carter spilled his water, it reminds me of saying bad words (he meant words that aren't nice). You can't get the water back in the cup and you can't take the words back!!"

That kid is the child of a theologian!!! What an amazing thought!! Our words have the power of death and life (Prov 18:21)!! I was so impressed with his comparison! So now every time Carter spills his water (at least 7-10x per day) Camden reminds us not to say "bad words" because you can't take them back!!

INTRO

I am a homeschool mom, and I have been blogging on myspace for a while now and I want to make a switch. I thought I would put my thoughts out there to share with others. My blogging is eclectic, not just one topic! I have lots of opinions about things and this is a great place to put my thoughts down.

If you know me, than you know that I love Jesus with all my heart! I am on a soul searching quest for TRUTH and reality. I am so glad God gave me a compass to find my way. I want to be all that he wants me to be for this season in life!! I pray that what I have to share will bless someone out there!! I am thankful for second chances, my family, and mashed potatoes!!