and another day.

SO, it's been rough this week. Not just for me. For good friends as well. Keep Millstone in general in your prayers. I am pretty sure that there is spiritual warfare goin on here. Bad. It so hard. So hard to keep your focus when stupid stuff gets in the way. Why on earth do we let the little minutia of this world get in our way??? I mean really! If a dish sits in the sink for a few hours, are the walls gonna tumble down? Will God not forgive that as well? If a bed is not made, clothes are not washed, books are left lying around....will the sky fall? No. It won't. None of that junk matters in the grand scheme of life. Yes, it's nice to have a clean house. But, if you want it perfect....don't have kids. In fact, don't let OTHER people kids in you house either. They breed mess. If you want a perfectly unmessy life, you're gonna be bored. You're gonna be lonely. Life is messy. Right now, I am deep in the mess. Every felt your heart beat in your head? Your eyes? Gotten dizzy? That's where I was today. Not cool. I need to let stuff go. I need to learn to let comments that feel disparaging to me go. I need to focus on the things of God and get my eyes off myself, my life, my wants, my desires and look up. Not literally "up"...just "up" at Him. He loves me every day of my life. He knew me before I was born. He knows how many hairs are on my head. He knew me in my mother's womb. He knit me together. I am wonderfully and fearfully made. He is excited about me. He thinks I am beautiful, because I am His design. You can say the same things, do you know Him personally? You can.
<3 J

So, I'm supposed to be writing a paper on the Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John. I can't seem to get started. It's got to be a loooooooooong paper w/at least 10 sources. Ugh. That's how I feel about it. I really HATE feeling "ugh" about anything that has to do with God. or church. But, nevertheless, i do on occasion. This is one of those occasions. I do NOT want to write this paper. I have been unsuccessful at motivating myself to do so. This is one of those days I think, "huh. I wonder what made me think I needed a graduate degree?" I did just fine w/NO degree at all for many years. Oh well. In for a penny, in for a pound. RIght?

My homeschooling year so far has been less than stellar. Don't really like admitting or posting that, but hey. Public school has been less than stellar as well for those attending, so I guess we're even. :) Carter does NOT want to do school. At all. Branche well, Branche loves to read and hates everything else. Ugh. Roger, he just wants to do speed school. The quicker it's over, the better. We are taking a shot at a couple lapbooks. It's different. Not in love with it, because it createds waaaaaaaaaaaay more prep work for me. Sonlight has me spoiled. Everything all planned out and sitting there ready. can't wait til box day. Man, life can get normal again. At least I am having time w/my boys. They are something else. Branche and Roger have discovered how much fun it is to ride anything with wheels on a path through the woods behind the house ...downhill. Very downhill, so very fast. They do it every chance they get. They have dug potholes and lumps to make it more interesting....they ride things double not meant to be double.....I just keep saying, "wear your helmets!!!!" PLEEEASE! Lol. Boys, what're ya gonna do, right???

I'm doing a Bible study called....Seeking Revival...I think that's what it's called. Anyway, it's great. It's convicting. It's made to do both alone and in a group and I'll tell ya what. It sure is showing me scripture in new ways. Our ladies Bible study as well. That one, I tell ya what. I cry nearly every day when I do my daily part. Do it if you're given the chance, "Do You Think I'm Beautiful? " by Angela Thomas. You could just read the book which I am sure is fabulous...but the study w/a bunch of other women is phenomenal.

Hope everyone is having a great day. Mine has been busy. Keep on praying. <3

So I got my hair cut really short today, and the lady who cut it did an awesome job, and she said, "WOW! You look like 15 or 20 yrs. younger!!" I thought to myself....being 40...that would make me pretty young...or either I reallly looked awful before!! :) I'm going with the really young theory. ya'll have a great night. I'm going to a homeschool mom's group thing...can't wait!!! New friends to make! yahoo!

Have you ever found yourself in the stupidest conversation ever and couldn't stop? You know, someone makes a statement, you make a statement in response, and everyone else in the world (except the person you were talking to) gets in the middle and adds all kinds of meaning in there that you never intended??? I really hate it when people pick a fight with me. I don't mean like, I'm always right so don't question me, I don't mean, I don't like to discuss issues (say, of Theology)...I just mean, if we are having said discussion....keep the personality out of it! I guess some people just don't even realize how hurtful and mean their words can be....you know, open mouth...forget to engage brain? I do that sometimes. You know, open my mouth before my brain has the chance to engage? We all do, we're human, we mess up, we sin, we speak before we think. But, ya know...some people are just wired to argue against everything. Period. I was in a "discussion" with this guy and someone jumped all over me for what I said. I happen to have been right, btw, but that doesn't matter. He tried to make what I said look stupid, he disagreed w/what I said etc. Then....two posts later...under a different person's post....he totally backed up what I was saying that he argued against. Ridiculous. Those kinds of people need to all go live together in a commune somewhere and argue nonsensically with each other and leave the rest of us alone. THere. I'm through with my rant. Ya'll have a wonderful day. :)

i'm back.....

SO, it's been a long time, Yes? Well, i'm busy :) Not that I don't love you all...I am just short on minutes!! The ladies in our church have just started the Angela Thomas Bible STudy "Do You think I"m beautiful?" It is awesome, and I am NOT just saying that!! She really has a way of cutting through the junk and just saying what you need to hear. I HIGHLY recommend it.

That being said, I have been having a rough couple of weeks. I'm not sure why, but have you ever felt like no matter how hard you run, no matter how fast you move, no matter how busy you stay, you never get one step caught up? much less ahead! I feel like everything I am doing is rushed. I do NOT like that. That is not my style in the least. I like to be free. I like to just pick up and do what I want, when I want. Well, that ain't happenin' anymore!! Not cool. Ever feel like every single minute is scheduled? And if you do not jump when the buzzer goes off you'll never make it? Well, that's where I am. The strange thing, is that usually people who say these things have their kids so over scheduled, that it is creating this kind of chaos. That's not the case here. I have 3 boys, the only independent type activity they have is soccer, the two youngest, who are on the same team. Not a lot of scheduling required there. But, I go from one thing to the next w/no real break. Ugh..... I get up, I make coffee, I drink coffe while reading bible and doing devotions, baby arrives, feed baby, feed other kids, start school, baby nap, school, lunch, baby lunch, school, baby nap, baby leaves, dinner, whatever...visitation, soccer practice, bible study, other bible study...you name it, I'm there. Do not for a minute think that I want to or can quit a single thing I'm doing. I really, really can't. I am just waiting for the calm. It's gotta come. I'm praying for peace, for relaxation, for something.

The one benefit of all this activity....I am becoming ORGANIZED! Shock! Gasp! Surprise! ME? you say??? Organized???? NOt likely!!! well, it's true, In self defense I have become a planner. I love forms, do you? If there's a form, I wanna fill in the blanks!! :)

I have no deep thoughts or eternal wisdom to give...but I'm here slogging through the trenches. Tryin to smile through it, because despite my lack of a sense of self worth....I have GOD-worth. I know He loves me, He thinks I'm beautiful, and He can use me...no matter what. :)

Puttin' in a plug....

I'm taking a quick opportunity to put in a couple plugs for stuff I've found I love.
1. The Old Schoolhouse Planner (Making a plan for school and home)
This thing is really cool. You can order a CD for your computer...it's absolutely FULL of useful, wonderful cool forms for planning stuff. If you like forms and planners, but have never found one with the stuff you need...this is it. I have turned a ring binder into the ultimate planning machine. It rocks. This thing has forms for planning everything from your day, to your week, to your year, to your kids' schoolyear, to meals daily weekly and monthly. It's incredible. It even has forms to plann your kids' 12 yrs in school. I just love it and cannot say enough about the stuff it has. It has also, lots of educational info. like conversion formulas, periodic table, mulitiplication table, history timeline, TONS of stuff. Love it, check it out.
2. "in our shoes...real life issues for Minister's wives, by minister's wives"
by Rachel Lovingood and Jennifer Landrith\
This is an awesome personal bible study for women in the ministry. It's incredible. Daily, I glean something from it. It's amazing. I just can't say enough good about it. If you're a ministry wife...read it.

the worst blogger in the world

Ok, so I may not be the worst blogger in the world, be i'm certainly in the top 5 laziest, right??! Well, lemme just say, get your flu shots when you're supposed to, ok?? I had never had the flu until last week...( and still now). Me, and two of the boys got the flu. Not cool. REALLY, not cool. I'm pretty sure it had to be the swine flu, since the symptoms matched (kids puking) and the timing...seasonal flu is gone. So, that being said...the flu STINKS! I mean, walking down the hall made me get winded!! Our hall is not that long!!! I still have diminished lung capacity. The kids are still sleeping waaaaaaaaaay more than normal (all is not bad, is it??) But, we're on the mend. Just had to put in a plug for the flu shot...though Roger did have his flu shot this year and he still got sick...those vaccines don't last forever! :)
Pray for us and our church as we seek to feel our way thru all that needs to be done and figure out how to do it...and how to garner interest. Man. Ministry is NOT easy, is it?!
Love ya'll.
J

kids in church

Ok, so my kids gave me a chance to prove my title tonight. You know, "saved, not perfect." Wow. Was I not the perfect mom tonite. Roger was totally out of control at church both this morning and tonight at revival. I had to take him out of church and spank him both times. I was mortified. I HATE doing that. But, he was screaming during prayer this morning!!! What's up with that???? All 3 were trying my patience tonight. So. The preacher's kids are not perfect. His wife's not perfect. Actually, he's not perfect either. But that's ok. If I've learned nothing else, I know God loves me even when I'm not perfect. I did actually manage to concentrate enough on the sermon to get the idea. We're doing revival this week. Our "theme" I guess is "refresh, renew, revive." Pretty cool. Tonite was refresh. Rob talked about how if you never "get off the bench" and get worn out...you don't need refreshing. Made me go, "huh." I don't feel that way with church, I do feel that way with school...my school. YOu know, the expensive one. I need to get off the bench big time. Who knew grad school would be so hard?! LOL! Who knew that reading a book a week would be so hard?? I can read a fiction book a day and not sweat it...but, give me something I didn't choose....?? Forget it!!! It's HARD! It's hard to find time...it's hard to find desire.
So, Thank you GOd for loving me and my imperfect husband and kids. Thank you God, for pouring out your spirit on us that we can feel your presence. Thank you God for putting us in a church that does not even EXPECT us to be perfect. Thank you GOd for the wonderful loving friends you have sent our way. Thank you for the daily encouragement. Thank you for perseverance through Your strength, YOUR power, YOur love, Your glory. Let your love shine through my life and spill all over the place. Let your love seep into the fibers of my life and those around me, that no one can look and wonder if I love you and follow you. Let them ask why. Let them know it's you, not me.
In Jesus' sweet and Holy Name!!!!
AMEN!

Rough week

Ok, so it's been a rough week. I'm physically worn out. Did you ever stop and think about being spiritually worn out?? I am right now having so much trouble finding time for my personal devotional. I am taking a class that is draining me when it's supposed to be filling me!! My back hurts, my left arm feels like I've pinched a nerve, we've had every imaginable problem trying to get a desk set up for me so I can get out of Rob's office space. You name it. Of course, God gave me a gift--the absolutely most knock-your-socks-off sunset ever on the way home from T-ball. He still loves me! :) Some days it's harder to remember that, isn't it.

So, being a pastor's wife and feeling spiritually drained is bad. I am gonna have to drop something. Not sure what, or how, but I'm gonna. I supposed to be praying for one hour every day. That's hard. I fall asleep. I can totally understand the apostles now. Not in a cool way either, but in their misery at their inability. Can you not stay awake and watch for an hour???? ugh. Pray for me please. I know I must say that every post, but I WILL pray for you! :)
We've got to uphold each other, lift each other up to Him in prayer. The only one who can do a thing about any of this stuff we call life.
Ya'll take care.
J

Chicken Pictures

I'm So Tired!!!

We live in the windiest spot on earth. No, really. Yesterday it was so windy, if I closed my eyes and thought about it...I could've sworn I was in my aunt's old beach cottage at Kitty Hawk N.C. It sounded like the waves coming constantly! Incredible. Anyway, that has nothing to do with me being tired...I am just amazed at the nearly constant breeze! I guess living in the flat lands for 40 years will make you think air is stagnant everywhere!! LOL! Anyway, I AM tired! I just want to sleep like 16 hrs., then I'd be fine! I feel like I am constantly in motion until I fall down in bed at night. The problem is, I have lots of school reading to do, so when I fall down...I'm supposed to be reading and mostly I crash. Oh well. I'm working on it, right? My class this time requires me to read a book a week and write a 2 pg. report on it, pray for an hour a day (all at one time :D) for 30 days straight, pray the Lord's Prayer daily for 30 days, Fast for day on two separate occasions (and as I explained to someone, fasting is more than just not eating), and I don't know WHAT else, but I just wanna cry! :D Why the smile?? Because! All this stuff I have to do is not really torturesome, I'm just having schedualing issues! Well, the not eating part will not be cool, but I'll make it.
Rob is in constant motion as well, T-ball, hospital visits, funeral, writing sermons, kid's word, HIS school...planning new programs....getting ready to start a Wed. nite Bible study...whew! Oh choir practice....man. I'm tired. It's a good tired...I tell ya. Be careful whatcha pray for! God'll give it to you and bless your socks off! :D

I sure do miss my friends. Moving is so hard. I miss friends, I dread finding a new doctor for the kids, new bank account, starter checks that no one will take....I get lost if I go somewhere other than Walmart.... Oh well, right?!! :D
I'm making it, just pray for us!
J

So, Rob got "pasteurized" (Pastor-ized) last night. He's officially ordained and as of today licensed!! How cool is that/?? It is waaaaaay cool. We've been praying and waiting and waiting and praying and now HERE WE ARE!! Yay GOd!!! God is so good. I tell you what, never in my wildest dreams did I ever understand or think that God loves me so much. Yeah, we sing "Jesus loves me" from infanthood, yeah we say "I know GOd loves Me" God loves you! BUt hey, let me just tell you what, that part in the Bible where it says he gives better gifts than any earthly father--it's right. The part that says He loves us, it's right. That part that says He wants for us only the best and knows absolutely the desires of our hearts---it's right. God gave us everything we could ever of dreamed of and then some. Right down to what the back yard is like. Where the church is. Where the house is. What kind of house. How much space we needed. Every single detail and some we didn't even know. How could you ever doubt your Father's love when he knows you so well???? I just stand in awesome amazement of the ultimate Dad's love for me. And that's not being overly-familiar---Jesus called Him "Abba" that's like Hebrew "daddy" you know. I love that. I think about that all the time. I have and have had a wonderful relationship with my earthly Daddy and still call him that "Daddy". I am finally understanding that my heavenly Father wants to be "Daddy" to me too. He wants us all to feel that comfortable and close to him. To love him that way. I stand in awe, I kneel in amazement. Last night at Rob's ordination, I stood in front of like 50 some people and cried for 20 minutes or so while 12 different ordained decons and pastors prayed over my husband and I. I hate crying in public. But, there was just no stopping the tears.
Keep us in your prayers, we sure need them now more than ever.
J

We're moving!!!

pray for us as we pack our house. We have too much stuff. We're cleaning out, but hey, 5 people require right much stuff!!! :)
We're getting the truck today, leaving sometime tomorrow. We covet your prayers as we begin this new phase in our lives with anticipation and excitement. Love you all!

YIPEE! YAHOO! PRAISE THE LORD!!!

Can you tell??? We got the church. We are thrilled. There was no doubt left in our minds by the time we forced ourselves to leave, that God wants us in that church. Don't know why. Just know it. CanNOT wait to go! We are just bouncing around thrilled...and scared!! Wow. What huge responsibility! Now that we've got the church...we need your prayers that we remain in God's will and serve in the way he'd have us!! Gotta go...waaaay to much to do! :)
Will keep you posted!

I can't stand this quote:

It behooves a father [or mother] to be blameless if he expects his [or her] child to be.
~Homer


Man, Homer must not've had kids... LOL! Ok, maybe he did....maybe he needs to get his nose out of my house! :D

ok. So. Here I sit. Day after tomorrow it all happens. :)
I am So excited. It's almost uncontainable!!! It's like Rob said one day when we were waiting to hear after the interview...."It's not like waiting for a 'yes' or 'no', it's like waiting for an answer you already have!" It's like that in many ways and at many times. SOMEtimes, though. I get scared. What if it's NOT God giving me peace? What if it's NOT God sending me comfort and assuring me that this is it?? What if?Whatif?Whatif? What if the house doesn't sell quickly, I mean hey, EVERYONE loves telling me just how bad the market is, right?? Well. I am choosing NOT to buy into that negative mindset. God DOES love us. God IS big enough to sell a house...no matter where, no matter the market. God IS the one sending us, right? I sure am glad my God is bigger than those worry-warts' god! :) Sorry. That was a bit mean, right? Sorry. I am just in this mind-set that I will not live my life in fear, I will not worry about every little tiny material thing that could go wrong.

I've been cleaning out, you know...what with the most-likely impending move. I am actually getting joy from just dumping stuff. And I mean STUFF!!! I have sent a couple truck loads to the thrift store already. Crazy, right??? Where did all this stuff live, you say? Everywhere. In every crack, crevice, closet, you name it. Man. Who knew it was so liberating to throw stuff out or give it away??? I am having to be careful not to give away stuff I may actually want or NEED! Yes, me. The pack rat. Cleaning out. I do, however, find it amusing that my husband is only somewhat impressed...he just doesn't know the real volume of stuff that has exited this building. I did have a friend suggest a dumpster....of course she was married to a military man...Teeheehee. They keep nothing, right?? Who would having to move so much? Me, I'm a firmly rooted, stay in one spot, kinda girl. Now think about the trauma I'm getting ready for in moving again...after only like 8 years! EEEEK! You have to understand...my parents live in the same house they bought when I was 6 months old. I'm gonna turn 40 in a couple weeks. See? Firmly rooted. I've had family in this county since,oh...I think the mid 1700's...maybe earlier. Firmly, deeply rooted. I've had people in this country since the 1600's!! Crazy, right? There's not many to beat that who actually have the names written down....who aren't native americans. I love it. I like to think about all the names that've gone before me...that they most probably walked where I walk...all that cool stuff. Very firmly, very deeply rooted.
Now my goal is gonna be to become firmly, deeply, positively, absolutely, permanently rooted in the word of God. In HIS love, HIS word, HIS way.
Can't wait. I cannot wait til Sat., Sun. or any of the rest of it. I cannot wait to see the big UHAul or whatever pull up in the front yard so I can start loading boxes!!! Woohoo!!! Well, you all just pray real hard for us this weekend, Rob needs you support the next couple days so he can get his school done and finish the sermon and WE need you this weekend!!! :D You all KNOW i'll post Monday a.m. if not Sun. night! Love you all!
Oh--Tony C--welcome, I clicked the wrong button on fb, can you resend the request? Sorry!

Mercy...

Why on earth does God think I need to learn this lesson? Have you ever asked yourself that? You know, when you feel like you're maybe being picked on? by God? What a dreadful thought!! Some days, when I'm particularly draggy, down, over the whole gotta-get-up thing, i wonder why i'm being picked on. Mostly, I'm ok. I'm not of such a victim mindset that I actually believe God is picking on me, but I am capable of seeing when God is working on me! This broken knee-cap thing--while I don't think God threw me down on the sidewalk (that was a scooter left by a hapless kid)I do believe God can and IS using this experience to teach me. I am learning just how difficult life can be when you lose one little ability--like bending one knee. How hard can it be ? You ask. Try doing laundry for five people in a two story house and putting clothes away and folding clothes etc. w/o bending one knee--ever. Try going to the bathroom while not EVER bending your left knee at all. Try putting a sock on your left foot. Try putting on underpants. I'm not kidding. I'll wait. Just try it. Now think about that elderly person down the road who lives alone. I can guarantee they are suffering from reduced mobility--the kind a hover-round cannot fix. Try running for a screaming, hurt toddler without bending a knee. It breaks your heart. Think about that person down the road who's hurt or just had surgery. Do something nice! Do all those things "church ladies" do. Even if you're not a church lady. Sometimes I get mad at people who say "I don't 'do' organized religion" because I wonder if maybe they prefer "disorganized" religion and I think about church and say, Hey! They really HAVEN'T been to church lately! There's not a thing organized going on here this morning! LOL! Sorry. anwyay, but for those of you who have had bad church experiences...I know you exist, I know bad churches exist, I've even been to some. You can be Christ's body in your community. Take a meal to a neighbor with small kids, just because you can. I can tell you, food is frequently a great way to make friends. Take cookies....just go visit! sometimes being a stay-at-home mom is lonely! New people in your neighborhood? Go visit. It's hard to make friends in a new community. Show the world Jesus' love. Let His light, His love, His concern, His mercy--show through you. That's what is meant by being a "witness". You live it daily. If you're not doing it well--you may just be giving a "bad" witness. No wonder people get mad at church folks. Aren't we often "clique-y"? Don't we have our little groups, and meetings, and studies, and ways we do things and we really DO NOT want that new person messing up a good thing, right? She dressses funny....her kids are loud...That is why we're here. God loves every single person the same. THE SAME!!! Can you believe it?? That's just incredible to me. I can name right many people He should love more than me! Afterall, I'm frequently unfaithful in following EVERY command. I get cranky. I don't love my neighbor as myself...hey, she's cranky too! RIght? No. That's not right!!!! Well, she may be, but have I asked why? Maybe she needs someone to talk to who won't judge her or her grown children for whatever....maybe she's scared....maybe she doesn't really believe the Lord is gonna heal her husband...or her...who knows. We really have to be careful to think of every HUMAN--born or unborn--as someone God dearly loves. Equally.
I love you guys. Keep us in your prayers, we need them.
J

John's Corner of the World: On the art of sacred-cow tipping . . .

Not sure if this link will work, but it's a cool post to read if you have time. J




John's Corner of the World: On the art of sacred-cow tipping . . .

Oweee!

Ok, so last time I asked if anyone had ever been hurt. Ok,now I have a new hurt!! Dear me! I tripped over a kid's scooter and landed my 2000 lbs. on my left knee-cap. Owee! No joke!! So, needless to say, when I managed to hobble carefully into the dr.'s office the next a.m., I got an x-ray and found out my patella is fractured. Not sure how bad, not sure what they're gonna do about it. I had the "grace" (HA!) to hurt myself too close to a weekend, so I'll see an orthopedist Monday. I'm afraid he's gonna hurt me! I HATE physcial pain!! Oh well, maybe it'll be quick. Anyway, we've all found out that I'm apparantly a really bad patient. I don't like being unable to "do" for myself. I am in total reliance on others. Not cool. Bathing is scary. Going downstairs...double scary. So, I can't help feed the boys, I can't dress the boys, they now run up and down the stairs for me. I have discovered that while my five yo loves to help, he still hasn't figured out it's bad to climb over my leg when I'm in bed. EEEK! He's so sweet. Rob gave me a book to read, called "WHY?". It's about handling the "bumps" life throws you and understnading "why" God gives you these things. I found it amusing that he gave it to me....I'm not a bad patient in that I am laying around crying....I'm just annoyed that I can't do what I want!@!I think he just figured I'd read it in self-defense against boredom....maybe HE needs to read it...you know to find out why God saddled him w/a broken wife! LOL! My arm muscles are very tired from dragging myself around for a half day until I could put some pressure on that foot to walk....I'm not even gonna tell the story on myself about WHY I tripped on the sidewalk....I'll save that for when I can really laugh too. :)
Well, I need to lay down and go for the pain meds again....so, all too soon....bye for now!!
J

Ever been hurt? Ever had a family member attack for no apparent reason? You know, recently I was shocked. I guess the Lord wanted me to know that not every agrees with me....I thought I knew that already, but now I REALLLY know, don't I ! I was having a conversation with a family member and was verbally accosted by another. Hmmmm. Why? Was I saying anything particularly troublesome or strange or unsettling? I didn't think so. We were just talking about homeschooling. My family member proceeded to denegrate not just homeschooling, but me, how I do it (how would she know?), and the results. The thing is, I don't really care if shes likes homeschooling or not. Or even whether she likes me or not. But what gave her the idea she knew anything about any of it/?? She didn't homeschool. She sent her kids to private school. She's never visited my home to see what or how we do it. She just hears stuff 3rd and 4th hand coming through others who dislike it. What's up with that/?? How should we respond to that sort of attack? That's what it is, you know. It's an attack. An affront. I really wanted to be smart, and clever and be able to just argue her down to nothing. You know what I did? I tried to explain my convicitons and was talked over by her. I tried to explain the normalcy of homeschooling and how many people (all sorts of people) are doing. She didn't listen. I was then informed that homeschooling is a uniquely Baptist thing and we only do it because Jerry Falwell told us to. Hmmm. I wonder if she knows he's dead? I wonder if she's ever met anyone else who's home-schooled? She is trained as a lawyer...you'd think she'd know about research. Anyway, my final response was tears. I left the room, the house, found my middle boy and walked, talked and cried. He didn't know why Mom was so upset, but then he didn't need to. I cried and asked God what that was all about. I finally got myself together and went back in and shortly after left. Strangely enough, she told my Mom she was sorry she had spoken to me that way. Wish she'd have told me. Oh well. Why is it such a surprise when someone who doesn't understand us, is not a Christian does something like that? I don't know either. Seems like we'd expect it. The Bible says we should. The Bible basically tells us that we're to be in this world and not of it. We're NOT the same as everyone else.
Lord, I pray that today, you touch those who need you. Lord use me to reach someone. Be with those who hurt whether it's physical or emotional. Help us to forgive those who hurt us just like you forgave us...even though we keep hurting You.
In Jesus' sweet and Holy name I pray...
Amen.

ROad trip amusement...

Next time you're stuck in a car w/your kids for an extended ride...try making up rapper names. We laughed ourselves to tears last night on the way home from the inlaws. How 'bout Saran 'Rap to get you started? "Gum 'Rappah"? Zebra Cakes? Make sure your kids get involved...they're very creative and sometimes funny!!!

books...

Can I just say I love Sonlight? They have picked the absolute best library of books ever. We read entire novels, you know. Well, w/two in core 1 and one in core 5 we're reading some great stuff. For our read aloud, I'm reading to Carter and Roger "Charlotte's Web". I know, standard fare, but hey...when's the last time YOU read it?? I think I was probably 8 or 9. I am LOVING it!!! it's even better than I remember. It's great. The boys even love it!!! We just finished "Mr. Popper's Penguins" ( a bit early) because Carter got it for Christmas (how cool is that/? My Mom didn't even know it was a school book!). That was really cool and I'd never even read that one before. Penguins are a family favorite, so the book was an instant hit.

Now with Branche, he does his own reader (novels), I read aloud to him (more novels) and history is FULL of great historical novels. Needless to say, it's much easier to discuss these books if I've read them too...so...I have to read a lot. i feel like my education is improving daily!!! But, today I finished his current reader..."Water Sky". Oh man. I cried. It's about Eskimos and whaling. I cried for the seals, I cried for the boy, I cried for the girl, I cried for the whale!!! I HATE books that make me cry!!!! But I loved this book!!! Our read aloud is also a cloud burst waiting to happen "The House of Sixty Fathers". Man. Little boy lost w/his lucky pig. I'm just waiting. I already had to stop and pull myself together once!!! It's awesome. Oh--and did you know, that in public school I never studied Ghenghis Khan and the Mongol Horde????? That is the title of the most WONDERFUL book. And I just read that...and readlized I knew absolutely NOTHING about him!!! I devoured the book (Thank you John Holzmann!!!). Man. What a hole in my education!!! How cool is that??? (Not the hole, but that kids won't have that problem!) I LOVE homeschooling.

Oh did I mention Carter is reading??? I told him today, "Write hat" and gave him a wipeoff marker and white board and he said as he wrote, "H, A, T. HAT!" I almost cried then too! LOL!!! Yea!!! Roger was doing great too--I had written hat, sat, cat on the board and he read them, and I erased the 'c' from cat and said, "what if he was 'fat', how would you spell that?" and he said, "I'd put an 'f'!" and he did!!! We went through every 'at' word I could come up with and could NOT trip him up!!! YEA!!! We're loving it!!!

Ok.....we're still waiting on the church...hoping for news by Tuesday. Not sweating it,...more like excitement.


Not sure what God's doing to me...but, I've started watching "Adoption Stories" just for personal torture. Gotta stop it. Making me cry. LOL!! Doing enough of that w/o the show!!!!


Love you guys...keep praying for us and we'll pray for you!!!
J

Just Stuff....

Ok. So. I'm really slack about posting here. I'm sorry to the two or maybe three people who like to read what I blather about on here. : ) I'll try to do better. Anyway, we're anxiously awaiting Sunday. I feel like the countdown has begun. Of course, often when you're doing something to serve or honor God in a new way, or making a move in the right direction....KAWHAM! Here comes a spiritual attack. So, our latest attack is on the heat at church. Since Sunday is terribly important to us....committee coming and all...the heater at the church works everywhere BUT the sanctuary. So. We'll see what God and our Pastor work out. : ) I have great faith in both of them! I know it is relatively unimportant...we'll still have the service, they'll still come, the Word will still be preached...but wouldn't it have been nice for it all to come off w/o a hitch?? Oh well! You know, Bill Gaither wrote a really cool song about this kinda thing....it's called "Through". It talks about all the trials that come, and we expect God to just remove them, but sometimes we have to rely on Him to just carry us through the pain, or challenge, or whatever. I'm gonna put the lyrics over there----> in the box i use for quotes, read them they're really cool and can occasionally make me cry.I guess that's why we have prayer, right? Any of you who would like to join me in praying for God's will and praying for a great Sunday and praying for our future...please do!

So, on facebook I've been finding tons of friends I had lost years ago...high school friends, college friends, weird. Really weird to so easily be back in touch. It's nice. I can instantly chat w/someone I haven't seen or spoken to in literally 10-15 yrs or more. Weird. What a world we live in!!! Anyway, I'm having fun over there, but it's probably to my detriment, in that there are really cool word games to play and I LOVE word games!!! It's causing me to be behind in my seminary reading. Not good. Well, that's not the only thing, but it's certainly not helping. I've posted a bunch of photos over there if you're wondering why not here...well, they seem to load quicker over there and they're slow in both places...so any minute or 5 I can save is good! <<>>>

WEll . Have a great weekend, have a great evening....and feel free to "follow" this blog if you like...the button is over there=====> :)
J

baby's here!

Beth had the baby...YEA! After a week long off and on labor---She's delivered! Baby Katie is here, has dark curly hair and I can NOT wait to see her! I got to sit on her six kids and my 3 yesterday. If you ever wondered if you could manage a business...try that on for size. We cleaned and cleaned and cleaned trying to make the house nice for mom to come home. I am worn out just from trying to keep 5 kids on task and one 2 1/2 yo out of trouble! Anyway, man. Oh--keep praying for Katie, she's having strange bouts of breathing issues, probably just still clearing out fluid, probably no big deal, but pray for quick resolution so mom and baby can come on home.

Anyway, gotta get ready for church. Have a grrrrrrrrrrreat day!
J

Prayer requested...

My buddy Beth still has not had the baby. She is now at the hospital, on pitocin which is not doing any good. They have cranked up the pitocin to try and get labor going, she has been 5 cm dialated for about a day now. Anyway, may wind up w/a c-section if this doesn't work, baby is a good 9 1/2 lbs and her uterus will not contract and maneuver her into position for delivery...hence, pitocin. Anyway. She needs prayer, she is so over this week long off and on labor. She truly needs to be DELIVERED!!! Pray for the safe delivery of baby Katie Ann and for Beth's safety too. J

I don't suffer from insanity...I enjoy every minute of it!



I've been at the birth of a friend's baby all day...and I mean all day. Poor thing STILL has not had it and was at 5 cm this a.m. She's suffering. She's gone to the hospital, was hoping for a home birth. This is her 7th baby, 3rd (?) homebirth...pray for her. Safe delivery for her and baby girl.
J

ever think you could type, hit the "publish" button and realize that you couldn't???


Previous post should've read:

Ever stop to think and forget to START again??????


hahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!

Ever stop to think and forget to stop again?

word of the day....

Consciousness: that annoying time of day between naps.

The problem with life is there's no background music.

hijacking a post

I hijacked the following excerpt from a post of a friend...her link is over in the list as Noodlenest if you want to read the whole post, but here's the excerpt:


Trevor will tell you that my favorite come back for the phrase "That's not fair" is "Do you think it was fair that Jesus had to die on the cross for YOUR sins?"

That usually shuts the offended child down right away.

We don't think that if one child gets ______ (insert toy, food, present, money, praise for something specific, etc.) that the other kids are entitled to get the same.

Entitled is pretty much a dirty word in our family.

I can't stand it.

So, sometimes just for fun one child gets a cookie and the others don't. Or, one gets to go to a party or an outing and the others don't.

Why? Because life doesn't work that way. Just because So&So down the street gets _____(again, insert new bike, scooter, new car, cruise, a big atta boy, etc.) doesn't mean you get one too.




Okay, that is like my favorite post ever. That is SO how I feel!!! As a parent of 3 boys of very different ages, abilities, and personalities....life is often unfair! In fact, no matter what life is no fair! I am planning on not only hi-jacking Jennifer's post, I'm hi-jacking her come-back!
LOL!!
I love friends!

Is it fair Jesus had to die on the cross for YOUR SINS????
Woo! Burn baby burn!!!
Go Jen, go Jen, it's your birthday it's your birthday! <<>>>
Love ya'll.
J

photos

sorry so long!

Okay, I'm not really lazy, just busy!!! I feel like I have still not caught up since Christmas! I did finally get most all of the un-decorating done and actually put in the attic. We have begun a huge clean-up/clean-out. I mean, we are getting rid of so much stuff it's incredible!! Why can't I tell when I walk through the house??? Where was all this stuff living??? It's truly incredible the amount of stuff you accumulate over a few years...we moved here July 2001. Wow. You'd think I never got rid of a thing since then! The entire back of my suburban is full of stuff to donate if I ever get to town. The trash men did NOT love us yesterday due to the huge pile of cast offs not worth donating. I am really gonna use this as a learning experience....I am NOT going to collect this way anymore!!! EEEK! Did I say that???
I have had fun this past week toodling around on Facebook and found a bunch of friends from high school. Pretty cool, found a couple from my badly misspent college years also : ) It's funny....people you assumed you'd know and keep in touch with your whole life....poof! They're gone and years later you have look'em up electronically! Anyway, it's cool.
I just finished reading a cool book, it's one of Branche's readers for school. It's called "Homesick" and it's the real story of a girl whose parents lived in China while running a YMCA sometime in the 20's? 30's? I can't remember, but it's the neatest story and has real photos. I think the author's name is Jean Frisk or something like that. But, she was born in China and didn't come to America until she was like 12. Really neat. Unique life. Good book.
Rob is currently avidly reading Ted Dekker's books. Dekker has like 3 series all connected to each other: Chosen, Infidel, Renegade, Chaos (Branche read these too), then Black, Red, White, then Showdown, Saint, Sinner. There are 3 different series. But, he's a Christian author (his parents were missionaries in...Papua New Guinea [I think] where he and his siblings were born and raised...another good book, by the way "Torches of Joy" written by his Dad) and these books I THINK are kinda scary...that would be why Rob likes them so well! LOL! No, I haven't read them, but Rob loves them and Branche has been enjoying "The Lost Books" series. Worth a read.
Our seminary classes started back yesterday, so I am now delving deeply into the book of Hebrews. I've not purposefully studied it before, so it should be a real learning experience for me. Rob is taking Crisis Counseling...better him than me. : )
Keep us in prayer with our search. Big day coming up. We need your prayer coverage desperately.
Love you guys.
J