Sick Day

My little guy is sick.
He has moped about for the past couple of days.
He has complained off and on of a head ache.
Life changes so quickly.
One moment you are wondering what you are going to do next with the energetic, rambunctious, pushing the envelope character your little boy has and the next you wonder what you will do without it.

With Thomas there is no question whether he is sick or not.  He only ever stops for two things in life: to sleep and to be sick.  The rest of life he is in full motion, full go, full enthusiasm.

I hate to see him this way.
I hate that there are days I have complained to the Lord about the energy he has.

God gives us each different strengths/weaknesses.
How I pray that one day all the energy, enthusiasm, love of life that comes so naturally to him will one day all be used towards the building of God's kingdom and not his own.  How I pray that I would grow into the mother God has called me to be that can help channel Thomas in that direction.

For now I will sit beside him in bed, books in a pile ready to be read when he wakes up.

I will continue to lay my hands on his body and ask my Jehovah Rapha to heal my baby by his grace and power.
I will give thanks in all circumstances knowing that that is God's will for me in Christ.

Thankful for my unique, precious, God-given children,
m

Bliss' 19th!!!

Praise God for our wonderful daughter!
It is hard to believe how fast the past years have gone by and that college is just around the corner.
At least I got one more year of making special breakfast, cake and... Pizza Hut, the dinner of choice!
What a blessing God has chosen to give us!

Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. Isaiah 43:1b

1 Week: What will I Miss?

Top Ten:

1. my friends and co laborers

2. the sounds

3. the friendliness

4. the openness to talk about serious things

5. the familiar

6. the pace of life

7. my squatty potty

8. the colorfulness/uniqueness of life (no one thing is ever uniform... not even uniforms!)

9. diet pepsi at a price I can afford to drink 2 litres a day if desired

10. my home (not house but home)

m

Sincere and Commissioned

This morning in family devo's we read:

“ But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and though us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 2:14-17

It's easy to criticize others. For me this seems to come naturally. It's an instinct I continue to fight and long to have victory over. I was hit in a fresh way with these truths that we are all insufficient on our own but in Christ, for God's glory, we become sufficient. My over critical attitude and quick judgement leaves no room for the grace of God. If God has said we are insufficient but he will use us, who am I to condemn, judge, or accuse others of not being sufficient? God changes all because of his immeasurable, incomparable grace. How glorious is the grace that has been given to me. Would I dare to keep that from my fellow laborers, fellow brothers and sisters, co-heirs with Christ?

I easily forget that I too am insufficient for these things. The person I judge the quickest is my own husband. As I read this verse I was struck to the heart. The words, “men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ” describe Walt. There is no one I know with the same level of sincerity and eagerness to see the Christ spoken of. Yet I fail to give grace in weakness. God has commissioned Walt. He has placed in his heart sincerity and for this I should rejoice. I am guilty of impatience, love that fails, and a spirit of judgement and condemnation. Today I have been reminded of 2 things:

1.Walt is insufficient. So am I, therefore, I must be a person of grace, love and truth.

2. God has commissioned Walt and he is a man of sincerity.

I am so thankful for my husband.

I am so proud to say he is a sincere man.

I am so glad God has commissioned him.

I praise God for his grace,

m

2 Weeks: What will I do before I leave?

Top Ten:

1. enjoy last days with fellow partners and friends, praising God for each one and the way he has used them over the past 1.5 years.

2. spend quality time with SMcC, my super best friend this side of the Indus! (technically her side of the Indus)  =0) 

3. hold "Izzy's" face in my hands, look in her eyes, and call her once more to choose Jesus.

4. give away whatever I haven't used over the last 3 years.

5. cover my toilets with heavy metal covers... heavy enough hopefully to keep the rats out.

6. put everything I own in cupboards, metal trunks or whatever other containers I can find. 

7. leave it to Jesus, the souls, the lost, the saved, just leave it in the all-powerful, all-able hands of God.

8. teach my son to stop picking his nose

9. burn my last candle

10. NOT take a language test!!!!

I am going to make myself cry writing this.

Leaving isn't easy.

I am home.

I am leaving home.

I will make home where ever He takes me, but for now, I'm here and this is my home.

m

If Only...

If only I had the nerve to take pictures.
I would never fail to have a blog for posting!!!

Today, however, my camera with me, it was a good thing I don't have the nerve.
Here's Why:
I went to the doctor with my very close friend today.  She had a cyst that needed removal.
We reached the hospital at 2pm.  The doctor was suppose to be there.
Somewhere around 2:45 he sauntered in. Not bad. Only 45 minutes late. This is going well.
He walked passed us and up the stairs to see to who knows what or whom.
About 20 minutes later he returned. Not bad.
We were second in line.
He checked her out, gave his diagnosis and said the surgery could be done now.
Great!!!
He wrote a list.
What? A list? For what?
We went and bought the items on the list:
Everything needed for the surgery... that's right, right down to the thread for the stitches.
Things are a little different here.
The surgery was quick and painful.
But not so quick that they didn't have time to come out to the hallway where we were waiting and show us what they had removed.
Let me rephrase: On a piece of paper, held in an ungloved hand, a pile of gunk, the stuff they had just removed from my friend moments before.
Yuck! Seriously?!? Aren't you glad I didn't take a picture.
I hope he didn't see the horror/laughter quickly welling up inside me.
I'm not sure why this happened.
It will be a great language learning topic for the coming week:  Is surgery always SHOW and tell?

I love it here.  I really, really love it here.

Pray my friend would get better quick and be safe from infection.

I'm lovin' it,

m

Ten Things to Hold On To From the Last 3+ Years

Things I have learned over the past 3+ years are innumerable. Most would take a book long story to explain but here are the top 10 for today!

1. God redeems transition
   Transition after transition, loss after loss, move after move, language after language, house to house, city to city, country to country, supervisor to supervisor, and on and on and on. The years are marked not by birthdays or anniversaries but by which country we were living! We really have only had the Lord and each other as steady entities in our life.
   God doesn't change, not ever, but he is in the work of transforming his children from one degree of glory to another. All the changes and losses we have felt and experienced have been for our good, to make us more like Christ. He has work for us to be part of in each place. He has blessed us with friends and leaders. He has helped us to love each place more than the next. The transitions have taught us not to strive against God's work in our lives but to submit and be conformed to his likeness more and more. Transition doesn't get easier the more you do it. But the thing that does increase is the ability to search and see how God has worked through each one. I am thankful that God has used the transition in each of our lives to only increase our need for God's consistency.
2. Let it go.
   I think my husband would define me as a fighter, and with him I usually am. However, the years overseas have worn some of that less desirable character off. Just letting things go comes a lot more easy to me than it did 3 years ago. Whether it's issues of differences in ministry, family life, or being charged too much because I'm a foreigner, if it's not a salvation issue (and I must say, it most usually is not), why not just let it go. Life goes on, we learn, we adapt, we grow by being around people who do things differently than us. I have more room in my life for “just letting it go” but praise the Lord that some of that He has chipped away at and the temper that once was is waining, only by his grace. Only by his grace.
3. Love God, love people
   People just want to be loved. To love people, I have got to be loving God. It is only by his love outpoured in me that I can love those around me. How can I love the filthy, the sick, the broken, the accuser, the liar, the betrayer, the thief? I can't. On my own I can't. Only by loving God will I love others. People just want to be loved. To love well. I long to love well. I long to be like Jesus, willing to touch the leper, entrust myself to the betrayer, restore the liar and deserter, to see the broken and bring healing, to see the slave and set them free. O to be like Jesus. O to love like Jesus. I must continue to learn what it means to love God, to love others.
4. People are just people
   No matter where you are, what your language, citizenship, skin color, height, or weight, people are just people. There doesn't need to be “us” and “them.” No. There is just “us.” Sinners in need of a savior. So, whether I'm here with people mostly a differing race, tongue, and culture, or whether I am surrounded by people who look like me, speak and act similar to me, we are just with people, all with the same need. We all need Jesus. Either we need to hear about him for the first time, or we need to be strengthened in our faith to know him more. Whichever it is, we need Jesus. People are just people.
5. Brokenness does not equal uselessness
   Laying face down on the cold floor, I have shed many tears over the sin in my own life and over pain and hurt that has surrounding me. Lifting myself out of bed some days has only happened because I have a husband that would drive me out of bed if I didn't. Studying language on the verge of tears, day after day, I have been broken. Broken for what? For discipline. Yes. That He might heal me. Yes. My life has been marked by the words of the Psalmist: If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. (Psalm 119:92)
6. Forget judgement and move on with it
   Cultures differ. World-views are lightyears apart. In one country the common couple discussion is, “should we both work to keep up our lifestyle?” and in another, “should we feed just the boys today or do we have enough to feed our near starved daughter as well?” Am I above all others that I get to sit on a seat of judgement and blame people for where they are in life? How freeing it is to just move away from judgement, recognize that for each their problems are real to them and serious issues they must decide. I get to see differences and love my God for his diversity, rather than be bogged down with despising people for thinking on things I can't comprehend. I get to be moved with compassion for the hurting and suffering. I get to stir the hearts of the wealthy and comfortable. What a unique place God has given me. How I long to not live in judgement of what I might deem “trivial problems” of the West but that I would learn how to steer peoples thoughts toward Kingdom work and lasting investment. God help me!How I long to not judge the woman having her sixth cesarean, endangering her life and the future of her living 5 girls at home, just in the hopes that this child might be the long awaited boy. God help me!
7. Enjoy the “interruptions”
   I love to plan. No, really, I LOVE to plan. Each week I make a calendar and hang it in front of my desk. I use a different color pen for each person. I love knowing in advance what is going to happen. Life just doesn't work that way. How much freedom I find when able to thank the Lord for the “interruptions” that come in the day instead of get uptight and irritated. Lately I have taken the example of a friend and try to commit those interruptions to the Lord and ask for his help to see them as opportunities instead. It's amazing how an interruption can turn itself on head when my heart has a different attitude and perspective.
8. It's for my good
   From mundane things like the scorching heat to serious issues I have had to face in life over the passed 3+ years, the comfort I remind myself of on almost a daily basis is: This is for my good. God is working for me good. Never to hurt me, maybe to discipline me. Never to leave be despairing, maybe to make me trust him more. All he does for me is for my good. What an incredibly freeing truth.
9. I'm old and language learning is hard!!!
   Two languages semi learned has left me tired of language learning. Some days I just want to throw in the towel. Then with-in days of each other this happens: I sit on the park bench and talk for an hour with a stranger I have just met... share the good news in her language (Language #1). A group of women are sitting on the grass outside the hospital waiting for the safe arrival of a new baby. I get to know them... share the good news (Language #2). Knowing their language instead of just mine has opened the door in ways nothing else could have. Nothing has been lost but all the hours of study completed and those that are to come... they are all worth it! PTL!!!
10. All for his glory
    Any other reason for living here is insane! But because of his purpose and his plan, God makes it possible to live here, love it here, and look forward to as many years as God will give. It's all for his glory.
    
    
    What have you learned over the past 3+ years? Have you changed?
    
    hoping I been changed,
    m

3 Weeks: What I am NOT looking forward to?

Believe it or not there are things I am not looking forward to in the upcoming transition.

I will do my best at the Top Ten.

I guess I'm just not as creative as other bloggers and have a hard time coming up with even 10 things worth mentioning!

1. feeling out of place when it's suppose to feel like home

2. tight, uncomfortable clothes

3. being understood by everyone around me (meaning I can no longer speak in English and have people around me not understand)

4. tv

5. sitting in pews instead of a circle

6. having to call before I go visit someone

7. not having my door bell ring with an unexpected, unannounced but a most welcomed guest

8. news 

9. lack of hospitality

10. unfriendliness

Thanks be to God who uses the hard things in life to make us more like Christ.

m

An Attempt At a Well Rounded Education

I have been working hard these last months to make homeschooling more than just work pages, writing, reading and mathematics. So whether it's PE, Home Ec., music, or art, we always end up having a good time together.

For 20 cents I can buy clay dishes for Thomas to paint. He is always painting them for everyone but me... I wouldn't mind having one too!!! It makes for a great “Super Saturday” school activity. 

In the kitchen, Thomas is my right hand man (usually). We have one rule: Ask first. I try to let him do as much of the work as possible. We usually really enjoy our times together.

Of late we have added some sewing to our school adventures. Thomas helps pin and presses the pedal.

I was reminded of how much all BOY my son is when I asked him to collect all the pins together so that we could easily pin the cloth. This was the result.

Homeschool is so challenging and so much fun. My little boy is growing in mind, body and spirit daily. I treasure these days we get to spend together and look forward to more!

Hope you have a reason to rejoice today.

m

Am I Beautiful?

Will I remember I am beautiful when I no longer hear the sweet sound of singing that begins as I pass by the group of gaping men? Will I be beautiful?

Will I remember I am beautiful if I no longer have the man on his motorcycle stop in the middle of the intersection to watch me finish crossing through?Will I be beautiful?

Will I remember I am beautiful if I no longer see the young man clad in purple shirt and jeans 2 sizes too small stop on the other side of the waiting room and stand facing me with unabashed stare?

Will I remember I am beautiful when I am no longer surrounded by advertisements for skin whitener and people stop commenting on my beautiful fair skin? Will I be beautiful?

Will I remember I am beautiful when I no longer have people commenting on how “Healthy” (read “FAT” here because that is the literal translation) I am looking? Will I be beautiful?

Will I?

Will I still be beautiful?

When bombarded with TV, will I remember I am beautiful?

When I see advertisements for weight loss, slimmers, and the like, will I remember I am beautiful?

When size 10 is too large, will I remember I am beautiful?

When make up is needed, new clothes, and the latest fashions, will I remember I am beautiful?

When every menu provides the “light calorie” option, will I remember I am beautiful?

Will I?

Will I still be beautiful?

“For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

“An excellent wife who can find?...She dresses herself with strength and makes he arms strong... she opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. ..Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.” (Proverbs 31 excepts)

“but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.” (1 Peter 3:4)

“Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another,” (1 Peter 5:5b)

“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience... above all these put on love...” (Colossians 3:12-15)

“ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” (Eph. 6:10-20)

“And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so cloths the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious... but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6: 25-34)

“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.” (Proverbs 31:30-31)

Am I beautiful? The standard of beauty set before me no longer regards the color of my skin, my bmi, nor anything else visible to man other than good works. I have a long road ahead of me to true beauty and praise be to God who is changing me from one degree of glory to another. One day I will possess true beauty. Until then, I will remember that God is the one making me beautiful all in his good time by the work of Holy Spirit in me!

Beauty.

Do you have it?

Beauty.

Do you seek it?

Beauty.

Only be Holy Spirit are we made truly beautiful.

I can't wait to be truly gorgeous!

m

4 Weeks: What will I NOT miss?

Some things about living here are hard.

Here are my top ten things I will not miss.

1. Seeing the hurt, poverty, and lostness at every turn

2. the dirt

3. the heat

4. the garbage

5. the stares and catcalls 

6. the chaos/lawlessness

7. 

thankful that God is in control and that these things are only temporary but that He is eternal.

m

5 Weeks: What will I do first?

Our departure is too quickly approaching.

So the question arises, "What will you do first?"

Other than sleep, here are my top ten... 

1. Hug my Mom!

2. Hug my Dad!

3. Go for a run with my little brother (actually I think I will walk with my mom but I will pretend to run with my brother for the first 3 strides)

4. Eat my mom's cooking.

5. Walk down a street loudly and not be the loudest

6. Walk down a street and not be looked at.

7. Freely run around in the park with Thomas. (and not the ladies park).

8. Speak English and be able to talk to people about Jesus in English!!!

9. Go on a Daddy date.

10. 

I got stuck... I think there are other things but I can't think of them at the moment. 

Maybe in a couple of weeks from now I will...

I love living here. 

I can't wait to see my family but I wish they were coming here instead of me going there.

I am so thankful to love where God has brought me. What a gracious God we serve.

m

Snow?

I love snow. The lightly dusted ground, flowers, and trees.  It's so beautiful.

This isn't snow.

Neither is this.

Nor this.
In fact, it's actually mold.

Mold.

I have this bad tendency to allow food to mold. There will be just a small amount of left overs and I hate to throw food away.  Our freezer is small, especially when trying to make ice for the hot weather, so what I can't fit in the freezer, I put in the fridge.
Days later I know I have missed the mark for serving it and now it must be thrown out. But I just HATE to throw food out.
So what do I do?  I leave it.  I let it stay in the fridge and mold rather than have to throw it out.
I know it's going to mold. I know it's harder to clean once it molds. I know it isn't sanitary.  I know it can't be good for my fridge, my tupperware.  YUCK. But I don't take care of it. I let it happen, over and over and over again.
Mold.


Sin.
The thing I don't want to do, I do.
In the midst of it I think, "Why am I doing this?  I don't want to be this way."
Sin.
It starts little.  Oh, how it can grow.
Sin.
Like mold.  When I just let things be that should be thrown out, confessed, cut off,  sin begins to grow.
Sin.
Like mold.  It can look pretty. But it's so deadly. It hurts me. It hurts my family.
Sin.
The thing I don't want to do, I do.

have mercy on me, o God, 

according to your steadfast love; 

according to your abundant mercy 

blot out my transgressions

wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, 

and cleanse me from my sin! 

psalm 51:1-2

sinner, saved by grace,

m

Road Trip

We recently took a road trip.
5 hours to get there.
3 hours to spend there.
6 hours back.
Wow.
My body felt beat up, broken, and exhausted.

Bliss finished her book, so she had a good time.
Thomas got to run down sand dunes, dance standing up in the van, and eat cookies, so he had a good time.
I got to see my close friend, if only for 3 hours, and spend time with friends and my kiddos.

I'm just thankful we made it back on the same day and all in one piece.
Here's some pictures of the adventure:

"Old Man," the polite way of referring to him in our language here, is explaining the events happening in TinTin read from back to front.  I'm not sure but I think the story changes a little if you read it backwards! 

Bliss "happily" lets me take her pic (NOT).  But it's the scenery I was going for!!! The dessert was beautiful because it had rained on our journey.

Just one day prior to Good Friday, these thorns brought the image of the cross. O that people around us would come to Jesus. 

We just walked into this compound of several houses. We don't know the people who live here. They don't know us. Strangers. We just walked right in.  Life is a little different here. If your door is unlocked, that's an open invitation.  

Thomas loved being able to run after so many hours in the car. I wish I had video of the boys dancing in the car.  Seat belt laws... well... first we would need seat belts to have laws.

Isn't she beautiful?!? I think so.

We drew water up from a well we found. 

Cookies were Thomas' lunch and dinner and his play... 10 hours in the car.  Did I mention no restraints?

I'm thankful for good friends, great kids, and fun memories.

m

park time

It's my desire to get out and walk in the parks whenever possible... well... maybe more honestly I should say, "Whenever I feel like it... not always when possible!"
Today T and I visited a park about a mile from our home.  It has great paths for Thomas' scooter and we decided to make an unplanned trip to the little zoo.
This little zoo use to house roaring lions when I was a little girl.  The cage now stands empty.  However, we got to see several animals we have been reading about and lots of others too.

 From a distance these hairy little pony/horse animals looked like lions.  We decided that since two men seemed awfully close and friendly to them that there was no way for them to be lions... we discovered they weren't.  We named them Carmel Popcorn and Chelsey.

These little guys aren't cage bound.  We had just read about chipmunks so it was fun to see and hear them in most cages, eating the seeds left behind by the other animals.

The zebra put on a show for us.  He ran around kicking his hooves (hoofs?) in the air, running directly towards the group of us at the fence.  Quite thrilling!

How many toes does an ostrich have?

We read recently they only have two on each foot.  Thomas thinks they must feel like they are missing one... well, these guys seemed happy with their two. 

It all ended with some good park time.  Thomas flew around on this thing for about 15 minutes.  I'm not sure how he and the other boys stomach it but based on the laughter and smiles everyone had a good time spinning and spinning.

Thankful for fun times together,

m

Homeschooling is not for everyone!

Honestly, it has been the best week of homeschool we've had in a long time.
I've been shocked.
Amazed.
Pleased.
Thankful.
Excited.
But all the while,
very HESITANT
... when will the good times come to an end...
This morning it took my son, who, by the way can do long division, 2 hours to do four Math problems.
9-4=
17-9=
15-9=
and one other I can't recall.
Are you kidding me?  He refused to do them unless I "helped."
Help?!?
He can do long division!
Help?!?
Well, several hours later they were complete.
He scored pages of writing for the consequence for disobedience and I scored a happy heart seeing as this time I held it together the entire time.  That's right, ladies and gentlemen, I did not raise my voice even once.
Homeschooling is a great adventure every day.
Homeschooling is not for everyone.
Some days... homeschooling isn't for me.

I usually love it. Today I just survived.

By the end of the day, pages had been written, math problems done, cursive practice complete...
I decided we would bake bread instead of read Science or the other reading books we have.

The deal was: if he could find the recipe without help, he wouldn't have to read aloud to me.
Hurray for great picture books, old recipe books and fresh baked bread.

Thomas started in this book, looking for a recipe.  If you haven't read any of Tomie dePaola's works, go find one at the library... or if you don't have libraries, find someone who has a copy of any of his many books and borrow it.

precooked...

Hot and ready to eat.  Bliss would live off of bread, cheese and olives if she was allowed!

 Here is the old recipe book Thomas found the recipe in.  This use to be my mom's and it was my grandma's before that.  It is one of my most prized earthly possession, simply because my two favorite  cooks used it before me.  Thomas helps me cook quite a bit and he is well familiar with who "Fanny Farmer" is!

After a day like today I'm just thankful we are all still in one piece and that we have fresh bread to eat together.  Looking forward to tomorrow... I wonder what kind of refinement I will need then!

Thankful,
m

Sabbath Rest

We try to take time each week to rest from the normal activities of life and just rest.  This involves extended time in the word and prayer for Walt and I, sabbath blessings for the kids, and times of rest and quiet activities, as well as tag in the dark (which is not quiet!).
This last week I enjoyed taking a few pics during the day.

This is what my bed looked like not long after it had been neatly made.  Thomas knows that on our Sabbath he gets to read longer before breakfast while the rest of us spend time extended time in the word.  It is such a blessing the way he usually lets us all have a longer quiet time.  Maybe that's because he is looking forward to the local breakfast of halwa and puri.

Lately, I've been enjoying coffee from our friends here out of my special birthday mug.  Our sabbath rest is a great time to sit with the Lord and be refreshed from the past week and get ready for the week to come.  Our hearts desire is to live in the power of God and to remember our own weakness.  Life is hard here and the only way to live and survive here is by his power and acknowledging our need for him in the little things and the big.

Here are my two goofie children giving a South Asian pose (no smiles), not an easy task for either of them.

Hope you are able to take time each week to rest in the Lord and be refreshed by his word and presence.  Hope in your circumstance you are able to withdraw and refuel, that he might effectively move in and through you.

resting in the Lord,
m

Toothless

Last night Thomas hopped out of bed with the best excuse yet, "Mom, my tooth came out!"
We have been waiting for several months for this tooth to makes it's exit and I was beginning to wonder if it wasn't going to have to be pulled like the bottom three.  But PTL, it came out on it's own!
Here are the pics.

This is Thomas at school today.  We had company spend the night and didn't do school till the afternoon.  As you can see it was a relaxed day at school.  We don't typically come to the Avra Academy wearing goggles!!!

Here's a close up in case you were wondering what homeschool is like.  If you were thinking about moving to homeschool, I'm sure this will convince you it is totally worth it! I love it (most days).

I wish I could load the video that followed this picture.  I guess not till we have youtube open again in our country!

Thankful for crazy days, crazy faces, and crazy children!

m

No Longer Kittens ... Now Cat

Here's the latest on our kittens...

Rani died. (on left side)
Our neighbors kindly told us that he was run over.
Walt announced it at breakfast.
Only one kiddo cried.

Kousy lives on. I still don't like him.
He is no longer a kitten.
He is a cat.
He loves Bliss.  He loves our home.
He loves my flower pots (or at least the sand in them).

Did I mention I still don't like him.
He's the last pet we'll have.

we don't all agree...

m

Staying Thankful

"do not be anxious about anything, but in everything with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Phil. 4:6-7

Staying thankful can be hard work when my eyes get fixed on me and the temporal things of life.  However, with a perspective change, it's a little easier to see how much I have to be thankful for.

Here are 10 things in random order that I am thankful for today.

my handsome hubby of 9 years

God's colorful creation... today it's the fresh veggies and fruits off the carts that go by my house. 

 Fantastic friends God has provided for my kids and I.

My sister and best friend... for her incredible unconditional love for walt, me and the kids. 

God's CRAZY creation... and my son's audacity to pick these things up?!?   

That HIS power is made perfect in my weakness... 

My beautiful, loving, talented daughter

My creative, enthusiastic, crazy son 

Did I say thanks yet for my very weird family?  

God's peace in it all. 

There is so much more to be thankful for than just these ten things.

God is so good.  

m